#BlackGirlsMiniGuide #TheInterview Part I

Today for #MoneyMondays we are hearing from one of our “Fluffies at heart”, Kira. She is going to give a few pointers on how to prepare for a successful Interview. Enjoy!

A Black Girl’s Mini Guide to Interviewing

I remember preparing for an interview, not sure what to wear, not sure what to do with my hair, and whether or not my Swarovski nail art would be doing too much! Well, think no more (actually that is terrible advice – never stop thinking). Going to an interview can be stressful but let me share a few tips to achieve a great first impression.

Since I sit on the other side of the table, I will give you a few of the things that I notice the most. None of the things I mention should prevent you from getting a job, but just little quirky things that go unnoticed that HR Professionals notice immediately!

#1 Neutral/Pastel Nails

Depending on the industry this may not be an issue for some, however, stick to a neutral/pastel color scheme for your interview. I promise you fluorescent nails (or anything) can be distracting. Go ahead and rock your coffin, stiletto, almond, or whatever shape you desire, but keep the color neutral.

#2 Natural Glam

Now may not be the time to show off how litt your cut crease game is sis. You can definitely hit them with the highlight after you get the job and even go ham at the annual holiday party! The interview isn’t really the place for that; less is more! Play with neutral colors and throw in a wing (more Adele, less Amy Winehouse – may she continue to RIP).

#3 No Fashionnova Suits

A lot of boutiques and other retail companies call themselves selling “work attire”. The lie detector determined, that was a lie! To be honest, as an avid online shopper, many of those “hip” retail stores miss the mark on work attire. Skirts should still come to your knees (especially when you thick and things ride up), shirts should still cover your cleavage, under garments should still be hidden. You get the point! What do I recommend? Zara, Kosmios, and Macy’s to name a few.

#4 Natural Hair vs. Everything Else

*STOP PUTTING AWAY YOUR NATURAL HAIR FOR INTERVIEWS!* I cannot say this loud enough for the people in the back. OWN IT! You do not have to wear a wig, press it out, or anything.  ROCK your natural tresses! As long as you are well kept, you have nothing to worry about. I know sometimes we feel pressure “to look corporate” but don’t feed that stigma, the right employer is not worried about your twist out or wash n go.

#5 Show up and SHOW OUT!

This is the time to put yourself in the position. Make sure you have reviewed the job description. Learn some information about the company (take a peek at their Instagram). Identify, in advance, why the position and company are a great fit for you! Operation GO AWF is in full effect during the interview. I am always impressed when an interviewee drops knowledge on something about the company that captured them.  Do not overdo and recite what you saw on their website, but make the interviewer recognize that you have done your homework about the position and the company.

Now lets get that job!  

Meet our Guest Writer!

Kira Bascombe is an HR Professional and Entrepreneur. She was born in Barbados and currently resides in South Florida. Her educational background includes a Masters in I/O Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, another MS in Applied Psychology from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill; and a BS in Psychology from Howard University. She has worked in the Human Resources field for over five years.

#Frugality

“Gator boots with the pimped out Gucci suits

Ain't got no job, but I stay sharp

Can't pay my rent, cause all my money's spent

But that's okay, cause I'm still fly”

*record scratch*

Catchy song! But, this ain’t cute, funny or smart. 

Those Gucci boots and gator suits are cute and all(yeah like in 2001) but can we really say that this is smart spending?? In all reality, if rent isn’t paid, lights aren’t on and the car is being repossessed; what does having those expensive things do? There are ways to live a life with nice things and not regret the bill later. 

Try a few of these things to cut back on the excessive or pricey spending.

Comparison shopping; check a few ads for groceries or clothing that you want to buy.If you about to go to the mall and you know for a fact your hitting up Macy’s or Bath and body works, look online and see what coupons and sales they got going on. If you know Bath and Body works is your go to for home, body fragrances and candles, then it’s best to bulk up during their Semi annual sales(a $5 body spray will smell just as good as the $17.50 one—bigger variety too!). 

Stop over paying for convenience; that's your UberEats, Door Dash, Postmates etc.

Stock up; buy deodorant, soap, tissue, paper towels in bulk.

Stop paying for services you don't use you can even buddy up on certain services, annual memberships to Costco or Amazon Prime.

There are soo much resources at your fingertips. UTILIZE. UTILIZE. UTILIZE.

It’s time to be frugal. 

#Entrepreneurship

Us millennial’s have it good and bad. We were raised in a world where our parents did things the “traditional” way. They made us believe the recipe to success was to go to school and get your diploma, go to college and get your degree, then get a job and work your way up. Sounds pretty easy right? 

Fast forward to 2019 where teenagers and young adults are hitting millionaire status right in front of us doing some of the simplest things(thanks YouTube! ) or people turning their hobbies into a career. 

Now that recipe is looking a lil’ uhhh....

It has us divided. 

A.) The group who did what mom and dad told them to do, but at 25+ they’re now questioning themselves about purpose and what career choices to make. 

B.) The group who didn’t take the traditional route and decided to make risks in pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. 

Some of us are at a crossroad. 

For me I was an A that turned into a B. I was all over the place looking at how things developed practically overnight for a YouTuber that I was subscribed to at 10k and now has 4.1 million subscribers(yes YouTube again, damn I need another pastime). Now by all means I have no intention on becoming a YouTuber, but seeing Andrew from Binging with Babish who IS NOT a chef make a career out of recreating famous meals from movies and TV had me thinking …hmm 

If entrepreneurship is what you want to do, you need to take advantage of the type of world we’re living in. Starting a business today isn’t like back then. We have unlimited resources(shout out to YouTube again for the one time one time. Lmao ) at our fingertips and most of it is FREE or attainable. 

So with that being said... bih you know what to do... 

Schmoney!!!!

FYI …I WILL be adding resources and content in regards to starting a business. Look out for that on this segment for #MoneyMondays ..

#MoneyMondays

Welcome to Make it Work Monday’s or what I like to call it #MoneyMondays!! Can’t talk about being Broke and Fluffy without emphasizing a little on the “broke” right?? Being a millennial, Money is ALWAYS a factor and fortunately one thing we all know how to do is HUSTLE and as I got older, money became more complicated. What I once thought was just dollars and cents, turned into credit utilization, interest rate and capital(huh). But this day isn’t just about money, it’s also going to touch on various workplace topics. 

Anyone who has ever held down a job knows how frustrating it can be to work with crazy coworkers, clients who know no boundaries, impossible deadlines with a pinch of limited information (or resources), pay that allows you live just enough to return to work the next day, and bosses — the good, the bad and the...touchy *quivers*. On #MoneyMondays you’ll also hear amazing work stories from women who moved up in the workplace, entrepreneurs who took a leap in faith and others who juggle multiple hats. So tell us, what’s your work life like???