Tag Archives: inspiration

Women’s History Month: Quotes from Trailblazing Women

During Women’s History Month in March, North America and other countries honor the many accomplishments, innovations, and cultural triumphs of women. In 1981, Congress asked President Ronald Reagan to declare the week of March 7 “Women’s History Week.”

Since 1995, March has been designated as “Women’s History Month” in the U.S. In honor of the celebration, here are 10 inspiring career quotes from true trailblazers. (more…)

Be a Leader on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

COM14SM_MLK_504X504_JobseekerOne of the greatest leaders in American history was Martin Luther King, Jr. His leadership, influence, and impact on the civil rights movement was so memorable that he has a day dedicated in his honor – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Observed on the third Monday of January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal holiday marking the birthday of the fallen leader and offering a way to honor his contributions to American society. To date, King is the only non-president to receive a national holiday dedicated in his honor.

Martin Luther King, Jr. remains famous for his role in the modern American Civil Rights Movement in the 50s and 60s. He stood for nonviolent resistance and worked to end poverty and international conflict until his assassination in April of 1968.

A powerful leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired people across the world with his relentless spirit and tenacity. But, King’s influence did not end in the 60s. In fact, today’s job seekers can still take advice from the famous activist. As King himself showed, you don’t have to be in a leadership position to make a difference and enact a positive change. With determination, a strong work ethic, and an end goal in mind, you too can have a very powerful dream.

As King said, “Whatever your life’s work is, do it well.”

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

Think: Tips for Living a Peak Performer’s Life

walterbond_webAre you so busy with the day-to-day tasks of your life that you aren’t taking time to think about what you’re doing, or if you even enjoy doing it? For job seekers, the monotony of filling out applications, emailing resumes, and perfecting your interview skills can eventually take a toll on how you think about your life each day. The same is true for those new to the career world as they try to work their way up in a company or learn the ins and outs of their work environment.

According to former professional basketball player and motivational speaker Walter Bond, “We work so hard that we don’t have time to think. We don’t have time to use innovation and creativity…We are so busy ‘doing’ that we don’t leave time to think.”

If this sounds like you, don’t panic. Finding yourself so busy that you don’t take time to really think about what you’re doing is something that happens to almost everyone, and it can be reversed with a little effort.

In the first of a year-long series of motivational messages, Walter Bond discusses the importance of making time to stop and think in order to focus on where you are, where you’re going, and where you want to be.

Do you sometimes find yourself so busy with work or in your job search that you don’t allow yourself time to think? Let us know in the comments section below!

About Walter Bond
A former American professional basketball player, Walter Bond’s NBA career included 153 games with the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, and Detroit Pistons. Now, Walter takes what he learned from his life on the court and translates it into motivational and educational messages for thriving businesses and careers. With entertaining and dynamic messages, Walter has spoken to companies and associations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe.

For more information about Walter Bond, visit WalterBond.com.

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

5 Quotes to Inspire Your Job Search

5_Quotes_Inspire_Nov2013Searching for a job can feel overwhelming at times, but a little inspiration can help take away the pressure and bring motivation to help you keep looking. More than likely, you’ll experience rejection before landing that dream job, but keep your spirits high and press on. During the job search process, it’s important to keep a positive attitude. Here are five quotes that will help inspire and motivate you to continue searching.

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell

“Every experience in your life is being orchestrated to teach you something you need to know to move forward.” – Brian Tracy

“Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.” – Marva Collins

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”
T.S. Eliot

Do you have any encouraging quotes that help motivate you during your job search? Share with us in the comment section below.

Associate Spotlight: Jomon Raju

Express Employment Professionals employs more than 335,000 workers in the United States and Canada each year, and they all have a story to tell. They represent a diverse group of workers with different skills, backgrounds, and traditions that have a global impact on the economy. Our associates come from all walks of life and hold with them true stories of inspiration.

As we continue our series highlighting Express’ associates, we look at an associate who chased after opportunity and found that dream in an unlikely situation. Sometimes you may not start where you expect, but a solid work ethic and determination can help you end up where you want to be.

Jomon Raju
Jomon graduated from college in 2010 with a computer sciences degree, but was having trouble finding a job in the IT field.  As time went on with little to no position openings, he needed some sort of income until he could find a job in his field. One day, Jomon was driving down the highway and saw a sign for the downtown Fort Worth, TX, Express office, advertising openings for call center positions.

He jumped on the opportunity, applied, and was initially placed in a warehouse position he worked for six months. While working there, his supervisor found out that Jomon had a computer sciences degree.  The supervisor contacted the vice president of IT to let him know about Jomon and his education.  The VP and his group set up an interview with Jamon and were very impressed by his hard work and dedication. Even though the IT group concluded that Jamon didn’t have experience in the particular application they work with, they decided to invest the time in training him.

With training from the IT department, Jamon’s hourly rate increased by nearly 300%!  He’s been working on the documentation of their processes and the IT department has been very pleased with his performance. They’re now training him on their applications in hopes of having him on their development team.

“I never thought I’d find an IT position by taking a warehouse job,” Jomon said.

Express takes pride in the accomplishments of those individuals who come to us for work. Without the skills and talents our associates provide to employers, Express wouldn’t be what it is today. If you’re an Express associate and know a fellow associate who would be a great candidate for our associate spotlight, let your Express office know. If you have an Express associate you’d like to feature on Movin’ On Up, let us know in the comments below.

Jump into Spring with These Top Tips

Spring is in the air, and everyone is feeling the anticipation of sunny days and warmer weather. But, if you’re feeling the effects of losing an hour of sleep due to Daylight Saving Time and waking up before the sun rises, check out these top tips to help put the spring back in to your step.

Start Your Workday Right – It’s important to begin each day with a positive attitude. This will affect how others perceive you, your productivity, and your overall well-being. So, check out these seven tips to get you headed in the right direction.

Go on an Inexpensive Vacation – With the weather showing signs of spring, thoughts of a get-a-way are not too far off. But, with financial stresses and a heavy workload, a lengthy vacation may not be possible. But before you toss out the idea of a well deserved break, try these inexpensive ways to rejuvenate yourself just in time for spring.

Find Inspiration in Your Day – Let’s face it. The past year has been tough, but the recovery has started. If you’re trying to find some inspiration in your day, check out these four places to look.

Change Your Mood with Color – There’s a reason spring weather puts a little skip in your step. The green grass and blue skies are just two examples of what the changing landscape can do for your attitude. But, you don’t have to be outdoors to increase your positive behavior. Paint your destiny with these vibrant colors inside the workplace.

Re-energize at Work – Working out after the holidays isn’t the only time you should focus on your health. Spring weather is the perfect time to get out and get some exercise. Don’t have time to workout? No problem. These helpful tips can get you back into shape while you’re at work.

With a change in the temperature just around the corner, it’s time to shake off those winter blues and jump into spring with enthusiasm, a new attitude, and a fresh start.

Words of Wisdom

As we focus on our daily activities, sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Sometimes we get so caught up with what we are currently going through that we only see what’s right in front of our faces. In this economy, it’s easy to feel defeated and throw in the towel. It’s easy to get bummed out. But, there is hope.

With winter melting and the sun shining, now’s the time for you to look beyond the daily grind and see what’s on the horizon. What’s in the future? It’s time to remember our dreams. To help you keep sight of the big picture, I would like to share some of my favorite inspirational words. Take time to read these, apply them to your life, put them into action, and be inspired. Hope you enjoy!

"You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own and you know what you know and you are the one who’ll decide where to go." – Dr. Seuss

"So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then when we summon the will, they soon seem inevitable." – Christopher Reeve

"Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

"Because of our routines we forget that life is an ongoing adventure." – Maya Angelou

"To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world." – Josephine Billings

"Listen to the Mustn’ts, child, listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never have, then listen close to me. Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." – Shel Silverstein

Let these quotes inspire you! Do you have some favorite words to live by? We would like to know what they are. Share them here!