Informational Interviews Stop Here

As someone who has been in the non-profit world for umpteen years, I am often asked to do informational interviews with people (usually young women) who are looking for a first job or even with older folks who are interested in making a career change.

I am always happy to have these meetings  -- particularly if it causes some old friend to call or contact me about setting up the meeting.  Some people only call you when they need you -- and YOU KNOW that is a-ok with me, so bring it on.

Five Tips for Informational Interview Seekers:

1. Have your friend (or mom or the last person with whom you had an informational interview and referred you to me) call me up and ask me to meet with you.  This is the best way to get a happy Paige calling or contacting you back quickly.  Will I still hold the meeting if my acquaintance doesn't actually ask me to do it before you call me?  Yes, I will, but I want my friend to ask me because I'd like to hear from them.  Otherwise, my friend is just another person in my FaceBook feed vacationing in Costa Rica or posting pictures of their kids graduating from high school.
2. Bring your resume with you to the meeting.  Even if you have emailed it to me in advance, have a copy to pull out if I ask you for it.  That shows me that you really want a job/career change -- and I might just have someone in the office that day who might be interested in hiring you.  Be prepared!
3. I've said this before, but arrive on time for the meeting.  Don't come early -- I hate to think of you waiting while I'm finishing up a project that I planned for the 15 minutes prior to our meeting -- and for sure don't arrive late.  Even though this is not a real interview, you strolling in late doesn't make me want to recommend you to my network.
4. Be ready to tell me why you want to work in non-profit -- or even why you are interested in learning more about the sector.  If you have no passion for the field nor the idea of working in it, don't waste my (or your) time.
5. Do what I tell you to do if you are really interested in finding a job.  Follow up with me after you meet with any contacts I give you.  Shoot me an email if you apply for a job -- I want you to be successful because I am invested in your success.  Be sure to join the groups and organizations that I recommend too -- becoming involved in Dallas is important for all people who work in non-profits!

P.S.  I'm going to try participating in a fun meme called Hodgepodge on Wednesdays -- thanks to my friend at http://preppyemptynester.blogspot.com -- so I'm planning to post my usual blog on Tuesdays or Thursdays for the future since Wednesdays will be given to Hodgepodge -- it is part of http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com  You guys know I'm not very technical, so fingers crossed for tomorrow.  Also, BTW, tomorrow's Hodgepodge is not going to be new, but it will be new to this blog!  Let me know what you think -- Paige

I Feel Like A Foreigner

Oh my gosh, y'all -- I just returned from a fabulous trip to London, the Cotswolds, and Paris!  C'est magnifique!

NOTE:  My high school French didn't really come in handy.  Since the only line I remember in French is "Come on, quit fighting all the time," I was kinda at a loss, unless my friends were quibbling about the cost of dinner, natch.

NOTE to NOTE:  Of course, I'm only slightly better off in German.  My lines there are "Do you have a light?" and "Why didn't you come before the stairs burned?"  Obviously, my career as an arsonist in Germany awaits.

Luckily, things in Paris have changed since my friend Priscilla and I basically hosteled through Europe in the mid 1980's.  While I remember the French people hating us and our big ugly American ways back then, now they seem to be super friendly and all speak English.

NOTE:  I do realize that our $600-a-night hotel and the $100 dinners might have something to do with this recent vacay change -- yes, I do know I paid the French people to be nice to me.  And I'd do it again.

Anyway, after a couple of weeks away, I'm really glad to be home and back at Community Partners of Dallas.

NOTE:  Even though our auditor is here.

One of the things we did in Paris was on Memorial Day we went to the Suresnes American Cemetery.  The cemetery has about 2,000 American dead from WWI and 24 unknown soldiers from WWII.  It was truly moving to be there and to see all of the American and French flags on each grave.

We are so lucky to live in America.

And I'm so lucky we speak English here.

My Readers Are Waiting!

I've been missing in action lately -- so much so that my readers have started to ask me why I haven't been posting.

NOTE:  Really it was just my friend Jill, but who's counting?

NOTE TO NOTE:  Of course, I was thrilled that she noticed.  Thanks, Jill!

Anyway, I was about to let it slip again this week, but I was reminded that even though my life is super busy right now, that I always have something to say in the blog.

This reminds me of a quote from Josh Groban about his privates and a groupie, but this blog isn't going to post itself anytime soon...

NOTE:  At least not with my technical abilities at the helm.

So, I'm going to post a photo of a great inspirational quote from my Oprah box this morning.

And to my loyal reader out there -- a post about CPD and mothers soon!

April 22, 2014, was one of the best nights of my life.

One year ago today was one of the best nights of my life.  I knew the anniversary was coming, but didn't really remember the day, but this morning my trusty Timehop app reminded me with photos and more -- what day was it?

Our CPS Picnic!

Last year, Community Partners of Dallas -- with HUGE thanks to our CPS Picnic sponsors -- hosted a picnic for all Dallas County CPS employees to attend and to bring their families.  We have a Caseworker Appreciation Program at CPD, so this event was part of that program, but because we celebrated our 25th Anniversary last year, we made this event the biggest and best ever.

Normally, our Caseworker Appreciation large events happen 4 times a year and only staff attend -- not their family members.  A normal year is 3 events (such as lunch or ice cream), plus a holiday gift for all.

Now, believe me, the CPS staff truly appreciate a normal year and we get lots of smiles and thank you notes after handing out cupcakes or a coffee mug tied with a holiday ribbon.  You see, CPS caseworkers are on the front lines EVERY DAY doing God's work -- saving innocent victims of abuse and neglect -- and they receive very little in the way of thanks.  In fact, if you are good at your job, you typically just get more cases assigned to you.

But last year we wanted to really step up the thanks and a picnic at the Dallas Arboretum seemed the perfect way to do it.  Lots of work went into the event and it was a perfect night during Dallas Blooms with hundreds of volunteers all wearing big white T-Shirts with the words "Thank You!!!" emblazoned across the front in red.

NOTE:  The inspiration for the T-Shirt was WHAM's early video -- if you want to get even happier today, click here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A

Anyway, the night was fantastic and we all had a blast, but the thing that made it one of the best nights of my life was that the hard-working Dallas County caseworkers of CPS heard that they were heroes from the most important people in their lives:  their very own children.

Thanks to the great people at Tenet Health (and most especially to my friend Maria) each caseworker received an Olympic-style medal around their neck when they arrived.  We had volunteers lining the pathway to the amphitheater for dinner and live music and the volunteers were cheering as the caseworkers walked down the path.  Yelling Thank You and You're My Hero, etc.

Children -- even teenagers -- turned to their mom and said they were proud of them.

Isn't that what any parent wants to hear?  Thanks for walking down memory lane with me.

Hug a caseworker today if you can.

Tell your mom or dad they're your hero if you can.

I get to do both.  Today's a great day too.

P.S.  Love you, Jen!

A Good Morning Is Coming

As you may already know, I love a good quote.

My current favorite source is my box from Oprah (detailed in this post: http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2015/04/four-favorite-things-i-love-right-now.html -- fav #3 to be exact) and since it is almost time to write my remarks for next week's Chick Lit Luncheon benefiting Community Partners of Dallas, I'm on the lookout for inspiration 24-7!

But, by far, my absolute favorite, the quote I always come back to, the king of all quotes, is this one by Ralph Waldo Emerson...

Ponder this:  Be grateful for each new day.  A new day that you have never lived before.  Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.  We can squander, neglect or use it.  Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.

Finish each day and be done with it.  You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities crept in; forget them as soon as you can.  Tomorrow is a new day.  You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

Ain't it the best?  Believe it, people.

Be happy.  Work well.  Have fun.  Forget your mistakes and stupid shit.  Start tomorrow filled with excitement for what your new day will bring.

Each day is a gift from God.  Live it well!

5 Tips to Get to Go

I'm living with a lot of balls up in the air right now.

We have lots of new projects beginning (and continuing) at Community Partners of Dallas.  I'm travelling a lot and I'm in meetings, lunches, and dinners so much of the time that I'm finding it difficult to focus.  I pray each morning and evening and thank God for putting me in the right place each day to further His kingdom, but my brain just swirls with unanswered questions, to-do lists, planning, next steps...

So my question is this:

What do you do when you don't know what to do next?

I know what I'm going to do:

1. Give it to God.
2. Clean off my desk.
3. Hit the books and research, research, research.
4. Seek out advice from experts -- yes, friends, I mean YOU.
5. Lead my FANTASTIC team at CPD to even greater heights.

I better get on it.  It's go time.

Four Favorite Things I Love Right Now! Part 21

Time for another Four Faves, people!

If you missed the most recent one, click here http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2015_01_01_archive.html

It's hard for me to believe that the last Four Faves post was in January.  Frankly, it is not because I don't have any fav things, I think that the reason is more me trying to appear smarter than I really am.  I think that if you read this blog each week that you know that I write about all kinds of things -- serious things like child abuse and opinion things like advice for job seekers, etc.

I also really like to write about my favorite things, but it seems so, well, commercial.

NOTE:  Please know that I do not receive any remuneration from anything I talk about in my posts, except of course, I am paid to work at Community Partners of Dallas.  I'm so glad that the board thinks I'm worth a salary.  My personal creditors are glad too.

Now, on to the Faves!

1. I don't usually start with a TV show -- remember the smart persona I'm attempting to portray -- but damn if I don't still love Bravo's Southern Charm.  Cameran and Shep (pictured on the left) are my favorite cast members, but I'd sit in a hot car with any of them -- I really don't like to sit in hot cars.  
   
2. This stuff is great -- O'Keeffe's Working Hands cream.  Seems like my hands and cuticles just keep getting drier, so I ordered this from Amazon and I love it.  No fragrance -- Joe likes that -- and it isn't too greasy.
   
3. My latest fav thing is something from the queen of fav things -- Oprah.  I ordered this for my sister-in-law Lucy and for myself at Christmas.  It is a wooden box filled with 365 thoughtful quotes.  It was $85:  365 Gathered Truths Box from Cottage Coastal.  I try to post some each week on my Instagram and FaceBook.  This was today's.
   
4. I have a new fav cocktail -- a little vodka with Whole Foods Italian Soda in Pomegranate flavor -- delish!

What are your Four Faves?