Career Advice – TIOLITA

How To Honor Asian Heritage Month And Further Your Awareness And Advocacy

May 10, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

Asian and Pacific American Heritage (APAH) Month offers an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the multitudes of Asian history and culture. According to the Library of Congress: “The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.”

Dr. Joliana Yee, Assistant Dean, Yale College, and Director, Asian American Cultural Center, explains that honoring APAH Month in the workplace “is an important way of letting Asian-identifying employees know that their heritage is seen as a valuable and important part of workplace culture. It also provides an opportunity for employees who do not identify as Asian to learn more about the histories, cultures, and social experiences of their Asian-identifying colleagues, neighbors, and community members living in the U.S.”

Garnering this deeper understanding feels especially important this year. According to the Center for Study of Hate and Extremism, hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community were up nearly 150 percent across the country in 2020. The AAPI community has experienced 6,603 hate incidents against them from March 19, 2020, to March 31, 2021, according to Stop AAPI Hate’s national report. According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, there has also been a 164% increase in hate crimes against the AAPI community in 2021 alone.

“In the midst of so much loss and violence against Asians, it is more necessary than ever to celebrate the rich history and cultural heritage found within the Asian diaspora because joy is resistance.” Shares Dr. Yee.

Each May, we have the opportunity to show our AAPI pride and to deepen our awareness so that we can be well-versed allies to our AAPI colleagues, friends, and family members. Here are five ways to honor APAH Month in our hearts, minds, and workplaces this May.

1. Creating workplace cultures of belonging.

Workplace culture matters. We can’t do our best work unless we feel safe, comfortable, included, and valued. Dr. Yee explains how recognizing awareness events at work enhances culture: “It allows employees to know that they can bring all aspects of their identity to the workplace and not have it be deemed ‘unprofessional.’ When employees can be more fully themselves in the workplace, they will likely be more fulfilled, build meaningful relationships with colleagues, and a sense of community.”

Inviting educational opportunities for employees makes for a dynamic culture; that’s good for employees, and it’s good for business. It gives us the chance to forge a deeper understanding of ourselves, our colleagues, and the clients and customers we serve.

Dr. Desai points out: “In professional settings, by celebrating diversity, you are sending a message that this is a value that is good for the company. Studies show that diversity of approaches and thought, coming from a diversity of backgrounds is actually beneficial both for work culture, but also for good results.”

2. Fostering belonging.

An initiative that has worked well at Glassdoor is the Glassdoor Asian Impact Network (GAIN), our newest Pan Asian Employee Resource Group (ERG). GAIN’s mission is to celebrate and support our Pan Asian multiculturalism and cultivate a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. We aim to elevate Glassdoor’s Asian community’s voices and empower our members in business decisions, product development, recruiting, and workplace culture. Additionally, we strive to foster professional development, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for our members.

We want to create a world where everyone has an inclusive and equitable place at the table, along with employers, to develop a safe and diverse workplace for all. We know our collective voices are more influential together, so we aim to share awareness about intersectionality and allyship for all communities with our ERG program.

3. Learning to listen.

This has been a frightening, dangerous time for the AAPI community. Like their colleagues, friends, neighbors, and family members, we can help make the workplace, neighborhood, and community safer and more harmonious by listening, learning, and trying to understand what that experience feels like to be true advocates and allies.

May’s awareness events can aid us in this work. Dr. Yee points out: “It is also an opportunity to bring awareness to the fact that the violence and abuses against Asians that we are witnessing in the U.S. today is not something recent nor will it be resolved by bolstering systems of policing.”

Dr. Desai explains: “One of the biggest challenges Asian Americans face is that they are often seen as ‘Asian,’ not American enough. This year, it is proven that the violence against Asian Americans has grown by 150%, especially in big cities. This year, we need to recognize that despite the myth of a model minority, Asian Americans suffer prejudices, but often in silence. It is high time that we recognize the perception of ‘otherness’ faced by many Asian Americans of diverse backgrounds and a variety of histories in this country.”

It’s important to hear the voices from the community that we are honoring with our awareness. That is truly the purpose of any awareness event.

Dr. Desai suggests: “You can begin with one step at a time. Learning about others who are different from you and learn to see the world from their perspective. Avoid making judgments and create a sense of empathy. Hear different stories. . . Avoid keeping your circle so small that you don’t ever hear different points of view.”

4. Plan workplace events to celebrate.

Planning events to honor APAH month is worthy, important work. Finding the right team and approach is vital to the success of awareness programming. Christopher K. Lee, Founder and Career Consultant with PurposeRedeemed, advises: “Have Asian American and Pacific Islander professionals share their voices. Don’t speak on their behalf. This seems obvious but is often overlooked. Along with this, don’t make them feel tokenized like this is the one time a year your business wants to hear from them.”

Dr. Yee recommends this approach, which can safeguard staff against tokenization: “Don’t place the burden of observing heritage months on a handful of employees who identify as such. If you’re inviting employees to volunteer their time, institutionalize measures to meaningfully recognize their contributions to your organization in their annual performance review to ensure they are not doing uncompensated labor at the expense of their own wellbeing.”

Lee adds another important point to keep in mind: “Don’t treat Asian Americans or AAPI as one homogenous group. We are not. Most people see themselves first as Vietnamese or Korean or Indian or so on – not as AAPI or Asian American. The experiences each of these groups have historically faced are very different. So be cognizant of that when speaking of the Asian American experience or making blanket statements.”

Finally, use this awareness opportunity to bolster ongoing efforts rather than making it feel like an annual pop-up interest. This ongoing support stands to make employees feel recognized, included, and safe in their professional culture. Dr. Yee recommends: “Redirect resources towards, and spotlight grassroots organizations in your local communities who are doing critical work in supporting the needs of Asian communities in the U.S. Do not relegate these efforts to one month in the year and look at these issues of racial violence as interconnected so that advocacy efforts are not counterproductive to the well-being of other marginalized communities.”

5. Stand together at home.

APAH heritage month is an invitation to speak to the reality of what the AAPI community is experiencing, what our country is experiencing.

Dr. Desai shares: “Let’s recognize first and foremost that the work of building a perfect union of this country is not yet done and continues to require focused attention. This means that no matter where we are and who we are, we need to call out social injustices no matter who suffers. As we saw in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, people of all ages and all colors and ethnic backgrounds showed to protest and demand justice. This needs to be not a one-time occurrence but an ongoing effort. This is not just to fulfill the potential of America, but also to make it a beacon for others in the world. . . Let’s put this idea of global belonging in practice by starting at home.”

5 Ways To Start Emotionally Recovering From The Pandemic

May 4, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

There’s plenty of eager chatter about what comes next: will it be a hybrid, remote, or an in-person workplace? It feels like leaders are anxious to cue the next chapter-capitalizing on the new skills that employees honed while powering through a once-in-a-century crisis.

We all want to get back to normal. While it’s exciting to see vaccine impacts, we need the emotional equivalent. If there’s ever been a time to take a break, a hiatus, a sabbatical, it’s now.

Many of us have been holding our breath, just trying to get through. We’ve been saving our PTO, in case we get sick or need to care for a family member. We’re exhausted from powering through a traumatic time. However you’ve hustled to make this work, it’s been a long, emotional haul.

The Washington Post’s Christine Emba writes: “The vaccines are known to cause side effects . . . Thus the follow-up shots in particular are being looked forward to like a grim Christmas morning. I’ve lost count of the number of friends who have, jokingly but not really jokingly, expressed the desire for an unimpeachable excuse to lie down.”

How can professionals recharge and emotionally recover from their experience of working through the challenges of 2020-21? May is Mental Health Awareness Month; make a real commitment to yourself. Your mental health is precious. Consider these tips as you contemplate your emotional recovery.

1. Accept what you need.

It’s a challenging time. Many of us are trying to work around feelings of burnout, exhaustion, and unprocessed trauma. Emba writes: “Every era has its typical disorder, but our own might have several. Even before the pandemic, our depression and anxiety were well-documented; so, too, were our burnout and anomie. The coronavirus has allowed us to put a name to our feelings: These days we’re ‘languishing,’ or ‘hitting the wall.’ Underlying it all is a feeling of being deeply, deeply tired.”

While chatting about our collective emotional exhaustion on social media can feel like a healthy outlet, it isn’t getting us the real help that we need to own and understand our feelings.

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reports: “During the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder . . . up from one in ten adults who reported these symptoms from January to June 2019.”

In July 2020, KFF conducted a poll to track participant’s health during the pandemic; the poll found many negative indicators:

· 36 percent of respondents were having trouble sleeping

· 32 percent felt that their eating habits were impacted by stress

· 12 percent indicated an increase in alcohol or substance use

· 12 percent indicate that chronic conditions are becoming more problematic because of stress

Mental Health America (MHA) shares that “46 percent of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their life.” Recognizing that we’re struggling with a mental health issue is no cause for shame; in fact, it’s common. If you’re concerned, work with your colleagues in human resources to learn more about your coverage or call your insurance company directly. The MHA also offers online screenings and information about local treatment resources.

2. Find an outlet for self-exploration.

For more than a year, we’ve been swept up in a frenzy of trying to make things work in an emergency situation. Now, life is starting to look sort of normal. This gives us the chance to start asking: how am I doing with all this?

Samantha Foster, founder and president of the mental health nonprofit, Rethink Mental Health Incorporated shares: “One way people can begin rebuilding emotional resilience and reducing stress from the COVID pandemic is to open up a dialog about their emotions, stressors and concerns. By expressing emotions as opposed to suffering in silence, people can begin to process what they are feeling and get to the root issue of emotional distress. Opening up a dialog can mean speaking to

a mental health professional, talking to a trusted friend or loved one, or joining a support group of like-minded individuals who can help you know that you are not alone in what you are going through.”

Foster points out that not everyone is comfortable sharing their feelings with others. She recommends: “If you are not ready to speak to others, you can also open a dialog and process pent up emotions through journaling, art or other expressive mediums. Whether small or big, opening up a dialog about your mental health can help you release negative emotions, find the root causes of emotional distress, make changes to your life for the better, and ultimately recover from the emotional and mental anguish you have experienced from the covid pandemic and more.”

You’ve come through, big time, for your employer and for your family. But how are you doing? Identify an outlet that enables you to explore this question.

Ask yourself hard questions, too, about your job: Does your job truly work for you and your family? If you could change anything about your job, what would that be? Is it a healthy fit for you? Is it fulfilling? You deserve a job that truly you. You deserve to thrive at work and at home. You deserve to be healthy, inside and out.

3. Create routines that serve you.

Recognize that you pay a price for trudging through. Notice it when stress and worry stick to you. Consider how you might manage that stress in a way that serves you. Then build your routine accordingly. Make it attainable, so that you can succeed, while staying emotionally and physically healthy.

If you’ve found it hard to work up the energy to stick to an exercise routine, for example, start by committing to a daily walk. The CDC reports: “Walking is a great way to get the physical activity needed to obtain health benefits. Walking does not require any special skills. It also does not require a gym membership or expensive equipment. A single bout of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can improve sleep, memory, and the ability to think and learn. It also reduces anxiety symptoms.”

Routine movement reduces stress and anxiety, according to the CDC. Incorporate routines that you can manage: morning sun salutations, lunchtime walks, or evening bike rides. Pick your practice and commit.

4. Make time for yourself.

Decide what you need-a week in the woods, a weekend getaway, a staycation. Bring the kids or ask family members to assist, so you can travel solo. Hit the hiking trails, the botanical gardens, or the beach. Figure out what it means to get what you need, and make that your priority. Get your rest, and take some time to reflect on what you’ve just been through. Block those days on your calendar, and let the world happen without you while you heal.

Whitney Lauritsen, Well-being coach and host of mental health podcast “This Might Get Uncomfortable” shares: “My top tip for stressed out professionals is to add more down-time into their week. Many people overwork themselves, which leads to physical, mental, and emotional burnout. This can lead to trouble sleeping, imbalanced eating, and other health issues that contribute to stress.”

Lauritsen emphasizes the importance of committing to self-care and building regular breaks into your schedule: “It’s important for professionals to schedule time on their calendars to get adequate sleep, take breaks throughout the day, move their bodies, and disconnect from devices. If they’re having trouble doing this, writing a priorities list can help. Start by writing a list of every task, appointment, deadline, and desire that comes to mind. Then mark which are most important and urgent. Organize and schedule accordingly. Ideally, this will show gaps in the calendar for rest and non-work related time.”

5. Make your job habitable.

You’re more than an employee; you’re a valuable person. You’re the talent that employers are eager to retain, especially now. Many employers want to hold onto the people who helped them adapt, streamline operations, and power through the pandemic.

If you’re happy with the job you have, do the work to make it a better emotional fit for yourself. Use the clout you’ve garnered, helping your company to get through the pandemic, to make your job more habitable.

Emba writes: “Instead of giving in to our work-guilt, we could push back: We could press upon employers the value not in offering a day off ‘if you need it,’ but a day off, period. The more fortunate among us might choose to rest against our inclinations, to allow ourselves to take that day, and then take another — and also to recognize that those around us deserve the same. At a certain level of uptake, norms might begin to change. But that will take some brave first movers — or rather, not-movers.”

Be a “non-mover.” Review the wellness benefits that your company offers. Use them. This is a time of change. It’s a time of culture building. Contribute to that work by demanding a professional culture that prioritizes employee wellness. You and your colleagues deserve it.

Overwhelmed? 5 Practices Remote Employees Can Use To Recalibrate

May 4, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

You know that moment when you realize that you’re losing control? You’re outside of your body watching everything scatter. You can’t see step one-what initial action would help you get a handle on this? Panic washes over you: “How do I get on top of this? OMG-calls keep coming in. My daughter is knocking. The dog won’t stop barking. I’m overwhelmed.”

Being overwhelmed is an uncomfortable and unhealthy state. Many of us have been experiencing this as our personal and professional lives have blurred together during the pandemic. Professional life is urgent, but our personal lives are urgent too. How does one prioritize when multiple, important obligations are clamoring for our attention in the same space?

Managing our wellness and environment can help. It takes some big picture planning, plus maintaining good routines and habits. On top of that, it helps to discuss our limitations, honestly and directly, without caving in to guilt.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We owe it to ourselves to create systems and practices that protect us from getting overwhelmed. These are five practices remote employees can start enacting now.

1. Guard your sleep routine.

Good sleep is the root of wellness and productivity. When children are small, we create a bedtime routine for them. They take a bath, have a glass of milk, hear a story. We give them a wind down period that is physically and emotionally relaxing.

Adults, likewise, benefit from dedicating attention to calming ourselves at night and creating a routine that ensures deep, refreshing rest. “Sleep hygiene techniques and regular sleeping hours help improve cognition throughout the day and increase productivity. Individuals should create a workspace devoid of distractions if possible. The workspace should not be in the bedroom as this could affect sleep quality.” Explains Dr. Leela R. Magavi, M.D., Psychiatrist and Regional Medical Director for Community Psychiatry.

Set yourself up to feel better throughout your workday by adhering to a calming routine each night.

2. Create an environment that serves you.

There are some factors about professional life that you can’t control. You can’t always control your work volume; you can’t dictate how many phone calls or emails will reach you throughout the day. But you can control the space that those communications reach. Making that space comfortable, clutter-free, and stocked with healthy snacks and drinks positions you to handle your work well. That’s what employers do when they design an office space and culture.

Dr. Magavi advises: “Natural light and cooler temperatures can help maintain focus. . . Everyone has a different temperament and ideal learning environment and would benefit from different modifications based on their own individual needs.” Think about what you need to feel calm and focused. If your company is planning to continue remote or hybrid work, it’s worth deciding what you need to make this arrangement comfortable.

In addition to environmental factors, calming practices can help. Dr. Magavi recommends: “Partaking in stretches periodically throughout the day could assuage anxiety. Squeezing a stress ball while completing anxiety-inducing tasks could help release stress. Some individuals keep their pets around them and pet them or hug them intermittently, which can release oxytocin and bolster mood.”

While there are challenges to working from home, like trying to balance your own work with that of your spouse, roommate, or children who may also be at home, there are also benefits like being able to arrange your workspace. Build on the positives, and create a space that serves you.

Consider, too, the factors that triggered your feelings when you’ve found yourself overwhelmed. Dr. Magavi advises: “It is imperative for individuals to pinpoint what exactly has been worsening their productivity, and tackle this accordingly.”

For many of us, what feels so challenging about this time is that our routines have been upended. Dr. Magavi shares “Disrupted structure particularly affects inattentiveness…Limiting screen time and maintaining familiar routines inclusive of mindfulness activities and exercise as much as possible could improve focus and motivation.” While some screen time is necessary for work and school, it’s helpful to take a look at where we can eliminate the excess and build in healthier, more energizing activities.

3. Adhere to healthy habits

This is an exhausting time, which can make us feel the urge to collapse. But getting through a difficult time requires extra attention to those details that help energize us to succeed. Adhering to a healthy routine sets us up to feel better than collapsing into disorganization. This can create the conditions which can cause flare ups where we get demotivated and overwhelmed.

Dr. Magavi offers this advice: “Each success releases neurochemicals such as dopamine, which positively reinforce healthy behavior and focus itself. Dopamine and norepinephrine are implicated in inattentiveness, so any activity that increases these levels could boost focus. If an individual writes down a goal to walk with weights for twenty minutes, and crosses this out when completed, this will release some positive neurochemicals. The next day, if demotivation strikes, it is helpful to think about the success from the prior day and attempt to repeat it again.” Notice what works, and keep building your routine around that which helps you.

Dr. Magavi further advises: “Writing down top goals for the day and then crossing these out could help individuals gain clarity and keep track of tasks. Tasks could be broken down into educational and work activities, emotional and physical wellness activities, and social activities. Goals should remain achievable to avoid demoralization. Finishing tasks and reaching goals with loved ones can improve motivation and accountability.” Again, when you recognize that these activities help combat feelings of lethargy and demotivation, use that awareness as your motivation to keep building them into your routines.

4. Get the support you need

Living through a global pandemic is difficult. The CDC reports that June 2020 saw 40 percent of American adults struggling with substance abuse and mental health. There’s no shame in it, and you’re certainly not along if you’re struggling.

Dr. Magavi points out that “Some anxiety and stress is necessary in order to initiate tasks and gain momentum. However, when stress causes distress or functionality concerns, this could adversely impact processing speed, working memory and performance. Individuals with significant mood and anxiety concerns and feelings of sadness and demoralization, which affect their functionality should consider scheduling an appointment with a psychiatrist or therapist. Cognitive behavioral therapy allows individuals to identify their anxiety pattern and tackle this by reframing thinking and engaging in healthy behaviors. In some cases, medications are warranted to treat mood and anxiety concerns.”

Talk with your human resources team about your options and insurance coverage related to mental health or call your insurance carrier directly to learn more.

5. Advocate for yourself

Talk with your manager about the issues that are making your job hard to manage. If you’re struggling to keep up with the volume and intensity of work, share that feedback. If you’re struggling to balance work and life, discuss it with your manager.

There’s no shame in finding it taxing to power your team through a global pandemic by working in a whole new way while also inhabiting the same space with your family. That is a lot to take on. If you’re finding it challenging, that doesn’t mean you’re bad at your job or you’re failing in any of life’s spheres in which you are an active participant. It means you’re a human being, and much is being asked of you at an exceedingly stressful time. It’s ok to invite a conversation addressing that.

Know that you are not struggling alone. Many employees are trying to make this arrangement work any way they can, often sacrificing their own wellness to do so. Microsoft’s recent Work Trend Index Report notes: “The digital intensity of workers’ days has increased substantially, with the average number of meetings and chats steadily increasing since last year. . . Despite meeting and chat overload, 50 percent of people respond to Teams chats within five minutes or less, a response time that has not changed year-over-year. This proves the intensity of our workday, and that what is expected of employees during this time, has increased significantly.”

Remote employees are burning themselves out trying to keep pace. The report explains: “Self-assessed productivity has remained the same or higher for many employees over the past year, but at a human cost. One in five global survey respondents say their employer doesn’t care about their work-life balance. Fifty-four percent feel overworked. Thirty-nine percent feel exhausted.”

The Microsoft report indicates that globally 40 percent the workforce are considering a job hunt this year. If your company wants to retain you, they need to hear you. If they don’t, then perhaps it’s time to consider starting a job hunt of your own.

Remember

You are one person. You can handle a lot, but it should not be at the expense of your wellness. You matter more than your job. Do what you can to make the job you have habitable. But if it can’t work, move on. Find your fit. You deserve that.

Should You Leave A Safe Job You Don’t Love During The Pandemic? (Hint, Yes!)

April 23, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

We’re beginning to emerge collectively from a difficult time as we’ve weathered the many effects of COVID-19. Recently, there have been some hopeful indicators that life may soon return to something resembling normal. Economic indicators are also hopeful. In his March update, Glassdoor Senior Economist Daniel Zhao asserts: “March’s jobs report is the most optimistic since the pandemic began. The end of the pandemic appears to be in sight as vaccine distribution accelerates, and the economic recovery looks like it’s champing at the bit.”

Living through difficult and demanding times can grow us in ways that we didn’t expect. It can build new muscles, skills, and perspectives. It can refine our focus, enabling us to see ourselves more clearly. It can make us realize that our time here on earth is too precious to spend doing a job that doesn’t truly suit us and that we don’t love.

If you have a job that is safe and comfortable, but that you’ve outgrown, that you find boring or unfulfilling, you may be wondering: does safety constitute fit? Should I give up this comfortable job and risk finding something that excites and challenges me?

Yes! We think that you deserve a job that deeply suits you. There’s nothing like the thrill of fit; here’s what you need to know to secure it for yourself.

Soul search.

Before you can decide what you’re looking for in a new role, clarify how you feel about your current position. Decide what’s working for you and identify where you crave change. Have you outgrown your current role? Is there room for you to grow with your current employer? How do you feel about your current supervisor and your team? What kind of options do you have at your job? Is there a position or another team there that you’ve considered?

Think about your job prospects as an exercise, without worrying about the usual roadblocks. What would you explore professionally if you had the opportunity? Take our quiz: What Job Best Fits Your Life? It can give you a starting point as you contemplate what qualities you’re looking for in a suitable role.

We may be inclined to stay in comfortable but ill-fitting jobs for many reasons. Perhaps our ambitions aren’t well enough defined. We know what we like to do, but how does that translate into a job? Perhaps the job search seems too daunting; we’re not sure our tech skills are refined enough to manage a search or we’re worried about the project of writing a resume or selling our skills through the interview process.

Matthew Warzel, President of MJW Careers, advises: “Have a vision of your dream job. Think of your job drivers. What’s important to you? Time, money, benefits, 401(k)s, location, product offerings, company image, culture, values, progressive versus traditional setting, remote versus on-location, passionate project opportunities, etc. Each is different for each person. What motivates you? What’s your passion? What can you do that will make you happy in 2 weeks, 3 months, a year?”

Job searching starts with soul searching. Defining and targeting what you truly want fuels the process.

Experiment.

As you think about what fit means to you, know that you may not have the answers right away. What you’re looking for might have changed during the pandemic. Because your already have a job, you have the time to be reflective about your reinvention.

Warzel recommends a full-body approach to the quest: “Be specific in what you want, clarify it, write it down, consume knowledge of it, live it. Recruiters cannot help you if you nor they know what you want to do. Most people have skills and experience that can transfer nicely to another industry or job. The key is knowing how those skills reasonably transfer, and what sort of value they bring to the prospective employer.”

Be patient as you work through tabulating where you are professionally and deciding where you’d like to take that. Keep building as you contemplate your next move.

Warzel advises: “The challenge is that most are unsure of how their skills are exchangeable to other duties. If you’re an accomplished professional, it’s best to use actual methodologies, processes, skills, or technologies relating directly to the open job description and your experience. These are good ideas for those greener candidates. Also, opt for free experiential learning like internships. Work freelance projects for friends, neighbors, etc., and continuously build your portfolio, skills, and competencies… maybe even parlay that into a side hustle as part of the gig economy.”

Study the job you’re targeting.

If you’ve found a new dimension of your professional skill set, you may even consider refining it further via professional training. Warzel recommends: “Enroll in continuing education courses, there’s plenty of free ones out there like Udemy or Coursera, and even some Ivy schools are offering free digital learning programs. Track all these wonderful things you learn. When you seek out academic programs, find ones that can help train and prepare you for your new role while you’re in limbo.”

Keep in mind, that you want to both upskill yourself and refine your understanding of the industry. Warzel summarizes: “Your goal is to understand the role and industry inside and out so eventually you can become the subject matter expert. Find some new career job openings and the minimal qualifications in each, identify the possible credentials you may need to better position yourself in this new role, and find online institutions that you can acquire these credentials, and list them onto your resume. Also, find membership groups and industry networking opportunities…this is a wonderful place to gather knowledge from industry pros who can help explain the nuances of your new role.”

A worthy hunt.

Warzel grants that the job search game is slightly different than it was pre-covid. The difference he sees: “More talent. And more solid talent at that. Lots of highly successful or proficient people are trying to find their next career so they can continue on with their career journey.”

Warzel’s advice: “Do not get discouraged. Sometimes it takes creativity, maybe some guerilla job hunting tactics or a network to move ahead of the others.” Be creative, confident, and committed to your search.

And then nail the basics. “You must play the resume game correctly. There is a 7-second eye test that exists, so when you’re ready, make sure your resume is up to snuff in terms of content, layout, format, ATS-compliance and overall messaging. Again, keep your head up, if you make enough waves, someone will notice. Tap your network, comment on decision-makers at companies you want to work for and are in your business unit. Reach out to recruiters. Build rapport.” Warzel advises.

A hopeful future.

Finding a job that truly suits you is worth your effort. Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, Glassdoor Chief Economist and Director of Research, assures: “These are challenging times. Yet, we at Glassdoor remain optimistic about the future of work and hiring. America’s entrepreneurial culture has proven to be resilient, adaptable, and innovative in the face of many economic and social crises of the past.”

Search company reviews and find your fit. You deserve it, and you’ve got this.

Women@Work Diaries: Meet Katie Poehling-Seymour

March 31, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

According to the New York Times, Vice President Kamala Harris said that the 2.5 million women who have left the workforce since the beginning of the pandemic constituted a “national emergency.” According to Labor Department data, that number compares with 1.8 million men who have left the workforce. For many women, child care demands, coupled with layoffs and furloughs in an economy struck by the pandemic, have forced them out of the labor market.

For Women’s History Month, we want to honor the women juggling many domestic duties while maintaining a fruitful career. Our goal for the Women@Work Dairies campaign is to capture internal and external employees’ raw and honest experiences with juggling working from home, taking care of their families, all while surviving a pandemic. We want to capture these transparent and genuine conversations and share them externally to act as an example of how other employers should shed some light on this issue by offering support to this subgroup of employees.

We created an audio series that showcases the faces of career women handling domestic duties and work-life stressors to gain their authentic perspective of how it’s like to juggle both lives. Learn more about Katie Poehling-Seymour, a mother of three and President at First Supply, and her experiences as a working mother.

Glassdoor: Thank you so much for joining us for the first-ever Women@Work campaign, Glassdoor. Could you please introduce yourself?

Katie Poehling: Hi, my name is Katie Poehling Seymour. I’m the President at First Supply. And I have three children. Francis is about to be two in May, and I have seven-week-old twins, Georgia and Johanna.

Glassdoor: Thank you so much for joining us today, Katie. We’re going to hop right into these interview questions. Could you share your experience working during a global pandemic while also having to take care of your children? How has it been for you?

Katie Poehling: Sure I’d love to. Two cliches have really stuck with me over this past year as I think about my experience. First one, about mothering. The days are long, but the years are short. And the second one about work is that the pace of change will never again be this slow. And the two of them go hand in hand and go together somewhat ironically. Some days of juggling work and kids in life feel like forever. But then I look back at pictures at the beginning of the pandemic, and I think, “Oh my God, where’s my baby?” as every mother does everywhere. Because she was a baby then, and now she’s almost two. I also realized sometime in the first few months of this pandemic that this could be the ultimate education of my entire career, so I needed to figure out how to soak it all up.

I think about friends who have older children and how they’re missing out on these opportunities that can be definitive to your life. Things like prom and campus visits and graduations. I feel lucky that I don’t have that. At this point, home is a two-year-old’s whole life. I also used to travel a lot for work, and now I’ve stayed put a lot more, which has been really amazing. I have the opportunity to tuck her in every night, which I missed in pre-pandemic life. My experience is really positive in some ways, as hard as things have been.

I have seven-week-old twins. Part of my experience has been being pregnant and figuring out how to leave the workforce and return to it. So it was really a deeply personal decision for me, but I only took three weeks off for maternity leave. Which wouldn’t have been possible in a non-pandemic world. I usually would’ve been in a conference room. I would have had to be in our facilities. But today, I’m able to manage my employees over phone and video conference, so I can juggle all these things while still taking care of twins.

So for me, I had taken on a new role during the pandemic and it made a lot of sense to continue to build the relationships that I’d started and the trust with my team rather than take a three-month break. It was great to feel like I didn’t miss the beauty of that. And I have the true luxury of a support system that let me even consider that as an option.

I’m an eternal optimist, but things certainly haven’t been perfect. There have been some tough days, hard times, hard decisions, hard moments. And I feel like I’d never had the ability to shut off. Even when I’m sleeping, I do it with one eye and ear open, listening for a newborn who’s ready to eat. So it’s tough to take a break. But I think that’s going to be the trick coming out of the pandemic, figuring out how to be present both at work and at home and in a world where there are no boundaries and no division between work and home quite literally these days.

Glassdoor: Recently Vice President Kamala Harris said that 2.5 million women who have left the workforce since the beginning of the pandemic constituted a national emergency. Have you felt like you had to sacrifice your career growth at all during this pandemic to further support your family at home?

Katie Poehling: I’ve been in an interesting position as it relates to this really troubling statistic. I found myself on the task force at the forefront of my company’s response, which was difficult in its own way. I felt truly responsible for 650 families, not to mention our customers. What if we made the wrong decision? Would one of these families face food insecurity? Would their health be in danger? What could happen to them? As I think about sacrificing my own career growth, it almost was that I had accelerated in some areas because I had all these other families that I suddenly felt some responsibility for. Our business tried to be as creative as possible so that we didn’t put our teams into this position to the best of our ability. We opened up conference rooms as set study spaces so kids could come to work with their parents. If they weren’t able to work from home, we offered extra PTO if people needed it, we found work for people to do if their role didn’t allow them to work remotely.

So we saw this national emergency certainly happening, and I’m pretty proud of our ability to feel like we could do something to try to make our employees feel like they didn’t have to be part of it. And so, as an extension of that, I was fortunate that while my career didn’t necessarily have to be stunted, it certainly took a bit of a different direction. And these past couple of months.

Glassdoor: How has your company been supportive of your career journey during COVID-19?

Katie Poehling: We tried to do some things really creatively, and I was certainly the beneficiary of that. My two-year-old didn’t have to come to work with me. Luckily I was able to work from home. But the biggest thing that my company did was to take a stance of transparency and open communication. That really helped us understand how our company would approach some of these challenging circumstances that any company was facing. How were we doing, our customers doing, how was business, what kinds of things were we going to do so that we felt safe in our offices? Our work is in utility distribution. So we were essential. Our employees needed to be in our facilities. And so that required a lot of communication about making sure that we were all going to be safe.

My company supported my career journey and everyone else is by making sure that we didn’t stop. We didn’t miss taking care of our customers and continuing to do the necessary work that we needed to do. And make sure that we had the resources to do it, which was extremely important. My company helped my own career journey because we made sure that as many people as possible had a voice as we continued through the pandemic. So I was able to tell my story to the rest of the company. And we were able to hear our fellow employees’ stories so that we truly felt like we were in this together. And it wasn’t something that we had to go through alone. We talked about things that our company never talked about before, like mental health and other topics that were just so important to be clear about during the pandemic.

Glassdoor: Have you enjoyed being able to work from home. Has it helped the balance between work and professional life?

Katie Poehling: I would say yes and no. So, of course, the past seven weeks have been phenomenal because I’ve been able to spend all this time with my newborns, but I feel like I could take care of my team and take care of the business. That’s so important to me. So that’s been really wonderful, but as I mentioned before, I have in the back of my mind this nagging feeling that we never have the time or space to turn off truly, and there really is no balance anymore. It’s work and life, and it’s all blended sometimes in this beautiful harmony and sometimes in this mass chaos.

And so well, most of it has been incredibly enjoyable just spending silly little moments with my almost-two-year-old. Being able to go for a walk with her or kick a soccer ball with her in the middle of the day. If I have 15 minutes. Those types of things are memories that I will carry with me forever. The trick is going to be this balance that there is no balance. And maybe that’s just what we all learned from this. Maybe that’ll be the takeaway of our generation of working mothers that there’s no balance. We have to give and take, and we’ll make it work.

Glassdoor: If you could share some advice for other working mothers, what would you like them to know?

Katie Poehling: That’s a tough question. The biggest thing that gets me through the days is remembering that we can’t do everything. We just can’t. We can only do the best at what’s in front of us. And some days, that’s just keeping our babies fed and not a danger. And some days, it’s only responding to emergency emails, but other days, it’s super mom, right. It’s art projects in the park and special snacks or kneeling a big meeting some days it’s all of that. But it’s tough to keep that perspective that whatever’s in front of us needs to be the most important at that moment. And as I think about, I think about trying really, really hard not to be disappointed in myself. Kind of a leave it all on the field mentality, I guess you could say.

I really think the only real reason to be disappointed in ourselves is that we didn’t try as hard as we could have. Sometimes our best is all that we’ve got. With three kids under two and 650 employees. I don’t have time not to give my all most of the time. But it certainly happens. I had a big meeting earlier this week, and I didn’t prepare for it. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t do the work that I needed to do to really have a successful meeting. And I flubbed through it. And I knew that I was screwing it up as I was going along, but I found a way to give myself the space to have a follow-up. I had another chance. And I just had that meeting this morning, and I did the prep I needed, and the follow-up meeting went really smoothly. It shouldn’t have been that hard, but it was, but it all came together at the end.

Glassdoor: That’s what usually happens, right. It all comes together at the end.

Katie Poehling: Exactly. It all comes together at the end of the day.

Glassdoor: Thank you so much, Katie, for sharing your story and your journey with us.
Katie Poehling: Thank you very much.

Pushing for Equal Pay: Everything You Need to Know

March 24, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

Understanding the causes of the gender pay gap is the key to achieving pay equity in the future. This article will help you understand the importance of salary transparency, provide tips to negotiate equal pay properly, and ensure that your salary doesn’t reflect a pay gap.

Although the “smoking gun” of overt workplace bias was the main driver of gender pay inequity in the early 1960s, today, the main causes are subtler. The data show that outright discrimination isn’t likely the main driver of today’s overall gender pay gap. Instead, it’s mostly due to occupation and industry sorting of men and women into systematically different jobs. But even after those factors are accounted for, the remaining 5.4 percent “adjusted” gender pay gap in the U.S. is a significant workplace problem all Americans should be concerned about.

What policies can best address the remaining gender pay gap? One solution may be promoting greater pay transparency in the workplace—something new rules recently proposed by the White House aim to accomplish. Plus, other third-party research clearly shows that embracing salary transparency can help eliminate hard-to-justify gender pay gaps in the workplace. Without access to pay data for specific job titles at specific companies, it’s easy to understand how gender inequities could persist for years undetected on employer payrolls.

As America strives toward gender equality in the workplace, pay transparency can play an important role in helping traverse the last mile toward full equality in male-female earnings in the workplace.

According to the Equal Pay Today Campaign:

American women earn 82 cents for each dollar their male counterparts earn.
Asian American and Pacific Islander women earn 85 cents on the dollar.
African American women earn 63 cents on the dollar.
Native American women earn 60 cents on the dollar.
Hispanic American women earn 55 cents on the dollar.

Salary transparency drives accountability.

Sutherland-Wong captured radical transparency as a means for equity: “Our vision is for a world where transparency ensures everyone is treated and paid fairly irrespective of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or any other factor. Our vision is for a world where transparency holds companies accountable and motivates them to become better employers. Our vision is that transparency changes the world so that everyone loves their job.” In 2020, Glassdoor moved one step further in our goal of radical transparency. We revealed salary ranges for every role at our company, and we disclosed the specific salary for Glassdoor’s senior executive team. “Increasing transparency is critical for employees and job seekers to make informed career decisions and help ensure pay equity. It is why we reaffirmed our commitment to providing greater transparency. . . We are leaning into our strengths and pushing ahead to unlock information that shines a brighter light on culture, diversity & inclusion, and our own business performance alongside compensation.” Sutherland-Wong shares.

In 2017, Glassdoor interviewed Lilly Ledbetter, an important figure to learn about during March, as a key piece of equal pay legislation was named for her. Ledbetter worked as an area manager at the Goodyear plant in Gadsden, Alabama, for nearly 20 years. She was near retirement when she learned, via an anonymous tip, that she was paid significantly less than her male counterparts over the entire course of her career with Goodyear. She sued the company, and ultimately her case went to the Supreme Court.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 was President Barack Obama’s first piece of legislation. Ledbetter explained to Glassdoor why equal pay is so important: “Women are still underpaid. When women get behind, it is a snowball effect because your raises are percentages of what you’re earning if your wages start low. That keeps them lower than they should. You can’t catch up. It also affects your retirement because if a company has retirement benefits, it’s based on what you’re earning your 401K or whatever the retirement plan is based on what you’re earning matched by a percentage. Of course, social security is based on what a person earns. When you’re short-changed like I was and so many other people across this nation, it’s for the rest of your life.”

How to know if you’re underpaid

Past Glassdoor research revealed that average Americans are earning as much as 13 percent less than they’re worth because they accept the first job offer presented to them without negotiating a better deal for themselves. Although nearly 1 in 3 (31%) employees accepted their salary without negotiating in their current or most recent job, new survey data shows, a slightly larger portion of women than men are accepting an initial salary offer: 33% of employed women say they accepted their salary for their most recent position without negotiating compared to 29% of employed men. A study conducted by George Mason University and Temple University found that being underpaid and failing to negotiate your salary can cost an employee $600,000 over the course of your career.

Sure, it was once considered awkward to discuss money, but whom does that benefit? It would be best if you had answers, resources, and a strategy when it comes to ensuring that you’re properly paid for the work you do. Review this guide if you’re concerned that you’re being underpaid.

Salary Ranges: Know your Worth

As you prepare for your next performance review or job interview and consider your salary range, make sure to do your research. That means looking at what other professionals who do your job earn. There are some other important factors to consider, like where you live and how many years of experience you have. Glassdoor’s Know Your Worth tool can help you calculate where you fall in the range.

Remember that if you were underpaid in a previous role, you don’t want to carry that deficit into your future roles. So rather than basing future salaries on past pay, get a fresh start by doing your research to learn your skills’ market value.

Negotiating your salary can sound intimidating, but it’s an important skill to get confident talking about compensation. Do your research and practice. Also, recognize that talent is a hot commodity, and you’ve got it! Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t know what to say? Look to our salary negotiation scripts for inspiration.

Check your employer and prospective employer’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion metrics:

Glassdoor recently launched new tools to help employees and job candidates see their employers’ and prospective employers’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) metrics. According to Glassdoor research, 76 percent of job seekers and employees identify a diverse workforce as an important factor when evaluating companies and job offers. To help provide deeper insight into the diversity, equity, and inclusion at a company, Glassdoor has introduced three new product features:

Diversity & Inclusion Rating:

Glassdoor’s newest workplace factor rating enables employees to rate how satisfied they are with diversity and inclusion at their current or former company, based on a 5-point scale. The rating appears alongside the five existing workplace factor ratings.

With these demographic contributions, Glassdoor now displays company ratings, workplace factor ratings, salary reports, and more aggregate, broken out by specific groups at specific companies. This information will equip employers with further data and insights to create and sustain more equitable workplaces.

Diversity FAQ Across Companies:

This tool provides easier access to relevant reviews about D&I at specific companies.

“Job seekers and employees today really care about equity, and for too long they’ve lacked access to the information needed to make informed decisions about the companies that are or are not truly inclusive . . . By increasing transparency around diversity and inclusion within companies, we can help create more equitable companies and more equitable society, too.” Sutherland-Wong shares.

Encourage your company to do a pay transparency self-audit:

Encourage your employer to commit to equitable pay by conducting a self-audit and lead the effort if you’re in a position to do so. It stands to bolster the corporate brand, ensure equity, and increase retention as well. Glassdoor’s Chief Economist, Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, explains: “According to a recent Glassdoor survey, nearly three in five employees (58%) said they would not apply to work at a company where a pay gap exists. Today, the gender pay gap is more than a social or legal issue. It’s an issue that can affect the ability of employers to attract and retain talent.” All organizations can talk a good game, but which ones are stepping up to the plate to pay fairly and offer benefits that support all employees. Take a look at the benefits tab on any employer profile on Glassdoor. Please scroll down to see their values, benefits, and perks. Compare the company values to your own. Depending on your interests, ask questions like, Do they offer adequate maternity and paternity leave? What do employees say about job training or diversity initiatives? Could those professional support tools help me get promoted?

Glassdoor provides a step-by-step guide for conducting the audit. The results that your company finds stand to be illuminating. They certainly were for Glassdoor when we did our pay check-up in 2020.

Transparency can be humbling and hard, but when employee equity is at stake, it’s worth it. Sutherland-Wong explains: “We believe in the power of transparency. It may make us uncomfortable at times, but we can and should learn to work through that discomfort.”

Comb through available salary reports:

Check Glassdoor to figure out what the average salary for your position is in your area and read what current and former employees have been paid. For example, you can see that a Delta flight attendant can make $40,645 per year, while Southwest flight attendants report making $57,230 per year. Dig deeper to see qualifications, perks of the job, and benefits.

We’ve even got the highest paying companies in America listed for a handy reference, for those who are research-averse.

Read what others say about their interview and negotiating processes:

After interviewing at Airbnb for a role as a customer experience specialist, one Oregon employee revealed, “The process took a few hours, was less scary than I’d worked myself for, and involved some role-playing, survival team-building scenarios, and short one-on-one interviews.” He/she then added a tidbit about the negotiation, writing, “I know salary is set in stone and is competitive!” Getting insight into HR practices and how others interact with hiring managers is super helpful information to know when you’re preparing to interview for a new job or negotiating at your current gig.

Get tangible advice:

Sure, the data is great, and the feedback from others is uber helpful, but when you’re ready to seal the deal and need to know what to say, Glassdoor has got you covered. Check out our dozens of articles dedicated to salary negotiation—how to make the case, what to say, what to wear, and even how to follow up if the negotiations don’t work in your favor initially. We’ve got the ultimate guide to asking for more and getting more.

Don’t sell yourself short:

A key cause of pay gaps within the same major is that men tend to enter higher-paying roles than women. Many studies have observed women not applying to positions unless they meet 100 percent of the qualifications. But many companies are willing to negotiate on which “requirements” are actually necessary. So the next time you encounter a “stretch” position, don’t be afraid to apply for it — you may be more qualified than you think.

Know your rights:

If you think discrimination might be holding you back from your full earning potential or advancing in your career, do some research into what your options are. Discrimination based on sex, race, religion, disability, pregnancy, and certain other traits are forbidden under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and you may have grounds for a lawsuit (or at least a stern talking-to with HR).

Level up your skillset:

College is a great place to learn the skills that will serve as the foundation for your career, but it’s not the only place. Online courses, certificate programs, apprenticeships, and similar programs can all help you learn in-demand, precious skills, often at a significantly lower cost than a college degree. If you find yourself drawn to a field, you don’t have a degree in exploring the available resources.

Women’s History Month and Equal Pay Day

Women’s History Month gives us the chance to honor women’s role in shaping our country and to examine women’s place in culture today. We recognize the brave women who demanded a political voice and equal educational and professional opportunities. March is our annual opportunity to take stock of our gender equity efforts to recalibrate and build a more inclusive culture.

Women’s History Month was first recognized in 1987 when the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) lobbied Congress to “write women back into history.” Founded in the early 1980s, NWHP recognized that women’s important contributions were missing from American history texts. The NWHP was committed to “honoring women of diverse cultural, ethnic, occupational, racial, class, and regional backgrounds.” Congress concurred and designated March as our month to “celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and [to] recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.”

Two important days in March are International Women’s Day on March 8 and Equal Pay Day, which falls on March 24, 2021. Each year, this important day marks how far into the year women have to work to earn what their male counterparts earn. Glassdoor is committed to closing the gender pay gap through our Salary Transparency Mission. Our CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong explains: “We believe transparency is one of the most powerful forces for good in the world. At its core, transparency empowers people with the right information to make the right decisions. . . Greater transparency leads to better decisions.”

4 Essential Soft Skills You Need For A Remote Role

March 15, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

The pandemic has permanently changed the professional culture. While many companies offered some flexibility and remote work options before the COVID-19 crisis, the pandemic accelerated that trend. According to Glassdoor’s Chief Economist, Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, June 2020 saw more than 40 percent of Americans working remotely full-time.

Dr. Chamberlain points out that the remote work trend stands to persist, at least in part, after the danger of COVID-19 subsides: “While the COVID-19 crisis forced many employers to rethink outdated policies against remote work — mostly for the best — both history and data suggest that most workers will ultimately return to in-person work arrangements once it’s safe to do so. However, the lessons learned in 2020 about the value of flexibility and working-from-home will forever change companies’ openness to hybrid office environments. In 2021 we expect workers splitting time between home and the office to be a more common workplace policy.”

What that means for employees, job seekers, and soon-to-be grads is that remote work skills are key abilities to master. Here are four essential soft skills you need to have for a remote role.

Up your self-management skills.

Even if you have an excellent manager directing your big picture moves, you must be organized and self-directed to be a strategic remote operator. That means procuring the supplies, tools, resources, and work environment that it takes to feel comfortable and focused.

It’s on you to make the arrangement work-troubleshooting challenges and manage them deftly so they don’t interfere with your ability to produce. “You need to be proactive. When working remotely, your manager is less likely to notice if you’re struggling, getting through a project slowly, confused, frustrated, etc. So you need to speak up if you do not understand a project or if a task isn’t going well. Don’t wait for it to become an emergency.” Advises Biron Clark, Former recruiter and founder of Career Sidekick.

Making this work means navigating the unique challenges to the arrangement and managing those as they surface. “Next, to be a successful remote worker, you’ll need to be disciplined and capable of building strong work habits.” Clark points out. “You’ll likely be tempted to multitask when you have so much freedom. Many new remote workers jump back and forth between personal tasks and work tasks, for example. Yet, the most successful remote workers that I’ve seen set clear boundaries between personal and work life and follow a consistent schedule and routine.”

Up your communication game.

When you’re a remote employee, communicating clearly, concisely, and comprehensively is a “must-have.” Part of this awareness understands when a written message will get the job done and when you need to grab the phone and talk something, though.

When you are preparing written correspondence, recognize that those grammar rules that our high school teachers emphasized are not just an exercise in fussiness. They’re all about clarity. They show your reader how to make sense of the ideas you’re shaping. Clark writes: “It’s crucial to make sure that you’re using unambiguous terms and communicating in a way that minimizes the chance you’ll be misunderstood.”

Because remote operators rely so heavily on written correspondences, it pays to take a refresher course so that you can communicate with confidence. Grammar girl offers a variety of helpful resources. Clark likes Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning for a variety of refresher courses.

Clark points out that enhancing your writing skills can itself become a remote career. “Writing is a handy skill because it can almost always be performed remotely, whether you’re helping a company with their blog and content marketing, or working in a more specialized field like technical writing, medical writing, etc.”

Up your self-advocacy game.

When you’re a telecommute, and the rest of your team is in the office, sometimes you can feel less visible than your colleagues, even when you’re doing great work. It’s on you to make yourself, and your needs are known. Working remotely benefits both you and your employer, so you don’t have to feel sheepish about your set-up. Expect to be treated just like any other employee.

Clark explains, “you need to be comfortable advocating for yourself to ensure you receive enough training, support, professional development opportunities, and one-on-one time with your boss. Speak up if you need something. Remember that it’s your manager’s job to help you develop as a worker. That’s a part of their duties, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you need to succeed as a remote worker, whether it’s a one-on-one meeting or home office supplies. This is especially important in an organization where the majority of employees are not working remotely because your manager might not think to offer something that you need.”

Find a remote role that fits your life.

If you’re ready to pursue a remote role, use Glassdoor’s Guide to finding a remote job. Learn the basics and set your profile to target remote roles to how to prepare for your interviews. You’ve got this!

45 Questions To Ask In A Job Interview

January 13, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

It was the middle of July 2008, and I had just bought an expensive power suit for a job interview. After being laid off during the height of the recession and unemployed for about six weeks, I was feeling desperate and willing to spend money on anything that might put my career on track.

Surprisingly, the train was running on time that day, which gave me the opportunity to take my new jacket off, sit back, and prepare for this meeting one last time. At my stop, I realized I was so intently focused that I didn’t notice a robbery happening right under my nose. The jacket was gone.

With nothing but an inappropriate tank top on, I was mortified but decided to go for it anyway. I proceeded to meet all of the organization’s department heads, during which time my thoughts repeatedly returned to my improper attire. But believe it or not, I ended up getting the job.

Even though my story had a happy ending, there’s no doubt the pressures of the interview process had me unnerved. Anything can happen before or during an interview, which is why it’s crucial to walk in feeling prepared — even if your jacket has just been stolen.

Interviewers will be focused on finding out if you’re the right fit for the position, but it’s also important to decide if the company is the right fit for you. Have a list of questions to ask in a job interview.

Your role

Be careful not to ask questions already answered in the job description. It’s important to go beyond those general duties to understand everything the job entails.

1. Can you offer specific details about the position’s day-to-day responsibilities?

2. What would my first week at work look like?

3. How does this position contribute to the organization’s success?

4. What do you hope I will accomplish in this position?

5. How does the company culture affect this role?

6. What job shadowing opportunities are available for an applicant before they accept an offer?

Proceed with caution: If rather than going into detail about the primary responsibilities listed in the job description, the employer rambles off many more duties — they may be asking you to take on more than you initially thought.

Getting to know the interviewer

Most likely, the interviewer is the first contact you’ll have at this company — they could even be your future boss. Asking questions can help you understand their attitude, company values, and where the company’s future is heading.

7. What do you enjoy most about working here?

8. Why are you working in this industry?

9. Can you walk me through your typical work day?

10. What is your greatest accomplishment with the company?

11. What is your team’s greatest accomplishment?

12. What goals do you have for the company, yourself, and employees over the next five years?

13. What hobbies do you have outside of the office?

Proceed with caution: Be wary of leaders who have trouble opening up or don’t seem passionate about their company and team.

Management’s style

What type of management style do you need to reach the height of your potential? Now’s the best time to see if the company’s leaders align with your expectations.

14. How do leaders encourage employees to ask questions?

15. How do leaders set employees up for success?

16. How does employee feedback get incorporated into day-to-day operations?

17. How does management deliver negative feedback to employees?

Proceed with caution: Employers who can’t list how they encourage employees and set them up for success may not deliver the support you’re looking for in a company.

Company culture

From benefits and perks to the ways employees interact with each other, not meshing with a company’s culture can put a roadblock on your path to success.

18. What is your work culture like?

19. How would you describe the work environment here?

20. What benefits are focused on work-life balance?

21. What benefits and perks does the company offer?

22. What is the outline of your telecommuting policy?

23. How frequently do employees make themselves available outside of normal working hours?

Proceed with caution: Listen closely to how the interviewer describes the company’s benefits and environment to be sure it’s the right culture for your personality and working style.

Company reputation

After doing some research, you should already know a few things about the company’s reputation. Now it’s time to dig a little deeper to make sure this is a place where you’ll thrive.

24. What’s your mission statement?

25. How often is a new hire the result of a previous employee quitting?

26. Why do most employees leave the company?

27. How would employees describe the company and its leaders?

28. What are the company’s biggest problems? How are they overcoming them?

29. What do you want the company to be known for among employees — past, present, and future?

Proceed with caution: Quality leaders will be the first to admit that their company isn’t perfect. Interviewers who claim they would change nothing might be failing to grow and make positive changes.

Performance measurements

Knowing a company’s expectations and how they measure goals before accepting a job offer helps you decide if their style matches with what motivates you.

30. How are employees recognized for their hard work?

31. How involved are employees in the structuring of their own goals and tasks?

32. What are your views on goals, timelines, and measuring success?

33. How often are employees expected to provide status updates on a project?

34. How often do you evaluate employee performance?

Proceed with caution: Wanting constant updates and control over employee tasks are warning signs of a micromanager.

Future co-workers

The employees at this organization could be your next team. Make sure you’re positive this is a group you want to be a part of.

35. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?

36. How competitive are your employees?

37. How do you develop teamwork skills among employees?

Proceed with caution: A competitive environment can be fun and motivating, but a lack of teamwork in the office could point to a cutthroat company.

Opportunities for growth

What is your ultimate career goal? Set yourself up for success by finding out how far this new position could take you on your career path.

38. What type of mentor system do you have in place?

39. What type of educational/training opportunities does the company offer?

40. What advancement opportunities are available?

41. How do leaders promote employee growth and success?

42. What does it take to be a top performer at this company?

Proceed with caution: If an interviewer is unable to share how you can advance within the company, chances are you might not be able to grow at the rate you want.

Moving forward

Don’t leave the interview with any questions unanswered — for you or the interviewer. This is your final opportunity to make sure you’re both on the same page before you walk out the door.

43. What’s the next step of this process, and when can I expect to hear from you?

44. Is there any other information I can provide you with?

45. Would you like to see more examples of my work?

Proceed with caution: Interviewers who don’t have a lot to offer on next steps may already have another candidate in mind or might not be in a big rush to hire. Remember to stay positive and continue to job search until you’re officially hired.

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New Year’s Resolution: 5 Ways To Communicate Successfully in 2021

January 6, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

As you think about your professional resolutions for 2021, consider enhancing your communication skills. Communication is a core professional skill. Relaying information to stakeholders and securing their trust and buy-in is fundamental to success at work.

Reflect on your communication skills. How is the way you communicate received by others? Does your messaging get the job done or do you often have to revisit and clarify what you say and write? Does your method of communicating tend to inspire a sense of calm among your colleagues or stir up drama on your team?

Think of the ways you can tweak your process to communicate more empathetically, strategically, successfully in the new year. Need some help to get you started? Check out our five tips for becoming a better communicator.

Calm your mind.

Work can be frustrating. It can be stressful. But the relationships that you build there are vital to your success and happiness on the job. You nurture those relationships with your communications. It can be a mistake to engage in those important communications when your mindset is hot, agitated, angry. It’s certainly understandable to feel frustrated at work sometimes, but it’s a good rule of thumb to refrain from communicating, especially in writing, when angry. Think things through, calm down, and cool off, so that you can think clearly before you shape professional messages.

The emotional indulgence of sending a terse, rude, or passive-aggressive messages is usually not worth it. Communicate cleanly, and do your emotional work outside the office. There’s less clean up and less risk that way.

If you need to have a conversation with a co-worker about a professional issue that you’re having, do that in person or through a conversation on the phone. Plan the conversation and think through what you hope to gain from it. Work with your HR partners if you need to; manage the relationship accordingly, but refrain from allowing aimless negativity to infiltrate your communications.

Invite empathy.

Part of being a strategic communicator means thinking of others and considering their experience when interacting with them. This means carrying your audience with you, and using your understanding of what things must be like for them to help you in your message shaping. If your coworker, for example, is working remotely along with his children and his spouse, aim to make the messages you send him simple and easy to respond to, knowing that he is juggling a lot right now. In the same way, if you’re working with a new hire, aim to create messaging that is clear, easy to understand, positive, and welcoming. Communications land well when they are mindful of the recipient’s needs.

Be a listener.

Being a good listener means allowing someone else to speak, without preparing your return comments while that person is talking. Hear others. Allow them to truly reach you. Consider what they share. Think about it. Weight it. Be open to the possibility that they will give you a tip, an insight, and awareness that will make you a better employee, a more deeply informed human.

Aim to be a reflective lister, making good decisions about the quality of the information that comes your way. But resist the urge to treat a conversation like a tennis match, just hitting balls back when they come to you.

Be mindful of miscommunication pitfalls.

Understand the limitations of the tools we commonly use. Texts and emails, for example, while convenient, can be sources for miscommunication. Recognize these as such. “In the absence of facial expression, tone of voice, gesture or good old-fashioned ‘vibe,’ we have very little to help us discern what the other person is trying to tell us. Without these clarifying cues, we frequently ‘fill in the blanks’ with our customary worries and assumptions.” Explains psychologist-psychoanalyst Dr. Melissa Ritter in an article she penned for Psychology Today.

If you get an email or a text that you find to be terse or rude, take a moment and remind yourself that information can often be miscommunicated via text and email. It’s worth following up before blowing up. You don’t want to invite drama into your life because of a misinterpretation of a message, especially in your workplace. If you receive a message that just doesn’t sit right with you, pick up the phone or stop by and see your colleague. Recognizing the limitations of the tools we use is an important part of using them well.

Be real.

Aim to make your messaging brief, clear, and easy to understand. We all love to cash in on big words and sound fancy, but peppering our messaging with complex language can make us harder to understand. “To appear smart, you must be crystal clear, persuasive, authoritative, credible & warm. Seeming smart is about having relationships that are easy to initiate, easy to maintain, and where both parties get what they need. It’s about making people understand you quickly and thoroughly and avoiding misunderstandings.” Explains Ita Olsen, speech coach, founder, and CEO of the Convey Method.

Your communications should feel and sound authentic and true to you. The goal isn’t to put people off with our profound command of our subject matter. We want to show people that we’ve used our expertise to filter information for them, so that they can understand it too.

Good communication is about connection, and that’s a great goal for 2021!

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How To Negotiate A Permanent Work-From-Home Arrangement

January 5, 2021 by , posted in Protectors, Trending

The pandemic changed a lot for workers, including where they work. A study conducted early in the outbreak showed nearly one-third of U.S. workers were working from their homes — and presumably, some of those workers won’t want to return to the office when their employers call them back. “Working from home can provide employees many benefits,” says Ray Luther, executive director of the Partnership for Coaching Excellence and Personal Leadership at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, “including a much shorter commute time, fewer distractions, and a sense of freedom, that might not come from reporting to an office every day.”

But negotiating a permanent work-from-home arrangement may not be a slam-dunk. Employers have “traditionally worried about employee productivity when working from home,” Luther says, adding some managers may feel they’ll lose control of employees they can’t see in person.

It’s not impossible, though. “Employees who want to make working from home permanent would be wise to put themselves in their employers’ shoes,” Luther says. “What would my employer be concerned about, and how can I show them that those concerns are minimal risks? For most employees, if you can demonstrate high-productivity, accessibility, and still build productive relationships on your work teams, you will have addressed most managers’ significant concerns.” Here’s exactly how you can negotiate a permanent work-from-home arrangement.

Demonstrate your productivity.

To be allowed to continue to work from home, employers will want proof you’re as productive at home as you are in an office. “Quantify and qualify the work you’ve accomplished on a work-from-home trial or mandate,” says Luther. “How productive have you been on your own? How have you worked with co-workers to learn through the new office systems? Where have you helped develop solutions to the challenges that work from home has potentially caused?” You’ll need concrete answers to those questions to convince your manager you can be trusted at home.

Come prepared with proof of your productivity — and kick off your negotiation with hard facts.

Prepare an action plan.

While you’ve already been working from home, you and your manager may not have collected hard evidence of your ability to do so successfully. If that’s the case, Maureen Farmer, founder and CEO of Westgate Executive Branding & Career Consulting, suggests you develop an action plan that will help your manager assess your ability to work from home over a trial period. Talk to your manager about what milestones he or she would like you to reach during the trial — for example, 90 days — and agree to check-ins during that time to see if you’re on track. “The offer of work-from-home must demonstrate value and benefit to the employer foremost,” Farmer says.

Build trust.

“Once you’ve demonstrated you can be productive, show that your employer can trust you,” says Luther, who adds that most managers’ concerns about employees working from home are rooted in a lack of trust. “How does the employer know they can trust you, and what have you done to demonstrate that trust? Are you accessible when they need you?” Luther asks. “Be prepared to make the case for why they can trust you to deliver even if they can’t see you in the office.”

One way you might demonstrate your trustworthiness is by proposing a communication plan in your negotiation, says Farmer. Such a plan would “lay out the periodic and regular touchpoints with each of [your] colleagues to ensure projects remain on task,” she says. “The communication plan will offer a guarantee that [you] will be available on-demand throughout the day by phone, email, text or message service. The employee must reassure the manager of their availability.”

Show you’re flexible.

It’s important during the negotiation to “listen to your employer’s concerns about working from home and seek to understand any objections,” says Luther. “While these concerns might not be as important to you, they provide clues where you could show flexibility to it doesn’t turn into an all or nothing situation.” For example, perhaps your manager would be more comfortable if you came into the office one day a week or for critical team meetings. “Working from home can provide many benefits for employees, even if it’s only four out of five days per week,” he says.

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