Recruiting The Beautiful Backlash

Recruiting The Beautiful Backlash In my last blog post, I wrote about the unfair advantages good-looking people experience in the workplace, and a new website looking to capitalize on them. There is plenty of data to support the fact that positive work attributes are more likely to be credited to the genetically gifted. However, an interesting counterpoint was recently raised with regard to looks-based hiring practices. Earlier this month, the Iowa Supreme Court reaffirmed its December ruling that a dentist acted lawfully in firing a female assistant for being, well, just too darn sexy. Melissa Nelson (right), who is happily married and the mother of two young children, worked for dentist James Knight for over ten years. A year and a half before her firing, Knight mentioned to her that her clothing may be too tight or distracting for the workplace. About a year later, Nelson and Knight began exchanging text messages about work and personal matters. Soon after, Knight’s wife discovered the text messages and insisted he fire Nelson. Knight later admitted that he feared his working relationship with Nelson would lead to an affair if he did not fire her. Nelson felt that she was the victim of gender discrimination. Court documents stated that Knight admitted Nelson was good at her job. How could she be fired for not doing anything wrong? But according to the Iowa Supreme Court, employers can fire employees they see as threats to their marriages, and that such firings do not count as illegal sex discrimination because they are motivated by feelings, not gender. It would be a bold statement to profess that you are so good-looking that your beauty is a deterrent in the workplace. But this wouldn’t be the first time it has occurred. In 2009, Debrahlee Lorenzana (right) filed suit against Citibank, alleging that she was fired from the company because of her looks. Lorenzana’s lawsuit accused her employer of practicing a double-standard, whereby she was disciplined and eventually terminated for wearing low-cut blouses, pencil skirts and three-inch heels, yet other female employees were allowed to do the same without consequence because, in her words: they were short, overweight and didn’t draw attention. Lorenzana was eventually fired from Citibank for disciplinary problems and poor performance. What followed was a media circus as she retained the legal services of high-profile feminist attorney Gloria Allred, whom she later accused of only taking the case for publicity, then dropping her as a client. Lorenzana claimed she was offered a settlement, but decided to pass because she wanted to “press on.” The case went to arbitration, and in 2012, Citibank stated that they did not enter into any kind of settlement or provide Lorenzana any payment. The question at hand is whether reverse discrimination actually exists against good-looking people, or whether those who consider themselves good-looking simply perceive it that way? When a person is put in a difficult situation, it’s only natural for them to focus on the differentiating factor that separates them from their peers, and blame that factor as the reason they have been singled out. Sometimes the blame is justified, but sometimes it’s just a coincidence. In Melissa Nelson’s case, there is far less gray area. There is no debate that she was fired because of her looks. But was it justified? The Supreme Court says it was, because it was done to save her employer’s marriage. But in Debrahlee Lorenzana’s case, the lines seem to get blurred. Did her looks really play into it, or did her ego play a larger part? According to Citibank, her termination was solely performance-based and not at all related to her appearance or attire. Another interesting question to consider is how this type of reverse discrimination may play into the hiring practices of managers whose spouses share jealous traits with James Knight’s wife? If a hiring manager foresees trouble on the horizon stemming from hiring a good-looking candidate, he or she may decide to hire another less-qualified candidate in order to avoid inevitable arguments and marital struggles. Through no fault of their own, the better-looking candidate will be the one left unemployed, and in many cases will never know why. While the argument remains strong that beautiful people enjoy more advantages than disadvantages in the workplace, for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. Recruiters, have you witnessed any instances of reverse discrimination against the terminally sexy? RELATED: Recruiting the Beautiful People [ONLY!]

Best shoes you can wear with jeans to complete the look A guide for fashionistas

Best shoes you can wear with jeans to complete the look â€" A guide for fashionistas Have you often felt confused about which pair of shoes to choose with jeans? When you wear jeans, it’s nice but when you can team it up with the favorite shoes, it’s even greater. Wearing both your favorite jeans and shoes at the same time is definitely something awesome. Most often girls are confused about the right shoes they should wear with their latest pair of jeans and most of the time, they end up wearing a sneaker which is definitely the safest choice.    The most important thing is to be comfortable.   Light shoes made for walking on concrete  can ease the pressure you put on your feet. Less pain, and more enjoyment during daily trips can be a life-saver sometimes. But little do they know that there are several other shoe types that can be worn with jeans to complete the look in the most subtle manner. What are they? Read on to know about them. #1: Sneakers As mentioned earlier, sneakers along with jeans are typically a proved look which gives you a casual style. However, you need to understand that this is not the technical pair of sneakers like the ones worn by LeBron James. If you have a good and comfortable pair of sneakers to wear with jeans, this is definitely a classic combination. You can wear these to somewhat casual occasions and if your office has a casual day, you can wear them on Fridays as well. You can team up sneakers with jeans and wear them while on bar hopping, eating out, dates and everyday activities. #2: Slip-ons As far as slip-ons are concerned, there are 3 choices: Canvas loafers Leather loafers Boat shoes These come in several colors and brown shoes will definitely look better with blue jeans rather than with black jeans. Since the color brown is warm, it doesn’t match with black pants. On the other hand, you can use black shoes with both black and blue jeans. If you wish to get the most from your slip-on footwear, make sure you choose moccasins in leather. The canvas loafers, on the other hand, usually look good with pinrolled jeans. #3: Chelsea boots, desert boots or dress boots During the autumn, spring and summer, you can choose desert and chukka boots as they often look great with jeans. Desert boots are different types of chukka boots and chukkas have 2-3 pairs of eyelets, crepe rubber sole and leather finish shoes. If you go for desert boots, you can also have suede uppers as they bring a pretty light feel and look to your shoe. Shopping for high quality, handmade leather boots will make all the difference too, and be well worth the investment. What to keep in mind while buying jeans? The problem with matching jeans along with shoes is that in the event you don’t have the right pair of jeans, it really doesn’t matter what shoes you’re wearing. No matter how costly a shoe you wear, it won’t look good. Take into account the color of the jeans. Go for the old black color or indigo washes depending on the season during which you’re planning to wear. So, when you’re wondering about the best ways in which you can team up your pair of jeans with the best shoes, take into account the above mentioned tips and advice.

Tips for Revising Your Social Media Accounts before Job Applying

Tips for Revising Your Social Media Accounts before Job Applying You think that the way your Facebook and Twitter profiles look like is not important for the hiring manager who is reviewing your job application? You’re wrong! Employers are no longer limited to the resume, cover letter, and recommendation letters. They have access to much more information that reveals your character and interests. Why would you think they won’t benefit from it? Emily Asher, the Head of Freelance HR Department of Australian Writings Pty Ltd who recruits employees to compare and analyze writing services, explains why it’s important for job seekers to pay attention to their social media accounts. “Most applicants make sure to polish out their LinkedIn profiles, and that’s great,” â€" she explains. “However, they forget about the fact that their presence on all other social networks is visible to us. I always check Facebook and Google+ to see how our potential employees manage daily, casual communication.” Bottom line, you can’t highlight your communication skills in the resume and leave all improper status updates and comments on your Facebook page. In the continuation, you’ll find valuable tips on how to improve the appearance of your social media accounts. 1. See what Google has on you The hiring process starts with the resume and continues with Google. You don’t want things to end there. “Job seekers may polish out Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but they forget about MySpace, Reddit, Tumblr, Instagram, YouTube, LiveJournal, and all other sites they’ve been present on,” â€" Asher says. “When you google someone’s name, you can find visible information that dates years back. Yes, even that can make an important impression for a hiring manager.” Google yourself before your employer does. You need to hide or delete inappropriate findings. Name_Ck is a great tool that enables you to see all the pages you’re registered on. 2. Provide enough information in the bio You can provide information about your personal and professional experience in the bio section on your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. Instagram also enables you to complete a bio. Don’t neglect this opportunity. The 2014 Social Recruiting Survey published by Jobvite provides valuable results: 93% of hiring managers review the social profiles of a candidate before making a call for an interview. 55% of them have reconsidered their impression of a candidate after they see that information. Over 60% of those reconsiderations were negative. This can mean only one thing: your profile must complement the resume. Complete the bio with accurate information. Writing that you’re from Jupiter in your Facebook bio is not as funny as you think. 3. Think about the email address visible on social media profiles You registered on Facebook as cutelittlekitten985@hotmail.com and you left that address visible? Does this even need an explanation? First of all, hotmail and aol are no longer considered to be respectable email providers. Even yahoo is not a good choice. Register an email address with gmail and make sure it looks respectable. It should contain your name in a clear form. It would be best not to add numbers. If you can register a form of your name.surname or surname.name, then go for it. 4. Grammar is important You think using your instead of you’re is not a big deal? Think again! No one wants an illiterate employee in their team. This is not the type of mistake you would make when writing in a hurry if you had the basic knowledge of grammar, so don’t try to think of excuses. When a hiring manager sees that you didn’t bother writing solid sentences on Facebook, Twitter and other networks, you can rest assured that your resume will be tossed away. 5. Take all offensive content down If a potential employer sees that your social media pages are full of offensive updates regarding someone else’s religious, sexual, or political affiliations, you can’t expect to leave a good impression. Even if the hiring manager agrees with your opinions, he won’t like having an ‘opinionated’ member in the team. Offensive attitude doesn’t present you as a team player. Stay cool and make sure to leave an impression of a person who can tolerate people with other preferences and opinions. It’s okay to present an opinion that shows you as someone with a stand, but make sure your updates are not full of judgment. 6. Remember privacy settings? Use them! Facebook gives you an option to decide what you want users who are not your friends to see. Open your profile and choose the View As option. This will give you access to your public profile, which is visible to any Facebook user. Scroll through the timeline and don’t forget to check what you posted during your yearly years on the social network. You’ll probably want to delete some of that content, or at least make it private. Clean up the profile from inappropriate content, but make sure to leave something for a potential employer to see. Think strategically: when someone is curious about your personality, show yourself in the best light. 7. Clean up the photos! We don’t live in a perfect world where appearance and visual impression don’t matter. If a hiring manager sees photos of your drunken nights out, where your hair looks messy and your clothes trashy, you can’t hope for him to say “it doesn’t matter, this is his/her private life and the photo is from 5 years ago.” Everything the recruiter sees is important. Remove all photos that present you in a way you don’t want a potential employer to see. Your Online Presence Is Visible and Important! You thought your days spent on MySpace are no longer important? You were just a college student with free time on your hands, so you posted some updates you’re not proud of. As it turns out, that content can change the positive impression a hiring manager had after seeing your resume. Nothing you post on the Internet is absolutely private. If you left it public, then anyone can see it. You have to do whatever you can to improve the appearance of your online presence and leave an impression as someone any employer would love to have in the team.

The Power Of Going To The Right Networking Events - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Power Of Going To The Right Networking Events - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Not long ago, I wrote about how if you want to meet the right people in networking, you need to change how you do it.   Stop the emphasis on job-hunting events, and turn your focus towards learning events.    So, whats really the benefit to that? From what Ive experienced, when you invest your own time and money in going to events that your target employers deem important to attend for their own business, it makes a big  impression. Learn to make the right connections, the right way When I was searching for a job in my dream field a couple years ago, I was struggling to make the right connections and (even more importantly) convince them that they needed me to work for their company.   Its a small industry, and so its hard to find people at your target companies much less ones at places that are hiring. That year, I was able to get a spot as a blogger for an innovation conference in NYC.   Problem was, I was job-seeking and didnt have much cash to spare.   So I bought my flight using frequent flier miles, stayed in a hostel and made sure I got plenty of the provided breakfast and lunch.  And the first morning, while I was filling up my coffee cup, I turned around to find the owner of my dream company (who Id already connected with briefly) in line for coffee behind me!   We both jumped and went What are YOU doing here? The next year, I  went to another  big innovation event where I heard an  audience member asked Seth Godin about a creative problem-solving program Id done as a youth.  Excited to meet another fan of that program, I tracked her down and we start talking  about our  shared interest in creativity.    Amazingly, she was from my hometown, so we made plans to connect when we returned.  Then she handed me her business card and I discovered  that she  worked  at my dream company!   And when she got back, she promptly told the owner of my dream company about meeting me there. The other weekend,  a job-seeking friend and I signed up for a tech and design  event in Minneapolis.   Hes looking to get a job as a start-up, and has one in particular that hed love to work at.   Hes been doing a lot of networking recently, and wasnt sure whether or not going to this event would be worth his time.   Until  the final schedule of speakers came out a day before the event and we saw that  the CEO of his dream employer was a featured member of the very first panel discussion. Then, when we walked in, that very CEO was one of the first people we saw at the event, and  my friend was able to approach the CEO afterwards for a further discussion of the topic and the CEO himself asked my friend about his job hunt. The payoff In my case, going to those innovation events led directly to getting offered a job at my dream company.   My background and passion for innovation was obvious, but it wasnt until I took those extra steps that the decision-maker in my company decided he had to meet me.  In fact, he sent me an email a week  after the event that said Everyone here keeps telling me about you we should have lunch.    A couple  days  later, we had lunch and talked about innovation.    I had a job offer 3 days later and started the next  Monday. In my friends case, attending that tech event in Minneapolis has pushed the CEO into looking into whether or not their start-up can offer him a full-time job this spring.  Thats a great step in the right direction, as it wasnt really on the CEOs radar beforehand. Who knows how this will  ultimately turn out  for my friend but it was obvious that him being there at 9am on a Saturday morning to learn more about the industry made an impression on the CEO of the company he wants to work at. When your dream employer or networking connection  runs into  you at an event that they think is important either because its a learning event or because its an event theyre attending to connect with their customers, that makes a greater impact than any traditional networking you can possibly do.   Not only are you projecting that you are interested in their field, and that you have a passion to learn, but it shows that youre savvy about their field. Going to the right events is not a magic solution but it is a way to make a massive positive impression (especially since most job-seekers confine their connecting only to actual networking events/venues.)   You can try to express  your commitment and passion in an email or  during a conversation   but thats ultimately just words. But when you invest your own personal time and/or money in going to the events your dream employer deems important, that is definitive proof of your commitment and passion. Author: Katie Konrath blogs about creativity, innovation and “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped” at www.getfreshminds.com.   She works for leading innovation company, Ideas To Go.

Developing Your Resume - Careful But Effective IT Resume Skills

Developing Your Resume - Careful But Effective IT Resume SkillsThe idea of including IT resume skills is a great one. Your resume will only look bad if it is simply about you as an individual and not as a specialist in the field you are applying for. There are many career fields that can be diversified and now are available, you can apply to positions for which you are not qualified. IT can be just one of these professions.Before going on with the article I should first explain what exactly IT skills are. IT skills is the ability to know and use computers in their different forms. It is also very useful to have skills in using systems administration. It is also important to know how to design programs and produce music on a computer, among other things.Not everyone is very good at computing and when they want to apply for a job that requires such knowledge, they will not necessarily be the most talented person for the job. However, some of them have the capacity to learn how to do it and are therefore able to make a good career out of it. Since there are several IT career fields and not all of them require IT skills, it is best to think about these skills before applying. It is necessary that you first understand what these skills are and how to apply them.As a rule, it is best to apply for entry-level jobs and then move up to the higher positions when applying for application resumes. It is better to apply to a position in the IT department than the general positions in order to get the right IT skills needed. When applying for the position, one must understand that there are a lot of applicants, which makes it difficult to decide who will be the perfect candidate for the position. Therefore, it is best to choose a position from the top 10 or from the top positions in the department you are applying for.IT resume skills include writing well, grammar, and spelling. You must be able to craft an effective resume. Many people think that they are too smart to write one. But if they are still wondering why they should be able to compose a killer resume, they should read this article. After reading it, you will be amazed by how easy it is to write a great resume.When creating a resume, you must first come up with a plan that would help you improve your chances of getting the IT job you want. If you do not have one, then do not worry. There are various tips and techniques that you can use to make your resume more effective. After reading this article, you will be able to follow the simple steps you need to follow to be hired for the IT position you want.Make sure that your resume has all your personal details and skills listed clearly on it. Only the information that you need to emphasize should be emphasized in the resume. Then, make sure that the information that you list on the resume is accurate. It should also include all your relevant qualifications, work history, and certifications. After finishing the job profile section, the last thing you should do is to summarize what you have written in the resume. Then, send the resume through the proper channels so that the hiring company will see it.These IT resume skills can be applied even if you have never done any programming before. And although this may be the case, it is still a good idea to have IT skills since it helps your chances of getting hired. In fact, with this skill, you could be working for the right company without doing anything!

Five Tips for a Smooth Transition from the Military to a Civilian Career - CareerAlley

Five Tips for a Smooth Transition from the Military to a Civilian Career - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Going through the process of a career change can be tricky for anybody but transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce can be even more daunting. Whether you have memories of civilian work before you enrolled in military service or the army career is the only one youve ever known, the good news is that employment rates for veterans are looking up, with unemployment rates down to 3.6% in 2017 from 4.3% in 2016. Still, changing from a military to a civilian career often involves learning new skills, determining where the ones you possess will be useful, and working towards new qualifications to help improve your employment prospects. The good news is that military service is a highly respected career, and there are several ways to use this to your advantage when finding a civilian job. Weve listed some top tips for a smooth transition. Start with veterans who are now in the corporate world. Dont rush to ask for a job. If theres no job available, the remaining time becomes one big letdown. Instead, take time to know the person. Ask how they approached the transition from a military to civilian career. military.com #1. Work Towards a New Qualification: Theres no need to wait until youve officially left your post to start working on gaining new qualifications for the future. Thanks to specially designed online military degree programs, you can fit studying around your army duty, spending time with family and working on any other personal goals. You can choose programs that allow you to build on the skills youve developed as a military service member, such as public safety and security, fire and emergency management, or public safety and security. If you want to try something new and pursue a complete career change, options such as business administration, health science, or information technology could be ideal for you. source #2. Determine Your Transferable Skills: Veterans tend to come with highly developed skill-sets that can be put to great use in a wide range of industries, including public safety and security, telecommunications, management, administration, and many more. However, according to military degree programs, a huge sixty percent of veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq reported having trouble transferring their military skill-sets to civilian work. Think about the various tasks that youve been handed during your military career. Which skills were needed to execute them correctly and efficiently? Some examples of skills that tend to be apparent in veterans include communication, coordination, time management, technical skills, and working well under immense pressure. All of these are widely sought after in the civilian job market! source #3. Look for Military-Friendly Opportunities: The good news for veterans is that several employers recognize the skills and qualities that military service can help you develop, and actively seek out ex-service members to work for them. Some examples of employers who actively recruit veterans include Amazon, Verizon, and Microsoft, amongst many more. Seeking out opportunities with employers who habitually take on veterans is an excellent way to ease yourself into a civilian career. Not only will these employers be better equipped to accommodate you and harness your skills, youll also likely be placed with co-workers who also previously served; they can offer advice and mentorship as you get used to your new working environment. source #4. Get Used to Speaking Like a Civilian: Getting used to speaking the civilian language can be a particularly large hurdle for many veterans, particularly those who have served in the military for a long time. However, its essential in order to effectively communicate with your potential employers to ensure that youll be able to fit in with the corporate culture of whichever career path you have chosen. To do this, youll need to avoid military jargon, and take the time to military degree programs into a language that civilian employers will recognize and understand. It can be difficult to drop old habits such as using military time or addressing others as Sir or Maam but doing so will ensure a smoother transition. You may want to have a trusted civilian friend or relative look over your resume and cover letter before you apply for a role.

Finding your calling - The Youngest Grocer In America - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Finding your calling - The Youngest Grocer In America - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog This inspired the heck out of me: According to Amy Wrzesniewski, an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Yale School of Management, there are three ways you can approach your work. A job You do it for the money. A career You do it to advance and get ahead. A calling You do it because it gives you a sense of fulfilment. Want to take a guess how the young man in the video above sees his work? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related