Melissa Macfarlane Heidmiller, BA, CDP’s Post

💥Being employed doesn’t mean you don’t have a dream. . There’s this trend on social media that you need to break up with employment and start something on your own to be successful. . But let me tell you, doing meaningful work doesn’t have to mean starting a business on your own. . Here’s why staying employed can be just as rewarding, if not more: 1️⃣ Stability: Gives you the freedom to explore your passions outside of work without the stress of unstable income. 2️⃣ Growth Opportunities: Companies provide incredible resources for professional development, mentoring, and career advancement. 3️⃣ Impact: You can drive meaningful change from within and shape the future of your organization. . It’s all about finding a role that aligns with your values and aspirations. . 🙋♀️How are you making an impact where you are?

Breakups aren’t just for relationships… A job can be a complex thing. Many people don’t like their job, their boss, or their company. But what happens when you do? What happens when you kind of loved it? The loss of a job is then much more than simply no longer working for said employer. It’s an emotional breakup. And it’s even more emotional when your position was eliminated so you find yourself essentially “dumped.” A breakup in junior high school seems like the most devastating event in a teenager’s life at the time, but usually dissipates quite quickly. Being with a company for almost two decades is another story. You weather many events like integrations, system rollouts, process changes, and mergers. But there’s also self-growth, career advancement, mentorship, knowledge and experience gain. And yet the most impactful are probably the people connections – professional relationships, friendships, and life events. Marriages, babies, moves, deaths, and everything in between. It’s hard to reconcile not being a part of something any longer that you were so passionate about and legitimately enjoyed. Much of it may truly have to do with perspective, but aligning the right fit is also a very fortunate scenario to be in. The good thing is that the heart is capable of much love. So while my current trajectory was halted I know that there is a next perfect relationship around the corner. With that I am open to opportunities and discussing where we can build a mutually right fit. I am eager to meet you. 

Tuesday Growth Post: Do you remember the first step you took towards your journey to success? For me, one of these steps was and still is assisting clients referred through for primarily Well-being back to full time work which was not expected. I find fulfilment in guiding individuals towards reclaiming their professional lives. It taught me resilience and the power of holistic well-being. Through various transitions, from individual consultations to leading EP programs tailored for return-to-work strategies, I've witnessed the transformative impact of personalised care. Each transition taught me valuable lessons in adaptability and empathy, crucial in helping clients navigate their journey back to full-time employment. The key takeaway? Success is not just about reaching the destination but embracing the journey and empowering others along the way. Every interaction, no matter how small, contributes to the collective well-being of those we serve. 👇 Share a moment when you felt empowered by helping someone on their journey to well-being and full-time employment. Let's celebrate the impact we make on others' lives. PS watch the video below of me talking about how I helped this particular client more :).

My first job wasn’t exactly what I had in mind but I made it work. Then, I landed my current role as 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟—a title I hadn’t even heard of when I was graduating. I quickly realized that this role is a perfect match for my passion for being busy and a multi-tasker. When people ask me what a Chief of Staff does, I often say what my Slack bio says: "𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪(𝒉𝒂)𝑶𝑺" Here’s what I 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 about my job: 👉 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲: I’ve picked up so many skills on the job from mastering Excel to setting up tools and understanding finances. The learning never stops and that’s what keeps me going. 👉 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬: I thrive on being involved in everything. It’s not about being a specialist; it’s about being adaptable and resourceful whenever you can! 👉𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐬: There’s nothing like the feeling of setting something right and knowing it’s helping everyone. It’s those moments that make all the chaos worth it. But it’s not all easy: ✅𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: This is my first Chief of Staff role and when I first heard the title, it sounded fancy. But it’s far from a 9-to-5 job. It’s about being ready for anything at any time. ✅𝐀 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞: There are many assumed responsibilities. Being a Chief of Staff often means working behind the scenes, making things happen without expecting recognition. ✅𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐬. 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: The constant battle between being a jack of all trades and a master of none is real. It’s a challenge to balance being broadly knowledgeable while sometimes feeling the pressure to specialize. This role may vary from one organization to another and is not a one-size-fits-all but well suited for someone who needs their plate full just like me :) #corporatejobs #startups #legistify #chiefofstaff #employee #thoughts

Are you feeling the pressure of making "The Big Switch" from your comfy, stable job to something new and unknown? You're not alone - I talked to several clients last week feeling the pressure. In this week's Corporate Escapology blog, I share my own experience of flicking the Big Switch. But here's the thing - making a big career change isn't usually about one giant leap of faith. For most of us, it's a series of smaller switches that lead us to our ultimate destination. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of leaving your corporate job - or if you've recently been made redundant - give the article a read. You might just find some inspiration to take that first step towards a new adventure. Check out the latest Corporate Escapology blog here: https://lnkd.in/ejBB6D8n

Self-employment is a great next step for many people who were recently laid off. Here's what made it right for me, and how I got it generating recurring revenue within the first 4 months: WHAT MADE IT RIGHT: 👍 1️⃣ My instincts were screaming at me to do it - and now that I'm following my instincts, I have greater peace of mind than when I worked for other people. 👍 2️⃣ My family supports it - they trust me to navigate the risk, and they know I'll pivot to something else if it doesn't work out. 👍 3️⃣ My finances support it - I can live on savings for a while if I needed to, so I can build without big financial pressure. (If I didn't have savings, I would get another in-house job and build my own business on the side). HOW I'M MAKING IT WORK: ✅ 1️⃣ Basing it on what I want to do most - it's all volunteer work until it generates revenue, so you may as well put yourself in position to spend your days doing what you love most. This makes it easier to do the mountain of work required everyday to build a business. ✅ 2️⃣ Ensuring market fit - passion is not enough. You have to offer something that volumes of people or organizations need and will spend money on repeatedly. ✅ 3️⃣ Willingness to adjust quickly and often - this is the biggest challenge, but I'm getting better at it. Dialing in the fundamentals of a new business is the work of months and years, and requires countless approaches and adjustments along the way. This includes adjustments to your products and core brand elements if needed. Those cuts can be deep, but they may be essential to your success. If you're considering self-employment and want to talk about it, feel free to DM me. Because, if it's what you want to do, it's gonna make you SOOOO much happier than working for someone else. #coaching #bestadvice #management #careers #opentonetwork #jobsearch

Comfort can be dangerous—especially in IT! Break free and take your career to new heights with the right skills. 💻🚀 Check out our new blog to find out how! Read our blog here: https://lnkd.in/gVFuAG9T

As a startup founder, I’m recruiting for the first time, and I have to say, I’m overwhelmed—in the best way possible. For just two of the three positions I posted, we’ve received more than 300 applications. It's clear that people are looking for more than just a salary (though that’s a given!). They want to be part of something meaningful, to be treated like adults, and to have jobs that don't leave them stressed to the point of illness or missing out on their kids growing up. My journey as an employer has been quite the learning curve. In my early years of management, I have to admit, I'm not proud of some of the practices I followed. It took time and trust to open my eyes to the fact that I was perpetuating outdated ways of working simply because I had "passed the test" myself. I lost some incredibly valuable employees in the past because I didn’t speak my mind or because I lacked experience. But things have changed. I’ve created a company where people are treated the way I want to be treated. We are making a difference for future generations. What we do isn’t just about money; it’s about empowering businesses that share our vision of making a positive change. It might sound naive, but we don’t work with people or companies that don’t share our values and vision. If you just want to tick a box, we’re not the right fit for you. We believe in what we do, we have lives, and we have a sense of purpose. We will choose if you’re good enough to have our brilliant team create the most amazing sustainable strategy you’ve ever seen. Thanks to Amy Grilli and the Five Hour Club, I’ve found a platform that understands this need. Their site attracts top-notch talent, and I’m definitely sticking with them for all our future hires. If you’re an employer, check them out—you won’t regret it. Here’s to making work more flexible and life more balanced! #FlexibleWork #TalentAcquisition #WorkLifeBalance #FiveHourClub #StartupLife

#EmployeeExperience Making Work Fun Again 🎉👩💻 When my kid asks me why I go to work, I tell her it’s because it’s fun. So, she constantly asks me to take her to work—because what kid doesn’t want to go to a fun place? 🎈 Note: I’ll be honest, the walls of snacks probably don’t hurt either. 🍫 As employers, we see endless reports about people being disengaged and unhappy at work. 😔 I wonder if the challenge is how they view “work” and how people have been jaded by the concept of it. They don’t see it as fun, meaningful, or something to take pride in. Now, not all jobs are perfect. I don’t think my job is always fun—my life is far from that charmed. 😅 But the times I’ve been most satisfied at work are often when, from the “outside,” it probably looked less than great. My deployment on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in 2008 was wildly “fun.” I learned a ton, grew as an officer and human, but didn’t see friends or family for 7 months and worked all the time. As an entrepreneur, I enjoy the chaos of growing fast 🚀 —hiring new team members, launching new ways of doing things, juggling the bank account. Those should be stressful times and “not fun,” but I really like them. And during those “fun times,” I often had the least amount of money (or time to use it). 💸⌛ So the question I pose: if more and more people are having negative feelings about work (likely from early experiences), how can we as employers do better to combat this bias and make people enjoy work more? 🤷♂️ Walls of snacks aren’t the answer (but they probably don’t hurt the inner child in all of us either). 🍭 What do y’all think? 🤔 #TalentManagement #OfficeCoffee #OfficeLibations #HR Photo credit: Employee of the month July 2044

Last week I shared the full decision making process on how I work out what clients align to FORM careers. I had spoken to a Health-Tech employer who needed to hire a Business Development Manager. Not my usual bag but there was a lot of factors that aligned them to the business. 1. Health-Tech - i've worked in partnership with some of the largest growing health-tech clients in Scotland including Phlo, Simple Online Healthcare and brought Planet DDS to Scotland 2. The company have flexibility, diversity of hiring and culture baked into their business from a really early stage. 3. They were looking to hire for ability over "specific industry experience" always a massive tick in the box when it comes to building the right culture. 4. They are a scaling startup with a really interesting product/service. 5. Glasgow based with a hybrid appraoch to team building. The list could go on and on - I asked them for 24 hours to do some research on the business development hire to ensure I was 100% confident I could find them the best person for the job. I eventually went back with a full proposal, terms and threw my hat into the ring to partner with them for the role. They came back to me today. I didnt win the business. They were already poised to partner with another agency on this position but from their feedback: "your set up and offer is quite different and it did make us pause and consider how we should proceed." They also went on to say they have significant growth plans and would be keen to come back to me to discuss working with them to build their technical teams. Am I gutted? Absolutely not. I made a new contact, I made a calculated pitch to a business hat aligned with the way I and FORM careers works and I made a new contact and potential future client. You cant win them all - but you can continue to make progress and put yourself out there. Thats a win in my books?