Thanks for visiting Ms. Career Girl!

Ms. Career Girl is a blog for ambitious young professional women who want it all!  You’ll read about job search advice, and how to make a career transition.  Entrepreneurial women will share their stories as will real women who are going through their “quarterlife crisis” or who just graduated college.  We’ll also address challenges in the workplace, networking, social media and even dating & relationships!  Below are the beliefs we live by at Ms. Career Girl:

The ten Ms. Career Girl Commandments:

1. YOU are in charge of your career (not your employer, your parents or your college).
2. Successful people network EVERY DAY and rely on their network to get ahead.
3. If you don’t know what you want to do, test ideas out until you do.
4. Get “career insurance” by creating at least one additional revenue stream in addition to your day job.
5. Use technology to your advantage: brand yourself online in order to get where you want to be.
6. When conducting a career search, look for cool companies, not just cool job postings.
7. Read, read, read!
8. Interview often, even when you’re not looking.
9. Your college major isn’t everything.
10. You can have it all: a successful career doing something you love and a life outside of that career.

Hi, I’m Nicole Crimaldi, the founder of MsCareerGirl.com.

I started Ms. Career Girl in November 2008 as a “passion project” to help empower ambitious young  professional women and build community.  I had no idea my own career path would become a story in itself.

I’ve been a 9-5 suit-wearing cubicle gal at one of the world’s largest companies.  I’ve been a jeans-wearing, start-up junkie who worked way too much.  I’ve COMPLETELY switched career paths during a recession with little experience.  I’ve doubled my salary within a matter of a few years, and I’ve also been dead broke.  I’ve been laid off.  And today I’m self-employed. In other words, wherever you are in your career or wherever you want to go, I will likely have some insight!

I blog about my entrepreneurial journey and how digital marketing applies to you as young professional women.

While I know many of you fantasize about working for yourselves, I have a lot to warn you about first!  I’ll include strategies and tactics about how to create your own brand online (regardless of what your career goals are) and write about why and how to monetize your passions.  Even if you are happily employed, my columns should help you create a “side hustle” that helps you meet awesome new people, pay down debt or save for that wedding!

I hope you will find the stories on Ms. Career Girl informative, entertaining and relatable to where you are in your career.  I love hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Nicole Crimaldi

Awkwardly Ever After- Lauren Schaefer: Dating & Relationships

Hi All! I’m Lauren- professional event planner, comedy improviser, social media buff and relationship blogger for Ms. Career Girl! I moved to New York City to start my job this past summer after graduating from Indiana University in May (Go Hoosiers!) and have been living and learning through all this city has to offer! I document my journey (beyond relationships!) as a young professional in New York at my blog From the Fifth Floor. I’m pumped to be part of this awesome team and love to start conversations! If you have an idea for me, comment, or just want to chat, follow me on Twitter at @Leschaef.

Kovie in Chicago- Life After College: Kovie Biakolo

Hi! My name Kovie and I am a 2011 Drake University Marketing Graduate who was originally headed to law school in Chicago or a year in Spain. Alas, I find myself in the Windy City!  I like to think of myself as Nicole’s “right hand.”  I
work as the Project Manager at MCG Media, Inc. (the parent company of MsCareerGirl.com) which is a social marketing agency in Chicago.  I also coordinate Ms. Career Girl Connect events and co-host #MCGConnect chat.  While I may still have law school on my future agenda, I am loving my role in marketing and event planning. I am indeed also on the “job hunt” for a marketing and/or event planning experience aside from MCG Media. While my life goes from uncertainty to uncertainty in this crazy early 20 something stage, I try to control all the things I can: my character, my attitude and my work ethic. Above all, I try to be honest and real!  Follow me @KovieBiakolo to get in touch! Read Kovie’s column, “Kovie in Chicago” every other Thursday.