Welcome back, everyone! With a holiday weekend approaching for those celebrating in Chicago (and additional celebrations taking place all over the United States and beyond), we thought it would be fun to take a break from business-focused content and instead provide you with a few different ways to participate in the festivities below.

Let’s…Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

• Attend the St. Patrick’s Day Chicago Parade: Taking place at Grant Park (337 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL) this Sat, Mar 11, 12:30 – 4:00 PM, and is one of the largest parades in the US! Our annual Chicago Parade showcases the green river and hosts a variety of floats and excitement that provides an awesome way to get out of the house, feel the cheer, and even serves as a great activity for families and children. Make sure to account for traffic in the area, transportation, and weather! It looks like a cold front is coming back toward the city quickly, so make sure to layer up to ensure a positive and pleasant experience.
• Restaurant Events: Whether at the top of the building, on a floor with a view, or even in a conference center, many hotels provide celebrations in-house filled with food and drinks. Some to check out include: LondonHouse and The Godfrey.
• Bar Tabs and Drink Deals: If you’re looking to hunker down at one location, many bars, in the same way as do restaurants, offer fantastic events, decked out in decorations and filled with a high-energy atmosphere and of course, many drinks. Some to check out include: Happy Camper, Homeslice, RPM Seafood, Bounce, Rizzo’s Bar & Inn, Fatpour, and more (note – these bars are all scattered across the entire city – so find the spot closest and most convenient for you!).
• Bar Crawls: The last nod to a drinking day is participating in one of Chicago’s many bar crawls across the city. Whether River North’s Lucky Charms crawl, Wrigleyville’s Shamrock Crawl, Lincoln Park’s Lucky Charms crawl, or another, these crawls are guaranteed to take you all around the neighborhood and its most iconic spots. So, if you’re looking to hop around, meet new people, and try out new places, this is a great activity for you!
• Walk along the River: One of the only times of year that the river takes on a new form – make sure to check it out as it’s fully dyed green. Bundle up, grab a friend, family member, or partner, and check it out from any raised rooftop or up close along the river walk.
• Green Crafts and Fun! Finally, if you’re looking to escape the business of all of the city’s events this weekend, engaging in fun at-home St. Patrick’s Day-inspired crafts is a great way to cozy up and enjoy the day. Whether this is trying a latte crafting class (check out the blog’s pic as inspiration), doing a green coloring book, painting a new mug, trying out pottery, free-style painting a canvas, or any other artistic activity, finding something totally green is an awesome way to embrace the spirit of the holiday.

Remember, Daylight Savings is also coming near at 2:00 AM THIS Sunday, Mar 12, 2023!

With Daylight savings comes, obviously, more daylight to pack into our schedules. So, if you’re feeling a refreshed sense of motivation to take advantage of your 5-9 lifestyle (outside of works hours), then make sure to check in next week as we provide a whole bunch of opportunities, experiences, activities, and actions that YOU can take advantage of to continue your day.

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list here!

Welcome back, everyone! Today, we’re here to supply you with a bunch of tools through which you can organize your work day. Whether you’re planning for a return to hybrid or full in-person work format, working fully remotely, or in the office every day, following an organization strategy is key to creating daily consistency and ensuring that you are setting yourself up for daily success. Keep reading to find out about 4 main organizational strategies and identify the best fit for you and your role!

Organizing your Work Day…

1. The MIT Method: Standing for “most important tasks first,” the MIT method focuses primarily on the prioritization of obligations and deadlines. It’s easy to log onto your computer and feel compelled to check emails or tackle other administrative-like tasks that are looming over your day. However, we encourage you to explore a new way to stimulate the start of your workday by categorizing your highest priorities and getting to them before all else! If anything, make sure to block out the time that you spend doing the more tedious types of tasks so that you don’t end up dedicating hours of filler time to work that could get done more quickly if given full attention (for example: going through emails every day from 9:00-10:00 AM instead of every hour or as they come in).
2. A/B Scheduling: This technique brings me back to my days in high school, filled with “A” and “B” days splitting courses up throughout the week. In reflecting on this experience, I think that it poses a fantastic opportunity to refresh and recharge on new tasks without becoming fatigued. So, try out breaking up your priorities into two schedules, A and B. See if this allows you to recharge and come back with a fresh and rejuvenated mindset on a periodic basis instead of the repetition of one schedule for each day. For example, if you spend half of your days tracking projects towards deadlines, and the other half planning for new types of work, make sure to switch off so that you can mentally prepare for what the day holds and understand what to expect! Many roles are filled with a variety of responsibilities, so identifying them and separating them into buckets is a great way to stay focused and on track with deliverables.
3. Energy Flow: Energy flow is presented with its title because it signifies 50-90 minute “sprint” work periods throughout the day. Let’s be honest, we are not our most productive selves 100% of the time throughout the workday. So, to combat dips in energy and a clouded mind, try out energy flowing through tasks! If you’re the most productive and awake in the morning, after lunch, at the end of the day, or whenever, fit your flows in here. And always make sure to give yourself breaks throughout the day to consistently recharge and remove yourself temporarily from screens!
4. The Pomodoro Technique: Similar to a few of the other strategies, this technique utilizes 25-minute blocks of uninterrupted productivity on a single task. If you’ve been dreading an upcoming presentation, putting off a certain project, or otherwise need to sit and focus for a solid block of time, this is a great strategy for you. If you’re easily distracted by other tasks, this may be for you too!

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Welcome back, everyone! Today, we’re shifting gears to a new topic: volunteering. While the winter months undoubtedly encourage staying indoors, keeping cozy, and ‘hibernating’ at home, we think that volunteering is a significant part of one’s fulfillment in everyday life and highly encourage you to take advantage of volunteering in your community. Specifically, if you’re in Chicago, this blog is for you! Keep reading to find out what goes into volunteering and some opportunities near you.

Employer Volunteering

First and foremost, in order to participate in a volunteering event, you must evaluate your options! At many companies, designated platforms are formed to encourage employees to volunteer, engage in events, connect with one another, and monetarily support foundations they feel passionate about. First look into the ways in which you can maximize donations through matching programs or through certain non-profits that your employer partners with. If you’re unsure where to start, a corporate responsibility report is a great way to learn about your company’s history of “walking the walk” when it comes to giving back. Otherwise, ask your hiring manager, boss, or teammates as a great way to find out how others have engaged in this benefit and how you can do the same!

Preparing for your Event!

Welcome back to a new series, everyone! We are so excited to share with our employers (and employees) what some of our different generational professionals prefer in their work environments. So, if you are recruiting, thinking about starting up a company, or working within HR on company culture or corporate policy, this is a great article for you. Keep reading to stay up to date with how to best cater to employees of different ages and life stages!

Let’s…Recruit Gen Z!

• Workplace and Office Environment: The environment is key to workplace satisfaction for this generation! So, what do we mean by a positive working environment? Consider natural lighting, open space, updated furniture, and an office that feels “light.” Gone are the days of dark cubicles and grey, and welcome are the days of color. The more enjoyable the physical environment is, the most enjoyable your employees are likely to be. Especially with companies hosting full-remote or hybrid work schedules, now is a fantastic time to evaluate how your office is perceived. When is the last time you made updates? How do you upkeep the space? Have you looked around at other comparable companies’ workspaces?
• Hybrid Flexibility: That’s right, the pandemic created a permanent shift in the way that employees are considering their day-to-day in-person expectations. So, if able, we highly consider that your office integrates a flexible and hybrid working environment into your daily expectations. Whether this looks like 3 in-person/2 virtually enforced days per week, 5-day flexibility, 1-day per week requirement, etc., every formation looks different! Allowing and embedding trust into your employees by affording them the chance to guide their own daily routine is a phenomenal way to retain talent. We also encourage you to incentivize this type of benefit! Maybe this looks like meeting a sales quota, a deliverable, an outcome, etc., but creating rewards in the form of flexibility for performance is also a great means of positive reinforcement.
• Well-being Benefits and Focus: What does this mean to your employment package? Mental health days, rewards for completing tasks, flexibility on Fridays, well-being checks, and resources (like online learning) are all great manifestations of a focus on your employee’s well-being. Remember, the happier that you can make your employees each day, the more elongated motivation and consideration they will feel to stay with your company. Gen Z is cognizant of the way that their employers show “care” for their professional development, and the best part is, you can do this in numerous ways. So make sure you’re staying up to date with employee satisfaction surveys, insight, suggestions, and the voice of your company.
• Teamwork and Management Transparency: In the same way the Corporate influence (in terms of charity, volunteer, environmental, and social impact work) influences how Gen Z perceives companies, so does their leadership. Gen Z expects to be guided by honest, open, and approachable leaders that are motivated by and dedicated to their company. Instilling a clear mission and vision that is focused on positive change for the environment and world, and instilling a sense of care in employee well-being, is a crucial way that companies can ensure their Gen Z employees trust their intent and stick with them for the long haul.

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Welcome back everyone and welcome to February! How is there another month already under our belts as we navigate 2023? It’s crazy to think that there are only a few weeks left until Daylight Savings and our impending return to warm weather. So, as you continue to bundle up and brave through below-zero days, make sure to read the below and continue reflecting on your career to ensure this year brings you professional fulfillment.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work at a large vs. small company, this article is for you! Keep reading here to find out my favorite aspects of both, how I interpreted the changes in my daily lifestyle as a result of the organizational structure, and how to evaluate which is the right fit for you.

Small vs. Large Company Comparisons…

1. Daily Interactions: If you work for a small company, it is almost guaranteed that you will be able to build strong, deep-rooted connections with each of the employees that you interact with. You’ll come to quickly understand “who does what” and where to go to reach out for help in any instance. However, working for a large company means you will be working alongside many people who specialize in various roles. For that reason, you will likely find yourself reaching out to many different people for each different need. Doing so will help you to immerse yourself in different types of positions and establish a collective understanding of how your company operates and achieves success.

1. • Extra Tip: Working for a large company, and in turn being required to step outside of your comfort zone to rely on employees you’ve never met for a variety of tasks, may be key to your professional growth. While it’s comfortable to achieve a family-like work structure, diving into the world of constant introductory conversations is an immediate gateway to organic networking every day!
2. Lateral Movements: Are you ready to settle down in a position and dig your roots deep? If so, I would encourage you to check out a smaller organization. Doing so will help you to solidify your role and gain deep, intellectual knowledge in your newfound specialty. However, if you are someone who is still unsure of what you want to do in the end game (which is also totally okay – and is more like me!), then you may want to think about working for a larger corporation that will provide you with the ability to make lateral movements often, sometimes even yearly. Lateral movement will help you to explore new opportunities without having to conduct a whole new job search – and make sure to ask questions that get at this idea during your interview process! Before joining a new org., it’s key to understand how they view career exploration and lateral promotions or prefer employees to stay in their roles for years at a time.
3. Mentorship Opportunities: If you work in an office that requires people to work in all types of roles in order to continue to operate (ie: Google, Apple, Sephora, etc.), your mentorship opportunities will range across several different “sub-industries” of business. However, if you are someone who is confident that you want to stay in your position and become a specialist, working for a small company may help you to find that person to act as a mention and vision of who you hope to be further on in your career. In my personal experience, not knowing exactly what I want to do, I enjoyed finding a mentor in a Marketing role while I was housed in Risk, as it helped me envision a future outside of the office I was currently a team member within.
4. Meetings Meetings Meetings! At large companies, and as a result of several teams relying on each other, you should anticipate a large part of your role being encompassed by team huddles, touch bases with leadership, and other kickoff meetings to align on work that needs to be done. If you prefer to work in a silo, not only might this push you toward a certain career path (like Analytics) but might mean that a large office isn’t the best fit for you. Think about your ideal day structure – does it include live calls? Chats? Working alone? Working in-person? Once you’re clear on what you want out of a role, you’ll be suited to answer all of our questions above.

Looking for a new position? Check out our open jobs!

Welcome back, everyone! On Tuesday, we realized that it was “National Compliment Day” – specifically, a day to spend an extra moment providing someone with a genuine compliment or kind message. So, while that day passed just a few days back, we thought that it shouldn’t be just a 24-hour period but instead a way of approaching life. SO, if you didn’t know about this day or get a chance to give your compliment, keep reading below to find out some of our other favorite ways to show gratitude for those around you and brighten someone’s day!

Let’s…Brighten Someone Else’s Day!

1. Remind Someone That You Care! There’s no greater way to show gratitude than by telling someone, in person, that you appreciate all that they do for you. In the midst of the digital age, it’s easy to thank people through emails, text, or even phone calls, but one of our most valued ways to express gratitude is in person. So, we encourage you to reach out to someone that you’re due for a catch-up with and get a coffee, lunch, drink, or dinner date on the books. Spending quality time with our friends, family, mentors, and all important people in our lives is a crucial component of human connection and value.
2. Suprise a Coworker with Coffee: Now that many of us are working in hybrid formats, it’s more important than ever to maintain relationships with your coworkers. While coffee may not take a physical form, surprising someone with a virtual gift card to a coffee shop is a great way not only to encourage an individual to take a breath of fresh air and get outside, but to grab a treat along the way. If you can, we recommend you treat your team or coworkers with a surprise treat or coffee this week! Starting the day off strong with a ‘surprise and delight’ is a guarantee to brighten the mood of the office this week (especially in Chicago with our dreary weather!).
3. Pay for the Person Behind You: The next time you find yourself at a coffee or sandwich shop, double your bill for the person behind. With such a surprise and act of kindness, you are guaranteed to make that person’s day!
4. Clear Your Schedule for Someone Special: This may be a parent, spouse, child, close friend, or even a mentor. Regardless of the relationship, find a day to completely clear your schedule on their behalf. Although our “days” may not look like they used to, taking a long walk, binging a Netflix show, engaging in ‘self-care’ at home, trying a new craft, or cooking dinner with company is a great way to showcase to someone that they’re a top priority to you.
5. Leave an Extra Tip: Especially in places where the bill doesn’t run very high, leave a larger tip than you regularly would! We can guarantee you that your extra note of gratitude will go a very long way. Especially during a time blanketed by job uncertainty, “donating” a few extra dollars to a server or anyone who assists you throughout the day is a great way to pass kindness forward and make a positive impact.

Searching for a new position? Read through our open jobs list!