Hi, I’m Working Girl Two!

(Ok quick sidenote before I start my re-introduction: I just got a filling today and holy shizzzzz does it start to hurt once the novocaine wears off. If I start to ramble I blame it on my aching teeth).

If you had told me when I was a junior in college (five years ago people – yikes!) that five years in the future I would be living in Chicago only five blocks from my father and that I would be a corporate events & advertising coordinator at the age of 26, I would have laughed in your face. Not that any of what I just wrote isn’t admirable. It is. I’m successful. I’m happy. I live on my own. Make my own money. I have an all-around great life (cue One Republic’s “Good Life” song right now please).

I would have laughed at you because back then I had such a clear vision of what my future held for me. My whole life revolved around me becoming a writer or editor at a magazine. At 26, I knew I would be working in New York City, living in small but cute apartment near my other college friends, and probably have a great writer boyfriend.

Out of all those things, only the apartment part is true.

It’s funny how things don’t end up the way we plan. And as much as we say that we never really edit our thoughts to think that things will be so drastic from what we imagined. Cause 5 years from now I imagine myself living in Europe with a sexy French boyfriend and I will be planning awesome celebrity parties like Diddy’s annual bday bash (my dreams only get more outrageous as I get older so bear with me).

Odds are that won’t happen. Odds are I will probably still be somewhere in the states – can’t guarantee where because one thing I know for sure is that I am unpredictable in staying put in one place for very long. Odds are I could be doing something completely different in 5 years time. Maybe I will decide I don’t like events after all. Maybe I will decide I just love, love marketing. Ugh, probably not. But I guess I should never say never. Props to Justin Bieber for now getting that song stuck in my head.

Either way, right now I’m a Advertising & Events Coordinator. Five years ago if you had told me that, I would have laughed. But I wouldn’t give back one second of my journey to get here because now I am who I am because of it. And I like who I am.

The facts are these. I know I need to move on from my company. I might need to move on from Chicago. I might stay put. I might change my mind a million times. But that’s just how it is in the life of a twenty-something Working Girl. We change our minds all the time. And we like it that way. Because it gets us to where we need to be in five years time.

Stories, news and other important tidbits Working Girls should know. Here are a few things to glean from this work week:

• If you are jealous of all the kids going back to school because they get new supplies, you should check out the office supplies website Poppin. You can even shop by color. This site = heavens. [You Are My Fave]

• Really interesting column by Catherine Cook, co-founder of myYearbook, who speaks on the age-old subject of the gender gap in the working world. This woman is awesome – she talks about how she created a company in high school and was speaking at conferences while missing mid-terms at Georgetown. Inspirational to say the least. [Huffington Post]
• Something all Working Girls should be? Organized. Use this great breakdown of online tools (like Evernote, iCal, et.c) that will help you get your shiz in order. [Design Sponge]

(Hi, Working Girl One!)

It’s been over three and half years since I was just a bright-eyed sales assistant determined to prove myself.

In three and half years, I’ve had five titles, six bosses, and worked at two publishing companies. I’ve gotten promoted, cried at the office, had some amazing experiences, gotten laid off, and met some of my best friends.

If you asked me a few years ago where I would be right now, I probably would have told you that I’d be an event planner at a magazine working on amazing, fabulous events.

Sure, I work at a magazine and handle some events, but it’s not exactly what I pictured it would be. A few years ago, I pictured a confident 26-year-old who had the answers to every question her bosses asked her and was always prepared. And had an amazing wardrobe, obviously. None of these things are true, except that I am, in fact, 26.

Three and half years ago, I had clear goals in mind. Move from sales to marketing. Check. Get a promotion. Check. Work on events. Check. Today, I’m struggling to determine my new career goals. After more than four years of being a Working Girl, reality is starting to set in. Reality being the “oh, so this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life” feeling.

Friends of mine are starting to go back to school, either to advance their careers or change them. I used to be the one who had it all figured out. I scored the amazing job right out of college. I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I had it all figured out, until I didn’t. Sometimes it feels like everyone else does now.

OK, it’s still the same Working Girl but with a few upgrades.

Like, this lovely new layout! You like? Big thanks to Steph Anne at Yellow & Savvy Design for creating a wonderful new design for us.

You may have noticed Working Girl Two and I blogging a little bit more lately, and we hope you’re as thrilled as we are about it. We’ll be back to blogging even more, and you’ll still see some contributors and guest posts.

To kick it all off, we wanted to start with a giveaway!

Working Girl Two and I are obsessed with See Jane Work and have been dying to give away the Working Girl’s Survival Kit for a while now. No joke, like years. This thing seriously has everything you need. Or maybe everything I need…I won’t even tell you many times I’ve had to make a Duane Reade run for deodorant or stain remover.

To enter to win, you can do one or all of these and leave a comment below for each.

• Follow our new Twitter (don’t worry, we’ll still be tweeting at @workinggirlone and @workinggirltwo)
• Like our new Facebook page
• Follow our Tumblr

Giveaway rules:
Up to three entries per person. No entries after August 12th at 11:59pm. Open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be announced next week!

Working Girl reached out to See Jane Work and asked if they would sponsor this giveaway, and they did! Yay! Help us show them some love and check out their Twitter and Facebook.