Category Archives: successful

"Boundaries" by Sarah Zimmerman - Unearthed Comics

The Simple Step to Achieve Great Work-Life Balance

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Featured image: “Boundaries” by Sarah Zimmerman – Unearthed Comics

The issue of life and work balance is so common that you hear it being discussed all the time – you read articles about it, talk about it with your colleagues, with your family, so on and so on. It’s a struggle that many of us have, sometimes for a lot longer than we anticipate, and oftentimes we sort of give up on trying to fix it; we say “it is what it is,” or “I do what I have to do.” Meanwhile, we, as well as the people we care about, are unable to escape the consequences.

In reality, the step to achieve a good work-life balance is a lot simpler than we’d think, although simple does not mean easy. However, you’re going to find out that although it may sometimes be difficult to apply this step, it is well worth it in the long run. Not only will it keep you from going insane, but family and loved ones will be grateful for it too. So what’s the secret? Simple: setting Clear Boundaries.

I want to emphasize the word “clear” because a lot of times we say that we’re setting boundaries between our work and our personal life, but in reality we just put up a fort with bendy straws. Having clear boundaries means you have specifics; you set a specific line for yourself that you will not cross when it comes to your work interfering with your personal life at home, and vice versa. Sometimes we realize our need to do this too late, and we might end up telling a story similar to the one below:

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Shared story from Work it Daily

Becca Thomas mentioned how she “took back the ability to say ‘No’,” and while that is essentially what setting a boundary entails, for some of us simply saying “No.” is virtually impossible (at least for me it is). If you’re like me and have a relatively tough time saying “No.” to requests, there are other things you can do for yourself that make it easier to do so, like your time management.

When it comes to time management, there are a couple of ways you can go about it. For example, there are times when my husband has to do some work from home after a full day of work at the office. When this is the case, his boundary is to spend no more than 20 minutes working at home. You could also simply say “I will not work past 6:00pm,” and have that be your boundary instead.

These kinds of boundaries are clear, making them simple to follow, thus making them very effective. Are they easy to follow? Not always – there has been one or two times where Patrick goes a little over the 20 minute limit, but these are very rare occasions. The fact that the boundary has already been established makes it easier to be aware of how you’re handling your work-life balance, preventing you from going on a downward spiral of unbalance like Becca Thomas. Although, with stories like hers I would still argue that it’s better late than never, as you could see from her testimony this wouldn’t be a situation in which “fashionably late” is a good thing either.

So, what will your clear boundary be? Will it be “no working past 6pm”? No checking emails during dinner time? No more than 20 minutes working at home? Or maybe it’s “Thursdays are strictly family days – no phones, no emails”? Of course, it’s hard to decide to step away from your work at times, especially if your role is extremely involved in essential operations of a company. However, there are certain things that will always be more important, that also need your care and time – yourself being one of these. Having clear boundaries to maintain work-life balance will always work out in your favor, and you’ll also find that the business world will not fall apart when you decide not to be a 24/7 working robot. So have at it and take back the ability to say “No.” 🙂

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By Nayadee Wilson

Stop Wasting Your Talent

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I’m at the point in my journey where I’m questioning and thinking about what it is that I truly want to do with my life, and how can I get there. So far everything seems to be running smoothly, and all the pieces seem to be falling into place, but I’m still not certain of the image these pieces are forming; i.e. where my life is headed. Which leads me to the next question: What are my gifts? What are my talents?

Last week, one of our pastoral leaders at my church said this:

“Let’s say you’ve been planning for quite some time the perfect gift for someone you love. You’ve put a lot of thought, time, and maybe even a lot of money into it. The day comes when you see this person and you finally get to give him/her that very special gift – the one that you personally chose to fit him/her, because that’s how well you know this person. You finally gave that person your gift, and you’re ecstatic about it!

Then a month goes by, and you happen to come across that special gift that you gave to that special person. It’s sitting on a shelf, unopened, certainly not used, and collecting dust. Imagine the feeling you would have, knowing that after making that gift so very special for your loved one, that person didn’t really care for it.

That’s how God feels when you don’t use the gifts that He’s given you.“

Whether you believe in a God or not, I believe we can agree that most of us here on earth do feel that we’re alive for a reason and a purpose. We have certain gifts and talents that we were born with, or developed over time, that were meant to impact the world around us. Of course, some of the impacts we make are very small, while others are very big, but they are significant nonetheless.

From time to time we may think that we’re aware of our skills, and that we’re working towards our goals. However, especially when it comes to our careers, oftentimes we let our talents take a back-seat. We follow orders blindly and conform to just making ends meet, justifying our decision to leave our gifts unopened.

The truth is, that when you don’t use your talents you’re not only doing a disservice to humanity, but also to yourself; you were meant to use these! Why should you be stuck at a dead-end job, where your talents aren’t used to their full potential? Why should your gift sit on a shelf?  When searching for a job and taking steps to pursue your career, these steps should always be part of your life marathon, not your practice treadmill.

Maybe you’re taking solid steps in your career, but you still fell stuck. Perhaps the reason you’re in a career rut is because you honestly don’t know what you want to do – you don’t know what your gifts are. Well, that’s a common struggle, but there’s a way around that. You can ask yourself these three questions:

1. What did I want to do as kid?

2. What makes me come alive when I do it?

3. What opportunities have I been given? 

The third question is particularly useful because it’s one we don’t often think about. Maybe you don’t know what you’re passionate about, and maybe you no longer like what you loved as a child, but one thing may still help you: that thing in which you stand out to others. Was there ever a time when someone said to you: “Hey, have you thought about doing XYZ? I think you’d be really great at it!” This is your ticket to exploration. There may be a hidden talent that you didn’t know you had that might be what you were meant to do. You just have to take the opportunity to try it. And if it’s not your thing, then keep searching.

Not everyone believes that we all have a purpose, but even if you don’t believe so, that doesn’t mean you have to wander aimlessly in life ignoring your natural abilities; we can find our gifts and put them to good use. If you know what your talent is, don’t hesitate to use and perfect it – find the job/career/course that will use these to their full potential! If you don’t know what your gift is, then be diligent in searching for it – you can start a “hobby career” and move on from there 🙂 . But whatever you do, don’t waste your talents – they are valuable to the human kind!

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By Nayadee Wilson

**Featured Title Image: [MAYMA-tiiii♥♥♥......] by A♥**

All Hail the Buddy System

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Featured image: Sisters Holding Hands After Kids Race, by Alexander Knoch

When I was little, I never really participated in any sort of buddy system (that I can remember). I spent most of my childhood in the Dominican Republic, so my education was a little different. I have, however, heard of the childhood buddy system through friends and what not, but I never really thought much of it. Two weeks ago, I was attending a group teaching at my church that talked about the need of having an “accountability partner” – which is basically the adult version of the buddy system.

As the discussion begins and we all speak up about our experiences, I begin to take a whole new perspective on the importance and the benefits of incorporating the buddy system into our lives – both personal and professional. There are several reasons why we should be using this underappreciated tool to its full potential. Even if you hated having to hold your buddy’s hand during a field trip, you may be surprised to find the kind of impact that “hand-holding” can have. 🙂

  1. My buddy has to find me, and I have to find my buddy.
    .
    The great, yet dreadful, thing about having an accountability partner – which I will refer to as “buddy” throughout this blog – is that it forces us to be responsible and accountable for our actions. Having a buddy means you’re letting that person in to the messy closet that you don’t let anyone see when they come over to your place. (I wish I could say I just thought of that analogy, but I actually heard it from one of our teachers 🙂 ). When this is the case, you truly do think twice about making decisions that you will later have to talk about with your buddy. Being held accountable forces you to take more steps in the right direction, following the natural, human fear of avoiding “shame” and embarrassment that come out of making the wrong ones.
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  2. My buddy and I share the same road.
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    What’s greatly beneficial about having a buddy is that you can always find someone that has shared/is sharing your journey; someone who can relate to you. I was reading an article called “Why you need a mentor, and how to find one to advance your career,” which makes excellent points on the need for a mentor. A mentor can be a somewhat less “invasive” kind of buddy – one that has most likely walked your current career path and can hence guide you in the right direction. When your buddy has gone/is going through a similar situation as yours, it makes it a lot easier for you (or both of you!) to navigate through it. Although the phrase “misery loves company” isn’t a favorite, in this sense it’s a good thing; the added support can make a world of difference and keep you from falling into holes down the road!
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  3. My buddy has a mirror.

    Can you believe that most humans suffer from a lack of self-awareness? Not me!  – Kidding; oftentimes I, too, need a good reality check >_<. But, as you can see, another benefit of having a buddy is that they’re able to see what you can’t – yourself. They can look at your situation from the outside in, and give you the perspective you may be lacking. One of the amazing things that I saw during our group teaching was the amount of people that were simply coming forth about something they needed to change in themselves, and how having a buddy to (lovingly) point this out made it that much easier to act on it. Of course, this is not to say you need to start confessing your problems to a big crowd; these people did that out of choice and support for others. However, do try to find someone you can trust to let into your messy closet/office.
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  4. A bad buddy can make us get lost.

    Last, but not least, my favorite thing to keep in mind when choosing a buddy is this: bad company corrupts good character. One thing that someone pointed out during our group study was that you want an accountability partner who will tell you the right things, not point you towards destruction. It really does you no good to get an accountability partner that will not actually hold you accountable when you need to be – that would be pointless and dangerous. When choosing a buddy, choose one that you know to be wise, has your best interest in mind, and is not afraid of telling you the truth (in a loving way). If you’re not sure how to tell, this is where reading and research comes in: if your mentor gave you career advice, what is that advice based on? What were the results in the past? What else supports that kind of advice?Finally, in terms of your personal life, you may want to choose someone other than your spouse or partner (making sure that this someone does not present a threat to your relationship), because you may be biased when having tough conversations. What happens when the issue is about your relationship? Don’t choose your wife/husband/bf/gf as your buddy; it might not end well.

It’s OK to hold hands.

Sometimes we want to do everything by ourselves and prove to the world that we can. For some reason, we’re either afraid or too proud to ask for help or guidance. However, doing everything alone can also hinder our success, and oftentimes even lead us to failure – with no one to tell us where we’re headed. As you can see, many times, two will be better than one. Give the buddy system a try! And, if nothing else, you could just make some great friends and connections in the process – they can always be a beacon of light. 🙂

 

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Beacon of Light by Sara Zimmerman – Unearthed Comics

 

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By Nayadee Wilson

 

 

 

Screenshot taken by Nayadee Wilson from YouTube.

Why You Should Listen to Ron Swanson

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If you’ve never watched Parks and Recreation, let me tell you that you’re missing out on a major treat and should definitely put it on your watch list. Parks and Rec is a documentary style, political comedy about a group of local government employees (within the parks and recreation department) in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Some of the major characters in the show are Leslie Knope, a passionate and strong-minded woman who is determined to make Pawnee a better place, and Ron Swanson, a simple, straight-to-the-point libertarian who could care less for the government, yet is the director of the Parks and Rec department. Ron is one of my favorite characters because, 1. It’s impossible not to laugh with him, 2. Throughout the show he actually provides great, useful advice to basically everyone, and 3. His quotes are the best.

In episode 16 of season 4 (Sweet Sixteen), Leslie is trying to manage her campaign for city council while also handling her deputy director job in the Parks department. Ron keeps insisting that she take a leave of absence and focus on one thing at a time, but determined Leslie refuses to do so. Why am I writing about this? Well, because if I had a quarter for every time a job seeker said “I’m great at multitasking,” or every time an employer stated “We need a candidate with the ability to multitask,” I probably could have paid off my house by now. Episode 16 of Parks and Rec can teach all of us an often overlooked truth: multitasking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be; it’s actually not the “greatest” skill of all.

  1. Leslie had super powers. Which were fake.

    Leslie believes she can do it all. And, frankly, she’s usually very good at accomplishing what she wants. Nonetheless, during this episode, where she attempts to use her “I-am-Leslie-Knope” multitasking powers, she fails to see how they aren’t working when things begin to fall apart. As Ron begins to take notice, he immediately advises her to “take a sabbatical.” When Leslie ignores his advice, Ron decides to keep an eye on her while being amused by her mishaps, waiting for her to figure out on her own that she’s overworked.

    Like Leslie, most of us who pride ourselves on being great at multitasking believe that we can do it all. However, research shows that our productivity actually goes down by as much as 40%, and we get a lot less done. So, if you’re like Leslie and have tricked yourself into thinking you’re Superman or Superwoman, this serves to show that you should probably just listen to Ron Swanson.

  2. Leslie was in control. Of nothing; she was in control of nothing.
    .
    Leslie was so used to tackling a million things at once that this was a no biggie for her. She had been multitasking for so long that she was great at it, and had everything under control – except, she didn’t. While Leslie tries to manage her job and her campaign at the same time, she eventually loses control of her situations and mentally crashes (she ends up falling asleep during the surprise party that she was throwing for her coworker, Jerry). 

    The reality is that we don’t actually multitask, we just switch from one task to another – some can just do this quicker than others. When this happens, we become less competent in what we are trying to achieve – and the more we do it the worse it gets. “Practice makes perfect” doesn’t actually work in this case, no matter how badly we want to believe that it does. If you find yourself losing control while trying to do it all, then you should probably listen to Ron Swanson.
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  3. Leslie dropped the ball. More than once. More than twice.
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    In the episode of “Sweet Sixteen,” Leslie made mistakes. A lot of them. For example, Leslie is always very caring about her coworkers, and never misses their birthdays. But, this time she forgets Jerry’s birthday and attempts to throw him a belated “sweet 16” party (he’s 64, but his birthday is on February 29th so she reasons that he’s only had 16 actual birthdays). She then forgets to invite Jerry. She also forgets to pick up the cake. In the meantime, she realizes that they’ve also messed up her campaign signs, so she rushes back to the printer to have them fixed, and then replaces every single sign in Pawnee herself. They finally make it to the party sometime in the middle of the night, waking everyone up, and she then falls asleep on the couch, on top of Jerry. 

    What happened to Leslie is far from unusual; we actually suffer a fall in IQ when we become distracted by multiple things (which can be the same impact as losing a night of sleep). As it often seems to happen with most of us, while Leslie is usually on top of her game, everything came crashing down when she attempted to do it all – she should have just listened to Ron in the first place.

Listen To Ron Swanson

The next morning, Ron takes Leslie out by the lake and has a talk with her, finally convincing her to take a leave of absence. It was this sole moment in the entire episode that made me want to write about it, and it is one my favorite Ron Swanson quotes as of yet (depending on what else he says – I’ve recently discovered this show, so I’m a little behind). Like many of Ron Swanson’s quotes, what he said to her was simple, to the point, and had a sense of eloquence. The reality is that when we give our attention and focus to one thing at a time, the results are usually ten times better than what they would be otherwise. So, the next time you’re in a multitasking nightmare, you should just take a deep breath, and listen to Ron Swanson: “Never half-butt two things. Whole-butt one thing.” Of course, his actual quote is slightly jazzier than how I put it:

The-best-quotes-by-Ron-Swanson - from Thumbpress
For some of Ron’s funniest quotes, go here. And to tap into some Ron Swanson wisdom, check this out.

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By Nayadee Wilson

Maybe You Should Just Start Showing Up

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*Featured image: Delana Flowers (far right and front) during a performance in 2015*

I think that the greatest talent that humanity has is making excuses, and the greatest impediment to our goals is actually having these said excuses. However, a lot of us have been able to get around those impediments and work toward our goals anyway. Some of us have come to a place in our lives where we tell ourselves, “So, I can’t do this… but I’m going to do it anyway and see what happens.” Woody Allen once said “80% of success is showing up,” and I can’t think of a better example of this notion than our very own Delana Flowers, who starred as Lorrell in the musical, Dreamgirls, at Pittsburgh Musical Theater this past week.

Delana Flowers, our awesome admin at FinancialPeople Staffing in Pittsburgh, has an incredible preforming talent, and some pretty amazing pipes – the girl can sing! As we all began to talk about her show around the office, I asked Delana to tell me more about her performing side. As it turns out, most of Delana’s performing success all started with her decision to simply show up to things she didn’t even intend to take part in. As she went on to tell me her story, something she said immediately stood out to me:

“I moved to Pittsburgh where there was plenty of Community Theater. I got involved almost immediately, but totally by accident, after being dragged to a rehearsal supposedly to observe. From then on, God continued to open doors for me.”

Delana went to a rehearsal just to “observe,” and out of this no-biggie attendance to something she wasn’t even a part of, she began to be involved in the things she was passionate about. What’s interesting is how she stated that she was “dragged” to this rehearsal, so it doesn’t look like her heart was necessarily set on going to this – but she went anyway. So, what happened? Well, she showed up, which led to her being cast in Ain’t Misbehavin in 2008, she was cast as Dinah Washington in 2015 (a show with 25 plus songs she had to learn from scratch), she was cast in JH: Mechanics of a Legend, and, in Delana’s own words, she “did more community shows than I can count at this point.”

The story of attending that rehearsal alone demonstrates the power of showing up, but it doesn’t end there. To land her role as Lorrell in Dreamgirls, Delana had some more showing-up to do. Not only did she have to show up, but she had to do what most of us dread: wait (Ugh! – right?). This is what she had to say about her audition for Dreamgirls:

“I saw an ad for a regional theater holding auditions for Dreamgirls. I wasn’t going to go because I didn’t feel like I knew how to audition on a professional level. My leading man in John Henry pushed me to go. He told me I had nothing to lose. I was nervous, but I went. They called me back 3 times and a whole month went by before I heard anything. Meanwhile, my co-star who pushed me to go to the audition found out in a matter of days that he had been cast. Finally, the call came and rehearsals were to start a week later.”

I’m sure we can all empathize with Delana in one way or another, like being a nervous wreck before an interview, doubting yourself, waiting for that call afterwards to know whether or not you got the job – just to mention a few. Nevertheless, she hung in there, she showed up, and boy did it pay off! Of course, this is not to say that all you need to do is just “be there,” Delana also talks about the hard work that came afterwards:

“I walked into a room full of actors and dancers… with musical theater degrees, music and/or dance degrees and classical training. I came with none of these things! We had a 3 week rehearsal process to put up this Broadway level show. If you added up the rehearsal hours which were typically 8 hours a day, it amounted to about a week and a half. It felt like boot camp! …This was my first professional show and my first show at one of the big theaters downtown. I was terrified and I had several meltdowns along the way.”

Finally, with heartwarming joy, Delana ended her story with this:

“I made wonderful new friends who refused to let me doubt myself. They worked tirelessly with me to learn everything I needed to learn. This was the hardest and biggest thing I have ever done. All I could do was keep showing up, keep working, and cry when overwhelmed. By the time we closed the show last Sunday, I couldn’t believe I had been part of such a spectacular show. It was an absolutely amazing experience I will never forget.”

Needless to say, working toward your goals will most definitely require hard work, but the hard work will never get started unless you start showing up – like Delana did. There will always be times in which the possibilities we dream of seem almost unattainable, where we will doubt ourselves, have meltdowns, and wonder if that small step will even be worth it. Well, Delana’s success story raises two very important questions that we should always keep in mind: How many doors could be opened for you, if you simply show up? How many doors will you continue to miss? Maybe you should just start showing up. 😉 

Check out some clips of Delana’s performance!:

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By Nayadee Wilson

Is Your New-Year’s Resolution Useless?

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As the new year approaches most of us have decided on, or are thinking about, a New Year’s resolution. Being carried away in my thoughts earlier today, it suddenly dawned on me: why do we have New Year’s resolutions, anyway? I mean, most of the time, let’s face it; we don’t exactly follow through. Time and time again I see myself, and others, fail miserably before the end of January to attain the infamous purpose that we had so excitedly set forth. Nevertheless, I did brainstorm a few reasons why having a New Year’s resolution is actually pretty beneficial, whether you’re able to achieve your goal or not.

  1. Everyone likes purpose.

    One thing that I know for sure is that having goals in life is essential for your overall wellbeing – it gives us a sense of purpose and meaning. Having goals, such as a New Year’s resolution, to work towards gives us the intrinsic motivation that otherwise we may not always find elsewhere. Although sometimes hard to achieve, and oftentimes we may fail to achieve the desired end result from these, we shouldn’t be too quick to overlook the inevitable impacts that come simply  as a side-effect of pursuing a goal. Whether your goal this year is to start a business, or to just be able to get out of bed before noon, goals are important no matter how big or small. 🙂

    Tip: if you’re having a hard time achieving your New Year’s resolution, try examining what your goals are. If you have too many of them, it can be overwhelming and will ultimately cause you lose focus on what should be your priority. Try listing all of your goals on paper, pick the top three that are most important, and focus solely on those instead. This will give you a greater chance of success.

  2. Adulting like a rock-star.

    What’s another great side-effect of setting goals? It forces you to be responsible. Of course, this will depend on how committed you are to your goals. Nevertheless, it is a great way to make you feel like you are awesome at being an adult :). I personally miss the time when I was 7 years old and had no idea where money came from. I remember asking my mom: “Where do you get money? Is it like a building where you go and they just give it to you?” Good times… Then, of course, I came to a rude awakening when I found out that people don’t just “hand” you money. Point is, we don’t always like living the responsible adult life, yet when we have goals, being responsible becomes a little easier and more habitual.

    Tip #1: One way to spark the responsibility side-effect is to set a time line for your goals. Want to lose/gain 10 pounds? What’s a reasonable timeline for accomplishing this? Or maybe you want to write a book; how many chapters or paragraphs would you like to have completed in a month? And so on, and so on.

    Tip #2    :  Unless you’re incredibly disciplined, it may be hard to achieve your goal without some accountability. Find someone you trust to hold you accountable for your goals. This way, if you start to slack off, you’ll have someone to encourage you to keep going.

  3. More to come.

    Another awesome goal side-effect is that while we are pursuing goals we become hopeful. Hope is that thing that gives any human being motivation to do one thing: keep moving forward. Think about it; if you had no hope for anything lying ahead, what would be the point of doing anything towards your future? When you pursue your goals, you are being hopeful that you can achieve it, and a good result will come out of it – this is why you set it in motion in the first place.

    Tip #1: If you’re having a hard time having any hope of achieving your goals, what you might want to do is take some time to focus on the end result (although being careful not to dwell on it – remember that you also get lots of small victories in the process). If you can picture yourself at the end of it all, and remember why you wanted to do this in the first place, it can motivate you to keep working – one step at a time.

    Tip #2    : To pick up on that first tip – take it one step at a time. Celebrate the small victories! So maybe you haven’t started your business yet, but perhaps you’ve made some great connections in the process. Or maybe you haven’t written a book, but you’ve written a few paragraphs and placed your heart on paper, letting yourself know you can do it – that’s a start!

  4. I can only get better.

    What else can we get out of having goals? We learn a lot about ourselves in the process. We learn what makes us tick, what doesn’t, what works for us, and what harms us. Anytime you take the initiative to work towards anything, it brings within itself an opportunity to learn. (For example, I have learned that no matter how hard I try or what I try, I am not a morning person… at all). No matter what the end result is, whether you succeed or fail, there is no doubt that you will learn things about yourself you might have not known before. And as you know – Knowledge is power!

    Tip    : This will probably sound repetitive and cliché, but it is so true. If you’ve failed at achieving your goal, this failure is simply a lesson to be learned. When you fail, you learn about the things that did not work for you. Use this knowledge to improve yourself rather than to self-criticize.

     

  5. Time to straighten up.

    Lastly, as Jim Rohn put it, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” When you are committed to your goals, the inevitable happens: self-discipline. A “goal” is something you have not achieved before, that you are willing to work towards; a desired result in your life. Working towards your goals will require you to do things that you may have never done before, forcing you to create new habits and commit to these – and this is a great thing! When you create self-discipline, it is a trait that stays with you past the desired achieved (or failed) result. So, regardless of the outcome, remember that the process of this very same pursuit will only benefit you in the end.

    Tip: If at first you don’t succeed, you can dust it off and try again! Don’t forget that there is always next year. 🙂

*All images/comics used in this blog were obtained from Unearthed Comics*

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By Nayadee Wilson

4 Traits of a Company You’ll Want to Work for

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Searching for a new job is not always nice and easy. It takes a lot of time, preparation, diligence, you name it! Not only is this search mentally exhausting, but it’s hard enough just getting an interview, let alone finding that awesome company you’ve always wanted to work with. Sometimes we get so caught up in our temporary state of desperation that we are ready to take whatever comes first. Or, the opposite may happen, where we are so stuck in our financial requirements or desired job title that we refuse to work with any company that does not meet those specific needs. Well, you may find that in either situation the decision to accept/refuse a job offer without considering the kind of company you will work for may cost you. Here are some things that I’ve learned say a lot about a company’s structure, which can help you make the right decision when it comes to your next career move.

  1. Let’s not forget about our community.

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    Cindy and Kaitlyn at the Susan B. Coleman Race for a Cure – June 2016

    One of my favorite traits of CP Staffing Solutions is the company’s ability and desire to care and be involved in the community that we are part of. Willingness to give and take care of the community says a lot about a company because it shows that they care about more than just making a profit. When the company cares about others, it means that they will care about you. When they care about you, it means you will have opportunity. Here is one of the messages our president, Cindy Neese, has sent to us:
    “Team,
    I wanted to share this email with everyone in the office.  Kaitlyn recently made me aware of this Volunteer WNY Newsletter that goes out by United Way.  If you sign up, you will get then notifications of different opportunities with non-for-profit organizations locally that are looking for volunteers for different fundraisers. As a company, I would like to see us do at least 2 of these each calendar year, but there may be opportunities for you to sign up as individual or family event that you might like to do.  Also, if we see something that we can do as a team, this would be a great way to get those notifications.   If you click on www.volunteerwny.org, it will take you to the main site where you can register for the monthly newsletter.

    Thank you, Cindy”

    If you’re not sure whether the company you’re interviewing with has much involvement in their community, then feel free to do some research. Additionally, this could be a good question for you to ask during the interview. When the dreaded “do you have any questions for me?” statement comes up at the end and you draw a blank, you could ask, “Do you have any outside projects that you participate in as company, such as volunteer work or anything like that?”

  2. Our employees make this baby run!

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    Employee Appreciation Happy Hour!

    So maybe the company you’ve encountered doesn’t have the chance to do much volunteer work, but they have other ways in which they show they care: the unquestionable value of their employees. When higher management openly expresses appreciation for their employees, it says a lot about the kind of environment you will be working in. I’ve never met anyone who is a greater example of this than our very own Cindy Neese (I will talk about her a lot, because she truly is awesome).

    In a previous blog titled “Note from the President; Cindy Neese on Leadership,” Cindy wrote how “Many leaders could never imagine leading a company with Love – the verb not the emotion.  I am talking about actions, not feelings,” and I could honestly say she practices what she preaches. Cindy never misses the opportunity to let us know when we do a good job, (no matter how small the task is), she lets us know the ways in which our job is valuable and useful – just this morning she came in to ring a bell to tell everyone how they’re doing a wonderful job, due to some good news she had just received – and she does her best to do really nice gestures for us all. Not only does this kind of appreciation motivate employees, but it makes us happy to come and work with her.

  3. We’re like a second family.

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    Facebook post from a valued employee 🙂

    One of the most important facts about valuing employees is that the expression of care is contagious! As a leader, Cindy teaches all of us how to treat each other in the same manner, which makes for a great atmosphere in the workplace. A great company will not only have top management care for you, but it will also have its employees caring for each other. It is a huge sign of good leadership. The same way our president gives praise to her employees, we also give praise to each other. The same way she makes great, small gestures, we also do those kinds of gestures for each other (as you can see from the picture on the right). I love our team! 🙂

    When you decide to work for a particular company, it might be a good idea to scope out the atmosphere. How do employees treat each other, talk to (or about) each other? If you can’t really tell at first glance, you could check out some of the company reviews online. Additionally, if you know someone already in the company, you can ask them for their opinion on how they feel about the environment. Having a good crew to work with means you will have a much more relaxed environment, making you feel more motivated to come to work, as opposed to having to come in to work with people that just… don’t necessarily make for a great experience. 🙂

  4. No more drama!

    The very last thing you would want to deal with at your new job is drama. This is not always very easy to spot from a first interview, but it will not take long for it to surface if you’ve already started the job. One way you can spot this trait is by watching for the kinds of things your interviewer decides to share about the company or its staff. A previous coworker and friend (from a previous company I used to work for), told me about their interview experience. This individual was completely in shock because, during the interview, the manager began to talk about the employees, and not necessarily in a positive way. The interviewing manager talked about some of the employee’s personalities, using phrases such as “so-and-so can be very defensive,” as well as, “we have someone who doesn’t seem to want be here,” and, “everything is a mess because so-and-so did this,” etc.

    When the interviewer blatantly discredits his/her employees, it may be a sign of mistrust, favoritism, and undervalue. This is the part where you start to look at your other options (red flag alert!). Having this kind of environment in the workplace can attribute to significant levels of stress, as well as interfere with your ability and skills to do your job in the first place. It also makes you question the kind of opportunity you’ll really have in the company if it will mainly depend on how much your boss “likes you.” 

Choose success, but don’t forget peace of mind.

Before making the decision to jump on board or “swipe left” on a particular company, make sure you take note of the little things. Working for an unethical company or one that does not value its employees and/or their talents will only hurt you in the long run, and you will be miserable – no matter what your title is or how much they pay you. If you’ve already started working for the company, these traits (or the lack thereof) can be easy to spot. If you see some issues, your best bet is to run as soon as you can – while never forgetting to be professional. Even if you’re not being directly affected, it is only a matter of time before it catches up to you. By all means, choose a career path that will bring you success, but be very careful to choose the right company to help you get there! 🙂

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By Nayadee Wilson

4 Staffing Agency Myths You Probably Believed

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Since I’ve started working for CP Staffing Solutions (we’re awesome, by the way), I’ve come into several conversations about staffing agencies with some of my friends that have left me a little surprised – well, maybe not so much “surprised” as much as “curious.” I came to find that some of the things that people think and believe about staffing agencies are incredibly misconstrued. Furthermore, it made me wonder, how is it that these misconceptions have gone on for so long? Working for one directly, I can be the first to tell you that many of these are just simply not true; you’ve been bamboozled! Let’s tackle some of these myths and uncover some great truths.

  1. The fee
    Myth: A staffing agency will take a cut from your salary.
    Fact: The hiring company pays a staffing fee to the agency, not you.

    I can see how people can come to this conclusion; I thought the same thing when I started searching for a job through a staffing agency. However, the reality is that the hiring company pays a staffing fee to the agency based on, but separate from, your salary. A few years ago I took some time away from the workforce to travel, and when I came back I needed a job (like ASAP), so I went through a staffing agency. Not only did I not have to pay a fee, but they also did all the job searching for me and I got a job in less than a week after meeting with them. Working with an agency actually has some pretty good perks, and it will not cost you a dime. Here is what some of our recruiters had to say on the subject:”It’s amazing how many people still think that’s true.  It WAS true many, many years ago when I went through an agency.  They wanted a percentage of your first year’s salary but that is not the case now.”  – Beth Courtney, Sr. Sourcing Specialist at ComputerPeople Staffing.

    “A company that decides not to make an investment in an employee because of an agency fee likely isn’t a company you would want to work for anyway.” – Faith Drew, Recruiter at FinancialPeople Staffing.

  2. The pay negotiation
    Myth: An agency job will probably be low-pay, and you won’t be able to negotiate.
    Fact: Agencies provide a wide range of salaries, from entry level to experienced positions, and will facilitate negotiation.

    So this one is kind of a two-fer; not only do people believe that agencies will offer them a poor salary, but they also believe that the option of negotiation is off the table. What actually happens is that a recruiter will look at your resume and your experience, talk to you about what you’re looking for, and give you a realistic and honest perspective on what you should expect. The great thing is, you don’t have to be afraid of telling your recruiter what you want or what your absolute minimum is. In fact, some of the best chances of negotiation will happen with your recruiter because they are the ones that deal with the company directly; they can negotiate the best pay according to your salary preference and experience. Oftentimes negotiating on your own can be awkward and/or stressful (at least for me it would be O_O), while recruiters are usually trained in this area. Instead of running the chance of starting your new job on a wrong note, having your recruiter negotiate your salary will ensure that everything goes smoothly, and you would still look like a superstar 😉 . See? This actually works out in your favor. 🙂

  3. The temporary job
    Myth: Agencies only offer temp jobs.
    Fact: Agencies offer all kinds of jobs.

    Simple and to the point: we have a wide variety of jobs, not just temporary jobs. The misconception may come from the fact that a lot of these jobs may start out as a temporary role, but often times these temporary jobs will turn into full-time, permanent ones. Good companies like to keep good talent; if you do end up starting out with a temporary gig, make sure you showcase your best! 🙂 Here is what one of our recruiters had to say on the matter:

    “We work with all position types—permanent, contract/temp, temp to perm, and per diem.” – Liz Ragan, Recruiter at MedicalPeople Staffing.

  4. The low quality factor
    Myth: Agencies don’t have good “big girl/big boy” jobs; you’d be lowering your standards.
    Fact: A lot of great, high paying jobs can only be found through a good agency.
    Really take the time to think about it: why would a company go through the trouble of paying professional recruiters to find them employees? Well, simply put, because they want the best talent for the best jobs. Otherwise the company would be, basically,  wasting their money. An agency can find you jobs that you could otherwise miss, so it’s certainly worth your time. Here is our last thought:

    “Most of the clients we work with only work through recruiters. This is especially true at large companies when it comes to contract roles, and small companies when it comes to permanent roles. So working with an agency is often the only way to find jobs like that. Companies invest in agencies to find them the best talent that will stay long term and be a good fit long term.” – Faith Drew, Recruiter at FinancialPeople Staffing.

Now that we’ve uncovered some truths, if you’re looking for a change of pace, a new job, or a new career path, give the staffing agency a shot! You never know – you could very well find your dream job when you least expect it. And just to let you in on one last, little secret: no one will go out of their way to prep you for an interview the way your recruiter will (at least all of our recruiters do!), optimizing your chances of getting the job. What more is there to say? Give it a try, and see how it goes. From my personal experience, staffing agencies have always been a great help in my career search, and they could very well do the same for you!

*This blog was expanded from the original blog “Five Misleading Myths About Getting A Job Through a Staffing Company“*

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By Nayadee Wilson

Feeling Overwhelmed? End the Haunting of Stress in the Workplace.

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I saw a post from a friend earlier this morning that read “stress can kill you.” And it is, indeed, a very scary thing – it would make a great Halloween costume! Stress in the workplace is such a common phenomenon, that it is no wonder there are hundreds of articles discussing the topic and offering advice on how to deal with it. After all, according to the American Psychological Association’s annual “Stress in America Survey,” a whopping 65% of Americans referred to work as a top source of stress in 2012, and in 2015 money and work still remained the top two causes of significant stress. Although I have found most articles helpful, I can’t help but notice that most of these tend to emphasize solely on stress emerging from work situations or the work environment. However, sometimes stress comes from other sources that don’t necessarily relate to our work experiences. So I’ve decided to break down the sources of stress in the workplace into three categories: Stress from home, Stress from work, and Stress within you.

My personal life is falling apart.

So maybe your job is great (yay!); maybe you love what you do and can’t truly complain about the work itself. However, even though we’ve often heard the phrase “don’t take your work home with you,” what happens when home comes to work? And yes, I know a lot of us have probably also heard the phrase “leave your personal life at home,” but that’s not always so easy, is it? Sometimes life happens, and you can’t help but stress about it all day long. Here are two steps that have helped me, and may help you as well. 🙂

  1. Get real – One of the first things to do in this situation is to grab a hold of reality, and understand that your troubles from home cannot be solved while at work. It sounds harsh, I know, but a firm grasp on the reality that worrying about your personal difficulties will not take you any closer to solving them, will help you place these worries aside and help you regain focus on work (for the time being). If it truly is an overwhelming event, you’re better off taking a personal day to work through it, and come back to work when you feel refreshed. Nonetheless, if you’re already at work and you’re having a tough time setting these worries aside, here is something I like to ponder on when I start to worry: “Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” In other words, can you gain anything extra in life by worrying? Not likely. What do you gain by worrying? Stress.
  2. Get to work – Once you leave work, get to work on solving your problem. Home-stress factors can be a lot of different things for different people. One of the most popular is usually financial troubles; are you in debt or is there an income problem? In this case, get to work and start to handle your finances wisely; take the time to develop a plan of action. It could also be marital/relationship problems, family illness, or even a more serious event like a death in the family. If this is the case, remember that there is no shame in getting help. Professional assistance is always available to help you cope with this kind of stress, as well as a trusted friend or relative you can rely on. When you make time in your personal life to resolve these issues in a healthy way, it leaves room for focus and dedication in the workplace. If you don’t, then you will most likely feel obliged to spend time thinking about these issues, as you have not dedicated any time to solve them elsewhere.

I hate my job.

Alright, so maybe you do hate your job. Maybe you are feeling undervalued, unappreciated, and unfairly treated. 😦 Perhaps your boss/supervisor is not the kindest, or perhaps your work environment is a toxic one. Regardless of the reason, it is never healthy for anyone – you or the company – to feel miserable at work. Here are some things to keep in mind.

  1. Be rational – A great thing to keep a handle on is the proper perspective; is this all in my head? One way to reflect rationally and see a situation from the outside-in, is by writing an email or note of what happened and how you’re feeling, not sending it, and reading it over to yourself (I will emphasize, do not send your angry email to your co-worker/supervisor/boss/customer – it never remedies anything, trust me 😦 ). Not only will this exercise help you re-evaluate a situation, it also serves as kind of a “woo-saah” type of healing. Reading it over will make you ask relevant questions like “am I overreacting? Is this the right thing to say? Are these the proper words to use? What could have been done differently?” etc. Additionally, it might be a good idea to save these emails for yourself and keep track of what your triggers are; i.e. what “ticks you off.” You can then transform your quick reaction to these kinds of situations into a wise and appropriate action in the future.
  2. Have boundaries – Although a great success, technology has also been our downfall. I know there are times in which we feel we have to be the “Yes-man” and be available 24/7, because why wouldn’t we be? It’s our job, right? Not exactly. Of course, there are many responsibilities that come with your job title, but there are also times in which you can say “No,” and your boss will understand. When my husband first accepted his current job, it was a great career opportunity for him and he was very excited. However, he was starting to constantly check his emails while being at home, which made it difficult for him to be a part of the family, and caused both him and the family a great deal of stress. Once he established the boundary between home and work, everyone was a lot happier. 🙂 Of course, by “everyone” I mean me; if mom is not happy, then no one is happy 😉 . But, with my attempted jokes aside, it is needless to say that placing boundaries is healthy and acceptable.
  3. Have communication – We all wish that our peers would just know when something would not sit quite well with us. Unfortunately, none of us are mind readers and we all think differently, therefore communication is needed. You may want to try simply speaking to your boss about your level of stress. By “speaking,” I cannot stress enough that this does not mean “complain.” It means discussing how you are feeling and asking what you can do to improve the situation, or how can you work together to come to a healthy and adequate solution. If you are with a good company, you can rest assured that you will be helped and encouraged – some companies even have programs that offer professional help if you need it. If you are, however, within a toxic work environment in which your concerns are not properly addressed, then you can feel at peace by making the decision to take your talents elsewhere. Being constantly stressed will contribute to short temper, anxiety, and many more health issues that will significantly impact your productivity on the job. To give a quick summary of my experience, when I worked for a previous company some time ago, I experienced all of these symptoms, which caused me to lose the quality of my once acclaimed, and even rewarded, customer service skills. This particular company was an incredibly toxic one, and although I did stress about what I would do once I left, it was the best decision I ever made. If this is the case, a great tool to use in your new job search is a staffing agency – they are wonderful and there to help! Not to mention today I work for one of the best, and could not love my job any more if I tried. 😉

I can choose to be happy.

Last, but certainly not least, is my favorite topic of almost every article/study I’ve read on managing stress: managing yourself. This was the one thing that all of my research had in common, which I will completely agree with. Many times we think that happiness is an effect of our circumstance, therefore making it a strictly dependent emotion. However, happiness is not so much an emotion reliant on context, but an action that will ultimately affect how we feel. Take talking to yourself, for example; if you constantly feed yourself negative words, your natural reaction will be to feel bad about yourself. Yet, if you choose to feed yourself uplifting words, your natural reaction will be to feel uplifted. The choice between being happy and miserable can have a huge impact on your stress level. After all, stress itself is not so much what happens around us, but more so how we perceive our circumstances. Try it out for yourself; make the choice to be happy for a whole day, and see how you feel.

  1. Stop comparing – As I came across an article discussing work tension, I loved how they phrased this idea as “leave the Joneses alone.” When you start to feel bad about yourself or how your life is going, it could be because you are comparing yourself to someone else. Your experiences will never be someone else’s, so you should focus on the accomplishments you have made, the goals you’re running towards (or the ones you need to start working on), and the joys you’ve experienced. You should also remember that what you see from people around you on the outside is not always a clear representation of what lies on the inside. We all have our struggles, and we all have amazing successes. Focus on the latter.
  2. Get some hobbies – Don’t forget to treat yourself. When you make time for the things you love, it will help you tremendously in reducing stress. It is important that you disconnect from the world for a while, and reconnect with the things that make you “tick.” If you’re not sure what you would enjoy or you don’t have any hobbies, try out some new things – or simply have a “me-day” where you can take naps if that’s what you’re into. Whatever it may be, take the time to do things that will uplift you and create positive experiences in your life.
  3. Be spiritual – This one surprises some, but being spiritual will actually help a great deal with removing stress. The American Psychological Association advises that you take the time to relax, and calls it “a state in which you actively observe experiences and thoughts without judging them.” For me, personally, prayer works wonders; my days are a million times better when I start off with a prayer and thanksgiving. Nevertheless, if that’s not your thing you may want to look into something like yoga, or meditation. Making the choice to relax, to be thankful, and to focus on positive things will automatically set up your mind and body for positive outcomes throughout your day, making it hard to see the negative side to many situations.

In Conclusion

Remember to not freak out! Although these tips were the ones I found to be most helpful, a lot of what I have written comes from my own personal experiences as well – the lessons I’ve learned the hard way, and the ones I’ve learned from studying. The truth is that there are many ways in which you can manage your stress level and take control of it, so don’t make my mistake; try to learn these tips ahead of time before you explode! >_<

Make sure that you take care of yourself, eat healthy (which I didn’t dive into, but taking care of yourself physically will also affect how you feel emotionally), find some hobbies, and ask for help when you need it. Most importantly, remember that whether at work or at home, when you feel stressed you do not have to go through it by yourself; remember that you are not alone. Stress will lead you into deceiving yourself, thinking that there is nothing you can do and that you have no one who can help, and you just want out! Remember that this is a lie. Any great company knows that we are all in this together, and when one member does not function well, the entire company does not function well. Know your worth, don’t fight it alone, and be confident that you can kick that Stress-monster’s butt! 🙂

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By Nayadee Wilson

Let’s Talk Money

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Money is such a great topic to bring up in conversation, am I right? …Okay, maybe not so much. But let’s face it: college does not necessarily do a great job at teaching us the essentials of good, personal financial behavior, or what is involved in getting a mortgage, or credit cards. The ways in which many of us handle our finances usually involve not-very-wise decisions that ultimately affect our behavior, so I would say it is safe and appropriate to discuss the topic. Although it seems that millennials are doing much better at handling debt than previous generations, with credit card debt being at its lowest since 1989, not all of us are quite great at being completely debt free just yet. While we may not be so enthusiastic about the sacrifices that come along with getting rid of debt, here is some great encouragement on why you should be debt-free, and stay that way!

Responsibility – I am totally “adulting” over here 😉

The first benefit of becoming debt-free is that it truly changes your character for the better. Before getting rid of my debt, I was a compulsive buyer. I’d get paid, and then I would head to the mall to buy the cute shoes, shirt, purse, etc. I was living paycheck to paycheck and I always rationalized using my credit cards to buy things that, without the magical credit cards, I would otherwise not be able to afford. A great financial advisor by the name of Dave Ramsey quickly inspired me to be debt-free.  As I decided to put his tips into action, I noticed drastic changes not only in the way I behaved, but also in my thought process. When you make the decision to get out of debt, this means that you will create a budget, which in turn means taking control of your impulses and making wiser financial decisions. Sticking to your budget will become a habit, naturally influencing the way you make other, non-financial decisions as well; you start to realize what has priority and what can wait. This new responsible attitude will follow you to your workplace, your home, your relationships, and many other aspects of your life. I, for one, can definitely say that since I started to take in this responsible approach, I now look at debt as the worst disease on earth; I pay my bills on time, and if I have something bigger I get it out of the way as soon as possible – as if my life depended on it! And yes, there are times where I think, “I want stop ‘adulting’ today and just be a kid again, and play with my Barbies.” And hey, I know we all love the care-free kid inside of us (I sure do!), but it’s also nice to feel like you’re a “pro” at being an adult from time to time, by being financially responsible. ^_^

Feels so good to be stress-free!

I’ve often heard some people say “why use my own money to buy XYZ, when I can use someone else’s money now and then just pay them later, but slowly?” Well, here is the problem with that logic: when you are in debt, you’re essentially a slave to your lender. One of my favorite things that I have heard Dave Ramsey say is that “when you take a closer look at debt, you start to see it for what it is – something that holds you back.” It is extremely difficult to leave your troubles behind when you know you’re barely making ends meet; all the stress that goes along with it also follows you to the workplace, and everywhere else you go. One of the greatest feelings of being debt free is that it feels just as it sounds: “I’m FREE!” Once the weight of debt is lifted off your shoulders, you now have the enthusiasm and the liberty to focus on the future – What are your dreams, aspirations, and goals that you couldn’t accomplish before because you were so limited financially? All of the sudden these things start to become more real, and clearer. Come on – it’s hard to not get excited about that! And yes, I do know that oftentimes money is not the only obstacle to achieving your goals; time is also of the essence – which brings me to my next point.

“The world is my oyster”

Another great quote from Mr. Ramsey is that “when you’re living in debt, you’re not just financially poor. You’re also time poor.” Undoubtedly, debt-free people have more time and money than most people who are in debt. Why? Because if you’re in debt, chances are that you might be working more than you should have to, and spending time stressing out about how to make it all work out. Once you become debt free, the amount of time and money that would have otherwise been going to a lender is now free to use to follow your ambitions, as stated in my previous point. In addition, not only do you now have more options (remember, money does not bring you happiness; it gives you options), but your demeanor towards your career also changes. You are actually free to enjoy and/or passionately pursue what you do/want to do, rather than seeing your job as a burden you have to carry because you have no other choice. All of the sudden you can now afford to take that vacation (because we all need a break – it’s healthy for you!), and you will be refreshed and financially stress-free when you return to work, which ultimately results in higher productivity. Think about it: If you are more productive, you’re a better employee. If you’re a better employee, you will most likely be acknowledged. If you’re acknowledged, you’re encouraged. When you’re encouraged, you work that much harder towards your goals. 🙂 Let’s do this!

Freedom!

Getting rid of debt is not the easiest thing to do – it takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but it is worth it! And although the kind of income you make can surely affect how you handle debt, it is absolutely not impossible to be debt free, despite your income. In my experience, for example, I started getting out of debt when I was a single mother, receiving government help. Once I got out of debt, I was able to work harder towards my goals, increase my income, and I no longer needed government assistance. I can certainly attest to the incredible freedom that came with being debt free (although since then I’ve gotten married and bought a home, so now we have a mortgage – but we plan to pay it off sooner rather than later)! With a good strategy and a good plan, you can learn the kinds of things that you can and should be able to afford (food, transportation, shelter –proper shelter, not a $1000/month rent payment while you can only afford a $600/month payment), and the things that you don’t necessarily need (cable, fancy phone, fancy computer/tablet – remember that libraries still exist!). If you are in debt, do not be discouraged, and know that it is possible for you to be free. Tackle your debt without hesitation, and enjoy the many benefits that come from it. 🙂

For more encouragement, check out Mr. Ramsey’s “7 Characteristics of Debt-Free People.”

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By Nayadee Wilson