Culture

• Zach Seybert
• Culture, Job Search Tips
• May 8, 2018

Remote Working Productivity Tips

Depending on your industry, working from home or remotely is becoming an increasingly popular option for companies everywhere. While the opportunity might not be available and offered right off the bat, if you have proven yourself as a valuable employee who can be trusted and relied upon to get your work done, this flexible option can definitely have its perks.

For some, not going into the office may seem strange as the line between work and personal life can become blurred. For others, the convenience of avoiding a morning commute, ability to set your own hours and working from the comfort of home seems like a career dream come true. The work-life balance can improve as you have time to do things you might not have while restricted to your office, but a key thing to remember is that work still needs to get done.

A concern of many employers is that remote employees will not get their work done. Although this is a genuine concern, studies have actually shown that working from home makes you happier and more efficient. It might seem like remote workers can roll out of bed, throw on sweatpants and work from the couch (might be true for some) but in order to maintain a high level of productivity, John DiScala has some positive habits that remote workers should develop.

Set Up Your Space

As mentioned above, some people might prefer rolling out of bed (or even staying in) and starting their work comfortably. Others, however, need a designated work space in order to get the task done. By setting up a work space, whether it is a desk in a spare room that becomes your “office,” or extra countertop space, you will have a place to go when you need to get work done. Additionally, by crafting your own work space at your home, the separation of work and play becomes more defined.

Make A Schedule (And Stick To It)

By having defined hours that you are “on the job” you will find that productivity increases. Instead of balancing a bunch of tasks that you might need to take care of in your daily life with work, set working hours for yourself.

Just like being in an office, you can take breaks for lunch and getting up to move around. But having defined hours in which you know you should stop working will help to maintain focus on finishing tasks. It may be tempting to gradually work on things throughout the day since you don’t have to be in/out of the office at specific times, but for productivity sake, this is not sustainable.

Make Time To See Other People

While working from home allows for increased flexibility, it can very quickly become a lonely experience. Part of the reason people enjoy going into the office is interacting with their coworkers. Catching up on the latest happenings or even something as simple as recapping last night’s game is something that doesn’t happen when working remotely. Take a break and run an errand or grab lunch somewhere for some interaction.

Although you have set up your home work space, some people might spend a few hours working at a local coffee shop in order to be around people. Co-working space such as WeWork or Regus have become increasingly popular alternatives for remote workers who don’t necessarily want to work from home.

Communicate Often With Colleagues And Managers

The great thing about technology is that it allows us to be constantly connected wherever we go. Because of this, communicating with our colleagues and managers when working remotely is now easier than ever. Thanks to tools like Slack and Trello, team communication and collaboration can be done regardless of where you work. Communication while in the office is key, but it is even more important when you’re out of the office.

By staying in touch and having open lines of communication to update your managers and coworkers, it shows that you are not taking advantage of the opportunity to work at home and that you’re still getting just as much, if not more done, than you would in the office. If you’re able to work from home, chances are you have already established trust and good communication at the office, so continuing to do so when remotely benefits all parties.

Wrap Up

Working remotely is a great perk offered by many companies. While it is certainly not conducive to everyone’s style of work, those who take advantage of it are some of the happiest employees. Not only are they happy, but by using some of these tried and true tactics, they can also be some of the most productive. To read all seven of DiScala’s tips, you can read the full article on Inc.com here.

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• Zach Seybert
• Culture, Job Search Tips
• May 2, 2018

The Blueprint For Success Is Different For Everyone

What did you want to be “when you grew up”? Most of us probably had aspirations of playing professional sports, while other wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, etc. Regardless of our  career goals, the common thread is usually striving for success.

The definition of “success” varies for each person. For some, being “successful” could mean earning a certain amount of money each year, while for others, it could mean seeing a number of new patients. Just as each individual’s definition of “success” varies, so too does their path to get there – there is no one blueprint.

I have conducted numerous informational interviews in which I ask the individual advice for someone looking to one day be in his or her shoes (job position). For every question asked, I received a different type of response. The responses included:

• “It [the job] kind of just fell into my lap so I ran with it. It was either this or a career working for my dad in insurance.” – a prominent NBA/FIBA sports agent
• “I interned during college and they offered me a job upon graduation.” – an employee in a NCAA athletic office
• “After clerking during law school, I was lucky enough to have an offer before I graduated contingent on passing the Bar.” – a first year attorney

When looking for your first internship or job, say as a college senior or graduate student, a common piece of advice is to just “get your foot in the door.” When embarking on your career journey, sometimes all you need is a start, just like the three aforementioned individuals. Sometimes getting started can be the most difficult part of finding your fit, since many entry level jobs require some sort of experience. The age-old question becomes, “How do I get experience, if no one will give me the opportunity to gain it?” One answer is through internships, but one can also gain experience through volunteer opportunities and freelance work.

Getting your foot in the door is the first step, but staying there takes hard work, determination and resilience. In Darren Heitner’s latest for Inc.com, he highlights Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown and Dallas Mavericks owner and business extraordinaire Mark Cuban who both back up this notion.

When reflecting on the 2010 NFL Draft, in which he was selected 195^th overall, Brown tweeted “100 picks into the NFL Draft 8 years ago, I woke up still waiting on my phone call…Remember you just have to get in the door.” Not only has Brown gotten his foot in the door, but he’s made sure to leave an impact on the game. Cuban followed up with his own thoughts, “This applies to all jobs. But AB [Brown] left out how hard he had to work to be able to get someone to open the door. When everyone wants that same job, there are no shortcuts. There is only knowledge and effort.”

Think about it. When you’re applying to jobs, albeit sometimes aimlessly, you are competing with maybe hundreds, if not thousands, of other applicants. How are you going to stand out? Whether through your networking efforts, knowledge, or tailoring your resume and application to stand out to the ATS, it takes hard work to make this happen. In terms of the NFL, there is a limited number of players who have the chance to make it on the game’s biggest stage. The Draft might be the first chance they have, but those fortunate enough to get drafted must maintain their work ethic and continue striving for success.

For those who did not get drafted, they must work even harder to make an impression on teams in the league. A perfect example is new Miami Dolphins wide receiver Danny Amendola, who went undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2008. Entering his 10^th NFL season and first with the Dolphins, Amendola is now a two-time Super Bowl Champion with the New England Patriots and was a highly sought after free agent this past offseason. He highlights his determination and motivation from being undrafted and offers advice for those in a similar position after last weekend’s 2018 NFL Draft in a recent piece for The Players’ Tribune.

Wrap Up

Regardless of whether you are looking to make it in professional sports or as a business professional, there is no “one size fits all” plan on how you are going to get there. You can seek advice from mentors for different situations throughout your career, but what worked for them may not necessarily work for you. In order to be the most successful “you,” the first thing to do is define what success means in your eyes. From there, your hard work, determination and ambition will take over. Maybe one day you will find yourself in a position where someone is asking you for advice.

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• Zach Seybert
• Culture, Job Search Tips
• March 27, 2018

Pitfalls Of Texting In The Workplace

Communication is of upmost importance, especially in the workplace. Thanks to technology such as smartphones and laptops we are always connected, so communicating should be easier than ever. Texting has become the preferred method of communication for many, since it can be more convenient and quicker than picking up the phone. Because of these factors, the popularity of texting is not limited to just your personal life, so it has become difficult to differentiate when texting personally and professionally.

We recently spoke to a recruiter in the industry who shared a story about one of his candidates that had a job offer pulled due to a text conversation with someone in human resources at his potential future employer. Hearing this story got the content team thinking about different potential pitfalls of texting in the workplace and how they can be avoided.

In a blog for the Huffington Post, Diane Gottsman details 10 etiquette tips to consider when texting in your professional life. You can read the full article here.

Pay Attention To Timing

Although we are connected 24/7 that does not mean business should be conducted on that schedule too. Texting your boss/colleagues/subordinates about business-related issues should be limited to work hours. While it might be acceptable to send an occasional email during non-working hours, texting after hours usually signifies a sense of urgency, so unless that is the case it is recommended to pay attention to the timing.

Remain Professional

Everyone’s definition of being “professional” is different, but there are a few things you can avoid doing in professional text exchanges. While you might be tempted to have a light conversation and use emojis, you probably shouldn’t. If you text with your friends using “text lingo,” (i.e., “wat r u doin?”), remember that spelling and punctuation count in every form of professional communication, texting included.

Reply Promptly

When it comes to business-related texting, there is a sense of immediacy involved. If it wasn’t a timely matter, it could probably be sent in an email. Therefore, if you get a work-related text from a boss/client/colleague you should respond in a timely manner. That said, there is a different between responding and reacting so one of the benefits of texting is that you can the time to craft a thought-out response. Although we expect texting to be instantaneous, don’t let the convenience and speed effect your response.

Sign Off Gracefully

It can be difficult to end a conversation over texting in both your personal and professional lives. With the advent of “read receipts” on iPhones, one can see if the person they’re texting with has read the latest message. Sometimes you might get “left on read,” meaning the other person never responds. However, this isn’t really a great way to end a conversation with someone regardless of personal or professional nature. When the goal of the conversation is met, you can end the conversation with a simple “thank you,” instead of exchanging awkward pleasantries at the end.

Wrap Up

These days it seems like everyone has a smartphone, from your grade-school-aged brother to your grandmother. Texting has become a primary form of communication for people of all ages, and the rise in popularity is making waves in our lives. In the business world, texting is also a popular way of communicating with you colleagues/clients and even a way of conducting interviews. However, just as you wouldn’t talk to your boss the same way that you’d talk to your friends, you wouldn’t text them the same way either. Next time you’re texting your boss, make sure you avoid these common pitfalls!

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