8 Ways to Tackle the Diversity Dilemma in Your Company

8 Ways to Tackle the Diversity Dilemma in Your Company Facebook has come under criticism recently for not having a sufficiently diverse workforce.   Some may ask what the problem is, given that the company appears to be going from strength to strength commercially.  Yet, there is more to business success than short-term profits.   A lack of diversity may cast an unwelcome spotlight on any organisation, which could damage the companys long-term reputation. Potential employees might be deterred from responding to job vacancies if they think a companys culture doesn’t reflect their background.   This in turn can restrict the talent pool on offer.   At the other end of the scale, investors may look elsewhere if they feel that a company doesn’t reflect their own values. While there is a growing sense of  awareness for greater diversity in the workplace, many organisations, including the most committed to embracing multiculturalism, are struggling to make a difference. What are some simple steps companies can take to address this? 1. Take a step back A good first step is to have a clear focus as to why a diverse workforce is important for the company.   It may not just be about ethnicity or gender, but could include broadening the diversity of skills, experience, culture and background in order to harness the best mix for the organisation or specific teams.   For many companies, for example, there is a clear business need to reflect the expectations of clients, partners and other stakeholders. 2. Glance  around At the most basic level, actually head out into your organisation and analyse what you see. Do teams/departments look the same?   Are there more men or women?   What is the average age?   Some of this you might not be able to influence easily, for example where your team may mirror the local population, but it can give an indication as to how diverse an organisation really is. 3. Analyse data Look at the data that already exists in the workplace, from recruitment details to employee surveys, or evaluations such as benchmarking against peers.   This can give an overarching view as to whether teams reflect the company’s clients and if there are any missing key skills, experience or strengths. 4. Look for  patterns Its time to dig deeper. For example, are certain groups more likely to get promoted or hired in the first place?   Do some employees leave work to have children and are then less likely to return?   Are certain groups less likely to take up certain policies or working practices? 5. Scope  for opportunities Find areas that could use some change. For example, if one person leaves an established team and needs to be replaced, or if the team is growing, it’s the perfect time to re-assess the mix in your team.   Instead of replacing or adding like-for-like, would a different skill-set, approach or experience help challenge the team to perform better? 6. Challenge people Challenge internal or external recruiters to cast outside of the traditional pool and see what else is out there.   Consider spending 10 minutes posting jobs in one or two new forums.   You might be pleasantly surprised at who walks through the door.  The interview process can also provide unconsciously planned barriers for some candidates.   For example, if anecdotal stories being told at interviews or induction meetings refer to drunken nights out or a particular employee ‘just liking a good joke’, that can speak volumes to people who don’t come from the same culture or feel like they don’t fit in. 7. Educate and provide  support For firms really wanting to level the playing field, running programmes that cater to the diverse range of needs of potential employees outside of the hiring process can have a big impact.   These can help build a committed pool of potential talent, and allow different groups of people to get to know the company and its culture.   They can also help employees gain a better understanding of potential candidates, making all parties feel more comfortable and improve interview performance. 8. Call on  (Front) Line Managers Line managers tend to be the centre of any cultural change as it’s typically up to them to implement new initiatives.   They therefore need to be able to approach potentially awkward conversations with confidence.   The key is self-awareness.   These individuals will require support in how best to handle conversations that sit outside the comfort zone of both parties.  This could involve speaking to colleagues and peers and exploring, in a safe-space, what they may or may not be comfortable talking about at work.   Creating simple scenarios based on this and discussing how they might approach each topic is a great way to boost confidence. Only by having the confidence to tackle diversity head on can organisations stay relevant now and into the future.   It’s time to stop brushing diversity under the carpet and instead start with what changes can be made and keep going from there. About the author: Patrick Voss is the MD of Jeito, a culture and engagement consultancy, with Diversity and Inclusion at its core.

Interests Section on Resume - What to Include and Why

Interests Section on Resume - What to Include and WhyMany job seekers are under the misconception that the interests section on the resume should only be an afterthought. It is important to include it at the end of your resume if you can and it is also important that you know how to use it correctly. One way to get the best out of the interests section on your resume is to tailor it to your particular area of employment.When working in a particular career field, it is much easier to list all of your interests in this section. This is where it is most likely that you will list your interests. By writing it out by hand, it is much easier to write down your interests and make sure that they are what you really want to focus on during interviews. Many job seekers forget to even put their career-related interests into their resume and many of them do not get hired.On the other hand, when working in a particular career field, the interests section on your resume is the part of the resume t hat you will most likely want to concentrate on. If you can, work on those areas and try to make sure that you include your area of focus in the section. Remember, the only people who are likely to read the interests section on your resume are those individuals who have chosen to look for you in this section.To give yourself the best chance of success, the interests section on your resume should include at least one of your goals as it relates to your work area. By focusing on the section and then listing the areas of your interests, you will ensure that you don't leave any out. There are some examples of goals that you can include in the interests section on your resume.For example, if you are looking for a job in business, it would be appropriate to include the words 'in business' in the interests section on your resume. You can do this by using the word 'business' followed by your field of work and then include the name of your field of work in quotation marks. If you are interes ted in a job that has to do with non-profit organizations, include the word 'non-profit' followed by your field of work and then again, place the word 'non-profit' in quotation marks.Another popular goal among many people is to use the term 'lifestyle' to describe a certain type of life style and you can do this as well. The best way to list lifestyle is to list it after your career choice. Here are a few other examples of interests, you can use for this section on your resume.You can list your interests like hobbies or recreational activities if you are looking for a job in the government, for example. You can also use these interests in the areas of sports and hobbies or religious activity if you are a Christian. The important thing to remember is that you have to list all of the possible areas that you may want to look for a job in, so that it is clear that you want to get a job that you will enjoy.In conclusion, it would be wise to do a little bit of research on the various care er fields before you list your interests. Then, you will be able to get the information on the job you want and to get yourself employed quickly.

Unilevers Guide to Developing a New Employer Brand

Unilevers Guide to Developing a New Employer Brand Unilever is a global company selling fast-moving consumer goods, whose purpose it is to make sustainable living commonplace. You will recognize consumer brands such as Axe/Lynx, Ben Jerry’s,  Dermalogica, Dollar Shave Club, Dove, Hellmann’s, Knorr, Lipton, and Magnum. But what about the employer brand? Anuradha Razdan  is  Vice President HR, Home Care and Head of Global Talent Attraction and Employer Brand at Unilever. In this interview, she talks us through the culture and purpose of the company, and about how they recently developed and launched a new EVP. Have a listen to the episode below, keep reading for a summary and be sure to subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast. For full show notes check out How Unilever Developed a New EVP and Employer Brand. ? Listen on  Apple Podcasts,  Stitcher Radio,  Google Play  or  SoundCloud. In this episode youll learn: All about the company culture at Unilever. How sustainability plays central a  part in Unilevers business strategy. What talent challenges Unilever faces today. What Unilevers current employer brand strategy is and how it came about. How Unilever developed a new EVP. The four pillars that underpin the new EVP. How they communicate and activate their  employer brand. How Unilever measures the ROI of the  employer brand activity. Check out the  Unilever Career  site.

Goodbye Job Security, Hello Employment Security - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Goodbye Job Security, Hello Employment Security - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I meet lots of job seekers each month and see lots of resumes. The stories I hear and the resumes I review indicate that, increasingly, job tenures have shrunk and people are changing employers much more frequently than they did in the last century in most cases,  through no fault of their own. My conclusion? Job security isnt what it used to be. As a matter of fact, it is continuing to become increasingly difficult to establish and maintain. Perhaps you have seen this in your own career, or in the careers of your friends and relatives. If you are finding this to be the case, then what can you do about it? My answer: Stop thinking job security and start thinking employment security. From Chapter 16 in my book (Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!)), I define these terms  as follows: Job security WAS the likelihood of ongoing employment in a single employer due to U.S. economic circumstances the economy was expanding, employer payrolls were stable and growing, and positive job performance was normally rewarded. Employment security IS the likelihood of ongoing employment in a profession you desire due to your strong positive attributes and proactive career management. In my last post, I mentioned that Corporate America has been saying goodbye to the concept of long term employment for the past decade. This has resulted in increased employment turbulence and uncertainty. Since the employment model has changed, you must change with it in order to be successful. You must, in effect, build a more positive and employable brand. So, how might you do this? A sampling of the suggestions in my book include improvement in these areas: Communications skills Emotional intelligence Management skills Professional and industry knowledge Self-marketing and self-selling skills Since most employee development programs have been pared down to job skills training, the first three items may still be available to you within your employer. The last two, most likely, will need to come from your own personal development efforts. In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Coveys last habit is Sharpen the Saw. This  is what I am talking about sharpening your skills and abilities in order to make yourself more marketable. Do you have a plan for increasing your professional knowledge, industry knowledge, self-marketing skills, and self-selling skills? If not, perhaps you should. Improving yourself in these areas  will increase your employment security. And increasing your employment security  can most definitely  increase your ongoing income, job satisfaction, and overall well being. What do you think? Do you agree that job security isnt what it used to be? What are you doing to increase your employment security? Id love to hear your thoughts! 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).

Technical Report Writing Resume

Technical Report Writing ResumeTechnical report writing is a type of writing where you document the findings and conclusions of a report which is produced for a technical or business organization. It is also called technical writing or computer writing.A technical report is usually quite long and often consists of multiple sections which are relevant to the report's topic. In order to get your point across, you will need to make use of a lot of complex words and complex sentences. The best technical writers always have their skills intact and can produce some very impressive documents that are comprehensible even to a layman. A skilled technical writer must also possess experience in writing technical reports.Technical report writing requires more knowledge about the specific product or field to be reviewed. Your technical writing resume needs to provide details about the product or the subject in question that is being reviewed. Therefore, you will need to show that you know the sub ject well enough to write an insightful technical report. A good resume should give details that are relevant to the details that are provided in the technical report.On the whole, technical report writing entails a bit of work in order to prepare your technical writing resume. However, the results are well worth the effort and you stand a good chance of getting an interview with the companies that you are targeting.When it comes to choosing a technical writer, you need to consider the experience level of the writer and look for those that have a resume that has good information written on it. The resume should show the writer's abilities and therefore they should also have several projects under their belt.The document that is being reviewed by the technical writer should be able to describe all the data that is relevant to the subject that is being discussed and should highlight the conclusions of the writer. The technical writer should also be able to explain the reporting approa ch used in producing the report and how these reports are relevant to the product.A good technical writer will always provide a detailed and informative resume. This document is always a great asset when it comes to landing the job interview. The technical writer that you select should be a member of the Association of Technical Writers (ATAW) who will be very helpful when it comes to securing your dream job.A technical report writing resume is definitely important and a very useful tool in getting a job interview with any company that will be doing business with you. The document that you produce for your technical writing resume must be a document that will certainly impress your interviewer. Make sure that the resume is focused on providing as much information as possible and would stand out as a document that provides information that is of value to the organization.

Resume Writing Services in Thanjavur

Resume Writing Services in ThanjavurThere are many companies that offer resume writing services in Thanjavur, which is one of the most popular places to work in the state. Most of these companies are based here and this gives you an advantage as they have the time and the resources to focus on your requirements and help you out with a resume. The only drawback is that they do not have a permanent space for their office, and it is possible that the space might get occupied by some other company, which will then leave you with no option but to look for a new place. In this regard, we can also say that hiring one such company can be a wise decision, as they will offer you the best service and the best possible space for you to work in.Many people find it difficult to hire the services of any kind of company when they are looking for services in Thanjavur, as it is one of the most popular destinations in the state. This is because many times it becomes difficult to find a place where you can be absolutely free from disturbances and the work is done with absolute dedication.One of the most important reasons why people prefer working in Thanjavur is the availability of all kind of facilities that are required in the work place. However, it is also the case that people need to look for a company that offers such kind of services in a perfect manner. You will have to be careful while selecting the best resume writing services in Thane Maharashtra.If you visit the locality and are fortunate enough to find a good company in the locality, you should also remember the fact that you have to do research properly before deciding on a particular company. So it is very important to conduct some kind of research work before taking up the services of such a company.It is advised that you look for resume writing services that do not ask for any initial fees, unless you have got good work that needs to be corrected or edited. There are many other organizations that will charge you if you need a revised version of your resume. If you do not want to pay the extra fee, you will have to settle for a finished product, which would mean that you will not get any help with your work.There are other factors which should be considered while choosing the resume writing services in Thane Maharashtra. The services offered by such companies should include everything from the creation of your cover letter, to the correction of your resume. While choosing any of the resume writing services in Thanjavur, it is advisable to choose only those companies that can provide you with all kind of facilities and also help you during times of crisis.The more reliable the company is, the better your chances of getting a job with a resume writing service in Thanjavur, as the chances of getting trapped into some scam will be zero. So if you take the help of a good resume writing service in Thanjavur, it is necessary to make sure that you find the best company in the business.After the effo rts you put into finding a company that can offer the best services, you will have to concentrate on making a suitable cover letter, which will be sent to the company. While choosing a company, remember that you should opt for a company which has a large database of candidates who are qualified to do the work and have been hired by them in the past. Remember that you are trying to get a job and not to indulge in any kind of illegal activities.

How To Be A More Creative Problem Solver

How To Be A More Creative Problem Solver In many ways, an entrepreneur’s role is that of a creative problem solver.  In business, the successful entrepreneur is the person that can see a problem or pain point and find a way to solve the problem or ease the pain.   When you think about it, people don’t buy light bulbs they buy the ability to see when it’s dark, meaning the person that invented the lightbulb came up with a solution to a prevalent problem that was people not being able to see very well after the sunset.   Similarly, people don’t buy fridges they buy the benefit of an ice cold beer or the benefit of keeping their food from going off, as soon as you get it home.  Essentially, the person that invented the fridge solved the problem of food going off due to exposure to the natural climate. Today, however, many entrepreneurs are solving problems colloquially referred to as “first world problems” because they are rarely essential, they tend to be improvements as an example, a can opener that can be used by someone with arthritis is a creative solution to a common problem; or the smart fridge that intelligently orders food with a local supermarket to ensure you never run out of milk… a creative solution to a common problem. The point being, that as an entrepreneur your job is to be a creative problem solver, yet it’s sometimes easy to get stuck and feel like we are heading our head against a brick wall.  If this sounds familiar, you’ll want to consider these two strategies for getting out of a creative rut; which are play and travel. PLAY As a kid, you would have been encouraged to play due to a vast range of developmental benefits yet as an adult you are less likely to engage in natural play, as life gets in the way, and what most adults consider to be play is actually very insular and isolated as it often involves sitting in front of a TV screen pressing buttons on a remote control. Many PhD students working in the field of innovation and design are encouraged to use Legos to explore their ideas, which may sound ridiculous and perhaps unnecessary, when they can just use words but this process of play helps get their creative juices flowing and encourage the development of ideas, particularly in the context of group work. TRAVEL Sometimes, when we are faced with an intellectual challenge particularly one relating to entrepreneurship we get so bogged down in the problem we barely come up for air meaning we end up living and breathing the problem rather than being able to engage in blue sky thinking and find a creative solution to the problem at hand. Similarly, writers that get ‘stuck’ call this writer’s block which is why so many writers tend to spend a lot of time travelling, as travel broadens the horizons and a change of scenery is sometimes all that’s needed to shift one’s focus and let the penny drop.

Gifted Yes and Sacred Nos

Gifted Yes and Sacred Nos Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams by Kari Machal Designs I was lucky enough to get my coaching paws on LErin Alta-Devki  before she was a business babe, and boy, did I know she was gonna be a big light in this realm of gorgeous female entrepreneurs. This post proves me right. Is this you? You are a powerhouse, a rockstar, a glowing light poised to illuminate the world. You’ve got a big, bright, beautiful vision but instead of feeling inspired and excited, you’re increasingly overwhelmed and uncertain of how to move forward. You’re ready to do your own thing but feel guilty about possibly disappointing folks who want you to follow the straight and narrow. You feel obligated to say yes and end up resenting most of the things you’ve said yes to. You’re afraid that if you say no, people will think you’re rude or selfish and you might risk loosing the relationship. Truth be told, starting a business, manifesting your vision and living your dream require courage, tenacity and the willingness to confidently say no. A no based on your values, availability, desires, or the feeling that something just ain’t right, liberates you. Saying yes when you really want to say no blocks your dreams, births resentment, fosters burnout, and encourages you to settle for less. Allow your yes to be a gift, offered when and how feels good to you. Do not say yes simply because you fear rejection, resentment or abandonment. Do not say yes just because it seems easier than being misunderstood. Perfect times to say yes: When the possibility makes your heart sing. When you’re curious about what might happen next. When the proposal sounds fun and makes you smile. When it feels good to say yes. Your no is as sacred as your yes. Clear boundaries allow you to be who you actually are, do what you truly love and create a life that works for you. When you say no with clarity and love, you attract friends, lovers, customers and community who appreciate you for you. A few more benefits of saying no: Saying no is an invaluable self-care practice for creating focus, reinforcing values and strengthening confidence. Saying no creates a sacred container to do your most valuable work, develop your most fulfilling relationships and design a life of otherwise incomparable satisfaction. Saying no filters out people, practices and experiences that don’t support your highest and best good. Saying no needs no explanation, apology or justification. Your decision is sufficient. Saying no illuminates what you believe and who you are becoming. Saying no is a chance to reimagine, reinvent, reevaluate and release. Saying no is a confidence vitamin. Saying no is an opportunity to do what you want to do without getting someone else’s permission first. Saying no to what isn’t working creates more room for saying yes to what is. Saying no out of integrity instead of yes out of obligation means you’re alive, engaged and at the helm of your choices. What are you unwilling to continue doing, tolerating or accepting? Ways to honor your nos today: Look at your To Do list. What have you been avoiding for at least a month? What makes you cringe? What do you wish would just go away? If it MUST get done, can you delegate it or find a way to make it fun? If it mustn’t get done, just say NO. Cross it off your list.   Review your calendar for the next month. Are there commitments you feel like you should do but actually have no interest in? Graciously cancel them. Spend that time doing something you actually want to do. Bonus: Go through your Facebook friend list and/or contact list in your phone. If there’s anyone you haven’t talked to in over a year and aren’t remotely interested in maintaining contact with, remove him or her. You are not obligated to stay in touch just because you were in third grade together or exchanged contact information at a conference once. LErin Alta-Devki  is author of the forthcoming book  Sacred No * Divine Yes: A Soulful Guide to Healthy Boundaries.  A transformational teacher, speaker and workshop facilitator, she  works with women who are already doing what theyre called to do and are ready to catalyze miracles.  Learn about her private coaching, workshops and retreats at  SisterFire.com. Meet her on  Facebook  and Twitter  @lerin.