Home | Professional, kind of

As a young professional, I only have two things:

1. A big-kid job
2. No idea what I'm doing

When you're fresh out of college and just starting your career, you tend to think the people around you have it all figured out.

Let's clear that up: they don't.

The truth? We throw around phrases like circle back and performance metrics to make us sound more confident than we really are. Because behind the scenes, we're all just making it up, making it work, and — hopefully — making it through.

So drop the I-wear-a-blazer-to-work-because-I-enjoy-it act for just a few minutes and join me in discovering what it truly means to be a young professional in today's fast-moving, cut-throat, is-this-really-all-there-is-to-it? office culture.

Learn more about me

The Nostalgia Factor: How marketing today targets our longing for the past

Nostalgia isn't a new concept, but it's becoming an increasingly popular marketing tactic.

Adeleine Whitten

May 8, 20245 min read

Gen Z: The next generation of decision makers

Yesterday's marketing strategies won't work on the target audiences of today.

Adeleine Whitten

Dec 27, 20234 min read

That job posting is BS – here's how I know

Vague descriptions, toxic environments, and a lot of empty promises — sounds like you've stumbled across a BS job.

Adeleine Whitten

Aug 28, 20235 min read

View All Posts

Looking for your next favorite product, app, or book?

Find it here.

Around the same time we began “throwing back Thursday”, Millennials and Gen Z began looking for nostalgia in the little things.

But today, we’re witnessing the integration of so-called “throwback culture” in nearly every B2C industry.

Media and corporations want to take that warm fuzzy (predictable) feeling you get when you remember your childhood and channel it into the products they’re trying to sell you today. And spoiler alert: it’s working.

In my latest blog, I talk about how The Nostalgia Factor is being used in marketing today and whether it's a skeezy tactic or a genuine way to make life in the 2020s a little more enjoyable.

Link in bio.

#marketing #digitalmarketing #nostalgia #2000s #y2k #90skid #90snostalgia #newblog #blogpost #writersofinstagram #9to5 #corporatelife #professional #professionalkindof

In case you didn't know: the oldest members of Gen Z — myself included — are approaching their late twenties.

If you've been putting off updating your marketing strategy for young consumers, you're missing out on a lot of high-quality customers who aren't afraid to post their #notsponsored reviews all over TikTok.

In my latest blog, I share a few tips to make sure those reviews will be good ones. Link in bio.

#genz #genzmarketing #marketingstrategies #newblog #writersofinstagram #businessowner #businesstips #marketingtips #digitalmarketing #9tothrive

Online job sites are full of positions that aren't quite what they seem. And between the bait-and-switch descriptions and straight-up scams, it's more important than ever to know the signs.

Check out my latest blog post for some of the things to watch out for before applying — link in bio.

#newblogpost #newblog #blogger #jobhuntingtips #newgrad #jobscams #writer #writersofinstagram #freelancewriter #careerdevelopment #professional #professionalkindof

Google has been the world's top search engine for as long as most of us can remember. But if Gen Z wants to search for local restaurants, travel ideas, or product recommendations, they go to TikTok.

In my new blog post, I talk about how Google has slowly lost the trust of consumers — and how TikTok has quickly become the search engine of authenticity.

Link in bio.

#newblog #tiktok #marketingtips #paidads #socialmediamarketing #genz #writersofinstagram #professionalkindof

There aren't a lot of "professional" hills I'll die on, but this is one of them: unpaid internships should be illegal.

But with the cost of living going up daily, new grads will do just about anything to increase their chances of finding a job after graduation.

Read more with the link in my bio.

#interns #internship #corporate #9to5 #mentoring #blog #newblog #writer #writersofinstagram #writingcommunity #professional #professionalkindof

Has WFH made OOO obsolete?

In my new blog post, I talk about how the shift from WFH has made it difficult to maintain healthy boundaries with work.

Link in bio.

#wfh #9to5 #9tothrive #officeculture #quotes #quotestoliveby #healthyboundaries #worklifebalance #ooo #pto #blog #newblog #writer #writersofinstagram #professional #professionalkindof

In my latest blog post, I compiled advice from professionals across the globe and in all walks of life. Special thanks to everyone who contributed! The link to read is in my bio.

I received so many responses through LinkedIn and other professional groups that I'll be turning this into a series. If you have a piece of advice you'd like to pass along to young professionals, drop it in the comments so your name can appear in the next article!

#advice #9to5 #youngprofessionals #asktheexperts #professionaldevelopment #professionaladvice #mentorship #mentoring #advicefromthepros #professionalkindof

Recently, social media has seen a lot of talk about record companies and managers pushing their clients to increase their presence on TikTok.

Artists such as Halsey, Ed Sheeran, Florence Welch, Charli XCX, and Gavin DeGraw have all made videos stating that the only reason they’re posting it is because they’re required to.

But after the video Halsey made explaining the situation did, in fact, go viral, it begs the question... did their label's strategy work?

Read the full post with the link in my bio.

#tiktok #music #halsey #edsheeran #charlixcx #florenceandthemachine #gavindegraw #fyp #socialmedia #marketing #socialmediamanager #socialmediamarketing #blog #newblog #writing #opinion #professionalkindof

After reporting a loss in subscribers for the first time in 10 years, Netflix has announced plans for an ad-supported subscription tier and cracking down on password sharing.

Here's what we know so far about how the new policy will work, and you can read the full story with the link in my bio.

#netflix #passwordsharing #inthenews #infographic #streaming #netflixmovies #netflixisajoke #fyi #blog #newblogpost #writing #writingcommunity

For certain jobs, being off work for an extended period of time doesn't require more than requesting the days you need and (hopefully) getting them approved.

But when you start a desk job, it can feel stressful to step away from projects you're running and tasks you own. And when mostly everyone works the same M-F hours, taking off can put a real kink in everyone's timelines.

But while it does take some extra preparation to go on PTO, stepping away for a few days is great for your overall well-being and should be done regularly. And this step-by-step guide can help make sure your first vacation goes off without a hitch.

For more tips on starting your first office job, check out the link in my bio.

#pto #ooo #newjob #newcareer #tips #advice #businesstips #careertips #professional #9to5 #9tothrive #vacation #blog #writing #blogpost #newpost #professionalkindof

As I approach the 4 year anniversary of starting my first office job, I've been thinking a lot about the things I didn't know on my first day that I now take for granted.

For answers to all of your seemingly-stupid or shouldn't-this-be-obvious questions about working in an office — along with things I wish I knew on my first day — check out the link in my bio.

#advice #9to5 #newjob #newgrads #recentgraduates #internship #faq #professional #professionaldevelopment #blog #newblog #writing #tips #professionalkindof

Probably the scariest notification I've ever gotten. And not doing a great job at convincing me to come back, Planet Fitness.

This push notification did, however, achieve one thing: earning PF a spot in the Hall of Shame.

Visit the link in my bio to see what else made the list.

#marketing #marketingtips #marketingfails
#marketingstrategy #planetfitness #pf #blog #newblog #fitness
#newpost #professionalkindof

We did it! Mexican Pizza is returning to Taco Bell! And it's all because of us! ...Right?

Or is this just a really good marketing tactic to keep people posting about their menu faves? Because word of mouth marketing > anything else. Oh, and Doja Cat hyping them up at Coachella probably didn't hurt either.

Taco Bell's strategy to bring back this all-time favorite is a definite hit and earned them a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Visit the link in my bio to see what else made the list.

#marketing #marketingtips #greatads #greatmarketing #marketingstrategy #tacobell #dojacat #blog #newblog #newpost #professionalkindof

Are you planning a career jump in the near future? Well, it's pretty likely that you'll be onboarding from your living room.

Remote onboarding can seem overwhelming, so make sure you know what questions to ask and all my tips to ensure you start the next stage of your career on the right foot.

My newest blog post touches on my experience starting a new job remotely and what to expect when you start yours.

#remotework #remoteonboarding #advice #remoteworktips #9to5 #newblogpost #writing #careerdevelopment #professionalkindof

So your email list isn't quite what you want it to be... what do you do?

Before purchasing a third party list, you should consider all the repercussions that go along with it.

High bounce rates, increased spam reports, and poor public perception of your company are just a few reasons to run the other way.

Don't destroy your company's reputation before you've even had a chance to get started.

Full post in bio.

#businesstips #emailmarketing #marketing #marketingtips #digitalmarketing #humor #informative #professionalkindof

Two years ago, I couldn't imagine myself in a fully-remote role — I didn't even like working from home for an afternoon when I had an appointment. I loved the office environment and all of the perks that came with it.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the occasional in-office day to see my coworkers and have some face-to-face discussions... but I've been in the office for a total of two and a half days since the start of the pandemic. And I'm totally okay with that.

Yet, we still see employers posting open positions as temporarily remote with a return-to-office expected in the coming months.

Why is that? Is a return-to-office inevitable? Or should companies stop trying to fix what isn't broken?

In my new blog post, I tell my story of transitioning from Team Office to Team Remote and why many others have had a similar change of heart over the past two years.

#9to5 #officeculture #remotework #workingfromhome #returntooffice #pandemic #pandemicresponse #newblogpost #writing #opinionpiece #professionalkindof

For many people (myself included), the first step in their career consisted of scanning items and making change.
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While it may not seem like it at the time, working retail teaches invaluable lessons that can be applied to any role in the corporate world.
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Have you worked retail? What lessons did it teach you that still stick with you today?
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#corporatelife #9to5 #retail #humor #writing #newblog #newpost #professionalkindof

Alexa, how do I make what type of cheese I am sound professional?
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Read my full list of how to answer the worst interview questions with the link in my bio💡
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#corporatelife #9to5 #interviewtips #professionalkindof #blogpost #newblog #writing #corporatehumor

What's the one question you dread being asked during a job interview? In my new blog post — The worst interview questions (and the best answers to them) — I list my top 5 along with how to answer to ensure the hiring manager remembers you (in a good way, of course). Link in bio.
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#corporatelife #9to5 #interviewtips #careerdevelopment #careertips #corporateamerica #internshiptips

Full post in bio.
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#9to5 #9tothrive #genz #officehumor #corporatelife #corporateamerica #work #workfromhome

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@professionalkindof

As a young professional, I only have two things:

1. A big-kid job
2. No idea what I'm doing

Recent Posts

The Nostalgia Factor: How marketing today targets our longing for the past

Gen Z: The next generation of decision makers

That job posting is BS – here's how I know

View All Posts

Looking for your next favorite product, app, or book?

Instagram

ABOUT

| CONTACT

| PRIVACY

As a young professional, I only have two things:

1. A big-kid job 2. No idea what I'm doing

Recent Posts

The Nostalgia Factor: How marketing today targets our longing for the past

Gen Z: The next generation of decision makers

That job posting is BS – here's how I know

View All Posts

Looking for your next favorite product, app, or book?

​

Instagram

ABOUT

| CONTACT

| PRIVACY

1. A big-kid job
2. No idea what I'm doing