Setting Up An Effective Remote Workspace

Are you one of the many individuals drastically impacted by COVID-19 and all its complications? According to SHRM’s COVID-19 Business Index, 64% of U.S. employees are currently working remotely. With the massive shift to the virtual working world, it’s not easy to maintain productivity and passion for your work. 

Are you struggling to maintain focus throughout your workdays? Although being forced to work from home was beyond your control, there are still elements you CAN control for a productive workday. 

Clear the Clutter

First and foremost, identify your needs. Sort through your essentials and remove the unnecessary items, papers, or trash. If possible, now is the time to move on from the kitchen table or living room coffee table. Do you have room for a desk area containing your computer, monitors, and notepads? If you are a part of the 41% of Americans wishing to return to the office, explore the option of recreating your workspace. Find a time to retrieve elements from your in-office setup, i.e., your monitor, decor, chair, or even desk.

Additionally, your organizational capabilities are not limited to your physical surroundings, but the data on your computer as well. Chances are, many of the folders and documents saved to your desktop can be removed. You can designate time to rid yourself of your ‘digital trash’ and create more space on your computer.

Create a Schedule and Stick to It

Identify your biggest hurdles and set a game plan to overcome them. When possible, maintain your regular business hours, set your alarm and get up early. This medium is your best shot at staying productive while maintaining a work-life balance. Working remotely is not an excuse for allowing your level of communication to dip. Clear, honest, and consistent communication within your team and company is critical to staying productive. For example, if your team held weekly meetings every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m., emphasize getting them back up and running.

For an example of what it looks like to map out an entire day in advance, check out this article from The Muse’s Susie Moore, who has over six years of work-from-home experience.

“Our estimate is that 25-30% of the workforce will be working-from-home multiple days a week by the end of 2021.” -Kate Lister, President of Global Workplace Analytics

Block out the Distractions

Establish boundaries sooner rather than later. While it is encouraged to create time for coffee or lunch hangouts, it needs to dissolve at just that. Make it clear to your friends and family that despite being at home, you are at work. However, don’t allow your workload to push you into the evening too often. After your shift, be sure to dedicate time to see them elsewhere. Skipping out too many times can result in feelings of career burnout and ‘bottled up’ thoughts. 

If you know yourself to be easily distracted by phone applications such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, or ESPN, shut off these notifications on your phone during the workday.

High-Speed Internet

Are you content with the speed and efficiency of your internet connection? Are you the only one using it during the workday? No matter what your role may be, a speedy and stable connection is critical to staying productive and efficient in your daily routine. If you are sharing usage with a roommate or your spouse/children and have experienced moments of lagging, it may be time for an upgrade. If you are required to work from home and feel your broadband connection is lackluster, reach out to your manager/boss to help accommodate. After all, your employer wants to set you up with the best chance to perform your best and remain efficient.

Self-Care

When taking care of your mind and body, it is crucial to dedicate time to physical and mental exercises. Step outside, stay limber and give your mind a break during the workday. For myself, this looks like dedicating a block of time to morning stretches and light, in-home workouts. Are you taking advantage of your employer’s resources to combat mental stress or fatigue? If you have not received any, reach out to a superior to make this happen.

Further, finding a new hobby or developing a new skill can help fill the gaps in your daily routine before COVID-19. Courtesy of the Miami Herald, here are some of the most popular across the country: Reading, online games, sewing, crocheting, puzzles, card games, instruments, DIY projects, and at-home workouts.

Another great way to give your mind a break is to make plans outside your home for lunch. Whether it is alone, with a loved one, or catching up with a friend, eating lunch away from the desk can renew your energy and creativity after the busy morning. If you are unable to find the time and location to meet up, utilize video chatting services such as Zoom, FaceTime, or Facebook Messenger.

Wrap Up

Setting yourself up for success in your ‘home office’ begins with intentionality. Remove the non-essentials from your workspace and follow a consistent schedule. Establishing boundaries with your friends and family is vital, but setting blocks of time to ‘check-in’ is critical to your mental health. Courtesy of a recent global study by Qualtrics, over 40% of employees said their mental health has declined since the COVID-19 outbreak began. For more great tips and resources to alleviate stress/anxiety and improve your overall well-being, click here.

Remote Working Statistics

  • “56% of the U.S. workforce holds a job that is compatible (at least partially) with remote work.” (Global Workplace Analytics)
  • “Before the crisis, surveys repeatedly showed that 80% of employees want to work from home at least some of the time.” (Global Workplace Analytics)
  • “Work-at-home will save U.S. employers over $30 Billion a day in what would have otherwise been lost productivity during office closures due to COVID-19” (Global Workplace Analytics)
  • “88% of organizations have encouraged or required their employees to work from home”.” (Gartner, Coronavirus in Mind: Make Remote Work Successful)

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NexGoal Places Kelsey L. Stuhler in New Career

At NexGoal, we take the placing of our athlete-candidates in their new careers very seriously—which is why our project coordinators spend so much time working with each candidate to put them in the best position to succeed. Once our candidates are placed, we do like to take the time to share that athlete-candidate’s experience with all of you.Kelsey

Recently, our project coordinator Mike Kordel worked with Kelsey L. Stuhler to help her land a job as an Account Manager with one of our Medical Sales clients. A former Varsity swimmer, tennis player, softball player and cross country runner, Stuhler showed her determination and drive to find her new career to Kordel throughout the entire process. She also displayed these traits to her new employer, which was a big reason why she was hired.

When asked about the NexGoal process and working with her project coordinator, Stuhler had great things to say.

“I was contacted in a professional manner over LinkedIn. Mike was very professional, knowledgeable and helpful through the whole process. Mike’s follow-up and willingness to help me was beyond what I could have asked for. My experience was awesome and I would recommend Mike to anyone!”

When asked why others should work with NexGoal in the future, the reasoning was simple. Stuhler said, “They make the annoying process of job search so much easier. They do all the work and do whatever it takes to help you land the job that you’re looking for.”

The team here at NexGoal would like to thank Kelsey for her kind words, and we wish her the best of luck in her new career!

If you are looking to change jobs and would like the team here at NexGoal to help you like we did Kelsey, you can start by filling out our athlete-candidate application here! We look forward to placing you in your next career just like we did Kelsey.

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5 Ways to Win Opening Day at Your New Job

It’s Opening Day for Major League Baseball. Being from Cleveland, this is probably the most optimistic day of the year. Winter is (usually) coming to a close, and we’ve heard nothing but positive things from Spring Training about the Cleveland Indians. Unfortunately, this optimism and excitement is usually temporary, as reality sets in and many realize they may have set expectations a little too high.

Regardless, this optimism and excitement is important for fans to have. Opening Day is a chance for a new beginning. The slate is clean for the year, and there is nowhere to go but up. As fans, we only get to experience this feeling of a new beginning once. It’s important that you cherish it and enjoy the moment for what it is.

Like Opening Day, your first day on the job is a moment and feeling you can only experience once. You begin with a clean slate and it’s up to you to decide how you will experience it. Like any MLB team, you want to set the tone early in your new position.

Featured Job Opening: Territory Medical Sales Representative – Harrisburg, PA. Apply Here

On you opening day on the job, you will experience a lot of emotions and have a lot of new information thrown your way. It is important to be able to navigate this roller coaster of a day as effectively as possible. Follow these five tips on your opening day and you will be able to get of to a strong start on your new job.

Show Up Early

Being late for the first day on the job is a surefire way to set a negative tone for your new position. Not only will it leave a bad impression on your superiors and peers, but it will also provide unnecessary stress on your mind throughout the day. You should to be focused on acclimating to your new environment, and not focused on what you could have done to get to work earlier.

The best way to make sure you show up to work early on the first day is to practice your routine. Before you start your new job, find a day where you can go through your full morning routine and commute. Time yourself on how long it takes and then set your alarm 15-30 minutes before that time. Yes 30 minutes might sound like a lot, but knowing you will be at work on time is one less stress that you do not have to deal with on what will be a hectic day.

Get Organized

Showing up early for your first day is the perfect time to begin organizing your working situation. Humans naturally like to procrastinate menial tasks like organizing a desk or setting up an email account. However, getting this done on your first day will give you one less task to get done when you actually start to get busy.

Getting organized first thing when you show up will also demonstrate initiative on your part. It shows that time is valuable to you and that you want to set a positive tone. Your superiors and peers will love to see you are ready to go from day one.

Listen

Of all the things to do on the first day, this is probably the most important thing. More than likely you will be hit with more new information than you can handle on your opening day. Make it your goal to take in as much of it as you can. Superiors usually do not like to repeat themselves, and they will be thrilled to see you remembered what they told you.

To help your memory, take a lot of notes. It is always a plus to able to consult your notes for answers to questions rather than waste someone else’s valuable time. Also stay off your cell phone, you will be too busy on your first day to have any time to check text messages or Facebook. All your focus needs to be on acclimating to your new position.

Prepare and Ask Questions

Ask Questions

Asking questions is a big part of day one at a job.

When you are listening, you should be practicing what is called active listening. Active listening involves providing feedback to the speaker when they are speaking to you. One of the best ways to be a good active listener is to ask questions.

Asking questions tells a person you are engaged and interested in the subject matter. It is important you ask the most questions you can on your first day. Chances are you will receive a lot of attention on your first day that you will not get down the line. While you have all this attention, it is the perfect time to get any questions you might have answered before people’s attention shift.

Talk to Peers

If you are going to be working with your team for the foreseeable future, you might as well start to get to know them on the first day. By talking to your peers you will be able to gain valuable insight on company culture and how people operate on a day to day basis. You will also be able to begin to establish positive working relationships that could prove to be valuable in the future.

Always be friendly when approaching new peers. Having a good first impression is a very powerful tool when establishing trust among co-workers. Perhaps the best way to leave a good first impression is to find a commonality with your new peer. People are naturally drawn to others with similar interests and backgrounds and it is a good way to establish an immediate bond.

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Motivation Monday: Can Tim Lincecum Reinvent for His Next Job?

Where is Tim Lincecum? In what has turned into an Area 51 fiasco of sorts, the Kansas City Royals recently stumbled upon his “secret” workout location and were promptly asked to leave. But why is a three-time World Series Champion and two-time Cy Young Award winner working out in secrecy instead with a ball club?

When Lincecum was at his best, he was arguably the most dominant pitcher of the 2000s. The man they call “The Freak” led the National League in strikeouts for three consecutive seasons, tossed two no-hitters and has been to four All-Star games. The only other person to win multiple World Series titles, Cy-Young Awards, attend multiple All-Star games and throw multiple no-hitters is Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.

Beyond the accomplishments, Lincecum has always carried an excellent work ethic that has allowed him to exceed expectations his entire life. At 5’11” and 170 pounds, he is hardly ideal size for a pitcher in the MLB. However, he taught himself how to overcome his size limitations through a unique throwing motion that no other pitcher uses.

Learning to throw this way took years of practice and unique training methods.

In one such unique method, Lincecum’s dad would put a dollar bill far out in front of the mound and have him try to reach it on his follow through. Not only did this drill force him to maximize the use of his body in his delivery, but it also in a sense was a metaphor for his entire career, as he was constantly reaching beyond where people thought he could go (and making a lot of dollars along the way).

Lincecum was also the ultimate teammate in San Francisco. In the 2012 postseason, as the highest paid player on the Giants roster, he accepted a role in the bullpen instead of in the starting rotation. He took what many would consider a demotion in stride, and had a 2.27 ERA in 16.5 innings of work helping the Giants win the World Series.

So why can’t “Big Time Timmy James” find employment?

As resumes go, he has tangible accomplishments, demonstrated work ethic, creativity and is a team player. In the recruiting world that’s our version of the GOAT. Unfortunately for Lincecum, time is working against him. He has been on a statistical decline for the last three seasons and has also seen the velocity on his fastball drop.

How Does Lincecum’s story apply to you?

Many jobseekers can relate to Lincecum. Especially in areas of technology and sales, the skills needed to keep up with the job can change on a dime. One day you’re the best at your job and the next day you’re skills are irrelevant.
A decline in skills can be a tough obstacle to overcome. There is basically the choice to adapt or die and that’s it. Those willing to change have the chance to regain the edge that made them great.

So where can you begin to make your skills relevant?

It all begins with reinventing yourself. In Lincecum’s case he needs to embrace the fact he can no longer blow his fastball past hitters. He needs to rely on his control and his ability to keep hitters off balance by changing the speeds of his pitches. Pitchers like Jared Weaver and Roy Halladay were able to perfect this art and it effectively extended their careers.

If there is a pitcher who is capable of reinventing himself, it’s Lincecum. He has already figured out how to overcome his size limitations. All that time and effort used to confront that problem can be used to solve his current problem.

For a jobseeker, reinventing is a very similar process. It is first realizing that something no longer works and finding a solution that overcomes it. This can mean changing a process you’ve done for 20 years, or learning a new technology that has become industry standard.

In both Lincecum’s and a jobseekers case, it will be hard work to reinvent. However, the hard work shouldn’t be a foreign concept. Lincecum invented and worked meticulously on a delivery that allowed a scrawny kid to be a dominant pitcher. Using that kind of creative mindset when confronting obstacles is a tool that can overcome any lack of skills you may have.

Is reinventing yourself enough to regain a position that’s in a similar role?

Sometimes it is and sometimes it is not. If reinventing yourself is not enough, it might be time to accept a new role.

Are you looking for a new job? If so, click here for some great openings on our Job Board

In Lincecum’s case there are some teams that view him as a relief pitcher and not a starting pitcher. Like any competitive athlete, Lincecum still believes he can pitch as a starter. However, if the only offers he receives are to be a relief pitcher, what should he do?

This is a question many job seekers come across as the process stretches on. At what point should you accept a position that isn’t necessarily the same role you are used to? The only way to answer that question is to ask yourself what is important to you. Is it important that you regain what is familiar or are you willing to embrace a new challenge?

Both Lincecum and jobseekers need to be able to realistically evaluate their job market, strengths, weaknesses and what opportunities put them in the best position to succeed. There is no right or wrong answer when deciding to accept a new role. What matters is that you are willing to accept the responsibilities and new challenges that come with it.

There is no doubt that Lincecum is currently a job seeker in an uncertain market. Is he willing to reinvent himself and accept a new role? Time will tell if Lincecum does either, but now is the time to start asking that question if you are a jobseeker.

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Three for Thursday: 3 Lessons You Can Learn from NFL Free Agency

As former athletes, we are all in tune to current events going on in the world of professional sports. Wednesday—for some of us—was a form of Christmas, as the NFL officially began its new league year at 4 p.m. With the beginning of that league year came a frenzy of new players looking to take their careers to the next level in free agency.

Now, unlike the NFL and other professional sports, your personal job search doesn’t include anything like the free agency period. A line of potential suitors usually isn’t waiting outside your door at 3:59 p.m. to deliver an offer for you to join their organization. Let’s face it, in comparison to NFL free agency, job searches in the “real world” are pretty boring.

Despite the fact that our personal job searches contain less of the dramatic than the NFL, there are important lessons to be learned this time of year by paying attention to what goes on in free agency.

Anyone who pays attention can see negotiations, leverage, salary discussions and many more components that are part of your job search. While I could go on with a list of 10 lessons you could learn from free agency after day one alone, keeping with tradition of “Three for Thursday,” below are our three lessons from this week.

Know Your Worth

You would think this is something simple that many people heading into a new job search would know, but many do not. In fact, I have seen extremes on both sides—people undervaluing themselves when looking for a new job (my mom is the biggest culprit on this side), and others overvaluing themselves because they have been passed over for raises at their current job.

When approaching a potential new job, you have to spend some time doing research on what the going rate is for the position you are applying for before you go on any interviews. There are plenty of resources out there for you, including BLS.gov and salary.com, just to name a few. Potential employers will be impressed you researched the going market rate for the position they are hiring for.

“Three for Thursday” Featured Jobs From Our Clients to Start Your Weekend
Chief Financial Officer – Westerville, OH – Click to Find Out More
Commercial Roofing Sales Associate – Spokane, WA – View This Opportunity
Entry Level Mechanical Engineer – Cleveland, OH – Learn More Here

Now, does this mean you are going to get the high end of that $75,000 to $130,000 range for the job you are applying for when you have the bare minimum experience they are asking for? Probably not, but it gives you a point of negotiation with potential employers—just like Travis Benjamin formerly of the Cleveland Browns took advantage of yesterday.

Heading into free agency, Benjamin was coming off his best season in the NFL by far in the final year of a rookie contract that paid him $779,250. Now, to normal job seekers this is a lot of money. But by NFL standards based on his production last year, Benjamin was grossly underpaid.

Benjamin and his agent did research of the market, and knew their worth heading into free agency. Combining his age and production in comparison to recent contracts, Benjamin landed a four-year deal worth $24 million to leave Cleveland and head to San Diego to play with the Chargers.

It is Okay to Leave

As former athletes, one of the most important traits you likely possess is loyalty. You develop bonds with your teammates and take pride in the desire to grow at your current job and achieve great things that you hope will get recognized and lead to promotions and more money one day—and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Thinking about leaving your job? Get your search started here

However, sometimes you reach a plateau of sorts with an employer. Advancement opportunities, salary growth and the additional responsibilities/personal growth you are looking for are just not there. This ultimately prompts you to talk to your manager or human resources about your options or path for growth in the company.

Now for some people, this conversation will end positively with a plan drawn up to meet your needs as a professional. For others, things are less clear and your find yourself back at square one wondering what more you can do to achieve your goals at your company.

For those of us here in Cleveland, we saw a similar situation play out in NFL free agency on Wednesday—as four free agents decided to leave the Browns to put themselves in a better position to achieve their career goals. Three of the four (Alex Mack, Mitchell Schwartz and the aforementioned Benjamin) were drafted by the team, while Tashaun Gipson was brought in as an undrafted free agent. All four players have spent their entire careers in Cleveland, leaving them with a major decision to make in terms of loyalty versus opportunity.

The ultimate goal of winning is usually No. 1 for all athletes, and none of the four experienced one winning season during their careers in Cleveland. Combine that with constant turnover in system, coaching staff and front office, and it was easy to see their personal goals were not being achieved with the organization. And at the end of the day, all four left for teams in a better position to win now.

What does this mean for you? Well it is quite simple, being loyal is an amazing trait to have—but if you are not accomplishing your career goals, it is time to take a step back and evaluate your situation. At the end of the day, the bonds created and success you have achieved are great, but ultimately you must put yourself in the best situation to further your career. Often, that means you have to leave your job to do just that.

Do Not Burn Bridges

If you feel like you have read this from me before, you did in an article written around the NBA trade deadline. However, in the age of instant-reaction on social media I feel the need to drill this message home as often as possible.

A great example of how to leave one place and go to another came from tight end Coby Fleener yesterday. Fleener spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts, however, the writing was on the wall for him to leave after the Colts paid big money to another tight end on their roster. Because of this, Fleener accepted an offer to leave the Colts for the New Orleans Saints.

At this point, he could have gone one of two directions. He could have taken to social media and blasted the Colts for not having faith in him and paying the other guy. Instead, he went the other direction—thanking the fans for their support and memories in Indianapolis, as you can see below. After that, he delivered a message to his new team and fans—telling them he was excited to join them and wanted to work toward bringing a Championship there.

It is simple people. Everything on the internet is saved somewhere. Do not be that person who destroys their employer on social media, because potential employers are going to find your social media accounts—and nobody wants to hire the person who is going to throw them under the bus one day.

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