smartdept, Author at smartdept.

smartdept. inc. Chicago Kicks Off Their 2015 Volunteering with a Day at Lakeview Pantry

Inspired by the Seattle team and their involvement with Food Lifeline, one of the Chicago team’s goals for 2015 was to get more involved with the community and volunteer our time to a local charitable organization.

Last Thursday marked our first group volunteer activity of the year! We spent most of our day at the Lakeview Pantry, one of the oldest food pantries in Chicago. Their mission is to eliminate hunger and poverty in the community. They do this by providing on-site food and clothing distribution as well as offering food deliveries to homebound clients. They also have a social services program that helps clients connect with other services they need to address the causes of food insecurity.

We helped the team unload deliveries from the Greater Chicago Food Depository and other grocery stores in the area. We also restocked and repacked food, organized, cleaned and washed windows! It was nice to get out of the office and work our muscles for a good cause. I think I speak for everyone when I say that my arms are just starting to recover from all the lifting. We’ll need to get in shape for next time.

We’re looking forward to more volunteer days with Lakeview Pantry in the future!

#smartdeptinspires

Inspiration In the Open Air

Ethan Jack Harrington is a plein air painter who lives in Seattle, Washington. Plein air is a French term meaning “in the open air” and is used to describe the act of painting outdoors (I Googled it). Raise your hand if you’re from Seattle and have walked past a guy with his easel set up in the middle of a busy sidewalk. THAT’S ETHAN! I knew you knew him.

One of my first memories of starting the smartdept. inc. was walking down the street in Pioneer Square, and seeing Ethan working on one of his amazing paintings—right there, out in the open. We chatted about how Michelle and I were also artists, and we certainly appreciated his entrepreneurial spirit. Well, a baker’s dozen of years have passed, and you can still see Ethan out there painting in the open air. And, if the outdoors aren’t your thing, you can visit his gallery in the Pike Place Market (because it’s inside).

Alas, If you’re too impatient for a chance meeting in the street or just too busy to visit the market, you can check out his online gallery at ejakart.com. Give it a look! Maybe you’ll be inspired like Michelle and I were, oh so many years ago.

– Eric

What Inspires Meghann Kern? Target Meals for Minds

Last Thursday afternoon marked our second volunteer adventure this year with Food Lifeline in Seattle. In the past we’ve worked in their warehouse repacking food for outgoing shipments, but last Thursday we had the opportunity to walk students and their families through a make-shift grocery store we helped set up at Northgate Elementary. Target Meals for Minds is a program that helps get groceries into the hands of elementary students in our surrounding schools. At our busiest we had students, anywhere from 5-10 years old, lining up with their parents, or patiently waiting by themselves, to walk through our assembly line. Some kids were in a hurry to catch their school bus so we rushed them through our line stuffing their backpacks and grocery bags with as much food as they could carry on their own. I have continued to be inspired by the staff and volunteers at Food Lifeline that work tirelessly to find creative solutions to get food into the hands of hungry families.

We were excited to have our neighbors (we share an office floor) from PlaceFull, Ben Kappler and Adam Lang, join our Food Lifeline volunteer efforts. Ben, Adam, Beth and I were on a highly trained team dubbed “the bag-ettes” – which is a really cool way to describe being on a grocery bagging team. We look forward to our next adventure with Food Lifeline!

smartdept. inc. Seattle | Food Lifeline | Target Meals for Minds

Meet With a smartdept. Seattle Recruiter and Experience Pioneer Square Culture

We’d like to think of ourselves as trendsetters at the smartdept. inc., or even mildly psychic. So when The Seattle Times stated over the weekend that Pioneer Square is in the middle of a “not-so-quiet renaissance” we weren’t surprised!

Our Seattle office is located right smack dab in the middle of what’s becoming a bustling foodie’s haven and artist’s dream (galleries galore). Our building houses Bar Sajor on the main level, The Pharmacy (speakeasy) in the basement, Temple Billiards, and of course, your very own creative and marketing talent resource.

After a visit to meet with one of our recruiters, you can explore our happening neighborhood and get inspired! #smartdeptinspires

Click here to read The Seattle Times article.

Patrick Osborne Wins an Oscar

There was a time (for me) when the Academy Awards meant something more. You know, the anticipation of its start, who is watching with me, what’s on the snack menu and how many winners will I guess correctly. Ah, the memories. Now, I have 4 wonderful daughters who (strangely) don’t want to watch overdressed adults give speeches as an entertainment. Instead, this year our family watched a kids show which, like a river, flowed, one into the next, into the next, into the next (infinity). Which, truthfully, on most nights is entertainment enough for me.

While I was wading through I did manage, occasionally, to tune into the Oscars. On this particular awards night I saw something that caught my attention. The winner for Best Animated Short was a movie called Feast. It’s about a man who befriends a dog by feeding it (okay, it’s about a touch more than that). You may have seen it at the front of the movie Big Hero 6, which won for Animated Feature Film. Patrick Osborne who directed the film and accepted the Oscar is a graduate of my alma mater, the Ringling College of Art and Design. When I attended Ringling, I was one of 600 students (total). Two decades later it has grown into one of the most respected colleges of its kind and is a straight up powerhouse for animation related careers.

This was pretty cool to see! And, even though I had nothing to do with any of it, I am proud of my old school and “I too, would like to thank the academy.”

– Eric

What Inspires Eric Pairitz? Warmer Days Ahead

#smartdeptinspires

If you follow the comings and goings of smartdept via the web and social media, it won’t surprise you to know that baseball is something that inspires me. On a day like today, when the car dashboard reads a temperature of -9 degrees, it is literally heart warming to know that pitchers and catchers report to spring training today. While this obviously means that baseball (the game I am most passionate about) will be coming soon to a ballpark near you, it also means that warmer days, spring flowers and even your most comfortable pair of shorts are soon to follow. Good to know (in my opinion), especially on a day like today.

Check us out on Instagram, @smartdeptinc, and share with us what inspires you using #smartdeptinspires.

Happy Spring Training everybody!

Warmest (haha) Regards,
Eric

smartdept. inc.’s Beth Miller to Host Seattle SHRM Recruiting SIG in 2015

Over the past year and a half I’ve been continuing my journey into the wonderful world of creative and marketing staffing, learning from my colleagues at the smartdept. inc. and attending as many networking events as I can to connect with colleagues in my industry. I’ve been attending the Seattle SHRM Recruiting Special Interest Group (SIG) for over a year and was recently asked to take over hosting the monthly events and facilitate our meetings. I’m honored to be part of SIG and look forward to connecting with recruiters, HR professionals and others in our industry!

Each month we will be meeting at the smartdept. inc. Seattle office to share ideas and discuss recruiting trends. This is a great way to share successes, brainstorm ideas, and come up with ways to tackle staffing related obstacles. If you’re interested in learning more about the Recruiting SIG group, feel free to reach out to me directly via email, Beth@thesmartdept.com, or find the group on LinkedIn – Seattle SHRM Recruiting SIG. If you have topics you’re interested in seeing our SIG group discuss, let me know!

Upcoming SIG events:
February 6, 8.30-9.30 am, smartdept. inc. office, “Mobile Device Recruiting”
March 6, 8.30-9.30 am, smartdept. inc. office, topic to be announced

What Inspires You? from the desk of our recruiter, Alison Lepek

One of my favorite parts of recruiting is meeting with so many amazingly talented people. After delving deep into a candidate’s professional background, their portfolio, and their creative goals, one question seems to be at the heart of it all – what inspires you? Throughout the year, smartdept will be revisiting the theme of inspiration and sharing original content through social media (read on for our Instagram challenge!).

I’m inspired by creative people and their stories. I have been an interior design hobbyist since my first job out of college, which was in the interior design industry. I started reading design blogs years ago and read them religiously to this day. While I love reading up on trends, home makeovers, and products, what I find myself drawn to, are the professional career profiles of the designers and entrepreneurs that I admire so much. I’m fascinated by their personal style, what sets them apart, and their own unique journeys they have taken to get to where they are today. The best part is I get to bring that curiosity to work every day when I learn about my candidates and their journeys. I find myself inspired by everyone I connect with, whether it’s a recent college graduate eager to get their foot in the door, to a senior level candidate who shares with me the unique path that got them to where they are today.

What inspires you? We would love to hear from you in the comment section below. Also, we’ll be posting images that inspire us through our smartdeptinc Instagram feed (@smartdeptinc) and invite you to share your inspirational images with us using #smartdeptinspires

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Seattle Smarties Give Back in December

Our Seattle smartdept. inc. team volunteered at Food Lifeline Tuesday afternoon to help sort food, repackage meals, and prepare pallets for outgoing deliveries of food to our Seattle neighbors. While their highly advanced tomato-sorting and canned-salmon-can-checking skills were underutilized this round, they did clock some pretty incredible turn-around-time unpacking, labeling, and repacking boxes of frozen Mac & Cheese for delivery.

“Working with Food Lifeline has been an incredible experience this year, ” said Drew Johansson, our Business Developer. “We not only met some amazing and inspiring folks that manage the programs at Food Lifeline, but we also had a hand in helping feed hungry families in our area — that feels good!”

smartdept. inc. partnered with Food Lifeline in 2014 to volunteer quarterly at their warehouses and to participate in “Food Frenzy,” their fundraising drive in July (winning “Rookie of the Year” and “Best Per Capita”). The Seattle crew is looking forward to supporting Food Lifeline in 2015!

Holiday Traditions

The Chicago team!

Written by Eric Pairitz

I’m a sports fan. “No duh” is what those who know me are saying right now. As a result of my fandom, I find myself adhering to many sports superstitions. You know — the rally cap, the playoff beard, don’t step on the baseline and other silly stuff. Similarly, I also enjoy the benefits of tradition, especially during the holidays. One such tradition is that I wake up reeaaalllly early on the Monday following Thanksgiving to decorate our office for the holidays. Everyone knows I’m going to do it, but I like to see their (almost surprised) faces when they arrive at their shiny new “holiday style” digs. And hey, it’s tradition!

This year (post-decorating), the smartdept. inc. kicked off the holidays “Griswold” style. That’s right, we brought in the wayward smarties from Seattle and had our very own fun, old-fashioned holiday celebration!

We followed typical holiday protocol on day one — appetizers at the office and dinner in the city, the usual. On day two, we got in touch with our “creative” side by honoring our very own Vice President Matt Crook with a celebrity roast. Emceed by yours truly, this warmhearted ribbing turned out to be a wonderful team-building event, even if it came at the expense of one of the best people I know. That said, the highlight of the morning came when the Seattle smarties unveiled their holiday gift to the group — a calendar that featured smartdept. employees photoshopped into scenes of our favorite movies. We all laughed until it hurt as we viewed Harry Potter turned into Sherry (McPike) Potter and our controller, Dan (Alexander), portrayed as everyone’s favorite groundskeeper Carl from Caddyshack. We finished the day by going to the Adler Planetarium, where we received a personal presentation by Mark Subbarao and viewed a movie that Patrick McPike (Sherry’s hubby) had a major role in creating. Go check it out! Behold, new traditions are popping up all over the place!

For me, the most memorable moment came before any of the festivities and before my coworkers or their loved ones appeared on the scene. It was in the wee hours of that Monday morning tradition, while I was working (reverse-Grinch style) to get all the cheer in its proper place. I was unpacking and hanging the stockings, which represent everyone who works so hard on my behalf — and in that moment, I realized that every stocking I’d put away the year before was being hung once again. And that more than an entire calendar year had come and gone without a single change to our amazing staff.

“That’s huge!!!” was what I was thinking (in case you wanted to know).

Our company culture is at the top of the list of things I’m most proud of. I believe our environment is positive and so are the people in it. I think everyone in our group is performing at their highest level and that the people we work with are enjoying the benefits of a consistent and familiar voice. I feel that my coworkers are enjoying the ambience we’ve all worked so hard to create.

It’s true, I love tradition and celebrating the accomplishments of this special group of people is a tradition I hope to enjoy for many years to come.

Happy Holidays!

smartdept. inc. stockings!

Holiday Job Hunting

Our very own Senior Creative Consultant Meghann Kern was recently quoted in the Seattle Times! She lent her expertise to a fantastic article about looking for a job during the hectic holiday season.

“Timing is everything,” Kern says. “If you keep at it and are consistent with your search, there’s a good chance you could have your résumé reviewed by a hiring manager who’s sitting at her desk three days before Christmas and just got budget approval for a first-quarter hire.”

Read the full article on jobs.seattletimes.com!

smartdept. inc. Goes National- Part Two!

Did you know that you can buy a house without ever meeting a real estate agent, mortgage broker or lawyer? Or that you don’t even have to be present at the closing? You’ll still have to do every step of the process twice, of course. With real estate, that’s par for the course. But the technology allows your agent to always find you for that last bit of information, even if it’s minutes before you close.

When it comes to recruiting creative candidates for a nationwide job search, we’re finding the same thing. Of course, our preference is to meet a candidate in person—you know, to make sure they’re up on the latest fashions, etc. But technology and the evolution of business have allowed us, when necessary, to alter our approach and still get the same positive outcome.

One thing we’re doing at smartdept. inc. to make a small world even smaller is simply communicating more often. The job market is opening up, and as a result the opportunities are coming and going quickly. Heightening the communication is not only the correct approach; it allows us to learn more about the people we represent, faster.

We also use tonal language (technical term) rather than body language to determine a person’s comfort level with a particular work-related subject. “Should I messenger over my portfolio?” you used to say. No thanks, we’ll check it out online and (like always) discuss it with you at length. It’s not a perfect science, but recruiting from a distance works at smartdept. inc. because we’re still focused on creating great relationships and moving them forward in a positive direction.

Challenges? Of course! When you don’t have an opportunity to meet face to face, you have to create additional ways to connect with a candidate. So, we make sure our new friends know about our blog, newsletter and other social media outlets. That way they can stay in the loop. Our methods are showing positive results, too! One of our wayward recruits liked the process well enough to drop in at our Chicago office while she was on vacation. Yup, she came all the way from North Carolina to visit little old us.

Says our National Creative Consultant, Leah Bye. “Recruiting from afar is becoming more accepted—and if done well, can be just as effective.” Leah has been with smartdept. inc. for a couple years now and (along with her support staff) has been working diligently on our behalf to connect those long distance dots.

NOTE: Candidates who live close by will still have to brush those teeth, make a snap decision about those parachute pants and come on in (we insist).

smartdept. inc. Goes National!

So, how does a new company separate itself from its competition? The answer, for us, was to use out-of-the-box thinking to put ourselves in a position to finish ahead of our competition. Some ideas were simple, like contacting a client when we felt we had exhausted a search—letting them know the news, whether it was really great or not so much. Others were more involved, like offering our service 24 hours a day and seven days a week. If you needed us, we were there—answering the phone after hours (not during dinner, of course), and never leaving you to wait until morning.

Thirteen years later, we’re still asking ourselves the same questions and applying the same out-of-the-box strategy to some slightly more complex issues. One idea that has come to fruition is the addition of a dedicated staff to service clients with needs in multiple markets. We feel that boutique style service can still be a realistic expectation, even when a client’s need expands beyond its geographic comfort zone.

Using available technology to meet, get to know, and qualify talent outside our local markets, smartdept. inc. has filled jobs in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Georgia, and even California. That’s right! We can place a GD in GA, or an AD in NY, all from our comfy little chairs in IL. Meanwhile, because we’re limiting points of contact and eliminating red tape, our clients are still receiving service as if it were at a local level (because it is).

So remember, the next time you find yourself wishing those cool folks at smartdept. could fill an open position to help out a wayward coworker you’re fond of… WE CAN.

And yes, you can still call us after hours to get it started.

Chicago November Networking Events

The holiday season is ramping up, and so is the professional networking events calendar! Check out what’s happening this month in Chicago and get out there!

Leadership Circle Program, “Disruptive Thinking: Preparing for Unpredictable Futures”
11.10.14 / 7:15 am / Chicago

At this program hosted by the Executives’ Club of Chicago, Anders Sorman-Nilsson, an innovation strategist and the founder and creative director of Thinque, discusses how to win the digital minds and analog hearts of tomorrow’s customer.

Innovation through Human-Centered Design Workshop
11.11.14 / 9:00 am / Chicago

Product managers, designers, researchers, user experience professionals, marketers, innovators and others can attend this two-day workshop that uses lectures and workshops to introduce participants to the ins and outs of human-centered design. Attendees also learn about how an innovative company operates, improving a company’s design process and more.

Momentum 2014
11.12.14 / 12:30 pm / Chicago

Momentum 2014 brings together technology and marketing to focus on one of the topics that is mission critical for businesses today and tomorrow: Customer Engagement and Big Data: Closing the Gap. This must-attend marketing technology event brings together senior marketing leaders to focus on creating a strategic, unifying vision for customer engagement and experience management within their organizations. This ½ day conference will balance learning the critical strategies from best-in-class marketers, with actionable takeaways and implementation tools, no matter your industry.

Network After Work Chicago at SHAY
11.12.14 / 6:00 pm / Chicago

Join Network After Work on Wednesday November 12th at SHAY (222 W Ontario St) from 6-9pm. Network After Work is comprised of nearly one million like-minded professionals from around the country. Network with attendees from all industries and career levels interested in expanding their professional network and creating new business opportunities. Events take place monthly which allows guests a chance to foster new professional connections in a relaxed atmosphere conducive to business and social networking.

Social Media Masters Summit
11.12.14 / 9:00 am / Chicago

Those in the digital marketing sphere can hear from companies such as BuzzFeed, RedBox, Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Orbit Media at this summit. Topics covered include digital strategy, consumer marketing, content strategy and more.

Breaking into Chicago’s Startups: What it Takes to Find a Job in the Tech Ecosystem
11.12.14 / 6:00 pm / Chicago

At this event – the second in a three-part series – attendees can listen to a panel of hiring mangers, employees and Startup Institute alumni who discuss their success and what got them there.

Cheng, Dilts, Haasch and Reyes: ON Technology
11.13.14 / 6:00 pm / Chicago

Join us for ON Technology, a panel discussion of major topics at the intersection of technology and design—from the growth of the sharing economy, through the evolution of grassroots movements, to the rapid, digital-driven changes we’re seeing in the design industry. The conversation will be hosted by Morningstar and moderated by WBEZ’s Lauren Chooljian, with participation from some of Chicago’s leading design and technology thinkers in what promises to be a candid take on a range of topics. Afterwards, we’ll continue the discussion over drinks at State & Lake (the bar, not the intersection) down the street.

Shark Tank Social: Tech Talk Edition
11.14.14 / 7:00 pm / Chicago

Those who have an invention or an idea can head to this event, where they’ll learn how to position themselves as an author, public speaker, product marketer or brand strategist. In addition, attendees can learn about technology awareness, the integration of social media in digital marketing and the basics steps for how to start a business.

Strengthening Human Capital: Make The Investment
11.18.14 / 7:30 am / Chicago

At this educational session, attendees can learn the ins and outs of training as well as what a well-trained human capital is and why it can be the key to an organization’s success.

smartdept. inc. Fights Hunger, Wins “Rookie of the Year” Award

At smartdept. inc., one of our top priorities is finding ways to give back to the communities where we live and work. In July of this year, we hosted a fundraising event in Seattle in support of one of our favorite local charities, Food Lifeline, a group that serves a staggering 82,000 meals a day to individuals and families in need in the Western Washington area.

The results?

We raised $1,222.50 and won the much coveted “Rookie of the Year” award from Food Lifeline! Although our company is smaller than others that participated in Food Lifeline’s “Food Frenzy” fundraising extravaganza, we managed to take first place per capita. Needless to say, we’re ecstatic!

And it’s all because of you.

A heartfelt thanks to our clients, candidates, family, and friends for your generous donations to provide a necessary service in our community. We’re so grateful for your participation in our open house, and hope you walk away knowing that your contributions went towards the overall $540,000 Food Lifeline was able to raise, which in turn will provide over 2.1 million meals to people in need.

Drawing Winners Revealed

And now for a list of the lucky winners who had their tickets pulled in our drawing for an assortment of prizes:

· Grand Prize (Michelle Pairitz original painting): Marcie Fosse

· Other really good prizes (signed smartdept framed posters): John Schack, schack a & d; Teresa Saia-Morell, Studio Siena and Ben Kappler, PlaceFull.

Congratulations to all our winners – and thank you to everyone for making smartdept. inc. number one in this year’s fundraising event!

PlaceFull team happily accepts their smartdept. inc. poster!

Finding a Better Workflow

If you are guilty of constantly checking your inbox, you are not alone. For many of us, life at work revolves around sending and receiving emails. The truth is, this is not the most productive way to work; it can fragment your “flow” and hinder your creative process. Sure, sometimes we need to be on top of emails- but there may be a better way to work. Check out this article for a little insight and advice!

The Key To Better Work, E-mail Less, Flow More | via Crew blog

smartdept. inc. Food Lifeline Fundraiser a Success!

A big thank you to all of our wonderful clients, candidates, friends and family that turned out for our Food Lifeline fundraising-open-house event last Thursday. We’ve raised over $1150 so far and have exceeded our $1000 goal!

There’s still time to donate through our Crowd Rise page and get your name entered into our drawing for a Michelle Pairitz original painting. We’ll be drawing one lucky winner this Friday, July 25.

We’d also like to congratulate John Schack from schack a+d who won a smartdept signed poster that was personally delivered to his office this morning.

smartdept. inc. Food Lifeline Fundraising Event in Seattle!

What do you get when you mix philanthropy with savory foodstuffs and door prizes? An unforgettable open house hosted by smartdept. inc. in support of one of our favorite local charities, Food Lifeline!

Here are the details:

Who’s invited: You, our valued smartdept. inc. clients and candidates.

What: smartdept. inc. open house, fundraising event, and general schmoozfest with opportunities to mingle with the following luminaries: smartdept. inc. Owner Eric Pairitz, Vice President Matt Crook, and our entire Seattle crew.

When: July 17, 4-6 p.m.
Where: 122 South Jackson Street, Suite 350 Seattle, WA

Why: We’re a fan of Food Lifeline and we want to raise awareness about the incredible work they do in our community. Our staff regularly volunteers time at the warehouse in Sodo, where we’ve helped repackage food going out to food banks, food pantries, hot meal programs, shelters, and after school programs. Read more about Food Lifeline!

Other: There will be lots of snacks. There will be a variety of beverages. There will be a drawing that you can enter for a mere $5 to win an original painting by smartdept inc. Owner Michelle Pairitz. There will be cookies. Someone might eat too many cookies and do a funny dance. We just don’t know – you’re going to have to come and see what goes down.

Please RSVP to Meghann@thesmartdept.com and bring a friend! We’ll see you there! If you can’t make our event you’re welcome to donate directly to Food Lifeline through this website.

The Daily Routines of Famous Creative People

Turns out great minds don’t think alike. Discover how some of the world’s most original artists, writers and musicians structured their day. Filter the different categories by toggling on or off, and hover over the colored bars to learn more about the daily routines.

Check out the full guide here | via Podio

Want to develop a better work routine? Discover how some of the world’s greatest minds organized their days.
Click image to see the interactive version (via Podio).

Get Better Brainstorming Results with Creative Analogies

You’ve tried all the recommendations, from waking up early to writing by hand.

Maybe your company has even hired a consultant to help employees generate new ideas, all in pursuit of that elusive eureka moment, the light bulb, the bolt of inspiration that leads to the next big thing.

But research continues to show that our hunt for the eureka moment may be in vain. The most recent example comes from Joel Chan and Christian Schunn of the University of Pittsburgh, who sought to understand how “thought A led to thought B that led to breakthrough C.”

They analyzed transcripts from the brainstorming sessions of a professional design team tasked with designing a hand-held printer for kids. The transcripts showed that new ideas don’t come out of thin air due to massive cognitive leaps.

Instead, creativity is a series of small steps.

Read the full article here | via fastcompany

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