Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes is a weekly feature. Here we will dish on tidbits, news, and important things we think Working Girls should know. So scroll down to hear what we think you should glean from this work week.

• While I should probably start this by saying this site is totally unethical, I have to also admit that I love it. The website Expense a Steak helps you generate fake receipts when you're in a bind for spending too much at your work lunch - the receipts even look crumpled! [Cup of Jo]

• Careerwoman.com recently revealed new survey results that showed the top 5 reasons women change jobs. In order, they are family obligations, expanding opportunities, higher pay, relocation and last but not least job burnout. [News 8 Austin]

• According to an analysis done by Consolidated Credit Cousneling Services, Inc., women trying to build their careers are more likely than men to incur credit card debt. The reason behind this travesty - women spend more on clothing and personal care items. [Cape Fear Business News]

• Designer Adam Lippes complained recently about the turnover of interns in his house of fashion. He said, "It's rare to find an intern - especially one from a fashion school - that has good style. Because they try sooo hard, and it never works! You know?". [NY Mag]

Scandalous!

Wow. So all of your stories of what got your office mill going were all, in a nutshell, amazing. And it was really hard for us to pick the winners. Our winners and their stories of office drama are below. Seriously these are must reads!

Congrats to all who won! And if you did win, please send me an email me at workinggirltwo@gmail.com with your complete address so we can have your Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee prize pack sent to you ASAP.

Winner #1 - Katie

"I had just started my first job out of college, getting adjusted to working having a work life balance (still working on that one). But anyway, per company policy, employees are not allowed to start a competing company with co-workers that they meet while working in our office. Ok long story short...someone narked by printing out some files they found on a zip. I walk into work the next morning and there are police dusting for finger prints on the printer. I know it's hard to believe. I still laugh about it today!

Winner #2 - Miss Burb

"This one girl was fired who was on the "Fun Committee" (think birthdays) and she actually TOOK the money she had collected and said she deserved it. Glad I never donated."

Winner #3 - Citizen

"One of my coworkers, who I assume was just bored one day, emptied a bottle of hand sanitizer on his desk and proceeded to light it on fire. This of course scorched his desk, and set off the smoke alarms. Strangely, he is still employed here."

Winner #4 - Born with a big mouth!

"During a buyout of another company, one of my fellow employees called on our of local radio stations to share her concerns and aggravations on the merger. Her choice in verbage, and the fact that she said her boss's names on the air had people waiting at the door to escort her back to her car. Gossip was flying for days along with a copy of her on the radio. Wow - I guess if you are gonna complain on air is NOT the way to do it if you want to keep your job!"

Winner #5 - Bogeygrl

"I work in a very conservative office where if someone wears a skirt above their knee people raise eyebrows. But this story goes a bit beyond that. There is an older guy in our office who is fairly chatty; most people know him. He is about 65 and seems normal. Let's call him "Older Guy". The head boss gets a call one day from a man who is livid. Let's call him "Livid Man".

"Livid Man" says he wants "Older Guy" fired. When the boss asks why, "Livid Man" says that "Older Guy" has been swinging with his life. "Livid Man's" wife has also been posting all of her adventures online. In fact, "Older Guy" and "Older Guy's" wife and "Livid Man's" wife have all been swinging together! If this wasn't enough, "Livid Man" emails a video of the three of them getting it on. Because it turns out that "Livid Man's" wife is really into being watched or whatever. And "Livid Man" says that his wife is now filing for divorce because "Older Guy" is so freaking fabulous in bed.

Needless to say "Older Guy" called in sick for two weeks and I am totally serious."

That Guy

I have recently become addicted to the show How I Met Your Mother. I was late on the bandwagon, I know, and after watching tons and tons of reruns I'm really mad I waited this long to become obsessed with this show. Sidenote: yes, I have a crush on Jason Segel and no, I'm not ashamed of it.

So while watching one of my reruns the other night, I happened upon an episode where Barney Stinson (aka the greatest TV character of all time) gave a great nugget of info to the love of my life Jason Segel aka Marshall about how to not get laid off. He said, and I quote, "You just need a way to make yourself absolutely essential...You need a thing. Something that makes you fun and well-liked."

Which segued into the types of "those guys" in the office - the Food Guy, Toy Guy, YouTube Clip Guy, and so on. So in an effort to become indispensable Marshall became Fantasy Football Guy.

And while obviously this show is meant to be funny and not taken completely seriously, I started to ponder about this theory. Could it actually work in the work force? And I have to say yes I think it can. At my last job, there were tons of people who should not have been there but they had a 'thing' they were known for. Like I was indispensable because I knew how to work our mail system and where supplies were and sadly I could navigate our storage area like a pro. I had common knowledge of our office but it wasn't something that everyone could do. I had given myself a shield of some sort.

Recently at my office, a few people have been fired. And I know I'm not in HR so I can't say for sure they why, but of course it makes you think, 'Oh God, I'm next'. It's the automatic reaction. And I don't think I have a "thing" yet at my more recent job. I think my best bet is to become the Party Girl - not in that I get wasted all the time but that I always plan parties. Then I'll be golden!

What "guy" are you at work?

The Food Guy making tacos on How I Met Your Mother

Some Housekeeping Items

Here is your homework for the weekend. Go here and enter our Starbucks contest! As a reminder there will be five (yes five!) lucky winners of the following prize pack from Starbucks:

• Stealth Switch - the "world's first desktop cloaking device" that uses patent pending technology to instantly and completely hide applications with a press of a foot-switch. The applications are not just minimized, they are made invisible.
• $5 Starbucks® card
• Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee coupons
• Starbucks Doubleshot Energy+Coffee branded white board

All you have to do is post a comment (aka answer) to the following question: "Sip on Starbucks Doubleshot® Enegery+Coffee to upgrade your energy levels without raising eyebrows around the office. What's your best real-life story of how some idiot in the office raised eyebrows and stirred up the gossip mill?"

As a reminder, the contest ends at 9AM on Monday, November 9th - so you have all weekend to think of an answer!

For all my Chicago ladies, I have a few events that might be of interest for networking, noshing, and all around awesomeness.

First is the Winter Wonderland CRAVE party on December 9th. In store for those who purchase tickets is an opportunity to pre-order the hottest fashions from local Chicago boutiques, indulge in mini spa treatments, and sampling some great food (and drinks of course!) all under the same roof. I know I will be there - so let me know if you're going so we can meet up!

Where: The Historic Stan Mansion at 2408 N Kedzie in Chicago

When: Wednesday, December 9th, 7-10pm

Purchase tickets here!


Second event is happening next Friday, November 13th (and I'll also be in attendance there as well!). As part of her nationwide tour to promote her book, Girl on Top, career expert and author Nicole Williams will be having a networking/shopping event/party at The Limited in the Woodfield Mall. The evening will entail an amazing gift bag, an exclusive 40% discount on The Limited's new business chic attire, cocktails and free career advice. Totally worth trekking to the Chicago burbs for!

When: November 13th, 2009

Where: The Limited at Woodfield Mall
Schaumburg, IL

Time: 6-9PM

Click here to RSVP!

Wardrobe Malfunction

Tomorrow, I leave for a business trip. This evening, I've been packing for said business trip. I've discovered that I hate all of my clothes. Okay, not all of them. But most of them.

I had a business trip last week which, for the most part, was rather casual and therefore easy. In packing for this trip, I've become increasingly frustrated with my clothing.

The problem, I think, is that I haven't taken the time to develop my wardrobe. When I first began working, I invested in a few quality items. The rest were all from lower end stores that were very affordable but low in quality. Three years later, I still have and wear some of these clothes and every time I wear them to work I hate them and I have the "I hate how I look, how could I put together such an awful outfit" feeling all day. Some of these things have really got to go.

I also haven't taken good care of some of the more quality items I have. Items that should be dry cleaned, don't get dry cleaned. Items that should be hand washed get sent out for wash and fold. What I'm left with are half ruined pieces of clothing. No one wants that.

Now, I'm making some shopping/clothing resolutions for myself:

1. Stop purchasing cheap (in quality) items.
2. Take inventory of what I have so that when I shop I know what I need and what outfits I can put together.
   
3. Purchase more quality items that I'll wear for a while.
4. Take care of said quality items.
   

Once I get these resolutions going, my next step is learn how to accessorize. I love buying accessories but hate wearing them. I always feel like I look foolish.