Miss EmpowHer Blog

Networking for Success: How to Build Powerful Connections as a Woman

@emmstell Networking is a crucial element in the journey towards personal and professional success. Whether you're aiming to delve into a specific career field, broaden your social circle, or uncover new opportunities, effective networking can be a game-changer. The key is to approach it as a genuine and mutually beneficial exchange rather than a mere transaction. Here's a beginner's guide to mastering the art of networking. 1. Leverage Online Platforms: Utilize resources like LinkedIn, Handshake, indeed, and even industry conferences. College students? Leverage LinkedIn to find alumni working in your dream industry – they can be valuable mentors! 2. Set Clear Goals: Prioritize quality over quantity when reaching out to individuals. Before making connections, ask yourself, "Who do I want to meet and why?" Having a clear goal in mind ensures meaningful and purposeful networking interactions. 3. Research is Key: Once you've initiated a conversation and scheduled a meeting, invest time in research. Familiarize yourself with the individual's professional background and take note of any personal interests. Did you notice interesting volunteer work on their profile? Mention it! It shows you're genuinely interested. 4. Craft a Compelling Elevator Pitch: Perfect your introduction by creating a concise and compelling elevator pitch. Include details about your current involvements, relevant work experiences, and your career aspirations. 5. Stay Connected: Networking doesn't end with the initial conversation. Keep the momentum going by staying in touch. Regularly check-in, share updates on your progress, or extend congratulations for their achievements. Building a lasting connection requires ongoing engagement and mutual support. Remember, networking is about building relationships, not just collecting contacts. By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to building a powerful network that fuels your success!

5 Tips to Improve Your Resume

You’ve put in the work to have some incredible things on your resume. Whether it be an internship, job, volunteering, or something else amazing, you deserve to get credit for the awesome things you’ve done. But, when it comes to actually writing your resume, you need to be sure you’re using the right words to convey the significance of your accomplishments. I’ve been lucky to have a lot of intelligent people give me resume advice over the years, so it only feels right to pass on what I’ve learned. Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your resume to ensure it’s the best it can be. Keep it concise. The people reading your resume, just like all of us, have short attention spans. You don’t want your main points to get lost inside of long, wordy sentences. Be sure to explicitly state your accomplishments in as few words as possible. If possible, it’s best to have your resume only be one page long— any longer, people stop paying attention. List experiences in order from most to least recent. Your resume is meant to be a timeline of your experiences, so it will be most effective if you list them in chronological order, with your most recent experience first. This will make it easier for the resume reader to see a more clear picture of the things you’ve done. Use action verbs. Using strong action verbs helps to effectively convey the work you did. Start every bullet point listed below your experiences with an action verb that reflects your role. Don’t repeat verbs— if you get stuck, Google “strong action verbs” and search around for inspiration. Here is a helpful resource for action verbs for your resume. Provide quantifiable results. When listing the results of your work, try to include numerical values. This will give those reading your resume a better grasp on the direct effect you had. Quantifiable results can be anything from increasing website traffic by a certain percentage to generating a certain amount of profit. Even 100% completion rate or 0% error rate counts as quantifiable. Here is a useful resource for quantifying your results. Be descriptive as possible. Start by answering who, what, where, when, why, and how (if applicable) to provide depth to your experiences. Then, you can add in your quantifiable data and provide any other essential information. Be sure to identify who benefited from your work as well.

4 Women to Follow On TikTok for Career Advice

4 Women to Follow on TikTok Career Advice Looking for career advice but don’t know where to start? Well, you’re in luck! With the rise of TikTok, there are more resources available than ever to answer all the career and personal questions you may have. TikTok has provided a platform for successful women to share their knowledge with other aspiring female entrepreneurs. Follow these four incredible women on TikTok to find the answers to all your life questions. 1. Caitlyn Kumi (@caitlynkumi): Caitlyn is the founder of Miss EmpowHer, a women empowerment brand. She makes videos giving career advice, general lifestyle tips, and feedback on how to become your best self. Some of her folders include “money moves”, “career advice”, and “chit chats”. Follow Caitlyn if you’re looking to grow professionally and personally. 2. Christen Nino De Guzman (@chrristen): Christen is the founder of Clara, a community that empowers creators. Formerly, Christen worked at TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, so a lot of her videos talk about the experiences she had when working for those companies. She has videos about topics such as salary transparency and interview tips. Follow Christen to gain insightful career advice. 3. Erin McGoff (@erinmcgoff): Erin is a director, editor, and documentary filmmaker. She has videos for almost everything you can think of career-related, especially for people just entering the job market. From resume tips to interview questions to career memes, you’ll definitely find some useful videos on Erin’s account. Follow Erin to get a laugh while learning great career tips. 4. Cynthia Huang (@cynthiamhuang): Cynthia is a senior global brand marketing manager at Eat Just, Inc. Cynthia has videos for women in many different stages of life, whether that be undergrad, graduate school, or a new graduate looking for a job. She also has a great series on how to find stylish work wear! Follow Cynthia for videos on how to navigate the corporate world with style.

How To Get An Internship or Entry-Level Job

@pinterest During college, I found the internship recruitment process and entry-level job recruitment process extremely overwhelming. Many of my friends and family members struggled to secure internships and their entry-level full-time roles. I am thankful that I have secured internships and full-time positions at top companies. I created this guide to share my best practices to help you secure your dream internships and jobs. Here is a recap of how to get an internship or entry-level job: 1. Write down all of your experiences (part-time jobs, class projects, volunteer initiatives internships) 2. Identify your strengths and weakness Reflect on what brings you joy and what drains you Ask friends, family, classmates, and former co-workers about yourself Take the Clifton StrengthsFinder Assessment 3. Identify 5-10 target companies that you want to work for 4. Update your Resume Review Harvard’s Resume Guide Use the XYZ resume formula when updating your resume 5. Update your LinkedIn Read this article to understand LinkedIn profile best practices. Build relationships/ network with people at your target companies (use LinkedIn and or the alumni network at your University) 6. Get referrals from individuals at your target companies to increase your chances of securing interviews 7. Prep for the interviews and get the job Commonly asked interview question video prep. You can also read this article for common interview questions prep. Learn the STAR Method Follow me on Tik Tok , LinkedIn, and Instagram . Subscribe to the Miss EmpowHer Newsletter *Please note that any career content and advice shared here are of general job search and not specifically related to careers in tech or for tech jobseekers* Disclaimer: The opinions of Caitlyn Kumi, Founder of Miss EmpowHer, and content creator are not those of her company or previous employers.

How Savage X Fenty Helped Miss EmpowHer Empower Women

Rihanna is inspiring the next generation of Black Women Entrepreneurs. @badgalriri When Rihanna launched Savage x Fenty, I was inspired. Like me, Rihanna does not have a background in business, and she does not fit the typical profile of an entrepreneur that is often celebrated in the media. Even though less than 1% of black women receive venture capital funding, Rihanna defied the odds, secured venture capital funding, and hired some of the best talents in the world to launch one of the most disruptive brands of the 21st century. Her entrepreneurial journey has inspired many Black women like me to start their entrepreneurial journeys. I knew the world was changing after watching Rihanna launch Savage x Fenty, a lingerie brand that celebrates fearless, confidence, and inclusivity. A direct challenge to the prominent legacy lingerie brand of the time that built its empire on exclusivity. @missempowher @looksattached The success of Savage X Fenty showed me that there would be opportunities for women that looked like me. I just needed to look for people willing to invest in me, support my vision, and help me turn my dreams into a reality. Most importantly, Rihanna's courage to launch Savage x Fenty helped me overcome my feelings of imposter syndrome because I realized that no one is you, and that is your power. Different people have similar ideas at the surface, but no one can execute them like you, and no one can turn those ideas into reality as you can. After a few months of building my confidence and entrepreneurship courses, I launched Miss EmpowHer, my women empowerment brand dedicated to helping women of all shades and shapes feel confident and empowered. @missempowher @looksattached Watching Savage x Fenty evolve over the years has also challenged me to ask myself questions like: How can Miss EmpowHer be better? How can we better connect with our audience and deliver a brand experience that resonates with them? One of how I challenged myself was through partnership opportunities. We recently partnered with a digital magazine, Looks Attached, to celebrate confidence, inclusivity, and women empowerment in their latest room, "UNAPOLOGETIC.” The Savage X Fenty team even supported our creative vision by sending our team lingerie for the photoshoot campaign. @missempowher @looksattached Miss EmpowHer would not exist without Rihanna launching Savage x Fenty. Rihanna’s success and visibility represent the importance of representation in the entrepreneurial community and media. It inspires Gen-Z entrepreneurs like myself. I’m grateful that young women will grow up with the confidence to start their entrepreneurship journey because they'll be able to see entrepreneurial journeys like Rihanna’s and mine being told in the media.

How to Get PAID Brand Deals as a Small Influencer

@alexisbarber Getting started as a paid social media influencer is extremely overwhelming when you are a content creator with a small following. It is often hard to find useful advice on paid brand deals as a small content creator because so many content creators give incorrect or outdated advice. I recently came across Alexis Barber’s Tik Tok page. She is a 22-year old lifestyle content creator known for her realistic fashion, finance, and career videos. From Tik Tok, I found her YouTube channel where she has a video called “how to get PAID brand deals as a small influencer”. As someone who has watched hundreds of micro-influencer advice videos and worked on paid brand partnerships, this video is the best one I have seen so far for small creators. Here are my top 8 takeaways from the video. I have linked the full video below for you to watch. Choose a Platform that you want to focus on and build a content strategy around what works best for that platform and what works best for your audience on your targeted platform. Different Niches get paid different amounts. Create Consistent Content Get an Email & Check it so you can get access to opportunities. Make a list of the brands you are interested in working with that fall within your niche and would resonate with your audience. Use audience recommendations to pitch to brands. Ask your audience what brands they want to see. Leverage the data from the original content you create and use it in your pitch to brands for partnership deals Charge for extras. Make sure you charge the brands for using your content for paid social media ads. Charge for exclusivity if they say you can’t work with other brands. Post 80 percent regular content and 20 percent sponsored content. Watch: how to get PAID brand deals as a small influencer: Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn.

3 Ways LinkedIn Helped Me Overcome the Obstacles of Being a Minority Entrepreneur

@caitlynkumi When I launched Miss EmpowHer, I had a vision for the brand, but I had no idea how to execute my vision. I needed advice from experienced professionals, and I needed funding to get started. However, I was met with challenges. In the early days, I struggled to find advisors that understood the obstacles I faced as a minority entrepreneur. I became filled with self-doubt and anxiety and questioned if Miss EmpowHer was even a viable business. I decided that it was time to pivot and leverage the power of LinkedIn to achieve the entrepreneurial success I desired. 1. Built a network of mentors & sponsors How do you become the best you can be? You have to learn from the best and make the most of opportunities. LinkedIn allowed me to connect with experienced professionals at top companies and then apply the knowledge I learned from my 15-minute zoom chats into my business. Sometimes these one-time zoom chats turned into a long-term relationship and helped me get media features in notable publications such as Buzzfeed and Good Morning America. However, the most important thing to remember when networking on LinkedIn is to be authentic and intentional rather than transactional and self-serving. 2. Learned About New Funding Opportunities When I started Miss EmpowHer, I knew I would not be receiving any funding from my parents, so I needed to find a way to fund my new venture. I started connecting with people in the entrepreneurial community on LinkedIn. I noticed that my feed became flooded with grant opportunities, pitch competitions, and stories about entrepreneurs that had received funding for their ventures. I was fortunate enough to discover Launch Chapel Hill’s business accelerator program and receive funding to grow Miss EmpowHer in June 2021. However, the reality is less than 3% of women receive venture capital funding, and less than 1% of black women receive venture capital funding for their businesses. If you want funding opportunities, start connecting with people and using LinkedIn to learn the strategies and opportunities minority entrepreneurs use to fund their ventures. 3. Recruited Top Talent To Grow My Business To accelerate the growth of Miss EmpowHer, I knew I needed to attract strong talent for my remote internship program. I used LinkedIn to introduce people to my brand and to share the benefits of our internship program. As a result, I was able to attract quality applicants each application cycle. Let me know if you found these tips helpful. Follow me on Instagram & share this post with a friend!

UNC Graduate and Former Miss EmpowHer Intern's Journey to a Full-Time Role at Big 4 Consulting Firm

@nonso.philipikpo "My experience with Miss EmpowHer is something I will be forever grateful for. Changing my career path during the Fall semester of my senior year was a difficult decision to make, but Caitlyn’s efforts to improve my professional development made the transition a seamless one. Her one on one coaching included resume building and interview preparation. She taught me how to sell myself in the best way when I was applying to jobs. I am extremely grateful for the experience working at MissEmpowher and the skills I gained professionally. All this contributed to me landing a role as a People Advisory Services Staff Consultant at Ernst & Young." - Nonso Philip-Ikpo, Business Development Consultant at Miss EmpowHer

Recognizing Black Creativity: The Need for Black Voices on Platforms Like TikTok

Black Tiktok creators are on strike, protesting a pattern of appropriation and failure to credit black creators on the app. Many white Tik Tok creators have made millions off viral dances conceptualized by black creators on the app who receive little or no credit for their work and creativity. The phenomenon is reflective of a long history of white communities profiting at the expense of black Americans who are not compensated for their work. TikTok is one platform of many where creators are able to gain followings, share creative ideas, and receive compensation for their contributions to the platform. Young TikTok creators and audiences calling out the lack of credit given to black creators on the platform is one step towards recognition of black voices and black creators. However, racial injustice in creative fields is widespread and calls for a new norm of giving credit to black creators where credit is due. Appropriation on TikTok and other platforms is silencing to black voices on platforms that should allow freedom of expression and serve as a place for black voices to be heard. Black creators striking on the platform aim to draw attention to the importance of their contributions to the app’s success. The act of protest raises awareness about a long history of lucrative white mimicry of black creativity. The widespread lack of crediting black creators has direct implications on socioeconomic justice. A Bloomberg report found that white creators make significantly more than black creators on TikTok. Recognition leads to compensation in these cases, and creators are demanding that the discrepancy be addressed. Miss EmpowHer and other brands such as EveryStylishGirl which focus on empowerment are intertwined with social movements and current events such as the striking by TikTok creators. Empowerment involves recognition for hard work and creative contributions like those of black TikTok creators. The creators’ efforts to demand recognition and the news of the strike highlights the need for black creativity and representation of black creators on platforms such as TikTok. By appropriately recognizing and compensating black creators and artists for their contributions to these platforms, we can highlight the importance of black voices and stand up against appropriation of their work. The TikTok phenomenon that black creators are drawing attention to is reflective of a larger pattern which we can combat by supporting and demanding the recognition of black creators on the platforms we regularly use.

How to Support Black-Owned Businesses and Brands

Supporting woman-owned and black-owned businesses not only yields a huge impact for the business world, but also socially, demonstrating the ability for these communities to be as successful or more than other business leaders you might support on a daily basis. This support helps these businesses thrive and spreads their popularity throughout the community. It is our responsibility to shop these businesses and ensure their success so black-owned businesses can continue to thrive in the future. There are a multitude of ways for us to support black-owned businesses and some are provided for you below. Shop for black owned businesses: In many circumstances, black owned businesses will not widely be known. So, it is your responsibility to search for black owned businesses in your areas. To do this, if you are shopping for certain things that you don’t need from a specific chain, you should search to see if black owned businesses have it around you. Take advantage of online shopping: If there aren’t black businesses around you or ones that meet your certain needs, use social media or the internet to find businesses further from your local area and have the products shipped to you. This is also a great way to reach black owned businesses on a national scale. Promote and share black owned businesses on social media: If you find a great black owned business, share it! You can do this through verbally telling people, but to reach a larger audience you can share the business on your social media accounts. This will gain more traffic to their websites and social media pages, which will hopefully bring more business. While taking these small steps every day can help support black businesses, there are also other larger goals that need to be addressed. For example, funding and mentorship opportunities should be provided for black owned businesses and black entrepreneurs. It is extremely important to give both current and future black entrepreneurs the sufficient tools to know how to operate a business and take it to the next level. In addition to this, these opportunities could increase the success rates of their businesses, and younger black women will be more willing to start their own businesses as well. This example of a larger and less day-to-day action is just as important because these blacked owned businesses don’t yield the same funding that many white businesses obtain from large corporations, venture capital firms, and angel investors. In fact, less than 1% of venture capital goes to black businesses. You are bringing a huge impact when supporting black owned businesses. It shows you that support businesses that align with your values and that you want to create that societal and corporate change. For business owners: Your work inspires people on a national scale to start their own businesses and pave way for more people of color in the corporate world. You should continue to keep your momentum, even after the struggles of the past year with the Covid-19 pandemic. To do this, you should build your network in an authentic way. Companies and individuals are more inclined to support black businesses than in the past. So, right now is a great time to create new relationships, including ones through media as well as investors. Your network is your net worth. LinkedIn is also a great resource to build relationships with others and grow your business as well.

Incorporating Empowerment Into Business Models: How to Support the Advancement of Women with Your Business

New businesses are increasingly considering the triple bottom line in their business operations, examining their plans for their business as they relate to profit, people, and the planet. Miss EmpowHer aims to empower women through our brand by celebrating confidence, body positivity, and inclusivity, and we are proud that female empowerment is built into our business model. While building empowerment into a business is a challenge and requires consistent consideration of a brand’s social impact, it allows businesses to connect with their customers in a positive way, present an authentic brand message, and gain the trust of increasingly socially-conscious consumers. One way that businesses can incorporate female empowerment into their business models is simple: hire women. Women’s empowerment includes career and professional opportunities, and so any business that prioritizes supporting women’s professional development will give women a platform as part of its team. Woman employees are capable of providing unique insights as to how businesses can support the advancement of women. Further, businesses can incorporate women’s empowerment through their product sourcing, which allows the economic advancement of female small business owners. Miss EmpowHer is proud of its sustainable sourcing of our waist bead products as well as our support for the women on our team. We are thrilled to provide our interns like Destiny Sanders with professional experience and support them in their professional advancement. Businesses can also incorporate empowerment into their business models by partnering with women-focused organizations. Miss EmpowHer’s Women Supporting Women Fundraising Initiative serves as a way for our brand to support women’s groups and organizations while also increasing awareness of our brand. Considering empowerment in business models is becoming more and more important in a world where people increasingly want to support brands that stand for something and align with their values. Consumers are demanding corporate responsibility and seeking to support companies that are aware of how their business impacts the world around them. In the future, brands that make a positive impact on the lives of their customers and others will succeed in gaining consumer trust and loyalty. Lastly, promotion of women’s empowerment is vital because of the importance of representation. It is important for women, especially young women of color, to see other women successfully launching and leading brands so they know what’s possible in their own lives and careers. It is essential that young women see people who look like them succeed.

UNC Graduate and Former Miss EmpowHer Intern’s Journey to a Full-Time Role at Leading Media Company

@destinysanders “What I love about Miss EmpowHer is how mentorship and professional development are foundational to the program. You get to take ownership over your experience by taking on assignments catered to your interests. During my internship, I developed social initiatives, conducted market research, and made strategic marketing plans with a team that encouraged creative solutions because of my interests in corporate social responsibility and digital marketing. I truly appreciate the efforts Caitlyn made to center my personal development in every assignment and every coaching session. This individualized coaching came in the form of career and networking advice, interview prep, and specific skill building assignments. I am so grateful for the experiences and skills I’ve gained at Miss EmpowHer, which contributed to my current full-time placement at NBCUniversal.” - Destiny Sanders