After the Interview....

How do you get ahead after a job interview?......Say thank you!

An article written by Dawn Anfuso from the Daily Breeze had some important tips for saying thank you after an interview. Check out the full article here.

Here are a few key points that can serve you well, and from my experiences they have made a difference in making good first impressions and have, at times led to the building of important and lasting relationships:

• Only %10 of job applicants say thank you after an interview.
• Always send a thoughtful handwritten card.....an email is not enough. Think about how many emails you get in one week.
• Choose a card with an interesting design or make one that is more personal.
• Send a card within 24 hours of the interview. If you have already interviewed and have not sent a card.....send it now. It is never too late.
• Send a thank you card to everyone who you interviewed with and anyone who helped you get the interview. Make sure their name is spelled correctly.
• Be enthusiastic about the company.
• Let them know you are excited to hear from them or meet with them in the future.
• I would also recommend including your contact information. If you have a personal card enclose it in the card.

Good luck job hunting!!!

............... I hope this inspires you!

Happy 2010! What will you do?

Happy 2010! 2010 is here and what will you do that is important this year? With only 365 day in a year the count down in on. Throw away the idea of a new year's resolution and start this year off right with setting yourself goals you will accomplish and start living your resolutions.

Questions to ask yourself: Where do I want to go this year? What do I want to achieve? How will I get there?

According to the book, What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School, Those that set goals are likely to achieve more and make more money.

Don't limit yourself to what you can do in a year. Start with breaking down your large goals into smaller, daily attainable goals. A large goal might be to get an internship this year. A smaller daily goal (step 1) would be to daily read the newspaper, Women's Wear Daily, Malayke.com or your favorite blog to stay current with what companies are doing and find out about new companies that might need your help. Next (step 2), You could create a list of all the companies you would like to intern with and add new companies to the list as you come across them. (Step3) You could contact the companies you are interested in working for. By next year at this time you will have yourself one years worth of industry experience.

"Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment." Oprah Winfrey

One of my personal goals for 2010: On a daily basis I will stop and smell the.......roses, flowers, ect. I will try to be in the moment at least once a day.

........ I hope this inspires you!

Unique LA

This weekend December 5 & 6 11:00am-6:00pm
110 East 9th St. @ the California Market Center
$10 at the door!

What is Unique La?: Unique La is an independent design and gift show open to the public with 99% of products being made in the USA!

Why Attend: Events are an important part of meeting new people and building your network of relationships that may be helpful to you in the future. This is also a great way to spot fresh, new designers, see new trends and support your local community. Finals are right around the corner and you have been working hard...go get a fresh perspective.

Extras: The Green Room with Eco friendly designers with free gift wrapping. Admission includes access to both days and free tote designed by Shepard Fairey's company Studio No. 1. Free DIY workshops and seminars all day both days.


............... I hope this inspires you!!

Styling Event

Orange Door Studios Presents.....

Fashion Styling Seminar: Fashion Styling I

December 5, 2009, 12:00-5:00

This seminar will introduce students to print styling. In this seminar you will explore lifestyle styling, Industry do's and don'ts, set lingo and building a styling kit. In addition, team building, how to build your portfolio, and communication with photographers with an on set experience.

Experience: In groups you will style a look for a photo shoot. Orange Door Studios will supply hair stylists and make up artists, photographer, models, racks of clothing and accessories, background, lighting.

Cost: $125.00

Resources: handouts, CD with pictures from photo shoot.

Reserve your spot right away! Only 5 left.

Contact: Jeannie or Carlos

714- 206-6676

213-445-7462

orangedoorstudio@gmail.com
vallephoto@mac.com

Maybyrd Clothing

Mary Byrd is entering into the fashion industry desiring to do more than design clothing. Maybyrd is a new clothing company with an important purpose, showcasing talented designers with autism. Having people in her life that have this condition Mary has taken some important design considerations for autistic people into this line. All T-shirts are made of 100% cotton, without side seams and a tag, which are common irritants to people with Autism. Maybyrd's mission is to showcase these talented individuals, while generating awareness and information about Autism. Each designer receives 15% of sale proceeds from their design. Mary Byrd is a fashion merchandising and design student at California State University, Long Beach. Mary is also the design liaison coordinator in the student run fashion show, Campus Couture. For more information about Mary and her company visit maybyrd.com.

.............. I hope this inspires you!

Design Sponge

The value of staying current. Blogs are just one of many resources available to us that can help us stay up to date with industry trends as well as consumer behaviors. Blogs' niche as a resource come by way of their inherent ability to be published outside of the restrictions of more formal publication frameworks. While blogs exist without the formal credibility requirements of professional and industrial publications, they do provide value by being an up to the minute sources of editorial information.

A friend of mine has introduced me to Design Sponge. This blog, with its unique perspective is dedicated to home and product design and has quite a bit to offer in these fields.

Entrepreneurs-- Are you thinking of starting your own business? Visit the Biz ladies section where you can get many helpful tips from trademarking to doing your taxes as a small business.

DIY'ers-- For those who like to reinvent or recycle common household items visit the DIY section.

Travelers-- If you are planning a trip you might want to read the city guides which outline must stop shopping, sightseeing and tips on getting around the town.

Shoppers-- For those interested in theme driven shopping check out the product guide.

Foodies-- Visit the In the kitchen with section to get a new recipe for your next holiday get together.

Be inspired by others who want to share their point of view. Have fun soaking this one up!

.........I hope this inspires you!

Seed People's Market

Calling all handcrafters, members of the planet, sustainability driven, artisans, and those who crave community and creativity...the newest retail experience has arrived. The Seed People's Market at the Camp in Costa Mesa, California is now open.

Seed is a unique retailer who's finger is on the pulse of cause related, eco friendly and hand made products.

A few reasons to visit the Seed:

1. A truly unique variety of products with a purpose including: apparel, home furnishings, paper goods and much more.
   
2. Inexpensive classes from sewing pillows to raw cooking.
   
3. Free internet on in store computers
   
4. Movie room with fresh popcorn playing all day everyday.
5. Friendly staff
6. Events and live music on the weekends.
7. Recycled 'Indian' newspaper shopping bags that "provides education and shelter to street children."
   

My students and I had the opportunity to meet with manager Heather Trine who had some important insight for those showing interested in getting into the fashion industry. "Be humble presenting yourself to the industry. Be yourself and don't have an attitude." She continued, " If you are nice and work hard you will be successful. If you want to be invaluable never say no to any job including taking out the trash or cleaning the bathroom. " Heather has a creative background and is a recent graduate from CSULB with an architecture and fashion background. Commenting on what it means to be truly unique is one of Heather's passions, visit her blog at heathertrine.blogspot.com.

Take some time for a 'mental health trip' away from work and be inspired at the Seed People's Market: 2937 Bristol St, Ste C101 Costa Mesa, CA 92626

........... I hope this inspires you!