The Hubbub Introduction Issue Jan 2024

JANUARY 2024

AL T GI CH I D UN AL A L CI N E SP TIO I ED

THE

“I’m in the Career Wellness Business!”

INTRODUCING LT LADINO

THE EMPLOYMENT THERAPIST! Is your company offbrand?

How Core Values should be used throughout an employee's lifecycle

Do you fascinate?

You Down With OPP?

The next level in personality assessments turns the mirror

Why are so many people still looking?

(Other Potential Prospects)

THE HUBBUB The good, the bad, and the ugly in career development news.

D I G I T A L

M A G A Z I N E

S N E A K

P E E K

E D I T I O N

The Hubbub is set to be to careers what The Hollywood Reporter is to entertainment. It will present a timely collection of reliable sources of news articles, blogs, newsletters, and information about career upward mobility. This is a special magazine format for our digital news outlet that will be available throughout Q1. Use the QRC Code to sign up for our mailing address for updates and information regarding our free news website when it is available.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NOTE...

P U R S U I T

O F

P U R P O S E

In this edition, we have curated a collection of thought-provoking articles, expert interviews, and real-life success stories. Our aim is to inspire, educate, and empower you, our valued readers, to find greater fulfillment and satisfaction in your professional and personal lives.

Our dedicated team has worked tirelessly to bring you a diverse range of perspectives. We believe that these insights will not only ignite your curiosity but also provide practical takeaways that you can apply in your own business endeavors.

Laurie Brednich

As the Editor-in-Chief, I encourage you to embark on this enlightened journey with us. This is just the beginning! Soon we will be launching an online version of The Hubbub, ensuring that we will

C A R E E R

W E L L - B E I N G

continue to provide valuable insights, strategies, and best practices that empower leaders, entrepreneurs, and job seekers alike.

Dear Esteemed Readers, I would like to express my gratitude to our Welcome to the Special Digital Edition of ‘The Hubbub’,

dedicated team of writers, editors, designers, and

our dedicated magazine to Career Well-Being. In today’s

contributors who have poured their passion and

dynamic world, where careers are no longer linear, but a

expertise into crafting this issue. Without their

journey filled with twists, turns, and infinite possibilities,

unwavering commitment, this special edition

the importance of career wellness has never been more

magazine would not be possible.

essential. We are excited to embark on this enlightening journey with you, exploring the multifaceted aspects of

Thank you for being part of The Hubbub

career wellness and how they shape our lives – even

community. Together, let’s explore the boundless

beyond the workplace.

horizons of career wellness.

Gone are the days when a career was simply a means to

Warm Regards,

an end. Today, it’s an intricate web of personal growth, self-discovery, and the pursuit of purpose. The way we view and nurture our careers has evolved, and it’s our 2

mission to guide you through this transformation.

Laurie

Contributors Ivo Gasparotto Creative director

Shelby Still Contributing writer

Yasmin Magee of XYZ Promotions - Printing Partner

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THE

CON

TENT 5

CARTOON CORNER

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AI STRATEGIES SUPPORTING NEURODIVERSE TEAMS

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WORKPLACE WELLNESS

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YOU DOWN WITH OPP?

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IS YOUR COMPANY OFFBRAND?

10 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN HIRING 12 THE MANY LAYERS OF LT LADINO 14 THE EMPLOYMENT THERAPIST TALK SHOW 16 CAREER GURUS 23 DO YOU FASCINATE? 24 15 INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC RESUME TIPS FOR SUCCESS 27 NO PAY TRANSPARENCY: NO CANDIDATE 28 FOUNDERS LIVE: IMPACTING THE WORLD 30 STRATEGIC INTERVIEW: MEN’S DRESSING AND GROOMING TIPS 30 PROOF IS IN THE NUMBERS 34 END-T0-END CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE 39 ROLE EMPLOYERS PLAY IN SUPPORTING CAREGIVERS 41 THE UNSUNG HEROES: THE VITAL ROLE EMPLOYERS PLAY IN SUPPORTING CAREGIVERS 46 YOU’VE BEEN WARNED! 47 TIDBITS 4

THE HUBBUB

Cartoon Corner

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Breaking Barriers: AI Strategies for Hiring and Supporting Neurodiverse Teams Leveraging AI (artificial intelligence) to hire and support neurodiverse employees involve a thoughtful and inclusive approach throughout the entire talent acquisition process and employee lifecycle. Here are a few steps to help you use AI.

Onboarding and Support

Inclusive Recruitment

Mentorship and Buddy Programs: Use AI to match neurodiverse employees and mentors or buddies who can provide support and guidance.

AI – Enhanced Job Postings: Use AI to analyze job descriptions and identify biased language or requirements that may exclude neurodiverse candidates. Ensure that job listings are inclusive and appealing.

Bias-free Screening: Implement AI-based tools to anonymize resumes and applications during the initial screening process, focusing solely on qualifications and skills.

Neurodiversity-friendly Assessments: Use AI-powered assessments that assess relevant skills without relying on traditional interview formats, which can be challenging for neurodiverse candidates.

Personalized Onboarding: AI can help cater personalized onboarding plans that cater to the specific needs and preferences of neurodiverse employees.

AI-driven Accommodations: Implement AI-driven accommodations, such as sensory adjustments in the workplace or communication tools tailored to individual preferences.

AI-powered Accessibility Tools: Employe AI-driven assistive technology to enhance accessibility in the workplace, such as text-to-speech or speech-to-text applications.

Candidate Sourcing

Employee Development

AI-powered Talent Sourcing: Use AI tools to identify candidates from diverse backgrounds and talent pools. AI can broaden your candidate search beyond traditional networks.

AI-enhanced Learning: Utilize AI-powered learning platforms that adapt to individual learning styles and provide ongoing skill development.

Interviews Structured Interviews: Implement structured interviews and AI-based interview platforms to ensure consistency and fairness in the interview process.

AI-assisted interviews: Consider using AI to assist interviewers in creating a more inclusive and accommodating interview environment, such as providing real-time interview tips or accommodating sensory needs.

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Skill Gap Analysis: Use AI to identify skill gap and recommend relevant training and development programs.

Performance Management Objective Evaluation: Implement AI-driven performance evaluation system that focuses on objective criteria, reducing biases in performance assessments.

Continued on page 43

WORKPLACE WELLNESS Foster Less Stress At Work

By Dr. LaJoyce Brookshire, Naturopath In very recent years, employers have had to consider Workplace Wellness programs. With stress soaring due to the demands of mounting workloads and an attempt to juggle trouble at home, employers have noted that it is negatively affecting their bottom line. The fallout of stress alone in the workplace is like a ping-pong ball searching for a hole to land. Experts are noting that companies most successful in combating stressed-out employees, confront the causes head-on.

One issue of stress at work is when “Life” is front and center. Some places of employment actually frown on the notion of bringing problems from home to the office. This charade is a dangerous game to play with one’s psyche and ultimately ends in a breakdown of mental and physical health.

How do I know?... Before I was the Good Doctor I worked as Director of Publicity at Arista Records where I handled The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Kenny G., Toni Braxton, Usher, Sean “Puffy” Combs, and The Notorious B.I.G. to name a few. I had a husband who was terminally ill from cancer…so we said. His true diagnosis was AIDS. Bouncing into work every day with a smile after crying all night, ready to wrangle 250 calls, attend meetings, and put out fires took a toll on me mentally and physically. Only two people in my immediate department knew I had a terminally ill husband because I didn’t want people to have pity on my situation at home, nor did I want them to think for even a minute that I could not do my job. The level of deception I played with myself and the people in my workplace who cared for me came to a screeching halt when I was summoned into a meeting with executives who reprimanded me for having a situation so dire at home yet remaining silent.

It is a trend in the workplace for people to remain quiet about their struggles, when (in actuality) those struggles help to mold character. The perception of needing to not put your business on ‘Front Street’ at work comes with the mantra prevalent in many households, “What happens in this house, stays in this house!”

If the workplace would foster a community within their culture of being nurtured by not only professional successes but also personal pain, employers would discover that their staff will grow into a loving community that can become a refuge in times of trouble.

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Dr. LaJoyce Brookshire is a Classical Naturopathic Doctor and is widely known as “The Good Doctor” with more than 20 years of clinical experience. She conducts Wellness Workshops around the world and is a New York Times Bestselling Author with seven concurrent bestsellers including Ask The Good Doctor: The Detox Edition Remixed for a Healthy New You.

Avail able On

YOU DOWN WITH OPP? (OTHER POTENTIAL PROSPECTS)

"Why do so many continue to have a wandering eye in an unstable financial market?

61% Percentage of Workers who are seeking or planning to seek new jobs according to Business.com in July 2023.

By Laurie Brednich

In today’s unstable financial market, being “Down with OPP” (other potential prospects) means that employees are proactively looking for, and open, to better opportunities in an ever-shifting job market. It is not uncommon for many individuals to develop a “wandering eye” and start considering new job opportunities even when the market is not thriving. This phenomenon can be attributed to several factors that stem from the job security or challenges posed by the volatile economic environment. Employers who acknowledge these unique challenges will be better positioned to attract and retain top talent, contributing to the long-term success and stability of the organization.

Economic instability can often lead to layoffs, downsizing, and financial difficulties for companies. This creates an atmosphere of job insecurity among employees, prompting them to explore alternative employment opportunities that may provide more stability. This “jumping the ship” mentality can indeed create unrest among the individuals who remain with the company. The reality is that people naturally prioritize their financial wellbeing over anything else, including the company’s longterm success.

People develop lifestyles based on their salary, the thought of an abrupt reduction in income that can disrupt their manner of living is terrifying.

When the market is unpredictable, or when companies implement measures such as salary freezes, bonus eliminations, or benefit reductions, individuals become skittish and begin to look for higher ground.

In recent years, the pandemic has underscored the viability of remote work. However, for organizations contemplating a return to the office, it is imperative for them to thoroughly scrutinize the underlying motives behind this decision. Employees, and managers alike, are inclined to explore positions that align with a work-life

balance suitable to their circumstances and offer the flexibility they desire.

If employees perceive the return to the office is rooted in a lack of trust, they are more likely to seek alternative employment opportunities regardless of whether the economy is stable or not.

It’s essential for managers to take responsibility and address this issue with their HR departments and look for ways to foster a more positive and stable work environment and minimize the talent bleed.

It has been reported that 61% of the workforce will be looking, or thinking about looking, for new opportunities.

Because of this, employers cannot rest on their laurels and expect employees to stay put because they are too frightened to make a move. It is important to recognize that attracting and retaining talent, during periods of economic instability and economic growth is predicated on the company culture, sound leadership, and employees feeling valued. This requires a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted variables that influence job seekers' decisions. Employers need to proactively address these variables and craft an appealing work environment that considers the employees’ evolving needs.

By doing so many companies can increase their chances of attracting, retaining, and motivating their workforce even in the face of challenging economic conditions. In the end, there are many variables that come into play when someone is looking for a new role, especially in an unstable economic environment. The ultimate goal is to always look for ways for your employees to feel as if they have cultivated stable roots within their position that sprout loyalty no matter the economic condition whereas they can be down with the other OPP (other promotion possibilities).

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IS YOUR COMPANY OFFBRAND?

By LT Ladino

Are your Core Values used throughout the entire employee lifecycle?

A few years back, I was speaking with a client and their board of directors regarding the current state of their onboarding and offboarding practices. They were preparing to downsize their workforce but did not have a clear path as to how to do it empathically, in my humble opinion. Ideas were being tossed back and forth as to how to prepare for a very dark day at their company and some of the suggestions lacked the sensitivity for a company that openly promoted itself as a ”family business“. When they finally allowed me to add my two cents I boldly stated: Companies whose offboarding processes and procedures are not mindful and are off-brand!

According to the Urban Dictionary (a definition I personally added), Off-Branding is a contradictory version of one's brand purpose, company culture, or message that causes the consumer to see the brand negatively. It evokes a loss of consumer credibility based on a company's internal management style. When dealing with such a sensitive matter as transitioning, managers have to look at the bigger picture as to what the company is doing from an off-boarding point of view and how to properly implement strategies that reflect the core values that have been deemed as the belief system the company will unwaveringly operate in. Yet, when it comes to transitioning Core Values are mostly left out of the entire equation when they ought to flow through every aspect of your company and be adhered to as one of the most important aspects of your company.

Core Values should be more than just a blue-print of suggestive behaviors but the heartbeat of what a company represents, how its team functions, and interacts with one another. So, these attributes should be also used as a team member has to walk out the door. If you are going to cite that you are an organization that demonstrates Communication, Respect, Empathy, Trust, Responsibility, Honesty, Fairness, or Leadership then every stage or process throughout an employee’s lifecycle should reflect these types of behaviors.

For decades, senior leadership and HR hid behind a frosty exterior when distributing the proverbial ”pink slip“. Understandably, when needing to be professional and protect the business. But nowadays, utilizing text messages, or a cold and uninformative email can leave your workforce devasted.

Continued on page 39

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Affirmative action in hiring: challenges and solutions

The recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in higher education may ripple into the business world.

Expand your entry-level recruiting

By Susan Lucas The Evil HR Lady Big-name corporations fear a dent in workplace diversity.

Discover what this means for hiring, and how businesses can adapt to foster inclusion and find talent beyond traditional confines.

The Supreme Court recently ruled that educational institutions can’t use affirmative action to favor one race over another. Federal law has prohibited that in hiring for a very long time, and yet there is an extensive discussion about how this ruling – technically unrelated to hiring – will affect business.

Some big businesses – including American Airlines, Apple, Bayer, Ikea, Paramount, Starbucks, and Hershey – submitted an Amicus Curiae brief to the court saying that prohibiting universities from running their affirmative action programs would negatively affect businesses. These businesses (called Amici in legal terminology) state: ”An essential part of the diversity Amici seeks is racial and ethnic diversity. Given these priorities, Amici have a significant interest in how universities consider and admit applicants: they rely on the nation’s schools to educate and train their future workers.“ Because the court rule against the universities (specifically Harvard and University of North Carolina, but applicable to all universities that accept federal funding), are these businesses correct that this will have a negative impact on their companies? If we assume that the Amici are correct, here’s what businesses must do to overcome this problem and keep increasing their diversity.

While people panicked about the effect this would have on Black students, they ignored a reality of American higher education: Everyone with a high school diploma can attend college somewhere. There are many schools with open admissions policies. Some schools will even help you get your GED or high school diploma so that you can attend college.

Another truth is that anyone admitted to Harvard or UNC, even with a boost from affirmative action, could gain entrance into another good school. Very few students get into Harvard, regardless of race or background. Every single one that has could easily excel at another school.

In other words: companies that focus their recruiting only on the top schools limit who can get a job. Rather than relying on schools to seek out diverse students, businesses can recruit diverse candidates at more schools.

Because you can do recruiting virtually, you don’t have to increase your college job fair costs by sending recruiters to every school you want to consider.

Arrange video conferences and fly in top candidates.

Make your business a place people want to work You will never increase your diversity if you strictly rely on recruiting people from universities. Getting people in the door is only a temporary fix if you don’t create an environment where everyone feels welcome.

A Workable survey found that businesses do focus on demographic diversity but need action plans once they get people onboard. What are you doing to make employees of all races and backgrounds feel equal and included?

Do you focus on building strong teams, or do you focus on pointing out differences? A recent episode of Freakonomics looked at whale hunting in the 19th century.

Michele Baggio, an associate professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Connecticut, looked at whaling ships to study crew diversity’s impact on performance.

Baggio found something interesting that businesses can learn from today: the U shape involved in diversity. He said: We find that the relationship between racial diversity and performance measured by revenue has a U-shape. So that means that very homogeneous teams, they perform well. The revenue is high. As diversity increases, the revenue decreases, so there’s a cost to diversity until it’s just a minimum. And then a higher level of diversity, the performance increases again, and basically overweights the initial costs.

In other words, when you have a group of similar people, adding a few outsiders makes the situation worse. But when you have a genuinely diverse crew, they learn to work together and bring an increase in strength.

As long as you focus only on getting a few people in the door rather than building an environment where people can use their strengths, you won’t be a great organization for all people.

Provide opportunities at the high school level If it’s important to you to hire candidates from certain high-ranking schools, then help high school students achieve the grades, test scores, and experience burdens necessary for admittance. Instead of waiting for universities to find and train diverse students, find them yourselves.

Offer summer internships to low-income students – regardless of race – who wouldn’t necessarily have the parental relationships to get such opportunities.

Provide donations to struggling schools for things like AP classes that wouldn’t otherwise be available. Ask school districts what they need.

Is a college degree necessary for success?

Do the jobs you struggle to fill need college degrees?

If yes, do they need to be from specific schools? Do they need to be recent? Can you look at people with some life experience instead? What about people with alternative forms of training and education?

College is valuable, but it’s not the only experience of value. And pay attention to people who perhaps didn’t have the opportunities to do unpaid internships because they had to keep working fast food to feed themselves and their families.

Evaluate what you need in a role before using a university degree as a proxy for capabilities. This is more difficult, but you’ll value looking beyond big-name schools if you value diversity.

Remember Title VII Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of race. This means you cannot hire someone because they are Black any more than you can hire someone because they are White. You can seek out people from a wide variety of backgrounds, make your application process easy for all to apply, and advertise jobs on niche job boards, but you have to hire the best candidate, regardless of race.

That’s been the case for many years, and this ruling doesn’t change that. It only changes your traditional pipeline, so expand that pipeline.

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T H E MA NY L A Y E R S O F

Career Expert. Entrepreneur. Author. TV Producer. Publisher.

LT is a former record and entertainment executive spending over 20 years in the industry serving in marketing, promotions, and artist development roles for record companies such as Jive, Arista, Columbia, and Sony Music labels. Her marketing and artist development talents aided artist projects such as Will Smith, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Usher, Notorious B.I.G., Monica, OutKast, and Wu-Tang Clan, to name a few. She uses the wisdom she learned working as an artist development executive to help job seekers become more competitive when presenting themselves.

LT is the CEO and founder of vCandidates.com, a candidate-centered career platform that helps job seekers make better presentations of themselves. She is affectionately known as The Employment Therapist™ and is a sought-after career expert having placed hundreds and counseled thousands of candidates in her 10 years as an executive recruiting professional.

The former senior-level record executive wanted a change. So, she brought her artist development talents to the recruiting industry.

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Her journey of transitioning from entertainment executive to recruiting executive has been the inspiration behind vCandidates.com. Combining all of her “Slumdog Millionaire” business experiences, LT devised a career platform that allows candidates to take control of the hiring process by removing the job hunt aspect and streamlining the multiple application submission processes.

L T L A D I NO

L T L A D I NO The career platform vCandidates.com was conceived in March 2017 and has been recognized as one of the Top Tech Startups in Tempe for 2020, 2021, and 2022 by The Tech Tribune and one of the Top 20 Tech Startups in the Metro Phoenix area.

LT is a recognized human capital and recruiting expert who has been published in Family Circle, and blogs for Forbes, Fortune.com, and Maxim.com. She has been seen on The Today Show, CNBC, and over 250+ television affiliates for networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC news stations during the pandemic offering employment advice.

C U R R E N T L Y

O N

A M A Z O N

&

K I N D L E

LT is a published author whose first published suspense novel, TO AND FRO: KELSEY’S JOURNEY, was nominated as Favorite Fiction for the 2021 African-American Literary Awards Show. She is one of 22 female executives who shared their stories in the WOMEN BEHIND THE MIC: Curators of Pop Culture bestseller that was released this year in conjunction with the 50 Anniversary of Hip Hop. LT is currently penning Employment Therapy, a business etiquette book for employees and team leaders. She is the mother of two sons and this New Yorker enjoys living with her dogs Whiskey and Diva Dahlin in the Memphis area.

C O M I N G

2 0 2 4

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The Employment Therapist provides commonsensical career development and job-search advice that applies to all. Shot in front of an audience, the career TV talk show topics will delve into a myriad of subjects encompassing cutting-edge HR dynamics, emerging employee benefit trends, invaluable career coaching insights, and holistic business methodologies. Who better to share tips and industry secrets other than an engaging sought-after recruiting executive whose placements helped shape the company culture of MSC Direct, Red Ventures, Tesla, Sharp Business Systems, and others in the tech, healthcare, engineering, accounting, creative services, and hospitality industries? The show’s tone will be energetic, passionate, motivating, and fun as well as very informative as The Employment Therapist™, and her expert

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guests Dr. Karen Jacobson, Chris Dyer, Melissa Blatt, Amanda Cosme-Reddie, Marion Segee, and Rick Benton, whom she affectionately calls her “Career Gurus”, interact with the audience with the goal of providing applicable information to help them become more “viable” candidates, better managers, and thoughtful leaders.

There is no other career-themed talk show that has an element of entertainment that will provide the information many seek.

This production will target a mainstream audience with a demographic of 21-60 and a multitude of advertisers looking to connect with our viewers, show topics, and brand integration that target both jobseekers and employers.

e c u r B olds n y e R

“Man O ut & A bout” Segme nts

A friend of our production company, Bruce Reynolds is an experienced red carpet and on-site entertainment reporter who has appeared on National British and American television on ABC, BBC E! and others. He has appeared on popular entertainment shows such as BBC Breakfast, BBC World Business Report, Hollywood Uncensored, E! World's Most Glamourous and has been a correspondent on ABC entertainment show On The Red Carpet (OTRC).

Bruce will produce and be featured in on-the-spot segments asking questions to regular people about their job search or hiring processes adding a level of learning capability based on other people’s mistakes.

Meet Our Talk Show Career Gurus!

Dr. Karen Jacobson, CPBA Dr. Karen Jacobson, founder and CEO of Aligned Leadership Academy is a former Israeli military commander and competitive Ballroom Dancer.

An expert in neuroscience and human potential, who stepped away from her Chiropractic practice to pursue her passion for working with organizations providing them a competitive edge by developing their leaders and High-Performance teams.

Growing up in a war-torn country Dr. Karen faced many difficulties and she draws from those lessons to diffuse tense situations.

Her years in private chiropractic practice taught her dedication and allowed her to master the art of diagnosing problems in order to deliver top-notch results by creating out-of-the-box solutions. Her determination taught her that there is always a way to work around things and find a solution.

Dr.Karen is a Certified Professional Behavior Analyst

She shares those principles with your organization by providing strategies and stretching their thinking, challenging them to think differently. While her military training brought with it strategic thinking and discipline it provided and the skillsets to lead teams in the direction of their success; her experience as an awardwinning competitive ballroom dancer draws out her ability to deliver a message in a dynamic, engaging fashion that will captivate your audience. In addition to her top-selling book tip book, 16

Power Conversations, Dr. Karen offers more than just information; she brings about experiences and transformation.

9 Her events provide the audience with the mindset, skillsets, and actionable tools to create immediate change in their habits, behavior, and communication. As a result, that will lead to higher engagement, and better relationships and translate into increased productivity and improved performance affecting the company's bottom line.

Not All Candidates Are The Same – Keys to Interviewing Multi-Generational Workforce The job market has been cooling down.

According to a poll from Monster.com earlier this year, 96% of participants of all five generations in the workforce said they’re currently looking or plan to look for a job in 2023.

The average time for a new hire is five months and many applicants go through three or more interviews. It’s important to note that not only do different generations have different expectations, but they also vary in values, experience, wants, and needs.

As a recruiter, interviewer, or hiring team member, understanding those differences will help you in tailoring your interview style to the applicant’s needs so you can better connect with them. The better rapport you build, the better screening you can do in order to hire the right candidate.

As an overarching strategy to reach all different generations, use the following approach: Adapt Interview Styles: Tailor questions and styles to suit the candidate's generation. For example, consider behavioral questions for Millennials and Gen Z, while focusing on experience and values for Baby Boomers and problem-solving for Gen X. Assess Tech Proficiency: Gauge the candidate's comfort with technology and adaptability to digital tools if the role requires it.

Ensure they have the necessary tech skills for the position.

Promote Inclusivity: Create an inclusive interview environment where candidates of all generations feel valued. Avoid generational stereotypes and biases and ensure that interview panels include diverse perspectives.

Ready to take it to the next level?

Reach out to find out how!

Career Gurus!

Click Now www.chrisdyer.com

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Career Gurus!

Melissa Blatt

Amanda Cosme-Reddie

PERFECT HEALTHCARE PLANS FOR PEOPLE FED UP WITH HEALTH INSURANCE

EMPOWERING OTHERS THROUGH DEI & BRAND IDENTITY

Melissa Blatt has over 20+ years of business development and marketing experience. She has found success in executing innovative campaigns, strengthening the customer base and expanding market reach in New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Phoenix.

Amanda Cosme-Reddie is a multifaceted servant leader who empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve their aspirations through strategic branding, DEI, and thought leadership. She has over 15 years of experience in various industries, including telecommunications, real estate, financial services, and technology. Much of her success stems from leading high-performing teams, projects, and programs that deliver value to all stakeholders involved while driving business growth and retention.

When she left the corporate world to go out on her own, she was desperate for quality affordable healthcare. Knowing she wasn’t alone and part of a growing economy of 57 million, she learned selfemployed people pay over 3x the rates or go without healthcare. In 2019, she took her biggest leap and created indipop, a healthcare marketplace for the Independent Population of self-employed professionals. indipop is the first membership-based healthcare marketplace disrupting the $1 trillion traditional health insurance industry. Visit www.indipop.co for more information.

Everyone deserves quality medical coverage 20

TAKe time to cultivate your personal brand

She works as the Director, Strategic Account Management at Jopwell to empower employers to build more inclusive workplaces and has launched TAKe Brand Consulting to provide women with an opportunity to develop their personal brand through awareness of their values, worth, and image. Recently, she became the VP of Community Operations for Conscious Capitalism of Arizona, a non-profit organization with a movement dedicated to doing good business. She is also a volunteer and member of the Arizona Foundation for Women, Latinas in Tech, ALPFA, and the Society of Human Resources (SHRM).

Career Gurus!

Marion Segree A

F A S C I N A T I N G

C A R E E R

C O A C H

Step into the world of Marion Forbes Consulting, where over 25 years of corporate wisdom merges with the power ” of the ”PIRL Effect' aligned with the ‘How to Fascinate®' brand.

🌟

With a distinguished career spanning more than two decades in the corporate realm, Marion possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies of the professional world. But the journey doesn't stop at corporate success; Marion took a bold step to launch a virtual consulting business as a coaching consultant. This shift wasn't just a career pivot but a passion-driven mission to empower individuals like you.

Marion Forbes Consulting harnesses the ‘PIRL Effect,' a transformative approach aligned with the 'How to Fascinate®' brand, to guide individuals in unlocking their unique brilliance. This effect catalyzes personal and professional growth, helping you navigate the corporate landscape and life confidently and authentically.

Imagine embracing your true self, shining brighter than ever before, and achieving your goals in a way that's uniquely you. This is the promise of Marion Forbes Consulting's approach.

Rick Benton L E A D E R S H I P

A S S E S S M E N T

C O A C H

Rick has been a teacher, a coach, and a consultant since 2018.

His superpower is his energy and passion for learning and growth, always challenging the existing status quo to find better solutions. He personally understands the power of EOS and the Kolbe A Index and how they both offer freedom to break through ceilings, clarify and achieve visions, and improve the lives of leadership teams, employees, and their families.

As a successful entrepreneur who ran an award-winning, multistate AV production services company for 25 years, Rick understands how to maximize the best in people, manage teams, and the importance of client engagement.

He is excited to share that EOS and Kolbe power with you.

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Available On

dO YOU faSCINATE?

By The Employment Therapist

From Frustration To Fascination.

Not too long ago, I was in a coaching session with a candidate who spent the entire time complaining. They went on and on about how they were always getting looked over for promotions even though they had impeccable quarterly reviews and was considered a valued team member. They explained how they had applied for several positions within their department and hadn’t seen any upward movement at the company in over four years. My client was ready to jump ship; leaving behind a position they loved and an employer they had worked for over 10 years. ”It’s time for a change,“ they blurted out in frustration for not getting what they wanted.

Does this sound familiar?

I allowed the candidate to ramble on for a few more minutes before asking, ”How do you think your managers perceive you as an executive, an employee, and a team member?“ Their knee-jerk reaction was very predictable having heard the same type of response frequently. ”I don’t care how they perceive me! I deserved to get paid and move up the ladder. I’m smarter than most and have been doing the job longer. There’s a lot of favoritism in my company and I’m sick of seeing what is going on as I get passed over.“

I truly felt for the candidate as they analyzed the situation completely wrong and narrow-minded. The candidate was so focused on what they weren’t getting that they didn’t consider whether or not they were being viewed correctly. In this Game of Life we play life isn’t fair. Most times things do not go the way we believe they should but this does not mean we should feel disregarded. Still, it is up to the individual to change an employer’s misperception about oneself.

Let me explain.

It’s true to a degree you should not care about what others think about you especially those who do not know you or cannot affect your livelihood. Unfortunately, those who do not care about what people think about them do not realize it is very important to know how others perceive us in the workplace which can either elevate us or hinder our progression.

Haters are gonna hate, right? Not necessarily.

I know many people who have endured this situation, and so have I in my career pursuits. From my own experiences, instead of giving up, I would challenge myself to want a positive resolve as to why a manager’s answer was ”no“! First, Continued on page 39

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15 Industry-Specific Resume Tips for Success

by Featured.com Showcase Real-World Marketing Achievements Our business has recently been hiring digital marketing associates to work for us. Instead of listing the certifications you have acquired, which can sometimes easily be earned, list the websites and projects you have worked on and the results you have achieved. I want to see real-world examples of your knowledge in action. If I see that on your resume, you will move to the top of my list.

Jeff Michael Ecommerce Business Owner, Moriarty’s Gem Art

Tailor Creative Portfolios to Company Style In the creative industry, we want to see something different from our standout candidates. That’s what our business is all about, after all. A design approach to the resume, and an external portfolio, is a must when applying for creative roles in design, marketing, video, and similar disciplines.

Where possible, tailor your portfolio to the company you’re applying to, especially if they service a specific sector or produce work in a specific style.

You want the company to see that you understand their work and their approach.

Quantify Accomplishments, Minimize Adjectives Self-promoting adjectives such as “proven, ”driven,“ or ”demonstrated” in a resume are a constant detractor.

Whenever I see assertions like that, I think, ”Well, I’ll be the judge of that, not you.“ A much more effective resume will have facts demonstrating accomplishments. The ones that really stand out are the ones with impressive numbers attached. In short, be quantitative if you can, and go easy on the qualitative, especially if you are bragging about yourself, which we all have to do a bit of in a resume. Facts and numbers will make you stand out!

Matthew Davis CEO, Davis Business Law

Highlight Networking Skills in Insurance For anyone looking to break into the insurance space, I can’t emphasize enough how important effective networking and communication skills are. Insurance tends to be a fairly tight-knit community, so these kinds of interpersonal and relationship-building skills will go a long way.

Jason Wootton CSO, Rate Retriever Ryan Stone Founder and Creative Director, Lambda Films

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Utilize Keyword-Scanner Sites for Resumes I encourage clients to take advantage of keywordscanner sites so they can confirm they have the necessary skills from the job post on their resume. Most sites offer a number of free scans.

Lisa Allie, MSOL Career Coach, Ama La Vida

Summarize Pertinent Experience in IT In the IT consultancy industry, resumes tend to become lengthy because of the multitude of projects freelancers/contractors undertake. To navigate this, it becomes crucial to include a concise summary on your resume, spotlighting key projects or jobs relevant to the specific job you’re seeking.

We want to see a clear demonstration of pertinent experience and skills. We also value seeing the applicant’s achievements.

Use quantifiable metrics, such as numbers, to illustrate your contributions. When doing this, you’ll highly increase your chances of standing out in the sea of applicants.

Customize HR Resume to Avoid Generic Templates In human resources, a specific strategy individuals should consider when crafting their resume is to understand that there is no such thing as one resume.

The worst thing individuals can do is submit a generic resume to a specific job description.

While it is fine to craft the structure of a resume, each role you apply to is asking for different skills. Take the time to read the job description thoroughly, and if you find there are aspects pertinent to the job description you omitted, add them. Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for the specific skills outlined in the job description, so be sure you are providing them with that information.

Søren Rosenmeier Senior Partner and Group CEO, Right People Group

Emphasize Communication Skills in Tech Being a Product Manager in the tech industry, I understand the types of skills and attributes that are necessary to succeed, at least on the non-technical side of it. When working on the non-technical side of the industry, you’ll often work in areas like sales, marketing, or business development.

Regardless of what you are specifically working on, a skill your resume needs to most definitely highlight is your communication abilities. Being proficient in verbal communication with both technical and non-technical people, presenting ideas clearly, and having advanced writing capabilities are all very valuable skills in this industry.

As a personal example, my resume, when I got hired, extensively highlighted the communication abilities I had developed during my time as a teaching assistant. This included both written and vocal communication, presentation skills, and non-verbal communication skills (body language).

Nicolas Montauban Product Manager, Codific

Detail Digital Campaign Management Experience In our industry of web design and digital marketing, I like to see someone detail their experience in managing digital marketing campaigns. I appreciate when candidates can provide examples of successful campaigns, outlining their roles, the strategies implemented, and the impact their initiatives had on business objectives.

Campaign management is a major factor in web design as it ensures that the design elements and features of a website align with the broader business goals. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or improving user engagement, the design should support these objectives.

Mark Baldwin, Founder, Baldwin Digital

Andrew Lee Strategist, CareerUnlocked, Inc.

Keep Resumes Concise and Relevant Don’t overstuff your resume! Always keep it to one page.

Employers tend to look through resumes quickly, and it’s highly unlikely they’re going to stop for a two-pager. Only list relevant accomplishments and key jobs/school experiences. What’s more, keep any skills you list related to the job at hand.

Basically, if you have professional skills that are completely unrelated to a job you’re applying for, leave them out. They only work to bulk up your resume, which you don’t want too much of. The more experience you have, the more you’ll have to trim down what you include!

Lark Allen Content Marketing Specialist, Drive Research

Value Recommendations in Renovation Industry We’re a renovation company, and in this industry, it’s all about experience. What have you done? How long have you worked? Are you a good worker? Are you able to work in a team and carry out instructions?

I’ll put a lot of weight on recommendations from previous employers because that’s who’s going to give it to me straight. I don’t care how good you are at creating an attractive-sounding persona on paper – what can you do, practically? The person you worked for before me will give me the information I need.

Rob Boyle Marketing Operations Director, Airswift

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Demonstrate Value in Every Resume Line As a leader in a global recruitment business, I work with candidates from a range of industries to help them find their next ideal role. Across industries, my top specific strategy to increase the success of their resume is to ensure that every single line demonstrates their value and answers the question, “Why are you an ideal fit for this role?”

Express Enthusiasm for Business and Tech Roles In the business and technology industry, while we are always looking for candidates with experience and skills, there is one specific thing that candidates should consider including on their resume to boost their chances of success. It’s not a skill they teach in school, but it’s an innate skill only a handful of people will have: enthusiasm for the job.

A resume is a very short, condensed document. There is absolutely no room for fluff or filler, and if a hiring manager sees what they perceive as filler material in the resume, this will immediately turn them off and make them think about pursuing other candidates, especially if the role is very competitive. Going through line by line and making sure it passes the value-added test is the best way to excise any filler from your resume.

Expressing enthusiasm for a business- and tech-related job on a resume is important because it showcases a candidate’s passion and excitement for the role.

Enthusiasm not only conveys genuine interest but also indicates a willingness to invest effort and grow within the industry.

One place in particular that you should do this with, and an area of resumes that I often see “filler” material in, is the work experience section. Too often, I see candidates simply list out their job responsibilities under past roles they’ve held. This adds nothing to a hiring manager’s understanding of your capabilities.

Instead, replace any information about the role itself with evidence of your performance in that position.

Ideally, do so in a way that uses verifiable, measurable results.

For example, instead of simply stating that you “managed X accounts,” go deeper and highlight your excellence in doing so—that you increased account revenue, for instance, or secured new high-value accounts. If you can demonstrate how your skills improved the bottom line in a past role, this will increase your odds of success with landing a new position.

Rick Berres Owner, Honey-Doers

Quantify Experience with Specific Student Groups For higher education, candidates applying for staff/administrative positions should quantify and give specific descriptions of the types of students they’ve worked with. For example, freshmen or upperclassmen, 200 pre-med students, international students, BIPOC students, etc. As always, tailor the wording to the job description.

Linda Evans Career Coach, Launched By Linda

In dynamic fields like business and technology, passion drives innovation. Problem-solving and continuous learning are traits highly valued by employers. Also, enthusiasm almost always translates into a positive attitude and someone willing to collaborate with others— key things someone in this industry will need to be able to do.

Jack Vivian Chief Technology Officer, Increditools

Align CV with Job Description Keywords Research indicates that you have less than five seconds to demonstrate your relevance and that you are the best candidate when presenting your resume/CV for any job application, with even less time if screened by AI. So, align your CV by working through the job description, incorporating keywords, terms, and phrases. Highlight specific achievements and qualify results where possible—show positive impact with measurable outcomes.

Elise McCabe Founder, Career Transition Strategist, Career Coach, Outplacement Specialist, Career Management Consulting

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NOT POSTING A SALARY RANGE? YOU MAY BE LOSING HALF YOUR APPLICANTS

By Dawn Kawamoto of Human Resource Executive

No pay transparency, no candidate.

That’s the attitude of 44% of job applicants who, over the past 12 months, did not apply to positions because they lacked a salary range, according to a recent Gartner survey of nearly 3,500 job candidates.

”We’ve seen a lot of organizations do salary corrections, especially with all the inflation that we’ve seen,“ she says. ”People have been raising the salaries for their existing employees to make that pay range that they’re posting.“

That figure may seem surprisingly high given lingering talk of a recession and the fact that a wide swath of companies have instituted layoffs affecting thousands of employees. But given the nation’s low unemployment rate and high demand for certain positions, like AI data engineers, job candidates are opting to remain selective.

”When it comes to job postings, employers are using a range of approaches to be transparent with pay,“ Kohn says.

HR leaders can look to their pay transparency practices as a recruiting tool in such an environment, says Jamie Kohn, a senior director in Gartner’s HR practice. ”We’ve seen a lot of candidates look at these pay ranges and job descriptions as an initial filter on whether to apply,” Kohn tells HRE. “They feel that companies that share pay ranges are more fair and honest than those who don’t. And, understand, you’ll be competing against organizations that do offer pay ranges if you don’t.“ In addition to states enacting pay transparency requirements, some companies that post employers’ job listings, like Indeed, also calculate salary ranges as part of that posting.

As a result of these moves, pay transparency in job listings is likely to become the norm in another two to three years and also further accelerate the expectation of it by job candidates, Kohn adds.

How to set a pay range for pay transparency For companies looking to stay competitive in this new reality, one of the most important first steps in setting a pay range is to review all of your current salaries, says Kohn.

Some employers include a salary range in all of their job posts, regardless of whether the states they’re hiring in require it, she notes. In other cases, large employers with jobs in multiple states may post a very broad range but then also note major markets like San Francisco or New York City fall into a different category and list the range for that specific geographic region. For remote positions, Kohn will often observe the pay range based on the company’s headquarters location.

In determining the salary range, employers will often use the minimum to the mid-point of what they are willing to pay, or rely on using the 25th percentile to 75th percentile, she notes.

States that require employers to disclose salary pay range include: California Colorado Connecticut Maryland Nevada

New Jersey* (certain cities) New York* (certain counties) Ohio* (certain cities) Rhode Island Washington*

*State has minimum employee heacount for disclosure Continued on page 31

Dawn Kawamoto is the HR Editor of Human Resource Executive. She is an award-winning journalist who has covered technology business news for such publications as CNET and has covered the HR and careers industry for such organizations as Dice and BuiltIn prior to joining HRE. She can be reached at Dawn.Kawamoto@etcnetwork.com and below on social media.

From Seattle to Dubai, Founders Live has created a global ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs with 99-second pitch competitions and resources in 150+ cities.

In the words of its CEO and founder, Nick Hughes: ”Founders Live is a social platform for entrepreneurs all around the world. It's a community to inspire, educate and entertain. We hold events in a growing number of cities that highlight emerging talent online. We have videos, posts, and articles as entrepreneurs are incredibly lonely sometimes, so I wanted to connect with other founders to help solve their problems.

This is a good atmosphere to see the different problems that a lot of different industries and startups are handling.

The ultimate vision for Founders Live is a global entrepreneurial community where startups and founders connect with anyone else in the world and instantly, they've reached millions of people, possibly even raised money. I love new ideas.

Founders Live was created on a foundation of four core values.

First, respect authenticity. You should feel comfortable and just be who you are. Core Value number Two. Gather around the Campfire. We're figuratively sitting around a campfire telling stories. So, we encourage you to describe the future that you imagine.

I love hearing about businesses getting off the ground. Nick always packs the house.

Core Value Number Three. Open the Door. My success has come from others opening a door for me. We encourage doing great things for people.

Without expecting a return in the final core value. No name tags. You'll notice that you're not wearing a name tag. That is just an analogy of removing the awkwardness, so if you want to know their name, simply walk up and shake their hand. People pitch their business ideas in only 99 seconds. We have four minutes of Q and A and you're going to cast your vote. Infusing the four core values. Short, exciting pitches, and then having a crowd around the world, voting on the best Startup creates such a unique experience. This will not be your last Founders' live event. We hope to see you at the next Founders' Live.“

To get everybody from all different age groups, all different industries and talk about growing companies. It's what it's all about.

Founders wanna pitch? Join the Founders Live ecosystem at www.founderslive.com!

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About Nick Hughs: Nick is a successful entrepreneur with business achievements in social media, digital payments, and e-commerce. He excels at interpersonal leadership, communication, business, and product development. The Founders Live team is dedicated to supporting founders around the globe with information and accessibility to much-needed resources.

Strategic Interviewing: Men’s Dressing and Grooming Tips for Success First impressions hold significant weight, especially during job interviews. Your choice of attire plays a pivotal role in shaping that initial first impression, whether you’re a fashion enthusiast or not. Since a lack of fashion sense isn’t legally protected under Title VII, it’s essential to invest time and effort in ensuring you present yourself as well-dressed and well-groomed for your interview.

In the competitive world of job hunting, every detail matters. While your qualifications and experience are undoubtedly crucial, your appearance also plays a substantial role in how you are perceived by an employer. Dressing appropriately not only showcases your respect for the opportunity but also underscores your professionalism and attention to detail. The influence of clothing extends beyond mere appearance; it has the power to elevate your confidence and boost self-esteem.

The Power of First Impressions It’s often said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and this couldn’t be truer when it comes to job interviews. Your potential employer will form an initial judgment about you based on your appearance and demeanor. Confidence is attractive and can leave a lasting impression on interviewers.

The Interview Essentials A well-fitted suit and a classic pair of leather oxfords are indispensable interview essentials that justify the investment. The suit should be a neutral color like black, or charcoal gray, paired with a crisp white, or light-colored shirt. Avoid flashy accessories or overly trendy styles; simplicity and understated elegance are key.

Attention to Grooming Paying attention to grooming details, including hair and facial hair, is a clear indicator of your professionalism. Ensure that your hair is neat and tidy. If you have facial hair, make sure it’s well-maintained and neatly trimmed. Pay special attention to your nose and ear hair and if you decide not to wear a tie, make sure your chest hair doesn’t poke out from above your undershirt.

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Web Conference Interviews Matter Too In today’s digital age, many interviews are conducted via web conferences. The importance of clean and organized surroundings cannot be overstated. A wellkept environment is less distracting than a cluttered and chaotic backdrop that can detract from your overall presentation. Choose a well-lit and quiet space for your video interview, and make sure your background is tidy and professional. If necessary, use a basic virtual background that complements your attire. Do not choose a background that is the same color as your attire, otherwise, you will just disappear from the screen.

In conclusion, for men, dressing appropriately for a job interview is more than just a fashion statement; it’s a strategic move that can significantly impact your chances of success. Remember that the way you present yourself through your attire and grooming sends a message to potential employers about your professionalism, attention to detail, and respect for the opportunity. So, take the time to plan your interview outfit and presentation carefully, because when it comes to landing your dream job, every detail counts.

Continued from page 27 No Pay Transparency, No Candidate When Gartner has done surveys of job candidates and employees, they say they are more likely to apply to a job with a narrower range, says Kohn, adding that would be about $10,000 on each side of the mid-point.

Most importantly, HR leaders need to ensure that the current workforce and job candidates understand what factors influence where they fall in the salary range.

“People need to have a way of gauging what a reasonable salary expectation would be within that range,” Kohn says. “So, sharing some context around what determines it is really important.”

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SOMETHIN’S COMING!

COULD BE, WHO KNOWS? THERE'S SOMETHIN' DUE ANY DAY I WILL KNOW RIGHT AWAY, SOON AS IT SHOWS

WILL BE THE ULTIMATE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT

Our team is getting ready...

LT Ladino

CEO, Founder

Nick Nido CISO

Laurie Brednich Editor-In-Charge

Darryl Dexter CTO

William H. Caple III

VP, Marketing & Strategic Content Creator

Ivo Gasparotto CPO

Kayla Griffith

Director of Operations

Michael Mejia TV Producer

The Proof Is In The Numbers!

Mandatory Vacation Is A Win-Win In today’s fast-paced world, where work often takes precedence over personal life, mandatory paid vacation is a concept that deserves some serious consideration. Providing mandatory paid vacation can actually be a win-win situation for both employees and businesses who want to attract and retain engaged, heallthy, and happy talent.

81%

Of employees feel modestly or extremely burned out

Annual lost productivity cost for fair and poor mental health

37%

Of PTO days were left on unused in 2022, with lower income employee taking even less PTO

$47.6B 40%

Increase in sales just by taking an annual vacation

Of employees who named mandatory PTO as their top benefit choice

55%

Of turnover is due to stress. Consider the vacation then, a proven stress buster, and an insurance policy against losing top talent

Total accrued PTO liability in the US in 2022

$318B

31%

Employers who provide a vacation stipend change the PTO conversation from an unwanted expense to a smart business strategy.

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By Lee Ann Prescott Trying to improve the candidate experience can feel like chasing an ever-moving target. If you follow my blog, you know that in recent posts, we’ve covered the many stages of the candidate experience: pre-apply, application, interviewing, offers, and the employee experience. While all those elements matter, an end-to-end perspective matters most, according to the experts who shared their insights in the recent ERE webinar Delivering Excellence: How to Audit Then Improve Candidate Experience. The experts were: Allyn Bailey, Executive Director, Hiring Success Services, SmartRecruiters Mary Faulkner, Principal at IA, a boutique consulting firm focused on HR transformation, and columnist for ERE. ”Too many people approach the candidate experience as a silo,“ Mary said, ”Acknowledge that it is an end-to-end process.“ She mentioned how TA teams might focus on the application and screening process but find that things fall apart when the candidate’s experience with the hiring manager is completely different.

The power of candidate experience surveys While companies often use ATS analytics or annual surveys to measure drop-off at each stage, Mary recommends using ongoing pulse surveys at different stages of the process. ”It’s important to capture qualitative experiences with the candidate in the moment so they’re not trying to remember what happened weeks or months ago,“ she said. Pulse surveys can be delivered after the application, after the phone screen, after the interview process, and after offer acceptance. ”It helps you understand what it feels like for the candidate during the process,“ she added.

Mary recommends looking at the data from surveys in aggregate after a req has been closed. Rather than using it as a lagging indicator of recruiter performance, use the data as a leading indicator of how the team is influencing the candidate experience.

Looking for a job is an emotional experience, and information from pulse surveys helps you craft better experiences.

The hiring process demonstrates company culture Back to Mary’s example of the candidate experience falling apart when it reaches the hiring manager—she stressed the importance of educating hiring managers on illegal and inappropriate questions and candidate-friendly interview techniques. ”Your candidate experience is only as good as the people running it,“ Mary said.

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The right combination of systems and people processes drives a positive experience. ”It doesn’t matter how amazing your system is,” Mary said.“ If it’s not configured properly, the experience can still be terrible. Every person involved in the process needs to be empowered to create a good candidate experience.

That can be through training, monitoring, feedback, or 1:1 education.

It’s important to be aware of discrepancies between the recruiting process and how your company actually operates. ”You can create a hiring process and a hiring philosophy that you want everybody to follow,“ Mary said, ”but your company culture is going to dictate how everybody interacts with it.“ For example, if the recruiter is warm and fuzzy and the hiring manager is cold and robotic, the candidate might get an unclear impression of the working environment. ”Make sure that the hiring experience is indicative of where they’re going to be working,“ Mary said, ”or your 90-day turnover rate will be insanely high.“ Designing an effective candidate assessment process Companies use a variety of techniques to give candidates an accurate impression of the working environment and assess their abilities, some to more success than others. These all impact how the candidate views the role and the company. Mary shared insights on using assessments.

Digital assessments can be configured to test faculties relevant to a role. For example, a spatial reasoning test could be used as a knockout assessment for an installation technician. Candidates for a trainer role might be asked to give a sample lesson. ”Be thoughtful about assessments,“ Mary stressed, cautioning against unskilled use of free assessments like off-the-shelf personality tests. With the end goal of making a candidate feel that they were evaluated fairly, she added, ”any assessment an organization chooses to add to their hiring process must be validated and normed to the appropriate job and group.“

Authenticity sets expectations A ResumeBuilder survey found that 4 in 10 hiring managers lie to candidates during the hiring process, and 80% of these managers say that lying is “very acceptable.” The most common lies are about the role’s responsibilities and growth opportunities.

That approach is a direct threat to a positive candidate experience. ”If you can be authentic through the whole process, it helps the candidate decide,“ Mary said. For a call center role, a company might paint a picture of the day-to-day complaint handling but also offer insights into team camaraderie and growth opportunities. ”An organization has to be aware of who they are and be honest about it,” Mary said.“ If a candidate says ‘thank you for being honest with me,’ that’s a win because it shows you intend to find the best fit for the position.“ Continued on page 40

4 in 10 managers lie during an interview 36

Continued from page 23

Do You Fascinate? ”Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.“- Aristotle I needed to learn more about what my manager or team members may have missed about me. Second, I wanted to make changes to my attitude, work habits, and mindset to resolve why I was not getting the recognition I believed I deserved. I understood that I might have been getting in my own way. That’s when I discovered Sally Hogshead’s How To Fascinate because it doesn't matter how the world sees you.

The concept of being able to fascinate another is in itself fascinating to me. Having the ability to identify the characteristics that one possesses or conjures up when a name is said is bewitching. Do people see you as a relationship-builder with strong people skills? Or are you more of a behind-the-scenes kind of person? How you are viewed by others can hinder your upward mobility. When a job description is written it is more often not solely based on who can do the job and one's credentials but also one's interpersonal skills, emotional intellect, and demeanor. So, if you are perceived as being a truth-telling hothead, you may not be in alignment with a manager who has a different temperament.

Unlike the typical personality test, the How To Fascinate test is based on your personal branding, not psychology. It literally interprets your behaviors, actions, and preferences through the eyes of others based on your personality. Your personality has one primary advantage. It’s how you add value and it is what makes you different and better. When you learn what your advantages are you are able to be in control of them and command more attention from others which will allow you to be more regarded. This test can be eye-opening as you see yourself through the eyes of peers.

Getting back to my client. I suggested they take the test and when we reviewed the results my client was able to identify those strengths that proved them to be an asset to the company and also revealed a few strengths that could be so intimidating that they may have been negatively pigeon-hold into their current position. There is work that needs to be done but my client has a better understanding of who they are based on what others perceive them to be. I would recommend this test to anyone willing to look through the eyes of others, willing to accept what they learn, and willing to use what they learn to their advantage.

Recommendation: Utilize a certified coach to review and create a plan of action based on your results.

Continued from page 9

Is Your Company Offbrand?

During the pandemic, hundreds to thousands were left to their own emotional devices during such an uncertain time. It’s unfathomable to think that many executives signed off on ushering their team into an auditorium only to be told “You’re All Fired!” on the projection screen and having the CEO coldly walk off the stage. This truly happened at a large corporation and was the highest form of disrespect I have ever seen. These types of antics were not committed by young executives or startups but by well-tenured executives and corporations who just were not prepared for such a task. Just as one properly prepares for onboarding team members, offboarding deserves just as much attention.

Here’s an exercise for team leaders and HR Executives: I challenge you to be honest and think about the last time you had to let an employee or employees go.

1. When you were planning to let go of one or many team members were your Core Values considered? If not, why?

2. Were your Core Values implemented throughout the transitioning process and openly discussed with your remaining workforce after that transitioning was completed?

3. Was there any blowback after the transitioning process from the employee(s), surviving team members, or marketplace?

4. Do you know if your sales or brand was impacted in any way?

5. What do you think you/your company could have done better?

I’d like to say there are no right or wrong answers to the above but I would be lying. If the last few years haven’t taught you anything about your responsibility of doing right by those who spent time and contributed to your company’s success then there may be a bigger problem with your company culture. What I will say is that providing a sound exit program for everyone, for every situation, at every level, and every time is not just the right thing to do it's truly good business and showcases a level of maturity, respect, and decorum that will always attract 39 the best talent in the long-run.

Onboarding sets the stage ”From the candidate’s perspective, the onboarding experience is the same as the hiring experience,“ Mary said. ”They don’t care that you’ve handed it off to an onboarding coordinator. It needs to be seamlessly integrated.“ ”You want to make sure that when they show up,“ she continued, ”they feel like they made the best decision possible, that they’re excited to be with your organization, and they want to stay with your organization for a long time.“ Getting the matrix of forms, provisioning, policies, and training delivered in the right order takes forethought and ideally, an onboarding system to manage.

Two tips for a better candidate experience Allyn and Mary have helped companies bring thousands of hires in the door. What do they think is most important to today’s candidates?

Post salary ranges. In a previous role as head of recruiting, Mary conducted A/B testing on job postings with and without salary ranges. ”We always got better candidates and a better hiring experience if we posted the ranges,“ she said.

Disposition candidates quickly. ”Give up hoarding candidates just in case you don’t get the hire through,“ Allyn said. Timely disposition–think days or weeks, not months–helps candidates move on.

Conclusion: A holistic approach turns candidates into engaged employees Allyn Bailey summed up the conversation: ”You cannot isolate any independent area of the candidate experience. You cannot just say this is about the sourcing process, the application process, the interviewing process, or the onboarding process. You are creating one holistic experience to find, attract, hire, and get people into the door for day one.“

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“You can create a hiring process and a hiring philosophy that you want everybody to follow,” Mary said, “but your company culture is going to dictate how everybody interacts with it.”

Want to build a favorable end-to-end candidate experience?

SmartRecruiters can help. Not only do we have a highly-rated applicant tracking system, we cover the pre-apply experience with SmartRecruiters Attrax, SmartCRM, SmartJobs, and the chatbot SmartPal. We also offer SmartOnboard to start your new hires off on the right foot. Get in touch with us for a demo today!

The Unsung Heroes: The Vital Role Employers Play in Supporting Caregivers In a world where medical issues like smoking, obesity, and cancer continue to pose significant challenges, there’s another crucial aspect of healthcare that often goes unnoticed: caregiving. Approximately 1 in 5 full-time workers in the United States takes on the role of caregiver, contributing immeasurably to the well-being of their loved ones. Caregiving is not without impact and should be recognized as an essential social determinant of health (SDOH) that employers need to recognize if they want to have the most productive and effective workforce.

It's important to understand that caregiving is not just about assisting someone with daily tasks; it’s about providing care and support to a family member or friend who has been diagnosed with a serious illness, developmental disorder, or disability. Caregivers often become the primary source of emotional and physical support for their loved ones, unfortunately, this level of care can take a toll on the caregivers’ career, and it can directly impact the business. .

Balancing caregiving responsibilities with a full-time job can be incredibly challenging. One staggering statistic that highlights the importance of caregiving as an SDOH is the fact that 60% of caregivers experience work disruption, even though many employees remain silent about their caregiving responsibilities for fear of losing their jobs or retaliation. On average, caregiver employees miss 3.2 workdays per month due to their caregiving duties. Furthermore, 1/3 of caregiver employees have had to leave a job because of caregiving.

In the United States Today: 34 million smoke cigarettes 76 million are obese 23 million have been diagnosed with cancer in their lives 53 million are family caregivers

“There are only four kinds of people in the world - those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who need caregivers” -- Rosalyn Carter Former First Lady of the United States

Acknowledging caregiving as a SDOH is not just about highlighting the issues, but also finding solutions. Employers play a crucial role in supporting their employees’ caregivers.

Offering flexible work schedules and remote work opportunities is just the start. Employers should also look at providing additional assistance programs that can help significantly alleviate their burden. This can include: -Paid Leave: Providing paid family and caregiver leave ensures that employees do not have to choose between their caregiver responsibilities and their job.

-Employee Assistance Programs (EAP’s): EAPs can offer counseling and resources to support caregivers’ mental health and well-being and tools and on behavior management strategies for their loved one.

-Caregiver advocacy program: practical assistance in managing caregiver duties including assistance completing Medicaid/Medicare applications.

-Financial Education: tailored financial education program around estate planning and debt management.

There are available public resources that employers can partner with to support caregivers including the Roslyn Carter Institute for Caregivers and the National Alliance of Caregiving which offer a plethora of free tools and resources that employers can leverage for their caregiver population.

As we strive to address major health issues like smoking, obesity, and cancer, we must acknowledge the critical role of caregivers in the healthcare ecosystem. By supporting caregivers and implementing caregiver-friendly policies in the workplace, we can improve the lives of millions while creating a more compassionate and inclusive society. Caregivers are unsung heroes and it’s time employers stepped up their game and gave them the support they truly deserve.

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Teaching Students

EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWING A Student’s Best Interview Preparation: The Undergraduate Guide to Getting a Great Job a ‘must have’ e-book for college students.

Esteemed author, professor, investor and entrepreneur David Blackledge has done it again!

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Breaking Barriers: Feedback and Recognition: Use AI to provide real-time feedback and recognition to neurodiverse employees, helping them track their progress and achievements.

Mental Health and Wellbeing AI-enhanced Mental Health Support: Provide AI tools for neurodiverse employees to self-monitor and identify signs of stress or mental health challenges, offering timely support and resources in their time of need.

Continuous Feedback and Adaption Analyze Data: Regularly analyze data collected by AI tools to assess the effectiveness of your neurodiversity inclusion efforts and identify areas for improvement.

Feedback Loops: Continually gather feedback from neurodiverse employees about their experience with AI tools and accommodations. Use this feedback to refine and adapt your support system. .

Remember that the goal is not to just use AI to hire neurodiverse employes but also to create an inclusive and supportive workplace culture where they can thrive. This requires ongoing education and training for all employees, managers and stakeholders on neurodiversity awareness and inclusion. Additionally, individual support and accommodations should be provided based on the specific needs and preferences of each neurodiverse employee.

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Accessibility policy and solutions have received more public attention recently, through legislation such as the EU’s Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 and the Resolution on the EU Artificial Intelligence Act for the inclusion of persons with disabilities; and special directives and frameworks like Unicef’s Accessible and Inclusive Digital Solutions for Girls with Disabilities.

80%

Unemployment among those with disabilities can be as high as 80%, and this figure can be even higher among those with conditions such as autism.

Artificial intelligence can address some of the challenges and discrimination that people with cognitive diversity and other disabilities face in everyday life.

www.employmenttherapy.online

The Realistic Job Search Assessment!

Q2 2024

THE HUBBUB You’ve Been WARNED RUMBLINGS WITHIN THE MARKET Real-Time Information Impacting Real Employees

Business Type: Streaming Media Report: 12/11/23 Laid-Off Range: 501-1,000 Layoff Date: Not Listed Layoff Type: Permanent NY

Business Type: Cloud Computing Software Report: 12/1/23 Laid-Off Range: 501 - 1,000 Layoff Date: 1/26/24 Layoff Type: Permanent

TX

Business Type: Healthcare Report: 11/28/23 Laid-Off Range: 501 - 1,000 Layoff Date: 1/27/24 Layoff Type: Permanent WI

Business Type: Automotive Report: 11/24/2023 Laid Off Range: 501 - 1,000 Layoff Date: Not Listed Layoff Type: Permanent

KY

Business Type: Healthcare Report: 11/2/23 Laid-Off Range: 251 - 500 Layoff Date: Not listed Layoff Type: Permanent NJ 44

THE HUBBUB TIDBITS An array of interesting items to chew on...

Employers have had enough and are starting to cut salary offers by as much as 47%, according to analysis of 20,000 job postings. The industries most affected are technology, travel, and transportation.

Truck drivers' pay is down 32.9%. How do you think this will affect this country’s supply chain?

Is “Quiet Cutting” the new trend?

Workers are waking up to emails and team-meeting requests with a jarring message: They aren’t fired, but their jobs are gone. Will your company exercise this restructuring right?

Is the concept of Work-Life balance dead? Or, should we consider Life-Work integration which is the conscious blending of work and personal responsibilities rather than attempting to separate the two strictly? It emphasizes flexibility, autonomy, and a focus on outcomes rather than rigidly adhering to traditional work hours.

Moreover, viewing work and personal life as opposing forces, this notion of integration recognizes that they can coexist and complement each other. How will this affect the new proposed rule by The Labor Board to pay overtime to those salaried workers who earn less than $55,000?

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Change is coming...