Starting a job during a pandemic comes with a unique set of challenges. Yet, there are more global opportunities to work online than ever before.

It’s definitely an unusual situation. We’ve had to navigate new, online experiences. For instance, virtual interviews and building relationships with colleagues when you’ve never met them.

So we decided to speak with two Salesforce Belgium employees who started their jobs in 2020. We wanted to find out what it was like starting a job during a pandemic.

Hugues Lefebvre, Senior Account Executive, started two weeks before the first lockdown in March 2020. And Babette Claessen, Enterprise Account Executive, started in June 2020.When Hugues started at Salesforce, everyone had heard of COVID-19. Yet, he didn’t expect it to have such a huge impact, both globally and on his own experience as a new hire.

“I started thinking it would be a continuation of what I was used to,” he said, “which is a combination of working in the office and from home, meeting regularly with customers and partners.”

Even though the first national lockdown was announced after Hugues started, his onboarding process with Salesforce wasn’t affected. Babette, however, interviewed for her job in April (virtually, of course). Her onboarding process and start date were also mid-pandemic. COVID-19 had to have had an impact on that, right?

Well, according to Babette, the virtual onboarding process was seamless.

“The onboarding really tells you a lot about Salesforce as a company,” she said. “I can’t imagine starting anywhere else at the beginning of the pandemic that would have been ready to onboard me in the same way.

“Salesforce had everything in place. It was a smooth and easy process.”

I am sure that you have heard the song a thousand times, but you may have never seen a Prophetic Christian take apart the message in the song line by line and speak about the Eternal Meaning in this Song. Come and have a look at this songs lyrics in a possibly a new light today.

KEY

Italics Typeface The Lyrics of the song Normal Type My message.

There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done,

The essential thing I feel the band was saying here was that nothing is impossible for those that believe. Here are some guys that rocked the world and left many songs that even people 30 years later are singing.

Can you do anything?

The Beatles seem to think so! They say that you can do anything. Anything is possible.

Have you given up on your dreams?

Has life beaten you down?

Is your dream impossible?

Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung

You can sing anything you set your mind to. When two negatives are used in a sentence it means that the result is a positive. Another way of saying this is saying that as long as you can sing you can sing and release any song to the public.

Have you got a message in your heart?

Have you got something within you that can change the way people think? If you can write, you can write it.

If you can sing you can sing it.

If you are creative you can create it.

Do you know that the world is waiting on you? Sure God may birth your idea through someone else. Sure if you don’t do it someone else might do it. Sure you might create something and then someone else can create something better then you.

Do you think genetically modified foods put God the Creator out of sorts? Do you think man creating other strains of what occurs naturally in the world annoys God?

So too your idea with the possibility of someone else doing it. You need not let things stop you.

Nothing you can say, but you can learn how the play the game It’s easy.

Do you know that the boys that made up the famous Beatles were just ordinary folk that had a go at something they loved?

In this world we like to make idols. We like to have stars to look up to.

But are you less of a person if no one knows you?

They say that you can learn to play the game. If you can’t do it yet you can apply yourself and get it done. You can do anything and the world, even if it is just the world of the people that know you now, are waiting on you.

There’s nothing you can make that can’t be made.

Do you know that? Some things seem impossible to the world. Many people create something that does not exist in the world before they applied themselves to an idea. But go on, pursue that idea. Birth that dream.

No one you can save that can’t be saved.

Do you know some people have been dead ten minutes and come back to life because someone tried to revive them? Do you know many people have been dead longer? I know a pastor in India that raised his brother from the dead after 3 days and nights without food and water and with prayer.

There is the event that changed BC to AD. Jesus death is well recorded and the fact that He came back to life is another fact that the world likes to deny.

We all have friends who have been sick or diagnosed with severe health problems. You may be fairly health still (congratulations!) or you might already have some issues. No matter what your particular health is right now, there are three things you can start with immediately to take better care of yourself.

1. Good Nutrition. You have probably heard this dozens of times but do you really adhere to a good diet? How often do you eat fast food? How many sodas do you drink every week? Every day? Do you eat a lot of packaged processed food, even though it is labeled “Healthy Choice” or something similar. This is not good for you! You need to eat natural, unprocessed food. Fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, soy products and the like. Your body will gradually break down if continually fed unhealthy products.

2. Exercise. This does not mean you have to run marathons or spend hours at the gym every day. Do things that you enjoy or you will not be able to sustain a exercise regime. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. Light weights give you some body strength and muscles are what burn the most fat so you will be able to maintain a healthy weight. Keep moving as much as possible. Gardening, walking the dog, stretching, yoga, these are all wonderful ways to keep yourself fit.

3. Take Some Good Supplements. No matter how well we eat, we are not able to take in the daily amount of vitamins, nutrients, etc. that doctors and nutritionists recommend. Make sure you get on a well recommended program that you can trust. There are some excellent natural vitamin companies out there, you just need to do the research and choose one. Look for a company with longevity and ask around to some of your healthier friends what they use.

If you would like to fix or repair your house, home improvement grants provide free money to Americans who can use some financial assistance when it comes to covering the cost of home repair. These grants are typically provided by the government. More specifically, your local government has the greatest interest in helping you finance your home improvement projects, as they are the ones to benefit the most.

The home owner, also benefits greatly from these programs. Home improvement grants provide free money that never has to be paid back. As long as these funds are used for the purpose agreed upon in your grant application, the cash is yours to keep.

Once you access the grant database to find the government grant programs that you are eligible to receive, you’ll realize that there are a number of grants to choose from. Some provide money for home repair, others provide free grant money to expand your home, while others offer the cash you need to upgrade your appliances to energy efficient equipment. It all depends on what government programs are specially available in your community and how much funding is left for you to claim.

When you apply for home improvement grants, you do not have to worry about your credit score, collateral or down payment money. Because these are not loans, the government is not interested in this information. What you will need, however, is the details on your project, an estimate as to how much it will increase the value of your property, and a good idea of how much money your project will cost.

It’s not uncommon to dream of visiting places you see in the movies. Let me guess, most of them are in the United States. To name a few, New York, LA, Miami, Washington and Chicago are some of the common tourist destinations in the US. You have the resources but you harbor this apprehension of being denied.

This should not stop you from making your travel plans a reality. If you have relatives in the US or you would like to travel solo, the key is to know what type of visa you must apply for, the necessary documents you must fill out, and more importantly, the purpose of your visit to the US.

First things first, know the difference between a US Visitor Visa (B-2) and a US Visa Sponsorship.

These two things are not the same.

The visitor visa often known as B-1/B-2 visa is a non-immigrant visa for people wishing to enter United States temporarily for pleasure, medical treatment, and business. In this case, you apply for your US Visa with the US Embassy or Consulate. Whereas, a U.S. visa sponsorship is applied for by the employer or close family member by filing an immigration petition with the U.S. government for getting a residency card (Green card) for their employee or close family member. This is also known as non-immigrant petitions such as work visa (e.g., H, L visa) as well as family visa (e.g., Fiancé or K visa).

What is the purpose of your visit?
You will be asked this question by the US consul who you will meet when you get to the embassy. But before that, determine the purpose of your trip. If the purpose of your trip is to visit USA for a short duration for pleasure, tourism, and visit relatives, family, or friends, then visitor visa known as Tourist visa to USA or B-2 visa is the right visa for you.

However, keep in mind that you if apply for a visitor’s visa, among other things, you must show to the US Consular officer that they have strong ties to the Philippines as you home country and they intend return after their temporary stay in the U.S. You must also show that you have enough money available to take care your expenses for your U.S. trip such as air tickets, visitors insurance, lodging/boarding, transportation expenses, tourism expenses and all other expenses.

What if I don’t have enough resources but my friends and relatives in the US are willing to shoulder my stay there?
Then this is where sponsorship sets in.

Who can sponsor my trip?
Any US-based person can sponsor visa for his/her parents, relatives, and friends. This means that he/she must either be a holder of an I-94 (US Green card) or a US Citizen. Your sponsor should provide an affidavit of support (form I-134). The form is a confirmation that the sponsor is ready to undertake the financial liability of the applicant during the visit.

What documents do I need to submit?

Must have Documents for US Visitor Visa interview:
1. A valid passport that does not expire prior to 6 months beyond of your intended stay.
2. Printout of your confirmation page from the form DS-160
3. Fee receipt US Visa Fees
4. One photograph
5. Original/ Copy of Visa interview appointment letter

Supporting documents to show your Ties with your home country include:

You must demonstrate strong economic, social, and familial ties with your home country. You must also show that you will not become a burden on US by proving your financial stability to cover the expenses in US. These facts will ensure the interviewing officer that you will return to your home country after the authorized period of stay in USA. The required documents are:
1. Evidence of sufficient funds for the visit to US (Bank statement and passbook, etc.)
2. Evidence to show that you have strong ties to your home country. Documents related to the property you own and your employment are good evidence
a. If you are employed get a verification letter of employment
b. If you are self-employed get a financial and other documentary proof of the ownership
c. If you are a government employee get a Certificate of Employment and an Authority to Travel Certification
d. Tax ID, and recent tax-related documents
e. Original property papers like house, shop or business ownership documents etc. which you own in the Philippines/home country. If no papers available, make a notarized affidavit for the same
f. Documentary evidence of running any business or organization
g. Evidence of family ties like unmarried children, old aged parents and other family responsibilities
h. If person is an employee, other than proof of employment and proof of leave granted from the office, any such document that would show proof that you have reasons to come back

Documents and other proofs aside, the assistance of an immigration counsel/consultant who would facilitate your application and better your chances of getting approved is strongly suggested and highly encouraged.

The real estate market in the Chicago suburbs is as vibrant as it is in city itself. A large number of residential and commercial real estate are always available for sale or purchase in Chicago’s suburban areas such as Cook County, Lake County, McHenry and Boone counties, Kane and DeKalb counties and DuPage and Will counties. There are also other Chicago suburbs where real estate market continues to flourish.

There are real estate firms which deal exclusively with one particular suburb, and others that deal with all suburbs. The south suburbs are relatively new. The real estate prices are high here. Some of the buildings have still preserved the architecture of previous centuries.

Excellent commuting facilities leading into the city have resulted in relatively higher prices for real estate in this area as compared to some other suburbs. The northern suburbs are considered “”elite.”” Here we have villages with beautiful houses and magnificent churches, a good choice for those who are looking forward to buy residential real estate. The northwest suburbs cover huge tracts of land. The population density is low. The architecture of most of the buildings reminds one of a typical 20th century urban landscape.

Those looking for commercial real estate can go for vacant spaces in shopping malls. Residential real estate is also available in the countryside as one keeps on moving farther out in these suburbs. In the western suburbs one finds a variety of real estate, as these suburbs have a very diversified culture and economy.

There are affluent sections, as well as agrarian and industrial communities with their feet on the ground. One can get a range of real estate in western suburbs. It is clear that in general the real estate prices might be a bit on the lower side as compared to the main city area of Chicago, but as all of them have good connectivity with the main city area, one can settle down in one of these suburbs without having any major impact on one’s quality of life.

Home improvement makes a great hobby. After all, it builds useful skills, creates a sense of empowerment, and of course it improves the function and look of your home. There are lots of ways to do it, some right and some wrong. Check out these tips so the time you spend on home repair projects will all be time well spent.

Get new tiling. If your tiling does not match your walls, or is cracking and becoming damaged, replacing it is a better way of refurbishing your home that is relatively simple and inexpensive. Stick-on floor tiles are available at many house improvement stores, and if you want to use the real ones, they are not too expensive either.

You need to make sure that you are getting the best price for your building supplies when you are doing any repairs or renovating your homes. All building supply stores carry the same materials but they all charge different prices for the materials. In order to get the best price you need to compare all of the prices at the different stores.

No matter what project you tackle with you home repair, stay safe while doing it. Wear the proper safety protection for your eyes and hands. Read the operation manuals for the power tools that you are going to use. If you do not feel comfortable with anything and it seems dangerous, hire a contractor to do that part.

Almost all Do-It-Yourself projects are pretty easy and self-explanatory. Most people can paint a room, clean storm windows, and make minor repairs. Be careful not to overextend your actual Do-It-Yourself abilities in more complex areas. Unless you really know what you are doing, you are likely to have trouble (and encounter danger) with projects such as Do-It-Yourself electrical wiring and DIY sewer line replacement. Call an expert!

Adding casual living areas to a home, is a smart and profitable home improvement project. Many homes have just one living area, the addition of a second that can be used as a family room or den are big plus to potential buyers who see your home as place that they can grow with their own family.

Every child is unique and has different health care needs throughout childhood. Some children are born with weak immune systems, some with an adventurous spirit that often results in injury, and others with a preexisting medical condition. To be sure that each has his or her special needs attended to, all children should have regularly scheduled visits with a doctor.

How Minor Can Become Major

If not properly treated, small scrapes and cuts can become infected. Minor coughs and colds can develop into pneumonia or other sicknesses. A lightly fractured wrist can become a broken bone or a permanent injury. Whatever small medical problems your child is facing, they may develop into larger problems if they go untreated or are improperly treated. A doctor can immediately determine the cause of the problem and advise you on how it should be treated so that your child can fully recover. With regular doctor’s visits, recurring problems, such as allergies or asthma, can be diagnosed early to prevent potentially life-threatening health problems later on.

Paying for Your Child’s Health Care

Almost all parents understand that doctor’s visits are an important part of ensuring a happy, healthy childhood. However, office visits and medical treatment can be expensive. A health insurance plan can help you pay for your family’s health needs so that you don’t have to carry the burden yourself. In the case of a severe injury or illness, a child’s medical bills can build up very quickly to the point that you cannot afford to pay. Health insurance can protect your family from facing high medical costs.

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