Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom How to Spot the 5 Subtle Forms of Workplace Bias

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom How to Spot the 5 Subtle Forms of Workplace Bias I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a tall, white man. While I am Caucasian, I’m not tall or male. And because depending on who you ask, between 70-80 percent of leaders have all three attributes, I’m wondering just how much my lack of two of them has held me back. When I talked, off the record, to a gender bias researcher at a prestigious U.S. university, she informed me that I should not take my success for granted. Apparently, being a short woman in Corporate America means I must be twice as smart, twice as competent, and twice as hardworking. Most clients wouldn’t tell me that outright as they don’t understand it to be true. It’s not like people readily believe that tall, white men naturally make better leaders. And that’s the thing about unconscious bias â€" it’s an automatic attitude or perception about a person based on a single attribute like gender, ethnicity, race, or sexual orientation that we are unaware we have and act upon. Unconscious bias is almost as old as humans, as our ancestors developed it to quickly categorize threats in a hostile environment. In other words, we don’t mean to discriminate, but we can’t help it. The good news is, we’re getting better at spotting subtle bias at work, as well as the business process improvement techniques and strategies that can root it out before it does too much damage to your culture. Let’s examine a few places bias at work will commonly show up, now or in the near future. Resume Filters We often don’t realize it, but we don’t review resumes and profiles on merit alone. When unconscious bias creeps in, we can negatively assess a candidate based on their name, photo, or educational institution. Therefore, using software to blind your applicants’ resumes, profiles, and sample interview tasks is the first element of your first business improvement plan. Full candidate details should not be revealed until your recruiters or hiring managers have had an opportunity to get to know them as an individual. Unstructured Interviews Unstructured interviews are not a solid predictor of employee performance for many reasons, but one is surely the subtle bias that results. When we chat informally with candidates, the conversation may proceed in a direction that takes away from the candidate’s relevant attributes. Your business process improvement plan should combat selection bias by including a new interview approach that asks every candidate the same questions, in the same order, according to the same evaluation criteria. You might also consider using a video-based chatbot assessment of interviewer speech and body language to check for potential bias there. Female Notetakers Do you have a meeting methodology in place? If so, use business process improvement methodology to mitigate the effects of unconscious bias. Recognize that in meetings, women tend to be asked to take notes more often than men and are more frequently the victims of crosstalk and credit stealing (men may speak over them or coop their ideas). Leaders must make a concerted effort to ensure that female participant contributions are respected and acknowledged equally, and this may be involve changing the way your meetings are structured. Questionable Writing Business communication is becoming more informal, and from a subtle bias perspective, that makes it increasingly dangerous because we are more prone to be lazy about what we say and how we say it. Thankfully, artificial intelligence can help you make business process improvements here. Certain document creation software, for instance, provides guidance on potentially sensitive or offensive language (i.e. “May the best man win”) contained in a presentation, and others scans text for inappropriately gendered pronouns as part of a general grammar check. Homogeneous Teams When we only have contact with our ingroup â€" or other people who share our demographic and/or psychographic characteristics â€" we perpetuate unconscious bias. Strategize business process improvements that will diversify your team both traditionally (gender, ethnicity, race, etc.) and cognitively (point of view, background, etc.). This might mean recruiting teammates from new sources and devising ways to bring forward talented individuals who might not be the perfect candidates on paper. Even a few business process improvements in this area will help you head off subtle biases at the pass. And, if you question your need to make them, spend a few minutes at the Project Implicit website. Designed by Harvard, University of Virginia, and University of Washington psychologists, the site administers Implicit Association Tests to measure personal bias. While you may be unpleasantly surprised at what you uncover, it may well serve as the motivation you need to address this critical issue.

How Many Jobs Should You List? 2 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Before You Start

How Many Jobs Should You List? 2 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Before You StartIf you are writing a resume for the first time, there are two questions that you need to ask yourself before you start: How many jobs should I list? And, should I just go to the same place I've been applying for jobs?There is no right or wrong answer to these questions, but it is good to have a rough idea. The more you know about how many jobs there are, the better you will be able to fill out your application and figure out what it says about you. So here are some tips for answering these questions when writing a resume.First of all, know the number of jobs you have applied for. I recommend that you use this figure as a baseline for the number of jobs you should list. Once you've written and sent in your resume, go back and count the number of jobs you listed, and the number of applications you've received. This will give you a good idea about how many jobs you should list.Once you've decided on the number of jobs, look at the contents of your resume. You're probably going to see the same sections of information each time you apply for a job. What makes a great resume? Are there any sections of information that are more valuable than others? A section about hobbies and achievements can be quite valuable, but what about areas that you don't have much experience in?Whenever possible, write a resume that is representative of your skills and abilities. Don't list only your qualifications if you can make it a little more compelling by including some accomplishments. But you also don't want to over-specialize. You're going to find that the number of jobs you list will depend on the type of job you are applying for.Whenever possible, choose a company with a lot of experience. You'll be amazed at how many jobs you get from companies that don't have much experience. However, it is important to make sure that you understand what is expected of you. In other words, don't take the intervie w too lightly - you need to be serious about your next step.One of the biggest problems that people face when they're trying to answer the question 'how many jobs should I list?' is that they don't even realize they have a job to the list. Whenever possible, ask for a job description to be sent to you. This will give you a better idea of how many jobs you should list.If you are asked the question 'how many jobs should I list,' try not to panic. Once you figure out how many jobs you should list, your next step will be to figure out what they are.

How to Ask Your Boss for a Personal Reference Letter

How to Ask Your Boss for a Personal Reference Letter How to Ask Your Boss for a Personal Reference Letter What could be more awkward than needing to ask your current boss for a personal reference letter to help you land a new job? Of course, the level of awkwardness felt will depend on your particular circumstances. For example, if your current employer is closing down the company and making everyone redundant, then you have a perfectly good excuse to approach your boss for a recommendation to help with your professional references. However, the landscape could be very different if you purposefully want to jump ship to go and work for a direct competitor. Your current boss may be shocked and surprised by your request for a reference, so if this is your situation, you will need to handle your approach with great tact and delicacy.What is a professional reference?When you have been job searching for a while and you have managed to narrow down the companies that interest you and you want to work for, you will then have to go through the normal motions of applying for any vacancies that c atch your eye. You can do this by being prepared with an up to date resume and a good cover letter that you have taken the time to personalize to each individual job you are applying for.Should you then go on to land yourself a very coveted job interview, what could be the last obstacle between you and the job of your dream will be your professional references.Choose your timing wellAsking your boss for some professional references to help you find a new job even before you have started looking at the job market may not be the best idea. Asking too soon can put both you and your current boss in a very uncomfortable position.Approaching your boss too soon will let your boss know that you are unhappy in your work. They may react to this in one of three ways:They will look at ways to terminate your employmentThey will make your working life as difficult as possibleThey will bend over backward to helpIf your boss decides to get rid of you as soon as possible, this could leave you high a nd dry without a job or anywhere else to go. Or knowing that you are intent on leaving the company, they will make your working day as uncomfortable as possible by giving you the most difficult or horrible work tasks or impossible deadlines to meet.However, if your boss doesnt like a conflict in the workplace, they may surprise you and decide that the easiest way out of this situation is to help you to leave as soon as possible. They may choose to help speed things up as much as possible by encouraging your work search efforts, allowing you time off for job interviews and supplying you with outstanding personal references.Whichever approach they take will very much depend on their personality and what your working relationship is like with them.Regardless of how they react, you need to ensure that you give both of you enough time to discuss your situation so that both sides can get across their point of view and concerns. You will need more than a quick five-minute conversation in p assing in a work corridor.Make sure you book yourself in with your boss for a private one-to-one meeting with enough time to discuss the finer points of why you want to leave and how you can both reach a working compromise that makes the remainder of your working weeks or months with the company as comfortable as possible for the both of you.When is it a good time to ask for a personal reference?It can be a very touchy subject to ask your boss for a personal reference or a letter of recommendation that you intend to use to secure another job. While most bosses wouldnt have an issue to write you a personal reference if you have a good relationship with them and you were looking for help with securing a volunteering position, for example, it is important that you make them aware of your intent behind your request.Never try to mislead your boss into writing a personal reference without them knowing your intent for using it.To be fair to your boss you need to clarify what context the le tter would be written for, and make sure that you give them enough time to prepare and write the letter. Springing your request on them just a couple of days before you need to submit the letter to your potential new employer may result in a sharp refusal.Should your boss turn down your request for a personal reference it may not be because they dont want to write you one, it may be a bad time for you to have asked. They may be facing a very tight deadline to deliver some work or may be in the middle of sorting out another pressing work-related issue or crisis.You need to make your request for a personal reference at a time of relative calm in the office where your boss isnt otherwise engaged in fighting fires or under pressure to deliver on quarterly reports and figures etc.If you are in the position at work where you know that you will want to leave the company within the next six months to a year, then approach your boss with your request with as much notice as you feel is workab le. By giving your boss some notice, they will have the time available to be able to sit and reflect back on your performance so that they can draw up an honest review for your letter.Asking for a personal reference with plenty of notice also gives your boss the opportunity to look at sorting out a suitable replacement for you without having to rush the recruitment process.How do I ask my boss for a personal reference letter?Asking your boss for a personal reference letter is one thing, but knowing exactly how to approach them and how to phrase your request is another thing entirely.When you have your one-to-one appointment secured, you will need to make your request as direct and as clear as possible. However, you need to make sure that your tone of voice and posture is as calm and as collective as you can muster.You dont need to be vague or too subtle about your request. Speak clearly and calmly with confidence. You can explain the reason why you want a personal reference letter a nd a rough timeline for when you will need the letter to be in hand.Flattery and appreciation usually work well here so you can say something like:“I am applying for a job with XYZ and know that a personal reference letter from you will carry a lot of weight in helping me to secure the role. Since you have been my manager for a long while now, you are in a good position to be able to highlight my strengths and skills so I would appreciate it greatly if you would write a letter of recommendation for me.Paint the company in a positive lightTry to come across as positive as possible with your request. While your boss may be surprised or even a little disappointed or hurt to discover that you want to leave the company, if you frame your request in a positive light that reflects well on the company, then your request will not be seen as a negative action.Your boss may ask you why you want to leave, so the last thing you want to do here is to moan about your job or highlight any negativ e issues you have with the company. Try not to go down the path where your talk turns into a complaining session. Instead, keep the conversation focused on how much you have grown while you have been in your role.Reinforce that you have appreciated your time with the company, have enjoyed your time there and have learned a lot of valuable skills to take forward with you. Make it clear that your experience with the company has done a lot to help you improve your career prospects and that your application to XYZ is a step to advance your career path in the right direction further.To help your boss pen a positive personal reference letter that is going to help you in securing your next job, take the opportunity to remind them of all your good work and achievements.Make some notes about specific projects or outcomes that were particularly successful that you had a major hand in. Refer to your notes to help remind your boss of your many achievements that are worth talking about in your l etter.Your boss may even ask you to prepare some notes, facts and figures that highlight your performance that they can include in your letter, so make sure you have prepared this in advance. You can take your report into your meeting for you to refer to and then leave a copy with them at the end of your meeting.ConclusionWhile it is a tricky subject to broach with your boss, asking them for a personal reference need not be as painful or awkward as you first think.Be thoughtful, honest and positive with your request and your boss should have no reason not to deliver you with an outstanding personal reference letter to help boost your next job chances.Good luck with your next career move! Remember that once you land your new job, you will need to write a good resignation letter that doesnt burn any bridges and keeps your communication lines open with your old contacts. previous article The Perfect Day Free Resume Template for Word next article Word Resume Template Freebie The Marshmallow you might also like6 Online Gigs You Can Do During Coronavirus Outbreak (To Offset Your Lost Income)

Whats Inside the Worst LinkedIn Invite Ever - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Whats Inside the Worst LinkedIn Invite Ever - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Asking a complete stranger to connect on LinkedIn can be fine! No worries. Just have something like a group in common. That means you look up who you want to link with, and join their group. Participate two or three times, and then fire off that invite. You might write: We are both in XYZ group, and I’d like to be a connection of yours on LinkedIn. So, what’s the WORST invite ever? A sloppy outreach to a stranger with no reason for wanting to connect â€" followed by a request for referrals, and a vague description of what you do. Here’s an example I received last week: Thanks for agreeing to be my connection. I appreciate any referrals. I empower women to get out of their comfort zones. What? Even if I knew YOU, I have no idea what empowering women means. I have no idea what’s wrong with a comfort zone. And, I don’t know why I would want you doing whatever this is, to anyone who might trust ME. Make sure you tell people what you do. Not just on LinkedIn. Anyone. Anywhere. You. Go. That means you have a simple, clear, specific sentence that describes what you do. What’s wrong with this fine example of the worst ever LinkedIn invitation? 1) Whatever she apparently thinks is inherently bad about a comfort zone, I might think it’s great. My comfort zones are work, home, family, friends, my dogs, or Cream of Wheat in the morning with bananas and blueberries. These are things that I love. They bring me comfort. 2) When she leaves her “empowering” to my imagination, I think: A makeover? A resume rewrite? A pep talk? Frankly: I have never seen anyone do empowering â€" and I’ve been a lot of places. The solution: Speak plainly. Be specific. Give examples. Remember: you really cannot go wrong, when you do the simple things right.

Allnurse Reviews of Resume Writing Services

Allnurse Reviews of Resume Writing ServicesYou may have heard a lot about 'allnurse' reviews of resume writing services. You may be wondering if they are useful, and if so, how?Allnurse reviews of resume writing services offer prospective employees a chance to voice their opinions. In these reviews, the clients of various resume writing companies to vouch for the quality of services rendered by their current or former employers. With such testimonials, you can determine if you would be able to use such a service, or if it is truly the right company for you.A resume writing service that offers allnurse reviews of resume writing services may have excellent credentials. You can be certain that such a company is highly regarded within the resume writing industry.The reviews you read from these companies will contain testimonials from clients who have recently employed resume writers. Recruiters will also be able to provide you with testimonials from previous clients. In this case, the co mpany will be able to clearly define itself as one that will be able to meet your needs. This is very advantageous, especially when you are looking for the best resume writer in town.You may choose to look for a resume writer based on reviews alone. However, if you are the kind of person who does not care much about the credentials of an individual before hiring them, then you may want to make a good impression on others before actually hiring them. In order to do this, you will need to verify the credentials of the prospective resume writer with the credentials of other companies offering resumes writing services.Resume writing services should have some or all of the following credentials: A recognized and respected name in the industry. Allnurse reviews of resume writing services should also provide information about the qualifications of the prospective writer. Such reviews can also provide information about any other relevant information pertaining to the writer's background.Goo d resume writers should also be able to produce good quality resumes. Therefore, a good resume writer must have produced high quality resumes for previous clients.There are many websites which specialize in offering good quality resume services, as well as online resume writers, but many of these sites claim to offer high quality services at very reasonable prices. If you are going to use these services, it is very important that you do a good research about the credentials of the writer and the service provider before signing up with them.