How to be a Star Employee and Still have a Life Outside of Work

 

Let’s face it, trying to be the outstanding employee you know that you can be and maintaining work/life balance can often be difficult. The struggle between dedicating all your time to your work responsibilities and wanting to be yourself without the suit and tie does not have to be an issue. You can be a star employee while being a great friend, volleyball player, chef, mother, or whatever it is that makes you who you are. According to an article written by entrepreneur Naomi Simson, happy people are 31 percent more productive at work, 40 percent more likely to receive a promotion (people like happy people), less absent, with 23 percent fewer fatigue symptoms, up to 10 percent more engaged at work and are able to sell more – happy sales people produce 37 percent greater sales.

Here are some tips for having an optimal work/life balance:

Written by Lauren Lind

• Set work goals. Make a short-term goal list (goals you want to accomplish in the next 6 months) then make a long-term goal checklist for work (this can be anywhere between 1 year and 5 years). 

• Make a bucket list with things you want to do in your personal life. Brainstorm and write down everything you can think of, then go back and organize your list into short-term and long-term items. Start to incorporate some of the big things on your list with your work goals. Reward yourself for

• Set boundaries and establish honest communication. Be honest with your supervisor and if you are feeling overwhelmed don’t pretend like you can take on more than you have agreed to. Ultimately this honesty will be appreciated and you can focus on the tasks at hand while leveraging your colleagues and assets, which will help everyone overall.

• Aim for quality over quantity. Meaningful accomplishments take some time. An example of this could be rather than aiming to close 50 accounts, work towards closing 25 accounts and getting those accounts to sign on at a higher price.

• Set your priorities straight. Have some things that you are not willing to budge on when it comes to work. For example if you are asked to stay late for the third time in row and are missing out on being with your family, have already established rules for yourself and be strong about taking time for your personal affairs.

• Treat yourself with respect. This begins with scheduling your day so that you can do the things that are important to your well being.

• Be mindful.  Understand that your personal life can have an impact on your professional life and vice versa. This means that you should be mindful of w

Volunteering Your Way to New Opportunities: Finding Happiness in Helping Others

Written by Lauren Lind

It’s about that time for swim suits, flip flops, ice cream, outdoor concerts, and many other fun summer activities! If you do not have a job lined up yet, or are perhaps interning part-time, consider using some of your time to give back to the community by volunteering.

Volunteering has been proven to reduce stress, improve health, and promote personal growth and self-esteem. It allows you the chance to test out a career. While making a positive difference in the community or wherever you choose to volunteer, you can also network your way to finding possible career options.

 

Here are some volunteer resources for you to use this summer:

• Volunteer Resource Center

• Hope Worldwide

• Projects Abroad

• National Sports Project for the Disabled

• Volunteer Match

• Cross Cultural Solutions

• United Way

• Boulder Shelter for the Homeless  

Not only can you bring happiness to other people’s lives, but you can also discover many opportunities that you might not have come across otherwise. Volunteering brings a variety of people together and making connections in these situations may just lead you to finding your future job. 

Life After Graduation- Dealing with the Stress of Not Yet Having a Job

 Written by Lauren Lind

Life is about to change drastically if you are graduating this week. You are about to enter the real world, where nine to fives are the norm and mid-day naps are no longer acceptable. The real world can seem daunting and you might feel like you need to have your whole life figured out. The stress of not having a job or a plan figured out after graduating can be overwhelming to say the least, but let’s not forget that you have just spent the last four years working hard to earn your bachelors degree. You will now join 30% of the US population by having your diploma. That is a huge accomplishment! Be proud, take the time to celebrate, and realize that the world is open to you.

Here are some tips to help you make it through hard post-graduation times:

• Take a deep breath. No really…do it. Everything is going to be okay. You, like many other recent college grads, also do not have jobs lined up yet.  What will ultimately set you apart is your resilience and determination when it comes to finding a job.

• Make a bucket list. You aren’t tied down to a job yet, which can be a beautiful thing for the time being. This is the time to figure out what it is you want to do and do it. You can try on different career hats by interning after college or even volunteering for a cause close to your heart.

• Schedule an appointment with a career counselor at Career Services. This can be a really great starting place when it comes to figuring out what your options are and you can begin to come up with a plan.  Career Services will be free to you as an alumnus for the first two appointments (and $30 each appointment thereafter), so take full advantage of the wonderful services we have to offer.

• Tailor your resume and cover letter. Ditch the generic resume and cover letter and set yourself apart from your competition with a tailored resume and cover.  For the best results, tailor both of these documents to each job you are applying to and hit on the keywords listed in the job description.

• Use your online job searching tools.  You can start looking on Career Buffs, Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn and other job searching sites for opportunities. Set a goal for yourself of applying to at least a certain amount per week and follow up with those you have applied to.

• Network. Find networking events in your area and have your parents and family friends spread the word that you are looking for a job.  You never know who will

• Make a spreadsheet for jobs applied to and connections you have made. A great way to stay organized in your job search is to keep track of the jobs you’ve applied.  Make a spreadsheet with the jobs you have applied to, the dates and who you have followed up with on specific dates. You can also track people emailed or connections that you need to follow up with from networking.

• Find your stress outlet. It could be running, painting, making music, journaling,  but whatever it is, make sure you set time aside in your day to give your mind a rest from job searching.

I know these times are exciting and terrifying all at the same time if you are graduating this week. Be proud of yourself and realize that with some hard work and determination, you can and will find a job. Don’t forget to enjoy life in the process. Call Career Services to schedule an appointment at 303.492.6541 or make an appointment online if you’ve graduated less than a year ago.