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Career Coaching with Pride!

As more people find jobs on Indeed than anywhere else, it is the number one job site in the world, allowing jobseekers to search millions of jobs on the web or on mobile in over 60 countries and 29 languages . With that in mind, the Indeed Team gave some excellent advice on landing that dream position .

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o matter the stage in your career, Indeed is here to help . Our free online Career Guide will help you to discover information and inspiration to achieve your career goals . Here are some top tips on writing your CV, succeeding in virtual interviews and in designing your career .

Six Universal Rules for Writing your CV

1 . Cover all the basics . The goal of a CV is to best represent your relevant skills and accomplishments .

2 . Explore other CVs for inspiration . There are sample resumes on Indeed .com which can be a great way to uncover stronger ways to describe your experience or to avoid overused words .

3 . Use as few words as possible .

4 . Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible . Numbers and data bring your work experience to life and help hiring managers envision the potential impact you could have in their organisation .

5 . Use keywords that employers are using in their job descriptions . Some employers use an Application Tracking System, which means the more words you use in your own resume that align to the job description, the better chances you have of receiving a call for the role .

6 . Proofread several times to catch typos and misspellings .

How to Succeed in Virtual Interviewing

If you’re in the middle of your job search, it’s likely that you’ll be asked to do your interviews virtually . Here are a few considerations to set yourself up for success:

1 . Test your technology beforehand . 2 . Wear professional attire . 3 . Prepare in advance . 4 . Limit distractions . 5 . Use professional body language . 6 . Build rapport . 7 . Be authentic . 8 . Follow up!

How to Change your Career

If you are currently considering changing careers, you’re not alone . There are several steps you can take to determine when and how to make a successful career change .

Make a List

As you consider making a change, it can be helpful to reflect back on things you’ve liked and disliked about your previous positions . Start by creating two lists: One for what you don’t like about your current career, and another for what you want in a new position .

Assess your Experience and Skills

While your new career might not exactly align with the experience you have, you likely have several relevant, transferable skills valuable to employers . To organise your thoughts, create a list of both your hard and soft skills . Hard skills are often acquired through training and practice, such as knowledge of specific software or speaking a foreign language . Soft skills typically involve your personality and interpersonal skills, and include things such as creativity, ability to work as part of a team and timeliness .

Research New Careers

Your career research goal consists of three parts:

S Careers that won’t require any new knowledge or training (jobs where your current hard skills transfer immediately) .

S Careers that may require a small amount of additional knowledge or training (jobs where some, but not all, of your current hard skills transfer immediately) .

S Careers that may require a moderate or significant amount of new training (jobs where few, if any, of your current hard skills transfer) .

For this step, have three separate sections for different career options, and write down which of your hard skills transfer to those careers, and which of your desired career goals are met .

Once you have a list of careers you want to explore, reach out to friends and family that might currently work in those fields . Search for industry groups in your area or on online forums and social media . Ask people in the field whether your current skills are easily transferred to that career, and what other skills you might want to acquire before sending out job applications .

Research the Employers and Roles Advertised

There are a lot of ways to start researching companies that capture your interest . Here are a few:

S Create a target list of employers you’d like to work with . Visit their careers page and their

Indeed Company Pages to get a wealth of information, such as reviews, videos and current job openings .

S From a Company Page, you can choose to

‘follow’ that employer to get email updates when they post new jobs .

S Visit a company’s social media pages to learn more about the day-to-day details of their business .

S Use a search engine to search for recent news articles about the company so you’re up-to-date on the latest developments .

Update your CV

After you’ve found a few potential career options, update your CV to reflect the relevant skills and experiences that make you a valuable employee in these positions . Try to align your resume as close as possible to the responsibilities of the role .

Find Additional Training

If you’re dedicated to applying for and getting hired in a career where your current skills don’t exactly align, try to acquire as many requisite skills for that career as possible before sending out applications .

Depending on the type of skills you need to acquire, you might consider:

S Taking self-taught online courses .

S Taking online courses through a local college or university .

S Volunteering at organisations where you can acquire necessary skills .

For more in-depth versions of the subjects in this article visit www.indeed.co.uk

Proudly brought to you from Indeed and the iPride Inclusion Group. iPride is an employee-led Inclusion Resource Group (IRG) that celebrates and supports LGBTQ+ culture and community both in and outside of the Indeed workplace.

For resources, insights and tools for employers check out Lead with Indeed. This includes resources on Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging.

As you consider making a change, it can be helpful to reflect back on things you’ve liked and disliked about your previous positions.

LEAD WITH PRIDE

10 Motivational Quotes From LGBTQ+ Leaders

The LGBTQ+ community have always been at the forefront of change . Let the following 10 quotes from these inspirational leaders in politics, sports, art, activism and business motivate you when you need a pick-me-up .

If I wait for someone else to validate my existence, it will mean that I’m shortchanging myself.

Zanele Muholi

South African activist and artist

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.

Harvey Fierstein

American entertainer

I believe that no one should ever have to choose between a career we love and living our lives with authenticity and integrity.

Selisse Berry

Founder of Out & Equal

The imperative is to define what is right and do it.

Barbara Jordan

American Civil Rights Movement leader

You can focus on things that are barriers or you can focus on scaling the wall or redefining the problem.

Tim Cook

CEO of Apple Inc.

Life is such a vibrant and wonderful thing, and I think we should always try and embrace it as much as we can.

Sara R Phillips

Irish activist

Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.

Jason Collins

American basketball player

We should keep calm in the face of difference, and live our lives in a state of inclusion and wonder at the diversity of humanity.

George Takei

Actor, director and activist

It takes no compromise to give people their rights. It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.

Harvey Milk

Politician and activist

Who you are authentically is alright.

Laverne Cox

TOP TEN

Steps For A Stronger Growth Mindset

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck coined the term “growth mindset” to define a way of thinking where one believes that they can improve . Following years of research, Dweck determined that those who have a growth mindset are more likely to achieve their goals than those who have a “fixed mindset”, ie . those who believe that their talent and intelligence cannot grow and develop . Check out these essential steps towards a growth mindset .

Shift Your Perspective Refrain from seeing your skillset as a collection of fixed traits . Instead, consider them to be talents that you can improve through hard work and dedication . Focus On The Process Growth mindsets blossom when you focus on the journey, rather than the end-result . Learn to love the process and you will improve as you go . Welcome Challenge We’re more likely to rise to challenges if we view them as opportunities to get better, as opposed to tasks that test our abilities . Don’t Put Yourself In A Box Refrain from defining yourself in terms of what you can or cannot do . See yourself as a person who is curious, willing to learn and eager to embrace growth . Stop Fearing Failure The fear of failure can prevent us from taking necessary action, so change the way you think about it . Accept that failure sometimes happens, but don’t view it as a setback - view it as a chance to grow . Seek Out Feedback Be open and honest with your colleagues, mentors, or employers about how you’d like to improve . Ask them if they have specific feedback for you, and use it to get better . See What’s Possible Read up on the growth mindset, or better yet, check out Carol Dweck’s TED Talk to see the impact this way of thinking can have . Once you see what’s possible, you’ll be inspired to try it out for yourself! Embrace The Power Of ‘Yet’ When you find yourself doubting your abilities, let the word ‘yet’ be your caveat . For instance, swap “I can’t do that,” for “I can’t do that yet” . Let it serve as a reminder for your potential to improve . Accept Imperfection Perfection might sound like a worthy cause to strive for, but it doesn’t really exist . Accept yourself for who you are, and don’t hide your imperfections from the world . Be Mindful Of Your Mindset When you find yourself accepting limiting narratives about your own abilities, pause and recognise what is happening . Call it what it is - a fixed mindset - and try to reframe those thoughts in a more positive way .

TOP TEN

Tips For Tackling Imposter Syndrome

As the name suggests, Imposter Syndrome is a phenomenon where one feels like they have not earned their success, or position, and instead feel like a fraud, waiting to be ‘found out’ . The feeling is deeply undermining and research suggests that minority groups are more likely to experience Imposter Syndrome than the general population . Here are a number of steps to affirm your abilities for when Imposter Syndrome rears its ugly head .

Try To Understand It Plenty has been written about Imposter Syndrome since it was first identified in 1978 . There is an abundance of books, articles and TED Talks about the phenomenon . By learning more about, you guard yourself with the ability to recognise it and stop it in its tracks . Know You’re Not Alone Imposter Syndrome can be an isolating experience, but it’s important to remember that you are not alone . According to a study, an estimated 70 percent of people have reported experiencing it . Take Pride In Your Position Cultivate a healthy amount of pride in your role, and use this as leverage whenever Imposter Syndrome decides to strike . Deal In Facts Imposter Syndrome thrives on speculation, so look for positive evidence to the contrary . Remind yourself of past achievements, and use them to affirm your position . Celebrate Success When you achieve something new, make a deliberate point of celebrating it . Recognise and relish in your success . Give The Feeling A Name When you sense an incoming bout, call it what it is . Better yet - give it a name! This will allow you to separate the feeling from the fact . Share How You Feel Reach out to those around you, and let them know how you feel . Talking about it will help, and they may be able to offer some affirming words to guide you through it . Address The Route Cause While Imposter Syndrome has no definitive cause, those who suffer from anxiety are more likely to encounter it . If you’re struggling, help is available . Chat to your GP, or free-text HELLO to 50808 for 24/7 mental health support . Don’t Try To Be Perfect Striving for perfection is likely to set you up . Set realistic standards, and give yourself a pat on the back for achieving them .  Put Pen To Paper Journaling is useful for navigating complex thought processes, but it can be especially useful in dealing with Imposter Syndrome . When you see the feeling written down, you are in a better position to question the hold it has on you .

TOP TEN

Steps To Better Communication

As most of the country transitions to working from home, communication has never been more important . Listening, networking and being present still remain vital elements of our jobs . While we can’t be in the same room as our colleagues, here are some top tips for better communication in 2021 .

Be Present It’s easy enough to get distracted on a Zoom call, but your colleagues will notice if your attention starts to drift when they speak . Be Aware of ‘Zoom Fatigue’ Online conferencing can be exhausting, so keep your sessions to the point . If it could be an email, let it be an email . Let The Room Breathe Pauses and silences are natural . Give your colleagues a moment to gather their thoughts and take in what’s being said, before moving on . Keep Lines Of Communication Open Check in on your colleagues to see how they are getting on generally . Lockdown is an isolating experience and chatting about how they’re dealing with life outside work can make a difference . Save That Late Email For The Morning When working from home, it’s natural to feel like you’re always ‘on’ . Be considerate of your colleagues’ need for downtime and try to send all work-related correspondence during office hours . Don’t Be Afraid To Network Platforms like LinkedIn have made it easier than ever to connect with others in your field from the comfort of your own home . If there’s someone who you look up to, be brave and reach out . You might be surprised by how readily they answer! Get Involved Many large companies have fantastic LGBTQ+ networks and support groups in place, and they continue to do excellent work throughout the pandemic . If your workplace doesn’t have one, consider starting your own . Make The Most Of Online Conferences The beauty of virtual events is that you can tune in from anywhere in the world . Take advantage of this logistical perk and find a conference that interests you personally and jump right in . Ask For Help If you’re struggling, there is no shame in asking your colleagues for help . You might just need a friendly ear to listen, or you could require their advice in tackling a specific problem . In any case, sharing your concern will do no harm . Learn To Say No Honesty is a vital part of communication, so be transparent with yourself and your colleagues . If you find yourself taking on too much, be realistic about it and let your employer know . They will appreciate your candour .

TOP TEN

Productivity Hacks

It can be tricky to find motivation while working from home . Luckily, Pride at Work has you covered with these 10 tips and tricks for increased productivity .

Declutter Your Space Whether you work at your kitchen table or in your bedroom, make sure that your desk is free of trinkets and other things that might distract you throughout your day . Surround yourself with what you need and nothing else . Stay Off Social Media Resist the urge to look at social media! If that’s too hard, there are a number of apps that will do this for you . Check out Offtime, Flipd and Freedom to see which works best for you . Make A To-Do List To-do lists work wonders for helping you stay on track, plus the satisfaction of crossing items off will keep you wanting more . Take Meaningful Breaks When the motivation to work simply won’t come, stretch your legs, get some air, and come back with a fresh perspective when you’re ready to knuckle down . Try The Pomodoro Technique With this time management hack, you work in 25 minute blocks, separated by a five minute break . After four blocks, take a break of 15-30 minutes, then start over until the task is done . Get To Your Most Dreaded Task First If there are a number of items on your to-do list, start with the one that seems least appealing . Once it’s out of the way, the rest of your tasks will seem rosy in comparison . Focus On One Thing Avoid multi-tasking, and give one item of work your undivided attention until it’s done . This will stop you from spreading yourself too thin . Treat Your Body Right Being productive is especially hard if you’re not in a healthy state, both physically and mentally . So eat well, drink plenty of water and ensure that you get enough rest . Work Smart Find out if delegation or automation can make any element of your job easier . If it can save you time and energy, it’s definitely worth looking in to . Know When To Call It A Day Rest and relaxation play a role in increasing productivity, so be aware of your limits, and know when to stop .