I’m Bored!

July 28, 2010 by Charlotte Byndas Leave a Comment

Bored?

When I was a kid the middle of the summer often lead to a day where I would claim “I am bored”.  This always got quite a reaction from my parents, especially my dad.  He was quick to remind me that boredom was a choice not something that happened to me.   During interviews I often hear the same comment “I am bored” from professionals about their job, it always brings back those lazy July days of my youth.

I'm Bored

I'm Bored!

Heeding my dad’s words of wisdom, and believing that we choose to be bored I thought I would offer a short list of things you can do to make your job a little more interesting.

Learn New Skills:   This is any easy one. Anytime you are learning to do new things you are engaged and interested.  It is very hard to be bored with something that you do not know.  This also makes you more valuable on your team since you will have new skills that you can apply to your job.

Offer to Help:  Helping someone else with a project is a great way to get energized at work.   You not only have the satisfaction that goes along with offering the assistance but you get a boost from learning all about a new project or process.  Read more of this post

Filed under Career Management, Job Search, Motivation Tagged with , , , ,

Insider Perspective: Smith Group IT

July 15, 2010 by Paul Helm Leave a Comment

On this episode of The Insider Perspective, we talk with Juli Smith, Owner of Smith Group IT. Find out why an established recruiter found what she needed to move her business forward by joining Career Agents Network. Hear the exciting goals she has set for her company in the Health IT marketplace.

You can learn more about starting your own Career Agent recruiting business at http://www.careeragentsnetwork.com/.

Filed under Insider Perspective Tagged with , , ,

Measure Twice Cut Once

July 14, 2010 by Paul Helm Leave a Comment

From the earliest project that I could remember, my father taught me the lesson of measuring twice and only cutting once. I am not even sure when the lesson happened; I just remember it being ingrained in me in such a way that I now say it to my son and even others near me when the shoe fits. No, that is not a precursor to a posting full of sayings learned from my parents and grandparents. Or is it? (As my son would ask just to be funny.)

Measure Twice Cut OnceOkay, to take a moment on this tangent, I do remember the cast iron pot stand in my grandmother’s kitchen that said “the hurrier I go the behinder I get” and no I don’t see the proper grammar or spelling in that either. I also learned as a teenager “any job worth doing, is worth doing well” which probably came from mowing the lawn. In my case the two likely collided when my father caught me rushing through the lawn to get it done faster, and then having to do it a second time because too many blades of grass escaped the mower blade in my haste.

What is the point of measuring twice? The inexperienced would say they already know how to measure, why do it again? The point is in getting things right the first time and helping to prevent occasional errors. It happens more than you might think.

Read more of this post

Filed under Miscellaneous Tagged with , , ,

Insider Perspective: Infusion Careers

July 9, 2010 by Paul Helm Leave a Comment

On this episode of The Insider Perspective, we talk with Troy Bise, owner of Infusion Careers. Listen as Troy discusses starting his business part-time as well as how he focused in on the Home Infusion Pharmacy niche.

You can learn more about starting your own Career Agent recruiting business at www.careeragentsnetwork.com.

Filed under Insider Perspective Tagged with , , ,

Freedom is not Free

July 2, 2010 by Charlotte Byndas Leave a Comment

I often see this message on church billboards in my local area in and around the 4th of July holiday.  It is a great reminder that many have sacrificed so that I may enjoy many freedoms, including running a small business.   It has me thinking more about “free” and the responsibility it presents in our daily lives.

Consider for a minute that “free” also means being total responsible.  Being able to speak, act, and live our lives with freedom provides a lot of options but it also lumps a lot of responsibility on our shoulders since this freedom leaves us totally responsible for the outcome of our lives.

We are responsible for our actions or lack of them.  We can choose to use our words to lift and inspire or to be critical and destructive.  These “rights” are powerful and can provide limitless opportunities if we are brave enough to stand up and take on the challenge of freedom and the responsibility that comes along with it.

Read more of this post

Filed under Miscellaneous Tagged with , , ,

Insider Perspective: Cerebral Sage Group

June 28, 2010 by Paul Helm Leave a Comment

On this episode of The Insider Perspective, we talk with Subbu Krishnan, owner of Cerebral Sage Group. Listen in as we talk with Subbu about the impacts he’s seen the economy make on the IT arena, and the recovery he’s now experiencing.

You can learn more about starting your own Career Agent recruiting business at www.careeragentsnetwork.com.

Filed under Insider Perspective Tagged with , , ,

What you must consider before starting a Part-Time business

June 21, 2010 by Josh Decker Leave a Comment

Many of us wish for the flexibility and freedom that comes with owning and operating a successful business.  However, most of us don’t want to make a leap like that without first getting the business established.  This leaves us working full-time while trying to get our business started in the evenings and on weekends.

There is an article in the Wall Street Journal addressing this very topic this morning.  Here are the big pieces you’ll want to consider before actually making the leap:

  1. Are you about to do something you love? If not, it’s probably doomed from the start.
  2. Is there a market for your idea? Again, if there’s no market, there’s no money…this is just as important as your passion for your work.
  3. Do you have the capital to make your idea work? If you’re starting a business “on the side”, try to avoid going into debt to make it work.  Oftentimes people starting part-time are trying to get answers to the first two questions, and taking on debt to get the answer is never a good idea.
  4. Does your schedule realistically provide for time to get your business started? If you’re already committed to more time than you can believe, adding a business to it is not likely to work.  Something will suffer, and you’ll burn out.
  5. Be sure to cross your T’s and dot your I’s. Just because this may be a “side business” doesn’t mean you should give it any less consideration that a “real” business.  Write a business plan, make sure you have the appropriate licenses, register your business.

For more on this topic, see the original post in the Wall Street Journal.

Filed under Starting A Business Tagged with , , ,

Angry at the dirt

June 17, 2010 by Charlotte Byndas Leave a Comment

In a tight market there are moments when a service provider is going to feel beaten down by the market conditions.  The reality is there is a lot of opportunity in a market that is recovering.  What is required to land more “deals” is that you move through situations that are low potential.  This is akin to mining for gold buried in mountains.  If you are the miner that spends their time angry at the “dirt” that needs to be moved rather than excited about “just needing to move a little” (well maybe a lot) of dirt to find the gold you are the miner that will end up with no deals.  Fact is it has nothing to do with the market at all; it has to do with your view of the market and if you are willing to move the dirt!

The gold is in “them there hills”.

So I ask you what type of miner are you? Angry or excited?

If you find yourself slipping into the “angry at the dirt” rut, take a look at your environment and make the following changes.

Start with this pep talk from a friend of mine:


Read more of this post

Filed under Motivation Tagged with , , , ,

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me…

June 11, 2010 by Charlotte Byndas Leave a Comment

Do you remember this saying from childhood?  It was the very one that your parents tried to comfort you with when someone was saying not so nice things to you.  Thing is, it probably did not work.  The words probably still “stung”, nasty, mean-spirited words have that power, they hurt.  After you have had a moment to gather your thoughts the saying makes more sense; you realize that the “nasty, mean-spirited” words that others dish out are more a reflection of themselves than they are of you.  We are what we say and do, our choices tell the world who we are on the inside.

As I move through adult life I have started to appreciate that my parents’ generation was much nicer than my own.  The internet has made it socially acceptable for many to say really hurtful, nasty, inappropriate things about others.  These “words” are posted about neighbors, friends, business partners, politicians, pastors, etc. – things that would never be said in a face to face environment are said online without hesitation or consideration.  These “gripers” have the “right” to say things as did our parents but our parents made better choices than many do today. There is greater ability and comfort, due to technology, to spread mean-spirited words to a greater number of people.

But alas it is all part of the equation…

Filed under Motivation Tagged with , , , ,

Desperation and Hope

June 11, 2010 by Paul Helm Leave a Comment

Where did I dig up that title?  Well, I wrote a blog entitled “Where is my muse?” that was all about finding the seeds of an idea that would be the catalyst to writing a blog post.  The seed for these ideas are all around us and one only need to take a look around and there is usually sometime to write on, comment or talk about.

Looking at my lists of ideas to blog about when a topic does not come readily to mind I see this one: Create a post that incorporates the words “desperate” and “futile” and I think ,”How hard can that be coming off such a difficult 2009 in this country?”  As a recruiter I watch for many indicators in business, and many of these indicators come from other business owners and the company contacts I am in touch with.  This past year was a year of trials and tribulations, and I would even say that in many of my conversations there was evidence of fear and trepidation.  How can they move forward without knowing what will be coming next?

Read more of this post

Filed under Motivation Tagged with , , ,

← Older posts