2012 in Review: Instagram

I've loved using Instagram this year- and can't wait for more snaps to happen in 2013!

I can be followed at lauraemilyd, and check out a small selection of images I have taken this year.

2012: A Year in Review

We said goodbye to...

Nora Ephron

Dave Brubeck

Whitney Houston

Vidal Sassoon

Ambassador Chris Stevens

We celebrated...

The Diamond Jubilee

The Olympics

Felix Baumgartner is the first person to break the sound barrier

Google

Moments that marked 2012...

Barack Obama wins second term as President

Aung San Suu Kyi wins a seat in the Burmese Parliament

Hurricane Sandy

Flooding throughout the UK

Sandy Hook

Aurora

Secretary Clinton being treated for blood clot

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It has been announced that Secretary Clinton is being treated for a blood clot, stemming from the fall she suffered earlier this month.

Get well soon Secretary Clinton!


Full story from The New York Times here.

Links of the Week

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This week I've been reading...

Senate leaders set to work on last minute tax agreement

Michelle Obama First in Fashion

Shirley rattles Downton Abbey

Inside the Cave: How the Obama Campaign Won

Google

Make sure you download your copy of Engage's fascinating report into how the Obama campaign won the election through the genius of its digital team.

Engage Research has compiled insights, data and anecdotes from hundreds of news stories, blog posts, conference presentations and conversations into one single presentation.

Political Style on the Web

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There are many ways to keep up to date and follow the latest developments on Political Style.

Facebook

Twitter

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Pinterest

Google +

Make sure you check out the accounts and follow today!

As always, thank you all for your support! 

Nightline: Barbara Walters interviews the President and First Lady

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Giving Thanks

You've opened your gifts and started looking at sales online. Now is the perfect time to say 'thank you' to friends and relatives for their presents!

Jacqueline Kennedy always made it a rule to send thank you notes and letters the very next day. Why not make this one of your new year resolutions?

Some of my favourite thank you cards and notelets can be found below. Why not make your note that extra special by writing in a fantastic coloured pen or adding a few stickers?

Eiffel Tower Merci, $5.95, Papyrus

Cherry Blossom, $25, Kate Spade

Holly Cartouche Thank You Notes, $7.48, Papyrus

Pineapple Thank You Notes by Crane & Co, $19, Papyrus

Paperless Post Selection

The Obamas visit Marine Corps Base in Hawaii

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The President and First Lady spent part of their Christmas Day visiting troops stationed at a Marine Base in Hawaii. Mrs Obama wore a black and white sleeveless dress and sandals.

It is reported that the President will end his vacation early, flying back to Washington on Thursday 27th December to continue the fiscal cliff negotiations. 

Christmas Online Sale Shopping Guide

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Daisy- 40% off selected items

Tory Burch- 50% off on selected styles

Barnes & Noble- 50% off items with a red dot

SPerry- free ship on all orders with code NEWYEAR

My Wardrobe- up to 50% off

J Crew- extra 25% off all sale items

Net a Porter- bargains aplenty! 

Neiman Marcus- up to 60% off

Gap- an additional 30% off sale items

Kate Spade- an extra 25% off sale items

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas

Feliz Navidad

to all readers of Political Style!

Thank you for your support, inspiration, kindness and laughs throughout 2012. Looking forward to what 2013 brings!

xoxo Laura

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Michelle Obama participates in the NORAD Track Santa Program

Official White House Photo

The First Lady participated in the NORAD Track Santa program on Christmas Eve, talking to children across the country.

Check out the transcript from one caller!



MRS. OBAMA: Hi, Anthony, it’s Michelle Obama, the First Lady. How are you?

ANTHONY: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: How old are you, Anthony?

ANTHONY: Eleven…..

ANTHONY: Can you come visit me in Texas?

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, he’s (Santa) heading your way….

ANTHONY: Yeah, I was talking about you trying to visit me.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, me come to visit you. (Laughter.) Well, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to come and visit before Christmas tomorrow, but if ever I find myself in Texas next year — and I know I’m going to be coming to Texas one time next year — hopefully we can see each other then. How does that sound?

ANTHONY: Will you come to my house?

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, I don’t know if I can come to your house. I might not be able to do that. But I’ll be keeping an eye on you, though.

ANTHONY: How about my school?

MRS. OBAMA: Your school — maybe your school. What school do you go to?

ANTHONY: (Inaudible).

MRS. OBAMA: All right, well, I’m going to tell my assistant right now…..

ANTHONY: Can I talk to your husband?

MRS. OBAMA: He’s not here right now. (Laughter.) But you know what, I will tell him that you asked about him. Okay?

ANTHONY: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. You keep being a good kid. Work hard in school, okay?

ANTHONY: Okay. Tell your daughters I said Merry Christmas.

MRS. OBAMA: I sure will. Thank you so much. You give your family my best, okay? You give them all a Merry Christmas from all of the Obamas, okay?

ANTHONY: Okay. Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, bye-bye.

ANTHONY: Bye-bye.

Christmas at The White House

AP

Take a look into Christmas at the White House past and present this Christmas Eve by clicking here!

Happy Holidays! 

Dream Gifts...

Hermes Cape Cod Watch

Starbucks Verismo

Christian Louboutin Pigalle pumps

Lanvin Swarovski crystal collar

Links of the Week

The White House

This week I've been reading...

Pete Souza's Portrait of a Presidency

48 hours with President Obama 

Massachusetts free for all over John Kerry's seat

Republican opposition unwilling to cooperate with the President

Beltway stop for Oscar race

The Obamas head to Hawaii

Reuters/Getty

The Obamas headed to Hawaii yesterday for their annual Christmas getaway. Mrs O looked chic in a black jacket and pants, accessorised with a purple fringed scarf from Prova.

Upon landing in Hawaii, Mrs O changed into a black and pale pink sundress. Unusually, Mrs Obama has a simple black headband on too! 

Part Two: First Term Obama Photos

The White House

#26 Acts

Ann Curry recently blogged about #26 Acts, a campaign inspiring Americans, and individuals across the world to perform acts of kindness to remember those individuals lost in the shooting in Newtown, CT.

Some of the #26 Acts tweeted by individuals are below and more can be viewed here.

What will your #26 Acts of kindness be?

NBC

Career Q&A: Jaime Petkanics, The Prepary

A big thanks to all of you who submitted your questions for our career Q&A with Jaime Petkanics from The Prepary.

We hope the answers bring you the advice you need! For more top employment tips check out The Prepary. 

Do you have any tips for Europeans seeking employment in the US? E, Barcelona

Try to look at and apply to companies that really value a global perspective. Companies that do are more likely to sponsor visas/work authorization and will also value what you can bring to the table right away.

How can you successfully network if you are nervous and a shy person? A, Boston

I think (as with many things) it takes a lot of practice and putting yourself in situations that aren't necessary comfortable the first time around.  The more you do this, the more comfortable you will become.  Now there are also a lot of opportunities to network "digitally" (such as through Linkedin and email) and that is actually a nice trend for those of us that are a bit shy and intimidated by in person networking events.  The best networks are built slowly and naturally over time so being overly aggressive isn't always the best strategy.

What is the best way to expand your network to search for a new job? L, London

I think speaking to lots of different people who do something you are interested is a great way to get started.  Fellow alumni, friends of friends, and former colleagues are good people to start with. Set up time to hear from them about what they do and how they've succeeded in their career. You'd be surprised how many people will also be willing to help you. A little more info on this topic can be found in this post.

What are your top tips for a resume layout? A, New York 

A tip I have that makes a huge impact is organizing your experience by what is relevant and what is "additional".  A recruiter usually looks at your resume for 30 seconds or less in a 1st screen so you want the top parts of your resume to tell a strong story (where your focus is obvious and not lost amongst other roles). I have a post that elaborates on this.

Should you have a creative looking resume if you are applying for a creative job? C, Los Angeles

Yes, I think you should. Though I would also advice to have one more "plain" version to use to apply online (when you submit the resume through the system) and another to use when you are emailing the resume directly.  Sometimes systems don't know how to make sense of fancy, formatted resumes and you want the system to be able to pick up on keywords.  Sometimes recruiters actually rely on technology to match candidates with jobs so you want your resume (that goes into the system) to make that possible.

How can you find your perfect job if it is not publicly advertised? L, Barcelona 

That's a tough one. It's hard to stay "top of mind" for people at a company. Of course it's ideal if they think of you first when they have a job in mind (that's not posted) but that is not usually what happens in reality.  The best way to make sure you stay on someone's mind is by staying in touch.  Do it appropriately (check in at select times in the year) but not aggressively (like checking in every month).  Overall, it's good to ask if companies usually post their jobs and if not, what is the best way to keep in touch.  They'll tell you what method they prefer.

What is the best way to make sure that a company keeps your CV on file? L, Barcelona

The best way to get your resume on file is to submit it through a system (by applying online).  That means your resume will always be in there and be searchable.  However, don't rely on someone to go and find it when a job opens up.  Stay very plugged in on the companies job postings and reach out directly when you see an opening that excites you.

What are the best ways to find an internship? M, New Haven, CT 

The best way to find an internship is probably a combination of searching online (indeed.com, internships.com, monster.com and lots of other sites) and networking (to ask if there are internship opportunities).  Once you get interviews, being really prepared is key. Since interns don't generally have a ton of previous experience, their work ethic, research, and preparation are that much more important.

The working atmosphere at my office is absolutely horrible. What steps can I do to improve it? J, Washington DC

Unfortunately that's a tough one. Depending on how big the company is and how set in their ways they are, you may not be able to improve the environment. what you can control is how you let it affect you personally.  There might be ways to "detach" from it, not take things personally, and work on letting things go after a tough day.  Of course, this is easier said than done!  If you don't see things changing and you don't feel like you are learning or benefitting from the job, it may be time to look elsewhere.

How do I search for a job whilst still in employment? H, Providence RI

This is a tricky one and a common question. Overall, devote a certain period of time per day/week and treat it like a part time job.  Also, don't let anyone know that you are looking and try not to burn any bridges as you go.  This is the abbreviated version of course - I wrote a few articles on this which you can check out here and here.

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