Written by: Connie Huber SHRM-CP PHR
The tragic and untimely death of Kobe Bryant prompted me to reflect and gain a more optimistic perspective on life. Kobe was an amazing basketball player, man and cultural icon. Many tributes shared how Bryant inspired basketball and non-basketball fans alike. One individual highlighted the following Kobe quote, “Everything negative-pressure, challenges-is all an opportunity for me to rise”. Another impactful message shared was “You have a choice. When you make a choice and say, ‘Come hell or high water, I am going to be this, ‘then you shouldn’t be surprised when you become that.’ Kobe had a unique mindset for success and embraced it relentlessly. More importantly he practiced what he preached. His philosophy on life, “Have a good life. Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. Put one foot in from of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.” Kobe’s legacy is a powerful reminder how a positive outlook can open the door for much personal and professional success.
Thank you, Kobe! RIP
Keynote: Jean Briese, Speaker, Business Success Coach, Author
Jean’s message “go from tired and stressed to inspired and blessed” shared with the group how to deal with stress and lead a more balanced life. Everyday we are challenged by the stresses we are presented with. As a job seeker our efforts and days are met with one of the biggest stressors in life, “job loss”. In addition, you have multiple demands placed on you that further require your attention. Your daily goal of work and life balance is swirling in a tornado of busyness.
Jean encouraged us to eliminate the biggest stress in our life. Her goal was to share tips and strategies on just how to achieve this goal. Jean has over 25 years in the corporate world and shared with us how she developed a positive mindset. When Jean was a young girl her mother and father divorced. Two weeks before Christmas Jean’s Mom decided to go on a date. As she left with her date, they told Jean and the other kids they would be back in 3 days. Jean was the oldest and the youngest 5. Jean’s mother did not return home that night or on day 2 or day 3. The children were beginning to run out of food. As the oldest, Jean knew she had to do something and reached out to the community for assistance. The social workers told Jean they had spent their budget for Christmas presents; and Jean & her siblings would not be getting any. The social workers also informed Jean they didn’t know if they could find a home and keep all the kids together. Jean was assigned the responsibility to tell her siblings about the life altering changes they would be encountering. The biggest takeaways for Jean were that kindness matters, ways to repay others for their thoughtfulness, and to pay it forward. Whatever privilege you have or wish you had doesn’t matter. Jean noted success relies on your mind and putting it to work.
Jean encouraged us to have a firm understanding of what our ideal life looks like.
There are five areas in life to be effective in to achieve a balanced life. Those areas are:
1.(F)-Family
2.(F)-Finances
3.(F)-Fitness
4.(F)-Faith
5.(F)-Friends.
You should rate yourself on each category using a scale of 1-10. Time management is crucial in achieving the 5Fs. Establishing goals and placing them on a calendar is a great beginning. Each day plan your day and have a to do list. If you start the day in a reactive mode, your entire day will be reactive. Non negotiables need to be determined and practiced. Distractions will occur; each distraction you will lose 23 minutes of productivity and 30 hours per week. Setting healthy boundaries will help keep your focus. When planning your day, build in in time for urgent things to happen. In determining your 90 day goal, consider what is your return on your investment and if you can delegate tasks.
In applying these practices to your job search, look at the activities you need to pursue and achieve in your search. List all the activities and use a calendar to plan your days. Be sure to utilize your own network; reach out to those folks who can help you connect with, not necessarily those people you are close to.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There are 7.2 billion in the world. No one has the same gifts as you.
- Know what your gifts are; reduce the words describing your gift to commonality and limit to 3-5 words.
- Put activities and thoughts that energize you at the beginning of your calendar.
- Eliminate those things that drain you.
- Do not allow culture to devalue your gifts.
- Share your gifts/blessings with yourself, others and network.
HIRING COMPANIES
AEROTEK
RICHARD NORTH, ACCOUNT MANAGER
Aerotek was founded over 30 years ago and grown to be one of the top global recruiting and staffing agencies. The organization has a number of subsidiaries falling under the title of Allegis. Allegis is composed of 10 companies including Aerotek, TEKsystems, Ashton Carter, and Allegis Global Solutions. Aerotek’s divisions are diverse and are represented by professional services, commercial, environmental, scientific, energy, engineering and aviation. People are everything at Aerotek and the company is committed to their people success. There are three placement types: contract, contract to hire and direct placement. The company was awarded the “Best of Staffing Talent Satisfaction” for 2020. Benefits are offered after a period of time. Currently, there are over 300 openings companywide. For more information go to the following.
AMERICAN EXPRESS
DREW FOSTER, MANAGER-US RECRUITMENT
American Express was founded in 1850 as a freight company and has transformed to travel to cards to innovative digital products and services. AMEX has maintained unwavering commitment to earn their customers’ loyalty for the long haul.
AMEX Phoenix is the #2 employer in the area with over 1,000 employees who have a tenure of 20+ years. AMEX has made significant impact to the community and employees alike. Employee benefits are top-notch, and some can be used by employee’s family members.
Currently, there are 168 jobs posted in Phoenix. Some of the open positions are in the following departments: technology, finance, travel & lifestyle services, credit & fraud and internal audit. Additional information and open positions go to the website.
CLOSING
Jessica Pierce, Founder & CEO, Career Connectors, closed the meeting by thanking Highlands Church & the volunteers. The next Career Connectors meeting will be March 4, 2020; Phoenix, “Activate Your Strengths” presented by Stephanie Clergé. For additional information on this event & future events, please visit the Event Schedule.
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