5 Zoom Interview Tips

Greeting to everyone in the self induced hostage situation aka lock down aka quarantine. Days have no rhyme or reason... I even thought today was Saturday so there's that. People are either working or looking for work and everyone has either lost their minds or are in the process of losing it. People are also learning new things like Zoom which is similar to Skype, FB video call, Snapchat video call, Google Duo, and other services of the like but lets be honest...Zoom is killing the game at the moment. Hopefully they're continuing to fix their bugs and back doors security issues but that's a different story told by my cyber security friends. Just do yourself a favor and make strong passwords that don't match any other passwords....also two step authentication...it's worth it.

Anyways along with zoom chats and zoom doctor appointments, comes zoom job interviews. It's been brought to my attention that it's just as weird and awkward as in person interviews, but with a few tweaks, you'll be more comfortable and nail that interview on your own turf rather than theirs.

So the biggest thing that needs to be decided is whether you're taking that interview on your phone or your computer. Now if you're like me and haven't really used your laptop since college, chances are that your phone is newer than your laptop. Sometimes when you go to use your laptop, it has to do hours of updates because it hasn't been turned on in more than a month...and still take five minutes just to get to the desktop that feels like a million years. For that reason, I prefer to use my phone and the Zoom app, so on that note:

1. Mind your background - with you being on your own turf interviewing for a new job, your environment is important. It sounds like common sense to not have your dirty laundry in view but there's also people ingesting disinfectant so I'm going to say it anyway. Pick a spot in front of your wall. Avoid windows especially if the light it coming in through the curtains.

2. Snag a tripod from somewhere - With it being a job interview, you want to make a good impression and that doesn't include a visible selfie stick or a selfie stance or the constant moving or repositioning. Use a coffee table, tv table, stack of books to prop it up at eye level. Or use one of your essential trips to an open store for a small tripod. I have one from amazon and it came in handy for much more than outfit shots.

Mine is unavailable but this is similar

3. Mind your angles - Selfie connoisseurs know their proper photo angles but that's not what I mean. If you want to get away with a nice top and sweats or pj bottoms, you have to angle them correctly. If you are like me and have a significantly size bust, you probably don't want the camera angled down too much to show 11 miles of cleavage. So before your interview, figure out your set up and angle to feel your best up top and down below the camera.

4. Notebook and pen - The nice part of doing online interviews is that you have more resources at your disposal. Sometimes the interviewer will send you questions beforehand or I'm sure you can research typical interview questions as YouTube is your friend. Write down your answers and have them within your eye sight or other notes or questions to ask during the interview. The interviewer will appreciate the effort and initiative.

5. Water - What I've noticed with online conversations is that regardless if it's work or play, when we are talking, we talk a frigging lot. So have a little water near you in case you need it because you'll want your voice to be clear and not end of coughing because you're super dry from answering questions back to back.

Now I want to make note that if you choose your phone rather than a computer for zoom. Please keep in mind that if you get a phone call during this, your mic and sound will get cut off. I found that out the hard way but it's not the end of the world. Just tap ignore on the call and move on.

So while we adjust to the new normal for the time being, we might as well adapt and manage. For those on the job hunt, I hope this helps because I have a feeling that even after this is all over, some of these new aspects of the job market are going to stick. More is going to be digital rather than in person. Call it a  hunch but that's what I think...Stay healthy and get the job.



In the meantime, here's some of my other posts:

Tales of the Tank - Quarantine Essentials - https://bit.ly/TOTTQessent



or some non-pandemic posts:

Torrid Trip - http://bit.ly/2020TCoat

Medical Guide Part 1 - http://bit.ly/DrRxtips1
     Medical Guide Part 2 - http://bit.ly/Med2appt

Good Reads and the Like - http://bit.ly/Yareads22




Like? Give a girl a follow on Bloglovin
http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg

Or Instagram
http://bit.ly/MyIgJazz

Secret Santa Gift Guide

Whether it's a familia decisions since life is more and more expensive or work life has everyone in the office filling out a form about likes and dislikes. Secret Santas are awesome. I love me some Christmas and I enjoy gift giving even if all I can afford is a candy bar.

So some peeps have one day to give a Secret Santa gift. I know for many families it's just the Christmas day or celebration, but I love the situation I have at work. We usually do 4 or 5 days or what ever days lead up to our Christmas party dinner.

Day 1. Drink
Day 2. Candy
Day 3. Random thing (if we don't have our party)
Day 4. Actual gift at the party

Typical Secret Santa rules are:
* of course, no sharing of giftee - takes the fun out of it
* no need to be extravagant - there's usually a price limit decided for the final gift.
* have fun with it

I understand that not everyone does Christmas.... whether its for different religions or preference, etc. This season regardless of the technicalities is about good intentions. We should be kind throughout the year but think about it. It's the end of the year and the end of everything that the year has thrown at us.

I like to do a little extra when I can at work to let my Secret Santa know that there's at least one person who sees them as a person and not just a coworker. When you work full time, you end up spending more time at work than at home or with others, so it helps when you get along and why not say hey, you're a cool peep and I appreciate you. Sounds corny but I mean it.

SO for actual gifts, most work circles revolve around $20 which gives you plenty of stuff to work with whether the giftee is male or female. Now I don't mind gift cards but they're too easy. I understand having someone who is hell to buy for. I'm looking the guys in my life, dad, brother and my wonderful but difficult boyfriend. I have an old post on some gifts if you wanna check those out but here's some ideas in general via my love for Amazon under $20. (but it's sooooo not sponsored because duh)

Can you say practical!?!? 

Phone Selfie Ringlight por favor

Even a few for sharing

Who doesn't need hydration in a glass bottle??? 

Samsung specific sorry Apple peeps

I've be an Amazon Prime member for a long time and have no problems going page after page into the depths of the lists of stuff because that two day shipping pays for itself throughout the year.

What do you usually look for for your Secret Santas?

In the mean time, check out some of my other posts....

Office Decor Must Haves - http://bit.ly/OfficeDe

This or That Tag - http://bit.ly/ThisorThat17

The Blues of My Life - http://bit.ly/2wnrtRc

The Modern Window Shopping - Le Wishlist

A common plague to the twenty something woman - not being made of money. With the pile of bills continuing to add up thanks to the array of doctors, the priorities of where my money goes has been spoken for. So some of my goals now include trying to pinch a few pennies to save up for some things that I wouldn't normally have to think twice on. I've always imagined people in the city who walked down five avenue checking out awesome things at awesome stores and normally in about sizes 3 or 4 times too small. Also in a tiny town plus the summer wind doesn't make for a pleasant day on the town. So instead, I turn toward the internet and do my 'window shopping' there. So far these things are what I have my eye on to help keep me from buying coffee in the morning or lunch when we're short handed at work or needing to save up for a repairs charge from my freaking landlord(that will come later).

So here's my happy place lately.

Torrid tends to get me in trouble. I love that they have my size and freaking awesome clothes that I could normally only afford when on a great flash sale or on clearance. My sister and I have developed this thing with pineapples and low and behold Torrid has a bright AF pineapple dress that needs to be in my life but sadly not at $54. So instead I will stalk it and wait for the moment I can afford it and snag it before my size disappears.

 If you haven't read much from me, you'll find out quickly that I'm a fan of Amazon and Amazon Prime. I've had great luck with my back when my health was at it's worst, you can read about my lifesaver of a backpack. But it got me thinking about my purse situation. I still enjoy having my tank of a purse. I mean hell, I've started a series on the tank because doing a simple little "what's in my bag?" But these two have my eye and I can't decide which to save for first. They aren't expensive but for right now, they must be on the wish list

This one is actually just going to happen sooner than the ones before. I've been spending a lot of time in my living room and on my phone still. Don't get me wrong, I love my Galaxy S7, but I've shot the battery and have to charge it a bit more often than I like. But on the go, I still carry my external battery and what not but I shouldn't need to use one at home. So this little gem is roughly $10 on the Amazon so to keep me from running back and forth from my room and missing messages, notifications and calls from the familia, I'll avoid a few impulses to be comfortable.

Something small but I'm thinking that it's good to have goals to move toward even if they're small. And if I have enough strength to keep these in my wish list for now, then I'm making some decent progress. What kind of things are in your wishlist?



Check out my other Tales of the Tank

The Clutch aka My 50 Cal - http://bit.ly/TOTT50Cal
The Vessel - http://bit.ly/TOTTTank
My Panda - http://bit.ly/TOTTPanda


Check out my favorites for May.
http://bit.ly/1may7f

Travel Realities to keep you grounded

http://bit.ly/2travelwoe

May Favorites - Time to Chill

Another month has come and gone and it’s kind of insane as to how fast things are starting to pick up. It’s currently around 90 degrees here in New Mexico so I’m doing my best to stay out of it all. It’s bad for me and my mood. What has been making my mood better this month tho are great things. Some I’ve rediscovered and some totally new, so check it out and leave me a comment with some of your favorites.

Amazon Firestick – My wonderful man of mine gave this to me for Christmas a few years back and I used it sparingly but didn’t really get into all the amazingness unless I turned off my cable. So yea, I’m going through life with no cable, no satellite, just a pretty awesome, and new, internet service that makes using this thing a necessity in life. Now mine isn’t like the newer ones with the voice activation and I’m ok with that. I already use Amazon Prime and can stream a ton of shows and movies. I have my YouTube account signed in so I don’t even have to bring out my phone or laptop and do I even need to mention Netflix? The next stop will be Hulu at some point, but for now…Life is pretty damn entertaining in a good way.

Actual Pic from Le Amazon Site

Tarte Lip Scuptor in Kind – So towards the end of Ulta’s super sale that ended in April, I took a shot at a little pallet from Tarte and with it being on a pretty good sale, I thought why not. Now the pallet is ok, to be honest I haven’t had a real chance to use it HOWEVER comma, I have been so in love with the lip color that came with it. It’s a lipstick on one end and a lip gloss on the other. Everyone talks about their perfect nude and since my lips are large and a bit discolored anyway I didn’t think I could and then I wore this and the heavens opened up and the Snapchat halo of flowers appeared on my head. Lol. All dramatics aside, both sides are wonderful in texture and sometimes I’ll wear both and sometimes I’ll wear one. The lip gloss I’m most impressed with because I usually stray away from glosses because of the stickiness. Can’t stand it, won’t have any of it. My ideal ‘gloss’ has been the Juicy Shaker from Lancome. But this right here may turn me onto Tarte lips if more of their lip products are this smooth.

Lipstick on the Left and Gloss on the Right - Same Bea-U-tiful Color

Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizer – With the seasons changing and the wind blowing and my newly lowered immune system, this is a must. Don’t get me wrong, I also love the Purell brand and what not. But when you got a great girlfriend who works at the BBDubs and keeps you up to date on the best sales, you tend to stock up. (and for that I thank and love you Bona!!!) I’ve got the big size and mini sizes and have stocked up at some points where I give them to other girls at work because if you’ve ever worked with the public, things can get gross really quick and even more so if you have to handle money.

Old Packaging and New Little PocketPacs

Play N Skillz – Si Una Vez – Ok I’ve not had a favorite song in a hot minute. But let me tell you that when I heard this song. I didn’t even hear the music, I heard the lyrics and immediately had instant focus. This song was originally sung by Selena, wonderful Hispanic icon of my childhood who was taken from us way too early – even before TuPac, and hadn’t heard a good representation of any of her songs other than what her family has already done. But this song, I literally have had on repeat for an embarrassing amount of time and do I feel ashamed of it? Not one bit. Now I don’t care much for the English version, not to discredit Frankie J and Leslie Grace who are also in the song , (just listen to it, there’s quite a few people involved) but I think it loses something in translation. I think it’s a fantastic song that can stand on its own as well as give a wonderful tribute to Selena and her legacy.

Play-N-Skillz - Si Una Vez ft. Wisin, Frankie J, Leslie Grace

It's been a pretty chill month as find my way around getting back into life. Little show...well lotta shows and good music and a little piece of mind. What are your favorites?

and while you're at it....

Give a girl a follow on Bloglovin

http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg

Check out last month's favorites

http://bit.ly/LApril17F

or some of my other posts

Travel Reality - http://bit.ly/2travelwoe

My Office Musts - http://bit.ly/OfficeDe

B3 - http://bit.ly/The3BBBz

Tales of the Tank - My Backpack

Ok so these backpack purses I've been seeing had really made me want one. If you've read the other Tales in this series, you'd know that I basically carry a tank for a purse. Looking at all these teeny tiny backpacks while adorable as all get out, just can't work for me. Instead, I've found this one and it's a life saver. With that's been going on with my health, having a regular purse constantly falling on one hand while using my walker or cane was just not working.

I wanted one that wasn't a huge academic tank but I needed some space for the things I have to carry, like stuff for dr's appointments, so the cute teeny bags are a no go. After Christmas, against some better judgement, I clicked into the depths of Amazon and found this simple little gem.

I'd post pictures of my bag in real life but lighting say noooooope

No regrets at all.

I had to check the measurements to make sure it wasn't too small because I've been using a regular spiral to keep my notes and appointments together as well as my planner so as long as it doesn't fold, we Gucci. It's not very wide which is ok because it forces me to not carry too much. Yes, it'll be on my back but I still have to haul it on my shoulders, which on some mornings is a big friggin' deal.

I didn't want black just because I'm trying really, really, REALLY hard to push out some negative thoughts, and this charcoal gray is just gorgeous and the fabric is stiffer than typical canvas so it's been holding it's shape fairly well and the two front pockets as just big enough for some easy access.

What do I got in bag tho?

It's got an inside pocket for 14 inch laptop so I've been using that for my Dr. Spiral, my planner and a general notebook for little things. My doctor is a couple hundred miles away so I also have my Nintendo 3DS XL for some gaming if I'm not driving. Chargers are a must as well as my trusty external batteries. Thanks to Ulta for this little pill organizer for my afternoon meds and last but not least my wallet.

This is nothing compared to what I would normally carry. Like seriously. But desperate times call for desperate measures but it can still be cute, practical, and save what ever strength I have.



Check out the other Tales of the Tank

My Eye Panda - http://bit.ly/TOTTPanda
The Clutch - http://bit.ly/TOTT50Cal

Or maybe a different avenue for you
Fall Transition - http://bit.ly/FallTFaves16


Follow me on Bloglovin
http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg

It's Gonna Be May! - Monthly Faves

First time of me doing a favorites segments and it's pretty exciting and a little scary because going through the month, some things are instant and some I really had to think about. So here I have a few things that have made life awesome this month.

Makeup -Lancome Juicy Shaker

I could write a whole post on why these are a-freakin-mazing. Granted the $21 price tag is a lil bit of a splurge for me but it is totally worth it. Once I get my words together on this wonderful piece of heaven, I'll link it here.

Book(s) - Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

I don't get to read as much as I would like but Lawd have mercy, when I get going....I get going. One of my best friends recommended this series, hey Kim hey. According to the little tag, it has some feels on Game of Thrones while keeping a 'young adult vibe'. Now lemme be honest with you, I am big into fantasy and the world of magic. I love an easy read and this really started out that way. Typical characters and an interesting little plot and young adult yada yada. But trust me, make it to book 3 and it explodes into amazingness and I couldn't put them down. I even have the new book pre-ordered that comes out in September so my Kindle is waiting with bated inanimate breath.

Shower - Tree Hut Sugar Scrub in Coconut Lime

This was a bit of an impulse buy at the hands of my BFF. He uses the hand cream and I almost got it but looked at this instead. I tried making my own sugar scrub and it definitely did not turn out like I wanted or how my mom's did. I have sensitive skin so I can't exfoliate often but when I do, I just melt. So smooth and if you could smell it through my words, you'd melt too. I have a love/hate relationship with coconut and I've encountered some terrible variations of the lime combo. Just stop by a Walmart or Target, and look it up and smell it for yourself.

Show - Game of Thrones (duh)

Another addiction at the hands of my BFF. He got me in at season 3 and I've watched and rewatched and currently diving into season 6. He's read the books more than once and I am still trying to get through book 2. Great series but it just moves a bit slow whereas the show has you hanging on every second. I'll get through the books....eventually....and maybe he'll finish the next book. Until then, I will continue to endure the winter on Sunday nights/Monday mornings. lol

Technology- Google Opinion Rewards App

To be perfectly honest, I don't quite remember who turned me onto this, but I'm so glad they did. I made the switch from Apple to Android a couple years back and haven't look back. They're just little surveys to do randomly that will give you credit to use in the Google Play Store so hey paid-extensions-for-apps-that-I-don't-want-to-spend-money-on.


Not bad for a first month of faves, and even though I'm a total Backstreet Boys fans, Justin got it this month.

Keep up with my last postings on living alone.
Here's a few perks
and here's a few things to consider

10 Ideas When Buying For The BF

I don’t know about you, but GUYS are the hardest to buy for!

Granted brothers and dads are standard hard, but let me tell you that my boyfriend is the hardest person to buy for. He tops my dad and brothers easily. I know I’m not the only one in this and with Valentines day literally around the corner, it’s always a struggle to be cute and still show that you put some thought in.

Now to the dudes, I know that some girls are impossible so consider me in how-in-the-hell-am-I-going-to-pull-this-off boat with ya. The thing is that we, in this boat, still come through somehow. Don’t get me wrong, I love my bf. He’s the guy who’s always smiling and seeing the better side of the day with a side of smart, sarcasm, and a positive look on life. He truly makes me want to be a better person in the optimistic sense. And of course he spoils me to no end and insists on no gifts in return. So, ladies (and other guys), here’s some miracles that I’ve pulled off, whether you need it for Valentine’s day or birthday or any other gift-y type day because reciprocity is important.

So check these out via the wonderful Amazon Prime. Understand that this may not be the ideal unless you don’t mind forking over money for one day shipping. Now my bf isn’t big on movies, accessories, clothes. He just got into cologne and bought enough to last the rest of his life (which I’m totally ok with because there is NOTHING wrong with a man that smells good – insert creeper status lol) And he’s not big on clutter, so I try to make my gifts as practical as possible.

Can't go wrong with beer, but it's cute beer

Because a suitcase isn't always necessary when travelling and let me repeat for emphasis, a trashbag is not proper travelling equipment.

Where I use music lyrics and movie references in life, he uses sports references

Because the speaker on your phone isn't loud enough when you need it to be

Adapter goes directly on battery and you set the phone on the charger, BAM no wires. should have bought this for myself lol and I eventually did

Ain't nobody got time for warm beer. Keep it cool even when it's being babied lol

And when you are literally figuring something out last minute, then Pinterest is your friend. These are on my boards. Check out my boards from the Follow Me link in the side bar.

Tales of the Tank - External Batteries

First off, Happy New Year to you and yours. If you went out with your squad and were proud that you woke up on the 1st without a hangover, more power to you. I spent the night in with some awesome peeps and went to sleep and even better, didn't have to work on Friday. But if you did, sorry.

Anyway, so goes the never ending quest going through my purse which functions more like a tank. If you’ve read my other posts then you know the high regard I have for the tank. And so go the regard for the tips and trades that bring the essence of Mary Poppins to the modern world.

I mentioned in my Electronics Tale (Read: Here) about how I carry an external battery with me. Now in my mind, everyone knows about these, because they are literally everywhere. I have a few that come from Walmart, Rue 21, Office Depot, you name it. The point is that in this world of technology, ain’t nobody got time for a dead battery. 

This is my newest beauty from Amazon. Gotta love cyber Monday and all its discounted glory. It’s a bit bigger than I expected but that is what I get for not looking at the measurements. However, it does stand to reason because this particular beauty is at 10,000 mAh. Here’s the link on Amazon if you’re like me and add to wish lists as a form of window shopping.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JM59JPG?keywords=kmashi%20portable%20charger&qid=1451455266&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

The mAh stands for milli Ampere hour or milli Amp hour. Long story short, the bigger the number, the more juice it can hold for your charging pleasure. They really aren’t pricey if you look in the right place, but some can get up there. This beauty I got is about $14 on Amazon Prime but you could easily find some smaller ones around 1800-2200 mAhs at a drug store or other for about $10 and they've charged my old Iphone to about 70-80% and my Galaxy S5 to about 80% if I'm between 10-20% charge. 

With my smaller battery packs, there’s about 3 that I used to carry but of course this big one could easily replace those. Now will I throw these away? NO way. There is nothing wrong with being prepared. In preparation for Snowmageddon or winter storm Goliath, I had to make sure that I had enough battery power to last the weekend in case my power went out. And the smaller ones help out if I do have to carry one in my teeny pocket or a clutch.

Everyone knows that charging a tablet takes forever and a day and can literally suck the electrical juices out of a port, but these help ease that burden. Forgot to charge your phone last night before work and don’t want to be chained to an outlet??? Then seriously invest in one of these and they could change your life.

I won’t lie when I say that I’m hooked on my phone because I am. My calendars, contacts, unlimited text messages, social media. I’m all about it. And because of that, I tend to run my battery down pretty damn quick. I’ve got wall chargers at home and at work and a car charger in my vehicular, but what about times at a restaurant, or walking around a mall or outdoor event or roaming the strip in Las Vegas. The smaller ones don’t take up a lot of space but since I tend to have a tank on my person, having this big one with a lot more power and a dual hub, I’m gonna be covered for a bit from all angles. (And they make great non-lame gifts for guys and girls.)






Like this? Check my page out on Bloglovin
http://bit.ly/MyBloglovinPg

Or check the side bar for my social media --->>>>

Tales of the Tank - The Vessel

If you haven’t read my post about my surgery, 1, you should right here and 2, this is how I know that I am healed. With everything that was going on with my body, a major factor of my day to day activities were limited and the one that held me back was not being able to have my normal size tank.

The whole argument about big and heavy purses actually holds some water folks. As much as it pains me, and it does...in multiple ways, I can testify to that. It mainly affected the incision on my back. It’s amazing how weight is distributed when carrying a purse or in my case, a tank. I felt the pull from the weight of my tank on my arm and it felt like my incision was stretching from one side of my back to another. Just insert a visual of some medieval stretching method and that's what it feels like. I all but dropped my bag from the pain.

To solve this, I got a smaller purse. It was a cute little tote from Nine West that I found at DSW on sale. Best. Day. Ever. I paid maybe twenty bucks. It was my first trip to that store and I will definitely be going again. I thought that it was going to be solid wall to wall shoes that were out of my budget and while a lot were, there were more that were not. Then, add different accessories that even flattered my plus size tastes and it makes for a happy Jazz. It was a great find and I filled that little bag as much as I could.

But now, I’m healed and it drove me insane. (And because I failed and didn't get a picture in the time I used it, I snagged a screen shot of it from my coworker's Instagram, thanks girl.) 

I try my best to organize my things so that they fit in a particular way. Most times it actually stays that way and eventually, it becomes a bit more chaotic. So then came the sign for a new tank. Now, I don’t throw away my bags until they fall apart, but for some reason, I’m down to about 4. There’s going to be a lot of changes happening in my life so I didn’t want to be left in a spot where the straps fall apart at the most inopportune moment for example. That’s just my luck and so the hunt began for a new tank.

There are a few things I look for consistently, especially when shopping online and I can't look in or hold it:

1. Dimensions - looks can be deceiving. Just because it says that it's 17 inches tall doesn't make it roomy when it's only 2 inches wide

2. Material - I tend to be hard on my purses because of what I carry so flimsy canvas totes are out, bring me the pleather because it needs to last a while.

3. Straps - hand bag, cross body, the type is not as near as important as how wide the strap is. Half inch to an inch is pushing it. I tried the cute chain and ribbon straps and almost cut my arm off.

4. Reviews - It's online peeps. Just because it looks pretty doesn't mean that it's God gift to the world. If it sounds to good to be true, look through the reviews. Both the good and the bad. What annoyed someone may not annoy you and vise versa. I'm always pretty leery when it comes to items that have no reviews, that is when you really look into the details. What is it made of? Where is it made? Where is it shipped? 

The Amazon Prime Day was coming and I had seen a few that looked promising and was counting on getting the much wanted discounts that were supposed to be bigger and better than Black Friday. All I will say about Prime Day is that I could have been super super broke however comma, I actually went thru Prime Day with a few things I needed and that my parents needed and didn’t have to worry about breaking the bank. So in a way, thanks Amazon for not really having what I would have splurged on.

I still got a small discount on the purse I bought and it’s beautiful. The glorious part about it is while it looks small, the base is actually quite wide and holds a hell of a lot. I was able to basically dump my little bag into this bag and still have major room left. Also found a couple hidden pockets, which is AMAZING! I mean who doesn't love multiple pockets??? So from my amazon receipt, here's a thumbnail of the one I bought and the other one, I gave to my coworker. I knew I wouldn't use it again because it's just too small now. Besides, sharing is caring right?