Archive for the ‘On the Side’ Category

“Office Life in Numbers”

Office life is different from business to business. In an effort to better understand and quantify office life on a national level, CareerBuilder sent out a survey to more than 3,900 people in the workforce. We wanted to get a more detailed glimpse into the office life at KellyMitchell so; our employees took a similar survey. While there is no accurate way to quantify the awesome culture at KellyMitchell, we hope our survey can provide you with a better look into what the KellyMitchell office is like!

One interesting takeaway from this survey is that KellyMitchell employees are away from their desk less than the national average from the CareerBuilder survey. We think it would be fair to say that KellyMitchell employees are more productive during the workday.

Other results from the survey can be found here on our KellyMitchell Slideshare:

Who is KellyMitchell? These days we are budding stars! In November some of our team members took part in the making of a KellyMitchell company video. On set we danced, we juggled, and we tried to remember our lines. In the end, we think it turned out pretty great. Have a look and let us know what you think!

If you noticed a lot more facial hair around the Thanksgiving table last week, you are not alone. November has officially become known as “No-Shave November” or “Movember” by men across the country. It is what it sounds like – no shaving, for the whole month.

Movember started in 2003 with two Australian guys in a bar and a dare. Adam Garone and his brother decided to bring back the thick moustache for 30 days in November and raise money for prostate cancer. Nine years later and it is all too common to find Facebook timelines flooded with men across the country flaunting their ‘staches. Supporters are dubbed Mo Bros and Mo Sistas and the campaign has raised over $350 million for prostate cancer support worldwide.

But there is more to be learned from the story of Movember than the importance of men’s health. The story is a testament to the importance of passion, belief and persistence. Have you ever had a million dollar idea? What about a twenty dollar idea? Have you ever acted to bring those ideas to fruition? Of course, not every idea is going to take the world by storm but there is no harm in giving your ideas a bit more consideration. With the right amount of persistence (and facial hair), your idea could become something great.  Just look at the Gabrone brothers!

Who knew you could learn so much from a lip toupee movement? Another successful Movember has almost come and gone, which means it is time for the Mo Bros to get the razor out. And to the Mo Sistas – the end is in sight, phew!

Labor Day symbolizes many things: the end of summer, back to school, football season and no longer the ability to “officially” wear white. Technically though, the true meaning behind Labor Day is to “pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers”- according to Wikipedia. So in honor of celebrating all of our hard-working contributions, we’ve compiled some inspiring and fun quotes from famous Laborers.  Happy Labor Day!

“Chose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius

“Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison

“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vince Lombardi

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

“You’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play.” – Warren Beatty

“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” -Theodore Roosevelt

”I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” –Thomas Jefferson

“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work” - Oprah Winfrey

After 17 days of non-stop sporting action, the Olympics are officially over. The closing ceremonies are complete, the flag was passed on and the torch extinguished until summer Olympic action picks back up in Rio 2016. And we all probably have a lot more free time! The sporting action certainly lived up to all the excitement, but it was the non-sporting extras such as social media, apps, tools and news that also caught the attention of spectators and participants during the games. In addition to  lessons on social media etiquette, by observing the athletes and circumstances of the games the world can learn other rules and lessons to live by.  Here are a select few:

1. Practice may not always make perfect, but it’s still necessary.  It’s very rare that someone or something can be perfect and success takes a lot of hard work. Most of the athletes devoted their lives to make it to the Olympics. Too often, many think that we shouldn’t have to work that hard to be successful, but the reality is that few things in life come easily. As all athletes demonstrated, if you want something badly enough, then you must be willing to do the hard work to get there.

2. Motivation, inspiration and drive are critical for success.  Athletic skill is clearly an important component for excelling at competition, but most athletes in the games exhibited more than just physical excellence.  Their significant achievements can also be credited to continuous motivation, drive and faith in themselves.  They live by the mantras: never settle for just good, always strive to be great and push yourself beyond limits.  For South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, a dramatic feat had already been accomplished by simply him competing in the games as a double amputee.   And USA track athlete  Manteo Mitchell ran the entire 4×400 relay on broken leg.  These incredible obstacles did not stop them from their ultimate dream and their sheer will drove them to success.

3. Teamwork is critical to success. Surround yourself with colleagues, friends and family who will help and support you. In team sports, athletes obviously work together to win, but it is also important to acknowledge examples of non-traditional team events.  Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympic athlete ever, thanked his relay team for helping him to win all those medals.  Without them as a supporting cast, he wouldn’t have won as many medals as he did.  Another common sight seen was of the families and coaching staff supporting and cheering the athletes along as if they were themselves competing. This support was critical in contributing to the athlete’s success. No one can truly do it alone.

4. Learn from your mistakes. At the end of practice or their performances, the athletes recapped their mistakes to see what they did wrong and learn how they can be better next time. The USA women’s soccer team lost the World Cup to Japan last year, but when facing them in the Olympics a short time later beat them to win the gold.  Surely they reviewed and watched and analyzed their past matchup to ensure a better performance for the future.   Same is in life where we need to observe ourselves, ask for feedback and measure our actions so we can strive to be more effective in the future.

The Olympics were certainly action packed with all the athletic events we awaited and anticipated. These last two weeks also reminded us that Olympic athletes should be admired not only for their athletic skill, but also for the behaviors and examples they set for us to follow and live by.
What was your favorite Olympic moment or lesson learned?  What will you remember most about these London games?

Hot Off the Presses! We are super excited to share with you the first KellyMitchell overview video!
We hope you enjoy it and share with your networks!

We’re KellyMitchell—a premier technology consulting company dedicated to matching the most qualified IT professionals with top organizations nation-wide.

As an award-winning, professional services and IT staffing company, we pride ourselves on offering high-quality strategic consulting, staff augmentation and outsourced business solutions to a wide variety of companies, from Fortune 500 corporations to rapidly growing high-tech organizations.

Whether you’re a candidate seeking an IT job, or an established employer looking to hire, we’re up to the challenge. As your IT staffing liaisons we are committed to achieving your goal by helping organizations quickly and effectively meet their technology personnel needs. Let us impress you.

“Why?” It’s one of those questions that to anyone who has spent time around young children has probably heard one too many times. As adults, we tend to get impatient and annoyed by this simple question, but kids may actually be on to something! Kids ask why because they are generally not satisfied with the first answer—and this isn’t always a bad thing! “Why?” is an important question that in some circumstances probably isn’t asked enough.

Asking “why”—especially in the workplace—can be extremely helpful in getting to the root of the question or true problem and figuring out a real solution rather than just a temporary quick fix or “band-aid.”  In other words, in our busy lives, it can be easier to just answer hastily to a request or question, but by asking why a few times first BEFORE giving your answer, you might find out valuable information regarding the root or cause of the original question.

In his recent book, The Lean Startup, author Eric Ries references the concept and example of the “Five Whys.” His thought is that at the root of every seemingly technical problem is a human problem and asking Five Whys provides an opportunity to discover what that human problem might be.

It may not help or apply in every situation, but try asking why and see what happens! Everyone is busy and moves so quickly during the day, so it initially may take a little extra time, but acquiring more information and getting to the root of the question can help save time and improve the quality of your work in the long-run.  So the next time someone asks you a question, channel your inner 3 year old, ask “Why” a couple times and wait for the answers!

I can't help it that I'm so popular

We all know the feeling. The impending doom that accompanies sitting down to check your e-mail after being away for a period of time. The double-digit (or god forbid, triple-digit) number in parenthesis next to the word “inbox” taunts you. Your palms begin to sweat and the stress begins to close in around you. You are drowning in e-mail.

Finding your way out of a bottomless email inbox is no easy task. As you begin to answer emails and chip away at the daunting number of unread messages, new responses continue to pour in. Some try to prioritize emails by importance while others dive right in and hope to come out on the other end sometime in the near future. How are we supposed to stay afloat in a world where the stream of email communication is constant?

Block off time to check and respond to all emails two or three times during the work day. You will be focused on the task at hand and more efficient at other tasks throughout the day because you won’t feel the need to toggle back and forth to your email every 10 seconds. But what if someone needs an immediate response? This will happen, but maybe not as often as you think. Chances are the response can wait an hour or two. And if it can’t, the person will find another way to get in contact with you (whether it’s a phone call, text, or knocking down your door). Another handy tip is to let the email do the work! Utilize email apps like Gmail Priority Inbox to prioritize incoming messages so you don’t have to.

As you clear out your inbox today, think about how you can make your email approach more efficient and conducive to your work environment. A simple plan to attack the email woes will keep you afloat throughout the work week. And on the weekends…avoid email overload and resist the temptation to check!

With the Kentucky Derby approaching this Saturday, fashion and hats are on everyone’s minds and will be talked about all weekend. But the frills and fancy hats aren’t exactly appropriate for the office and especially not an interview. In honor of Derby week, we bring you our very own KellyMitchell fashion blog. Like it or not, first impressions are powerful and your wardrobe choices play a huge factor in determining how they’re formulated.

Subtlety is an art

Here are 10 choices you should always steer clear of:

1)      Sheer Clothing – Even remotely see through clothing is a no-no…for obvious reasons so please make sure to do a 360 check in a full length mirror.  Invest in quality camisoles in neutral colors – I suggest one in white and one in black – to go under a button up shirt.  Camisoles are great staple items for your business wardrobe.  Tip:  Check out stores that sell professional clothing, as you can typically find undergarments like this for a very reasonable price and you’ll use them all the time.

2)      Loud Makeup: Less is so much more when it comes to interview makeup.  Any professional makeup artist will tell you that your makeup should enhance your features, not distract from them.  Especially in an interview setting, it’s important that hiring managers see you, and aren’t distracted by your bright red lipstick or shimmery blue eye shadow.

3)      Heavy perfume / cologne: This is a big no-no; not only is heavy perfume distracting, but many people are allergic to it…so steer clear of anything more than a light spritz at most…the safest bet is to go without any.  Why risk causing the person who has the power to hire you into an allergic reaction?  Not. Worth. It.  J

4)      Distracting jewelry: Leave the bangles and flashy bling at home.  Aim for simple and classic pieces – and steer clear of anything that makes a jingle jangle when you move.

5)      Wrinkled or damaged clothing:  Pull the iron out the night before and be sure to hang your clothes neatly so they’re ready to go.  Not only does having your interview gear hanging the night before keep things neat and wrinkle-free, but it also ensures you don’t have to think about it the day of the interview – one less thing to worry about!  Walking in with a wrinkled or torn clothing item on sends a strong message – you don’t want to give the impression you’re sloppy or (perhaps worse) that you just don’t really care that much.

6)      Prominent logos or patterns: Avoid any prominent logos, as they are distracting.  Stick with solid colors when possible.

7)      Anything without sleeves: Better to go conservative on your options; I’d personally even avoid short sleeves, just to be safe.  If possible, aim for a suit jacket – with either a collared blouse (I refer to them as “Oxfords” – just ask my colleagues) or a nicely tailored top underneath.

8)      6 inch Stilettos: Trust me- I am a girl all about heels as anyone who knows me remotely well knows- so I’m not suggesting you leave the house in flats per se…but avoid anything over 4 inches…to ensure  stability, comfort and professionalism.

9)      A Bad Attitude: Ok, I know this is not a garment or accessory…but it’s important.  Bad attitudes leave an immediate sour impression.  Always come into an interview prepared to talk about the company you’re interviewing with and your background as it relates to the position at hand.  Good energy will be felt by all…and so will negative energy.  J

10)   One for the Men: Yes, our top 10 does focus on women’s attire, but here is one for the boys.  It’s easy – avoid tennis shoes, loud ties, polos, and hats.  Instead stick with button up dress shirt with a simple tie, jacket, dress shoes and dress pants.  Save the seersucker suit for the Derby this weekend.

Working Your Core While Working At Your Desk

We’ve all seen it in the office—the chocolate on the desk, doughnuts in the meeting, leftover cookies in the kitchen and yes, even a White Castle Crave Case magically appears in the break room. It’s all so hard to resist and seems to appear right when the cravings hit….and so the “Office 15” begins.

The news has been full of reports lately that working in an office and desk jobs are detrimental to our health in many ways. According to Business Insider: 75 percent of workers who use a computer suffer from eye and vision problems and 1 million workers call in sick to work every day due to stress. But the biggest issue of all—we’re getting fat.  Our desk job society hardly has any physical labor and if your office is anything like mine—snacks and treats are EVERYWHERE. This is causing a much higher increase in weight gain, obesity and health problems among corporations everywhere. Or like in my case, that extra 5-15 pounds that you have gained since first starting your job is the main issue.

How can you keep from gaining the Office 15?  It’s not easy, but with a little focus, effort and a LOT of willpower, you CAN do it. Here are some other tips to try:

Take the stairs: Whenever and wherever you can!

Exercise ball: Many people in offices use these in place of chairs at their desk. It helps with balance, posture, core strength and possibly burning a few more calories without even realizing the effort!

Short walks: Even if you can’t get outside, take short walk breaks around the office at least once per hour. And if you can’t go anywhere, just do a couple jumping jacks or other types of stationary movement!

Healthy snacks: Keep a little stash at your desk for healthy snacking when tempted by the “bad stuff”- nuts, sugar snap peas or carrots (any low maintenance veggie) and of course simple fruit can be good and easy!

Remove the temptation/distract yourself: Try stretching, make a cup of tea, pop in a piece of gum or a mint and it can even be good to use this “temptation” time to return calls or the other little task items you’ve been “saving for later.”

Don’t be another Office 15 victim! It can be tough to stay strong, resist treats and temptations and try to be healthy but you will be much happier and healthier if you do.