How to Stay Hired

We have all been there. Sweaty palms. Crinkled resumes. Scuffed shoes. It’s job interview day and despite sticking those germ-infested hooves in our mouth during an intense question, we snagged ourselves an illustrious position at our dream job. 

You see, several years ago, that was me. I remember what I was wearing, the weather, a few of the interview Q&A's.

After a while I got comfortable with everyone and work life proceeds. The mantra practice makes perfect fueled me through the day. However, a nagging question snuck in, how do I keep the dream alive? How do I stay hired?

And now I’ve planted it in your head…

Be On Time: Punctuality is equivalent to reliability. Not only should you be on time to plopping your fine rear anatomy at your desk in the morning (seriously, how many traffic jams can your encounter in a week. Seriously.) but you should be on time with handing your work into your boss and to your clients.

Be Honest: Own up to your mistakes. While it is a globally known fact that America is in crisis mode for an ever-growing debt, (you didn’t really think that was was a national secret, did you?) that is not the only deficit we own. We are deficient when it comes to taking responsibility.

Be Likeable: What does that even mean? If your coworkers grimace when you talk, that’s a strong indicator you are on the wrong spectrum of likeability. If you extend a BBQ invite and 80% of the office shows, you’re on the right track. Listen to people, share your food (be respective to food allergies and try not to get people severely harmed) and respect boundaries.

Be Open: Whether it’s opening up to others, being open to ideas or critique or helping others open up, shutting down means you lose out. Allow people to explore alongside you.

Be Proactive: Don’t wait for someone to ask you to do something. If you see the water is about to run over the sink ledge, for Niagara Fall’s sake, get up and shut it off even if you didn’t leave it on. A cautious person with a good set of eyes in the future who has the team’s back (quite the visual) is always an asset.

Be Versatile: Let people know about your multi-faceted skills and your willingness to use them whenever, however, and wherever needed. This may be your dream job in an illustrious team, but it takes many moving parts to make mighty things happen. Moreover, it takes all kinds of special too.

So finally, how to stay hired is to be hired. While being on time is essential, don’t just show up because it’s your dream. Be hired. And stay hired.

Here’s to many more years at Worx…because it just Worx for me.

I Give it a Year

I give it a year.

To many people this would seem like a negative thing; a phrase of most epically discouraging and disrespectful proportions; a cocky bet against a relationship, business – just a bad omen against any success.

To me it was five of the most encouraging words I could have heard while in my work place.

You see, being the new girl or guy is hard no matter what you know, where you are or whom you work for – even though I work for and with amazing people: Dynamic visionaries, acceptant of my quirks and qualms. Yes, I’m getting paid while I write this blog, but I’m not getting paid to write this blog. (See what I did there?)

So there I was, initiating a performance review – a stuffy, archaic choice of words compared to how Worx works, but that is how the corporate world recognizes this concept…

So I asked, how am I doing? I really wanted to know if, in over-dramatizing my resumé, was I also over promising my work? Sure, I didn’t say I could speak seven languages, was ambidextrous with my feet or I had the ability to levitate. However, I’m a writer, and that one sheet of paper was my chance to prove my creative linguistic abilities. So way back in October of 2013 I took the liberty of being creative.

Every day since Laura and I have been learning to understand and cultivate my written language, so it reflects the custom work and strategies Amber and Kassie establish. Thereafter I realized I got one thing right on my resume: A picture speaks a thousand words; a writer’s job is to find them. When I penned that I had not realized just how prophetic it would be, because now it was time to put that into effect.

I give it a year, she replied at that performance review. A year? I can do a year. I have plenty of those, I hope.

Here’s the gist of the conversation:

You’re getting there. Ask any of the girls, and they’ll tell you that it takes a good year to get to know the clients and to communicate with them, to communicate for them and to understand them and their brand. And to feel confident doing it.

According to my LinkedIn Profile, (my poor calculation capabilities are not to be trusted), I’m coming up on that year and as I look back, Laura’s right. Although I’m not surprised. I’m a self-deprecating woman, so I admit that I was hesitant to believe I’d have the gutsy (proud Green Couch product placement) to get to know the clients, communicate on their behalf and feel confident during the entire process.

Most importantly I’ve learned to refer to Worx in the first person, taking ownership of my identity among the Worx team.

Where I work, “Your big idea means as much to us as it does to you, which is why we create Visual Branding for Big Ideas…so, how can we make it Write For You?”

Well, here’s to many more years. Y’all are stuck with me now!