A Post About Job Interviews.

(We interrupt the scheduled "Get to Class" post series for this exciting(?) post.)
(I wasnt sure exactly what to title this blog but, "A Post About Job Interviews" pretty much sums it up.) 

I have been on a few job interviews in my short "working age" life. Not an excessive amount but enough to sort of know what I'm doing when it comes to interviewing. Although, that could be the first tip: interviewees never know what they are doing. Sure, you can be prepared (which i will help you with) and muster up all the confidence you can but, you never really know exactly what they are going to ask or the scenario questions you will face. Since I have a number of interviews this week (i'd appreciate prayers), I figured I would show you what I wear and how I prepare.


One of my interviews is at a day school that is fairly laid back. It's a bit like a Montessori school, with a huge focus on hands-on learning. Since this is a somewhat casual environment, I decided to forgo the business attire and create a more classy, casual outfit.

  

TOP: JCPenney
CREAM SKINNY PANTS: Belk
NECKLACE: Ross
SHOES: Target (thanks to cartwheel they were less than $5!!)




I also have two other interviews for two public schools in the same school district. They are for the same posistion but, one is at the elementary school and the other is at the middle school. After a bit of reasearch on both of the schools as well as the high school, it became clear that the mascot colors were red and black. Now I could practically write an entire book on the fact that red is my absolute, hands down, no bones about it, least favorite color. Ever. However, I digress. In an effort to show some school spirit and possibly earn some bonus interview points, I purchased a red blouse. That's right, I dislike the color so much that I have absolutely nothing red in my closet. Furthermore, since the color disgusts me, I wasnt looking to spend many of my hard earned dollars on it. Problem solved. Thank you Walmart, for my $3 blouse.

TOP: Walmarrt
SKIRT: K-Mart
(i have owned this simple, cotton black skirt since middle school. 10+ years. it has served me well) 
BLAZER: Nordstrom
SHOES: Walmart? (also realized during this outfit construction that i have no black flats. i do not know why)





Now, along with my well-dressed and confident self, I will have my resume and my letters of recommendation with me.

I have used these report covers before but, I needed more and, though it pained me, I bought them in the coordinating school color and just a basic black for my other interview. I highly recommend these. I know some people may not even take their resume with them (not sure why you wouldnt) and some people bring their resume just stapled together (wrinkles? rain? mystery stains?) but, I prefer to set a standard for myself and what my potential employer can expect from me. Plus, I just feel it's nice and neat and more professional looking. And if you're not totally convinced of the power of a report covered resume, all of the families I interviewed with for nanny positions, commented on how my resume presentation set me apart. I also got each one of those jobs. Coincidence? I dont think so.





The biggest thing I can tell you is, to be confident. You really need to sell yourself. Be calm. The best interviewee had lots of practice. Which by practice, I mean lots of interviews. Even if you dont get a position, being able to go through the interview process is well worth it. So, have the mind set of "I know this and I've got this. If I do not get chosen, then I will at least have added to my interview experience".




Choose to make today great!!!

xo- Jessica

Get to Class: Supplies

Well, I regret to inform you that, it seems the education system has taken over our rights to a nice long summer holiday. Yes, it's time for heading back to school. Every year it's the same thing: Independence Day ends with a bang (punny) and then....the shelves appear with pencils and paper and suddenly your long, lazy days are coming to an end. In an effort to make the transition from, carefree days to exam, stress filled days a bit easier, I have compiled a few of my must have essentials to help you (somewhat) happily "Get to Class".

Today is the first of three (possibly even four. I'll let you know) posts in my "Get to Class" series. This particular post is focusing on school supplies.

• PENS......I feel like this is a no-brainer but, having the best writing utensil just makes things so much better. Now, everyone has their own preference. Some people like fatter, chubby pens and some people like thin, smooth pens (there really is a science to it). My personal favorites? These and these.

• PEN CASE......When I was in middle school, it was considered "nerdy" to have a pencil box or a pouch to hold all of your pens and pencils and highlighters. Instead, the cool thing to do was to store your pens in the spiral rings of your notebooks. (pause) I kid you not. Apparently, having beat up notebooks with pens jammed in into the pain inducing metal rings, was far more "in" than being neat and tidy. I still don't quite understand why and I never bought into that logic. The pencil pouch is a neat (punny again) way to express yourself. One of my absolute favorites is this one by Tyrrell Katz. In fact, the entire site has loads of cute pencil cases so, browse a bit. Even using a cute makeup bag can serve this purpose as well (btw, Tyrrell Katz has makeup bags too). You can also check out the one my friend Tori, from Prep For A Day found at Target. 

• NOTEBOOKS......Here again is where you have some options. There are tons of notebooks to choose from. Once you figure out if you prefer wide ruled or college ruled (college ruled for me, thank you.), then your choices are endless. Jadelynn Brooke just released notebooks like this one, this one and this one. The patterns are cute and preppy. Also, for preppy notebooks, Lilly Pulitzer offers a few patterns as well as a mini size and a large size (let's not also forget about the agendas, which you should already have by now). You can also find collegiate and pro team printed notebooks all over amazon. Of course, Target will always provide an abundance of cute notebooks. 

• TABLET CASES......I realize if you are a middle school or high school student, you will probably not be taking your tablet with you to class or study. However, if you are a college student, you may very well be. There are a ridiculous number of tablet cases available and it usually comes down to how you use your tablet and personal preference, that determines the one you choose. I highly recommend my case (I have the one in gold but there are several colors). Not only does it hold my iPad (which is obviously essential) but, it also has slots for business cards (nifty for interviews and internships), a loop for a pen with stylus (highly recommend. you can purchase these anywhere), an SD card slot and a pocket to hold a small legal pad which, is handy for taking notes. 

• BAG......Of course you will need a way to tote around all of your supplies. You can certainly go the original backpack idea OR you can use a canvas or leather tote. If you are also on a sports team, I suggest maybe using a tote or a duffel bag instead of having multiple different bags to lug around. The bag that I use was a limited edition at Target but you can find a similar one here. Mine is sort of a creamy, sand color so it's nice and neutral and matches just about everything. I like it because it's a bit classy and nice and, not only does it have handles but it also has a cross body strap which comes in handy when my bag gets weighted down with junk.

So that's my list of school supplies. Of course I'm sure your teachers and professors will require way more than this but, I hope I have given you a few cute and fun options to make sure your year is awesome. 

Choose to make today great!

xo- Jessica

  

You're Invited...

I am sure by now you are wondering what exactly you are being invited to. It's my birthday!! Ok, well, technically, my birthday is September 13 and, although it would be wonderfully amazing to have an actual birthday party with every single one of you, that's not entirely possible (i know, i'm bummed too). So, instead, I am hosting a virtual birthday party and everyone will be able to "attend". I was inspired to do this by my friend Cathleen. She hosted her virtual birthday in which I happily attended, and then asked for her suggestion on what I should host for mine. So, thanks to her suggestion, the concept is simple: all you have to do is post a picture of yourself with a cookie variety of your choice and, make sure you tag me in your post. That's it. Simple, huh? The choice is yours on what type of cookie you choose, peanut butter (yum!), Oreo (yum!), chocolate chip (yum!), whatever you want. You can leave your RSVP in the comments below or on Instagram (@polishedandpumped). Also, I'd love to hear what your cookie picks are or your favorites. 

Choose to make today great! 

xo- Jessica

Time Management

Can you guess the theme of today's post? See, I have already wasted about three seconds of your day to ask a question that we both already knew the answer to. As well as another five seconds explaining it. OK, enough. Yes, today's post is about time management. It seems a lot of people like the idea of managing their time better (who wouldn't?) but, most people either, don't go about it the right way or, don't know how to go about it. I am here to offer my knowledge and tips and tricks on this subject. 

Make a daily schedule.
Start with a blank sheet of paper and write down all of the hours you are awake in a day. Leave spaces in between the time slots to fill in what you need to be doing or have finished by that time. I would recommend making a couple of different versions of your daily schedule based on, days off, weekends, etc. You also want to make sure you are not booking yourself to tight. Leave room for mishaps or a case of the Mondays. We all know they will happen.

Get a planner.

Once you have your daily routine down, it will become habitual. You will find that you do not have to refer back to your daily schedule as often. You do want to save them though in case you fall off the wagon. The next step would be to get a planner. The options are truly limitless here. There are monthly, weekly, and daily planners of all types that you are sure to find the one that works best for you. For instance, if your schedule stays pretty consistent, maybe a monthly planner is for you to plan trips and dates and such. Likewise, if you are a student, you may find that a weekly or even daily planner works best because of your schedule changes. Also, if you are a tech-y, you can always use your phone as your planner. It is personal preference really. Personally, I prefer to actually write down my schedule and "pencil things in" rather than put something in my phone. The important thing is to find what works best for you.

Knowing what to schedule.

This is where things can get tricky. Everyone is different and knowing what you will actually remember and what you won't, is based on the individual. For me, I will remember when I have a lunch date with my dear Aunt but, cannot remember to drop a letter in the mailbox. I would say to start off big and write down everything. As you get used to planning, you will find out what you do not need to write down and what you need to write down, and highlight, and circle. 

Avoid clutter.

When it comes to planning and time management, the biggest enemy is clutter. If you have a planner that is full of event programs, or tickets, or loads of unnecessary stickers, chances are, your time is probably not being utilized as efficiently as it could be. It can be helpful for some people to color code their planners. Especially for students who may have a variety of different events in one week or even a day. Just make sure you know the color code and try not to use anymore than 5 different colors. As far as stickers go, I never use these in my planner but, they may be helpful for birthdays, anniversaries or holiday events. The preference is yours but try not to go overboard. Avoid clutter.

Just do it.

(I wasn't sure if I should have that line trademarked or not but, since I am not talking about sneakers, I think I am OK.) This is my last tip: if you have a task or job that you really would rather not do, just do it! There is no sense in putting something off until the last minute when you know it needs to be completed in the first place. Honestly, I would rather get it out of the any instead of spending my day thinking about it and dreading it.  Not to mention, if you get the difficult or boring stuff out of the way first, think about the satisfaction you will feel once it's complete. 

I hope that you found these tips to be helpful. If you have any additional tips or strategies you use to better manage your time, please share and, list them below. Also, if you have any questions about schedules or planners, you can also list those below. Let's all take control of the time that we have! 

Choose to make today great! xo

-Jessica

Summer Sweet Tea

Last week I posted this picture of my summer fresh, sweet tea on Instagram. I thought I would take the time and share the "recipe" with you. It is really simple and quick to make and tastes like you're sipping summer through a straw. So without further ado, I give you my summer, yummy, blueberry-goodness, sweet tea (if someone has a better no-fuss name, I am open to suggestions).

Step One: Boil your tea brewing water. You can do this with a stove top kettle, or an electric one or, if you have never been much of a hot tea fan and don't own a kettle (ahem), you can heat some water in a saucepan. Bottom line, do not, I repeat, DO NOT heat your water in the microwave. I mean you can at your own risk but, bleh! You want the water to be hot. Boiling hot. Not this "tepid nonsense" (Dame Maggie Smith used that phrase to describe how Americans make tea in "The Second Best Exoctic Marigold Hotel". I'd say she was spot on.). 

Step Two: While your water is boiling, you can fill your tumbler with ice and frozen fruit. I prefer blueberries in this particular tea blend but hey, the fruit choice is yours. Just make sure it's frozen. Also, depending on the type of fruit you use, you can use a diffuser if you have one. I don't really find it necessary, nor do I own one but, citrus fruits tend to not freeze very well so keep that in mind. 

Step Three: Now, you will need a mug to steep your tea in. I like to sweeten my tea a bit but, based on your fruit choice and taste preference, this is optional. If you do decide to sweeten it, I like to place about a tablespoon of honey in the bottom of my mug. This way when the hot water hits it, it will dissolve right into the tea water. After you have added your honey (or not), just pop your tea bag (this is the tea I use with frozen blueberries) into the mug and, once you have boiling water, pour it into the mug over the tea bag. 

Step Four: Steep. Do not dunk your teabag like a carnival game or like you're casting a fishing pole. This is tea. It's delicate and not for playing with. Just pour the boiling, hot water over it and leave it alone. Depending on the type of tea you use, the steep times will vary. The box or packet will tell you suggested steep times. Typically, most tea is steeped for 3-5 minutes depending on how strong you want it. For me, I usually let this blend steep for about 5 minutes. Between the ice, honey and fruit, it will dilute it a bit so I want to make sure I am tasting tea. 

Step Five: After your desired steep time as passed, just strain your tea from the tea bag and pour the tea from the mug directly into the ice and fruit-filled tumbler. By the time you screw the lid and straw onto your tumbler, your tea will be chilled to drink. If not, just give it a swirl or you may want to add more ice. 

Now you can enjoy your [insert catchy summer tea name name here]! 

COLLAB: Casual Summer Outfit

One of the reasons why I like summer is that, it creates an endless amount of wardrobe options (ok there are some things you cannot wear, such as wool, but I'm willing to compromise). With wedding and barbecue season happening within the three months of Summer, you get to plan quite a few "special occassion" outfits. But what do you wear on a random June Wednesday? This is something I tend to have an issue with five days a week. Luckily, I was recently invited to do a collab post on a casual summer outfit and, it caused me to do a bit of work. I selected a very basic and totally interchangable and customizable outfit that works for me and my type of everyday. The girls I collaborated with, Tori, from Prep for a Day and  Katie, from Chic in Carolina, did the same. I invite you to check out each of their posts and see the outfits they came up with. Here's what I worked out and why...........

A Basic Tee.- I chose stripes because well, I like it and stripes are trendy. I picked this top up at Ross and it does not appear to have a brand listed (I find quite a bit of their items don't. hmm?). You can pick up striped tee's anywhere though, Target, Old Navy, anywhere really. If you don't like stripes, don't buy stripes. A bright solid color like a nice green or pink or turquoise would look nice and summery as well. Also, I should mention, this is more of a blouse type tee, not a cotton crew neck. I wanted to be comfortable yet stylish and not too laid back. 

Cotton Shorts.- Here again is where you have a few options. I chose white because it matched, and they have a summer vibe to them (plus, white acts like a filter for your legs to make them look more tan.). I highly doubt I would ever wear white to work but I would on the weekends as long as no rain is involved. Even on a weekday, this look could work with any color chino or cotton short or even denim. Plenty of options based on your own collection and style. In case you were wondering, these shorts are from Walmart  and they are pretty inexpensive and comfy. Most of my shorts are from Kohls however. 

Topsiders.- I suppose you could wear a nice pair of sandals with this and, that would look nice. I chose my Sperry's because 1- you never know when a thunderstorm is going to appear and, a downpour plus sandals, is an injury waiting to happen (for me anyway), 2- what if your day happens to take you to a place that requires more structured footwear like, say, a park or any place with gravel? Sandals (or basically any dressy or nice shoe) and gravel do not mix. With topsiders, you can take on the rain and whatever outdoor activity you want really. Plus who doesn't like the classic look of them? They pull most any look together. I have gold colored topsiders from Target and these Sperry's I bought from Belk (FYI: on black Friday, they tend to have a nice sale price on certain styles). 

Pearl Earrings.- For a casual outfit, I wanted to keep accessories to a minimum so, I chose the classic pearl studs. Obviously, these are faux but they still work and who really cares, right? I don't feel like these are a must have with this type of outfit but it does add more of a dressy casual feel to the look. You can pick these up at practically any deparment store. Mine came in a pack of three different sizes from Target. 

Here is the outfit all together:

So if you want tips on how to take the most awkward full-body selfie ever, read on. You should wait until your sunlight hours are limited. You should also make sure that the mountain view and pool backdrop you had planned, is full of rowdy college students. For that added touch, make sure your photographer is busy fullfiling another of his job titles, mechanic. Also, make sure the only camera you have available, is an iPhone and set your self-timer to 10 seconds. Any longer than that, and you might actually have time to properly pose and get a good shot. On another note, I did quite enjoy staring aimlessly toward the sun. 

As you can see, my take on the summer casual outfit is, basic yet stylish. I feel like most people have all the componets of this already in their closet. I will definitely be using this "model outfit" as a template for the next Tuesday morning that I have nothing wear. I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did creating it and, I hope you will check out Tori's outfit as well as Katie's outfit!

Choose to make today great!

-xoxo

Jessica

Things to do in Old Dominion (AKA Virginia)

In case you are new here (welcome, by the way!) or you just had no idea, I am from Virginia. Sometimes I claim it, sometimes not. I always tell people that my body may be in VA but my heart is in SC, Charleston to specific. Virginia is certainly not a bad state, I have just lived here all of my years and I want to do some 'sploring (Lucy had 'splaining to do, I've got 'sploring to do.). Anyway, with it being almost summer and vacations and roadtrips will be had by many, I thought I would give you some options and insight to my home state. I should also mention that, this idea was inspired by my friends Cathleen and Katie. Katie is from North Carolina (lucky gal!) and Cathleen, is from South Carolina (even luckier gal!). I will link their state posts here  and here.  Now, onto Virginia!

In case you are not so familiar with my state, I'll give you a bit of a fourth grade geography lesson. Virginia is split into three regions: Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and Tidewater. The Blue Ridge region is home to the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, and has lots of Civil War history. The Piedmont region is the middle section of Virgina and, the land is closer to sea-level than the Blue Ridge. This is where you will find our capital city, Richmond. The Tidewater is coastal Virginia. This is where you will find colonial cities such as Williamsburg and of course, Virginia Beach. 

Blue Ridge:



(Image from www.visitskylinedrive.org)

• SKYLINE DRIVE

The Skyline Drive is a scenic road that runs through the Shenandoah National Park. If you love nature, this is a must see!! Animals such as deer and bear, are a frequent sight. The road itself is 109 miles long with a speed limit of just 35mph. Sure, it will take you awhile to drive the entire thing but, there are also several overlooks and hiking and biking paths. The Appalachian Trail actually runs through the Shenandoah Valley and you can access the trail through the Skyline Drive. 



(Image from www.stonesentinals.com)

• CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS

Any good Virginia elementary school student will tell you that, they are already sick of hearing about the Civil War. The reason is, this is a state that had quite a bit of involvement with the "war between the states". Thus, Virginia history and studies is a big deal. All throughout Virginia, you will see Civil War trail markers, like those pictured above. There are several battlefields in the state worth checking out and below I have listed a few:

1. Battle of Bull Run
2. Battle of Cedar Creek
3. Chancellorsville Battlefield

Piedmont:

(Image from www.riponsociety.org)

• MOUNT VERNON

You know that guy on the one dollar bill? He's the same one on the quarter too. Guess what? That's George Washington or, "the original G-dub's". He was a Virginia man. Mount Vernon is an absolute MUST SEE when coming to Virginia. It is a field trip hot spot for every elementary school in the state and, it's the first presidents estate for crying out loud! You can also visit Ferry Farm which is where Washington lived as a child and supposedly cut down a cherry tree. Fun Fact: Including George Washington, there have been eight total US Presidents from Virginia. 

(Image from www.monticello.org)

• MONTICELLO

You know that guy (deja vu?) that's credited with the Declaration of Independence, the Louisiana Purchase, having his face stamped on a nickel (and a near extinct $2 bill) and also the third president of The United States? He was also a Virginia man! Thomas Jefferson's Monticello is magnificent!! Like Mount Vernon, this is also a must-see and a huge field trip destination. Jefferson actually designed Monticello after inspiration from his travels to France. The architecture and landscape design is absolutely stunning!




Tidewater:

(Image from www.williamsburgwaterfront.com)

• HISTORIC TRIANGLE

In case you were not aware, Virginia is loaded with history. In the Tidewater region, you can visit Virginia's Historical Triangle. Williamsburg is known as being the first state capital of Virginia. It is one of my absolute favorite cities! Downtown has colonial buildings, reenactments, and tours. The entire city has a very southern, colonial vibe...very welcoming. You can also visit Jamestown which is known as being the first Virginia settlement in 1607. Of course you could just watch Pocahontas and learn absolutely no truth about the real Jamestown or the real Pocahontas....cute flick though! Lastly, there is Yorktown. This is where the British troops surrendered, to none other than GW, to end the Revolutionary War. It's sort of a big deal.


With the Tidewater region being coastal, there are next to a million things to do in this area of Virginia. Below I have listed several worth checking out:

1. Busch Gardens (If you do nothing else in VA, go here. Trust me.)
2. Virginia Beach (I don't really recommend the beach itself but the nightlife and live music is worth checking out.)
3. Virginia Aquarium
4. Virginia Air and Space Center

So there you have it. A bit of Virginia history and places to go and things to see when you come for a visit. Be sure to let me know when you do, I can hook you up with a list of the best places to dine! 




Choose to make today great!
-Jessica