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Tips on Staying Safe at Work – on a worksite

Natasha JeshaniNews

This week we want to discuss a few pro tips on how to remain safe on a worksite! A typical worksite already has so many existing safety precautions in place, but it is important to have a set list of COVID-19 safety protocols as well. Although health and safety should always be at the forefront of everyone’s mind, it is especially important now with the increased risk in contracting an illness through interaction. Any labour position on an active site involves a lot of, well, labour! By using your hands and collaborating with your team throughout the day, it is crucial you follow safety protocols and procedures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect both yourself and your colleagues. Wear your mask Plain and simple, make sure to bring your mask everywhere you go and wear it in all public environments (not just work). This will effectively limit the germs you spread, as well as protect yourself from others. Invest in one or two reusable masks that you are comfortable wearing for long durations and use them for work only. By doing so, you will be limiting work exposures to your home life, as well as remaining prepared for …

How to feel “unstuck” while feeling “stuck” at home

Natasha JeshaniNews

Most of us are currently following the stay at home orders that have been instituted all over the world. I have been hearing a lot of people saying things like “I just feel stuck” or “I feel like this is wasted time”. The fact is, most of the world is in the same situation, so feeling like you are getting left behind as the world is moving forward simply isn’t the case, we are all in the same boat. Mindset is key in this situation. It’s important that you are choosing to see the silver lining of this extra time as the chance to use it however you feel works best for you. For some, that will mean some much needed down time, for others, it might be getting in that quality time with the kids that you have been missing. For others, it can be a time to grow your skills and knowledge to set you apart when the world returns to normal. Here are some ideas of great ways to keep that stagnant feeling at bay! Take an online class Utilize some of the wonderful online learning platforms to deepen your software skills, learn about how other people …

Supporting Your Teams Suffering From Anxiety

Natasha JeshaniNews

Anxiety is essentially our brain’s response to imminent danger; for someone with an anxiety disorder that signal functions less like a motion light and more like a lighthouse. But in a time like this where that signal is firing for so many people all around the planet, knowing how to support your team members and loved ones with already present anxiety issues is more important than ever. Here are a few key things to keep in mind when speaking to someone struggling with anxiety:   Don’t downplay their feelings… Everyone is entitled to how they are feeling. Saying things like “don’t get worked up,” “everyone feels like this,” and “it really isn’t a big deal,” while coming from a place of helpfulness can have the opposite effect. In this global climate, suggesting that being fearful is overreacting can cause their anxiety to shift to worrying that you may not be taking the appropriate precautions which just adds more things to the list of worries on their mind. Also, it may be second nature to suggest that it is not a unique feeling and attempt to offer perspective with “at least…” statements but that can make it seem like their anxiety …

The Power of the Phone Interview – Part 1

Natasha JeshaniNews

This is day 11 of total social isolation for our team due to COVID-19. That means in some of our cases, the kids or pets are home, are significant others are around, and as Recruiters, that means interviewing from home. At Career Contacts, we have a really robust screening process, and an important piece of that is the phone interview. Some of the perks of a strong phone interview are: Reducing unconscious bias Saving time (and therefore, money) Improved candidate experience (when done correctly) Increased quality of the hire by adding a step in the process Now that our hiring managers are also conducting phone interviews, we’ve received a lot of questions on the do’s and don’t’s of phone interviews and thought we’d share our list! DO: Talk about salary When possible, we encourage companies to be transparent with this process. If you are paying fairly, there should never be a worry of “leaving money on the table”. I also personally am a big fan giving candidates a range, and encourage them to share theirs. Talk about culture fit / add Instead of expecting them to know what you’re all about, take the time to share a bit about your …