Now Is The Time to Be MORE DSM Employment Ready

Palmer Group has been providing employment solutions since 1998. Like so many of you, our daily routines and operations have changed dramatically with the COVID-19 pandemic, but our commitment to helping individuals and companies perform their best continues to be our top priority. At Palmer Group, we are working hard to empower you for a lifetime of success.

Improve Your Employability Value to Be DSM Employment Ready

We all have natural characteristics and abilities. In addition, we have picked up skills and competencies we have learned as we have grown in our personal and professional lives. In this period of uncertainty and concern of what the future holds, now is the time take a moment every day to ensure you are prepared to be the best, most valuable person you can be. What can I do today to make me a stronger, more valued contributor to my family, relationships and my workplace? The team at Palmer Group has put together a list of easy tips you can utilize daily to improve your employability value to your current or future employer. Capitalize on your strengths today to be more DSM Employment Ready tomorrow!

• It is a great time to take online classes for certificates to add to your resume: Google Analytics Certified, SEO, PMP, Six Sigma, etc. — KEEP LEARNING!
• Learn a brand new skill; sign language class, another language or a new software/platform, for example. The opportunities are endless.
• READ all the business books you've been putting off. This will help you stay sharp and motivated, along with being a great opportunity to learn and enhance your skills!
• Subscribe to a newsletter or podcast to stay current in your industry.
• Make new connections in your industry on LinkedIn. Brainstorm together ways to stay current and sharp!
• Connect with a colleague every day, even if it isn't work related. Check in on each other!
• Find ways to help while still social distancing. Utilize your gifts to help others.
• Now is an excellent time to sharpen your communication skills and people skills by picking up a self-improvement book that you otherwise may not have the time to read. There are tons of great books out there that are easily accessible via Kindle that can improve someone's ability to connect with people which, in my opinion, is more valuable than any other skill out there. I believe the investment into one's self and into other people is the best investment someone can make. Some of my favorite books for developing these skills are: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, Skill with People and The Art of Dealing With People both by Les Giblin and then The Friendship Factor by Alan Loy McGinnis. Making time to develop the skill of reading self-improvement books is an investment that will pay dividends far beyond the time it takes to build a habit of consistency in this area.
• Looking for ways to cope/manage stress? Give yourself something to look forward to — schedule/plan fun activities in advance. It could be a video call with a friend, baking or cooking something new or learning how to play a new game with your family.
• Take advantage of free, online learning opportunities! There are many FREE options on YouTube and academic websites to enroll in a short course and advance your skills! These courses can be added to your resume to show additional training and put you ahead of your competition for that next job.
• Many of us who are used to working in an office everyday are faced with new challenges working from home. However, much of our ability to be successful will lie with our attitude. Are you frustrated that you "have to" work from home and deal with new challenges? I would recommend you shift your mindset to the fact that you "get to" work from home and the opportunity it presents. It's an opportunity to catch up and tackle those tasks you've been putting off. Remember that article a colleague sent that looked good ... but that you haven't had time to read? Pull it out of the archives and give it a read! Is your Inbox a mess? Do you have too many folders, not enough? Take this opportunity to purge and organize your inbox.
• Keep up the chatter! Offices are where we get our work done, but they also serve as a place for community and social interaction. Utilize technology like Microsoft Team, Skype and Zoom. Text your coworkers, send them funny GIFs or your latest four-year-old “coworker” having a melt down over the crayons. We want to continue to stay engaged and keep up with our sense of normalcy. Virtual happy hours are a great way to do a recap of the day and still provide a sense of togetherness.
• Stay positive! Have you ever heard of the Law of Attraction? Thinking positive thoughts attracts positive reactions! Use this law to your advantage and imagine yourself in the perfect position, at the company of your dreams. What does that look like; what industry are you in? How much money are you making? What does the environment look like? Be specific in your list: write everything down and reference it multiple times a day. This will not only help you with attracting the things you want, but it will help you gain perspective about what is most important to you in your job.

You can count on The Partnership to continue to share accurate and fact-based updates as well. See more on COVID-19 here.

Find more tools, tips and techniques to increase your employability value and become the employee you want to be with the DSM Employment Ready podcast.