ProRecruiters

August Accountability  “A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” -Thomas Paine Accountability and humility are traits that one might not see as such a tenacious asset to have in the workplace.  More and more we hear of a "collective narcissism" sweeping the business world. Some say they are not surprised at this trend, and point fingers at a mainstream culture that supports unrealistic expectations, cutthroat competition, materialism, and self obsession.  I am sure we all have worked in organizations where the daily practices of dishonesty, blame-shifting, and gaslighting are an accepted artform, and clients are treated like commodities.  Whatever the cause of what seems to be an uprising in a culture of blame-shifting and un-accountability.. The house of cards is destined to crumble.  Fostering a Culture of Accountability  Though it seems like an extremely loft...

July Eyes on the Prize How do we keep our focus on our work in the sultry summer months full of celebrations, graduations, weddings, reunions, and vacations? As we are well aware of, many of us lose our focus on our work during the summer months. Recently, our office was gifted with an extra day off to celebrate the 4th of July Holiday, only to return to a lot of scattered co-workers and clients playing what seems to be a perpetual "catch up". What are some ways to stay focused on your business/your work during the summer? What are some ways to efficiently manage the growing list of duties to catch up on? 1. Plan out Your Day: It is a must to set daily goals and prioritize them in order of importance. In the evening, not only is it extremely helpful to set out your clothes, prepare your food, but it is also psychologically helpful to go over your calendar to ease your mind and produce better sleep resulting in a more productive and focused day. Whether you have a pl...

May the Force be With You!   We all know of the iconic Star Wars line "May the Force be With You."   H ow many times on May 4 th did we hear May the 4 th be with you ?   Star Wars is a cinematic treasure that has impacted millions of people for many years, and will for years to come. So what did it take to make such a deep and lasting impact? And what can be learned from this movie to assist us in making our own positive impact on others in our daily lives in this 9-5 grind? 1   1. Bring in your magic!                   Movies offer an escape from reality and a glimpse at the magic we once believed in as a child. We are unique beings with different skillsets, gifts, diverse backgrounds, and come with a unique set of experiences that make us different from others. Get to know your own “magic” and this will bring out the magic in others. Encourage dialogue. Promote uniqueness, offer a safe space for di...

Lotus Flower by M. Davis April Shower: Moving Through the Eye of the Storm We have all had those challenging days (or seasons!) that seem to pile on the growing list of responsibilities on the job. We have deadlines, decisions, and demands in both our professional and personal lives that seem to be raining down on us non-stop. We all remember the saying, “When it rains, it pours!” and goodness, how it has been pouring lately. When stress hits us, not only does it reverberate inside of ourselves, the effects of stress flow out and impacts our co-workers, our clients, and our loved ones at home. How we best handle stress varies greatly on a personal level, however here are some basic tips that help weather the storm- 1.                Realize that stress is energy, and you can do something with that energy . Oftentimes when we are overwhelmed, we can feel helpless and go into freeze mode. When this happens, it is wise to focus on ...

March Madness: How to Stay Stable and Grounded  Mid-March marks ProRecruiters 11 th anniversary. We could have made a big deal and fuss when we turned 10, however humility and a refusal to get too inflated made the desire to go under the radar that much greater.  We know we are in the minority. In tracking the success of small businesses there is a staggering statistic out there: 20% of small businesses fail in the 1 st year, 30% fail in the 2 nd year, 50% fail after 5 years of business and finally 70% fail in the 10 th year of business. To sustain takes grit, determination, and hard work but also balance.   Without balance there is burn out which is likely a big contributor to failure . A big piece of being balanced and avoiding burnout is staying grounded.  Successful business owners and leaders understand the importance of staying grounded. They stay humble during high points, and do not forget who they are or where they came ...

Do you have to love your work to be successful? Happy February, since this is the month of love, I wanted to discuss a topic that I frequently discuss with job seekers and employers.   When I grew up my father used to tell me if you do what you love then the money will come.   However, I struggled with this personally.   My first job out of colleague was with a large oil and gas company.   In my 20’s I made a lot of money, had fun and learned a ton but I didn’t love it.   When 2001 hit I looked long and hard at my work and decide to make a change.   I had been with my employer for 8 years and it seemed like a good time to make a move.   I took a leap of faith and shifted industries, moved to DC and inserted myself in a brand-new space.   I loved my colleagues, and again, I learned a ton from my work in DC but I did not love it- specifically the 90% travel and crappy airport cuisine.   Since those days I have worked for 1 other company...

Happy 2019!   First and foremost, I hope that this year is off to a great start and that it is a wonderful year for you both personally and professionally.   To kick off the year, I want to talk about the importance of setting goals.   You might ask yourself why it is so important to have goals.   My mentor educated me on this just a few years ago.   He said that without goals, you become like a hamster on a wheel going nowhere, and no one wants to work for, invest in, or be part of a company that is simply spinning its wheels.   This was a very influential visual for me and enough to give me the incentive to create goals and always be moving forward. In years past, I would set New Year’s resolutions.   To be honest, they would hold for about the first month or two and then wither away and not thought of again until the next year - kind of like a business plan that is written, printed, and then tucked away to collect dust.   However, abo...

Wow, it is hard to believe that Christmas is upon us and the new year is right around the corner! All the decorations and Christmas trees are up and in full swing, but have you ever wondered where some of the traditions come from? Why do Americans and other countries decorate their houses? Why do they buy gifts and eat a feast? What about the Christmas tree, where did this tradition come from? The article below gives you 8 fun facts on the history of the Christmas tree and why it has become a tradition: "8 Fun Facts About the History of Christmas Trees Now that the holiday season is in full swing those who celebrate Christmas (and other December holidays) are trimming their trees and homes with festive decorations. But, have you ever wondered where the  Christmas tree tradition  comes from? Here are a few fun facts about the history of the Christmas tree tradition: No. 1:  Long before Christianity, evergreen plants and trees had a special meaning for people in th...

Happy Halloween and October! All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) is my favorite time of year because of the trees changing colors, the weather cools down, the festivities of the holidays begin and children get to dress up as their favorite characters and collect candy! But do any of you know where Halloween came from and why we celebrate it? “Halloween can be traced directly back to SAMHAIN, the ancient Celtic harvest festival honoring the Lord of the Dead. Observed on November 1 in the British Isles and parts of what is now France, Samhain also marked the beginning of the Celtic New Year, while Samhain Eve marked the end of the old year. The night was a time of transition between the old and the new, a time when the separation between the world of the living and the world of the dead was very thin. On Samhain Eve the boundary between this world and the netherworld of fairies, gods, spirits, and magic was at its thinnest. As a result, passage between the two dimensions was easier t...

Happy September.   I am still trying to wrap my head around where this summer went.   Time just keeps flying by faster and faster.   To that note, ProRecruiters just passed its 10.5 year mark.   I am often times in awe of how an idea that stemmed from a dinner conversation between Brett and I resulted in a small business being created that now employs 8 full-time people and has put over 5000 people to work since inception! The 10 years have been an amazing journey.   There have been lots of highs and some lows.   When you start a company, it often means limited resources which means you have to wear multiple hats.   I can vividly remember my role of receptionist, recruiter, business development professional, payroll specialist and account manager all wrapped into one day!   As the business grew, I could hire and slowly relinquish roles and responsibilities to people that compliment my weaknesses.   One of my biggest weaknesses ha...

Happy August!   During the summer months I try to take off a few weeks to get out of the office and reflect on successes and failures.   I have had my fair share of both.   My personality is one that tends to think more about the failures than the successes but it is not because I belabor my imperfections but rather that I want to always be improving.   I had an “Ah ha” moment about being a leader that sympathizes versus empathizes and how one over the other can destroy a culture.     A longtime family friend of mine who has known me my entire life shared the simplest but the most impactful video on the difference between sympathy and empathy.   By definition, sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person and closely understands his or her feelings.   Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another person.   When you read the definitions th...

Happy July, this month I felt inclined to share an article I read from Erin Axson who is a teacher in South Carolina. She had a wonderful article on the state of our schools.   I felt compelled to share because this is the workforce we are seeing come into the market and it is causing management to feel the same exhaustion teachers do.   If we want a workforce that is comprised of hard working, humble and determined professionals we have to start early teaching them. Stop ‘bizarrely lenient attitude toward disciplining children’ – Teacher’s open letter strikes a nerve Erin Axson is a middle school reading and writing teacher in Orangeburg, South Carolina. In her open letter posted to her Facebook page, Axson said she knows not all parents will agree with her, but said she felt the need to say something after finishing the school year feeling “exhausted.” This is her note on Facebook: “Dear Parents, I rarely go off on social media tangents. It’s ...