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Tuesday’s TPS Report: Short-Sleeve Chevron-Print Shell

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Vince Short-Sleeve Chevron-Print Shell | CorporetteOur daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. I was going to do a post on this other Vince blouse, which I also love and comes in a million colors, but I love this one so much that I almost don't want to post it so I can stalk it till it goes on sale. I think the chevron peacock coloring is gorgeous yet classic at the same time, and while the other blouse has a slouchy elegance to it, this one could be worn in a modern way (with ankle or cigarette pants, for example) or in a traditional way (tucked in as part of a regular suit). I'd go with a bright white pop from pearls at the neckline. It's $295 at Neiman Marcus. Vince Short-Sleeve Chevron-Print Shell Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-4)

Sales of note for 3/26/25:

  • Nordstrom – 15% off beauty (ends 3/30) + Nordy Club members earn 3X the points!
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale + additional 20% off + 30% off your purchase
  • Banana Republic Factory – Friends & Family Event: 50% off purchase + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off all sale
  • J.Crew – 30% off tops, tees, dresses, accessories, sale styles + warm-weather styles
  • J.Crew Factory – Shorts under $30 + extra 60% off clearance + up to 60% off everything
  • M.M.LaFleur – 25% off travel favorites + use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – $64.50 spring cardigans + BOGO 50% off everything else

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

190 Comments

  1. I think this is the first time I’ve ever been tempted by a Monday or Tuesday pick, but I really love this shirt.

      2. It definitely made me think of a turtle. Or maybe a beetle. Or some sort of futuristic armor. But I’m liking it despite that.

      3. Maybe you can treat it as an exoskeleton on sh!tty days, while still looking cute?

        1. I was thinking it was rather reptilian myself lol; and the color is irresistible. I will actually be featuring a top similar to that on my blog tomorrow. If you have a top like this Vince shell in silk (that hits you below the widest part of your hips), you can belt it at your natural waist to create a peplum top (giving you a third way to potentially wear your shell).

    3. I love this blouse and will be stalking it. NM has really good sales if you keep checking. I recently bought a skirt marked down from $240 to $60.

      1. I am overwhelming adoring this top! Thanks for the tip – I’ll be checking on it as well.

    1. Granted, but a very nice top. If it ever went on sale, I would think about it seriously.

        1. Ditto – had to repost it immediately and forthwith. My biggest pet peeve aside from missing or misused apostrophes.

  3. Early TJ: I’ve been working crazy long hours lately (law) and have been making horrible eating choices as a result. Basically indulging myself out of pity. How do I cut this out? I even know that when I eat healthier, I feel better, but it’s hard to convince myself when it’s 10pm at the office and all I want is a milkshake…

    1. I’ve been there and I think that a Ben & Jerry’s smoothie is a perfect dinner substitute. Could you go out for something like a smoothie earlier or bring things in to the office fridge?

      I have a lot of desk food that is better than vending machine food: baggies of cereal (I am a dry cereal person), nuts, etc. Sure, I have a fruit roll-up some times, but I try to give myself some good options so my blood sugar doesn’t ever get too low.

      1. Yay! Nice Blouse, Kat, and it is at Neiman Marcus! I will forward to ROSA b/c she goe’s to White Plain’s all the time.

        As for the OP, I agree with Arthuropod! My dad say’s “Best to eat healthy or you will wind up with a TUCHUS like mine.” I am afraid he was right b/c I have stopped all the Teddygraham’s and Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garzia, b/c they are great, but I had a PERMANENT reminder of them on my tuchus. Now that I am walkeing 10,000+ step’s a day, my tuchus has slimmed down and I am comforteable fitteing back in a size 2. YAY!!!!!

        I found out what Mason did with Lynn in my office. FOOEY! You can ONLEY imageine b/c this is a family sight, and for all we know, they could have taken the first step unwittingeley. I will NOT say any more on this, but Mason MUST not do anything like this in the office any more. DOUBEL FOOEY! And it is MY responsibility to make sure he does NOT. I think that is a littel unfair b/c I cannot supervise him 24/7 and he has office key’s (as doe’s Lynn). But that is what I get for being a PARTNER. TRIPEL FOOEY! I had my office carpet steam cleaned to get rid of all evidence of their being here. FOOEY!

        1. How gross! I know what they must have been doing but it is not fair to make you responsible for them not engaging in risky stuff.

    2. Can you pack your office with somewhat healthy treats? I like things that come in small pieces (thus taking longer to eat). Trail mix, popcorn/kettlecorn- not microwave, raw veggies or fruit with fun dips or nut butters, etc.
      Or if you really want junk, single ice cream sandwiches/popsicles or a microwave smore might satisfy the craving without resorting to a full milkshake.

    3. Quinoa. Quinoa is my lover. It’s super easy to make a big batch of it so you’ve got it on hand for the week, and that is how I can convince myself that the microwave is actually faster and easier than ordering food. It keeps really well and you can throw in whatever you have on hand- olives, roasted red peppers, cheese, veggies, mushrooms, kale. It’s got much more protein in it than pasta, bread, chips, etc. so I stay full and focused and I truly believe (not a nutritionist!) the nutrients in it keep my body from craving other things it needs.

      1. +1 Quinoa is my lover too! I make a big batch on Sunday and eat it for lunch and dinner (with various mix ins) every week day. I usually have fruit and nuts as a morning and afternoon snack but otherwise I have no problem staying satisified and full.

        1. Yes to quinoa! And sometimes I like to microwave some cheese into it to make it a mac-and-cheese or risotto-esque bowl of deliciousness. I’ll also throw in hot sauce, or cooked veggies or chunks of ham. SO GOOD.

      3. If you have a membership to Costco I can’t recommend their Mediterranean Quinoa enough! It’s in the frozen section and comes in packets that serves about 2.5. It cooks in 6 minutes–no boiling water necessary, and has bits of tomato, spinach, and feta cheese. Yum! It’s my go to when I want something quick and hearty

    4. Can you indulge in food with some healthy benefits? Full fat yogurt, avocado, nuts, dried fruit? I often think of eating healthier as ugh, time for crappy work salads, but I’m really better off just going for the spicy tuba and avocado roll instead of letting it get to 9:30 and eating frozen pizza out of desperation.

    5. Can you try to find some other substitute for a “treat” or guilty pleasure instead of food? I fall into the same habits when I’m working really long hours, and I try to find other things to use as guilty pleasures. Maybe buy yourself a present that you wouldn’t normally buy? For example, some fancy shampoo (puts me in a better mood all day), nice lotion, nail polish, etc. Nice headphones to listen to music while you work? A trinket for your desk? Clothes? Jewelry? It doesn’t even have to be that expensive, as long as it’s frivolous :) Same idea for food, actually… focus on treating yourself in terms of expense instead of calories. Not a perfect long term financial strategy, but you’re probably not spending as much money as you do when you’re slower at work (free dinner, I’m assuming? And you’re not going out as much) so it’s okay to spend more in the meantime.

      1. +1 When I went through a period like this I made myself a list of things that make me happy – reading a book, a walk in the sunshine, new nail polish, music, etc…. some were cheap, some weren’t, but none were food. Whenever I was feeling a craving for a milkshake or a candy bar, I’d instead pick something off my list and indulge myself for 15 minutes. I’d allow myself a food treat maybe only once a week. Since i was indulging myself in other things that brought me joy, it was easier to recognize that food didn’t make me really feel better but some of those other things actually did. It wasn’t fail-proof, but it certainly helped cut back on my trips to Starbucks.

      2. Hot tea. Lots of flavors. Really helped me eliminate snacking at work. Also, just making it my golden rule not to eat out of the snack drawer and not to eat goodies brought in by other people.

      3. Shoes! Girls just wanta have shoes! At least this one! Or, for a lot less, a Vogue magazine with killer shoes to ogle.

    6. Busy associate here. I buy bags of fruit/veggies and pack the entire bag on a Monday as well as a few yogurts. I also bring a loaf of whole grain bread and lunch meat and peanut butter. That’s all I bring, and I do not let myself eat out, so my options are limited to those decently healthy choices that I’ve brought and I also don’t have to stress about making a lunch every morning.

    7. I find myself doing this a lot too when I’m stuck in the office. What works for me: admitting that I’m going to be in the office late and eating a healthy dinner at a reasonable time. I then drink mint tea all night. If I am still in the office really late and I get hungry again (or just want to eat my feelings) I keep two choices around: roasted salted almonds or a bar of dark chocolate. Salty and sweet cravings covered.

      This works for me because I don’t usually crave almonds or chocolate and don’t snack on them ordinarily. So for me to dig into my stash I must be actually hungry, and if I’m eating my feelings… well, at least it’s moderately healthy.

    8. Cheese sticks, apples and peanut butter, nifty salads in a jar (I know it’s over, but I still love them), nuts. When things are crazy, I aim to eat “properly” 4 days a week, so when that Thursday, 9 p.m. this-brief-is-never-going-to-be-done and I-need-chocolate-chip-cookies-now feeling comes on, I don’t feel so bad.

    9. I don’t work terrible hours, but I am concerned about making good food choices at work. I’m not sure where you are located, but I take advantage of the Whole Foods pre-made food bars every week. I get a some healthy “main” courses like different kinds of quinoa, lentils, kale salads, etc. This makes them easy to bring to work in the beginning of the week and stick in the fridge. This way, I don’t have to make anything myself and it’s always tasty and easy. I supplement those with fresh fruit and veggies, greek yogurt and babybel. It probably takes me about 1 to 2 minutes to assemble my lunch everyday.

      It also might work for you to let yourself indulge one day a week. In the summer, I grab a donut from the donut truck every Friday, which helps me stay on track during the week because I know I’m going to splurge at the end of the week.

    10. I’m guilty of this too and trick myself into eating healthier. Even when I’m in trial mode, I bring healthy snacks like veggies with single serving containers of hummus, fruit salad, and small bags of nuts. When I am craving something unhealthy, I tell myself that I can have it after I’ve finished the snacks I brought for the day. Usually I discover that I was thirsty or snacky, not really hungry, and don’t get the unhealthy item.

    11. I promise I’m not on their brand team or anything, but I’ve lately been loving Quest bars. They feel really indulgent, but are a (relatively) healthy pick. And the chocolate chip cookie dough one is insane. I usually keep one in my purse and eat it as I’m driving home late at night, so that I don’t stop at Whataburger for a chocolate shake. Mmm.

  4. (C-moms is quiet as always, so posting here instead.)

    Curious whether / to what degree others have fasted while pregnant. I’m Jewish and typically fast without issue for 25 hours or so on Tisha BaAv and Yom Kippur. This year I will be in my second and third trimester, respectively, in a low-risk pregnancy. My ob/gyn basically punted to my rabbi, which I don’t have, and the internet has conflicting info, and some of the recommendations seem impractical. I am inclined to drink water normally but abstain from eating unless I feel really bad, in which case I will snack. But would love to hear what others have done and any wisdom gleaned. Thanks!

    1. Eat! Pregnant women are not supposed to fast. The primary goal of Judaism is the preservation of life. It is your duty to care for your baby as best you can, which include eating. Skipping the fast to care for your baby is your sacrifice.

      1. This! My understanding (from my Rabbi) is that pregnant and breastfeeding women are not supposed to fast! Sure, I wouldn’t bring snacks to services or anything, but I certainly wouldn’t fast.

        1. This is the consensus among Catholics as well. The young, elderly, ill, and pregnant/breastfeeding get a pass. Generally people eat modestly – no desserts, less meat, etc. A balanced but unexciting diet, if you will.

      2. Same sitch. Advised by Orthdodox rabbi to eat nutritiously, no treats, no dessert. But breakfast lunch dinner snack…all fine.

    2. I was always hungry during pregnancy so I can’t fathom a fast. But, I think that the pregnant body is pretty amazing at keeping the baby growing and can handle short term stressors. I’d definitely stay hydrated and be willing to break a fast guilt free at the first sign that my body wasn’t having it. Also, I think most religions excuse certain groups, like pregnant ladies, from fasting requirements so there’s that.
      Not jewish, not a doctor so take this with a giant lump of salt.

    3. Islam (another Abrahamic faith) gives pregnant women and children a pass on fasting. And while we Whiskeypalians know that we may observe various days with fasting, we generally don’t. I think while I could be an observant fast-er while not pregnant, and even if I could tolerate it when pregnant, I would abstain from fasting while pregnant on behalf of my baby, who has no say and may be needier in this department than I could perceive. It would probably be fine, but as the vessel, I would feel that I have the rest of my life to be more observant (and in my conception of g-d, I feel that g-d already knows this and understands).

      FWIW, I hated even the slight fast for the glucose tolerance test and felt much better once I could start eating again. It was even more pronounced the second time when I had a toddler to chase around.

      1. We were just talking about this in my family yesterday (we’re Muslim). My mom fasted for 3 out of 4 pregnancies. The only exception was when she was pregnant with me because Ramadan was during the last 4 weeks of her pregnancy (also the reason why I’m the best out of all my sibs). I think she was in the first and/or early second trimester for the other ones.

        Maybe a partial day fast and/or extra services or prayers would help with the whole observance feel.

    4. Not a doctor/not jewish but if you don’t like the idea of eating a big meal while others around you are fasting maybe you could just do smoothies (with appropriate protein/nutrients in them) so that you are sacrificing the ‘enjoyment’ / ‘pleasure’ of eating? Again, no idea if that meets your religious requirements or not. If you do decide to do an only water fast, then please ensure you eat a lot and well in the days leading up to it.

      1. I will second this. In my faith tradition, the act of fasting is more about the attitude of sacrifice than about not eating food. Perhaps there is another way to practice the act of sacrifice without giving up important nutrition for baby? I like the idea of nutrient-rich smoothies, but also perhaps switching to a vegetarian diet, or something of that nature may help you feel that you participating in your religious rites without compromising your health or the baby’s health?

    5. Assuming it is still safe for you to fast when each holiday comes around, I think you need to think about whether it’s more important to you to do your typical holiday observance activities or to fast. Would you rather stay home all day on Yom Kippur if that’s what it takes to be able to fast, or would you rather snack throughout the day so you can attend services?

      1. Different rabbis’ advice will differ on this — in my experience, some will say fasting is most important so stay home in bed, and others will say to go to shul.

    6. I always fasted when pregnant with no ill effects, other than feeling hungry. My SIL gets very sick and is not allowed to fast, period, pregnant or not. If you want to fast and your doctor doesn’t forbid it, obviously use your judgment and eat/drink if you are at all concerned. I used to go to a highly rated OBGYN (alas, he is now deceased) who treated legions of Orthodox women. His explanation was that fasting is safe in a normal healthy pregnancy unless you are in your last few weeks, when it may cause premature labor.

    7. What about eating ‘bare bones’ foods instead of fasting (dry toast, plain chicken, salad with no dressing, whatever). That way you are still getting nutrients, but because of the lack of seasoning & sauces (or whatever) you still have that deprivation that goes along with fasting.

  5. I kind of love this in an alien robot queen executive kind of way.

    TJ – I just started a new job where I need to carry my ID pass everywhere. It doesn’t always work so well to clip it to my clothes, depending on the outfit. Can anyone recommend a source for non-ugly lanyards? I’ll trawl through Google and Etsy tonight but thought perhaps someone here may already know where to find the perfect Kate Spade lanyard or so. Thanks!

    1. Does it have to be visible at all times? If you just need it handy, think about grabbing one of those wrist spiral bracelet stretchy things instead (easy to slip on and off). For a lanyard itself, my (admittedly preppy) friend actually just uses a length of thin grosgrain ribbon (you could buy a few colors like black, navy, cream, etc to switch out – or just pick one neutral and stick with it).

      1. I do grosgrain ribbon as well, although not because I’m preppy, but simply because I had a roll of it and I did not have a handy non-ugly lanyard and needed to carry my work key on a dress day but keep my hands free. It works, and when it gets gross I pitch it and pull another length off the roll.
        One woman I work with uses a the detachable cloth strap from a Vera Bradley purse, for another non-ugly idea. And another woman I work with just clips her badge onto long necklaces – not a style I could pull off, but it works for her.

        1. I do the long-necklace thing. I buy a long chain necklace in a neutral like pewter at someplace cheap like Charming Charlie and permanently attach my ID to it. I change it only about every six months. It’s easier to find in my tote, too, because the chain feels different than all the other odd items in there.

    2. The shirt reminds me of Sigourney Weaver in Alien. Or Sarah Connor in Terminator. Basically, this is a blouse a bamf would wear.

    3. No advice, but there are surprisingly a lot of pretty lanyards once you start looking. I’ve had lots over the years, but I always buy them locally at little shops ($5-15)…everyone needs an ID in DC, so lanyards are sold everywhere.

      FWIW, I love the one I have now with a magnetic clasp. My beaded lanyard often gets tangled in my hair or my necklace, or in the winter, I put my scarf on before I take the lanyard off (problem, becuase it needs to go right in my purse when I leave or I will forget it somewhere the next day), and being able to just pull it off in front of me neatly solves all those problems… so look for magnetic clasp if you can!

    4. I just wear a thin one with the company name on it, and then I own it, but I’d love if Kate Spade made one.

    5. I have to wear my badge at all times. I buy simple long necklaces at places like Ann Taylor and BR, when they are on sale, and then I clip my badge to the bottom of them. I usually have one in gold and one in silver to switch out. I used to use whatever lanyard my work gave me, but I feel like the longer necklaces are more polished. I read on CHS to spray your costume jewelry with a clear finish to make them last longer, but I haven’t tried that yet.

    6. I’d be careful adopting necklaces or ribbons that aren’t designed to be lanyards. A lanyard should have a break away clasp for safety. Then, if the lanyard ever gets caught on anything, a sharp tug will open the clasp so you aren’t injured. The design is similar to a breakaway cat collar.

      1. what’s the difference between these adapted lanyards and just wearing a long necklace for style/accessory purposes? I mean, I get there’s a risk, but if we’re willing to take it anyway…

        1. My ID gets caught on stuff pretty regularly, my necklaces never do. I don’t know why.

        2. Looking at it from a mechanical standpoint, a necklace usually has links, or a clasp somewhere, which would be weak points to give way under stress. A woven item (like a ribbon) is going to have a different stress profile and won’t give way in the same way a series of metal inks will. Which is probably why (woven) lanyards have the safety release mentioned above.

          I’m not saying it’s not going to hurt when your necklace is in a fight with your neck after getting caught, but you are far more likely to be able to break the typical necklace with your hands than you are a woven ribbon.

    7. I have to wear my ID badge at all times, which I hate. If I’m wearing a blazer I just clip it to the lapels or a pocket. I also have a Vera Bradley lanyard and a Coach lanyard that I like. I think they were each around $12.

    8. I hate lanyards so always find a way to clip it to my clothing. I’ve gotten pretty creative.

    10. I love all these ideas and especially appreciate the thoughtful warning about breakaway clasps :) I’ll report back when I have time to order something! The new job is so busy I don’t have a ton of time to browse online, which is great but slows things down.

    11. Michaels or Joanns craft stores of all places carry some pretty ID lanyards that are jewelry-esque. And if you don’t like their stock lanyards you can buy the jewelry components and make your own!

  6. Would you still negotiate your salary if the offer is very competitive? They threw out the first number and it’s higher than the range I had in mind (and from what I can tell is slightly above market). The lawyer and feminist in me says always negotiate …but I’m a bit hesitant since it’s a really great offer and in house opportunity. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

    1. Always negotiate! Maybe only 10% above and then settle for 5% or even 3%? But always negotiate! :)

    3. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg addresses this specifically. She got a great offer from Facebook, but her brother insisted that she negotiate. She was glad she did. Try asking for more vacation and/or sick days or flextime, or a larger bonus %.

    4. I soft touch negotiate – express excitement, ask if there’s room for a little more money or vacation days or stock grants/options. A lot of in-house law jobs make you the best offer up front and are concerned about parity in the department so the answer is often no, but it doesn’t hurt to ask if you play it right.

    5. I agree with all the general advice to negotiate and the advice of others in this thread, but, that said, you do you. If this is a great offer & you can’t think of a way to ask for more in a way that feels comfortable for you (although I like Anon’s soft touch suggestions), it is ok to accept.

    6. I do, at my husband’s insistance. It has always worked out well. I remember for my first job, the offer was higher than I was expecting, but I asked for more anyway. They wouldn’t budge on the salary, but gave me a signing bonus instead.

      I did NOT negotiate my most recent promotion raise, and I am kind of kicking myself for that… my boss just said “congrats, your raise for this new position is X” and I said OK thanks.

      1. I negotiated a larger signing bonus as well. The offer was $30K above my current base at the time, and they knew that, so I felt it would be harder to negotiate that.

    7. Yes, I was in this exact situatiuon for my current job, and I wish I had negotiated salary. I unsuccessfuly (for the most part) tried to negotiate non-salary things. I wish I had negotiated on salary instead…I think it would have turned out better for me as well.

    8. Congratulations on the offer! It’s nice to hear about IH positions that are actually paying well :-)

    9. Do it. I’m not law, but I did a major happy dance when I got my offer for my current position and didn’t negotiate. Huge mistake. I later learned (1) I didn’t realize how underpaid I was at my previous position, (2) the offer system at my work is built around offering low with expectation of negotiation, (3) I am still after several years and a huge raise still paid less than anyone else in my department, even newer/less experienced hires.

  7. Hi everyone! I have an event coming up and I’m realizing how difficult it is for me to find dresses that work for me… I’m pretty busty and it’s seemingly impossible to find dresses that fit the girls without looking like a huge sack. I’m feeling a little discouraged and am wondering if anyone has any ideas! This event is pretty fancy, so a long dress is ideal, but I think I could get away with something short if it were dressy enough. Halters and v-necks usually look good, strapless is terrible. Anyone have any good suggestions? Or just want to commiserate on this challenge with me???

    2. I strongly suggest getting a dress that fits the bust, but looks like a sack, and having it tailored to fit the rest of your body. I have to do the opposite because my hips are a bigger size than my torso/bust.

    3. I have that problem. Either you need to invest in a good piece worth tailoring, or buy a wrap dress. I’ve had really good luck with the gemma wrap dress from BR. Positive? It’s machine washable. I get a lot of compliments when I wear it.

    4. I have this issue as well (34G on top, size 6ish waist, size 10-12ish hips), and I find that Adrianna Papell dresses are cut specifically for curvier women. That label makes really lovely cocktail dresses, and is widely available at Nordstrom and Macys. I’d try that brand–even if you have to have some tailoring done, it will be far less reconstruction and much more just taking in here or there.

      However, I must commiserate on one specific point–I have been SO frustrated lately that it seems like most dress makers cut armpit holes too large or too much toward the front so that a woman with even a C-cup would be showing bra, even if she’s wearing the right size dress for her. This is so frustrating.

      1. Yep, I have a couple of dresses that kind of fit in order to not rip over the ladies, and even a small amount of weight loss (like after eating low-salt foods for a few days) makes the armpit holes gape. I know I need to get them to a tailor, but for now I just keep my arms at my sides.

    5. I’m built the same way and have gone two ways: buy the size that fits the girls and have the waist/hips taken in to get rid of the sack effect; or if you like your upper arms and shoulders, get a stretchy v-neck drapey jersey dress with a racerback and V-front and bra to match. The racerback gives you the halter look but you can wear a supportive bra.

  8. Eid Mubarak!!!!!!! I hope everyone had a safe and happy celebration.

    Also, yay chevrons! I want that fabric as a hijab and a dress and maybe palazzo pants (I feel a bit Ellen with the !!! and yay but there you have it).

    1. Hi there! Can you share in a nutshell how the greetings work for this holiday? We have a household employee who is Muslim and he wished me Eid Mubarak today. What exactly does it mean? Is it religious? Does one say it back if they are Christian (I did)? I’m wondering if it’s like “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” or what in tone.

      1. It means “blessed celebration” and is more cultural than religious, according to Wikipedia.

      2. Eid Mubarak literally means “blessed festival”, so there’s no religious significance except for that the fact that you’re saying it for a Muslim holiday. There are many different Eid greetings but in general, repeating what the person says is fine or you can say “Happy Eid”. The sentiment is always appreciated =)

        1. That’s basically the same as Chag Sameach in Hebrew! It means “joyous festival.”

  9. Someone posted a question about strength training programs yesterday. I relatively recently started a serious strength training program for the first time, and I’ve never felt so strong and wonderful. I absolutely love it and want to talk about it with everyone (don’t worry–I don’t actually force everyone in my life to talk about it). No question, just a high five for iron-slingin’ ladies.

    1. I’m trying to get back into strength training, but every time I lift, I seem to overdo it and am really sore for the next few days, thus throwing off my routine. How do you get around that, especially for someone who has been far too sedentary for far too long?

      1. A personal trainer is ideal, but if that’s not possible, start with a class that uses light weights and high reps. I recommend Bodypump, but there are lots out there. A good instructor will ensure that you have proper form, and the pre-designed class will ensure that you work your whole body so you’re not leaving out a muscle group.

      2. I tend to have this problem too. I think it’s because I’ve been stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset for a while, which I am slowly trying to break out of. So far, so good.

        I’m doing the New Rules of Lifting For Women (JJ mentions it below). The workouts in stage one are pretty short and focus on just a few exercises. I made a conscious effort to start with less weight than I thought I could handle based on what I’d been doing before. I was sore the next day, but not so sore that I was miserable. Then I just went up 5 lbs each week until I hit a level that was pretty challenging. That was a good way for me to ease into it a little and not burn myself out lifting THE HEAVIEST THINGS EVAR for the first week.

      3. When I started lifting I would get really sore (especially my hamstrings), and just would wait until the soreness mostly went away before lifting again. It didn’t take very long for my body to adapt and now, after I increase my weights, I might be a little sore the second day, but not enough to stop my from lifting on my next scheduled lift day. And I would still try to do cardio (I run) when I was sore, unless the DOMS was seriously affecting my form.

      4. Break up your muscle groups. If I lift 3 days a week, I do lower body on Monday/Friday and upper body on Wednesday. The next week I reverse it. Of course your legs will be super sore on Wednesday, but as long as you can drag yourself back to the gym, you don’t need to modify your planned workout.

        I also keep a log of the weight I used, the reps I did, and how I felt afterward — I write down my workout plan ahead of time, so it only takes 2 seconds to jot it down between sets (just a check mark if I did the reps as planned), and you have to rest anyway. If I feel REALLY terrible, I know to use less weight and fewer reps next time and build back up.

        You can’t avoid soreness with weight lifting, especially when you are first starting, but you should not have pain. If you’re sure that your form is correct and you haven’t actually injured yourself, stretch and go for a walk, and then do it again!

      5. Alternate muscle groups (leg day, arm day, etc). Take ibprofen. Drink water. Keep moving.

      6. Thanks all! No pain, just soreness, but it does last a while. My form is good, but, like AnonInfinity, my it feels so good to be lifting again on my first day back that I just lift too heavy/too many reps, rather than easing into it.

      7. I don’t know how ‘good’ of a response this is, but I’m always incredibly sore if I take a loong break from lifting for the first 2 weeks or so. I usually take it easy for about 3 days after each workout until I’m no longer mind-numbingly sore, and then I get on a regular schedule (I follow stronglifts 5×5, and I lift 2-3x a week). I just find that unfortunately, the soreness at the beginning is part of the package.

    2. Yeah – for the person that asked yesterday, I love the book the New Rules of Lifting for Women. It’s a serious strengthening program and not one that minces around “you won’t bulk up! don’t worry, you won’t bulk up!”

      Also, I know it’s been a fad but I never felt more strong than when I was religiously doing P90X workouts. That is some serious lifting/strengthening.

      1. +1 for New Rules of Lifting for Women. The workouts only take about 20 min or so and I’ve seen great results from 2-3 times a week.

      2. +1. I’m doing New Rules of Lifting (based on earlier recs from this board), and I love it!

    5. That was me! I was just coming to say thank you for all of the great recommendations I got yesterday.

      Ginjury- I just started last week, so take this with a grain of salt, but after my first day I was sooooo sore, I joked at work that I was a zombie, because I was walking in that whole stiff legged “Braaaiiiinnns” way. I was still incredibly sore the next day I was supposed to lift, but I just went and did it anyway and felt much, much better after. I think I skimped on the lower body work out a little (like, 10 reps instead of 12), but other than that did the whole routine normally.

      I do have a personal trainer, who helped me put together my initial routine, made sure I knew how to do the lifts safely, and taught me basic things (like, if you can do more than 12 reps in proper form, it’s time to increase weight) but I wanted outside resources because I’ve never liked just relying on one source of information.

      1. Thanks, Lynnet! I often have trouble getting through the first week so that’s helpful advice. I really need to just lift less than I want to and keep going back. I know the muscles eventually get used to it so it’s really a matter of perseverance.

    6. I had to give up my crossfit membership for financial reasons. I miss lifting days more than anything else. I still do a handstand every now and then, and whenever I pass by the pull-up bar in my office gym, I take off my rings and do one or two.

      But one of my favorite sounds in the whole world is a big heavy loaded barbell crashing to the rubber floor after a great lift.

      1. 1) Crossfit is more flinging weight around, not normal weightlifting. 2)You know you can lift anywhere right? There are gyms that are only $10/month and have plenty of weights. You don’t have to be part of a cult to do it.

        1. Say what you like. I don’t judge. But, my CF gym (very low-key, family-oriented, really does have all walks of life, including kids & grandmothers–literally), helped me to lose more than 25% of my body weight, go from nearly obese to healthy BMI (for what BMI is worth), lose over 50 pounds and drop 6 dress sizes. I had tried, and failed, at self-motivated exercise and couldn’t stick with it or find something I liked enough to keep at it, and was miserable. I joined CF in November 2011, and by middle of last year, I had turned my life and my body around entirely. I could pick up & keep up with my kids.

          I know not all gyms (crossfit or not) are created equal. I found one that I love, that isn’t cult-like, and that works for me. I appreciate the nearly-personal training of my gym (usually only about 10 people in the class that I attend), surrounded by people of generally-like-mindedness. Most of the people who attended class at the same time were mothers & fathers, like me. Some were older (had grown kids), some were pregnant. Some were university students. But for me, it was a welcoming community with a fitness fringe-benefit, if you will.

          1. Given that it is this sense of community that helped you improve your fitness, could you get the same benefits from joining a running club or something similar? I know Crossfit memberships are expensive, but might there be any room to give a little in order to continue there? Or perhaps you could work with the owners to develop a cheaper membership package?

          2. That’s what I’m trying for now–my girlfriend is a big runner (I hate running), but I could see myself choking it down if I run with someone I love. I still keep up with the peeps from the gym, and it is only a matter of time until we can get it back into the budget.

            It is expensive, and I was able to enjoy a pretty significant discount from the owners for the 2 years I belonged. She has offered me a less-reduced discount for when I can join again, but she was not able to continue the deep discount she had given me.

          3. Another option: getting a few friends who are into weightlifting to all sign up at a cheap gym, like Planet Fitness, and set up times to workout together there. Obviously you can’t do everything you do at a Crossfit box, but it could help.

          4. A lot of gyms have classes that are similar to Crossfit, even though it’s not a Crossfit brand. Tabata classes can be similar, or sometimes classes with “fit” in the name. I did a lifting class at the gym before starting NROLFW, and I found that the regulars in the class became friends. Same with the Crossfit-style class, so maybe that’s one avenue to explore even if you can’t afford the strictly Crossfit gym.

      2. It sounds like CF was really crucial to your health and happiness. I know it is really expensive but I’d put this in the category of worthy of major sacrifices to continue, if at all possible. CF is way less expensive than major health problems down the road.

    7. +1 lifting has changed my life (for the better!). I only lift about 2 days a week but I’ve had a significant change in my strength and the way my arms/back look. It really is empowering.

    9. Back when I used to lift, someone on here had mentioned doing very slow/light cardio at the end of the strength training workout. Once I incorporated that, it helped A LOT. I would spend 5 min on the elliptical and call it good for a cool down. Also, protein before/after the workout.

  10. Quick Retirement TJ: I’m planning on upping my retirement savings to 12% in lieu of an increased salary. I already save 6% through my employer to get the full match, but I’m wondering if I should save this additional 6% in my 401k or my Roth. I’ve done some reading of various financial resources online about the benefits/tax implications of a 401k vs. Roth IRA and there’s just so much conflicting advice so I figured I’d see what you all suggest. Another data point: I’m only two years into my career and do expect to see a significant salary increase between now and retirement.

    1. For most people, it makes the most sense to contribute to your 401k up to the $17,500 limit because it’s untaxed and then go put it in a Roth IRA after that.

      1. Traditional 401(k)s are untaxed at the time of contribution, thereby lowering your current taxable income, but they are not completely untaxed. You pay taxes on your distributions at retirement, based on your marginal tax rate at the time.

        OP, I’m 4 years into my career and opted to contribute solely to a traditional 401(k). My current marginal tax rate is already pretty high, so I decided I wasn’t giving up much by deferring taxes until retirement. Since you’re young, you have to figure that you have several decades of market movement to impact your savings (assuming you invest aggressively due to age and risk tolerance), and hopefully those investment earnings offset part of the tax bill.

        Also, if you expect a significant salary increase over the course of your career, you won’t be able to contribute to a Roth the entire time. Max income limits change, but right now it’s around $115k. So if you want to try the Roth, do it now before your income pushes you above the limit.

        Several ways to skin this cat, though..

        1. My understanding is that when you retire, many people are in a lower tax bracket than when they were working because they’re not taking out as much as they were making every year when they were employed. So rather than being at 28% now, I could be at 25% later, unless the tax rate changes. I’m a little fuzzy on that, though.

          1. Yes. The big wild card is you don’t know what tax rates will be when you retire, and if you will be living in a state that aggressively taxes retirement income or social security etc..

            So these days I stress less about making the right choice as the OP is debating. But I agree with maxing out 401k and then open a roth if you can.

            Save save save save save. You will be so grateful later in life when you have more options open to you. It is really the simple things that make you happy. And having the financial freedom to make choices, change careers, work part time, go back to school, live independently, retire early, divorce (!) if you need to…. truly is power.

    2. I do Roth because I’m early in my career so I expect my contributions to earn more between now and retirement than I’d pay in taxes now, but I could be doing it wrong.

      1. My understanding is that unless you are close to retirement age that the majority of the money in your retirement accounts will be gains and only a small portion will be your contributions. That is why it makes sense to pay the taxes up front on that small portion and then not need to pay taxes on the rest.

        I’d contribute up to the match, then put the rest into the Roth.

    3. There are a lot of factors here: What is your marginal tax rate? What kind of investments is the money in and what is the projected growth rate? Do you have “better” investment options in your Roth than in your 401k plan? If you’re taxed at 20%, you have to earn more than $6k to contribute $5k to a Roth. If you invest in something that will grow at … 8-9%/year (avg historical stock market return, last I checked), you will have a lot more money 30 years from now if that extra thousand was also growing at that rate in your 401k rather than being paid in taxes. Of course, no one knows what rate that will be taxed at when you withdraw it 30 years from now…

      I max out my 401k, but I have to in order to get my income below the threshold to contribute to a Roth anyway. It really depends on your individual situation.

      1. My marginal tax rate for 2014 is 25%. Not sure about projected growth rate, but it’s in a targeted fund, similar to those available through Vanguard and the like. It seems like the options are comparable. I suppose that’s the real issue: it’d be a lot easier to decide if I knew which bracket I’ll be in at retirement.

          2. The marginal tax rate is the tax on the last dollar you earn. If you use turbo tax, one way to calculate your marginal tax rate is to re-run the program after reducing your income by a small amount and seeing how your taxes change. If you reduce your income by $100 and your taxes decrease by $25 then your marginal tax rate is 25%. Alternately, the ‘Income tax in the United States’ Wikipedia entry has a good section on manually calculating your marginal tax rate.

          3. Maybe I’m confused, but I thought the marginal rate was just the bracket you’re in. Is that wrong?

          5. Marginal rate IS the same as the bracket your in, and that Fidelity link says as much. I think what Orangerie may be thinking of is that your tax bracket is not your average tax rate, which is to say that just because you’re in the 25% bracket does not mean that you paid 25% times your total income for the year.

      2. So I plugged this into a compounding interest calculator, just for curiosity’s sake. If you have an extra $5k to put into retirement and your marginal tax rate (assuming on all of that sum) is 25%, you can either put $5k in your 401k or pay 25% taxes and then put the remaining $3750 in your Roth IRA.

        With a fairly conservative 6% annual growth rate, the difference between the two amounts after 30 years will be $7k. But if you make the same decision every year for 30 years, the difference between the two accounts will be about $105k. Then if you withdraw that amount evenly over then next 30 years (this is overly simplistic, in reality, it would keep compounding and you’d have even more) you get an extra $3500/year… that would have to be taxed at around 36% for it to have been worth putting the money in the Roth at the outset. It’s certainly possible your marginal tax rate could be that high in retirement, but barring some MAJOR political changes, I don’t think it’s super likely.

        Someone check my math, but to me this says that if you have a lot of years til retirement and you have a 401k plan with investment options comparable to that of a Roth, you’re better off going with the 401k (at least if your income puts you in the 25% bracket. 15% might be different).

        2. I haven’t crunched your numbers carefully, but yes… your thinking is very sound. With the market doing so well over the long term, I have heard this argument used and it really makes sense to me. For those you are definitely investing that $1250 yearly difference rather than spending it on beautiful clothes recommended on this site (!), this is the way to go and is what I am doing now.

          Before I was too focused on a Roth every year, thinking how “nice” it is to withdraw everything tax free at the end. But now that I have turned into saving, frugal Carrie and I realize that Maximizing the 401K first really makes sense for me because I will invest that $1250 and watch it grow. And ideally, I will max out my 401K AND open a ROTH!!

          GO girls. Financial freedom is our goal.

    4. Once you’re phased out of a Roth, what’s the next best option? Increase 401(k) contributions above the match? Open a traditional IRA?

      1. I always thought this was 6 of one, half a dozen of the other (except for employer matching funds, of course), unless you like having more options for your investments. My 401k limits me to about 20 funds, whereas I can buy whatever I want – including individual stocks – in my traditional IRA. I could be wrong about that, though.

        The other option is Roth conversion, but I don’t know much about that. I keep meaning to research it.

      3. I think once your income increases you get phased out of traditional IRAs also if your employer offers a 401k. At some point you just have to start putting your money in investments that don’t give you any tax benefits. Personally, if I ever get to the point where I’m maxing out my retirement accounts, I will probably talk to a financial advisor.

        1. There are income phase-outs for the tax deduction you can get for contributing to a traditional IRA (especially if you or your spouse are covered by a qualifying retirement plan at work) but I believe you can still contribute up to the limit, you just won’t get a corresponding deduction.

  11. Can anyone recommend good books or other resources for a first-time, rather clueless homebuyer?

    1. I found browsing Redfin and reading their materials useful. I’ve gotten emails about in person, free homebuying seminars in DC from them that I think would be worth checking out, although I didn’t make it to any.

    2. The Just Right Home is really helpful as far as figuring out what you might want and what you should be looking for.

    3. I bought Home Buying for Dummies when I bought my first home in 2008. I love those books. They really break it down.

      (Just bought Pregnancy for Dummies last week.)

  12. What do you ladies consider staples on your wardrobe with regards to shoes and accessories?

    5. Black and nude heels and wedges. Silver Movado watch, Tiffany mesh ring, diamond studs and wedding rings. I change around necklaces but wear these pieces of jewelry every day.

    7. Black flats. Citizen stainless watch; platinum wedding/engagement rings & other sentimental silver-tone rings; tiny silver hoop earrings. Those are my basics, but I also include a great black / brown leather belt with modest buckles (I wear a belt almost every day)and go-with-everything bright pink cardi. Yes, it goes with almost everything I own, and I wear it all the time. From target, no less. My office is always very cold, so I’m always on the lookout for cardis that I can wear year-round. (Today it’s navy dress pants, rust-colored ruffle-neck shell & navy cardi–this is like the one top I own that wouldn’t go with the pink…)

      I’m also beginning to see the benefit in scarves. I’ve been buying them at thrift. I now have several: a navy/bright blue batik w/ elephants; baby pink/taupe/cornflower blue paisley woven; black/tan/gray/white stripe huge-long knit; fuchsia/orange abstract snake print silk woven; baby pink/lavender stripe infinity. I think I am loving the scarves.

    8. Ballet flats, many colors.

      Suits in black, grey, grey, etc.

      Colored tops, esp print.

      Pearls.

    9. Nude and black patent pumps–they really go with everything and make me feel pulled together. Diamond (or in my case, diamond-alternative) studs, dressy watch (looking at my phone for the time is just plain rude), two-tone drop hoop-ish earrings (instantly make any outfit look more expensive) and I’m looking into getting some diamond-alternative huggie/hoop earrings too. I also think pearls can be a great addition. I have probably four or so different strands (white, pink, blue and gumball multicolor) and wear the multicolor the most often. The white strand is perfect for interviews or any outfit that seems borderline questionable. But I wish instead of getting the pink and blue strands that I just got a longer pearl rope or something for mixing it up.

    10. I wear more brown than black. I prefer subtle/dainty jewelry.

      Nude flats, brown flats, brown boots (casual days)
      Gold stud earrings
      Pearl pendant necklace, interesting and relatively bold gold necklace
      A couple of scarves incorporating 2+ commonly worn colors and ideally an accent color (ie, mostly blue and grey with some purple)

  13. For work: black pumps, taupe snakeskin pumps, black leather satchel, my watch, diamond studs and bezel pendant necklace.

    edited to add: meant for Anonymous above.

  14. So I just got a call for an interview for my dream job. They wanted me to come in in the middle of next week (I applied on Friday, so very last minute), and the interview location could be up to 5 hours away. I can’t go in next week – I have two filings at the end of next week and I can’t be unavailable for an entire day or possibly longer (depending on whether it would require overnight travel).

    I told them I was unavailable on the day they wanted due to client responsibilities, but offered several alternatives for the following week and the rest of August. The person on the phone said she only had the one day available. It wasn’t clear if she was going to go back to the interviewers and offer them my alternative dates.

    Was there something else I should have done? I’m freaking out that I could have handled this differently and now this opportunity is going to pass me by.

    I should also add that I don’t have this person’s contact info (she didn’t give it to me), so I can’t call her to follow up.

    1. First, give yourself a deep breath. I think this might be one of those cases where you really need to step back and say, ‘Would I want to work for a company that is this inflexible?’

      If you applied Friday and with no notice they expect you to be at an interview up to five hours away on just one day that works for them, this seems unnecessarily rigid. We’ve all talked a lot about priorities on here, and how important it is to have an employer who is understanding that people may have lives outside of work. I’d think about that as your counterpoint.

      What you did is exactly what any reasonable person should have done and you shouldn’t doubt yourself.

      1. +1

        Upon reflection, my worst (defined in any number of ways) jobs have also had the worst the worst interview experiences. If they are this absurdly rigid, take some learning away from that… what would being there actually be like? The rigidity is likely served from the person you would be reporting to or leading your team. That is potentially meaningful insight. Conversely, it’s entirely possible the HR person hasn’t even asked the hiring manager yet about flexibility. If they are really interested, they’ll make it work for you.

    2. Is this for a position with the federal government? Because I had a very similar experience and ultimately decided that, though I previously had thought it was my “dream job,” the way they handled the interview made me realize that I should value my current job much more than I sometimes do for its flexibility and respect for me as a person.

      In that situation I applied for the “dream job,” didn’t hear back for months, then got a call out of the blue and they wanted me to fly to DC (the position was in a regional office across the country, where I live) for an interview about which they could provide no details. I thought it was my dream job, so I booked the ticket (on my own dime), and then a week before the interview they told me they had to change it to the following month. So I had to reschedule, and incur an airline fee to do so, but I figured it was worth it for this job I thought would be amazing. Then 2 days before I was scheduled to go to DC they called me up and said, “Can you come meet with our regional team tomorrow, before you go to DC?” So I rearranged my schedule and did that. Then went to DC for a completely unorganized interview (keep in mind that at this point I had now missed 2 days of work), where many of the people told me “Yeah, you can’t really have a life with this job, but it’s worth it cause it’s so cool.”

      I got on my plane back home that night feeling like I had dodged a bullet by learning how inflexible the job would have been before going too far into the process. I made a list of all of the good things about my current job and now force myself to focus on signs like these when exploring new opportunities.

      I second Clementine–you were completely reasonable and showed commitment to your clients. Be aware that this likely is an employer who expects you to drop everything at a moment’s notice, and think about if that’s acceptable to you for your “dream job.”

      1. It is with the federal government. I might still try to re-arrange my schedule but it’s reassuring to hear that my initial response was reasonable. Thanks!

        1. Suggest a phone or video conference interview for the first interview. Explain the difficulties with your schedule and that you value your commitment to your current client and obligations, blah, blah but that you want to accommodate the interview because you are super excited about their organization. In my experience the federal government was more willing to accommodate requests for phone interviews than private employers . If you are invited for a second interview, you can appear in person then.

    3. Hmm – what’s done is done, but going forward I think this is generally the trend these days (high pressure “this is when the interview is/take it or we don’t talk to you”) and if you’re really into the potential job or opportunity, I’d consider moving mountains to get to it.

  15. I have been out of law school for one year and still haven’t found a legal job. I have a well paying job I could have done before law school, so I am not in a situation whre I have to take any job that comes along. However, in my area legal jobs are scarce, especially entry-level jobs. I was a finalist for my ideal position and didn’t get it a few months ago. In the 6 months I’ve been looking that has been my only real possibility. At what point do I suck it up and look at jobs that aren’t within the practice area I am interested in just to get legal experience? Or look at timy firms? I am struggling with how long I should stay in my well-paid but dead end job when there are legal jobs out there I could be doing even if they aren’t my preferred area. For reasons that are not relevant here, moving out of the area is not an option.

    1. I’d say expand your search at this point. Everyone has different ideas of how long they should wait, but in your shoes, I’d do everything I could to adapt to the market.

    2. (You may want to re-ask this on a later post.)

      You should be doing something legal, even if that means legal volunteer work on weekends/nights in addition to your current non-legal job. It’s hard to show you are gung-ho about a practice/field, if you aren’t doing it. What about re-connecting with someone from that position you almost got to network? (Or professors, mentors, local bar associations, former summer gigs?) If they thought you were a good candidate, could he/she recommend a firm they know that might be looking? Or other attorneys in your desired field that have done what you say you’d like to do just to meet? Also worth considering: clerkships. A great way to get legal experience while you still look for your next legal job.

      1. This. In my area, there are legal aid organizations that have volunteer nights where attorneys come in and help low-income folks with various problems. Also, your local court may have staff attorney positions – they are basically research and writing jobs with terms of 1 to 5 years, but people seem to really like them, and they are typically staffed by people just out of law school.

        I work at a tiny firm now and got the interview through a connection… so make use of whatever connections you have!

    3. How narrow is your preferred area? Switching practice areas may be more difficult if you want to do criminal defense work and get a job at a labor & employment firm or if you want to do transactional work and end up in a litigation boutique. But broadly speaking, most of the skills you learn as a very junior associate (discovery, case management, research, etc.) are transferable to other practice areas. The deeper substantive knowledge of your specific niche practice develops after a few years. There are of course exceptions to this – you will probably develop greater substantive knowledge working at a smaller firm on cases that are more leanly staffed, but this has been my experience at larger firms with large case teams. And I agree with the above comment that it is better to find a legal job sooner rather than later if you do intend to work as a practicing attorney. Careers are long; you will have lots of time to transition to the specific area you prefer, but it will probably be easier to do so with some legal experience under your belt.

    4. Also, if you’ve been out for a year but only looking for 6, what did you do during those first 6 months?

      1. I was focused on making a good impression in my current job and studying for the bar. I was casually looking during that time but only got serious about 6 months ago.

    5. Yes, expand your possibilities. I ended up in a practice area that I didn’t think I would like… 3 years later I still didn’t like it but the economy had improved and I was able to lateral into a better position at another practice area (at another law firm) that point. Also, you may be surprised to discover that legal skills are transferable. Be open-minded and see what’s out there for you. Chances are, your entry-level job will not be your only or even one of your better jobs, but being unemployed for too long will make it even harder for you to become employed, especially as new lawyers graduate every year and compete with you for open positions.

    6. Thanks all! To be clear I’m working full time now and have been since I graduated, so I am not unemployed, which makes it easier to keep waiting for the perfect fit. I am doing some volunteer legal work as well.

      I want to do transactional work, preferably real estate. That is not a good market right now and I rarely see a new job posting. Recently I have started applying to just about anything that isn’t criminal or litigation, so that is what I was really referring to in my original post. I was just curious as to other opinions on whether or not this is the right approach, but it seems like the consensus is that it is. I will keep tossing spaghetti and hoping something sticks!

      1. Most real estate is in smaller firms. The real estate department at larger firms has the same biglaw entry problem – they take from the summer class with very rare exceptions. The best way to get into either of these — small or big firms — is by networking. Is there a real estate lawyers division of your local bar? Does your law school have any resources for recent graduates (many do). Do you know any lawyers that do what you want to do? Even if they/their firm can’t hire you, they can introduce you to others so that you keep building your network. Do any of the lawyers where you volunteer do what you want to do or are they willing to introduce you to others?

        But get a move on it, you are only becoming more ‘stale’ as each class year graduates. It’s an unfortunate Catch-22.

    7. Perhaps I’ve missed something, but as a new call, aren’t the entry-level legal positions appropriate ones for you? I’d look at small firms in your practice area or that do general practice including your practice area. Small firms can be a great place to get skills and experience you wouldn’t have access to at larger firms.

      1. That’s probably why she’s looking for an entry-level legal job, and why the lack of entry level legal jobs is a problem for her.

  16. I haven’t been on this site that much recently. What is up with the “No Threadjacks” warning on the post about rewarding yourself? The threadjacks are the best thing about this site! It is absolutely why I come here. The community of women that advise each other on all aspects of our life pretty much has no relation to the post topics. Does anyone else feel the same way I do?

    1. Agreed. I never look at the fashion picks because a lot of them are not my taste (esp. animal prints), and I also haven’t liked what I consider to be very gender-specific articles that are offensive, BUT I’m still here reading because threadjacks rock! you can get an honest opinion about a situation from an articulate group within minutes!

    2. There are two posts a day designed for threadjacks. Kat asks for no threadjacks on certain posts so they can be useful resources on the subject she selects.

    3. No. Those posts are intended to be on-topic in the comments. We get two other posts each day in which TJs are more than welcome so it’s really not a big deal if one post stays on topic.

    4. Yes, I love the threadjacks. I tend to spend less time on the one post that is not for threadjacks and more time on the other two.

  17. Any advice on follow up on a job application that was submitted online? I don’t have any connections with the company I can work through but I’m very interested in the job and would like to follow up. Is there anything I can do – feels like my application went into a black hole.

    1. Try another thread – but here are my ideas. Do they have a list of staff online? Can you find one you have something in common with – a school or hobby? Do have someone linkedin in common with them? You can email those people directly, send them a nice email that you saw the posting and would love to talk to them about the company.

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