Confidently Successful

Last post I talked about the power of networking when looking for a job . While that’s an essential step in the job search, it is also important to have a professional portfolio/website. When I was a sophomore in college, one of my professors had me build a website, and that was one of the most significant college investments I have made. Over the past three years, I have had the opportunity to change and improve my website. As a multimedia journalist, a portfolio allows me to showcase my work and résumé. When networking, my online portfolio is an excellent resource to link professionals to my work. Building your website: 1. Pick your site Many sites allow you to make free websites such as wordpress.com , wix.com , squarespace.com , etc. However, if you want to have your own domain, you can purchase your domain. For example, my website URL is www.sophialafrance.co and I use the Wix.com site to generate my site. 2. Use your personal brand to build your portfolio...

March 1st. The temperature is rising, the days are slowly starting to get longer and spring is just around the corner. No wonder it's the  fourth trending topic on Google .  For second-semester seniors, however, this is a daunting time of year as graduation rapidly approaches. Landing a job seems to be the only thing on a senior's mind.  Personally, if you were to look at internet history, you would see a plethora of job and internship applications. I spend whatever free time I have networking, updating my portfolio and job searching.  Here's why networking is important:  1. The Power of Networking You know the saying, "It's a small world"? Well, you'll be surprised just how small this world is when you start networking. Look up the company or organization you wish to work for. Then, google the people who already work there on LinkedIn. After, reach out to those people. You'll be surprised by how many people email you back. ...

Every #girlboss has the skills, confidence and, of course, ~fashion~ to be successful. Every woman has her own unique style and it's important that she incorporates her style into her brand. As someone who is an aspiring sports reporter, I make sure I intertwine fashion in my craft. Many of the most notable female sideline reporters like Laura Rutledge, Erin Andrews and Maria Taylor have their own sense style when they are on the job. However, whether you're a sports reporter, an engineer or a lawyer, it's always important remain professional while showcasing your personality. Here's an inside look at my professional wordrobe: Confidently Successful Wardrobe Uploaded by Sophia LaFrance on 2019-02-21.

"Be consistent."  Those two words encapsulate the book's message.  As someone who is pursuing a career in sports media, I have challenged myself to write for the viewer when I'm anchoring and also write for a reader when I'm writing a web article. To most people, this seems the same. However, those are two completely different forms of writing. From reading  Steve Krug's book  Don't Make Me Think,  I realized that like writing in sports media, it is important to have a website catered to your target audience.  Krug's book outlines how to develop a strong website. My biggest takeaway from his book is that his principles transcend beyond running a site, but falls align with almost anything related to sports media. For my blog, here are my key takeaways: 1. Omit Needless Words 2. Consistency 3. Accessibility Omit Needless Words  Krug quote from The Elements of Style , "Vigorous writing is concise," resonated strongly with me.  Espe...

Before I started competing in pageants, I perceived pageants as glorified competition to pin women against one another. And it wasn't until I started researching pageantry and then competing in my first pageant that I realized I was wrong. Yes, pageants are competition.  Yes, there can only be one winner. Yes, judges are scoring you. BUT, you are not competing against the other contestants, you're competing against yourself! In fact, preparing for pageants has helped grow into the best version of myself. I am confidently successful whether or not I take home the crown–– I am successful because I made it to the pageant. I enjoyed this competing in Miss Florida USA because I had the opportunity to meet such amazing women throughout the weekend. Every woman competing at Miss FLUSA was the definition of confidently successful –– it was inspiring to befriend so many incredible women. Throughout the weekend, I had to remind myself that this was in a competition. However,...

In order to be successful in any part of your life, it is essential to have a healthy lifestyle–– and that comes from your mental state. And just like physical health, mental health is critical for each stage of your life.  The Key to Success is a Healthy Mind .  Mental health encompasses psychological, emotional and social well-being. Furthermore, mental health includes how we handle stress, interact with others and make decisions. According to the World Health Organization, one in four people will be affected by mental or neurological disorders during their lifetime . This is an unfortunate statistic, but it's a truth that cannot be avoided. However, there is a silver lining in this –– YOU have control of your mental health. You can make active decisions to ensure you're living a mentally happy life. Here are two steps you can take to keep yourself on the track to success : 1. Focus on yourself You are your biggest critic, so instead of obsessing ove...

You are a brand.  When you think of the brand, the first thought you probably had was a business brand like Nike, Starbucks, Target, etc. Businesses depend on brands to gain recognition from consumers and establish a foundation for their products. Every company must have a brand.  But have you created your own personal brand? Like a professional business brand, it is essential for you to have your personal brand. Remember those five characteristics/qualities I had you write about yourself? This will help guide you to create your BRAND.   Creating a brand will give you a foundation to market yourself. Social media is a powerful tool you can use for marketing. My sophomore year of college, I decided to make a personal website to display my portfolio. In creating my website, I developed my brand. From the color palette right down the typeface, I wanted to make sure people who visited my website recognized my brand. In order to convey my brand throu...