Great Article to Start Off the New Year - Turn Your Passion into a Paycheck!

How to Turn Your Passions Into a Paycheck It’s almost the end of the year and a great time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t in 2016. Just take a few minutes and write down the top 5 things and the worst 5 things about the year. Look at your list. What was the root cause of the things that caused your unhappiness? If you are like 80% of professionals, it is an unfulfilling job. Personally, I believe that life is too short to be unhappy at work. So, if you want 2017 to be a happier year, then maybe it’s time to figure out how to turn your passions into a paycheck. At InspiredWork, we believe that “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life”. Many of our clients’ dream of doing what they love. But, many of them aren’t sure how to make money doing what they love. If you are like our clients, you may also be asking yourself questions like, “How can I find work I love?”, “IS this even possible?”,  “How can I turn my passions into a paycheck?”, “Where do I start?”. Don’t worry; there are a few steps you can take to get started right now. The first and most important step forward is to figure out what you are good at and enjoy doing. Plain-and-simple. In order to create a business out of what you love or be part of a business that offers what you love, you first have to discover what you truly love. To start, simply get a piece of paper and a pen and map it out. Write down things that come naturally to you and that you enjoy doing in life. Write down things that make you feel good about yourself and make you feel like you are offering something important to the world. Write down what you would do every single day in your free time, if no one ever paid you a dime. Also, write down anything that your friends ask you to help them. For example, my friends were always asking me to help them with their resumes and finding a new job. Also, I was the “go-to” person for any type of career crisis or advice. Once you have come up with all of the things you love, ask other people, including your loved ones who know you the best, what they think you are great at and what they hear you talk about a lot. It’s human nature to talk about things we are passionate about. So, write down anything you love talking about and reading about regularly. Then, go through your list and figure out what off of your list is a potential for income: what would people pay for, what is there a need for, what could you offer that is unique to a stale industry, or what could you offer that is new and has never been done before? If you have several business ideas, ask yourself if you could only do one, which one would you want to do. Pick the one that makes you smile, the one that gives you feel excited just to think about it. That’s the one that you would most likely love doing. Next, it is important for you to think about who would buy what you just decided you want to sell. It could be cooking classes for couples; it could be running your own daycare, or even being a fitness coach. Put yourself in your future clients’ shoes and think about what they need and might be looking for. What kinds of events do they attend? What would hold them back? What keeps them up at night? What do they need? This will help you to figure out your ideal customer and will help you learn how to better attract them so you can turn your passions into a paycheck. After that, you need to sit down and figure out what kind of income you are hoping to make out of your new venture. Whatever it is, you need to believe in yourself and your products or services. You need to know that offering lower rates than your competitors will not allow for you to attract quality clients. You want clients who want the best, who will be loyal, and who will tell their friends! So be competitive with your pricing and know that if it’s worth it to you, it’ll be worth it to someone else, too! Once you have a basic framework and are ready to go, make sure you bring in someone to help you with the things that are out of your skillset. Remember that business is a team sport. So, make sure that you get the right help by calling around and figuring out who’s the best at what you need. Get all of the advice and help that you can from people who have done what you want to do. The right advisors can save you time and money in launching your business and turning your passions into a paycheck. Life is short. Live your passions. You have them for a reason and there is no time like the present to turn your passions into a paycheck. To Your Inspired Success, Vicki Morris

 

Grace Job Seekers NetWORK CHRISTMAS SOCIAL - Olympia in Strongsville

Hi Everyone:

Our Annual Christmas Social is this Monday, December 19th at 7:00pm at Olympia Candy & Grill in Strongsville. Here is the address:

Olympia Candy & Grill

11601 Pearl Road

Strongsville, OH 44136

(440) 572-7747

Come join us for a time to relax, network, to enjoy some great food and treats, and to celebrate this Joyous Christmas season!

He is Emmanuel - God with Us!

Merry Christmas!

-Jim

48 questions that will make awkward small talk so much easier!

Hi Everyone:
As you meet and greet family and friends and network this Christmas season it can be awkward to start conversations. Here is some help to get the conversation started…

Just read this awesome article I thought I would share with you! Check it out here: https://www.themuse.com/advice/48-questions-thatll-make-awkward-small-talk-so-much-easier


Merry Christmas!
-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, December 5th - Do You Have a Career Plan for 2017?

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, December 5th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. I will talk about what you need to do NOW to Develop Your Career Plan for 2017! Don't wait until next year to get started on your job search - now is the time to get ready! We will talk about what you need in a successful Career Plan.

All God's Best during this Joyous Christmas Season!

-Jim

What You Should Know About High-paying Jobs

Here is great article from the US Department of Labor on "What You Should Know About High-paying Jobs":

https://medium.com/@USDOL/want-to-make-the-big-bucks-try-one-of-these-jobs-b7d8ecbf4413#.qeoa5u7n7

Let me know if you like it!
-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, November 28th - Interviewing from the Hiring Manager's Perspective

Hi Everyone:

I trust you all had a blessed Thanksgiving and are looking forward to finishing 2016 strong!

Our next meeting is Monday, November 28th at 7:00pm in Room 203 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker is Brad Adamczyk, Director of Communications at Axim Global Solutions. He will speak on "Interviewing from the Hiring Manager's Perspective". This is a great opportunity to hear about what goes on "behind the desk" during an interview and what hiring managers look for in successful candidates. It will give you an edge when you interview!

We look forward to seeing you at this very important meeting.

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, November 14th - Owning Your Own Business

Our next meeting is Monday, November 14th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker will be Terese McGroarty from FRANNET who will talk about "Franchising and Owning Your Own Business". If you have ever thought about owning your business this is a great chance to find out what it takes and how to go about getting started.

NOTE: This Monday is also LADIES LATTE at Grace so please come early if you want a good parking spot! This is a good time to network with our group before we get started at 7:00pm. I will have our room open at 6:30 for anyone who wants to comes early and network.

Keep Pressing on in His Grace,

-Jim

Tragic Loss for Our Group

Hi Everyone:

With a sad heart I have to announce that a dear member of our group has gone home to be with the Lord - Rosemary Stasek. She and her husband Mark have been attending our group for quite some time as they struggled to help Mark gain meaningful employment. She was a kind and gentle woman who gave much of herself as she struggle with multiple illnesses and surgeries over the past several years. She and Mark participated in our Backpack Action Team even though their financial resources were very limited. Rosemary will be deeply missed.

Please pray for Mark and their family as they grieve their loss. Her Death Notice is attached below, and I will be at their church tomorrow morning to represent our group and to comfort Mark.

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, October 17th: Personal Branding - Written Skills

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, October 17th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker will be Kris McGuigan, certified resume writer, career coach and owner of Professional Courage. She will complete her presentation on Personal Branding and talk to us about Written Skills.

We look forward to seeing you at this key meeting. Please bring a friend and any personal marketing documents that you use in you job search.

Keep Pressing on in His Grace,

-Jim

GO TRIBE!

NEXT MEETING: Monday, October 3rd - Managing Your Finances During Job Transition

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, October 3rd at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our guest speaker will be my friend and colleague Curt Bissell, FIC, Financial Advisor with Thrivent Financial. His topic will be "Managing Your Finances During Job Transition". This is a very important meeting for everyone who is in job search mode and trying to keep their finances in order. Please come with questions and concerns about what to do financially as you prepare for your next job.

Thanks and please bring a friend who could benefit from this very critical discussion. We look forward to seeing you Monday night!

All God's Best,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, September 26th - Marvin Montgomery - How to Sell Yourself in a Competitive Job Market

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, September 26th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker will be our good friend Marvin Montgomery who will share with us "How to Sell Yourself in a Competitive Job Market". Marvin is a professional sales trainer, motivational speaker and author who has worked with numerous companies here in Northeast Ohio as a sales training consultant. He will focus his attention on selling yourself to employers.

Please plan on attending this inspirational session and be prepared to Get MARVINIZED!

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, September 12th - How to Stop Worrying and Start Living!

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, September 12th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker is Marilee MacAskill, a Dale Carnegie Trainer who will talk about "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living!" Something we all need to hear!

We are all looking forward to this great session so please come and bring a friend!

All God's Best,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, August 29th - Single-parent Family Group Backpack Action Team

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, August 29th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our Grace Job Seekers NetWORK group will be hosting a free, loaded school backpack Action Team service project for the Grace Single-parent Family Groups, which is being sponsored by my company, Thrivent Financial through member Kevin Boles. "Live Generously" T-shirts will be given to all who participate in the Action Team along with other give-aways.

We still are in need of 25/each the following school supplies for the backpacks:

• Pencil Boxes
• Markers
• Pencil Sharpeners
• Scissors
• Binders
• Staplers
• Scotch Tape
• Drawing Paper
• Calendar/Planners

Please Reply to my email: jjjasko@gmail.com on which items you will provide so we can plan to purchase the rest. We will begin stuffing the backpacks at 7:00pm and the kids and their parents will show up at 8:00pm to pick out their backpacks. Pizza and pop will be provided for everyone, so let's make it a PARTY!

If you want to provide any of the above school supplies but cannot make the event, please drop them off at the Grace Church Office (with your name on them) and we will include them in the backpack stuffing.

Thanks for all your support and we hope to see you next Monday at our Second Annual Backpack Action Team! It will be a lot of fun and the kids will be very excited to pick out and see what is inside their new backpacks!

Live generously,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, August 15th - Personal Branding/Verbal Skills

Our next meeting is Monday, August 15th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Special guest speaker Kris McGuigan from Professional Courage will lead us in an interactive session on "Personal Branding - Verbal Skills". This is a follow-up to our last meeting that introduced us to the critical importance of Person Branding in your job search.

Please join us and bring a friend!

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, August 1st - Introduction to Personal Branding

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, August 1st at 7PM in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker will be Nate Davis from Western & Southern Life. His discussion topic will be an "Introduction to Personal Branding". Ever wonder how to better market yourself to the current job market to get better interviews and make it to the final round of job selection? Come and see how powerful a Personal Brand can be to your job search!

We will continue this discussion on Personal Branding for the entire month of August with Kris McGuigan joining us on Monday, August 15th and Monday, August 29th. (Yes, we will have 3 meetings this month because of the Labor Day Holiday).

Thanks and I hope to see you at all our August meetings!

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, July 18th: LinkedIn Training with Roman Pawnyk

Our next meeting is Monday, July 18th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker will be Roman Pawnyk who will lead us in an in-depth LinkedIn Training Session. Please remember to bring your laptop or device so you can view your LinkedIn Profile and follow along with Roman.

Please keep our wonderful city in your prayers this week for safety and protection from any harm during the RNC.

Grace and Peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, June 20th - Crossroads Wrap-up

Our next meeting is Monday, June 20th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. We will be doing a Crossroads Wrap-up Session so please bring your Workbook and your Assessment Summary.

Thanks and Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's and Granddad's!

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, June 6th (TONIGHT!) - Crossroads Step 7 - Walk in Good Works

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, June 6th (TONIGHT!) at 7:00pm in Room 209 (Atrium Chapel) at Grace Church. Our topic will be "Crossroads Step 7 - Walk in Good Works". We will focus on “Negotiating Offers and Compensation.” All are welcome… bring a friend!

See you tonight!

Wishing you many blessings in your job search,

Todd Linderman, Ministry Technical Support

Grace Job Seekers NetWORK

tlinderman@gmail.com

NEXT MEETING: Monday, May 16th - Crossroads Step 6 - WOW Interviewers!

Our next meeting is Monday, May 16th at 7:00pm in Room 209 (Atrium Chapel) at Grace Church. Our topic will be "Crossroads Step 6 - WOW Interviewers!". Successful Interviewing can make or break your chances of landing a good job. We will discuss Interviewing Best Practices and also have a open discussion on what has worked or didn't work in each of our Interviewing experiences.

We look forward to seeing you at this critical job search skills meeting...bring a friend!

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, May 2nd - Networking Like a Rock Star!

Our next meeting is Monday, May 2nd at 7:00pm in Room 209 (Atrium Chapel) at Grace Church. Our topic will be Crossroads Step 6 - SEARCHING - Seek to Serve. This is our meeting dedicated to Networking so come and Learn How to Network Like a Rock Star! Please bring your Crossroads Workbook and a friend. Networking remains the #1 way to find great employer hiring opportunities, especially in the hidden job market. To find where God is Calling You for your next employment opportunity you must Network, Network, Network - and He will lead you to where He wants you to be through the people you meet!

All God's Best,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, April 18th: Crossroads Step 4 - ALTITUDE - Target Employers & Opportunities + FREE Head Shot Photo

Our next meeting is Monday, April 18th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our topic will be Crossroads Step 4 - ALTITUDE - Targeting Employers & Opportunities. We will explore how to create a working target employer list and how to determine the best employment opportunity for you at this time.

Also, we are offering a FREE Head shot Photo Session with my son Josh from Ripcho Studios. If you want a free head shot for your social media profiles (LinkedIn) then please dress professionally and bring a flash drive to take your photo file with you.

All God's Best,

-Jim

Thrivent Career Open House

I will be hosting a Career Open House tomorrow, April 12th from 11am – 1pm and 4pm – 6pm at the Amsdell Multi-purpose Suite B, 6751 Engle Road at Airport Executive Park in Middleburg Heights, OH 44130.

Thrivent Financial is a member organization of Christians and we will be interviewing to fill openings for new Financial Advisers (Representatives). Bring your resume and bring a friend. Come learn what a Financial Adviser does and how Thrivent helps people manage their money wisely so they can live generously.

I hope to see you there!

NEXT MEETING: Monday, April 4th - Resumes That Get Results!

Our next meeting is Monday, April 4th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our special guest speaker will be Kris McGuigan, Certified Resume Writer and Owner of Professional Courage. Our topic will be "Resumes That Get Results!". This is a great meeting to upgrade your resume, learn what resume styles and presentations are on on trend for today's job market, and see what employers are looking for in a resume that will lead to an interview! Kris is a great resource for our group and wants to help you get your brand out there with a powerful resume. This is a meeting you don't want to miss, so come and bring a friend!

Keep Pressing on in His Grace,

-Jim

Kris McGuigan

Certified Resume Writer

President, Professional Courage

NEXT MEETING: Monday, March 21st - Discover Your Work/Style Preferences

Our next meeting is Monday, March 21st at 7:00pm in Room 209 (Atrium Chapel) at Grace Church. We will be taking the final assessment in our APTITUDE - Discover Your Strengths step in Crossroads. We will be taking a Work/Style Preferences Assessment. Every wonder what work environment you are best suited for, and what PEOPLE you work best with? We all have Work/Style Preferences for where we work and we all need to learn how to work with people with different personality types. Come and join us for this fun and informative session and invite a friend!

Also, I will have the Spiritual Gifts Assessment Key for anyone who still needs to score their assessment from last session.

Grace and peace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, March 7th - Passions & Spiritual Gifts Assessments

Hi Everyone:

Our next meeting is Monday, March 7th at 7:00pm in Room 209 at Grace Church. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING OF OUR CROSSROADS TRAINING. We will be taking the Passions Assessment and the Spiritual Gifts Assessment. Both of these will give you the insight you need to identify your God-given STRENGTHS and better prepare you to interview with confidence!

Please don't miss this very critical session. We will start promptly at 7:00pm so there is enough time to get through both assessments and have some great discussion around them. Please come early and ready to learn more about how God uniquely gifted you!

Keep Pressing on in His Grace,

-Jim

No Meeting Monday, February 29th

Just a reminder…there is NO MEETING tomorrow night, February 29^th. Our next meeting is Monday, March 7^th where we will continue our discussion of Crossroads - APTITUDE and complete the Passions Assessment.

Happy Leap Year Day!

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, February 15, 2016: Crossroads Step 3 - APTITUDE - Knowing Your Skills & Abilities

Our next meeting is Monday, February 15th at 7:00PM in Room 209 at Grace Church. Our topic will be Crossroads Step 3 - APTITUDE - Know Your Skills & Abilities. This is the first of three sessions were we will take personal assessments of our strengths, passions and spiritual gifts. Please complete Step 3 in your Workbooks before our session and remember to work on your weekly goals sheet.

I look forward to jumping into these Aptitude sessions. You will be amazed at what you learn about yourself and your unique God-given gifts and abilities!

Keep Pressing on in His Grace,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, February 1st - ATTITUDE - Overcoming Anger, Fear & Depression

Our next meeting is Monday, February 1st at 7:00pm in Room 209 (Atrium Chapel) at Grace Church. Our topic will be Crossroads Step 2 - ATTITUDE - Overcoming Anger, Fear and Depression. Learn how managing your Attitude can have a dramatic impact on your job search.

We are digging deeper into those internal factors that make a job seeker successful in today's job market. Please Complete Step 2 - Attitude in your Crossroads Workbooks and bring it to our meeting for our table discussions. Workbooks are available for $5 at each of our meetings. 

All God's Best,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, January 18th: Crossroads Step 1 - UPWARD - God's Calling

Our next meeting is Monday, January 18th at 7:00PM in Room 209 at Grace Church. We are beginning the Crossroads training program with "Step 1 - UPWARD - God's Calling". Please complete Step 1 on your Workbooks or online at www.crossroadscareer.org. If you have ever wondered how to hear God's Calling for your work this is a great first step to understanding what He has prepared for you!

Please bring a friend or anyone you know that is in job transition as we begin the Crossroads journey.

I and our Team look forward to seeing you Monday night!

All God's Best,

-Jim

NEXT MEETING: Monday, January 4th - Introduction to Crossroads Career Network

• New Year - New Job? 
• Looking for God's Calling for your Work?

Happy New Year Everyone!

Our next meeting is Monday, January 4th at 7PM in Room 209 at Grace Church. It is time to get your job search in high gear for 2016  and we have the tools and resources to help you find your next GOOD JOB! I will be introducing you to Crossroads Career Network, our Bible-based career transition program that will give you a competitive advantage in today's job market, and help you find GOD'S CALLING for your work.

Please come and invite a friend. I am anticipating a big turnout for our first meeting of 2016 and all of us on the Grace Job Seekers NetWORK Team are passionately ready to support your job search efforts!

Have a Blessed, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

-Jim