The 4 Building Blocks to Drive Real Change in Gender Balance

The 4 Building Blocks to Drive Real Change in Gender Balance I’ve just read an article (well worth a read) which had me saying “yes!” out loud. It was great to see someone I admire in this space pushing the message of the importance of engaging leadership to drive real change in gender balance. Engaging leadership is a critical element to driving real change in gender balance or more broadly, any diversity and inclusion initiative but it’s not the only element. Having spent a lot of the first 12 months of setting up talking to businesses about their challenges I think there are 4 key elements you need before you can start building a successful gender balance (or wider inclusion) strategy. I often use this as a basis for my first conversation with new clients. It’s a really helpful framework to get an understanding of where they are on their journey and where they need to focus first. Of the four elements, two focus on data and two on engagement. They are: 1. Understanding your As Is Benchmarking where you are today. Arguably, aside from getting clarity on your vision, this is your first step. How many women do you have by level and team/directorate? You shouldn’t need anyone external to tell you this and in fact, for companies with over 250 employees, the gender pay gap reporting will mean that even if you didn’t have it before you now have a mechanism for pulling this data. But it’s crucial to review this and use it to provide context and measure progress. 2. Understanding the drivers Why you are where you are. This one’s trickier. You’ll often find the Leadership Team and passionate champions will have strong views on this. However, despite common themes, every organization is different and it’s very easy to make assumptions. By digging deeper, you may be surprised at what the biggest issues (real and perceived) actually are. And how these vary between the genders.  For this I would recommend using someone external â€" it’s not an area people often find it easy to open up about to their Line Managers or HR. 3. Engaging Leadership As I said already, this is critical. When I talk to businesses, a common challenge they’re facing is getting their Leadership Team on board. Obviously, there are many business priorities competing for their attention and whilst the gender pay gap reporting requirement has helped push this onto the urgent list as well as the important list, there are still hearts and minds to be won over. Carving out time for proper facilitated discussion to tackle this, like any other business priority, is very effective. This is also where you really start to see overlap with the other elements â€" data always helps, as does the engagement of employees. 4. Engaging Employees You need to take employees with you on the journey too. Another concern often shared is a very well-intentioned desire to get this right from the start. But this often seems to be at the expense of involving more than a handful of employees. Personally, I think is a mistake. And a missed opportunity.   Why not kill two birds with one stone? Consult your employees on why the business doesn’t have more women reaching senior roles and you not only gather crucial intelligence but begin the engagement process. And better still it can really help with positioning this as a journey you’re all making together to make your work that much better. About the author:  Catherine Oliver  is the founder of Parents@Sky and co-founder of Sky’s Women in Leadership initiative. She has recently founded the Bluebell Partnership, a consultancy to help guide businesses through the challenges of setting up their own working parent and women in leadership programmes.

Losing Talent Go Ahead, Tell Yourself Its Mutual Marla Gottschalk

Losing Talent Go Ahead, Tell Yourself Its Mutual Marla Gottschalk Ive recently published a post at Linkedin entitled, How Not to Manage a High Performer. (The comments are worth a look.) In the article, I discuss all of the ways we, as managers and organizations as a whole, shoot ourselves in the foot where top talent is concerned. We rely too heavily on their collected experience when things become hectic, and essentially drain them dry. We fail to offer them real challenge. Then we somehow forget to say thanks â€" for a job truly well done. The employee-employer relationship may have started out on the right foot â€" and good intentions were plentiful. However, as time marches on another troubling story emerges. We drop the proverbial ball, so to speak and the tenor of the relationship devolves. Then â€" without fail, the inevitable moment finally arrives when your high performer makes the decision to move on. Weve forced their hand in many cases, and in truth weve actually limited (not energized) their careers. Wed like to tell ourselves that the feeling is mutual â€" that as an organization weve done all that we could. Theyve outgrown us or were somewhat hard to please. However, thats likely a little whit lie, we tell ourselves. Organizations can find themselves on the wrong side of that argument each and every day. The decision to leave is often not mutual or well-timed (weve forced their hand), and organizations lose for a numbers of identifiable reasons â€" most of which are well-known and preventable. (Take a look at the concepts of the Psychological Contract and Tours of Duty in The Alliance). So, I say hooray for talent. Move on. Jump off. Find an organization that is willing to take a moment to learn who you are and what you need to excel. Ive seen talented, good-hearted, motivated employees suffer at the hand of a completely clueless organization, yet thrive at another. That difference is the responsibility of organizations to affect. So tell yourself its mutual â€" and that the next employee is simply one click (through ATS) away. Go right ahead. But, its not. You lose. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist. She is the Director of Thought Leadership at Kilberry Leadership Advisors, Toronto. She is also serves as an Influencer at LinkedIn.

Best Way to Benefit From The Positive Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Best Way to Benefit From The Positive Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Based on a recent survey by economists, the job market outlook is projecting steady growth in employment. Recruiting consultant CareerXroads reports that new companies find 28 percent of their hires via referrals. Job boards represent one in five applicants, or 20 percent. And career Web sites, about 10 percent. For job seekers or those who contemplate changes in their careers, such statistical information is pertinent so they can know how to spend their time searching for that new gig. The most efficient way to search is via a job search aggregator such as Indeed.com or SimplyHired.com. Both of those engines search through all jobs in one go, pulling up results from job boards, newspapers’ job sections, companies’ career pages, recruiter sites, and more. Instead of looking via many job boards, these aggregators are huge time savers, but they often display duplicate results. Despite that, they’re still efficient and very helpful. But don’t ignore individual job boards and particularly the specialized ones in your industry. To find those that pertain to your industry, Google them. As the cliché says, however, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” You need to work your way via multiple channels. Close to a third of jobs are filled via referrals, and a large number of LinkedIn contacts could prove useful for that. Once you’ve targeted a few companies and found an opening, it is imperative that you reach out to the hiring manager. Getting your résumé in front of that person and possibly having a phone chat could make the difference between getting an offer and sending your résumé to nowhere. Why are you looking for a job? But let’s review for a moment the reason for the need to look for a job to start with: because the economy is vastly different from economies we remember from the past. In today’s economic climate, people are expected to change jobs and, occasionally, careers. Job stability is simply no longer guaranteed. So, what to do now? Continuing your education and earning advanced credentials are more important than ever, because in this fast-changing and shifting job market, the only things that stay with you and that you can never lose are your professional experience, newly acquired skills, and credentials. In summary, the future cannot be expected to remind us of the past but is instead similar to a chameleon by constantly changing and morphing into new norms with new needs. Only those who can adapt and embrace that future will succeed. The rest will lag and be left out.

3 Answers To What Do You Look For In A Company - Algrim.co

3 Answers To What Do You Look For In A Company - Algrim.co Sometimes your interviewer will ask you, “What do you look for in a company?” You might be thinking to yourself, what I look for is the company I’m interviewing for right now. But there’s actually a better way to answer this question that will impress your interviewer and help them understand “who you are” in more depth. What Is The Interviewer Looking For When the interviewer asks this question, they are looking for you to list the qualities that you look for in a company. This is different than describing the actual company themselves. A good way to think about answering this question is to presume some of the core line items that may come up if you were to read through a companies mission statement. The interviewer wants to know what you value, what your morals are and how you might be guiding your internal compass. From there, they can determine whether or not it’s good alignment to what the companies mission statements are. Know The Companies Mission Statement In order to be sure that you are answering with three qualities that are in alignment with the company, be sure that you read through the corporate about page or read through their public mission statements. Inside those pages usually contain some keywords that you can extract which you can utilize to your advantage. If the company doesn’t have an about page, try to find the companies founding story and extract the criteria you think best aligns with the founding story. That way when you answer, you aren’t accidentally answering with qualities that the company can’t provide, thus making you not an ideal or fitting candidate. Qualities You Can Use To Answer The Question There’s usually a predetermined set of qualities that you can extract from most companies based in the US. This is because the moral compass of most businesses are the same. As long you present one or some of the following qualities in a company, you’ll be able to answer the question accurately. Ability for upward mobility A growing industry An innovative environment A collaborative environment A company that has a passion for their customers A company that wants to change the world A company with honest missions A company that stands behind their employees Some of these qualities are very general, but can provide ample ground for being able to integrate into your answer and have it be accurate. Often times the interviewer will ask, “What are the top 3 things you look for in a job?” And you can absolutely use some of the qualities above. But sometimes job related questioning is different than company related questioning. You’ll need to use your best judgement to determine what the interviewer is looking for. 3 Good Example Answers To “What Do You Look For In A Company?” Here’s some example answers that take into account the types of qualities that you might be looking for in a company. Use these as a structure for building your own targeted answer depending on the type of company you are applying to. Example one “I look for three qualities: upward mobility, a growing industry and a company that has honest missions. If I had to simplify what I was looking for in a company, that would be it.” Example two “I look for the ability to grow with a company, a company that values collaboration and wants to change the world.” Example three “There are a few qualities that I look for in a company but what I’ve found to be the best compass is one single thing: a company that has a passion for delivering high-value products and services to its customers. Plain and simple.” Bad Answers To “What Do You Look For In A Company?” The only way to answer this question in a poor way is if your qualities aren’t really qualities at all. If you say, “I want a company that pays well.” Then that’s not really a quality, that’s more of the desired benefit. As long as you keep your answer focused on the company itself, you’ll be fine. Avoid self-centered or individually focused answers or qualities at all costs.

Work-From-Home Jobs for Those Who Love Their Freedom - CareerMetis.com

Work-From-Home Jobs for Those Who Love Their Freedom There are plenty of reasons to choose telecommuting or work-from-home jobs over traditional jobs that limit you to an office cubicle in a rigid time window. If you’ve just had a baby, a work-from-home job can let you pursue your professional ambitions along with enjoying parenthood.Even if you aren’t having a baby yet, a work-from-job allows you to enjoy the lifestyle you want. You can travel the world and still make good money.There are a myriad of work-from-home jobs to choose from. Every industry today is looking to hire the most skilled employees and as long as you have the right skills, they’d be happy to let you work from home.Opportunities AboundevalevalYou can choose to work in IT sector with jobs like graphic designer, web designer, software developer, IT security analyst, technical writer or software tester.The world of digital marketing is another fertile ground with an abundance of home-based jobs. You can be a freelance writer and blogger, digital marketing manager , freelance editor, SEO specialist, infographic designer or researcher.The healthcare sector too has begun to appreciate the value of work-from-home. As a result, you can now choose from options like clinical research associate, medical claims officer, telephone nurse and tele-radiologist.If you are passionate about business but cannot be in an office right now, you can become a home based project manager, business developer, financial analyst, market researcher, audit manager, PR specialist and human resource generalist.There are other jobs you can do really well without ever stepping into an office. If you have sufficient talent, hard work and drive, you can choose creative and immensely rewarding careers like photography, travel writer and animator.To Sum UpThe world is getting smaller and everyone can stay in touch with technology. So you can now help a company no matter where you are, and get paid a very handsome salary.As long as you have the discipline to work-from-home, a st rong knowledge of your target industry and willingness to work hard and make a real difference, work-from-home jobs are for you.Infographic Credit â€" Ponbeee.com

4 Ways to Land the Executive Interview - Hire Imaging

4 Ways to Land the Executive Interview - Hire Imaging In my last post, I covered expectations of the executive candidate. Before you can be chosen as Candidate #1 for an executive position, you must first get the interview. These four strategies will help you do that! 1. Shape your personal brand. Begin by being able to show your value proposition and why you’re the best candidate. Your brand should encompass your reputation and describe your contributions. Your brand should convey your uniqueness, enthusiasm, and distinctive understanding of the business. It must answer the employer’s questions: Why should we hire you (over your competition)? Saturate all your career marketing communications with your brand. Your resume, cover letter, business cards, thank-you notes â€" whatever documents go into your portfolio, should package you with a consistent brand. The goal is for an employer to associate your brand with you. Your brand should include your online identity. Google yourself with the employer’s perspective (because they will Google you). Create a compelling profile on LinkedIn. Consider having your own website with your name as its domain name (such as barbpoolecareerexpert.com). You can include a blog focused on your expertise, samples of your best work â€" or both. Writing for other sites about what you know best can also be powerful branding. It goes without saying that you should eliminate any negative information online that hurts your brand. Remove controversial material. Politely ask site owners to move negative material on sites you can’t control. Keep the positive flowing to deemphasize any negative information from the past. 2. Conduct due diligence on employers. Target specific employers you wish to work for. This is outside the realm of those who have advertised openings. Avoid sending out blanket resumes to mass employers or posting on numerous job boards. Statistics support that only about 1 percent of executives surveyed found career opportunities by widely broadcasting their resumes. The truth is that the vast amount of executive positions with an annual salary of $150K+ are not posted on the open web. Concentrate on employers that you feel are a fit for your talents; and with whom you would enjoy working. List about 20-25 employers to target, and do your due diligence with extensive research. Find out about their culture, their successes, their products and services. Knowing as much as possible will help you know the best way to reach these organizations. Include in your research, identification of hiring managers for the types of roles that interest you. Use both online and traditional resources: social media, business sites, and the old-fashioned method of talking to people in person and on the phone. Tap into your research and your network to identify company insiders who can share information and refer you to hiring authorities. Conduct informational interviews or meetings with insiders to learn information you can’t find in your other research â€" problems, issues, needs, successes, or initiatives. This is very powerful, because it puts you in a position to introduce yourself as a solution to the employer’s challenges; and a leader in forwarding its mission and goals. Integrate all you learn on targeted employers into a multifaceted job search campaign that includes networking and responding to advertised openings (remember that there are fewer at the executive level posted). 3. Network with those who can help you. Particularly at the executive level â€" approximately 70 percent or more â€" positions are obtained from networking over any other way. Networking should be a top priority in your job search. Professional associations and organizations are one of your best networking venues. Make a point to join organizations in your field or industry. Do more than join in name. Attend meetings and event; network with members. Connect with your network BEFORE you need a job. Contact those people in your network regularly. Offer to help those who have their own career concerns or needs; mentor those who could benefit from your knowledge. Tap into your research and your network to identify company insiders who can share information and refer you to hiring authorities. Online networking is considered essential today. 96 percent of hiring authorities â€" HR, recruiters and hiring managers, go there to look for executive talent. LinkedIn is a must. Facebook and Twitter are increasingly used for professional networking. Of course, there are many sites. Make it part of your plan to have at least two online networking sites. It goes without saying that you should eliminate any negative information online that hurts your brand. Remove controversial material. Politely ask site owners to move negative material on sites you can’t control. Keep the positive flowing to deemphasize any negative information from the past. 4. Work with recruiters. At the executive level, executive-search firms and recruiters are more important than they are to job seekers at lower levels. Many executives are sought out or “headhunted.” Though perhaps unfair, one reality is that recruiters are more interested in those executive candidates who are currently employed. Of course, unemployed executives are hired, but those who can be “wooed” are the most desirable. Another reality is that recruiters work for the client employer, not the candidate. This means it is not the recruiter’s job to find the executive candidate a position. That said, recruiters want to keep their pipelines full. They typically have a database to draw from when matching candidates to employer needs. Some recruiters will be open to contact with you only when you are a match with a search in their pipeline. Others may be more receptive to contact more frequently. It’s a good idea to learn the standard operating method and comfort level for each recruiter you work with. Identify the recruiters that area fit for you, such as job function, targeted industries or employers, geographic areas, etc. Keep in mind that it’s hard to spot which client employers recruiters work with, as this is typically confidential. Send your resume and cover letter to a few recruiters you’ve identified and ask them to consider you for search assignments they feel to be a match. Follow any instructions on resume submission. Follow up with a phone call and email asking for a meeting with the recruiter. But don’t bug him or her. The recruiter may or may not meet with you. When you do work with a recruiter, explore assistance in preparing for the interview process with the client employer, post-interview debriefing, and help in negotiating your compensation package. If a recruiter does not have a current search assignment for you, think about referring a matching candidate. This can do wonders for your recruiter relationships. They are always grateful for referrals to great candidates. Do you have additional ideas around these four strategies, or other ways to help land the executive interview? I’d love to hear from you!

Resume Writing Tips For Medical Professionals

Resume Writing Tips For Medical ProfessionalsIf you are looking for resume writing tips for medical professionals, then you should do some research on the topic. Many health care professionals are looking for ways to effectively market themselves and attract potential employers.Health care professionals in particular need to be creative when applying for jobs. The need for resume writing tips for medical professionals is necessary to keep up with the ever changing demand of jobs in the health care industry. The various career opportunities are wide-ranging and require thorough planning.The career changes have made many current job seekers confused about where they will fit in. Health care professionals can use resume writing tips for medical professionals to ensure that their resume matches their career plan. They can also follow various health care resume writing tips for medical professionals to find specific career paths that they may prefer.Job seekers need to find ways to keep u p with current demands. Relevant work experience, educational achievements, and skills are all essential to land a better paying job. Resume writing tips for medical professionals should highlight specific information relevant to a specific career path. Career options include specialized positions, such as a pediatrician, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant.There are a number of resume writing tips for health care professionals that they can use in their efforts to secure a job. The most important of these is to choose a career that is compatible with their personality. It is important to keep in mind that every occupation will require different types of skills and expertise. Careers in a health care industry often require exceptional communication skills, social skills, and interpersonal skills.Career change can be challenging for both the employer and the employee. Career exploration is a large part of the process. The health care industry can offer a number of career choi ces for career exploration.Career exploration helps health care professionals to identify new job requirements, learn about job responsibilities, and gain insight into employment strategies. Education and training programs can also be helpful tools in career exploration. Careers in health care may be less challenging than those in other industries, but it still requires a great deal of determination, attention to detail, and focus.Career exploration is a process that has helped health care job seekers get the information they need to make an informed decision about their career. Careers in the health care industry may be more challenging than careers in other industries, but it does not mean that the rewards are less. Successful individuals can thrive in this industry.