Feeding YOUR Passion (and a free giveaway worth $25!)

(Scroll down to the pretty pictures if you're just here for the giveaway. I won't judge, hehe! Contest ends 12/11 at 11:59pm) 

Why I Love the Food Network and YouTube/Blogs:
by Tiffany Rivera. January 2013.

"Growing up, I never really had a celebrity crush. I always kind of went with the motions and squealed along as my friends printed out pictures of Justin Timberlake and Nick Carter for our binder covers. In fact to this day, my celebrity crush is jokingly Jackie Chan (he does his own stunts!). 

What really amazes me is seeing talent and passion combine to make someone remarkable. Being a Food Network Star means you've learned and mastered cooking. Being YouTube famous means you love what you do and do it well, whether you started doing comedy online or became known from your dance performance on a TV reality competition show. You are famous not simply being of your looks or your family name; you found yourself in your passion and went forth to share it with others. You express and showcase your heart in front of an audience.

I am often unimpressed by mainstream actors and actresses, even pop stars. I actually am terrible at pop culture trivia because of it, and have trouble identifying Hollywood stars. For my entertainment, I prefer and value seeing work done by real people like you and me, reminding us that we don't need a perfect face, magazine cover body, or tons of money to be happy and successful. Find your passion and run with it. You can find success and even love by being yourself to the fullest. 

Someone once asked me if it's weird that I read so many blogs and watch so many YouTube channels, even of less well-known people. Isn't that kind of stalker-ish?

Well, I'd rather support someone's passion than spend money and time obsessing over lifestyles and people that you have zero chance of ever getting to know personally. I've had the opportunity to connect with other bloggers and Instagrammers that I admire and it's a wonderful thing. One famous blogger even sent me a lengthy email full of personal advice for young writers when I was going through a bad time last year. 

Connecting with strangers in this way is not surprising at all in the online community; but you tell me if you're ever felt any personal satisfaction beyond a superficial level from People magazine. Maybe you were inspired to work out more and buy new clothes or makeup. But don't you tell me that they care about you personally. Yes, they appreciate their fans, but it comes down to it, most are about themselves. 

I hope to be someone that runs with my passion and shares it with others to help make their lives more fulfilling, filling, and fun. A fame not just for me, but to make others feel worthwhile and inspired from having heard from me."


This writing piece had been sitting unread in my iPhone notes since the beginning of the year until I revisited it recently. Looking back, my life has changed in so many ways from January to December. I'm in a new city, in a new graduate program studying what I love, and finding ways to spend my free time chasing my passions -- helping others achieve their goals while bringing people together through a love of good food.

While I have a good idea of my goals and the things that make me happy, a busy schedule and the influences of others often shift my focus in too many directions, making me lose sight and be less productive. I craved structure in what I thought was organized chaos.

And so it is with perfect timing that I stumbled upon an extraordinary project by an amazingly creative high school friend of mine, Angelia Trinidad. She designed a tool to help others accomplish their goals -- a planner/organizer. Have you ever experienced the hunt for the perfect planner, only to settle for one that's missing key features that you really wanted? Well, my friend Angelia Trinidad has thought of it all with her new Passion Planner!

Not only does the Passion Planner have space to plan out your daily schedule and tasks, there's specific areas designed for you to develop your passion and reach your goals! I could go on for days about how amazing it/she is, but I'll let it speak for itself:

I've tried out the week layout prototype (free on her website) and after just a few days, it's already working wonders on my productivity and stirring up my passion to create! I'm so excited because I put in an order by backing her Kickstarter project. Even more exciting, I ordered two Passion Planners -- one for me, and one to give away to a reader!

While Dining at Tiffany's is about sharing my own passion, the bigger reason I write is for my readers. I want to feed your passion.

So, here's how to enter my contest:

Win a Passion Planner - 3 easy steps!

1. Leave a constructive comment below! This means, include something you've liked on my website and why, something I should add/improve and why, plus any types of posts you'd like to see based on what YOU are passionate about!
- Like I said, this website is not just for me, but to help others, so your feedback is key!
- If it's your first time here (welcome!), feel free to look around!

2. *Like* Dining at Tiffany's on Facebook. Click here.
- I know some of you have already. If so, you're already on your way to win!

3. Tell a friend about Dining at Tiffany's/Passion Planner!
- This part is honor system. :)

After you complete all three steps, I will use www.random.org to select a winner based on the number of your comment below (first comment is #1, etc.). This contest will run until Tuesday, December 11th at 11:59pm PST! 

The great part is, even if you don't win, you'll still have a few days left to be one of the first owners of a Passion Planner. Best wishes on the contest!


Cheers to passion and possibilities,

Tiffany R.

Dining at Tiffany's

Make it a Great Day (Networking & Garlic Pasta Carbonara)

"Make it a Great Day."

In preparation for a professional conference this weekend, I ordered my very first set of business cards!

Aren't they spiffy? :D

I wanted to support a local business in my new city, so I ordered from Hungry Dog Printing in Long Beach, CA. This printing company is very professional, affordable, and high-quality. I highly recommend their services!

The owner Kate is very friendly and seemed genuinely excited about making my business cards look good. Unknowingly, she even played a role in uplifting my mood after a difficult few months. At the end of their jolly voicemail greeting, Kate encourages her customers to "Make it a great day!" This phrase really resonated with me and made me reflect on my attitude. We're always told to "have a great day," but sometimes we need to be reminded that a positive outlook can make all the difference; often times, it's up to us if we're going to make it a great day or not. Thank you for my awesome business cards and the encouragement, Hungry Dog Printing!

#WRCSAD13

The conference I attended was the Western Regional Careers in Student Affairs Day. I had a great day mingling with and learning from higher education professionals and fellow students. Serving on the volunteer planning committee was a fun experience as well. Worked with some fantastic people!

For the undergraduates I spoke with that are applying for graduate programs, here are helpful posts I mentioned that can help with your career:

- Grad School Application Requirements Template
- Tiffany's Résumé Guide
- Cover Letters & Attraction are Kind of the Same

You can also ask me any questions about the SDHE program at CSULB!


After the conference, I co-organized a post-conference social at my new favorite spot in Long Beach - the Rebel Bite. Isn't their "Map Room" amazing? I also feel the same way about my wonderful classmates, new friends, and inspiring NASPA Region 6 leaders.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela 

Garlic Pasta Carbonara 

The night before the conference, my grad student friends stayed over, so I had the chance to make them dinner! Here's a recipe for one of the dishes I cooked. Hope you enjoyed #DiningAtTiffs !

Follow me on Instagram @diningattiffs!

(makes 8 servings, even though there were only three of us...)

Ingredients:
- 1/2 to 1lb of bacon (depending on how much you like meat) sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan/romano cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas & carrots (or any other veggie medley)
- 1 lb. box of pasta (I used whole wheat - you should too!)
- pepper (no salt needed; bacon is salty enough, friends!)

Instructions:
I broke the steps down into what's happening on your stove and what's happening on your counter. Follow the numbers to time it for maximum efficiency.


On your stove 
2.) Boil water for pasta & cook according to package directions.
3.) Sauté bacon on medium-high heat for 5 minutes
5.) Once meat is cooked, lower heat to medium and add garlic. Sauté until light brown.
6.) Add veggies and cook for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.


On your counter
1.) Chop up all ingredients (start with the veggies and put aside before chopping bacon to avoid cross-contamination)
4.) Crack eggs into a large bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk like you're going to make scrambled eggs (but don't scramble them!). Stir in the cheese and about a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (the pre-ground stuff doesn't taste like anything. Don't buy it.)
7.) Drain the pasta and transfer immediately* into the large bowl of eggs. Mix quickly to coat pasta evenly, adding the bacon/veggie mixture as well.
*It's important to do this immediately because the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs!

8.) Serve with more grated cheese (and crushed red pepper if you like it spicy!)


Overall, I had a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by -- make it a great day! :)


With love,
Tiffany R.
Dining at Tiffany's

Banana Nutella "Pizza" and a Free Download

Hello everyone!

After a very hectic February, I'm back with more food and ideas to share! I know it's been quiet Dining here at Tiffany's, but I promise I've been writing a bunch -- just in other places.

One outlet to which I've been contributing my writing is through my Volunteer Internship with Thurman Consulting. My project is to coordinate a free, online teleseminar series covering topics about career and leadership development based on the book How to be a Nonprofit Rockstar. I have the fun role of writing event descriptions and engaging in Twitter conversations at the hashtag #nprockstar. I love the topics since they align with the "Catering Your Success" themed posts on my website.

Aside from my internship, the majority of my free time/energy has been spent completing graduate school applications and writing personal statements. It was honestly a very grueling process, but I learned a lot about myself; in reflecting on my past work and academic experience, I gained inspiration and ideas for moving forward, especially with Dining at Tiffany's.

1. I want to continue "Catering Your Success!"

So by popular request, I'm sharing my template for graduate school application requirements. Click here or on the photo! I hope that you find this helpful as a way to keep track of the many details of completing your applications.

2. I want to feed you! While Dining at Tiffany's is about both the food and the conversation, I want to make sure I'm providing enough food so you don't go hungry ;). I haven't been posting too many recipes because I have been way too busy to test out and perfect complex dishes. In the meantime, I figure I can always share some of the quick ideas I cook up in my kitchen! With that, I'll leave you with a fun dish I created over the weekend. This is a great breakfast or snack option for all you nutella lovers out there. It's also relatively good for you. Enjoy!

Banana Nutella "Pizza"

Ingredients:
- A few slices of flat bread (You can use whole grain pita, naan, etc. I used a freshly baked flat bread from here)
- A couple spoonfuls of Nutella hazelnut spread
- A sliced banana
- A handful of chopped, raw almonds (or any nuts you have on hand)

Instructions:
- Spread nutella onto slices of flat bread. This is your "pizza" sauce. Sprinkle with almonds to add crunch and extra protein!
- Heat in a toaster oven at 375 degrees for about 7 minutes (Real Talk: I cooked mine over 10 minutes because I used the "medium" toast setting, burning some of the Nutella.  When you make it, the Nutella should be a lighter brown, unlike the above picture. Oops.). Basically you want the Nutella to be melty and the bread to be crispy. The almonds get a nice roast as well. Mmm.
- Top with sliced bananas and enjoy immediately. I sure did, with a side of hot coffee (which I drank gallons of in February).


With love,
Tiffany R.
Dining at Tiffany's

Haphazard Advice for Soon-to-Be Recent Graduates.

Now generally, I write instructional posts about topics that I feel that I've mastered resume tips), that I feel that I'm warranted to talk about (cover letter writing). But this one is a little bit different. It's a bit raw. Let's imagine it's like I'm teaching you how to cook something that I've never-ever cooked before -- live! Tune in now and you'll learn along with me. My mom will always chastise me for taking a chance and trying out new recipes when cooking for parties. Not to sound full of myself, but really, every time I do this, it turns out amazing. So let's get cooking.

Tomorrow marks my one year anniversary of graduating into grown-up life and honestly, I'm still figuring it out. I'm right there with ya, kid.

"I'm a new soul, I came to this new world hoping to learn a bit 'bout how to give and take. But since I came here, felt the joy and the fear, finding myself making every possible mistake. See I'm a young soul in this very strange world, hoping I could learn a bit 'bout what is true and fake. But why all this hate? Try to communicate. Finding trust and love is not always easy to make."

From the nomadic lyrics to the lighthearted sound, this song pretty much sums it up, so let's break it down. (Press 'play' now for full effect).

Hoping to Learn a Bit 'Bout How to Give and Take
[Give] If you're anything like me, you spent your college career not only trying to do relatively well in your classes, but also to gain lots and lots of experience in pursuit of exciting job opportunities post-graduation. I have a very pretty resume, if I do say so myself. Not only is it a formatting masterpiece, it lists my accomplishments both locally and even around the world. I used to have a very impressive gmail signature and was pretty darn smug about it, joking that "I pretty much ran the community service scene at my university." All my fellow students and staff mentors would give me many a pat on the back and word of affirmation. I rocked college and I'm proud of it.

But when you leave that stadium of fans and change out of your cap & gown, you're really just another person, another employee, another contact. You suck. Just kidding.

But really, outside of your bubble, simply telling stories about your accomplishments will never portray their actually worth. Know that your past experience gets you the job, but your work performance is what determines the level of respect you earn. Focus on doing your best and creating new accomplishments -- dwelling on your past ones will get you nowhere. 

[Take] Now out of habit, I joined quite a few organizations outside of my day job. I'm really happy that I did -- I've met a lot great, like-minded people and have cultivated my skills in a more professional setting. It took some time, but I had to (re)learn that I have my limits and reassess my commitments. Taking a step back, I realized something quite simple -- some commitments will help me, and some will not. Always take a moment to assess yourself, ensuring that you choose activities that are in line with your priorities, both current and future. 

Finding Myself Making Every Possible Mistake
[Mistake 1] Sleeping through a college lecture is okay. You can always borrow notes from your friends, and your professor may even offer recordings. In the workplace, there is no catching up for missed time and you won't get paid for it. You can't even slip into the room late and go unnoticed. If you're not a morning person yet, learn to be. I'm happy to say that on any given morning before 10AM, I am now much more alert than my friends that are still in college. But really, it's something I'm working on that I wish I had started earlier. 

Cover Letters & Attraction are Kind of the Same!

Second to waiting to hear back from employers cover letters were just about the WORST part of the job hunt for me! Aghhh!!  (Here is a song to listen to if you're in that situation)

1. It feels forced & unnatural -- who actually talks like this?!

2. If you're a perfectionist/grammar fanatic, you're in for at LEAST an hour per cover letter since each has to be unique and tailored to each company. 

3. Whoever reads it will probably only glance through it for 30 seconds.

4. Ew.

So if you are frustrated that you have to write cover letters, you are not alone. But they are necessary, so I am here to walk you through the process, with an added bonus!!

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, all of my tips for writing interview-winning cover letters double as tips for finding that special someone! ;) 

[1] GRAB THEIR ATTENTION, AND HOLD ON TO IT!:

You're at a get together in a room choc full of people. Some of them are seemingly more attractive than you! How will you ever get that cutie to dig you?!

Likewise, your cover letter will be sitting in a stack or inbox with at least 100 more from other applicants, many of which may appear more qualified than you! 

And the common question here is, "how do I get noticed??"

- The key in both cases is to start with a strong opening. What does this consist of? Content and Impact. And it starts with you. 

Confident Content

Ask yourself this question:

"What are my attributes that I am most confident about?"

If you're at that party, these may range from something as small as your haircut, to your ability to make others laugh or even an intriguing hobby. If you're on the job hunt, this should range from your working style (detail-oriented, fast learner, results-oriented, etc.) to your skilled abilities (software expertise, clerical work, customer service, etc.) 

After you answer this question, create a list, write it down and focus on it! Keep it on your mind and be ready to flaunt it! 

Impressive Impact

When presenting yourself in a cover letter or in a social setting, your strong opening should consist of that Confident Content! 

Here is the opening of my actual cover letter I wrote that landed me my current job: 

Dear -----------------------,
I am writing to express my interest in supporting the -------------------- as a ------------ as listed on npworks.org.



"I am a dedicated, meticulous, and compassionate worker with three years of experience in customer service and organizational administration. I am very comfortable in communicating with diverse groups of people, empowering
individuals with the resources and knowledge to address their needs."

As you can see, I don't merely list off my past job experiences (that's what your resume is for!), but I focus on the best of my working style and skills. The viewer can get an engaging snapshot of who I am in just two sentences and will be excited to continue reading. 

If I were on the prowl (which, I'm not! Don't worry, sweetheart if you actually read this! <3), this is a scenario I would create in a social situation:

-

Potential Romantic Interest: Hi, I'm _______, what's your name? ;)"  

Me: *strong handshake* "Hi! I'm Tiffany!" :D

PRI: So, what do you do? 

Me: "I work in nonprofits. And I love cooking!! I may not look like it, but I LOVE to eat!"

-

As you can see, I stuck to that Confident Content! I am proud to be working in the nonprofit community, and I love food so much that I learned to cook it well. I also inserted a bit of humor. 

Because these are your best attributes that you love and value about yourself, you won't run out of things to talk about, you'll be glowing with passion, and stand out from the crowd with your shining confidence!

NOTE: Just as I didn't list all my specific work positions in the beginning of my resume, I didn't talk outwardly about my hair or smile or any other physical attributes that I may have listed in my Confident Content. That would have be obnoxious. 

Strong openings must be impressive, but also broad and general. Save the specific job positions to reference later in your cover letter, and keep your too-sexy-for-my-shirt celebrations in your head as an intrinsic source of confidence!

I really encourage you to focus on developing your strong openings with Confident Content and Impressive Impact. This post is very top-heavy  because without GRABBING THEIR ATTENTION AND HOLDING ON, you've missed your chance on that job opportunity or to attract that special someone! You need that strong opening to be sure that they don't move on to another candidate! 

[2] KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE, BUT DON'T ACT DESPERATE

Name Dropping

In my opinion, the best potential partners are friends of friends (proof: that's how I found mine!)! If you share a mutual friend, it is not an accident. In fact, it happened for very specific reasons. You both value certain traits, are interested in certain topics/activities, and enjoy spending time with people of certain personality types! 

So, after your confident and impressive introduction, a great topic to keep up the momentum of the conversation is mutual friends! Share stories about fun and interesting experiences you had with that common friend. It's something you can bond over and could even lead to planning a future group outing -- yet another opportunity to hang out and get to know each other! 

Likewise, employers are more likely to continue reading through your cover letter if you name drop. In the body of your cover letter, be sure to mention any relevant organizations, concepts, projects, movements, academia, etc. that you connected with.

For example, my current job has a lot to do with public health, so I included the following in my cover letter:

"I was particularly excited to see this position open as I am passionate about promoting public health for underserved communities. Through my coursework in Health Care – Social Issues and Sociocultural Anthropology, I studied about
the institutional and cultural barriers that lead to disheartening health disparities."

You can also refer to related organizations at which you volunteered or interned and listed on your resume. (Note: it's already on your resume, so only spend 2 sentences at most on "name dropping").

But remember, don't be a creeper. Do NOT Facebook stalk. ANYone! What's your problem?!?! 

No but really, get a general idea of the person/company you're interested in. But don't obsess over it! Even if you really like someone, do not quote any of their Facebook wall posts. Likewise, do not copy and paste anything from a company's website. They will know. And think you're a complete creep. So don't. 

[3] CHECK YOUR STYLE AND BE YOURSELF

In both situations, it's important to appear well put-together but without appearing to be trying too hard. 

For your cover letter, remember to spell check, proofread, and have others look over it (feel free to send yours to me for review at rivera.tiffany.n@gmail.com!) to catch any grammar or typographical errors. Since you're tailoring your cover letter to each company, it's very easy to overlook places where you left the incorrect employer name, file name, etc. Also, getting a perspective from fresh eyes can help you see something you didn't notice before. However, do not let someone else write your cover letter for you. They may create something wonderful, but if you get to the interview and speak nothing like the language cover letter, you will appear inconsistent and kind of shady!  

Likewise, before you leave for a social event, do whatever getting-ready ritual it takes for you to feel at your best! And if you are planning to put yourself out there at a social event, don't wear anything or style yourself in a way that requires maintenance throughout the night. 

You should look great, but also not have to worry about looking in the mirror except for before you go out the door! That way, you can focus on your Confident Content, the person you're talking to, and the connection you're having. If you're preoccupied about your tube top falling off or your gelled hair style falling down, people will notice a drop in your confidence level. What's most important is being comfortable in your own style. Express your own personal style in a way that allows you to be yourself once you leave the house. 

--

So remember, to GRAB THEIR ATTENTION & HOLD ON TO IT, KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE BUT DON'T ACT DESPERATE, & CHECK YOUR STYLE AND BE YOURSELF. 

You have two weekends before Valentine's Day, and many of you have a few months before entering the workforce. With these tips, you'll be able to attract the employers and partners of your dreams!!

With love,

Tiffany R. 

Dining at Tiffany's 

Tiffany's Résumé Guide!

I've learned some helpful tidbits from participating in several selection/hiring committees (and securing a pretty sweet job, woohoo!), so I hope you'll enjoy this series I'm creating for my anyone seeking a new career opportunity! 

--

Your Résumé: 

How to make your résumé shine! 

+ Create it, don't just write it: 

- Start outlining your experience into the usual categories (Objective, Skills/Qualifications, Work Experience, Additional Experience, etc.), but don't stop there. Be sure to spend a significant amount of time on formatting as this is the first thing the reader will notice. There are plenty of formatting templates online, so choose one that appeals to you and follow it!  

- Alternate your use of bold, underline, bullets, and spacing to make it look clean & organized

- Formatting a résumé is similar to designing a magazine article or a marketing flyer, which are created with the reader in mind. It should be aesthetically pleasing and easy to follow. 

* Many of you are claiming "Proficiency in Microsoft Suite" as a skill, so this is a great time to showcase your advanced word processing abilities!

+ Watch your language, kiddo! 

- ALWAYS write in third person (do NOT use: I, you, we, my, me, etc.). This keeps it nice and professional. Your personality, (though lovely, I'm sure) should not make an entrance until your cover letter and interview.  

- Be as clear and concise as possible, keeping each bullet to one sentence. You'll have an opportunity to elaborate about your awesome self during your interview and in your cover letter 

- Write in the correct tense! Use past tense when writing about former positions and present for current positions.

- Be sure to have your favorite grammar-fiend (yes, this includes me) read over your résumé to ensure perfection!

+ Make it count!

- Quantify your accomplishments. Saying that you "Raised $1,000 in one week" is much more impressive than "Served on a fundraising committee." Other numbers to include are budgets you've managed, members you've led, phone numbers you've scored (lol jk), etc. In general, content in your  résumé should not mirror the job description. It should list your accomplishments as opposed to your required duties. 

- Always use specific examples of your work. For example, If you were an assistant, talk about the specific projects and tasks you assigned. Almost everyone these days has all those "clerical" and "organizational" skills that are listed on résumé-building guides, so describe yours to stand out. 
- *If you are entry-level/ a student, !!!your résumé should NOT exceed 1 page!!!, so make every word count! 

+ Back it up (in two ways)!

- Each of the skills you list MUST be proven by your experience descriptions. For example, if you claim that you are detail-oriented, be sure to include any tasks and projects that require meticulousness (designing flyers, event planning, etc.). If you claim leadership skills, make sure to list and/or describe positions you've held. 

- Save your résumé in several locations -- especially accessible online. You never know when you'll need it! 

+ Be a sweetheart

- Employers probably read more résumés than they'd prefer, so try to make this a pleasant experience for them. Spare their time by omitting any fluff or extra words. 

- Unless otherwise specified, convert to PDF to ensure that your formatting stays consistent and readable. (Free PDF converter here!  http://www.primopdf.com/index.aspx)

- Tailor your résumé to the employer. 

>> If you're strapped for time, at least tailor your Objective and the File Name. 

Objective: "To apply __________ skills to serve as a *desired position* with *company*" or something like that. I always save my résumés as Tiffany N Rivera - Resume - *Company*.pdf. I like to think it makes them feel special and makes them subconsciously associate my name with their company. :P 

>> If you have a lot of time on your hands,  it would be in your best interest to make sure that every line on your resume is related in some way to the job description or organization. Have the job description handy when creating your résumé. 

*Employers use résumés to find applicants with the qualifications that fit the position. Your hobbies/athletic abilities/interests do not belong in your résumé. These will come in handy later when you're trying to fit in with your new colleagues or impress your boss for a promotion! 

--

I hope you found my first post useful! Feel free to email me your résumé to review after following my guide and I'll gladly provide my input. Please comment below with any questions, additional tips, or general salutations! I'm sure you will all find a position that's right for you! :) 

With love,

Tiffany

Tidbits at Tiffany's

PS: Here a link to my résumé (PDF  + .docx if you'd like to see it. Please email me with any constructive critiques!