I have helped many clients in various legal ways, wouldn’t mind teaching at college level. #successstory

simply know how to communicate with people #successstory

#job searchl #interview #successstory #foodservices

Building a community of believers #jobcasefamily #successstory #aboutmyjob #motivation #resume #foodservices #career #helpers #covid #snellingstaffing #dancing

Hello to you - I am creating a separate post for a response I crafted for someone on this forum. She felt like this might be helpful for the community. That was a lovely suggestion, and I appreciate all of the kind words I received on my response. I've pasted it below for your perusal.

I have a few suggestions about conducting a job search, and even some behaviors you can adopt if this is your first position. I think some of them are common sense, but others I would invite you to consider if this is you or not. Do some serious introspection and make sure this is or isn't you.

1. You have to pay your dues. I will give you an example from my own life: When I was a new mental health counselor (I started in 1984) I was a bit annoyed that I couldn't facilitate certain groups or complete various kinds of assessments. The management knew I was smart, they knew I was capable, they knew I would follow-though, but they also reminded me I needed to pay my dues and develop other skills which were needed for the things I wanted to do. And beyond this? There were other folks in place and they needed to sign off on my participation. It's not that doing so was required, but this org had an established hierarchy and these people had been there so out of respect for their tenure, I paid my dues. Eventually asking these folks what they were doing and letting them know I would love to help them paid off. This makes sense, right? In the moment. I was annoyed and my ego was bruised. However, I realized I was new at the company, I was an unknown commodity, and other folks had been there before me. Have patience, your time will come.

2. What do your social media accounts look like? You might remember a case which suggested that there is no expectation of privacy in a public square? That extends to your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. If the account is funky, and you post inflammatory messages and you post pictures of your last drunken party, life will be an uphill battle for you. It doesn't matter if a company can or cannot - they will look, and they can pass on you because your behavior would make them look bad. Think about your behavior from the perspective of optics. How does your behavior look to a prospective employer? Make sense?

3. I have been in a position where I didn't know how to do something and I said as much, and I also told them that while I didn't know how to do A/B/C, I was willing to learn. I suspect at that time I was a little too confident about my ability to learn what I needed. But I managed. Contrast that with an employee who fibs about his skills. That comes out to bite you in the butt, every single time. Don't lie on your resume. Don't lie during an interview. Don't lie during your orientation or your training. You don't need to be super smart to pick up on someone's dishonestly, merely human.

4. Volunteer for every task you can at work. When I was working at various gigs, I said yes to whatever I could. I worked on weekends and I brought work home with me. I am not suggesting you overextend yourself; I am merely illustrating that I saw it important to go out of my way. I kept my head down, did my work, didn't talk smack at the water cooler, and even though I knew I was competent, over time people began to see I could do the job, and if I couldn't, they knew I would ask for help. I can tell you from years of experience, MAKE SURE YOU LET YOUR SUPERVISOR KNOW IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR ABILITY TO DELIVER YOUR WORK WELL BEFORE THE DUE DATE. It is beyond frustrating to collect the work only to see a problem could have been rectified with a 5-minute convo with the supervisor,

5. Presentation is important. If you're 20 years old and your friends dress poorly as part of their "style", don't do that at work. I worked with a guy who did quite well for himself, he had nice toys and he was set financially. However, he dressed like he picked his clothes from the reject rack at (insert whatever store here) - his clothes were always wrinkled, he didn't match his outfit even though he had clothes that would work as an outfit, and as a result he didn't command the kind of authority he so desperately wanted. He spent YEARS complaining that he never got promotions and he was always passed over for management positions. It was his clothing. It was always his clothing. As a mission of mercy, I pulled him aside and shared with him how I saw this. He didn't get angry and start yelling and he was quite friendly, he simply refused to believe his clothing had anything to do with lack of advancement. The reality is that he embarrassed the company so they didn't move him.

6. Review your resume with several friends. Ask the for hardcore feedback. Practice answering interview questions on your phone's camera and get feedback from other folks by sharing the video.

7. Manners count for much: Yes Ma'am is the key. When people tell me I don't need to call them ma'am or sir, I always say, sorry, I was raised by my grandparents (which is true) and leads to a decent story and a segue. This goes along with manners. I cannot stress this enough. The easiest bankable skill that costs ZERO is the often-neglected extension of respect and camaraderie. I am appalled when I see people who aren't willing to extend the niceties. I have to say that if someone lacks manners in a job interview or at work my opinion of that person changes. I wish it didn't, but it does. Having decent manners are bankable emotional skills that will provide decent long-term rewards.

8. Dress well for the interview. If the agency isn't conservative, business casual, always. I have worn a tie every day I've been at work for my professional career. I have never missed a day without a necktie. It doesn't matter if other people don't, I do. The clients and patients and staff appreciate that. I got traction with older adults who talked to me because I dressed well. Dressing well is a sign of respect. Wear nice clothes. If you don't have them, go to Goodwill, if you don't have the money, borrow them from a friend, If your friend doesn't have them, look online for agencies that will either loan or donate business clothes. They exist and there are a lot of them. Men can call their local Men’s Warehouse and they will provide clothes for your career.

9. How much do you know about a company? This happens a lot. I have encountered candidates that didn't take time to do 10 minutes of research. One guy had been to an Ivy League school for his undergrad, he attended Harvard for his MBA, and then he had another school for a fancy cert. He completed an extensive internship in Paris. His resume was impressive and I had a brief moment where I was a tad jealous as I had only attended state schools. He made a cardinal mistake in that he assumed the schools he attended would get him the job. The resume only gets you the interview. We hired a guy that went to a state school, had three internships, did a ton of research about our industry, and he knew our business well.

10. Thank you letters. When you get home, immediately after taking out the dog for a walk, compose a thank you letter and send it via email or snail mail. Highlight that you liked the company, this is why you are a good fit, etc, thank them for their time and that you would very much like to work for them. If you come home after business hours, even better, that letter will be in their inbox when they come to work. This might be common sense and you'd want to extend gratitude, but it doesn't happen enough. I guarantee that supervisor will remember that you sent a letter. I can guarantee that because I have been that guy as are quite a few of the people I know. When I was looking for work, I had prepared various kinds of thank you letters in advance and when I got home, I simply fleshed out the letter to personalize it. I have never been in a position after getting hired where a supervisor doesn't say something about the letter. Even if they pass on me, they thank me for the letter.

11. I am adding another suggestion as my grandmother often reminded me of this tidbit of wisdom: You must put a lot of irons in the pot. Many times, new job seekers do not understand they have to apply to A LOT of positions in their chosen field. Sometimes, job seekers may read a position, think it is perfect for them, apply, and then wait....and wait...and wait. They are perplexed about why they were not contacted, not realizing the number of applications and equally qualified individuals out there. So, keeping an open mind to opportunities is important. My gramma was right about eggs and the basket. Do not be concerned if you get a few offers at once. That is a problem you want. :)

12. Also, while a small point: no gum, no ear pods, no phone visible regardless of what the HR or members of the panel interview suggest. I'd also invite you to forego any of that at work. Impressions count for much and it's important not to taint those by overlooking a tiny detail.

I've thrown a lot at you and I appreciate you reading this far. The prospect of finding a job is exhausting and exciting. I hope this year finds you with the job you want.

Cheers.

#workfromhome #motivation #careerdiscovery #interview #coronavirus #jobsearch #healthcare #successstory #hiringevents

So excited Newly hired and ready to have a fabulous 2021 #successstory

Many people have felt held back in their careers and job searches as the #coronavirus pandemic has affected the job market so heavily. But, even despite this, it’s important to celebrate our successes.

Have you celebrated any successes lately? What were they?

#successstory

Onboarding in a logistics position amidst a global pandemic and peak season? #Amazon to the rescue!

My journey began right smack in the middle of holiday season, just at the start of December. And frankly, I would not have had it any other way. I was pleasantly surprised to find that although there was some chaos, it was controlled.

Regardless of my heightened angst about taking on this position that I was in financial desperation of, I was filled with both nerves and eagerness. Proudly and gratefully, it feels that all of it worked out in my favor. From just the first few communications with my managers, I was first and foremost welcomed. There was an atmosphere of comfort and helpfulness that emanated from my trainers; and it wasn’t just with the help of that nifty blue vest I so patiently awaited.

Questions regarding scheduling, pay, time off and of course health insurance plans were hurled at the trainers. And even though they were driving instructors, they proceeded to answer every request. This made a lot of the onboarding process quite fluid, considering no trainer strayed from that mentality. The format of the training was conducive to my need’s, and it seemed most of my teammates need’s as well. The first two days were all virtual, which I was able to do right from my home office and the third held with a driving instructor on site. Efficiency seemed to be the key in most of the process. The absolute persistence with maintaining our proper safety distance, and sanitation also built for a comfortable atmosphere given the circumstances. I never felt that I was in the dark at any point along the process, which is absolutely something I have felt with this procedure at former positions elsewhere.

After a few knowledge tests, some policy review, and a couple informational videos I was bringing a smile from doorstep to doorstep: in the warming holiday fashion. Almost immediately, my team and the coworkers at the entire station have surrounded me with positivity, smiles and helpfulness every day that I am scheduled. In a time where so many things have been seemingly uncertain, I was able to find an easy position to assimilate into, and a group of friends that make this crazy time, and little less unpredictable.

#successstory #motivation #logistics #amazondriver