Career Kate

I hope everyone is staying safe! I had the pleasure of having a conversation with Linda Barnhart, retired nurse and burgeoning sewist.  She shared a great story of how a community came together for the greater purpose of helping others. Linda and at least 12 other sewist who have donated over 3000 masks in the last 2 months! Great job to everyone who has contributed their skills, supplies, and time. This is a fantastic example of how a community coming together can make everyone stronger! Here is the conversation with Linda Barnhart, where she shares all the work she and others have been doing with mask-making for their community! Special thanks, to Andersen Corporation's Plant in Bayport, MN and Affinity for Quilting in White Bear Lake, MN.  Affinity for Quilting donated fabric and Andersen's Bayport Plant had many individuals help sew masks. Thank you for all the service everyone has provided. Additionally, I want to share my appreciation a

Routine for Success - Keep Truckin’ Whether it is working from home, being a teacher to the kiddos, or trying to find a balance between family life and career; making these adjustments can pose challenges to staying on top of all the chaos. Here are a few tips to consider in helping you thrive in this new environment and successfully adjust to the colliding of our work/life worlds.          Stick with a routine: Working from home hasn’t stopped me from waking up at 6:30 to perform my normal routine: I get up, brush my teeth, wash my face, have my coffee, pick out a cute shirt to wear and do my hair and make-up. Don’t worry, I still seize the opportunity to wear yoga pants all day. But this allows me to start my day feeling (and looking!) good and ready for whatever will come next. -         This tip is all about building a structure and routine to help cultivate a positive mindset even if I am not leaving the house or seeing anyone besides my husband.

Tips on Getting a Job During COVID-19 With unemployment on a rise and being in a time of uncertainty, my heart goes out to those who have been laid off/lost their jobs as a result. It may be a challenge to land a new job in this market; here are a few quick action items to take to improve your search. Build Your Network: The old adage “It’s all about who you know,” is more imperative now than ever. Take this opportunity to meet new people and reconnect with friends and family. LinkedIn is a GREAT tool; don’t be shy, ask individuals to connect and have a virtual networking meeting. In today’s world of Social Distancing, suggest connecting via email conversation, phone call or video conference. Whichever works best for the other party. ñ        Tips to Prepare for Networking Meeting: Prepare questions ahead of time to cover during the conversation. Send the questions, a brief introduction of yourself, as well as, roles and target companies you are seeking.

Unfortunately, with COVID-19 and social distancing, getting involved in the community is inherently more challenging. Don’t let this be an excuse not to get involved; there are still plenty ways to lend a helping hand. With a few hours of your time, you can easily help those in need, create a stronger community and grow long-term relationships with others. I am sure you are wondering, if I can’t go places to help, what can I do? ñ         Volunteer Virtually : Here are a few sites where you can find openings locally or simply power up the Google machine to find opportunities. o    HandsOn Twin Cities o    Red Cross o    www.urbanventures.org/volunteer ñ         Buy local : Our small businesses need some love! Support local/small businesses to give them the opportunity to re-open their doors when it is time! One way to do this is ordering takeout to help restaurants. ñ         If you can, donate to your favorite charities. Many foundations ar