Think back to when you graduated from college. If you could go back and give yourself some sound advice that would have propelled your future professional career, what would you tell your wide-eyed self? Over the years Amanda K. Haddaway has met and recruited many recent graduates. What she began to discover was that there was a gap between what was being taught in the classroom and what were some soft skills that were critical to be successful on day one as a professional in the workplace. Follow Amanda's career from Corporate America to successful writer and philanthropist. She does it all!
Amanda, you work full time as a Director
of Human Resources, are a Corporate Trainer, freelance writer and have
just published your first book. How do you successfully juggle so many aspects
of your career?
I like to stay busy! I am,
fortunately, one of those people that can balance a lot of projects at once. I
feel very grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way, so I try to
take on as many projects as possible. I will admit, though, that I require a
certain amount of downtime and seven to eight hours of sleep each night is a
must!
When we spoke you mentioned your mentor.
What is the most fulfilling part about working with a mentor?
No one knows everything.
It's good to have someone in your same career field that can answer questions
and be a sounding board on various topics. The old adage about two heads being
better than one is certainly true and it's good to have one or more people that
you can go to for advice.
Your book, Destination Real World:Success after Graduation provides critical tips that aren't being taught in the
classroom to equip grads for the real world. What are some of the missteps that
graduates make in 2012?
You are very passionate about
philanthropy. Can you tell us a little more about the two organizations that
you work with, Cocktails for a Cause and The Maryland Sheriffs' Youth
Ranch, and why they are important to you?
Cocktails for a Cause is a
new organization that I co-founded with two friends a few months ago. Our mission is to assist the fundraising efforts of area
non-profits by (1) promoting awareness of the organizations that serve women
and children and (2) hosting social events to procure monetary and product
contributions for the partnering organizations. We believe that supporting
local non-profit organizations through charitable giving enhances the overall
quality of life for our entire community.
It's a way for people to have fun with their friends and also assist great
causes.
I'm
also on the board of directors at the Maryland Sheriffs' Youth Ranch and a
portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to the Ranch. The Ranch
is a 24-hour foster care facility for boys between the ages of 10 and 18. Our
mission is to assist these youth in becoming productive members of society.
Many of the entrepreneurs we speak with
have interest in sharing their knowledge with others. What is your number one
piece of advice for a woman who is interested in writing and self-publishing?
Do it! You have nothing to
lose and the process will test your perseverance, strength and patience. It's
also such a rewarding feeling to complete a project of this scale. It all
started with an idea that I was able to put on paper. Fast forward seven months
and my book was published and available on amazon.com!
www.sleeveshirtconsulting.com
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466316829/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
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