Let’s Chat… Activities Inside and at Home!

Welcome back in 2023, everyone! I hope that everyone enjoyed celebrating our entrance into the New Year. Whether at home, out, with family, with friends, or enjoying some alone time… we hope you’re all refreshed and excited to welcome a new beginning. So, with many of us living in the Midwest and in cold climates, we thought it would be a perfect time to discuss indoor activities and ways to pass the day at home! Keep reading below to find out the best new activity for you.

Spending Time at Home…

  1. New Recipes: Getting back in the kitchen is a great way to fill an afternoon with fun, and a welcome distraction from other necessities and obligations of daily life. Now more than ever, there is an endless number of recipes online relating to all cuisines and diets. So, find a friend, a partner, or a family member, or take on the endeavor by yourself! We also recommend killing two birds with one stone and cooking a recipe large enough to divide into a week’s worth of meals. Doing so not only helps us stay on track toward our health goals, save money from daily grocery shopping or eating out, and save time in the mornings because there are multiple meals ready for you to grab.
  2. Movie Marathon: There is nothing more nostalgic than bundling under a blanket, grabbing a bowl of popcorn, turning off the lights, and cozying up to a movie marathon. Unsurprisingly one of our favorites is Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, but more than just the actual film, it’s a great way to relax with friends, family, roommates, or yourself.
  3. Engage in a Massive Puzzle: If you’re looking for some brain stimulation, this one’s for you! Getting a hold of a thousand-piece puzzle will keep you occupied for days or weeks to come.
  4. Try out a New Craft: Whether painting, coloring by number, using clay, creating DIY jewelry, or even face painting, channeling your inner creativity is a great way to fill a day and also in a way that you’ve likely not engaged in any time recently.
  5. Get into Reading: Not only an amazing outlet for continuously learning and building vocabulary but a great way to escape from the daily stressors of life and instead dive into a world of fiction OR non-fiction! And even better, many public libraries are free for rental and use which creates a super cost-effective hobby and outlet for endless individuals.
  6. Self-Care Day: And of course, what’s a true weekend without a bit of self-care? Stocking up on some face masks, painting your nails, making a cup of coffee, or engaging in any activity completed intended for your own care is encouraged and recommended.

Last Tip: Get Comfortable Being Alone!

Overall, while many of these activities can be completed with a group of friends, family, significant others, and other people in general, we want to emphasize the importance and value of being happy and spending time with yourself. It’s true in life that many of us will likely experiment with living on our own or trying individual endeavors… and this should be a time we enjoy. So, find pockets of activities that bring you happiness and indulge yourself in them on a consistent basis to slowly build up a genuine and sustainable sense of independence and confidence.

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

Let’s… Manifest our 2023 Goals!

Welcome back to the FINAL blog of 2022! We can’t believe that we blinked an eye and yet another yet is under our belts. We are so proud of the positions we’ve placed, candidates we’ve met, and followers we’ve connected with throughout this year. If it weren’t for each and every one of you, we wouldn’t be able to do the thing we know and love best… recruit for new positions! That being said, many of you likely have career goals and dreams for the upcoming year. If any of this sounds like you, and you don’t know where to start, keep reading below to find out how WE manifest our goals as we enter into 2023…

Google defines manifestation as, “an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea.”

… but we call this documentation and speaking your goals out loud for the universe to hear! There are several manifestation outlines you can fill in online, or you can simply speak these thoughts out loud in a form not too far from meditation to verbally document your hopes for the future. It is “proven” (this, we are not 100% sure of), that putting these thoughts into the world will help you bring them to fruition, so why not give it a chance?

Today, we’re here to expand on this idea and teach you about different strategies that will help you manifest goals and affirmations into the New Year:

Let’s Chat… Manifesting Goals!

  • Verbal Affirmation: The most common method of manifesting your goals and hopes for the future is by speaking them into the Universe! There are many famous manifestation quotes that millions of people use to affirm their days on a daily basis; we encourage you to identify a frequency that best fits your schedule. Repeat your mantras and one day you’ll be surprised by how naturally they come to you when you open the idea up to the Universe to hear. Remember that repetition causes habit, so the more you repeat this process (as well as the number of times you repeat the goal!), the better you are at bringing it to life.
  • Transcribe: If the idea of repeating a phrase into the mirror to essentially speak to yourself sounds funny, then instead of writing down manifestation is a perfect strategy for your needs. And, make it fun! Treat yourself to a trendy journal, a notepad, or a physical place for writing that will promote the behavior and make it an activity to look forward to.
  • Mood Boards: Another topic we’ve referenced is creating mood boards! If you are more of a visual learner or find yourself more inspired by images, then creating a visual board of your goals is a perfect means of manifesting. Grab your favorite magazine, scroll through Pinterest, or even draw your own images!
  • Act like the person you want to Achieve: This might sound silly, but let’s use an example to help you envision what we mean. Envision this, your goal is to ‘become a better presenter at work.’ So, what would someone who is GREAT at giving presentations do? How would they dress? How would they walk into the office?  How often would they practice? Who would they go to for feedback and continuous notes of improvement? Embodying the actions of the person you’re seeking to become is a kickstart to making that person (yourself) a reality. So, talk your talk, and make sure to WALK your WALK!

We are so excited to help you find new positions, reach your goals, and follow your career dreams in the New Year and will see you then! Happy 2022! Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Let’s Chat…Embarking on a Semester Abroad!

Welcome back, everyone! Merry (Belated) Christmas, Happy (Belated) Hannukah, and happy holidays to all those celebrating throughout this month and next. As we quickly approach the new year, we thought we would leave a PSA for our students gearing up for their study abroad semester. Read below for our best preparation and travel tips to ensure you kick off the trip as smooth as possible!

What is ‘Study Abroad’?

At many Universities, colleges will partner with international Universities across the world. Mainly in Europe, programs are often offered on many different continents: South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia to name a few. So, if you’re someone who is interested in travel, has planned ahead for your course requirements, is pursuing a language degree, or is otherwise looking to take advantage of this unique opportunity… studying abroad sounds like a great fit for you!

  • Extra Tip: Make sure to attend study abroad fairs to learn about program options, connect with your advisor so as to ensure you’re staying on track toward your degree, and evaluate the costs of the program as they relate to your ‘typical’ semester tuition, daily expenses, transportation, etc.

Leaving Home…

The most obvious “first step” of studying abroad is leaving home! Whether this means you’ll be traveling to a new University, state, or an entirely new country, step one will always be the same. So, how do you start?!

  1. Check out online packing lists: One of the best resources we have is Google! Online, there are a plethora of packing lists to help students plan to study abroad, as well as embark on their weekend excursions. One of my favorite blogs is written by Margot Lee: How to Pack for Study Abroad and Packing List! Always remember, pack light! You will likely pick up a few souvenirs and new pieces of clothing during your time abroad, so make sure to only pack essential items and leave room for some fun, new purchases.
  2. Come prepared: It may seem more obvious than not, but preparation is your key to success. This may mean buying a new phone plan, adapters, extra locks or a safe, or even a notebook and a few school supplies… whatever you choose, keep an extra eye out for things that may be harder to locate in a new environment.

Life as a Student…

  1. Be outgoing! It may be easier said than done, but if I learned one thing from my semester in Spain, it is that they are home to some of the kindest, most caring people on the planet. And even more, those people are willing to help, engage, and build relationships with you! You might find your greatest success when stepping outside of your comfort zone, so always make sure to be friendly to new faces and say hello.
  2. Plan ahead and schedule routes: In any new environment, the most overwhelming component comes from feeling, quite literally, lost. However, we are super lucky that through almost any form of technology, we can access Google maps or other resources to help us get from point A to point B. Especially during your first few days, make sure to plan ahead and look into your routes to class, back to your home, on the train or bus, etc., to avoid being late or feeling anxious.
  3. Take stock of your resources: Regarding program managers, professors, online teaching platforms, or software (like Canvas), take advantage of all forms of aid that you are provided. Many programs even offer weekend or weeknight activities, trips, or excursions – this is a great way to get to know the staff, your environment, your peers, and local residents.

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

Let’s Chat…Budgeting Execution!

Welcome back to the blog, everyone! And with this… we are almost fully immersed in the Holiday season. With Christmas Eve and Morning right around the corner, we hope that many of you have already reached an opportunity to unplug, squeeze in some final PTO, and begin resting and relaxing to refresh for the New Year.

We encourage you to take a few extra moments to read below on our Part 2 of budgeting… how do you execute? What platforms or programs should you use? Find out everything you need to know, here!

Helpful Budgeting Strategies for Execution:

  • Applications: There are several budgeting applications available to you on your smartphone. These will help guide your budget plan and track your expenses. Use them!
    • According to Nerd Wallet:
      1. Mint
      2. PocketGuard
      3. Honeydue
      4. Fudget
      5. These are all great resources and places to start! However, if you would rather develop your own plan, there are also many guides to help you form your own excel sheet through which to customize your budgeting strategy. Everything about budgeting is super personal to your own preferences, so make sure to find the route that first your finances best.
  • Bank: Many bank accounts will allow you to set up an automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account on a monthly basis. Set an amount of money, and begin automatically transferring it to your savings account each month. The money will add up rapidly without any effort from your end required! One of our key tips for budgeting is to minimize the manual work you have to do on a daily basis. So, setting up automatic payments on credit cards, transfers to saving or investment accounts, or otherwise automating your finances is one crucial component of success.
  • Update: Keep up with your budget! Your priorities will change from time to time, and accounting for these changes in expenses is super important. We encourage you to re-evaluate your budget based on compensation, activities, expense shifts, or lifestyle changes at least once or twice a year to make sure you are staying on top of shifts in your spending!
  • Utilize a Financial Planner: While this may not yet fit in your expense budget, financial planners are also great partners in assisting their clients with planning their financial goals and budgeting lifestyle. Think of it this way, if this is something that you cannot currently afford with your disposable income… this might be a great first savings goal! Try putting aside enough money, to add up to the cost of a financial planning session as an initial saving goal – not only will doing so alleviate the work you put into creating the budget but will also help you to learn strategies you might not have known before.

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

Let’s…Clear Our Minds this Morning!

Welcome back from the weekend, everyone! Today, we hope to provide you with a morning resource to jumpstart your day, your week, and work productivity. So, if you’re looking for the extra kick that will allow you to reach your maximum motivation and potential, keep reading below to find out.

Why Clear Our Minds?

Clearing your mind will not only allow you to flush out the madness and distracted thoughts but will help you to reach maximum productivity during the work hours of the day. Think about it this way: how much time do you spend in one morning planning your day? Assigning tasks? Digesting your email inbox (if it fills up like ours seems to do each time we log on!)? If you could resolve the time you spent deciphering all of this each day, wouldn’t you? Find out our favorite ways to do so below…

Let’s… Clear Our Minds!

  • Plan Ahead! Above all else, setting your future self up for success requires a bit of preparation. While it shouldn’t take up more than a half hour or hour of your day, we encourage you to try planning ahead for your week on a Sunday night or otherwise outside of work hours. Jotting down personal errands, top work assignments, due dates, and goals that don’t relate to submissions (like exercise, activities, or even going on dates), will allow you to begin compartmentalizing what each day of the following week will look like. Once you have segmented these ideas and written them down on a piece of paper, we encourage you to start assigning general days to each activity.
    • Extra Tip: Time batch! We encourage you to try and block out times to execute so as to avoid sprinkling in errands and distracting from your work throughout the week. For example, if you have a doctor’s appointment, prescription pickup, and groceries to accomplish this week – schedule them all within the same afternoon so that you don’t have to go out 3 separate times.
  • Exercise in the Morning: We know that you might be craving that extra 30 minutes or hour of sleep, however, we encourage you to try a morning workout at least one time this week. Getting your body and mind moving before you sit down for 8 hours each day will undoubtedly wake you up and help you to sort out some madness.
    • Extra Tip: Even if you live in colder climates like many of us, identifying your nearest walking track, indoor gym, or even mall to walk around is a great place to get in your daily steps. Not every workout needs to look like crazy cardio or HITT with blaring music … simply moving your body is enough to get your mind right!
  • Nourish your Body (and therefore… your mind!): Especially for those of you trying out an AM workout, always make sure to nourish your body before entering your workday. Whether you WFH or commute into an office, nourishing your body and providing your mind with fuel with which to address daily obligations is a crucial way to reach success.
    • Breakfast Ideas: Yogurt, smoothie, protein shake, protein bar, eggs, toast, avocado toast, fruit, bacon, sausage, breakfast sandwich, bagel… the list goes on!
  • Pick 3 Priorities: Finally, a topic we’ve addressed many times throughout our blog lifecycle is the value of addressing priorities. It’s easy to feel like you can accomplish all of the work tasks that pile up each day, but the reality is that it may result in accomplishing quantity over quality. Instead, choose your top 3 priorities of the day and work to complete those to the best of your ability. Whether this is clearing an inbox, completing a project, practicing a presentation with a manager, or scheduling your meetings for the week… pick and choose so that you are effective and intentional.

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

Let’s Chat…Budgeting in 2023!

Welcome back to the blog, everyone! Today, we wanted to regroup on the topic of budgeting ahead of entering the new year. As many of you have likely felt, budgeting is a crucial component of a post-graduation lifestyle as well as a means of setting yourself up for future success. Whether budgeting allows you to make a big purchase, stay on top of paychecks and rent, or otherwise incorporate savings into your goals, budgeting is a tool to help you achieve it!

Let’s Chat…Budgeting:

  • Prioritize: Before you can figure out and customize your budgeting strategy, you must evaluate what activities, hobbies, or materialistic components of your lifestyle are most important to you. This may look like a monthly gym membership expense, eating at restaurants, or a certain amount of money you are willing to spend on new clothing/ accessories. Whatever it is, make a list of your ‘non-negotiables’.
  • Plan: To begin planning out a budget, write down your goal for setting aside a certain amount of money each month. With a written goal, you will have a concrete number to designate success and work up to. Additionally, write down your income for each month. Include your job salary and any other work obligations (for college students this may include babysitting, house-sitting, pet-sitting, or any other part-time roles that bring in extra money).
  • Create: With a plan in mind and a list of priorities set, you are ready to begin budgeting! When listing out monthly expenses, differentiate those expenses which are fixed (ie: rent, student loans, car payments) from expenses that differ on a monthly basis.
    • Extra Tip: Be Realistic! If you are dining out 2-3 times a week, leave a larger budget for that category. However, you must begin to consider sacrificing other expenses in order to be able to save money at the end of the month; think about cutting back on other ‘wants’, like money you may spend on home decorating, clothing, or other “elective” expenses.
    • Extra Tip: Use Past Expenses! To get an idea of where your money is spent each month, utilize a past credit card bill, or create a document of all your expenses for any given month. That way, when the next month begins, you will have an accurate picture of how you spend your money and your estimates will be based on facts instead of assumptions.
    • Extra Tip: Categorize! Make a list of all expenses. Consider each category you spend money on. When budgeting, be aware of grocery costs, clothing costs, “fun” costs, drink prices, laundry costs, gym/exercise costs, etc. Never overlook expenses just because they are necessary, include everything in your budget plan.
  • Consider:  Be aware of times during the year when expenses naturally increase. These expenses may include birthday presents, holidays, vacations, tax months, wedding presents, etc. Set aside enough money to utilize during the year instead of having to dig into your income each time you encounter one of these payments.

Keep an eye out next week for tips on how to execute budgeting through certain platforms and programs!

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

Let’s Ring in…2023 Positive Energy!

Welcome back, everyone! In the holiday and New Year anticipation as well as spirit, we thought it would be a perfect time to provide you with reasoning to support a positive entrance into the New Year. That’s right, let’s rally together and recap all of our positives as we enter 2023…

Let’s Run through 2023 Positive Pointers…

  • Building Connections Online and In-Person: While many of our interactions and conversations have been executed through screens, we are incredibly impressed by the way in which each of you, our candidates, and our employees have embraced this new form of communication and created a new normal. It is phenomenal to review the ways in which our U.S. workforce has come together under the idea of embracing technology to not only maintain but build connections amongst one another and our loved ones (a special thank you to Zoom!). However, let’s also recognize our return to in-person work! 2022 marked, for many of us, the first ‘permanent’ return to hybrid or full-time in-person work since before the Pandemic. This means that not only are we returning to our ‘work normal’, but are also now afforded the opportunity to look for roles that are in-person, hybrid, or fully remote! Never before have candidates and employees had such autonomy over their daily roles and lives – so take advantage of the format that works best for you!
  • Saved Commute: Working from home periodically, in a hybrid format, or fully remotely has allowed professionals of all industries the reprieve of extra sleep, relaxation, and the comfort of their own homes. So, although it may be easy to become fatigued by the repetition and environment of your home, it allows you to skip a lengthy commute and pack in a few chores or errands along the way.
  • Gratitude and Mindfulness: As we adapt to an ever-changing world dynamic and different challenges that face our society on a daily basis, it has never been more evident that practicing gratitude and mindfulness are essential components of strong mental health and fulfillment. We have been tasked with some of the greatest challenges of our lives, but reminded of the value of those we love, the comfort of our homes, our own health, and the hopeful health of those around us!
    • Extra Tip: Although it may sound cliche, the New Year is a notorious opportunity for you to re-evaluate your personal health and incorporate a fitness routine. Let 2023 be your year to maximize your personal fitness, mental health, nutritional intake, career trajectory, and more!
  • Let’s Stay Positive: Above all, staying positive has proven key to the course of our years! While it may feel easy to get knocked down by the struggles posed by the pandemic and economy, remaining calm, and grateful for those aspects of life that provide you fulfillment and happiness will prove the key to pushing forward to the future.
    • Extra Tip: Always take time for yourself! Whether this means scheduling in blocks during your workday, carving out solo activities during the weekend, or otherwise practicing ‘self-care’, doing so is an amazing strategy to clear your mind and maintain a positive outlook.

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

Let’s…Thank our Clients!

Welcome back, everyone! I am so excited to regroup on a concept that we love to remind you of each holiday season. Something that’s close to home and contributes to a huge amount of our success at Esquire is…our clients!

Do you have to reach out to clients during the holiday season? If the answer is ‘Yes!’, Personal touches like the below can make or break professional relationships and also help you to stand out as a lifetime partner. Just like you would from a boss or teammate, clients take note of those who reach out and store that information away for later, so be sure to follow these three tips.

Let’s Thank our Clients and Partners!

  • Get Ahead and Prepare: Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, or any other holiday, make sure to plan out your approach in advance! Don’t cut it too close to Christmas day or do anything to jeopardize the delivery of a letter, note, gift, or anything that travels by mail. Sending thanks early is also important as it will allow you to get ahead of and potentially avoid windows during which many employees or the company are on holiday leave or PTO. Be sure to think about your industry and when reaching out will be most beneficial to each client at hand!
  • Cover all of Your Bases: We strongly encourage that you take a ‘one size fits all’ approach to gifting. Whether you have legal or HR considerations and limitations on what you can gift to external clients, or generally have different relationships across partners, it’s important to avoid playing favorites or showcasing disproportionate appreciation. Before sending out your thanks or gifts, make sure to run through the variety of projects, partnerships, deals, and other interactions you’ve played a part in throughout the whole year to make sure you’re accounting for everyone at hand!
    • Extra Gift Ideas: Flowers, chocolates, custom cups, hand-written notes, nice soap or lotion for the office, a succulent, anything to do with coffee and caffeinating in the AM, or any other useful resource for an in-office setting.
  • Be Personal! When able, we strongly encourage you to try and be as personal as possible in your gifting process. If you have a long-lasting relationship with a client, know that they enjoy certain trinkets or things that are giftable, have mentioned continuous interests in your conversations, or have otherwise alluded to things that bring them happiness… provide it! It sounds obvious, but taking small notes throughout the year during conversations to track certain ideas that will help you gift in the holiday season is a great way to get ahead of planning and provide yourself with ease when the time to gift comes.
  • Maintain Relationships: Above all, make sure this isn’t the only time you reach out each year! If someone is your client, it’s likely that your relationship is a 2-way street. For that reason, make sure to show that you care throughout the year by checking in, setting up catch-up connects, and otherwise perpetuating the relationship on both a professional and lightly personal level.

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

Let’s Chat… Creating SMART Goals!

Welcome back, everyone! Today, we wanted to regroup on a topic that we often refer to and find especially helpful as 2022 comes to a close. If you’ve never heard of SMART goals, are looking to re-adjust your intentions for the upcoming year, or are otherwise interested in general self-improvement, make sure to keep reading below.

SMART Goal Definition…

And synonyms.

  • Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
  • Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
  • Achievable (agreed, attainable).
  • Relevant (reasonable, realistic, resourced, results-based).
  • Timely (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive). (from “MindTools”).

SMART Goal Application…

So, let’s start off with grabbing your closest notebook, planner, Google document, or another form of paper and writing down some New Year-focused goals. Are you focusing on your health? If so, maybe stating the number of times you plan to go to the gym, for a set amount of time to build muscle and achieve an increase in weights used is an excellent place to start. Suppose you’re seeking a job promotion in the next few months. In that case, setting a goal to spend x amount of minutes extra completing additional work, asking for feedback x amount of times per week, or aiming to achieve the placement in 6 months are measurable ways to hold your goal accountable! One last example, if your priority for the year is to find a new position, network with x amount of new people per week, engage in x amount of coffee chats or informational interviews, or otherwise work to apply to x amount of jobs per week to achieve a new position by x date are great ways to start compiling a timeline to keep up with.

In addition, many corporations house HR-related software programs in which employees input goals that they can track and be measured against throughout the year. If this is you, make sure to reassess your goals in any platform related to your work before the year wraps. Are certain projects or skills no longer applicable? If that’s the case, opening up a dialogue with your leadership or manager is a great way to realign with your interests as well as job expectations.

The most important aspect of goal creation is that it is a unique and individual journey for any person. Your goals will not be the same as the person next to you, last year or next year.. and that’s okay! Creating and transcribing your goals at the beginning of this year is a great way to map out your next few months, create a measure of accountability, and get excited about what’s to come.

And if you’re looking for a job… Check out our open jobs list!

Let’s…Explore Holiday Season in Chicago!

Welcome back to the blog, everyone! Today, we wanted to explore a super fun topic and introduce you to the happenings in Chicago during the holiday season. If you live in this beautiful city like many of our team members, you may already know that there are a variety of activities and areas to explore during December and the holiday time. If you’re looking to take a trip, right now might be the perfect time! No matter where you live, keep reading below to find out all of the opportunities right at your fingertips.

Let’s…Celebrate the Holidays!

  1. Zoo Lights: Tickets to ZooLights are $5 nightly from Tuesday through Sunday. Explore one of the most iconic holiday spots in the city’s history at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Lincoln Park, Chicago. With a minimal payment, you’ll have access to the entire zoo light track in the park and can stroll for as long as you please. This is an awesome activity for those with young children, our post-grads looking for an inexpensive way to spend a night, or even a first date. Make sure to dress warm and indulge in some hot cocoa as you make your way through!
  2. Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon: Another awesome activity for those with children, looking to spend an afternoon with friends, or navigating a large group; Maggie Daley Park offers an $18 dollar walk-up fee to enjoy skating. We recommend doing so on a sunny day and with some friends… it’s a blast! Especially for those of you who live on the North side of Chicago, the park is an awesome way to make a trip downtown and enjoy the holiday lights and high rises that surround it.
  3. Walk along Michigan Avenue: A free activity! Michigan Avenue is home to dozens of beautiful shopping stores, holiday lights, Christmas Trees, and the infamous Starbucks Reserve. Make sure to take a trip down and spend an afternoon walking along the streets of ‘Streeterville’ to enjoy all it has to offer. Not only is Michigan Ave. a great place to shop, but it also offers an enormous variety of delicious lunch and drinks stops along the way.
  4. Chicago’s 26th Annual Santa/Xmas Crawl: For those of you familiar with Wrigleyville, we encourage you to spend a day or night on Clark Street near the Ballpark. Many bars transform into Holiday extravaganzas, even displaying an entirely new drink menu themed with holiday treats. Wrigleyville is even hosting its 26th annual Xmas crawl soon! Make sure to grab a ticket and join.
  5. Christkindl Market: Finally, another iconic staple of Chicago’s holiday season is the Christkindl Market. With a relatively new location in Wrigleyville and a historic site in River North, Chicago’s own Christmas market displays several trinket shops, drinks, and German treats. We highly encourage you to find a time to stop by this market… you’re sure to feel like you’ve been transported to Europe!

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

Let’s… Hop Back into Work!

Welcome back from the Thanksgiving weekend and holiday week everyone! We are excited to be back and, with that being said, are assuming that many of us woke up with a bit of a grudge about getting back into a normal routine. Especially as the holiday season nears, it’s more likely than not that many of us will be taking PTO, going on vacation, and otherwise ‘unplugging’ from work for extended periods of time. How do you hop back into a routine amidst the madness? Find out below!

Let’s … Hop Back into Work Routines!

  • Set a Routine: The reason why many of us feel that we’ve fallen off track after long breaks is because we are situated outside of a regular routine, leaving ample time for a lot of blank space and downtime. For that reason, make sure to sit down on the Sunday prior to your return to work or school and set a weekly routine so as to implement specific time periods for catch-up and worktime. Routines and schedules are also a fantastic measure of holding yourself accountable for your responsibilities!
  • Early Wake-Ups: We know this isn’t ideal, and many of us dread that 7:00 AM wakeup call. However, in the week or so (usually a time period equivalent to your break) following Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July, etc., it will prove immensely valuable to your schedule to take back an hour of the day that you may regularly use for sleep. You’ll be surprised at your body’s ability to work hard and function even on a lower quantity of sleep over temporary time periods; this could be an especially great resource for catching up.
  • Try Out a New Atmosphere: Just as it is easy to fall out of routine when you return home or to a place outside of your regular environment, it is just as easy to get all too comfortable in a place over time. Whether this be a coffee shop, your room, a specific library or classroom, or any study space that you’ve found, it’s almost subconscious that we start to become less focused and more comfortable in a repetitive space. For that reason, we encourage you to at least try out a new space one-time post-break and test your productivity. Sometimes all it takes is a new atmosphere to stimulate work and motivation!
  • Maintain Open Communication: With your teammates, management, and overall leadership. If you are behind on a due date, falling on a project timeline, or on track to deliver materials to someone else (that’s depending on you!) at a later date than anticipated, it’s crucial to confront those conversations ASAP. Setting expectations and an open line of communication is your key to success and being a valued, honest teammate.
  • Forgive Yourself: One last tip… always make sure to be easy on yourself after a break! There is no reason to ever regret the time you spent with loved ones or the extra sleep you caught upon. It was deserved and it was enjoyable! Allow yourself breaks and make sure to get enough sleep still so as to maintain productivity.

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

Annual Gratitude Note

Welcome back and Happy Early Thanksgiving, everyone! Today, we wanted to leave you with our annual reminder of the value of being actively grateful and a variety of ways to show it. Keep reading to find out how to show your loved ones that you care this week and throughout the entire holiday season.

Let’s…Show Gratitude!

  • Remind Someone That You Care! There’s no greater way to express 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.
  • Suprise a Coworker with Coffee: It is far too often that we forget the importance of those that surround us each day. And where do we spend most of our time? That’s right! Work. Make a coworker’s day by simply surprising them with a cup of coffee, grabbing an extra breakfast treat, bringing in donuts for the team, or otherwise providing a ‘surprise and delight when no one else expects it.
  • Instead of Spring Clean… Fall Clean and Donate: As Midwesterners, we know the severity that comes with the coldest holiday months. Take a day to clean through your closet, and donate anything you haven’t worn in the past year! It’s so easy to overlook our surplus of clothing in our closet, and especially the items tucked away in corners that are left forgotten. This week, we encourage you to evaluate what you really need, and what you’re hanging onto that may no longer be providing value. Whether this means collecting no longer worn clothing and donating to a local charity or even handing out a jacket to someone you pass by in need, your impact could change and even save a life.
  • 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 an act of kindness, you are guaranteed to make that person’s day!
  • 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. Bring them their favorite food, dessert, or movie, plan a fun night in or out, or even take them to a favorite spot in town. Whatever it may be, there is no better way to express gratitude than to show someone that they’re your priority.
  • Volunteer: There is an endless number of ways to volunteer no matter where you live or who you are. Find a local food pantry, toy-wrapping event, charity, or any other volunteer opportunity that piques your interest. In the next month, find a day or afternoon’s worth of time to spend giving back to those in need.
  • Leave an Extra Tip: Especially in places where the bill doesn’t run too high, leave a tip higher than you regularly would! We can guarantee you that your extra note of gratitude will go a very long way.
  • Give Someone an Extra Compliment: About their work, their personality, their appearance, or anything you admire!
  • Schedule a Day for You! Self-indulge
  • Buy Someone Flowers or Chocolates

Offer Help!

Finally, and especially for those college and post-grad students returning home for a hearty Thanksgiving meal, offer your help! Whether this is to your parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or whoever is preparing for the big day, offering to provide help so that they aren’t doing the heavy lifting alone is the perfect way to display that you’re grateful for their hard work. No matter if you had a cozy night in or spent tonight downtown, get yourself up and out of bed tomorrow morning so that you can fully participate and contribute to the Thanksgiving celebration.

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

Let’s Chat…Networking Calls!

Welcome back, everyone! Today, we wanted to hone in on an opportunity for you all to take advantage of over Thanksgiving week or the holiday season… networking! While you may be busy, traveling, out and about, or scheduling holiday parties, this time of year will undoubtedly provide an opportunity for some time off and R&R. So, if you’re itching to test your networking skills or practice for an upcoming interview, conducting a networking call is a great place to start. Keep reading below to find out everything you need to know about these calls HERE!

Let’s Chat…Networking Phone Calls

  • Preparation and Purpose: Before engaging in a networking call, it’s crucial to conduct a quick search on the person’s background, a light gauge of their current work, and a few tips about their larger industry. Doing so will not only help you to avoid taking a large portion of time dedicated solely to introductions but will showcase your professionalism. Make sure to prepare specific questions relating to their career trajectory, project success, company experiences, etc. If you could ask your prepared questions to anyone, that’s a sign that they are not meaningful enough for the person you’re speaking with.
  • Ask Specific Questions: As it relates to our point above, you should not be asking questions like, “How’d you get here?” or “So, what do you do?” If you’ve initiated a chat, it is likely for a specific purpose to learn more about a role. For example, if you’re speaking to someone on the public relations side of the business, focus questions around, “How have you handled our company’s relationship with X topic/company/etc.? How much of your time do you spend avoiding negative PR vs creating positive PR?” Always make the employee feel valued! After all, they dedicated a portion of their day specifically to you.
    • Extra Tip: Set yourself up for a seamless conversation by noting the topics you’d like to learn about in the introductory email! For example, if you’re reaching out to a Marketing employee at a brand agency, ask about specific projects, brands, or processes you are interested in so that your conversation is already on track.
  • Thank Them for their Time! Always always always make sure to express gratitude to the person for taking up a part of their day to speak with you. Thank the person for discussing their role, opening up about a certain topic, offering advice or direction, etc. We also encourage you to follow up with a thank you note or email to wrap up the chat in a kind way.
  • Maintain the Relationship: A coffee chat might be a periodic occurrence, but communication should not be. Make sure to maintain the relationships that you’ve worked to schedule and cultivate! Whether this means a weekly check-in, email update of your recent accomplishments, or quick link to a relevant article, make sure to keep consistent contact and follow-up after your thank you note!
    • Extra Tip: Especially in instances where the employee you chatted with could assist in a future job opportunity or interview process, remember the value in creating personal relationships that span beyond the scope of day-to-day work and tasks. Showing your desire to keep up to date will undoubtedly assist you in building a support network to vouch for you as it relates to any role.

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

Let’s Chat…Traveling Home during the Holidays!

Welcome back to the blog friends! As Thanksgiving weekend rapidly approaches, we thought there was no better time to catch you up on everything you need to know about airport prep. Keep reading below to find out our best tips and tricks for navigating through this busy season and ensuring you’re on track to having the smoothest traveling experience possible.

Let’s Chat… Travel “Prep”

Night Before

The night before the flight is undoubtedly your time to shine. What do we mean by that? Use your home Wi-Fi, download your movies, and take advantage of this time to have everything you need for the actual plane ride intact! Follow along with the checklist we created to assemble your carry-on.

  • Chargers – for all tablets, laptops, cellphones, headphones, and more!
  • Downloads – Podcasts, Movies, TV, Music, and more!
  • Any snacks to get you through the day (granola bars, bagged snacks, etc.)
  • An empty water bottle to bring with you on vacation – make sure that there are no liquids left in its content so as to avoid problems at security!
  • Any books or beach essentials to start on the plane…
  • Hand wipes, sanitizer, face masks, and other resources to allow you to reach optimal comfort on the flight. 
  • Neck pillows, blankets, or other seat compliments. 

Morning Of

We encourage you to use the morning of to secure all of your vacation essentials. At this point, it would be most beneficial for your carry-on and flight belongings to be prepared and ready to grab on the way out the door. But… did you pack:

  • Pajamas
  • Exercise or activity clothing/gear
  • Night-time outfits for a fancier “vibe” – always remember to bring extra layers or jackets in case your location cools off or endures a breeze!
  • All appropriate shoes: for exercise, lounge, nights out and walks around town.
  • “Hang out” clothing like tees, shorts, sweats, and other comfort essentials. 
  • If you’re going someplace warm… bathing suits, sunscreen, hats, flip flops, ponytails, scrunchies, cover-ups, and all of your pool go-to’s!

We hope that this list provides MORE than enough of a start for you to be secure as you step onto your flight. Safe travels and we hope you enjoy your trip!

If you’re looking for a new position… check out our open jobs list!

Let’s Chat… Self-care During Exam Season!

Welcome back, everyone! We hope that you enjoyed your weekend and are staying prepared ahead of exam season. To our undergrad students, post-grad students, law students, and any other followers proceeding along their academic tracks, this article is for you. With Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaching, how are you making sure that you don’t get too stressed at school? How do you practice self-care at college? Find out everything you need to know below!

Let’s Chat… Self-care During Busy Seasons!

  • Meditation: The task sounds more intimidating than the actual practice itself.. most people envision meditation, gratitude, and mindfulness practices as an hour-long activity requiring you to sit on a yoga mat and breathe. Well, we’re here to debunk this myth! Gratitude and meditation practices make take just a few short minutes and may include a thought or two, a journaling exercise, or some breathing, but they do not need to take up a large part of your day. We encourage you to do so when you wake up or before bed, especially by putting your phone down and “unplugging” from electronics.
  • Say No: Learning how to say no! We often feel pressured by “FOMO” to attend any and all events while in high school, throughout college, and beyond. However, if you’re reaching burnout or a point where the stress of balancing all activities is beginning to outweigh the social benefit, it’s important to set boundaries with yourself. Remember, saying no does not need to be viewed as a negative but instead as a beneficial moment to allow yourself to recharge and attain an independent moment to relax.
  • Engage in and Allow Yourself Breaks: Using breaks to actually break from schoolwork, social events, or activities is the best way to recharge your body and brain for a great rest of the day. Breaks lead to better productivity, so they should be viewed as equally important to the moments and hours spent being productive.
    • Extra Tip: While taking a break, we encourage you to go for a walk, exercise, stretch, practice yoga, grab a snack, make a smoothie, walk to a cafe for a cup of coffee or tea, call a friend, take a bath, paint your nails, do a face mask or skincare routine, light a candle, listen to music, listen to a podcast, or engage in a small activity solely for the joy of it! Above all, make sure that your “break” isn’t a secret disguise while you’re still glued to a screen. Put that phone down!
  • Input “Self-Care” Into Your Schedule: By actually documenting moments of self-care as events on your schedule, you will be more likely to “complete” it. Visually and physically blocking out time for self-care will help you practice it every day! Start by identifying the points in the day where you could best utilize a break and then block it in: we recommend in the morning before you start your day, in the middle, in the late afternoon prior to dinner, or before bed! Any of those will help break up your day and add in a little “treat.”

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

Let’s Chat… Role Transitions!

Welcome back, everyone! We hope that you are gearing up to head into a long, holiday weekend. We are so grateful to our brave veterans who deserve a day full of gratitude, relaxation, and joy. Please read below to find out more about navigation transitions at work. Whether you are heading to a new role internally, seeking an external opportunity, or simply rotating within your same team…this article is for you!

Let’s Chat…Handing off Your Role:

  • Preparation: Above all, preparing to leave your future “replacement” in a beneficial spot is the most courteous way to create a smooth transition. After all, you aren’t expected to stay in one role your whole life, so leaving on good terms with any company, team, or manager will likely revolve around how you leave things. If you have any outstanding projects, due dates, emails to get back to, etc., put in the extra time over your last few weeks to complete everything so that the next employee can start FRESH!
  • Create Guides or Manuals: Almost every single role across each business industry comes with specific software, operations, logistics, templates, etc. Be mindful of systems or processes that you may have unique knowledge about; creating standard work guides, best practice resources, or other training materials is a great way to not only mitigate the need for you to continue helping the team after leaving but will set your team up for sustainable success after you’re gone.
    • Extra tips: Think through the technology or platforms that you use on a daily basis to complete your given role. How can you create a resource (most likely an online document) that will assist the next employee with completing their tasks? Where did you learn the platform? Which teammates helped you to train? Thinking through the inputs you utilized to become a pro in your role is part of going the extra mile to showcase your care for your transition and commitment to any company. This does not need to be a novel… a few pages may suffice! Just make sure all login information is converted, platforms are explained, directions are given… and you’ll be set to leave!
  • Transfer Contact Information: This may be best situated within a resource document, but we encourage you to write down any applicable contract information that will help the future team member. Whether this means other team members, Microsoft Teams groups, your manager, or any other employee “resources,” documenting these people’s contact info. is guaranteed to save this person time when they run into a question! Also, if you’re able to, make sure to add your replacement to any relevant distribution lists so that they can hop onto email chains even before joining your team.
  • Act as an Ongoing Resource! Finally, we highly encourage you to offer ongoing assistance, at least over the first few weeks when the new person takes their role. While they may be feeling flustered, guiding someone through a task you’ve likely done for years will take minimal time out of your day! Being a resource to this person is not only great “karma” for you but an awesome way to continue showing your company that you care.

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

Let’s Chat… Receiving Constructive Criticism!

Welcome back, everyone! Thank you for tuning into our most recent chat on what to expect and prepare for yearend reviews. These processes are crucial, even if uncomfortable, to our professional development and growth. For that reason, and in anticipation of receiving constructive feedback, we thought we’d dive into how to best receive and respond to criticism today!

Let’s Chat… Receiving Constructive Feedback

  • Mindfulness of Tone and Presence: In these types of conversations, the most meaningful effect often isn’t even the constructive feedback itself, but the way you receive and reply to it. Be mindful of smiling, maintaining eye contact, and avoiding any demonstration of irritation. This means… don’t eye roll, slouch in your seat, look around the room, or otherwise display signs of disengagement. Receiving feedback is all about personal preference, interest in growing and embracing criticism, and actively listening.
  • Active Listening! While it is crucial that you allow your manager to release all of their thoughts in a concise message, know that it is absolutely appropriate and often expected that you reply with questions that show you’re engaged and interested in growing. Whether this means asking for specific examples, creating measurable goals to improve on these skills, or asking if you can continually touch base in the future on this type of feedback, showing that you’re actively listening to their feedback will set you up for a successful conversation.
  • Thankful Attitude: As we explained on Monday, while you should always thank someone else for taking the time to engage with you no matter the topic, it’s essential to thank your manager for feedback and not express any animosity depending on the result. Getting constructive criticism is a part of life, and a vital skill to success is being able to channel those types of messages with action and appreciation.
    • Reiteration From Monday…Review New Goals Before Making Final! The most important note of all, make sure that you and your manager are absolutely on the same page before solidifying your new goals in any type of HR platform. Make sure that your goals are SMART (measurable!), align with your interests and role, and are reviewed by the leadership that will evaluate them. Creating an open channel of communication so that your goals are interactive is key to success.
  • Provide Your Feedback Too: It often seems like managerial feedback is a one-way street, but if you are approached during the yearend review process to provide feedback for your manager, take advantage of the opportunity to do so. This is a great time to discuss your alignment with their communication style if you want to receive more frequent feedback if you’re happy with the projects and responsibilities you’ve been given, and the general way that they impact your career experience and growth. In the same way that you expect to be given feedback in a kind manner and with respect, exemplify the same awareness of creating a positive conversation. And whenever able, always end on a positive note!

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

Let’s Chat… Year-end Reviews!

Welcome back, everyone! Happy Halloween… we hope that your day is full of sweets and trick-or-treating!

When you are back home and settled, make sure to read the below to learn about upcoming, corporate year-end review processes. What should you do to prepare? How do you guide or participate in these conversations? Find out everything you need to know here!

Let’s Chat…Year-End Review Process

  • Stay Aligned with Your Goals: If you work for a corporation, you’ve likely engaged in the goal-setting process. What this means is that we use online platforms to input different types of goals (professional, cultural, behavioral, etc.) so that we can create a measure of accountability on a bi-annual basis. While you should be checking in on the progress of your goals on at least a quarterly basis, your year-end review is a guaranteed time during which these will be evaluated. In order to best stay prepared, we encourage you to embed specific, measurable examples of how you’ve reached or worked towards these goals in your self-review. If you’ve missed the mark in certain places… ask yourself, why? What could you do better next year? On the other hand, if you have bypassed your goals with flying colors, ask yourself…can we adjust these to be more challenging? How can you expand on the skills you’ve developed in 2022 to ensure you continue to grow in the new year?
  • Create a Comfortable Atmosphere: Remember, you will get out of the conversation exactly what you give! Like we said above, put meaningful effort into evaluating how you’ve met goals, made progress towards goals, turned in unanticipated directions, adapted goals, or even fallen short. It’s okay to learn and to grow! Goals are fluid and not fixed, so they can change to adapt to how your role ebbs and flows throughout the year. Especially by addressing shortcomings with the same value as strengths, you are setting yourself up to have a meaningful conversation in which feedback and critique are encouraged on both an employee and manager level.
    • Specifically, Call out Your Own Constructive Criticism: Before entering into the conversation, identify areas that you could personally see a need for growth or that you anticipate a person in leadership may call out. That way, you’ll avoid ever coming across as arrogant or unaware of yourself. I specifically measured the metrics in my goals against my performance (ex: aim for 5 meetings with various company leaders – did you have 3 meetings? 6? How do you measure up?), and in doing so, was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to seek out my own areas of improvement.
  • Say Thank You: While you should always thank someone else for taking the time to engage with you no matter what the topic, it’s especially important to thank your manager for feedback and not express any animosity depending on the result. Getting constructive criticism is a part of life, and a vital skill to success is being able to channel those types of messages with action and appreciation.
  • Review New Goals Before Making Final! The most important note of all, make sure that you and your manager are absolutely on the same page before solidifying your new goals in any type of HR platform. Make sure that your goals are SMART (measurable!), align with your interests and role, and are reviewed by the leadership that will evaluate them. Creating an open channel of communication so that your goals are interactive is key to success.

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

Let’s Chat… Interview Dress Code!

Welcome back, everyone! As you head into Halloween weekend, we hope that you will be able to fit in a quick read on a super crucial topic for all candidates: how to dress appropriately for an interview. If you read our most recent post, then you know the importance of complying and being speedy about verification processes like background checks. However, how are you supposed to dress so as to fit in with the culture and present yourself as a top candidate? Find out everything you need to know below!

Let’s Chat… Interview Dress!

  • Research: You have to research the company beforehand anyways, so you should definitely compile a bit of research about the company culture. In doing so, try to figure out how they dress by checking out their social media, pictures on the website, or capture any information in an employee or company resource guide. Types of dress include business professional, business casual, and generally casual – we recommend dressing in a way that will allow you to fit into the company preference. If the way they dress is uncomfortable to you, make sure you evaluate this component of a role well ahead of the interview process to best understand your fit!
  • Dress For Success: Let’s say that you’ve already done your research and discovered that the company is business casual, but you really wanted to wear your pencil skirt or suit. Guess what? It’s okay to overdress for the interview! Dressing for success is proven to boost our confidence in situations like interviews. Extra effort is always okay for an interview outfit – just make sure that you are comfortable with envisioning how you will fit into the long-term dress expectations.
  • Simplicity: When you think of your outfit, keep it simple. Don’t go overboard on jewelry, accessories, brand names or labels, layers, colors, patterns, etc. We are explaining this to make sure that you don’t distract from the most important part of the interview… you! Try to incorporate simple pieces that are elegant and conservative.
    • Extra tip: Simplicity also applies to colors! Sticking to blacks, browns, greys, dark blues, or other dark shades of colors will ensure you appear professional and aligned with any possible company culture or dress code.
    • Extra, extra tip: If you are someone who may sweat under pressure, we recommend layering your outfit so that you have an opportunity to cool off when you arrive at the office. This may look like a cardigan, blazer, jacket, etc., whatever it may be, doing so will help you to not feel trapped or suffocated by your nerves! Arriving early is also a great way to allow yourself extra time to use the bathroom, cool off, reorganize and feel fully prepared when you are ultimately called into the meeting!

Remember, interview outfits are not intended to be that stressful! Planning ahead of time, ordering a few appropriate pieces to choose from, and trying things on before the interview day will help you to feel as comfortable and confident as possible.

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

Let’s Chat…Candidate Verification

Welcome back, everyone! We hope that you had a great weekend. I spent mine in Lake Dunmore, VT – a place and state that I have never seen, and couldn’t have had a better time. If you need a reminder to soak up the fall season and enjoy the crisp outdoors, colors of trees, falling leaves, and the other special elements of this season… this is your reminder!

However, if you saw our blog last week, then we are hoping you might’ve taken advantage of one of our postings and applied to a new open job! If you are in an interview process and don’t know what to expect when it comes to reference letters or background checks, have no fear. Keep reading below to find out exactly what to expect during this piece of the process!

Background and Reference Checks…

  • Communicate with your References: Throughout your career, references and complimentary letters will have a large influence on your interview and candidate success. So, make sure that you are using references that are current, that you’ve communicated with, and that are ready to verify who you are to your future employer! Whether this means a catch-up phone call, a quick text, or a formal email, giving your references a “heads up” ahead of the initiation of onboarding is a great way to prepare and stay on top of your obligations.
    • Extra Tip: If you’re looking for a reference letter, check in with professors, past managers, mentors, and other professional relations! Make sure that you are continuing to engage in these types of conversations throughout your entire career so that these relationships don’t fade. Even if you are comfortable in your role, you never know when a new opportunity may come knocking on your door, and a sturdy reference letter might be the piece that pushes you over the edge and helps you secure the role!
  • Locate Your Closest Background Resource: One thing that I did not know when engaging in the onboarding process for my internship, full-time job, and other opportunities, is that there is a limited quantity of locations in which you can obtain fingerprinting and other background check elements. For that reason, prepare ahead of time by researching, asking your employer, and ultimately locating the nearest resource that you can utilize to complete your tasks! Doing so will allow you to coordinate transportation ahead of time, communicate with your employer about an appropriate deadline, and get one step closer to your first day of work.
    • Extra Tip: These ‘checks’ often look like drug tests as well as finger-printing screenings. Make sure that you are complying with company policies and in line to be able to submit these materials as soon as they are requested. If the cost of traveling to these locations and completing your tasks is impeding your ability to complete them, then chat with your interviewer or hiring manager to understand potential stipend or reimbursement opportunities.
  • Stay in Touch with Your Hiring Managers: Above all, maintaining a positive relationship with your hiring manager should be a top priority. So, make sure to be aware of all deadlines, expectations, and onboarding tasks throughout the entire process. Know that there is no such thing as too much information, and follow-up emails showcase your dedication and preparation! Make sure that you’ll be in the right city when onboarding starts, that you have the correct access to facilities, and that your employer has provided you with the full picture. In no time, you’ll be starting a new venture!

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