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Reinvention & Money : Careers & Work

The Best of Work and Money 2011

A roundup of MORE's favorite tips, products and personalities from the past year

MORE Staff

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Best Career for the Woman Who Wants a Life

Personal Financial Adviser
- Investment Specialist
- Wealth Manager and Planner

Most Earn: $69,050
Top 10% Earn: $166,400
Industry Growth Rate: 30% by 2018

What You’ll Need: A business background. You may also need such licenses as the Series 7 (to sell stocks and bonds) or Series 65 (to charge a fee for your services). Membership in the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors also requires three years of planning experience.

Entrepreneur Opportunities: About 35% are self-employed.

 

CLICK HERE for what it's like to be a personal financial adviser

 

For MORE of the top 10 careers for women who want a life CLICK HERE
Phil Toledano

Fiercest French Businesswoman

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
The model-singer added glamour to the position of First Lady when she married French president Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008. Not content to be just a pretty face, Bruni-Sarkozy runs her own foundation to support education, and also stays active in AIDS research and animal-rights charities. Last October, she took on yet another role as mother to new daughter, Giulia.

 

CLICK HERE for more of our favorite French femmes fatales
Abaca

Best Money Managing App

Square
Out of cash? Accepting payments from customers and friends is as quick as a swipe with this app (Free, itunes.com) and its accompanying card reader, which plugs directly into your iPhone.

 

CLICK HERE for other great money managing apps

Best Insider Secret for Saving Time At Work

Cut to the chase
“Use technology to your advantage, not just as a tool, but also as a time-saver,” says Laura Stack, author of SuperCompetent. If you are sending the same information over and over—your credentials, requests, media replies—create a signature or template with pre-written text. In addition, text replacement tools like Shortkeys.com will take any length copy and assign it a shortcut. Your message will appear with the tap of only a few keys, saving you up to 20 minutes each day.

 

For MORE insider secrets for a more efficient you in the office CLICK HERE
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Top Celebrity Entrepreneur

Victoria Beckham

Now that she’s an international style icon, it’s easy to forget that Beckham got her start as a member of the 90s British girl-pop group The Spice Girls. In 2008, she started a sophisticated fashion line that earned praise from celebrities and industry bigwigs alike. Most recently, she won the 2011 British Fashion Award for Best Designer Brand, beating out big names like Tom Ford and Stella McCartney. Next comes a more affordable clothing line, set to premiere in stores in Spring 2012.

 

For MORE business savvy celebrity entrepreneurs CLICK HERE
Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Most Fun Office Accessory Under $25

Bring some humor to your desktop with this handy desk organizer ($20, sortingwithstyle.com). The little guy comes with a letter opener, and holds your pen, paperclips, sticky notes and business cards.

 

For MORE quirky and affordable desk accessories CLICK HERE

Best Travel Tip for the Spending Savvy

Break the language barrier

One great way to take a trip for less is to study a foreign language in a low-cost country. “One of the best value trips I've taken is studying Spanish in Guatemala. For about $150 a week, you can get a family home stay, meals and 20 hours of private instruction with good tutors,” says Robert Reid, U.S. travel editor for Lonely Planet. This is also a great way to immerse yourself in the culture and connect with locals.

 

CLICK HERE for more of the best spending secrets of the well-traveled.
study language spanish image
Courtesy of iStockphoto

Most Impressive Female Fashion Exec

Jenna Lyons

Lyons, President and Creative Director of J. Crew, has worked at J. Crew since the mid-90s, and was named president in 2010. As creative director, she brings her own downtown preppy style to the women’s collection, mixing modern and classic styles. The strategy has paid off for both her and the company: In 2009, sales increased by 14 percent—earning Lyons a reported $1 million bonus.

 

CLICK HERE for more fierce female fashion executives!
courtesy of J. Crew

Best Approach to Talk Money with Your Spouse

Talk to your spouse in his money language

“A saver will never wake up one day and be a spender, and a spender will never be a saver,” says Bethany Palmer. As a spender, you should learn to present your spouse with detailed pros and cons. As a saver, learn to quantify your spending goals with numbers that your spouse will understand.

 

CLICK HERE for more tips on talking to your spouse about money.
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Coolest High-Tech Time Saver

The Livescribe Pen

The pen, which has a built-in microphone, can capture meetings and lectures and then, via a USB connector, transfer both the audio and corresponding written notes (penned on special paper) to your computer. Ideal when you want to focus on what’s being said but not have to worry about getting every detail nailed down on the spot.

$99.95; livescribe.com.

 

CLICK HERE for more high-tech time savers
livescribe pen image
Courtesy of Livescribe

Number One Tip for Office Friendships

Keep a balance of friends in the workplace and outside

Your office friendships are great, but don’t let them be a substitute for friendships outside of work. Your outside friends won’t be affected by office politics, promotions or a change of companies. “People can behave differently when money, power, and careers are at stake,” writes Alexandra Levit in her book They Don’t Teach Corporate in College.

 

CLICK HERE for more tips on making and maintaining office friendships.
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Our Favorite On-Screen Working Woman

Avery Jessup in 30 Rock

Matching wits with slick businessman Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) is no small feat, but fast-talking TV anchor Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks) does it with ease. In an interview with EW, Banks said: “What’s great about her relationship with Jack is they’re equals. She’s not some [pretty] young thing that he has a fling with. She really challenges him.”

 

For MORE of our favorite on-screen working women CLICK HERE
 
NBC Universal

Quickest Way to Save Money Online

Cash in your old plastic
I have a habit of forgetting about old gift cards, letting them get tucked away in some old envelope or behind the odd credit card in my wallet. But just because I don’t need anything from Pottery Barn doesn’t mean I have to let the gift go to waste. Instead, Cabot suggests I head to Cardpool.com or PlasticJungle.com to trade in my card for up to 92% its original value; I can opt for cash or credit on Amazon.com. Or you can donate the money to charity: Some sites give you the option to give the value of the card to a nonprofit of your choice.

 

For more ways to save hundreds online in less than 10 minutes CLICK HERE
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Best Way to Deal with Your Boss

Highlight her positive traits

If you’re stuck with a difficult boss, reinforce her positive behavior by bringing up things she does that you like. Say things such as “Thanks for letting me know” or “I appreciate your help.” Pay attention to how you work best with your superior—is she at her best in the morning? over email?—and adjust your interactions accordingly.

 

CLICK HERE for more ways to deal positively with your boss.
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The Best Way to Negotiate a Raise

Quantify your successes

Prove how valuable you are to your company by putting your achievements into measurable units. For example, mention the amount of time you’ve worked on specific projects or the amount of money you’ve helped make for the company. You want them to be afraid to risk losing you, says Jessica Miller, author of A Woman’s Guide to Successful Negotiating.

 

CLICK HERE for more dos and don't of negotiating a raise.
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Best Way to Reduce Money Stress

Track your expenses 

Web sites like Mint.com are an effective and safe way of getting a good picture of your finances. It takes about five minutes to sign up and input your account information, and then you can track your spending for free. The site automatically pulls information from your accounts, then charts it into easy-to-understand tables. From there, you can visualize your spending habits and set clear goals. Updates about your progress can even be sent to your phone.

 

CLICK HERE for more tips on reducing money stress
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Best Tip for a More Organized Home

Make a clean arrival

It's important to start with a functional landing strip—a place where things get dumped when you get home. Think about the tools you can use to stop the mail, keys and shoes from building up. If you tend to let the pile grow for more than a couple of days, one option is to designate clutter to a larger basket—and off the kitchen table—until you can redistribute it.

CLICK HERE for more tips for an organized home.
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Best App for Landing Your Next Job

Linked in

Take the Web’s most renowned professional networking site with you on the go. In addition to all the features of the website—including job listings within your industry and network—LinkedIn’s app streams the day’s top headlines, tailored to your interests and your industry. (Free.)

CLICK HERE for more great apps for landing your next job.
linkedin app image
Courtesy of iTunes.

Easiest Way to Reduce Job Stress

Take a Lunch Break
Only one third of employees consistently leave their desk to take lunch, according to an online poll conducted by Right Management. Most people eat at their desk, which increases stress levels. Take a break and head outside for a walk with a friend; an increase in physical activity along with the associated social interactions increases your sense of well-being, according to a study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

 

CLICK HERE for more ways to reduce stress in the workplace
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Most Valuable Reinvention Tip

Conquer fear

Don’t make excuses like denying obligations (It’s not my job), denying control (It’s out of my hands), or denying prescription clarity (I don’t know enough) to avoid moving forward. Do venture beyond your comfort zone and move through fear by reaching out to people for guidance, identifying the reasons you’re hesitant, and moving forward anyway. Then, follow Pamela Mitchell’s, author of The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention, advice and give up complaining, make a commitment, match your actions to your words, and step up your game.

 

CLICK HERE for 10 Career Reinvention Dos and Don'ts.

 

 

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First Published December 16, 2011

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