To celebrate the International Women’s Day at SAP Labs Latin America in São Leopoldo, Brazil, all female employees were invited to some special activities.
Those who wanted to feel a little refreshed during the day could schedule a 10-minute massage for some relaxation. Besides that, there were two make-up sessions where we learned some tips on how to do quick everyday make-up.
At the end of the day, a lecture was given by Julia Lima, founder of the Brazilian public relations company “RP de Atitude”, about personal branding. Julia’s lecture is called "Red is the new Black", and she took us on a journey to look at the new reality of the market and of today’s careers. Besides sharing some insights from her own 10 years of professional experience, Julia highlighted the following points:
- The market today is not the same as it used to be 10-15 years ago: Julia compared being a top professional today to surfing a tsunami wave – don’t be afraid, step up to the challenge, and react fast. This is how you stand out, because big challenges equal big opportunities.
- Think about who you are and find your talent: Set some time aside to reflect on what you really like to do and where you want to be in a number of years. Think positively and plan ahead.
- Attitude and communication are essential: To ensure you make a good first impression on influential people, plan what you want to say to them, practice if possible, make eye contact, and say it. At work, make sure you say what you need to say: practice giving feedback to people and speaking your mind in a candid and professional way.
- Use social media consciously: To make professional connections, LinkedIn is the best network. If you do use other networks such as Facebook, for example, keep in mind that your professional contacts may also be viewing the content you post in those networks and act accordingly.
Picture 1: Make-up class
Picture 2: Julia Lima's lecture "Red is the new Black"