Tag Archives: donate

Clean Up Your Fall Wardrobe

stk325045rknAs the summer heat fades away and the chill of fall fills the air, you’ve likely already started adjusting your wardrobe to match the weather. While it’s necessary to change up your clothing choices for different seasons, it’s important to first take stock of what you have, reorganize, and have a plan for cooler days.

If you’re a college student in your final year of school, fall is also a great time to start building a professional wardrobe before entering the professional job search.

Regardless of whether you’re just starting out or well into your working years, here are a few tips to help you clean up your fall wardrobe and make a strong impression in the workplace.

Store, donate, or toss.
With summer in the rear view mirror, it’s time to take stock of which warm-weather pieces can transition appropriately into fall. Store things like short-sleeved items and lighter jackets, and bring out heavier jackets, long-sleeved blouses or shirts, scarves, etc. For those still in school, this is a great time to shop after-season sales. Look for work-appropriate summer attire at discounted rates. Shopping a season “behind” can help you build your wardrobe without breaking the bank.

Assess options.
Think about where you were last year during this season. Are your wardrobe staples still appropriate in your current position? Over the course of changing seasons, perhaps you, too, have transformed professionally. Fall is a great time to re-evaluate your wardrobe and make appropriate changes to better fit your current role or company culture.

Make a shopping list and budget.
Which pieces do you need for this new season? How much are you willing to spend? One of the best ways to build a solid collection of work clothes—regardless of season—is to save a set amount of money each month solely for wardrobe purchases. On your shopping list, make sure you include versatile basics that can go with multiple other pieces.

If you’re a college student, think strategically about what you want to buy. If you can only afford one or two items, start with key items like dress pants, pencil skirts, practical shoes, etc. Again, versatile pieces that can be paired with various other items can allow you to build a great foundation for your fall wardrobe.

What other tips do you have for cleaning up your fall wardrobe? Let us know in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Poll: How Do You Give Back?

MOV_POLL-ICONIf you lead a busy life with a packed schedule and never-ending to-do lists, finding time to volunteer may be the last thing on your mind. Yet, the benefits of volunteering are numerous! While the biggest value of giving back is the impact on your community, it can also aid in your job search. When you volunteer, you gain new skills to add to your resume, find networking opportunities, and become a more attractive candidate to employers.

Because there are multiple ways to give back in the community, we want to know what you’re doing to make an impact and be involved.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

The Results Are In: How do you give back?

poll_results_how_do_you_give_back_webGiving back can be a great feeling, help you network, and make you more employable. Being a volunteer can set you apart from other job candidates and give you an entirely new set of skills. Because of this, we asked Movin’ On Up readers how they gave back to the community through charitable citizenship.

What the Survey Revealed
The survey revealed that nearly 42% of readers give back by volunteering their time and talents. The rest of the respondents give back in the following ways:

  • Donating food, clothes, or other needed items to organizations  30%
  • Donating funds to charitable organizations                                    9%
  • Donating blood                                                                               2%
  • Other                                                                                            17%

Although the majority of respondents spend time volunteering, a third donate tangible items to organizations in need, nearly 10% of respondents pull out their wallet to give funds to various charities, and 2% donate blood.

A number of respondents selected the “Other” option and provided their own responses to the poll. Of the 17% who selected “Other,” responses included:

  • All of the above
  • Walk-a-thons
  • Wild land search and rescue
  • Volunteering at the local hospices

Keep Giving Back
The results of the poll indicate that people give back in a variety of ways. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that people most often volunteered with religious (33%), education or youth-service related (25%), and social or community organizations (14%). This leads us to ask, what are your favorite ways and places to volunteer? Let us know in the comments section below!

 Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

You Can Be Part of Brand It Blue Day

On Saturday, June 13, Express Employment Professionals offices across North America will gather together for Brand It Blue Day. The event is a day of service aimed to help in the fight against hunger, and you can be a part of it!

Why Is It Important?
Summer is an especially difficult time of year for children as most of the school meal programs end, leaving millions of kids at risk of going hungry. In 2013, more than 21.5 million children received free or reduced-price meals through their school programs and only 2.5 million of those children took part in summer food service programs. In Canada, more than 310,000 children receive their meals through food banks each month.

What’s The Impact?
In 2014, 205 Express offices participated in Brand It Blue Day and more than 1,000 volunteers showed up at their local food pantries to help. Thanks to everyone’s help, Express was able to collect enough food and donations to provide more than 55,000 meals to those in need. During the past two years, Express has supplied more than 91,000 meals.

Why Should You Help?
Volunteering adds valuable experience to your resume. Whether you’re a job seeker who just graduated or someone who has been out of the workforce for an extended period of time, volunteering can help add to your work history and set you apart from the competition. Spending your time serving in your community helps you gain networking opportunities that can lead to jobs, provides new skills that you can add to your resume, and shows you have a passion for helping others. In fact, a recent report by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that volunteering was associated with 27% higher odds of employment.

How Can You Help?
Now that you know the impact of Brand It Blue Day and the value of volunteering, you may be wondering how you can be part of the big event. If the Express office in your city is taking part in Brand It Blue Day, you may be able to volunteer your time at a food bank or bring in donations to a canned food drive. Contact your local Express office and find out if they’ll be participating in this day of service so you can help!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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Poll: How Do You Give Back?

MOV_POLL-ICONWhether you’re volunteering at a local food pantry or donating clothes to a shelter, giving back is a great feeling. And it can help you in your job search too. Adding volunteer experience to your resume can help separate you from the crowd of people applying to the same jobs. When you volunteer, you have the opportunity to make connections and network, and you can learn new skills that enhance your resume. A report by the Corporation for National and Community Service recently found that “volunteering was associated with 27% higher odds of employment.”

Aside from making you more employable, giving back is also a wonderful way to be a part of your community. So, we want to know how you give back through charitable citizenship.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.