5 Ways to Stay Informed About Workplace Diversity

5 Ways to Stay Informed About Workplace Diversity Workplace diversity is about accepting and valuing all employees’ differences and encouraging them to use their unique knowledge and skills to create a stronger and more competitive organisation. A lot of corporations have already recognized the multiple benefits of workplace diversity. Employees with different backgrounds and views are more likely to produce innovative and creative solutions to existing problems. Fostering diversity within the company can further attract a more diverse audience and clientele, thus expanding the customer base and increasing profits. In fact, in the McGregor-Smith Review, it was estimated that an extra £24 billion can be generated in the UK economy every year, simply by using the full potential of the black and minority ethnic (BME) community. This amount corresponds to 1.3% of GDP. Nevertheless, BME individuals in the UK are still underemployed with 15.3%, in comparison to white workers’ underemployment rate of 11.5%. These facts are undeniable and any respectable company nowadays accepts and pushes the diversity agenda. That is, on paper atleast. Goals are set and reviewed each year, but are they met? Is your company doing enough to promote diversity in the workplace? As employees, we all have the right to know how our company is supporting minorities and what initiatives are undertaken to reach the diversity goals. The infographic below will show you a glimpse of how Britain is performing on gender and ethnic diversity.             How to stay informed If you want to stay up to date with the latest on workplace diversity and keep an overview of the world’s progress, there are some great resources out there that can be accessed freely. We have made a list of some of the most popular ones below. 1. Official sources If you want more information on overall national development, you can always reference official governmental sites. For example, on the gov.uk website one can download the Davies Review Annual Report on “Women on Boards”. Amongst other things, the report reveals the percentage of women in FTSE 100 companies, which currently lies at 25%. 2. Equality and Human Rights Commission A lot of useful information and trustworthy data is also provided by independent sources like the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which is a non-departmental public body. We suggest you take a look at their “Sex and Power Report” from 2011, which is still relevant today. 3. Stonewall Workplace Equality Index Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index is a UK exclusive annual benchmark conducted by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) charity Stonewall. It is basically the most comprehensive list of Britain’s best employers for the LGBT+ community.  The index is based on criteria such as employee policy, training, career development etc. 4. Company annual reports Companies themselves who are committed to their diversity objectives are usually quite transparent and publish a lot of reports and information on their sites. All big multinationals like Procter and Gamble, YE and PwC offer diversity reports free to download. Since potential employees value a diverse workplace, being open and honest about the company’s situation can attract more talented applicants. Is your company doing the same? 5. Wikigender And of course, we can always trust in Wikipedia to satisfy our curiosity. The Wikigender platform is a project by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge on gender equality issues. If you are looking for statistics on gender diversity for different countries, this I a good place to start your research. If companies want to stay relevant today, they have to embrace the changes in society and adapt accordingly. We, as employees and citizens carry the responsibility of holding them accountable for their actions. And the only way we can do that is by staying informed and opening our eyes to reality. About the author: Maria Boradjieva is a Communication Assistant at Market Inspector UK, a digital market place for businesses in Europe that offers free quotes from B2B suppliers.

How to Organize and Plan Your Career Moves

How to Organize and Plan Your Career Moves Last week, members in the  Get Ahead Club  had the opportunity to listen to my interview with Dondi Scumaci, author of  Designed for Success: The 10 Commandments for Women in the Workplace, Ready, Set…Grow!  and  Career Moves. Dondi is an international speaker, author and expert in professional and personal development. Known for high energy seminars that produce dramatic results, Scumaci’s workshops are designed to deliver solid, actionable disciplines for employees and executives alike.  (Our GAC members said that this interview was one of the best yet!  Thank you Dondi!) Here are a few things I learned in the interview: The facts: A recent Gallup poll survey measuring employee engagement revealed that 17% of employees are disengaged, 54% are not engaged and only 29% are truly engaged.   Many people choose not to engage and be happy in their work. You may think that this is bad news that the workforce is disengaged.   But it isn’t!   It’s actually good news for us ambitious women! As you add value and create opportunity in the workplace, you will actually stand out from the crowd that is disengaged because you will be energized, engaged and fulfilled. My favorite part of the interview was when Dondi recommended creating a 100 day plan to write your success story.  Presidents, CEOs, and even marathon runners use one hundred days as a benchmark for success.  I created my 100 day plan this past weekend so June 26th, 2013 is going to be a very successful day! What is your plan in the next 100 days to get where you want to be? Want to get the rest of the interview and start taking action to get ahead in your career this year? You can join the Get Ahead Club today and listen to the recordings from all the interviews, get the action plan worksheet and interact with me and the Get Ahead Club community right now!  Click here to learn more.

Professional References - How Many to List, Samples [2020 Updated] - Algrim.co

Professional References - How Many to List, Samples [2020 Updated] - Algrim.co Wondering what a professional reference is? When filling out an application online the employer might ask you to list professional references that they can contact. Or attach your professional references as part of your resume PDF or Word Document pack. We’re going to answer all the questions that you have regarding what professional references are, how to get them and how to include them as part of your resume. Ready? Let’s jump right in! Table of Contents What Is A Professional Reference What’s The Difference Between A Professional Reference And A Personal Reference Who Makes The Best Professional References How To Ask For A Professional Reference How To Provide References To Your Next Employer How Many References Should You Have? Professional References On The Resume (Template, Sample) Tips Before You Submit Your Reference List What Is A Professional Reference A professional reference is someone your new employer can contact regarding your prior work experience. A professional reference doesn’t only have to be a previous colleague. If you are a recent graduate or if you haven’t had prior job experience, listing a reference from a professor or mentor is an easy way to ensure you qualify. Pro tip: In a 2018 HireRight survey, 85% of employers surveyed uncovered a lie or misrepresentation on a candidate’s resume or job application. Meaning the use of professional references, letters of recommendation or referrals are vital to increasing your chances of employment. New employers often ask if they can contact your previous employer. If you reply to them saying that it’s okay, they’ll contact your professional reference list first. So it’s important that you think through who is on that list and what they might say. Professional reference lists usually contain a few data points for your new employer: Your references full name Your references relationship to you (professor, mentor, previous employer) Your references phone number Your references email address What’s The Difference Between A Professional Reference And A Personal Reference The difference between these two types of references is that one may be for a home mortgage or when you go to rent a home. And the other is for when you’re applying for a job. A personal reference is someone that’s close to you who can vouch for the responsibility that you might be taking on (again, home mortgage or home rental). Professional references are people who can speak highly about you regarding how you might be able to perform in the industry and job function you’re applying to. Who Makes The Best Professional References Here are the best professional references you can find ordered by most impactful to least impactful for your new employer: Your previous CEO or VP Your previous coworker Your mentor Your advisor Your professor Your friend Your family member It’s advised that you don’t use friend and family members for professional references. But in the case where one of your family members is someone in a high responsibility position, like a VP of Sales, then that family members professional reference can be impactful. Be sure to pick references that you know will be able to speak about the industry and job you’re trying to apply for. And ensure that you feel confident in their abilities to express skills or qualities about you that are fitting. How To Ask For A Professional Reference Before you list someone on your professional reference list, it’s vital that you speak with this person and ask for their permission to list them. There are a few reasons why you want to speak with the person you’re going to put on your references list before doing so. Some of those reasons include: Ensuring that they’re available to look for and take a phone call from your potential employer. Ensuring that they’re ready to speak to qualities and skills that are aligned to the job you’re applying for. Ensuring that they aren’t caught off guard with the process in general, by not asking them in advance. When asking someone for a professional reference, the steps are quite simple: Pick professionals or family members who you feel can strongly represent you in a phone call or email with your potential employer or HR department. Send them an email mentioning that you’d like to include them as part of your professional reference list and that they could receive a phone call or email if they’re comfortable being one of your references. Get approved to list them on your professional references list and make them part of your references. Curious what an email looks like when asking someone to be a professional reference? Here’s an example of what that might look like: Dear John, I really enjoyed working with you and it would do me an incredible service if I could list you as one of my professional references. It’s important to know that my next employer could potentially call you regarding applications in the Software Engineering role that I’m seeking. Would it be okay to list you as a reference? Thank you so much, Steve Ryan How To Provide References To Your Next Employer When integrating your professional references list into your resume, what you’ll want to do is make sure that it’s included in your pack but not inside your resume itself. Create a brand new page and ensure that your professional heading (your name, your email, your phone number, your address) is at the top. Ensure that your footer is also part of this page, which might include a minimal version of your contact information once more. Then, include your professional references in order of priority. Be sure that you include their name, their contact information (email and phone number), relationship to you (like previous colleague â€" if so, list their title as well). Be sure that your professional references list is only one page at a maximum. Anything more than one page is potentially too many references to list. If the job you're applying for doesn't ask for professional references on the job application submission portal, it's recommended that you print out multiple copies of your reference list and bring that with you to the interview. How Many References Should You Have? Ideally, anywhere from 3 - 6 references is perfect for a reference list. Be sure that you include only the most impactful references that you have. For instance, if you have approval to list both your previous CEO and your previous peer as part of your references, choose your previous CEO. Professional References On The Resume (Template, Sample) Here’s what a single professional reference should look like, as well as what a list of professional references look like ready for your resume package. Here’s what a single reference should look like: John Smith Previous Employer (VP of Product) john@companyemail.com 888-888-8888 And here’s what a list of references should look like: John Smith Previous Employer (VP of Product) Company, In. john@companyemail.com 888-888-8888 Ryan Starver Professor of Economics Harvard University rstarver@harvard.edu 888-888-8888 Here’s a simple sample template you can use to include your reference list as part of your resume. Know that if you have a professional heading and footing on your resume, use that instead. [Today’s Date] [Your name] [Your phone number] [Your email address] [Your address] [Position you are applying for] [Reference name] [Reference title] [Reference company or relationship] [Reference email address] [Reference phone number] At the end of it, your reference list should look something like this: Tips Before You Submit Your Reference List Before you submit your reference list, try to speak with those who are going to talk to your new employer. Mention to them what job you might be interviewing for and provide them a few ideas on skills they can speak to. For example, communication and organizational skills. Try to vet what your reference might say regarding yourself and the position. If you can, have your reference go through a “dry run” with you to practice what they might say. From there you can help calibrate what they might say with suggestions. When you're finished gathering all of your references and you secure your new job, don't forget to come back to your references and thank them for their hard work. This will ensure that when you ask something of your professional network that you show gratitude and uphold those great relationships. Professional Reference FAQ's Below are common questions job seekers have when creating a list of references. Should I include my previous job title in the reference list? No it's not necessary to include the job title you had while under the management of the person in your reference list. Though, the job title of the person mentioned in the reference list can be very impactful. Is a supervisor a good person to add to a reference list? Absolutely. Any previous supervisor, manager, or boss that can speak to your work ethic or particular functions of the job that you excelled at would be perfect to include. What about a recommendation letter? Is it better to have that? A letter of recommendation will always be a powerful tool. If you don't have one, then use a reference list instead. But if you had to opt for one or the other, go with a recommendation letter. Should I present my reference list in the interview? Job seekers feel they need to print the reference list and hand it to the interviewer during the interview. This isn't necessary. Instead, have it included as part of your job application assets and avoid handing paperwork to your interviewer during the interview.

Talking Money Its All About the Benjamins! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Talking Money Its All About the Benjamins! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career OK. Its not ALL  about the Benjamins. But they are important to most of us. Money discussions  have been a consistent concern in job interview seminars I have conducted over the past six years and proper  handling can  offer  the potential to add $10,000, $25,000, or far more to a job seekers annual income The contents of this blog are  a general introduction to this important and complex topic. I will write more  on this important subject in future posts. First, as discussed in my book Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!),  consider the classic admonition that He who speaks first loses. Keep this  in mind throughout your job search and particularly once you have begun discussions with a potential employer. Speaking first may (a) lock you in to a number that sets the bar too low, thus lowering your possible income or (b) immediately eliminate you from contention due to you setting the bar too high. Next, consider the following general perspectives for guidance: 1. If you strongly desire to move past the current step in the job interview process, no matter where you  may be, then be more cautious with your responses. 2. If you are unsure about your interest in the position or clearly have no interest unless a certain minimum income is available, you may want to quote a specific amount (or at least a bottom level in a range) that is your firm minimum. This will better insure that you do not go through an extensive interview process, only to learn that your income desires have no chance of being met. Third, be prepared mentally for money discussions to surface in each of these steps in the interview process: Initial Phone Screen This early step is frequently a check the boxes exercise conducted by an HR person. A common question would be What are your salary requirements? They want to know if you are too expensive or too cheap. In-Person â€" In your initial in-person interview (or initial phone/video interview in some cases), you may be asked to confirm figures you provided in the phone screen or money may arise for the first time. Final â€" If the money topic has somehow been deferred to the final interview, you are in a better negotiating position as you have made it through most of the screening process and you are one of the finalists. Interviews Complete, Job Offer Being Discussed In some odd situations, the employer may not discuss money until they are ready to make you an offer. Most will share specific monetary terms at this point and seek a verbal agreement. Lastly, whenever money is discussed it is crucial that you have a pre-defined  strategy and have specific numbers in mind. Here are some options  and basic example wording for responding: a. Redirect â€" “I’m sure you have guidelines in your company. What does this position pay?” or What is budgeted for this position? b. Delay tactic â€" “I need to know more about this opportunity, just as you want to evaluate my suitability. If things look like a fit from both sides, I’m sure that money will not be an issue” or “I would need to know more about the responsibilities, benefits package, etc., to define my compensation expectations.” c. Offer a range â€" “I’m not totally aware of the job requirements and benefits package at this point, but a range of ____ to ___/yr would seem appropriate. How does that sound to you?” or “Based upon research I have done, the market for this type position seems to be in the range of _____ to ____/yr and that will work for me. Is that in your range?” d. State a firm minimum â€" “Based upon my last position and what I currently understand about this job, I would expect this to pay at least _____/yr. Is that within your range?” or “In my current/last position with XYZ Corp I was earning ________ and would expect to earn ________ in the position we are discussing. Would that work for you?” Be prepared and you might just gain that $10K, $25K, or larger annual compensation increase by handling money discussions effectively. What about you? What have been your positive or negative experiences discussing money with potential employers? Author: Richard Kirby  is an executive career consultant, speaker on career strategies, and author of Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!). Richard Kirby’s earlier experience includes managing engineering, human resources, marketing and sales teams for employers that ranged from a Fortune 100 to a VC-funded entrepreneurial startup. For the past 11 years at Executive Impact, Richard has helped hundreds of executives and professionals successfully navigate today’s transformed 21st century job market and achieve better employment for themselves. Richard’s expertise includes career assessments and goal setting, personal marketing/branding, resume enhancement, strategic networking and job interviewing, and “contrarian” job search methodologies. He is a Board Certified Coach (in career coaching) and a Certified Management Consultant (recognized by the ISO).

Why I had to leave the world of retail for good - Debut

Why I had to leave the world of retail for good - Debut This post is written by a member of the Debut Student Publisher Network. Read on for  Chars  look-back on her time in the world of retail: Working in retail is very much a double-edged sword. On one hand, it provides you with a plethora of essential life-skills: patience, assertiveness, people skills, multi-tasking, networking, and the ability to do slightly harder than average maths in your head. On the other, it frequently saddles you with unpleasant experiences. Some examples: Dealing with someone so awful I wanted to claw their face off Working horrendous hours and losing my social life Becoming enveloped in an all-encompassing sense of dread that I was wasting my life. Since the end of last year, I started to feel the negative aspects affecting me more and more. I got to the point where I was having anxiety attacks over the mere thought of going into work. Ultimately I had to make the decision to leave the world of retail without any sort of back-up, for the sake of my mental health. Let me be clear; in no way do I believe that Im too good to work in retail. Nobody is above retail. If you consume any form of customer service if you eat fast food, go clothes shopping, or basically participate in any form of transaction then you have no right to snub those who work there. In fact, Im a staunch believer in the concept of everybody working in retail at least once in their life. Why? Because it teaches you how to be a decent human being and customer. The millennial dilemma Ive been working in retail since I was seventeen. From supermarkets to cosmetic stores its always been something just to provide a little extra allowance. When I graduated and started living back home saving up to move out, it suddenly transformed into a means to an end. Being at work felt suffocating. Sometimes, the only way I could get through  the day was by reminding myself that it was only temporary. Shifting into full-time employment after graduation threw into sharpness the idea that, actually, I could end up here forever. Of course, theres nothing wrong with doing that if thats what you genuinely want to do. Retail is amazing in terms of being able to climb up the corporate ladder and explore a variety of different career paths. Its just not the career path I want. This is something a lot of twenty-somethings go through, Im sure. My inner monologue was constantly yelling at me to get a real job, if not to provide some sort of career satisfaction, then to stop me from living paycheck-to-paycheck and subsisting off Pot Noodles. Working in the particular area I did wasnt all that great, either. I wont name names, but it was an incredibly upper-class London borough, and without exaggeration roughly 90% of the people I dealt with there were the worst human beings Id ever met in my life. I know you shouldnt take things customers say to heart, but you get treated like dirt on a daily basis, its kind of hard to turn the other cheek. Optimism is a limited resource I tried spinning my frustrations into positive energy, I really did. There were hours spent on days  off filling out job applications. Job interviews I attended with a fiery sense of determination to get a fresh start. For so long, I heard absolutely nothing back. Of course, rejection is something you have to be able to deal with in the working world. But it  got increasingly harder to maintain an optimistic outlook. When we werent catastrophically busy at work, we were absolutely empty. On those empty days I found myself dwelling on negative thoughts. I hated not knowing what I wanted to be. I hated not having the time to find out. I hated having no social life. I hated myself for just existing. On and on it went, until one day I just burst into tears in the stockroom, submerged in all of those horrible feelings of inadequacy that really drove home how desperately unhappy I was. On the sad tube ride home I realised that I couldnt do this any more. I didnt want to get up in the morning and force myself to go somewhere that made me so miserable. It was a shock to everyone else but myself when I handed my notice in a few days later. Instantly, I felt happier and more liberated. The prospect of being unemployed and having no income finally outweighed that of having some income but being constantly depressed. Onwards and upwards My final day came and went in a flurry of emotions. Id made a lot of amazing friends there, friends I think Ive made for life. Leaving what was hopefully my last ever shift in retail was one of intense relief, and I wasnt even swayed by the torrential downpour marking my exit like some sort of terrible rom-com. Finding a new job would be my new full-time job, I resolved. Exactly a month after my final shift in retail, I started at my New Proper Job, the first 9 to  5, salaried position Id ever had. Now, I work in a university doing a clerical position that provides stability and appeals to my meticulously organised side, keeping my brain engaged and like Im actually doing something I could build a career in. I put everything I had into the application and interview. With a pinch of luck on top, I managed to find something I genuinely enjoy. Its not an experience I would particularly recommend, packing everything in when you have absolutely no back-up plan, but its something Ill always remember and carry with me. If I can get through everything that led up to that decision, I can get through anything. 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Build up Skills

Build up Skills Build Up Skills: Career Planning 101 Taking the time to build up skills is an excellent idea. Case in point: Recently, an overseas client contacted me who was in the planning stages of moving back to the U.S. Specifically, he was wondering about how to make the transition back to the American job market. I suggested that he start reviewing U.S.-based job openings to get a sense of what the requirements are, and then take the time to sign up for online courses or attend conferences (if possible) in order to build up skills. By reviewing what employers are looking for and then taking the time to strategically add the types of desired skills that boosts one’s candidacy, a job seeker gains a competitive edge. But it is also important that no one person is 100% qualified to do any job â€" so don’t overtax yourself in your earnest attempts to build up skills. Instead, try these tips: • Read job descriptions and parse out what skill sets you don’t possess, then find an industry organization or training business that provides those skills… and sign up. Examples of the types of things I am referencing are workshops, trainings, webinars, seminars, conferences, conventions, corporate learning universities, industry certifications and so on. • Once you have gained the knowledge of HOW to do the skill, then the next step is to start putting those skills into immediate action. • Volunteer within your professional industry organization as a way to build up skills. By participating actively on projects, you can gain direct, hands-on experience that translates directly into viable experience. • Conduct informational interviews with contacts within your target field, and ask them what soft skills are needed to do the job. Oftentimes, employers are so focused on providing the task-based hard skills, they forget to add in the softer skills. Understanding what those are and gaining experience can also help you stand out head and shoulders above others competing for the same job opening. The more you take time to build up skills, the better career planner you are, because you’ll already have the tools you need when the dream job opening comes open, rather than scrambling at the last minute!

Reverse Chronological Order For Writing Your Resume

Reverse Chronological Order For Writing Your ResumeLet's take a look at Valerie used reverse chronological order when writing her resume. What does this mean? Simply put, when you are writing your resume and job hunting, it is the right order to show your career progression. So, let's review exactly what reverse chronological order means in an excellent resume and how you can write yours in this fashion.When writing your resume, it should follow the same structure as the title. You want to start off your resume with a good starting paragraph. While this paragraph will contain some important information about yourself, it should begin by introducing you to your strengths and your experiences, so that potential employers will know you inside and out.Your second paragraph, then, should focus on your passions, your accomplishments and other achievements, and your knowledge and training in the particular field of your interest. Then you go into details about your skills and your education and your previous jobs or training.The third and final paragraph should be your cover letter. Remember, this is your first impression of yourself and your resume needs to convey that immediately. Your cover letter is going to state why you are the perfect person for the job and it is also going to give your prospective employer the opportunity to get to know you better.That way, he or she can determine if you have what it takes to do the job. The last paragraph of your resume is your introduction. This is where you will explain why you deserve the job and how much you are looking forward to it.Reverse chronological order when writing your resume is used to help present your experience as an individual, instead of breaking it up into too many chapters. Instead, you should work on your strengths and highlight your key achievements. If you are interested in learning more about career coaching, you can explore those keywords before your resume is complete.A career coach can only help y ou in the beginning of your career as you build your resume up and develop your skills and reverse chronological order is just one of the ways you can use to do that. It gives you the chance to show your strengths and what's important to you before your resume is even complete.