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Break The Bias

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International Women’s Day 2022 has come and gone and it was interesting to observe the focus of the #BreakTheBias events, who attended them and the #BreakTheBias activity on social media.  Women celebrating together, supporting and encouraging each other and advocating for change.  Men, celebrating women both known and unknown to them and putting their name to the cause.

Judging by the post-IWD discussions on LinkedIn, there are lots of us wondering about the value of international women’s day.  Is it a waste of time?  No.  Is it making a difference?  Possibly.  Will it create the change we need?  Absolutely not.

The campaign to achieve greater diversity is being fought hard by organisations and those seeking greater representation, voice and impact.  Not just in relation to male/female diversity but also gender diversity more broadly and the intentional inclusion of different cultures and generations and those with disabilities or neurodiversity; we need all these people in the room, being heard, if we are to achieve diversity of thought.

What we have so far is quotas, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) teams and strategies, culture change initiatives, pro-fairness/anti-bias measures embedded into recruitment/selection/promotion processes, dos and don’ts for corporate language and a gradually increasing willingness by organisations to publish pay gaps, bullying and misconduct claims.

These are all great initiatives which are helping contribute to the cause being won.  But discrimination persists.  Women, for example, are still reporting:

  • Being spoken over or cut off in meetings
  • Not being addressed by their name or title (when everyone else in the room is)
  • Fighting to be acknowledged for their ideas
  • Being judged more harshly
  • Being greeted with a kiss on the cheek, when their counterparts get a handshake
  • Being the victim of crude or derogatory behaviour
  • Listening to complaints from men about reverse discrimination
  • Being described as too aggressive, too emotional, too squeaky, too bossy, too apologetic…..

The list goes on.  Whether these behaviours amount to conscious or unconscious exclusion is not important.  The truth is that the responsibility for DEI rests just as much with individuals as it does organisations.  And it’s not on the individuals that are seeking to be included.  It’s for each and every one of us to take a good hard look at our shadow and explore how our own behaviour is effecting DEI progress.  It’s not enough to say the right things.  We also need to align what how we are behaving, what we are prioritising and what we are measuring.  Only then will we have a true sense of whether we are a genuine diversity ally and championing inclusion or someone who is standing in the way of progress.

From a leadership perspective, the statistics around the benefits of having greater diversity at the leadership level are still emerging and, regarding women in leadership in particular, quite varied.   What is widely accepted as a principle however, is that we can’t afford for organisational culture to be exclusive.  Greater diversity and inclusivity leads to improved innovation and improvement which is a clear win.   But achieving diversity isn’t just the responsibility of the organisations and those seeking inclusion.  The only way it will be achieved is if we all take a stand as individuals and actively and consciously champion change.  I’d encourage everyone, but particularly those who have historically not struggled to be included, to become an ally and a circuit breaker.

So what can you do?

  • Acknowledge that you have DEI responsibilities
  • Undertake the Harvard Implicit Association Test to improve awareness of your own biases, beliefs and preference
  • Get feedback on your shadow
  • Observe yourself in action
  • Ask others to call out your unhelpful behaviour (in case you don’t notice it)
  • Choose to challenge the unhelpful behaviour of others
  • Initiate improvements that promote inclusivity (such as measuring inclusive behaviours as part of existing 360 degree feedback)
  • Role model what a true ally looks like so others are encouraged to join you
  • Act with courage and do the right thing

Enough with the inspirational women’s networking breakfasts.  Enough with the once a year posts support for women.  It’s time for those that are standing in the way to get real and change their attitudes, behaviour and workplace culture.  Otherwise, as Holly Ransom said in the AHRI IWD 2022 #BreakTheBias event “If you walk past it you’re telling the world it’s ok.“

9 Top Tips for Acing Video Interviews

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With more and more commercial and government organisations moving toward utilising video technology in recruitment, here’s our 9 top tips for success in the virtual world.

Tip 1: Set the scene

When we step into an interview in a recruiter’s office or the hiring company, the hirer controls the environment.  This is not the case with an online interview.

The interview room is now operating in two spaces, theirs and yours.  You’ll be responsible for ensuring that yours is professional, clean and well presented.

Tip 2: Personal presentation

For a face-to-face interviews, you would ensure appropriate dress, polished shoes, good personal grooming and this is no different in a virtual setting.  Wearing interview appropriate clothing to an online video is essential as it set’s the ‘tone’ , demonstrates your commitment and interest in the role and helps establish your professional presence.

We’ve all heard the stories of the person who throws on his favourite pink business shirt over his pyjama pants for team meetings via Zoom, but there’s always a risk that you will need to stand and be caught out.  If you’re appropriately dressed and you have to move from your seat, the interviewers will see that you’re the whole package.

Tip 3: Align the camera

I like to set my camera at a distance from me.  I’m a big hand talker (tie mine behind my back and I’ll struggle to say three words!) and waving hands too close to the camera is just a skin-coloured blur – very distracting.  A good balance is to show the top third of your body – head and shoulders.

Make sure the camera is aligned to your eye height – this will reduce the likelihood of you looking as though you’re looking down.  No-one wants to see the top of your head or up your nostrils.

Offset your camera.  A nice touch is to offset the camera so that it is not pointing directly at you, this slight shift can create a warmer, inclusive mood to the viewer.

Tip 4: Check the background

What’s behind you?  Is it a blank wall?  This is OK, but could be improved by some artwork, a lamp or a plant.  Something to soften the view and frame your face – just make sure the plant doesn’t make you look like it’s growing out of your head!

If using a bookshelf, ensure that the titles of the books are appropriate and adding to your professional persona.

If you don’t have a wall or space that is appropriate, consider utilising the virtual backgrounds available in Zoom (if that’s the tech you’re using).  You can get creative around these if it will reflect well on you (e.g. using the employer’s brand or a motif that aligns with the organisations work, in the background).

Tip 5: Check the lighting

Face some natural light, as this will show you to your best effect, ensure that your interviewers can see you and read your expressions.

If you wear glasses, check for the reflection from any other objects, the screen, the view outside, etc.

Tip 6: Check your tech

Test your video camera, microphone and headphones well in advance of the interview.  Ensure that they are all connected to the technology and in good working order and at the right noise levels.

Tip 7: Manage the surrounding space

Ensure that you are operating in a private space where you will not be interrupted and can communicate freely with your interviewer.

If you are connecting from the home environment, ensure all pets are outside, phones are placed on do not disturb and others in your house are aware of your engagement.  I suggest to my clients that they send their housemates out for a coffee!

Tip 8: Props

Props can be a useful tool.  Consider if you will need to explain a key concept, whether a whiteboard might be a useful backdrop.  Alternatively, you may wish to pre-write some key points on the whiteboard to refer to during the interview.

Sticky notes can be your friend.  Try a smiley face above the camera, to remind you to look directly into the camera when speaking.

Key words and dot-points, and interview panellists names can also be added along the edge of your screen – but please don’t overuse these as it will be obvious to those on the other end if you’re reading notes!

Tip 9: Be prepared and be flexible in an imperfect world

With all the very best intentions and planning, technology can play a hand in the success or otherwise of your online interview.  It will be important to ensure that you have a back-up plan.  For instance, if connecting via wifi, have a hotspot available via your phone in case there is a connection problem at your end.  Provide your phone number as backup in case the connection is lost and you need to move to a phone call.  Remember, technology plays a role at both ends, and despite your best efforts, the problems may occur at the interviewer’s end.  Be prepared, be flexible and keep breathing!

Proceed with caution

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As a career practitioner, I have mixed feelings about this announcement.  Reducing the cost burden to the individual on learning and increasing the number of domestic places is a positive but law, commerce and humanities students will pay the price.    Scaling the cost of courses tied to a prediction of future workforce requirements (which can only be a guesstimate in this VUCA world) demonstrates a narrow form of decision-making that doesn’t do justice to our complex systems.  I can totally appreciate the rationale for making degrees more accessible when they lead to careers where there is a current or predicted shortage of workers but I fear for the implications this will have.  At Strategic Career Management, we believe that people will thrive both personally and professionally when they choose a career that is well-matched to their strengths, motivated skills, interests and longer-term ambitions.  That is not a career choice based only on the logic of  “cheap to achieve and likely to get a job”.  The move to play with course fees, combined with the government’s other Job Maker initiatives and the way these are being communicated, has the risk of encouraging people to make life shaping decisions based on very narrow criteria.  Some may argue that if we work on the premise that ‘you’re capable of anything if you work hard enough’, where’s the problem?  Our experience working with clients over the last 10 years indicates people should proceed with caution;  career choices based only logical reasons such as convenience, pay, ease of achievement, career prospects etc can make for a difficult journey ahead with people often under-performing due to lack of natural motivation and fit for their chosen field, leading to stress and mental health issues, relationship difficulties and general dissatisfaction at work.  This isn’t always evident in the early years, but by mid-life it has well and truly taken it’s toll.

At Strategic Career Management we will continue to support people to make well-rounded decisions that are appropriate for them as an individual, ensuring that logical reasons are only one piece of the jigsaw when it comes to deciding career path.  If you have the opportunity to influence someone close to you, we ask that you actively encourage them to do the same.

It’s good business to offer career coaching to your employees

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Career management is the conscious planning of activities and engagements in the jobs a person undertakes during their life for personal/professional fulfilment, growth and financial stability.

With the changing demands of new generations of workers and the need for organisations to be more agile and responsive in a world where there’s ever more volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA), forward thinking organisations are taking the lead and offering outsourced career development support services to their staff.

Through a career management program, employees can:

·       Identify their strengths and interests and review their current performance.

·       Identify gaps in their knowledge and experience to target specific jobs of interest.

·       Create a clear career path and plan steps to achieve it.

·       Identify pathways within their organisation that align with their career goals.

The benefits to organisations in bringing in external career development practitioners are many and varied.

Research indicates that more than 50% of organisations globally have trouble retaining their most valued employee groups.

Several factors impact on employee retention:

  • Employee Engagement – engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave their organisation

  • Employee Morale –  studies by Dailypay demonstrate that employees who do not align with their organisation’s culture are nearly 15% more likely to think about a new job.

  • Financial Reward – Financial reward, while not the only factor in retention, is still of importance to your workforce.  35% of employees indicated in research conducted by Glassdoor that they would look for alternative employment if they did not receive a pay increase within the next year.

  • Defined Career Paths – Research by Randstad indicates that 43% of employees point to limited career paths as their top reason for leaving a job.

Employee retention is important because staff departures cause a disruption that effects bottom line profits.  Replacing an employee can cost your organisation 150% of that individual’s annual salary.  High staff turnover can severely impact your organisation’s bottom line.

If you have an organisation of 1000 workers with  a turnover rate of 20% and an average salary of $50,000, the cost to your bottom line of turnover in a year is $10M!  Conversely, a 5% increase in employee retention will provide a savings of $500,000.

Poor employee retention will impact on remaining employee effectiveness, knowledge retention and succession planning.

A proactive approach to retention is a high yield approach to saving costs, retaining knowledge, increasing effectiveness and maintaining succession pipelines.

Four key activities will ensure your organisation’s success:

  • Build a conscious company culture within your organisation.

  • Hire the right people.  Ensure new hires are a good fit with your culture first and have the technical skills to perform the role.

  • Implement career development programs to support your employees in growing their careers.

  • Be transparent about the culture, activities and decisions within your organisation.  Management transparency builds trust and contributes to 30% better employee retention.

Udemy research indicates that 42% of employees list learning and development as the most important benefit received from employment.

In conducting in-house career development, employees can see that their knowledge and skills are valued within your organisation.  Gallup research indicates that 93% of employees indicated that they would stay within their current organisation if they provided professional growth opportunities.  This does not necessarily mean promotion and linear progress but can simply be development and an opportunity to identify their own career path.

The benefits of offering a career development program can include:

  1. Increased employee engagement

  2. Internal development of a leadership talent pipeline

  3. Development of individual career paths – ensuring that your employees are able to communicate their strengths and interests in identifying how they can best add value within your organisation- often in ways that you may have not yet identified.

  4. Increased positive culture, where top talent remains and your organisation becomes an employer of choice to attract further talent.

At Strategic Career Management, we provide workshops and assistance to develop and promote conscious company cultures within organisations.  We also provide both face-to-face and online career development programs to support your workforce.

Networks for Job Search Success

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The secret to a great job search

A Labour Market Information Portal report released today provided interesting data on where the demand for staff remains high despite of, or because of, Covid-19.  It highlighted key employment areas, employability skills in demand and how recruiters are finding hires.

The Jobs in Demand Employer Survey confirmed that health care, social assistance, transport, postal/courier services, warehousing and manufacturing industries are recruiting.  Perhaps surprisingly retail sales also made the list.  Aligned with those industries, the occupations most in demand were, truck drivers, nurses, aged/disability carers, packers, pharmacy and retail assistants.

The report identified the following key employability skills as being most in demand:

Reliability

  • Teamwork

  • Communication

  • Work Ethic

  • People Skills

  • Organisational Skills


And this is where it gets interesting.  The report showed that while 65% of the employers surveyed are advertising roles on online job boards like Seek, 50% are using word of mouth to source new talent, either as a stand-alone or in addition to other methods.   Why?  In uncertain times, employers are keen to have talent come with recommendations as there is a perception that this decreases the risk of a bad hire.  Think about it – would you recommend someone to your employer if you didn’t think that they would build your own reputation in a positive way?

So how do you take advantage of this information in your job search?  Know and work your networks!

A lot of people are reluctant to use their networks in their job search as they believe it involves going cap in hand and asking people for jobs.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  You are recruiting them onto your ‘helping team’.  This approach will generally bring out the best in your helpers – as most people are flattered to be asked to provide assistance in making connections and passing along leads.  They don’t have to feel cautious about having to give you a job, so they’ll keep the lines of communication open.

The more people in your network, the more chance you enjoy to learn of opportunities and have a shot at these roles.   Research indicates that in the job search it is the weak network connections (second and third level) that produce the best results.

You may have seen the Covid-19 infection models – well, networks work the same way.  For every 5 people that you know, if they each know 5 more, you’ve an effective second-level network of 25 people and 125 at the third level!  Who amongst them might have information on a role that would be a good fit for you and your skills?

So how should you go about using your networks?

Step 1

Firstly consider everyone you know.  These may be work colleagues through your previous work (both local and overseas), your partner’s colleagues, friends, people from your place of worship, LinkedIn connections, someone you met at the gym or a sports club/association.  The list is almost limitless.  It might also be the presenter or co-attendees at that recent online learning webinar you attended.

Consider the following:

Q.       Who might they know that they could connect you with?

Q.       Where do they work?

Q. Is this a company that does work that interests you?

Q. Might they have connections into another organisation that interests you?

Q.       What do you want these people to do?

Step 2

Be clear in what you are hoping to achieve when you contact people and how they can help you.  Are they connectors? Advice givers?  Sounding boards? Supporters? Facilitators? Sponsors? Potential employers?

Step 3

Make your approach with your purpose in mind.  Know your transferable skills and be prepared to guide them in what you’re hoping they will add to your job search.

Step 4

Keep in touch with your ‘helping team’ – keep them informed of your progress and make sure to thank them for their help and let them know when you’re successful in your search.

Step 5

Continue to maintain and build your networks beyond your job search to position yourself and have the opportunity to return the favour down the line.

Next steps

The long and short of it is that if you don’t have or don’t action a networking strategy in your job search, you’re likely missing some of the biggest chances to learn of and secure a new opportunity.  So go on, get uncomfortable and have a go.

Need more assistance in developing your job search strategy? We know that everyone’s story is different and requires a unique approach.  If you need help in identifying your next role and pitching yourself to employers, contact us to see how we can help you find the job that’s your best fit.

Career Management in Difficult Circumstances

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We hope this blog post finds you well and coping with this ever-changing environment.

We’ve been watching as recent events develop and unsettle our careers, how we do business, interact socially and conduct ourselves in the wider world and we urge you to look after your health and wellness.

While there are many challenges, we can use this opportunity to engage in self-reflection, prepare for beyond the crisis and further strengthen family bonds.

We’re offering a discount of 19% on access to our Ignite! Career Management online program. Ignite! provides a wealth of resources to advance self-awareness, identify career preferences, build career (employability) skills and develop a career plan.

These resources include interview simulators, resume and pitch builders along with materials on strengthening resilience and dealing with change alongside many other career related topics that are beneficial for navigating our careers in the current environment.

You can watch a video about Ignite! here https://lnkd.in/gPqG-Nu

If you are (or know of anyone who is) currently in mandated self-isolation or experiencing significant workplace disruptions and is unable to afford access to the program, please message me and we’ll arrange 14 days’ free access to the program.

#careerdevelopment #careermanagement #develop #bewell