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

• ForbesWoman recently published a list of the best/worst places for a working mother to live and raise their children in the U.S. Minneapolis came in at #1 with Washington DC coming up at #2. Rounding up the worst cities were Las Vegas, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Miami. [ForbesWoman]
• Rachel Zoe’s old assistant, Taylor Jacobson, left Rachel Zoe’s company about eight months ago and has now opened her own business. To read more about her life after BravoTV, read here. [NY Mag]
• Researcher Laurence Shatkin recently analyzed Bureau of Labor stats to see which are the fastest-growing jobs for women during this height of unemployment. #1 on the list was a home health aide, #5 dental hygentist, and #11 pharmacy technician. Looks like medical fields are the place to be. [Forbes]

Here is a simple salad when cooking for one in the summer heat. I personally come home from work famished and this salad is sweet, crispy, and filling when you add chicken (try shredding a rotisserie or even pre-made Short Cuts by Purdue)

*Lettuce (from a bag obvi, I LOVE Butter Lettuce)

*Green Grapes (cut in half)

*Walnuts (or any other nut you prefer, try the candied nuts you can buy from Emerald in your local grocery store, or make them yourself using a recipe such as this one)

*Craisins

*Chicken

*Strawberry Vinaigrette (or any fruity dressing)

*Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

The mixture of the salty nuts, sweet grapes, crispy lettuce, and tangy craisins simply tastes like summer, not to mention the bright colors which studies say help you enjoy a meal more and make you feel more satisfied when finished!

I had a GREAT work week! Yup, you heard right. I mean, who says that?

It started off a little sketchy. One of my clients had some pretty bold news that he wanted to go out first thing Monday morning. I wasn’t sure how the press would take it, but let’s just say that this super influential journalist in my client’s industry who has 1,300,000+ followers on Twitter actually read my email pitch and decided it was worthy enough to tweet about. A tweet? May sound minuscule to some of you, but lemme tell you, this guy’s influence and credibility is NUTS. As soon as that tweet went out, views on our press release jumped from 700 (which I was already pretty happy about given our other press releases usually averaged 300 views) to 11,000 views in less than 24 hours. WOA. Amazing!! Needless to say, this translated into a ton of online sales, and not to mention crazy exposure, for my client who was just peachy pleased as could be. Yes!!

Lesson learned: I almost didn’t reach out to this industry expert guy. In my mind, sending an email to him was like sending an email to some other worldy being like Dr. McDreamy or whoever. Unlikely that it would even get opened, right? But I went for it, and look what happened! This can apply to any of us. When an idea may sound too far-fetched or if you have low confidence in your abilities, don’t listen or give in to those negative thoughts. Go for it, and be bold. You never know when it will pay off.

Second cool thing that happened. PR people often have to deal with spending hours and hours writing a press release with perfectly worded sentences and strategically placed paragraphs that go through layers and layers of approval, tailoring creative quotable quotes from company execs that get tweaked a bazillion times, and then when all is done and finalized, at the very last minute, guess what? More changes! It’s probably the worst process in the world. Anyway, the point is to get the finished product, this immaculate document, into the hands of a journalist who will use the info to write an article. Ha, “use” is a loose term here. Journalists often twist things around, misquote, and get the info all wrong anyway. Well, not “wrong” per se, but just not what you or your client intended the article to say … yeah. Over time, I’ve learned not to write a press release for your client, write it for your journalist. Write it in his/her language and tone and with his/her audience in mind. Anyway, so imagine my surprise and utter glee when I see my own headline from the press release I wrote copied word for word as the title of one journalist’s article. Yeah!! In fact, the first sentence of the article stated, “I hate to steal headlines, but this one from [client's name] was just too good.” O. M. G. Nicest work compliment ever.

Lesson learned: Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in “rules.” A lot of the time, those rules are old and don’t make sense anymore. Such as, writing a press release that’s completely stuffy and reads like a computer manual. Don’t be afraid to question the rules. Have you guys seen, How To Train Your Dragon yet? (Such a cute movie.) There’s a lot to learn from that Hiccup kid.

And finally, the third great thing that happened to me this week: I landed a new client! Whoopie!! This new client is an amazing artist, and while I’ve never done PR for an artist before, I’m way, way excited to take on this new challenge.

Sigh. I wish every week was a fantastic week. These are far and few between, that’s for sure, but when it does happen, don’t hesitate to celebrate. I know it may feel weird, it’s more natural to complain about work than to rave about it. But, that’s why we’re working girls, right? To kick butt! Now have a great weekend everyone, and look forward to Monday with vigor!!!

This post comes to you this week from the intersection of excitement and apprehension thanks to a phone call from my CEO. Apparently, his assistant resigned and as he scanned the vast pool of internal talent, his eye fell upon my dim cubicle! He’s asked me to consider taking the position as his assistant. As I mentioned here, I’ve practically had one foot out the door for months. With absolutely no hits on the freshly polished resume floating out in cyberspace, I had been thinking of some creative ways to sorta “reinvent” myself in my current company but this was definitely not on my radar. I was looking for a challenge, some new responsibilities but this is . . . EPIC.

The CEO. The big leagues. We’re talking a complete lifestyle change. For a “career” assistant with no higher aspirations in her working life than to be that indispensable support to a high powered executive, this is the dream opportunity. But, this role has also left in its wake a long line of assistants that, while initially energetic and full of promise, all succumbed to the vicious press of the enormous volume of emails, phone calls, scheduling, meetings, after hours work and all the other tasks that come along with supporting a busy CEO. Thus, my apprehension.

I meet with him tomorrow to give my final decision. While the responsibilities and expectations will be exponentially greater, the opportunity is the holy grail for a career assistant like myself. I feel like a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire down to the million dollar question with no life lines left.

I can stay in my current role or take this huge leap. What’s that saying . . . be careful what you wish for?

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

• Want to earn more over your lifetime than other people in the US? Then move to NYC. A recent study conducted by NYC’s comptroller’s office estimated that a female college graduate will earn more than $184,000 than their peers in the rest of the country. [New York Times]
• Abercrombie & Fitch employees are annoyed by a new policy that requires them to work six hours instead of five before getting a half-hour break. For someone who worked holiday hours at The Gap – let me tell you, this new policy sucks. [NY Mag]
• New census data from 2002-2007 showed that women-owned businesses had the “largest numerical increase…up 1.3 million, to a total of 7.8 million.” By 2007, women owned almost one in three businesses in the US. [Jezebel]

You’ll have to forgive my lack of personal posts lately. You see, work has been ridiculously stressful for the past couple of months. After running around like a mad woman all day, the last thing I want to do when I get home is sit down and write about work. I’d rather not relive the last 10 hours of madness, thankyouverymuch. My coworker once told me that summer is the craziest time of the year. She wasn’t kidding.

On top of all the craziness, we had our quarterly reviews last week. It was a time in which we got to “informally” sit down with our boss and have an open conversation about strengths, opportunities for growth (AKA weaknesses), etc. I spent a good chunk of time preparing for it so I could be on my toes in front of my boss, and I came to the meeting with a clear picture of what I felt my strengths were and what I could definitely work on.

So imagine my surprise when my boss chimed in about my weaknesses, not only agreeing with the ones I had, but adding to them and citing specific examples I didn’t even know she knew about. As in, things I had talked to my coworkers about. And small little hiccups I has encountered during my first 6 months on the job. And things that were overheard one afternoon. And a reaction I had in a meeting two months ago. And a flustered tone of voice I used once. I mean, really?!

I’ll be honest, I was a bit hurt because I could pinpoint exactly who said what. It was like they told on me. Who does that?! One example was when I vented a small frustration to my closest coworker. It blew over 10 seconds later, but somehow my boss knew about it and questioned me on it. Really?!

As the list of seemingly insignificant incidences continued to grow, I became more and more discouraged. I thought I was getting along great with my coworkers, but now it seems like they take everything I say and do and tattle on me. I understand that my boss might ask them how they think I’m doing, but it seems a bit excessive to be that detailed. Maybe I’m the crazy one here, but when I get time to sit down with my boss, I would never think to talk about my coworkers, especially in a negative sense. No way. One-on-one time is precious, so I use it to talk about my work, my goals, upcoming projects, etc. Silly me.

I understand that it was a review and was meant to provide me with opportunities to improve my performance. I get that. But honestly, it left a bad taste in my mouth. Now I feel like I have to watch everything I say and do with everyone I work with. I feel like I can’t vent or swap war stories anymore because I’m sure they’ll just turn around and tell on me. I have a complete lack of trust in my coworkers now, and it’s making me feel tense every time I’m with them. It’s like walking on eggshells all day long.

So, Working Girls, what do you think? Have you ever been in this situation? Should I talk to my coworkers about it? Or should I just try to keep my distance from now on?

I am! But not just in the ‘cry until I get what I want’ kind of way. (Just kidding Dad-I know you’re reading this at work!) This article from the NY Times talks about how much of an influence father’s have on their daughter’s careers. Studies were conducted to compare number of sons who follow in their father’s line of business to the number of daughters.

The article states that more daughters are following in their father’s career footsteps now than they were a decade ago. Perhaps it is due to increasing communication between dad’s and their little girls and the passing down of career skills, values, and lessons father’s have learned in the business.

I also think the increase in ‘keeping it in the family’ business is due to the fact that more women are becoming more confident in their abilities and are more career-driven than ever before. And who better to go to for advice than the most influential man in every girl’s life.

My dad has worked in the media business in NYC since he was 18. When my sister graduated with her business degree from a “practically ivy league” university as she so humbly refers to it she immediately went to work in the city, in the same company, where my father was working at the time. Was he the reason she got the job? It sure didn’t help. She has moved up in the business and continues to even though he has changed companies. I do have to admit I do get a little jealous when they talk about the latest media scandals and who fired who and what client just sued for $5,000,000,000. (Can you tell I don’t work with adults?)

I am incredibly lucky to have such a supportive father. I tried Communications when I was in college, figured I would land a job before graduation (I did have an offer from the radio industry I interned for, not to boast!) then I decided to go back to school to get my teaching certificate. Something my dad had no experience, advice, or connections to. He did, however, tell me to go for it, which was probably the best advice I’ve ever gotten. He said he wanted me to wake up in the morning and enjoy going to work and if a classroom, instead of a corporate office, was where I wanted to spend my working days then I should do it. “Why no?” he’d always say when I began to doubt if I was doing the right thing with my life. He said there is no right and wrong when it comes to job experience, that’s the whole point!

My mother was a teacher, a high school typing teacher mind you, but she only worked for a few years before she met my dad, got married, got pregnant, and never had to work again (can you sense my jealousy?!) She definitely can relate to me when I complain about my feet hurting and my head pounding and losing my voice calling kids on the playground. But times have changed. She never had to deal with disrespectful toddlers (you think I’m kidding?) and their accusatory parents (“My child had a nightmare last night, what did you do to him?” – true story) so it’s hard when I want advice or sympathy or some helpful hints on how to move up on the teaching ladder and don’t have a family member to relate to, but I do have a hard working father who, although he doesn’t have to change diapers at the office, he definitely deals with some people who act like children throughout the day!

So although I’m not in the same industry as my father, I was definitely inspired by his working attitude and his values when it comes to complications, confrontations, and other issues in the work place. So what about you other girls? Are you inspired by your father? Maybe you work for the family business, hoping to take it over some day? Or maybe you do something completely unrelated to anyone in the family! Share your experience with us!

While I sit here melting at my computer … ugh, what is up with the weather lately?! … I’m excited today to help answer a Working Girl reader question! It goes something like this:

“Hey Working Girl! I just got my first job and I need to know where to buy clothes. I’ve found that Express has some great pants, but I’m having the hardest time with tops. Is it so bad that I want something more classic vs. all the cutesy, frilly, ruffle-y stuff that’s out there?”

I’m a big believer that it’s not about where you shop, but knowing what you’re looking for. As a newbie in the working world, the first thing you want to do is shop for some “business basics” before you go shopping for those fun tops. Check out the short clip below about how to dress professionally on a budget with tips from the Editor-in-Chief of ELIZA Magazine:

How to Dress Professionally on a Budget — powered by eHow.com

So once you’ve got the basics down, you can shop for items that will allow you to easily mix and match to get the most out of your wardrobe. Purchasing a variety of fun tops is a great place to begin. Get creative. Choose unique patterns, be a little more bold in color. Below are three of my favorite looks:

Comfortable, yet dressy: I love tops like these because while the loose and airy cut will ensure comfort, the shiny fabric makes it dressy and professional. While you may think fitted tops are attractive, oftentimes they are most uncomfortable and all that tugging and pulling every time you stand or sit down is unattractive. A top like this obviously looks great paired with a pencil skirt (part of your business basics), but will also look fabulous under a blazer or over your Express pants sinched at the waist with a belt or even a wide black ribbon.

A top with pop: Dressing professional can be fun, don’t limit yourself to stuffy button-down shirts. For example, look for tops with a little extra flair to it like this button detail with a pleated bib. Again, a top like this will look great under a blazer, a cardigan or a shrug, and then if you get warm, you can take off that extra layer and still look chic. You don’t have to succumb to over-the-top ruffles to make a statement, but at least look for something that’s different than what you already have in your closet and that makes a subtle statement.

Go sailing: Lastly, one trend that I am loving is the nautical-inspired look. Bold navy blue, black or red striped tops paired wih metallic accessories and/or a dark blazer is a timeless look that can make any working girl’s wardrobe exciting and classy.

(Mostly I’m thinking the left or far right image applied to your working girl wardrobe, the middle one not so much.)

What are some of your favorite office looks?

Now that I’m making more of an effort to get my finances under control (brown bagging it to lunch instead of eating out, downgrading my cable, etc.), I’ve found myself in quandary after quandary when it comes to pinching pennies. There are just some things I feel I DESERVE! Sure, I could polish my own stubby fingernails and skip the $30 full set offered at the shop sitting so teasingly close to my office but the fact of the matter is, I LIKE manicured nails. And not only that, I like the experience of getting them manicured; everything from carving out the time in my generally hectic life to actually make it in, sitting in a comfy chair for an hour while mind numbing TV plays on a flat screen overhead, having my nails fussed over and groomed by someone who has been trained in the art of doing so and of course, the finished product. When my nails are freshly done, I seem to walk taller, feel more confident, actually behave more like a woman wielding her share of power in the world. So, while the budget takes a hit, the value of the service far exceeds the price, in my mind anyway. Some things are just not worth doing without in the name of saving a few bucks.

Imagine my delight when I flipped open this month’s issue of O Magazine (another purchase that I could probably do without but refuse to) and discovered an article on exactly this subject. In The Joy Dividend, Martha Beck waxes poetic about her love for ridiculously priced coffee beverages from a little international company that will remain nameless. In an effort to save, she invested in one of those at-home numbers and now watches it collect dust as she heads out for a “mochaspressomacchiatoccino.” She’d rather fork over the cash in the coffee shop than fuss with a machine at home. The psychic value of an item (or experience) can far exceed the actual value and its up to the individual to make that determination. Here’s a simple matrix to go by:

1. Top Dollar Items: “I really NEED it and I really LOVE it.”
2. Bottom Dollar Items: “I really NEED it but I don’t really LOVE it.”
3. Remaining Dollar Items: “I don’t really NEED it but I really LOVE it.”
4. No Dollar Items: “I don’t really NEED it and I don’t really LOVE it.”

Basically, categories one and two are needed items so they must be budgeting for accordingly. Spend top dollar only on things you both need AND love and by love, Martha means that soul stroking, mind easing, heart racing kind of love that adds value to your well-being. I need a cell phone and having one with web capabilities and all the bells and whistles is important to me so I spent top dollar to be sure I had a phone that met my needs and that I absolutely love.

Spend bottom dollar on the things you must have but don’t really care about one way or another. Buy generic, clip coupons, seek out sale and clearance items, whatever you need to do to spend as little as possible on necessities. That frees up cash for category three.

Once those things are out of the way, then you’re free to go after the things you don’t necessarily need but absolutely love, my bi-weekly manicures for example. And category four is important primarily as a reminder. If you don’t need it and you don’t love it enough to marry it, put it down and back away. Purchases like this–mindless, heat of the moment grabs–are what cause us to have packed closets full of clothes we never wear, shoes still in boxes, trinkets collecting dust somewhere. Hoarders have to start somewhere you know!

Its not just about stuff either. Concert tickets to that once in a lifetime show. A dream vacation after a particularly rough year. Experiences up the joy quotient as well. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of one of my favorite books, Eat Pray Love, talks fervently about her love for travel as one might describe their love for a child. Liz didn’t mind taking odd jobs, waiting tables, etc. just to be able to save money to take months long jaunts around the globe. What she made from those odd jobs was far greater than any salary a corporate career could offer. Those funds bought freedom, exploration, adventure. See, there’s that psychic value thing again.

Once you get to a point where you realize what you must have, what you absolutely love and what you can definitely live without, a whole new type of financial game plan takes shape. Its not just about saving a few dollars here or there or making random purchases and dealing with the guilt afterward. When you strike that delicate balance, you can turn those hard earned dollars into to real, soul nurturing purchases while keeping the lights on at the same time!

(Ok, before I go, let me invite you to laugh until you cry at this hilarious email exchange.)

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

• Apparently perfectionism has its drawbacks! According to research in LiveScience.com, participants who had a “high perfectionism” factor to their personality had a 51% increased risk of premature death compared to their laid-back counterparts. [NY Daily News]
• Last Tuesday, a group of Swedish feminists burned 100,000 Swedish kroner (about $13,000) to protest the pay gap in Sweden. The group chose this particular amount of money to represent the funds women don’t receive every minute in comparsion to men. [Jezebel]
• A new study found that 8 out 10 young career women say they would freeze their eggs to delay motherhood and forge ahead with their work. [Express UK]