#ResumeWriting : How Specific Words On Women’s Résumés May Be Holding Them Back, According To Research. Avoiding Certain Words could Improve your Chances of Being Hired.

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New research reveals that specific language on women’s résumés may impact their hiring prospects, particularly for jobs in male-dominated fields. The studies suggest that avoiding certain words could improve women’s chances of being hired.

The recent studies, published in the Journal of Business and Psychology, analyzed more than 2,500 résumés posted on Indeed.com. The résumés focused on six distinct professions—some male-dominated, others female-dominated. Researchers examined how often the résumés included what they call “communal” and “agentic” language. Communal words, typically linked to women, emphasized relationship-oriented traits such as helpful, interpersonal, and caring. In contrast, agentic words—more often associated with men—highlighted qualities like assertiveness, confidence, and ambition.

The researchers found that women used more communal words than men in their résumés, regardless of the type of job they were applying for. Interestingly, men and women did not differ in the number of agentic words on their résumés.

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To further explore the impact of using these more feminine words, the researchers conducted an additional study. They crafted fictional résumés, mirroring the levels of communal language found in the real résumés, to assess how this language influenced hiring evaluations.

The researchers then asked 346 participants, all of whom were full-time employees with most having hiring experience, to evaluate the fictional job applicants. They asked how likely they would be to hire the candidate and whether the candidate showed leadership potential. Half of the participants were told they were hiring for a human resources position, a job typically held by women, and half were told they were hiring for an IT manager, a job typically held by men.

The researchers found that women applying for the IT manager position were penalized for using communal language in their résumés. These women were viewed as less likely to be hired and less likely to be good leaders. For men, using communal language had no impact on their evaluations—only women were negatively evaluated for using it.

The use of communal language did not impact the perceptions of job candidates applying for the human resources position. Only women who were applying for the more male-oriented IT manager position were penalized for using communal language.

As a result the researchers suggest that women may want to review their résumés, particularly if they are applying to jobs in male-dominated fields. “Female applicants should carefully assess their word choice and consider reducing the amount of communal language on their résumés, particularly for prototypically masculine-typed jobs,” the researchers recommend.

However, a body of previous research suggests women should be cautious about presenting themselves only in an aggressive or ambitious light. Women who do so can take a hit to their likability, which may, in turn, impact a hiring decision. The research studies on résumés did not assess likability of the job candidates.

Women are expected to be nurturing and mother-like, regardless of whether they have children. Women who don’t fit this mold are often seen as overly aggressive. Ambitious and assertive women like Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi have been labeled with derogatory terms like “nasty.” Hillary Clinton was called “unstable” and “unhinged” when she was seeking the presidency. Awareness of this bias against ambitious women is likely what’s driving women to soften their résumés with more communal language.

As a result of these stereotypes, women face a double-edged sword. If they present themselves using only words that reflect their assertiveness and ambitions, they could take a hit to their likability or perceptions of their warmth. If they add the softer, communal language, they risk not getting the job. More research needs to be done to determine if there is an optimal amount of this language to include on résumés.

Forbes.com | October 15, 2024 | Kim Elsesser

#Layoffs : The Debate Swirling Inside HR Departments: How to Lay Off Workers. How were You Laid Off?

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Executives considering downsizing are currently grappling with the same problem: finding the most effective way to let employees go.  Is it better to get layoffs over with all at once even at the risk of cutting too deep? Is firing over Zoom more humane than making an employee come into the office to lose their job? How much severance pay is fair?

As well-known employers including Amazon.com Inc., Salesforce.com Inc., CRM 2.82%increase; green up pointing triangle Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and others lay off workers, executives elsewhere say they are closely monitoring different approaches to the process.

Some human-resources teams are building spreadsheets to track how many positions peers cut and what they say to employees during the reductions. Laid-off workers, meanwhile, are comparing severance agreements and pushing back if they feel terms fall short, which has sometimes led to tense all-hands sessions.

“I’m not sure there’s one recipe” for a layoff, said Katy George, a senior partner and chief people officer at McKinsey & Co.

The stakes for companies are high. Though the job market is cooling, the unemployment rate stood at a historically low 3.5% in December and many employers say they still face challenges filling some positions. This is also among the first job downturns in the era of increasingly empowered and vocal employees who are adept at using Slack and other tools to amplify their criticisms. Companies say it is important to handle layoffs carefully to protect employers’ reputations and help maintain morale among those who remain.

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Some companies telegraph weeks in advance that layoffs should be expected, a tactic that can give employees warning while also raising uncertainty over whose roles will be eliminated, human-resources advisers say.

When Salesforce Co-Chief Executive Marc Benioff announced Wednesday that the cloud-software giant planned to eliminate roughly 10% of its staff, he told employees to check their email within the hour to see if their roles had been affected. Other corporate leaders, such as video-technology company Vimeo Inc., VMEO 1.18%increase; green up pointing triangle which said this week that it would cut about 140 people, have sent companywide notes after individual employees had been contacted.

Many companies struggle over whether to make one sweeping layoff, or to do a series of smaller cuts over a period of time while assessing a company’s financial situation, advisers and executives say. Both carry risks. If a layoff is too large, a company can inadvertently cut key units or people, executives say. Yet multiple layoffs in a short period can create prolonged instability in an organization, McKinsey’s Ms. George said.

“You don’t want to have two shoes drop,” said John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco Systems Inc., noting that one layoff quickly followed by another can erode trust with employees and investors. “My answer is you do it once, you do it very aggressively, but you also, most important, you communicate.”

The era of hybrid work only complicates matters, executives say. Bosses once insisted on delivering bad news face-to-face, a practice that changed in the pandemic. Some executives are now debating whether it is easier for employees to learn of a layoff on Zoom versus in-person, said Andy Challenger, senior vice president at outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

“It almost seems cruel to ask someone to commute into the office just to let them go,” he said.

Whereas some companies once picked Friday as the preferred day to cut jobs, thinking it would give people a weekend to process a tough situation, many now see a midweek layoff announcement as more humane, said Lorna Hagen, a longtime chief people officer. A layoff on a Wednesday, for example, can give affected employees time to talk with HR representatives or benefits providers during business hours in the ensuing days, she said.

In prior roles, Ms. Hagen said she has worked with colleagues to create a “run of show,” outlining minute-by-minute how a layoff should proceed. The document details when managers will talk to affected employees and when executives should communicate to the remaining workforce and the public. Training ahead of a layoff can give managers a script and guidance for navigating difficult conversations.

Many managers often flub the conversations by saying, “This is so hard for me,” Mr. Challenger said. That phrase can irritate employees facing a job loss. “That just hits people the wrong way,” he said. “It’s not about you.”

Some companies, such as payments processor Stripe Inc., have been celebrated by employees and others for how they dealt with layoffs. Stripe cut about 14% of its workforce in November; in an email to employees, CEO Patrick Collison said he and other leaders were “fully responsible” for the decisions leading to the layoffs. The company said it would provide at least 14 weeks of severance pay and would accelerate or waive employee stock-vesting cliffs.

Other employers have encountered resistance. At the online-education provider Coursera Inc., COUR 3.36%increase; green up pointing triangle which laid off dozens of workers in November, some remaining employees took issue in all-hands sessions with how layoffs were handled, while laid-off employees sent detailed requests via email to the company to revise separation agreements, according to interviews with current and former employees, internal town-hall recordings and documents obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

Some laid-off employees wrote a collective letter in December to Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda and executives, outlining how the workers felt Coursera’s separation terms fell short compared with layoffs at companies such as Meta Platforms Inc. and Stripe. The group cited the company’s decision not to waive some stock-vesting cliffs or accelerate vesting for stock-based compensation issued to employees. The letter is signed by unnamed “Laid Off Employees.”

Rich Jacquet, Coursera’s chief people officer, responded and recommended that workers contact HR. The group responded that HR had rejected outreach from workers.

The company offered workers four months of pay, plus more based on role or tenure, along with healthcare coverage and outplacement assistance. “We realize this decision impacts employees’ livelihoods and we strove to provide what we believe is meaningful transition assistance,” a Coursera spokeswoman said.

A number of human-resources advisers say that, at minimum, companies should offer laid-off workers a month of severance. Many companies are also now waiving stock-vesting requirements, too, though policies vary by company, said Matt Hoffman, a partner and head of talent at venture-capital firm M13.

“Take accountability,recognize the problem, be more generous than you have to be and as transparent as you can,” Mr. Hoffman said. “That’s the playbook.”

WSJ Authors:  Chip Cutter at chip.cutter@wsj.com   & Ruth Simon contributed to this article.

WSJ.com | January 9, 2023

#YourCareer : 5 Common Career Change Fears And How To Handle Them. Study Shows 26% Want to Change Careers Entirely. How about Yours?

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More than a quarter of Americans might make a career change in 2023, according to Globalization Partners’ 2022 Global Employee Survey. The survey revealed that while 33% of workers are likely to switch jobs within the same sector, 26% want to change careers entirely. In terms of why they want to make a switch, workers ranked better pay (34%), the opportunity to change their work schedule (34%) and professional opportunities that weren’t available when they were younger (34%) as the most common reasons.

Hating your current job might be costing you job offers

But it can be scary to make a career change. In fact, according to the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, changing to a different line of work ranks just below the death of a close friend. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the anxiety so it doesn’t prevent you from moving forward. Here are some of the most common career change fears and how to handle them.

Fear of failure

One of the most widespread career change fears is the fear of failure. The fear of failure often originates from a fear of experiencing shame or embarrassment. We worry so much about feeling humiliated and disappointing others that we give up on attempting to achieve our dream. The problem with fear of failure is that it can be paralyzing, causing us to do nothing.

Here is an exercise to deal with the fear of failure:

Consider all the worst-case scenarios and write them down on paper. Be specific. Then in a second column, write down what you can do to minimize the likelihood of the worst-case item happening. In a third column, decide what action you would take to get back on track if the worst case did happen. Then in a fourth column, rate how likely the worst-case scenario is on a scale of one (not likely) to 10 (highly likely). This simple exercise will help you put fear into perspective and realize that the worst-case outcome is unlikely or manageable.

 

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Article continued …

Fear of what others may think

If you’re afraid of making a career change, fear of people’s opinions may hold you back. Perhaps your father encouraged you to pursue a “secure” job in finance, and now you feel you’d let him down by becoming a professional chef. In the end, you’re the one that’s going to live with the choices you make, not others. To deal with this concern, start by cultivating authenticity and developing a strong sense of self.

Ask yourself some important questions:

  • What do I care about?
  • What do I really want?
  • What activities do I enjoy?
  • What legacy do I want to leave behind?
  • What would I pursue if I wasn’t so worried about being judged

Then focus on your purpose and intentions. Why are you thinking about changing careers in the first place? Is it because you want to make a difference in the world? Do you want a better quality of life? If you can remember your “why,” you’ll be able to stay focused and less concerned about the opinions of others.

Fear of being too old

Changing your career path may seem scary, especially if you are over 40. But it is not uncommon or impossible. The good news is that the majority of older career changers are successful, based on a study from the American Institute for Economic Research. One way to face the fear is to think about all the advantages that come with someone who has a significant amount of work experience. For example, as you progress in your career, you acquire valuable contacts and diverse hard and soft skills. You also may be more financially stable, which provides additional flexibility when planning a career change.

Fear of wasting experience

A typical career change fear is having to start from the bottom. To deal with this, recognize that you have more transferrable skills than you realize. Also, if you have a strong network, it will be easier to make the right introductions to make a smooth transition. Finally, don’t overlook your soft skills like leadership, communication and problem-solving, which are more in demand than ever. Everything you’ve done up until now has prepared you for what’s coming next.

Fear of uncertainty

There are no guarantees in life. When you make a career change, there is always some risk involved. But you can mitigate that risk in several ways if you:

  • Embrace uncertainty and look at it as a learning experience
  • Take small steps instead of giant leaps
  • Develop new skills outside your comfort zone
  • Avoid dwelling on things you can’t control
  • Seek support from a small group of people you trust

Uncertainty is all around us. But by focusing on developing a resilient mindset, you’ll be more likely to face the unknown with confidence.

The most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to be afraid. Just don’t let it interfere with your vision. Mastering fear involves learning how to recognize and change the conversation in your mind. Once you do that, there are no limits to what you can achieve.

 

Forbes.com Author:  Caroline Castrillon Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

 

Forbes.com | March 26, 2023

 

#YourCareer : How To Promote Your Career When You Work From Home. Great Read for All!

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Now that most professionals are working from home, being remote should not be a disadvantage come promotion time. That said, you still need to manage your career to be promotion-worthy and to manage your brand to get noticed. With everyone working remotely – including your boss, helpful mentors and supporters, senior leaders you don’t know as well – you need a strategy to proactively get and stay top-of-mind with the decision-makers and influencers of promotion decisions.

Here are seven ways you can proactively promote your career even when you work from home:

1 – Check in frequently

The cliché, “out of sight, out of mind”, could very well apply to the relationship between you and your manager. You may have had a great relationship when you worked in close proximity, and you still may have a great relationship, but you’re only going to know for sure if you check in. If you have a regular cadence for checking in, make sure it’s frequent enough now that you are both remote.

Your manager may not know how to manage remotely. Communicating with and collaborating with a dispersed team is different than managing a team all in one place, and your manager may not realize this. In addition, the pandemic, slowing economy and volatile political landscape add additional challenges, so even if your manager is fine with the remote curveball, there are plenty of other distractions. If you want to stay top-of-mind, you’ll need to check in more frequently than before.

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Article continued …

2 – Report your results

Many companies are trying to contain or even reduce costs, so leaders are questioning every resource – including their employee count. It is critical that your contributions are clear and well-known. Do not assume your manager knows everything you’re working on – hence checking in more frequently. In addition, regularly report your results.

Your report can be a simple email to summarize what you have accomplished for the week, or it could be an update on the status of each of your projects. Better yet, ask your manager what format and frequency they would prefer. If they say they don’t need a report, send one anyway as a summary email at the end of each week. At the very least, you’ll have a written account for your next performance review.

3 – Align with company priorities – which may have changed

Getting results makes you productive. Getting results that matter to senior leadership makes you indispensable. Make sure your work aligns with company priorities, and re-confirm with your manager what the priorities are because they may have changed. Some projects may no longer have budget, while some may leapfrog to the top of the list because the new market conditions make them more relevant.

Being flexible is critical during unpredictable and changing times. Your day-to-day responsibilities may look very different. You may be asked to take on additional work or what feels like a whole new role. By aligning where the urgent work is, you stay busy where the need is greatest and hopefully where senior leaders are watching closely.

4 – Pay attention to possible next steps

With roles and responsibilities shifting, what next steps are available and ideal also shifts. If you had a promotion strategy mapped out pre-pandemic, check with your mentor and/ or your manager to see if that is still a viable plan. If company strategy veers away from an area that you were interested in, that may not be the best move right now. On the other hand, if the company is making new moves in response to the pandemic, slowing economy or other market conditions, these could present opportunities you hadn’t considered before.

5 – Stay upbeat

Unpredictable times are anxious times, and your manager and their manager are not insulated from the anxiety. If you are grounded and upbeat, that adds value, as you can be a stabilizing force on the team. It also enhances your executive presence since you exude confidence.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t surface problems or speak up if you have a different idea or point of view. However, make sure that you surface problems by offering solutions, not just complaining about what’s wrong. Offer a different idea or point of view, but always give the contributor of the initial idea (especially if it’s your manager) a graceful exit to agree with you and not seem wrong.

6 – Nurture your connections outside your immediate group

Your manager and immediate department are not the only decision-makers or influencers in promotions. While everyone works remotely, you won’t have opportunities to bump into people on the floor, in the elevator or at lunch. You will have to make a concerted effort to nurture connections outside your immediate group.

This includes taking an inventory of who you already know but need to reconnect with and who you don’t already know and need introductions. You’ll have to proactively schedule time to talk. You may need your manager, mentor or colleagues to make an introduction for you. If your company has continued town halls or other company-wide events virtually, take advantage of those opportunities to virtually bump into people you would otherwise not reach.

7 – Nurture your connections outside your company

Your current employer is only one place to promote your career. Given the market uncertainty, the most proactive promotion plan should include options outside your current employer. Prioritize connecting with your broader network outside your company, so that you hear about what is available elsewhere. At the very least, you’ll have a better understanding of how other companies are handling the current market challenges, and this may give you ideas even if you stay where you are.

As you focus on what you can do, don’t forget the company’s part

When are promotion decisions made? Who are the decision-makers? What backgrounds and track records typically get promoted for what types of roles? Even as you focus on what you can do to improve your prospects, don’t forget that your company has a promotion process in place. You need to know what that is and work within that system to make sure you focus on the right things with the right people at the right time.

Author: Caroline Ceniza-Levine  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

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…

 

Forbes.com | June 6, 2020

What a Perfect Résumé Looks Like

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A Résumé Expert Reveals What a Perfect Résumé Looks Like :

There are plenty of ways to make a mistake when drafting a résumé. Take advice from Amanda Augustine, career-advice expert for TopResume, in order to ensure that you’re representing yourself in a way that will impress recruiters.

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