EOC (wk. 10): My Plans for the Future

300 words on future plans/dreams

EOC (wk. 9) "The Apartment"

One of the main forms of harassment in the movie, “The Apartment” was quid pro quo.  “…this for that, quid pro quo harassment occurs when one person asks for either expressly or implied sexual favors from another person as a condition of that person’s employment or advancement or to prevent tangible employment detriment.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 570).  The main executive of the company gave the main character, Mr. Baxter, several promotions as long as he allowed him to use his apartment to entertain other women outside of his marriage.  Not only did the head executive do this, other executives of the company did this as well.  Mr. Baxter spent a lot of time at work tending to the activities of these men in order to get a good word put in for him to get a promotion.  He was blackmailed by several of the men in his office.  This created a hostile work environment.  “This is an atmosphere that is characterized by unwanted sexually demeaning or intimidating behaviors in which a person is treated poorly or feels uncomfortable.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality &Restaurant Marketing pg. 570).  Not only was Mr. Baxter uncomfortable, so were a lot of the women in the office.  There was unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate touching.  “Sexual harassment includes men harassing women, women harassing men, men harassing men and women harassing women.  The best managers want to encourage normal, friendly interactions and other social behaviors that create a welcoming workplace environment.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Marketing pg. 571).  Every form of harassment stated in the text was violated in the film.  There were a lot of inappropriate conversations and actions occurring in the office.  There were no policies against harassment in the movie.        

EOC (wk. 8) "Nine to Five"

In the movie, “Nine to Five”, there were so many issues in the workplace.  There was a new secretary starting and on her first day, she was improperly trained.  The lady who trained her was unhappy in the workplace because she was the office manager and she repeatedly trained men under her who kept getting promoted over her because nobody respected women enough to take them seriously.  As a result of this, the office manager was rude, she didn’t take the time to properly train and she gossiped about other employees.  There was a lady in the office who was an alcoholic and she drank on the job.    There was also a woman who was accused of sleeping with her boss because of the way she dressed and her friendly personality.  Also, because she was such a nice person, her boss made inappropriate sexual advances towards her and offered her a gift.  Not only was this inappropriate because he was her boss, it was also very inappropriate because he was a married man.  He also spread rumors around the office that he was sleeping with his secretary and a lot of the women in the office treated her poorly because of this.  He also stole ideas from his office manager and presented them to the executives as his own, not giving her credit for her ideas and innovative ways to run the office more smoothly.  He was also unkind to the workers and did not allow them to have family photos and the office was not a very welcoming environment as a workplace.  On top of all of this, he was embezzling money and supplies form the company.  These things are completely unacceptable in any workplace.  The women were able to turn the office around.  They made innovations for the workers, allowed handicapped people to work, gave better benefits, assisted with childcare and created an all-around ideal working environment for the office.        

BOC (wk. 8) Soft Skills

BOC Week 8: Five plus Five Soft Skills

"My knowledge of wardrobe styling and fashion analysis allows me to have good customer service when assisting clients with product."

"Being knowledgeable of fashion trends and the products of brand in which I work for allows me to become the credible expert my clients need and trust to help them make final decisions on what to purchase."

"Honesty and integrity allow my clients to realize that It's not about the sale, but about meeting their needs."

"Being educated and working in the fashion industry allows me to assist others when choosing options that pertain to fashion."

"Communication is important when dealing with clients and retail team.  My ability to communicate with clients and my team in a retail operation has made for an ideal workplace and happy clients.

EOC (wk. 7) 3 Resume Objectives

Experienced in customer service as a retail professional, wardrobe styling and visual merchandising.  Educated in Fashion and retail management.  Knowledgeable in trend forecasting, fashion analysis and re-creating visual displays throughout a retail operation.     

Educated in fashion and retail management.  Experienced retail professional as it relates to sales and visual merchandising.  Great interpersonal and customer service skills.  Dedicated and loyal , dependable and responsible.      

Educated in the Fashion industry as it pertains to trend watching, visual merchandising and fashion styling.  Experienced in customer service and retail operations.  Excellent eye for detail as a wardrobe stylist.

EOC (wk. 6) Job Analysis

In Store Visual Merchandiser/ Keyholder
Ted Baker London 15 reviews - Las Vegas, NV

Full Time In Store Visual Merchandiser/ Keyholder – Las Vegas Fashion Show Job Type: Full-time This job posting is asking for a "keyholder" may possibly have some supervisory obligations.  Keyholders are usually allowed to open and close the store, and even though the job is for a visual merchandiser, some supervisory duties may have to be performed.  "Building good working relationships involves being clear and honest...employees support supervisors they trust." (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 470).  The relationship between the sales staff and keyholder is very important.  There must be mutual respect.  The keyholder and visual merchandiser may be responsible for training employees on standards as far as how the sales floor should be set up, how merchandise should be handled and how the sales floor should be maintained.  A bad relationship can ruin the integrity of the brand, and cause a disconnect as well as the sales floor not being maintained to standard which makes the entire business look bad.  "Planning a positive, productive work environment involves a range of activities.  It begins with creating a clear vision of the kind of workplace that is desired and then making plans to get there." (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 474).  The job description also calls for Communication skills.  "Clear and frequent communication about what employees should do and how it should be done makes it easier for employees to align their work with the supervisor's goals." (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 475.)  Proper communication is very important as it can help or hinder a business.  It is one of the main skills one must have in order to succeed in the workplace.

EOC: (wk. 5) 3 Tweets

Tweet 1:

“H&M Casts Ashley Graham, But Won’t Sell Plus Sizes In-Store”

Ashley Graham, a plus sized model is all over the fall look book for H&M’s new line.  The shocker is this: while showing admiration and appreciation to our plus-sized woman, the plus-sized clothing will not be available in stores.  Its only available online.  Most women, plus sized included, need to try on clothing before purchasing.  Only selling online will create for a lot of returned merchandise if it doesn’t fit correctly.  While H&M is applauded for featuring Ashley, a big “no Bueno” is issued for not accommodating women that look like her and wear the sizes she wears.

Tweet 2:

“Activists Are Targeted For Their Beliefs - And How They Dress”

The media, cops and even Wall Street executives are criticizing Black Lives Matter activists for their clothing.  One man was criticized that he was wearing an apple watch while protesting the oppression of his people.  I find this very odd because when did the way someone is dressed have anything to do with a cause they want to fight for?  Have we become so shallow and have nothing else to talk about that we have started to judge what an activist is wearing and saying that they are unfit to fight for a cause they believe in?  Must they look poor or unkempt in order to be able to protest?  I’m not sure of what angle this is coming from, but it definitely makes one realize that until people start sweating small things that don’t matter, the things that do such as black lives, will continue to be ignored and disregarded.

Tweet 3:

“How to report social media harassment: a practical guide”

With all of the recent social media trolling that’s been going on lately, the worst being Leslie James, this is a refreshing take on how people who are bullied via social media can get the help that they need.  When people can hide behind a screen and not have to say things to a person’s face, they can be pretty cruel with the insults.  They don’t stop at insulting a person’s performance, no, they go further and insult them for things that they cannot control, like the color of their skin, how they look and making fun of disabilities they may have.  This article can help a person that is in this situation who may not have a platform as large as a celebrity’s…someone who will fall under the radar.  This guide can help someone who may have thought they were worthless see that there is help.  It tells you how to document the incident, how to properly present it to law enforcement and how to file a report with Twitter.   

EOC: (wk. 4)

In the hospitality industry, cleanliness is very important.  This industry has very strict rules when it comes to handling and preparing for their guests.  “All restaurant and foodservice employees work around food. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all employees meet all applicable health requirements of the job.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 424) Guests must feel that their food has been prepared in a clean environment with the preparer practicing the proper protocol.  Personal hygiene is a controllable factor that every employee must have control over.  Being neat and clean is very important.  Most businesses shy away from hiring people with issues with narcotics.  This is a controllable factor as well.  Abusing narcotics is a federal offence and can cause issues for the employer and the employee.  It can also negatively affect a person’s job and the image of the business.  Employers are allowed to drug screen employees before hiring to make sure that they are healthy and free of drugs.  “State and local health laws vary, so it is important to know and comply with all applicable laws regarding mandatory or voluntary employee testing.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 424) Restaurants and hotels want their customers to feel that they follow all guidelines when it comes to the health of their customers.  Sometimes, a tattoo can cause customers to feel a certain way about an establishment, especially if it is offensive to others.  A tattoo is also a controllable factor.  Most establishments ask that tattoos are able to be covered so that everyone is protected.  “The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other government agencies enforce laws that ensure everyone gets a fair chance at any job opening.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 414) A scar is an uncontrollable factor and should not negatively affect anyone being considered for a job.   

EOC: (wk. 3) Discharming Man

I feel that the purpose for www.workplacefairness.org is to inform people of their rights and to demonstrate that discrimination for any reason is unacceptable in the workplace.  “Discrimination is the act of treating persons unequally for reasons that do not relate to their abilities, including race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, and mental or physical abilities.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 385) No person should be treated badly for things that they cannot control or a misconception a person may have about a specific, gender or group of people.  “The work environment should be one in which all employees feel comfortable to do their job without being mocked, criticized, or mistreated on the basis of differences from other employees.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 385) Www.workplacefairness.org is sponsored by a group of attorneys who support workplace fairness and are ready to lend a helping hand to inform people of the laws that prohibit wrongful treatment.  The NELA knows firsthand what the law is and how to assist others who may not know what their rights are when it comes to their jobs.  Information about workplace rights, Programs for various learning opportunities and access to an attorney are a few of the resources provided on the site.  These can be very beneficial to someone who has been wrongly mistreated or stereotyped in their place of work.   “Stereotypes are beliefs about particular groups that assume all members of that group are the same. They often can alter a person’s behaviors toward a group and negatively impact that group.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 385) A person can be treated wrongly because of the color of their skin, by someone who may have been mistreated by someone who is the same race.  This is a good reason to contact the NELA to learn what should be done or how to proceed with properly handling the situation.  Managers must immediately handle the situation by diffusing it so that no one feels uncomfortable at work.

EOC: (wk.1) Best & Worst Jobs.

The worst job I ever worked was in the food industry.  I can’t quite remember what the name of the establishment was, but it was owned by a Nigerian woman.  She was very nice and she depended on me heavily, as she was just opening and hadn’t had a lot of people working for her.  My friend told me about the job, I went to meet with the owner, there was not application or interview.  I was given a shirt and put to work.  “A job offer is a formal invitation to become an employee on a certain date with specified duties and compensation… Job offers should provide clear and detailed information and may be contingent on completion of screening.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing, pg. 429).  There was also no training, it was kind of “do this” or “do that”, and I did as she asked.  “All employees whose job influences the quality level of the guests’ experiences (in other words, everyone!) should have access to specific, well-developed, and ongoing training programs.”  (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing, pg. 35).  I worked for this lady for 3 weeks and never got a compensated for my work.  When I asked her about pay, she said she hadn’t made enough money to pay anybody, so I quit.  The best job I have worked has to be one of my current jobs.  The management is excellent, my co-workers are great and its an environment where I feel appreciated as an employee.  Everyone is eager to help and the workplace is very clean and inviting.  “A well-managed brand also includes the way its managers care for it, the manner in which employees believe in it, and even the ways in which guests embrace it.  When managers understand and are committed to a well-conceived brand, the results can be powerful and positive. That is because, in the minds of consumers, a quality brand offers the most value for the best price.” (Human Resources, Quality & Service Training, Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing, Pg.23)

EOC: (wk. 2) Sweet Charity; What she did right, what she did wrong.

On the “Sweet Charity” film, I think the actress was very ambitious as she decided that she was fed up with her line of work and went after something different, something better.  She needed a change.  I think she should have researched the way women dress in the work place and what actually happens in the interview.  “Managers have many responsibilities as they recruit, screen, and select the best employees for their operation. Actually, this work begins long before they announce position vacancies. They must develop important recruitment and selection tools that can be used to find the best talent.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 399).  I also feel that she lacked a lot of confidence in herself and in her abilities.  She should have asked the head hunter if there were training options available for her to sharpen her craft.  “…managers who are committed to training will most often find their staff members committed to providing the quality products and service levels that will lead to their establishment’s success.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality& Restaurant Marketing pg. 35) Had she asked about training, which businesses are required to offer, she could have learned that she could further her education, she could have found out if there were any classes that taught her how to do any of the tasks he asked her if she knew how to do.  “Effective training identifies quality standards and helps employees work at levels that meet quality requirements… Training can help make employees more confident in their skills and that helps make them more able to be customer-oriented.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 236) Training would have assisted her in many ways; teaching her skills that she didn’t possess in order to further her career.    

EOC: (wk. 1) My Voice

Lover of EVERYTHING fashion: I'm very detail oriented I LOVE to read, travel and learn new things.  Fashion has always and forever been a huge part of my life.  While growing up, I was viewed by my family and friends to have a weird or quirky sense of style.  People would ask me what made me put things together.  Sometimes kids would laugh at me for what I chose to wear to school because it was different.  Sometimes I got praised for being unique.  No matter what, I have always proud of myself for standing out.  I never let what anybody thought or said about me change anything about myself.  I have always embraced my differences as my special “mark” that I leave behind.  This uniqueness has lead to me becoming the go to person by my family when it comes to fashion choices they make.  I’ve been called on to style people for events, photoshoots for clothing companies, visual merchandising projects at retail operations in which I’ve worked and my opinions have been considered when making final selections for seasonal clothing lines.   As a fashion major, I spend a lot of time defending why I chose this path, people don’t understand what types of opportunities are available in the fashion industry, but when I explain my passion, they get it.  Fashion is not just a vain thing.  It’s all around us if we take a minute to look around and see what is really in front of us. Fashion is all around us and it can’t be ignored.