ENCOURAGE — HELP — TEACH

 

As an HR professional, I am here to help employees, managers, and owners be successful. Over the last 8 months, I’ve been volunteering every Thursday at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen helping homeless individuals craft their resumes and apply for jobs online. I am starting to see clearly how my ‘learned professional skillset’ can ultimately be used for a much greater good than just in my normal job as an HR consultant. My goal when volunteering (and professionally as well) is threefold (hint: caption above).

First and foremost it is to ENCOURAGE these individuals who have been through much heart ache, loss, and instability. Each person I meet with has God-given skills and I want them to realize (even for a few minutes) how equipped they are to use their skills to find gainful employment and to find stability in their life. At the end of each session, I pray over each person (who allows me to) and ask God for blessings on their lives, finding a stable job, and reconciling broken relationships. My hope is that they can leave that little office with a comfort of knowing God has given them valuable skills and that He loves them.

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How do you answer the age-old question: So, what do you do?

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HR Designs, LLC has teamed up with The Brunch Collective and a local nonprofit, The Chattery, to bring you a workshop on perfecting your elevator pitch.

No more awkward moments when you’re asked the age-old question: so, what do you do? Instead of stumbling to find the words, this workshop will help you craft a memorable and creative professional statement.

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Employing the Homeless: 7 Steps to Make a DIFFERENCE

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Over the past 2 months I have been volunteering with the Chattanooga Community Kitchen (CCK) helping homeless individuals in Chattanooga prepare for the job market. Every Thursday after they attend their weekly Employment class (led by Rob Lawrence), I volunteer time to help create/critique resumes and conduct mock interviews, etc.

Some of these individuals have never had a resume before and my role is to help them recognize and celebrate their skill sets/experiences that God has given them and provide encouragement in their pursuit of employment. They are pretty amazing individuals when you sit down and get to know them. I love it when I drill down and start to ask specific questions and they start rattling off all the things they have learned and can do…it is uplifting for them and myself. Every Thursday I leave in awe of their work experiences and how capable these individuals are.

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2016 TN SHRM State Conference…keep on learning!!

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Last week at this time, I was just finishing up the 2016 TN State SHRM Conference in Memphis, TN. They organized 2.5 days of jam-packed sessions focused on the new employment law changes as well as strategy sessions focused on recruitment, engagement, health & wellness, and the list keeps going. I got to meet new HR professionals that work in my state, in my own city, Chattanooga, and also reunite with some fellow HR colleagues that I met last year. Continue Reading →

Learn how to Interview at Startup Week Chattanooga!

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HR Designs is presenting a session for Chattanooga’s 2016 Annual Startup Week. Come check it out on Wednesday, October 5 at 2pm (Chicken Salad Chick on Market Street).

The session will be on “The ART of Interviewing with Purpose”. We will discuss the basics of structuring an effective interview session and will learn how to customize the interview for your company’s culture, values, and for a specific position. Register Here!

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