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Career lessons inspired by Dr. King, Jewish Women, the Civil Rights Movement

It is the soft skill that is needed in 2013, as it was the lifeblood of African Americans for centuries demonstrated for the world to witness in the ’50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. There are White and Jewish people who chose to endure and embrace some of the African-American hardship during the civil rights era.

There are career lessons to be learned from each incident and event in history. Those compelled to march in the civil war of race without provocation and passivity or color inspire us. This movement primarily associated with African-American that crossed the borders of race became a few Jewish women’s sole careers providing enduring career lessons.

There are so many ways to endure, and many more reasons to persevere. Here is one reading where I felt there were parallels of Jewish women using transferable skills and experiences to aid and advance the civil rights movement. Although the efforts are minimally featured and remembered in mainstream history, the lessons are a fountain of knowledge and application:

http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/civil-rights-movement-in-united-states

As you read, I hope you see some valuable career lessons that I gleaned:

1. How Jewish women fitted and thrived in a diverse and hostile environment

2. Using transferable skills such as, writing, perseverance, and soft skills to transition to a new setting (or career setting)

3. Trained and prepared for difficult and life-threatening challenges to respond passively and nonviolently

4. Emphasized and walked in the shoes of others looking and finding solutions to everyday challenges

5. Failure in one setting was an actionable opportunity to create other opportunities, not a time for defeat and purposeless reflection

Did you notice other applications of career lessons that I didn’t mention? Please share with us in the comments. Happy King Day!

image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mplemmon/2744600367/

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Book Review: Who Says Its A Man’s World by Emily Bennington

Emily Bennington is the author of, Who Says It’s A Man’s World: The Girl’s Guide to Corporate Domination is the second book that I am reviewing that is not solely focused on job search advice and tips. In December, I outlined key points from the Leigh Branham’s book, The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave, that job seekers should apply to their job search. I will make the same case as well, but first address why should job seekers read a career book among the other industry related material in preparing for the next opportunity.

To answer a common question, yes, I read the book in its entirety.

I also read through the reviews of Emily Bennington’s last book, Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up in Your First Real Job. Most of the positive reviews mentioned how practical the book was acting as a guide for new graduates. Even seasoned professionals commented how the advice was so practical and precise.

As an educator, I appreciate the practitioner approach, witty, mildly caustic, and affable, with an educator’s heart in her latest offering. That makes a book an easily digestible read for me, not one inundated with statistics and learning theories.

The first chapter in Emily Bennington’s book recommends that you outline three points from each of the five sections of the book. In addition, she created some practical worksheets for the readers to use and organize thoughts (I am also ignoring that the women focus advice is as practical for us men folk). I wish more career publications would incorporate this strategy (Emily, please don’t change).

To pontificate on my random statement, no, I did not study this book. I suggest that the job seeker who desires to optimize the wisdom from these lessons is to read through it twice, absorbing a few points per section.

Out of the many reasons job seekers must embrace “…Man’s World,” I am offering five reasons this would aid all job seekers, particularly women:

Self-awareness

Bennington empathizes with the unload of the unexpected work and offers several strategies to help manage stress and expectations. As mentioned before, there are exercises to help the employee envision the type of pace and culture he or she desires. This mindset is useful for the current unemployed job seeker to manage his or her expectations of a future employer. Bennington’s suggestion is for you to control of every phase possible from the beginning.

Social skills

Bennington tackles commonly sticky subjects such as, appropriately dressing, office banter, and managing your manager in a way that is easier to swallow than most authors would. If anything she suggests that you walk in the other person’s shoes as part of a strategy that accompanies direct communication.

Personal effectiveness

As mentioned earlier, this section is workbook-like so that the reader can create target areas for improvement. More importantly, this enables to keep the reader accountable.

Team development

Bennington merges a chapter about critical thinking to help the reader think even deeper about his or her approach to knowing people on the team. This is useful as job seekers need to display his or her aptitude and abilities to solve problems. How do you engage coworkers, learn their strengths, and complement them with your abilities? Bennington provides 100 questions to engage others as either a non-management coworker, and as a manager.

Leadership

Again, the practical approach makes this book easy to follow and put in practice, especially when she discusses leadership in a “walk the walk” mantra. Bennington makes the case as trust is earned, and “…trust is built on dependability.” Although much of this is addressed to women, men can take away the approach.

I recommend “Who says…” not just as a preparedness to the office, but as intended by Bennington, an opportunity to excel in the workplace.

Oh Yes, the FREE copy!

Would you like to own a copy of Emily’s new book? To qualify, all you have to do is leave a comment below before Monday by answering this question: Which of the five areas (self-awareness, social skills, personal effectiveness, team development, leadership) mentioned in this review is your strength? The winner will be randomly picked on Monday. Good luck!

by Mark Anthony Dyson

6 Reasons Google is Your First Employment Contact in HR

It won’t be long before Google has the first say to every employer that anyone is a good job candidate. It’s hard to wrap your head around that one, huh? Well it’s true.

There are almost a billion people on earth who have Facebook profiles. There are nearly 100 million on Linked In, and 100+ million on Twitter and Google Plus. Although there are many vacated and incomplete profiles, there are job seekers who are using their accounts for social or professional reasons daily. Are you where employers are lurking? Google knows this but can’t offer a job seeker as a suggestion if he or she is not online.

You want your favorite restaurant, grocery store, clothing store, cosmetic shop, and yes, entertainment to have an online presence for your convenience. If someone shares their favorite place to shop, you ask if they have a website, do you? I do. Most of us do. Employers might miss a perfect fit because you lack a social profile. Here are 6 reasons to have an online presence during your job search:

1) You are a business whether you like it or not and you need to own your online presence

Asking someone to employ you is a business conversation and transaction. To successfully sell yourself, you have to offer people a compelling reason. Not having an online presence may undermine your job search efforts. These days, as a business, you won’t compete with others who have carefully crafted an online reputation if you lack one.

2) You’re hiring your next employer

I agree with Leigh Branham, the author of The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave. In my interview with him last December, he stated that job seekers should hire his or her employer. Wouldn’t you want employers to ask you if you were hiring them? That can happen with an online presence.

3) Trust

Last summer I was talking with a college about a particular project that I initially wanted but decided against. When I went to the meeting I had this presentation prepared but the meeting started with them pitching me! The woman whoI met with said, “We think that you will have a highly successful firm!” I think she sees that because they read my blog, articles that I’ve written for career sites, and features about me on other web publications. My reputation positively proceeds me. What are you doing to earn trust that you will deliver what an employer needs.

4) Build relationships

Trust continually forges relationships at times before meeting people in person. Your online presence can demonstrate proof of your knowledge, skills, and abilities (aka KSA’s). People may need to read or touch your online profiles several times before trusting or contacting you but it is there for engagement. Does an online reputationvalidate your KSA’s? No. Will an online reputation guarantee opportunities? No. But it will guarantee additional exposure for business or employment.

5) Third party validation

It is one thing for you to just tell all of your most valuable attributes, but it is impressive that others evangelize about you. When you use tools like Linked In, Google Plus, and a blog you can control the perception and the proof of your abilities. Choosing two of out three suggested is tough and I would say all three are effective in controlling your online reputation. For sure, take time to create a Linked In page that is dynamic and persuasive. Recommendations from customers, coworkers, or collaborators are the best form of validating talent that recruiters, employers, or contacts can find.

6) Give employers a vivid visual putting it in their hands immediately

When Joe Pesci guest hosted on Saturday Night Live some years ago, there was a skit that involved his character purchasing a pinky ring. While trying it on, he put himself in front of the mirror and started acting as if he was having a conversation with another person with the pinky ring on. A blog or a Linked In profile showcases proof and puts it in an employer’s hand. They have an opportunity to try your experience for size and imagine how you’d look in the position.