Many employees are continuing to work remote during the first phase of reintegration during COVID-19. It can be feel difficult to stay connected to your coworkers and maintain your workforce network when you are remote. For those who are used to being in an office and getting to know people in the break room, in the hallway, or in person meetings, it can feel hard to connect from home. However, with a little creativity, it may not be as hard to connect with your colleagues from a remote workplace as you might think. There are many web-based communications platforms you can use to chat with your coworkers! First and foremost, LinkedIn is my favorite place to connect with coworkers and others in my industry. It’s a really fun social media app where you can post, leave peer recommendations, showcase your professional history, as well as motive and encourage others. It’s a great way to gain [...]

Returning to work once COVID-19 Pandemic state restrictions are lifted will be a unique experience. Some employees will be allowed to continue to work from home while service, production and maintenance jobs will likely be physically returning to work. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are returning to your place of work. Take care of mental health. Many people are experiencing depression and anxiety right now, and in order to do well at work, you must take care of yourself first by putting on your metaphorical oxygen mask. Take care to be kind to your coworkers and offer grace and support when applicable. Notify your manager if you notice another coworker is experiencing emotional issues. These are challenging times, and it’s important for staff to take care mentally and seek treatment when necessary. Make sure to take care of your emotional and mental health. Make cleanliness a top priority. It's [...]

When you are looking for information on something, where do you turn? You go straight to the internet, right? Well, hiring managers and recruiters are no different. Employers often look you up on the internet before calling you in for an interview. They might scope out your LinkedIn profile, look your name up on a public search engine, and scope out your Twitter or Facebook posts that are public. If you are on the job market, take the time to optimize your internet presence to make sure it reflects your work ethic, reliability, and trustworthiness. First, make sure everything you want hidden is truly hidden. Go to your settings on social media and make sure that your private pictures and posts are not publicly posted. You probably don’t want a bunch of public selfies at the bar, partying with your friends. You also may want to restrict your settings on private posts, such as political [...]

Many stay-at-home orders are coming to an end, and non-essential workers are ramping up to get back to work. While you may be eager to get back to work, or to apply for a new job in one of the high demand industries, it’s important to be prepared to experience a few changes. Here is what you might expect to see when you go back to work. Some employers are asking employees to do a temperature check before coming in the building to work. Employees will be asked to stay home if they feel any hint of illness. Many businesses will have restrictions on the number of patrons allowed in the building at a time, requiring masks, and asking people to maintain a safe distance from each other. Some offices may install plexi-glass shields between desks, especially if the workspace is traditionally open. There will likely be fewer in-person meetings and limits to the number [...]

Many meetings are happening virtually right now with corona virus safety being top of mind. For some people, virtual meetings are a brand new experience. For those who are new to these kind of meetings, here are some tips to host a successful virtual meeting. Keep the audience small. Make sure the attendee list only includes key stakeholders, or those with a vested interest in the call. The more people who are in a virtual meeting, the more potential for issues to occur. Keep the attendee list to necessary participants only. If you’re on video, make sure to maintain a professional appearance. First, host a practice meeting, so you can test out your video and ensure that your camera is working, so there are no hiccups during the actual meeting. Then, pay attention to your backdrop—what’s behind you. Make sure that nothing personal or unprofessional is in the background of the camera. Make sure to [...]

Because of social distancing, many people are working remote for the first time ever. One of the biggest complaints I hear from first time work-at-homers is that it’s difficult to separate work life and home life. Especially now, with children homeschooling, and many people with a full house during the day, it can be hard to separate the two. Here are 3 tips to help you keep your work life separate from your home life when working at home. Work from one space, and tell your family or roommates that you are “going to work” when you enter that space. Mentally, working from the same place every day will help you get in the work mode versus wanting to relax or do chores. The best work space is a a quiet room with a desk and upright chair. Try to resist the temptation of working from bed or working from the couch. This will subconsciously [...]

Looking for a job during the coronavirus pandemic may be causing you a bit of uncertainty or anxiety. While many small businesses have been forced to close temporarily and large businesses have lost sales or experienced a disruption in the supply chain, there have been some layoffs, furloughs, and reduced hours. However, there are still companies which are actively hiring. I know it may seem hard, but if you can stay positive and proactive about job searching, you can still find a job despite the difficult economic times. Here are 3 tips to make your job search easier: 1.    Reach out to your network. Many people want to help you however they can during this global crisis. You may be surprised what opportunities may come about by just asking your network on LinkedIn, friends, family, etc. They may know of an opening and be able to give you an introduction to leadership which will certainly [...]

If you’re on the search right now, you may be feeling a little scared and frustrated. Right now, the entire world is facing unprecedented and challenging times. All we can do right now is try to adjust to this new way of doing things. Business must continue, and there is still a demand for jobs. Luckily, we have technology at our fingertips, and many employers are offering virtual interviews during social distancing. Here are 3 steps to nail a remote interview: 1.  Phone Interview – Most of you are probably already quite familiar with a phone interview, which is typically used as a candidate screening interview. But, how do you stand out over a phone interview? Focus on your delivery. When you speak, be sure to sound confident, well-spoken, and self-assured. It may feel funny at first, but if you smile while you speak, you will sound more likable. There may be other candidates with [...]

Most of us are finding ourselves with extra free time while we adapt to our new lifestyles during social distancing. While it may be easy to sit around and binge watch your favorite show or to immersing yourself in social media, don't squander this opportunity to advance your career! Here are 3 ways to use this extra time at home to propel your career forward! Take an Online Class or Certification- There are so many options online to continue your education. You can take a certificate program, brush up on you Excel or MS Office Skills, learn how to code. There's something out there for everyone! Read Personal Development Books - Take this time to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading a book and developing yourself. Some books that have really inspired me lately are The Hero Effect: Being Your Best When It Matters the Most by Kevin Brown and Who Moved My Cheese An Amazing Way [...]

Many businesses are asking employees to work from home for (at least) the 2 few weeks until the COVID-19 virus is under control. For those who are not used to working from home and especially for those with children now at home too, this has the potential to be a very difficult time. And businesses can’t afford for a lack of productivity during this time. So, what can you do to keep your mental well-being and the welfare of your job on track? The biggest obstacle for those who are new to working remote is figuring out how to stay organized and on track during the workday. At the start of each day, create a to-do list, and come up with a schedule to complete each task. Most employers don’t mind if you take a 5 minute break here and there to switch out laundry, or make lunch for the kids, but you still have [...]