Articles - Page 205 of 258 - The Voice of Job Seekers

Seeking Diversity Workplace with Susan Reed

Susan E. Reed wrote The Diversity Index in 2011, which I find relevant as companies resist and other companies forge a diverse workforce. Reed’s in depth look at diversity unearth dialogue and initiatives that reaches back prior to the Civil Rights act of 1964. Reed is a for CBS News producer who has won two Emmys as a reporter and her work has appeared in the New York Times and the Washington Post among others. She offered some reflection and insight on diversity in the workplace in the last two years.

I like sharing these types of conversations because the universal workplace has become a very complex environment to people of color and to women. It helps to have varying perspectives to make informed decisions who want to work for companies that promote diversity and inclusion, but also who will be fair to all.

Mark: Since you’ve written the book two years ago are more companies proactively transforming their culture to a more diverse one?

Susan Reed: I have been pleasantly surprised to find companies that are actively trying to make their organizations more diverse. I know that because I meet diversity directors at forums where specialists are sharing best practices.

Mark: Are there recruiting efforts that matches the intent of companies that wish to change?

SR: Yes. I see recruiters looking for people everywhere: on LinkedIn, on Facebook, college campuses, and at inner city job fairs.

Mark: What are common mistakes companies make in hiring a diverse workforce?

SR: If you put one individual with very different characteristics into a homogeneous pool of workers, they will experience greater stress in trying to fit in, get along and be accepted than if you hired two or three very diverse people at once.

Mark: There is a study that came out last year that said that CEOs desired for employees to have more of a global perspective, yet many companies still are lacking in diversity. There seems to be an anomaly somewhere. Any ideas why executives fail to see the discrepancy?

SR: Everybody has a different definition of diversity. Some think only of gender diversity, others think only of racial diversity. Folks who have international experience tend to think in terms of international diversity. One can have international diversity without racial or gender diversity. For instance, nearly 10 percent of executive officers of the Fortune 100 are white men who were born outside of the U.S., exemplifying how international diversity can exist without racial or gender diversity. All of us need to think more expansively about the many aspects diversity, including ability and sexual diversity.

Mark: Companies that are diverse and make efforts to maintain a longitudinal outlook seem to also share lots of transparency. Is this an accurate assessment?

SR: Yes, I think you’re right. Many companies with a deep history in diversity will sponsor employee resource groups, and publish a general census of the diversity of their workers. They often post the information on their websites.

Mark: Should job seekers that desire to work for diverse and inclusive companies expect work related transparency as well? Are there companies that already employ this thought that you know of?

SR: In my study, I found that the government contractors who had deep history with diversity–going back to affirmative action in the 1960s– were the most experienced at creating a diverse workforce.

Mark: So a job seeker is hired by an ideal company must experience a special type of empowerment. As that a safe assessment or is that assuming too much?

SR: The new hire should assume he or she is wanted to perform the job, but I’m not sure it is reasonable to assume any special empowerment because companies are very complex organizations.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Why Must Job Seekers Voice His or Her Value

Somehow, job seekers need to find their voice in saying what you want. Many only tread water in vocalizing his or her career worth.

I am not talking about shy people. Extroverted job seekers often lack expertise and yes even clueless of their career value. Many will say depreciate it, and too little to substantiate his or her holistic worth.

To be clear: put it into words. Rehearsed or not.

Three of many ways job seekers miss opportunities to find a voice in their value:

1. They struggle with saying NO! Enough said.

2. The battle of being an introvert and not conforming to what is expected of you. You are expected to say what you mean.

3. Problem selling yourself convincingly. Yet, expertly the uninformed jobseeker will pontificate about things that have nothing to do with abilities and more toward attempts (“I tried so hard, and got so far, but in the end, it doesn’t even matter”).

Perhaps that is why many of us are unappreciated job seekers—we are not intentional in our quest to understand our individual value. If you can’t express it, you shouldn’t expect it. That’s business in 2013.

The skit below demonstrates exactly what I am talking about as it applies to our worth. We know what we want as the sticker price for our services, but we don’t employ our voices to defend our worth. We are unsure what we can deliver and well versed in what we don’t offer. That must change. Today!

This old Abbott and Costello video demonstrates everything that we all have dealt with:

We are told that we are “fired” and then we say, “I quit!” One thing Costello correctly does is to starting negotiating the terms of exiting. This is very good strategy. Yet, it goes down from here.
The only thing he is well versed in his monetary worth and not the worth of his skills. Although we don’t know the complete context of why his is being fired, or if he is actually fired, he never acquiesces to the value of what he has accomplished. Many job seekers rarely examine the worth of his or her skills. Ask yourself, “What would happen you didn’t do your job?” Then start evaluating the value of what you’ve done.
Abbott says, “Now wait a minute! Not so fast!” This statement starts the counter-argument, and he is right for slowing it down. It actually models what Costello should have done. Slow down. Think. If Costello listened carefully at the beginning he would have created a smoother exit or changed Abbott’s mind.
It gets worse. Much worse. Abbott and Costello agreed on one dollar a day salary, but Abbott saw this scenario from a 24 hour a day perspective. Costello falls right into the trap of not correcting him basing this on an eight hour workday. Should this be a discussion or a point of contention? Obviously not, but this goes to the point of vocalizing and managing your employer of your value way BEFORE you start a job, not when you are exiting.

You can take it from here and see how badly Abbott dislodges the proverbial ball from Costello. Lawd, this is worse than a Mark Sanchez butt fumble.

What is hard about vocalizing your value? Please share and enjoy the video. I’d like you to share your thoughts.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Job Seekers’ Secret Weapon: The Thank You Note

Thank You notes are still a powerful statement. It’s so powerful, it still offers the employer the final statement: Hire me.

Not every recruiter and employer cherishes these gestures as gold, but so many hiring influences do, I cannot resist the opportunity to suggest this as a sound strategy. When I hired people in the Association world, almost every candidate that sent in a thank you note was considered a serious candidate after round one of interviews. It doesn’t guarantee the hire, but it earns attention.

The recent study by Accountemps positively show that it is helpful to send one. Most of my collegues agree that they coach, at least on some level, to send at minimum an email. Handwritten notes in my practitioner experience is an unfair advantage. Please remember, a doesn’t make a weak candidate stronger, but it makes a strong candidate memorable.

I had two clients that called me within an hour of each other…while I was on vacation. Now I didn’t mind answering the calls because both were very close to getting offers (so I thought). Both ladies had final interviews and one was my referral to a friend who trusted my reference. Although they had completely different career paths, both were very qualified for their respective positions.

Both had called and told me that they haven’t heard anything in three weeks. I asked them in separate calls, remember within an hour of each other, “Did you send a ‘Thank You’ note?”

Both replied no. I urged both of them to hand write a thank you note and hand deliver it to her potential employer. One woman drove down in traffic hour with baby in tow and hand delivered it to the person that interviewed her.

The other, who was practically hired by just showing up, did not hand deliver or send a thank you note. She could have whispered thank you and would have got the job. But she did not receive an offer.

Thank you notes are thoughtful but expected gesture states you care, you’re interested, and grateful for the opportunity. It also said that you were listening and you learned something. Although it is not a guarantee you’ll receive an offer, you’ll definitely be remembered. Here are some helpful tips in writing a thank you note.

1) Please send the thank you email

We cannot exclude this step. This should be done the same day that you interviewed along with a few points that you learned from the interviewer(s). Oh yeah, be sure you thank each person who participated in the interview include would-be-peers-and-colleagues.

2) A card with a written note is awesome

A simple card that allows you to show gratitude and one thing you learned from the interview is sufficient. It is not appropriate to give a gift card or any type of gratis.

3) Hand Deliver

Hand deliver whenever possible within 24-48 hours after the interview. You will be memorable and seem thoughtful when it’s done this period. Personally delivering it also gives you one more opportunity to make an impression and seal the deal. Besides, it is no guarantee that the post office will deliver local correspondence within 72 hours these days. Hand deliver is the guarantee your thank you note or letter timely reaches the destination.

4) Expand on the “Thanks for the opportunity” line

The final interview isn’t always guaranteed to be the best one. The client that won the job was actually told that they were close to hiring…the other candidate. My client came across so teachable and humble in her letter, they decided to create a position for her.

5) Be grateful in spite of pessimism

Don’t expect that the final interview is the welcoming party. Before deploying the thank you card strategy be genuinely grateful for the final interview. You may be tempted to just send an email like everyone else does. DON’T DO IT. You would be missing an opportunity to impress.

6) Print

This is to ensure that your letter or note is read. Spelling and grammar are essential, and yes, it will cost you time and effort (not to mention a couple of drafts). I would even suggest you do not send out any correspondence with white out or words crossed out if possible. Just think about the quality of work product you want to be known to produce and show that through the note.

7) OK, so you must mail it

Write the note on the card and mail it while you are locally in that zone if you are only a few blocks away. Don’t forget to put the appropriate stamp on envelope.

You will not have sinned if you only send a thank-you email. If you are giving yourself every chance possible why not send a written note. Letter, card, hand written or typed, be memorable. Just think about how a hand written thank you note would impact your day. The person spent time in this digital age to hand pick a card, used a pen to write a thoughtful note, and delivered it to you.

How would a thank you note make you feel if you were making a hiring decision? Please share your thoughts with us.