How Can Job Descriptions Be More Gender Neutral

How Can Job Descriptions Be More Gender Neutral Langauge within job descriptions is an issue, whether we realize it or not. You put up a job ad but get 90% male applicants. This might be because the wording you have used is aimed at males applicants only. We need to take far more care and spend far more time on our job ads so they are not uninclusive of not only a specific gender but of specific age, race, culture and more. So we ask our panel of recruiting experts to assess the possibility of removing bias from job descriptions. Angela Bortolussi A few years ago I sat with my hiring manager, a Director of Engineering, and he said “Angela, I asked my wife to review the job description for our Front End Engineering role â€" she is also a Front End Engineer, and she told me ‘I wouldn’t apply for this role.’” He of course asked her “Why?” She mentioned the job description had so many hard stops in terms of qualifications. For example, you must have 8+ years of experience, React experience is a must, and a Computer Science Degree is a must. She felt that she was somewhat qualified but didn’t have the exact qualifications needed for the role, and ultimately wouldn’t attempt applying. He decided to take this into consideration and re-write the job description to become more gender neutral to hopefully increase the attention of women applying. (Guess what? It worked!) Keep in mind though it’s a tough to really understand the thought-process when it comes to candidates applying for roles. Whatever the reason is, I think we (women) respond to job ads/posts differently. Angela Bortolussi, Partner, Recruiting Social. Rebecca Fraser It is quite interesting how some words can be perceived as being more attractive depending on your gender. Removing gender specific words, an example may be he or she and Chairman or Chairwoman. This is challenging in some languages where they have grammatical gender and this may require job adverts and job titles to specifically confirm that they are being offered to all genders. Other language could be seen as more attractive to the male gender, such as describing the work environment as fast paced and challenging, or dominant and determined. Although many females will be attracted to this environment, research has shown that these words can be perceived as being about a male dominated work environment. Rebecca Fraser, National Executive Committee, Career Development Association of Australia. Lysha Holmes It is essential that a job description is written as a narrative to the potential employee regardless of gender. Avoid assumptions, focus on skills and attitude, potential and opportunity rather than a person per se and therefore stereotypes can be avoided. This should include imagery used to promote any post on social media. Lysha Holmes, Owner and Recruiter, Qui Recruitment R2R. Caroline Stokes Sometimes I see masculine language used in a male oriented environment, which can be significantly off-putting to female talent. On the other side, I’ve seen female oriented companies not create gender neutral language, and it’s off-putting for me as a woman to see how men would not be inclined to join their mission. I encourage everyone to review the job descriptions to ensure they relate to the culture and make the company approachable for all genders. Caroline Stokes, Founder, FORWARD and The Emotionally Intelligent Recruiter. Ruth Penfold There are great tools for this kind of thing now, the most common one people use is Textio. If you don’t have access to those tools, I would suggest relying on the network of people around you to act as editors and give you their honest take on this stuff.  Relative Insight conducted some research into this space, and using more feminine language was proven not to put off men, in the same way that masculine language can put off women. They looked at this across political campaigns, but the same is true across all mediums. Therefore by targeting your language more towards a female audience, you will find yourself appealing to a more gender neutral audience. Ruth Penfold, Director of Talent Acquisition, Shazam. Liz Sebag-Montefiore Focus on job titles, job descriptions and advertisements that are free from unconscious bias and  reflect best practice. Women may be deterred from applying in response to job descriptions that are  heavy with masculine coded language. Try to remove the need for gendered pronouns, ensure that  content has a universal appeal. Research shows that women won’t apply for a job they do not 100% qualify for, whereas men will  apply when they feel they’re only 60% qualified for. Try to convey that there is room for negotiation  around the qualifications and experience required so returning mothers are not excluded. Liz Sebag-Montefiore,  Director and Co-Founder, 10Eighty. Libby Herrmann Word choice is key to making job descriptions more gender neutral. Science and psychology have shown that feminine language is more communal, social and emotional versus contrasting masculine language. For example, using words such as committed (feminine) compared to determined (its masculine counterpart). If we are taking care to ensure a job advertisement appeals to applicants of all genders, we are likely to be more inclusive and less “stereotypically traditional” in whom we attract. There are helpful decoding tools available online to identify and remove gender bias in job advertisements â€" explore, search, discover! Libby Herrmann,  Client Relationship Manager, WilsonHCG. Poonam Mawani Job descriptions are so important. They are the first impression of a company’s  culture. There is software available now that can remove and replace gendered  descriptions and words. There are certain phrases that can either attract more men  or women. These should be identified and replaced to attract a more balanced  candidate pool. How a firm describes itself in a job description is also important. Poonam Mawani, Director, Azuki Accounts. Amanda Bell Luckily, this can be pretty easy. Review your job descriptions with the lens of “Who is the audience here?” If your answer is “any qualified candidate, regardless of gender,” you’ve done a good job! It’s not just about the presence of gender-specific pronouns it’s also about using language that is inclusive of all genders. Stay away from phrases like “kick ass,” “ninja,” and, believe it or not, “brah.” You can also ask a few employees of various genders to read the descriptions and solicit feedback. Amanda Bell, Director of Recruiting, Lever.

Resume Writing Services Are Becoming A Standard Part Of Business Networks

Resume Writing Services Are Becoming A Standard Part Of Business NetworksResume writing services are booming in today's job market. The internet has allowed people to build a network of contacts, and the ability to communicate with other job candidates through online networking platforms. That network is why job hunters have more access to resources than ever before.Business owners need this access as well, and they are utilizing these networks as much as they can to improve their company. In turn, they are taking advantage of the talent of the people who have built that network of friends and colleagues. In some cases, the business owner may be recruiting professionals to work for them in positions that will promote their business goals.For example, if a company's strategies are centered around delivering a low cost solution to its customers, a quality professional might be able to help the company develop their promotional materials to sell the product at an affordable price. The p rofessional may also be able to suggest ways to increase customer loyalty by providing attractive, appealing samples of their products. These samples can be sent to current and prospective customers, and they will not only convince them to purchase the products directly from the company, but will also provide them with other information they will want to know about the company.Not every company needs or wants all of these things, but it's a good thing to have a professional to help them develop their promotional materials. Because the professional is considered an expert in the field, they can help the company determine the best approach and find a professional to provide these materials. The professional will also be able to suggest where they can find the best content and how they can easily distribute the materials to potential customers.Another area of concern for many business owners is staffing needs that can only be met with a competitive market. They need professionals who c an help them recruit high-quality employees, and they also need to be able to attract high-quality candidates as well. Using resume writing services in this area will allow the business owner to reach the maximum number of people and to compete in the open market.At the same time, they can use these marketing tools to create a great impression on potential employees. The professional who writes resumes also understands the importance of building a professional-looking profile that reflects the type of skills and attributes desired. The professionals will use professional resume writing services to write each candidate's resume in such a way that the person receiving the resume is impressed by the candidate's qualifications.This is another area where the benefits of using professional resume writing services are apparent. There is no limit to what the business owner can do with this type of marketing resource. In fact, they can use them to help them plan the best hiring strategy poss ible.They can also help the company with creating a clearly defined company's mission statement and hiring objectives. A professional who understands all of the things that the business owner wants to accomplish will be able to help make these ideas come to life. And they will help generate a more professional and attractive profile for each candidate.

Blogger Code of Ethics - Do We Need One - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Blogger Code of Ethics - Do We Need One - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Should bloggers have a code of ethics like journalists do? My last post on Personal Branding Blog about Four Reasons You Aren’t Getting Book Publicity from Bloggers caused a stir concerning bloggers having or not having a code of ethics. Here are some interesting quotes from the comments section: Susan de la Vergne commented: If a writer pays you to review a book, it’s conceivable that would pre-dispose you to review it favorably. That’s unethical (and you did list it under the header disavowing ethics in the “new media”). But there are enough dubious ethics in too many walks of life to countenance another one, even something as small as this one might seem. juepucta commented: “Blogging might not have one, but it should. It should have had one implemented “yesterday”. Otherwise it wil never move out of the kids’ table.” I responded: Why should they? Bloggers are not a regulated industry because they don’t get paid. Why should I follow rules when I’m not on a contract? That’s like someone telling you there are rules about how you clean your house that MUST be followed. Then, Tony V. responded: Hey Monica, let me answer your question when you ask “why should they?’ (have a code of ethics. It’s the same reason that journalists came up with one in the first place. Because back when the press began to realize how they influenced the public they realized THEY COULD DO REAL DAMAGE TO PEOPLE’S REPUTATIONS BY PRINTING THINGS THAT ARE FALSE UNDER THE GUISE OF IT BEING TRUE. Bloggers can’t enjoy the benefit of instant credibility through publishing, and then ignore the responsibility that should come with the benefit. Like it or not, when readers see something “published” it tends to have at least the appearance of credibility. So when a blogger writes a rumor about someone (especially if they’re famous) as if it’s fact,NOTHING HAPPENS TO THAT IDIOT BLOGGER, meanwhile it could take weeks before the rumor is dispelled, and the person who got slandered could lose money, reputation, relationships, even a career because some fool thought it would be fun to slander them or their blog. SO YES, you should have a code of ethics if you enter the public sphere. When bloggers do mature past 14 years old, they will realize that printing things in public should be about more than some kind of big-headed power trip. You can read all the comments on the post here. Am I missing something? Should bloggers have a code of ethics similar to the one journalists have? How would a code of ethics be enforced with independent bloggers? Special Note: This is my last regular post on Personal Branding Blog. Ive enjoyed my time as the Wednesday writer and learned a lot from working with Dan and the rest of the team! If youve enjoyed my posts, you can still find me at my regular blog, Twenty Set, or find me on Twitter. Author: Monica O’Brien writes career advice for young professionals at her blog, Twenty Set. You can also follow her on Twitter (@monicaobrien).

Europass CV - Your Passport to Work in the EU

Europass CV - Your Passport to Work in the EU What is Europass? Whether you are planning to enrol on an education or a  training programme, looking for a job, or getting experience abroad, it is important to be able to make your skills and competences clearly understood.   Europass is a new way of helping people to: make their skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe (European Union, EFTA/EEA and candidate countries); move anywhere in Europe. Download Europass CV Template: Click here to download in a languages, other than English. Or {filelink=8} Source: Europass 8

How Can You Afford to Pay For Your Resume?

How Can You Afford to Pay For Your Resume?When applying for a job, the first thing a potential employer will ask of you is how you would like to be paid for writing your resume. Most people worry about the expenses that are involved with this activity, but the costs are actually fairly low and will not hurt your budget in the long run.Paying someone to write your resume is one of the most common forms of employment, especially for those who are freelancers. For those who work for an employer, it is often the easiest way to get the job done. It may be tempting to go with a traditional writing service that is associated with a magazine or newspaper, but this is rarely cost effective. Often, a few hours of writing will get the job done for you.Another option for pay for writing your resume is to make your own website to market yourself. If you have web experience, you can add relevant information to your site in order to attract more people to your website. The last thing you want to do is end up spending hundreds of dollars for this purpose.While it may be a good idea to have more than one website, it will likely be a waste of time if the one you are using will only be read by a few people. There are a lot of advertising sites available, and some of them can be free of charge. When you are in the process of considering the cost of having someone else write your resume, you need to keep in mind that these sites offer you more than just advertisement.Advertising online can be a great tool to use when you are trying to market yourself. You can set up links to your website and social media profiles so that those who are interested in your business can find out more about your products and services. It is important to have a number of profiles on these sites so that you are making yourself available to as many people as possible.Using the power of your own social media accounts to help with your promotional campaign is very powerful. You can post links to your busines s in your Twitter and Facebook profiles and those who follow you on those sites will see your links. You can also tweet about your business and encourage your followers to check out your site.Many other sites will also link back to your website and advertise your resume. This is a great way to start building traffic to your website. Your resume, if written well, will be able to stand out from the rest of the resumes in the search engines and this will be a major selling point for you.Paying for writing your resume charges your mind and time up and this is what you need to do when you are considering this option. The time you invest in this project will pay off with great results.

What Are The Challenges Of Hiring An Android Developer CareerMetis.com

What Are The Challenges Of Hiring An Android Developer Having an exceptional mobile app idea is just the beginning of a journey that requires continuous efforts. When you are ready with your app idea, it is another battle to find the right Android developer.While hiring for such a developer, a manager or the recruiting person needs to keep in mind a number of considerations. Beginning from finding a developer with the right skill setto reach a person who is open to new learnings, the prerequisites of finding the resource may vary from company to company.evalAn Android developerneeds to focus on a number of areas including app functionality, accessibility, performance, usability, security, and everything else that could add value to an app and retail users as well.Advanced Android devices have modern requirements and they are also supposed to offer a personalized user experience across different devices along with versions of the operating systems. The developers need to create solutions for other such challenges that they will have while developing any app.Let’s Have A Look At Android Developer Responsibilities:Right from developing and designing the application to fixing the apps at the end, the responsibility of Android developers variesquite literally. Here is a brief of the duties that such developers need to perform:1) Translating Wireframes Into High-QualityDesignsevalAndroid developers need to create a quality design from wireframes. Wireframes are developed so that an initial app architect can be developed to be followed as a design guideline to create the app.2) Creating, Building, and Maintaining High-quality CodesWriting high-quality code is the most basic job requirement expected by every Android developer out there in the market. Not only writing these codes is important but also implementing them correctly forms a part of the job.3) Ensuring App ResponsivenessThe responsiveness of an application allows it to open on a range of devices irrespective of the device size. Responsiveness is important so t hat the user’s experience on any of the devices is not compromised.4) Identifying Bottlenecks And Fixing BugsAndroid developers need to be skilled and efficient enough to find bottlenecks in applications and fix the bugs as well. Fixing bugs is the primary skillsetof the job responsibility of an Android developer.5) Evaluate And Implement New TechnologyevalevalThe onset of new and innovative technology is one reason why developers need to learn all about the new technologies that are coming in the Android app development space. Evaluating these technologies will help developers keep learning about them.Now that we have a brief on the responsibilities of Android developers, let’s now focus on the challenges that come across while hiring an Android developer:Finding Out the Skill Set of DevelopersYou could find Android developers with varied skills, but the one that you should invest in is someone having good years of experience.The experience your developer possesses will surely be reflected in the assigned project and therefore it is important to contact someone who has great knowledge of coding.evalThe practice of coding is something that developers polish over the years. The more the experience, the efficient will be the coding. So, the experience of developers matters when it is about efficiency.In order to hire people with the right skill set, a test, in the beginning,will greatly help to know about their skill-set. Asking subject-related questions or the ones that are related to the project will also assess the expertise of the selected candidates.Figuring Out Developer’s Technical SkillAndroid developers must possess technical skills, more precisely the coding abilities to be able to do their jobs efficiently and fast.Thus, it is important to find out whether the developers are good at this particular skill set. Knowing about a developer’s expertise in coding will further help you acknowledge if they are worth hiring.Interview the developers on t heir expertise in Java, Android SKD, APIs, Android Studies and all other programming languages, so that you could know more about the potential of the developer.A developer with good technical knowledgeand some great years of experience can prove to be an asset tothe company. Hiring such talented developers will always contribute to the growth of the company. Hiring Developers Under The BudgetAndroid is one of the most popular platforms among developers and custom software development companies to create their apps.As the popularity of this platform is always on a rise the cost of development keeps on increasing depending upon the specific requirements of clients.It becomes more of a task to find a developer who is experienced enough to offer the services within a company’s prescribed budget. The prerequisite with this search is not only to find a developer but an experienced professional as well.evalGreat developers are expensive as well as hard to find. Therefore, the search ne eds to be specific enough in nature to find the best resource.Choosing Developer From A Company Or Finding A Freelance ResourceThis is the very first requirement that you must think of and make a decision on as soon as the requirement of hiring an Android developer comes across.Choosing between a freelance resource and a professional from a company are two different things with their own set of pros and cons.While hiring a resource from the company you will have someone who can easily be relied upon. It is easier to get the information on the development of your project and in case you want to contact the developer, he will always remain available for the same.Choosing a freelancer has other pros and some cons as well. And while choosing such a resource, it is always better to go with an experienced professional.evalWith freelancers, there could be some issues of reliability and connecting to them can also become tough sometimes. So, going with a professional who has some good years of experience is always the best move. Finding the Developer’s True PotentialInterviewing any developer is no easy job and finding the true potential of the developer is even tougher. So, the ideal move here is to interview the developer on different fonts like the technical skills, coding, and logical thinking capabilities, and a bit of communicating abilities.For getting information on all these areas, it is better to interview developerson a real project that has already been done in the past.Communication, on the other hand, is not very much important for developers but the inability of developers to communicate with the clients can be a big hindrance in any of the projects. So, some basic communication skills must always be there with the developers.So, let the developer go through a documented test and before selecting your resources never forget to have a face-to-face interaction with them. This will help to know more and more about the personal skill of the professional.A Note On Setting Up The Requirement For Android Developera) Write Down Your Initial GoalFigure out your initial goal and write down all the requirements you have. This will clarify your requirementsforthe developer. This will also help to understand the level of the project and how it should be done.b) Describe a Bit About The Required FunctionalityYou are hiring a developer either to develop an app or to create a website; therefore, it is advised to describe a bit about the required functionality. This gives a clear development idea to the developer. The functionality requirements should be laid out clearly in order to offer the utmost visibility to developers.Bring a Complete Development PictureIt is always good to bring a complete development picture to developers and allow them enough time to figure out their strategy around it. Developers have their own working and logical thinking styles; therefore, it is always good to tell all the requirements to them and let them develop th eir strategies around it.In conclusionSkilled developers are hard to hire, especially ones who will understand the vision of your project. You may even find it difficult to make an initial connection with the developers and if the problem seems similar to you it is best to utilize social media platforms to outreach developers.Moreover, it is not just about hiring developers but also retaining them for longer if the very first step of hiring has been done successfully.The hiring strategy you will deploy needs to be strategic enough to get a talent on board that is capable enough to provide all the required services. Hiring a developer is to make a lot of investment and therefore you must get a good return on the investment made in this direction.Therefore, keep all the above-listed points into the mind in order to find a skilled developer within your budget and as per the requirement. A thorough background check of the developer will also help to know about their experience and their expertise as well.An elaborated discussion at the beginning will also help to know about the developer and to tell your requirements to him.

5 Careers Where Work Experience Is An Asset - CareerAlley

5 Careers Where Work Experience Is An Asset - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. We all know that a fantastic resume and a great interview performance are crucial in getting a job. But have you also thought about looking for a work experience placement to take part in before you start your job hunt? As there are now many college graduates who are all applying for the top jobs, more and more recruiters and employers are looking for candidates who have practical experience as well as a fantastic education record. Here are five careers for which its worth seeking out some valuable work experience. Law Most law firms, such as the law offices of Meyer and Blumenshine, are happy to accept teens and young adults into their company to do week-long work experience placements. For students who are studying law, then there is often the chance to do paid internships. During these work placement and internships, the individual will get first-hand experience of working in a professional legal environment and should gain some basic admin skills which will be crucial in later life. Accountancy Working in accountancy is another office-based career, just like working in law, and those who take a work experience placement with an account will find that they gain some very worthwhile admin experience. They will also see for themselves how managing multiple projects at once can be, as the majority of accountancy firms have a huge book of clients! Teaching There are lots of teaching placements for those looking to experience life as a teacher. If you are currently studying a teaching degree or other similar course, your college or university might have connections to local schools, which can make it easy to find a place. Ideally, you should try and find a work experience placement which is at the type of school and with the age group that you would like to work with in the future. Engineering Engineering, whether working hands-on with machinery or taking on a more academic role drawing up designs, is a very practical career, and many recruiters want to see that applicants already have some experience working with machines and designs. Some people who want to try and forge a career in engineering take a weekend job with a local mechanic while they go through school and college so that they boost their experience. For those who want to work more on the design side of things, most college courses include lots of practical assignments in their modules. Cheffing There is a large swing towards practical careers as more people realize that they are often better paid and easier to get into compared to academic careers. One popular one is cheffing. It is extremely easy to get experience working in a professional kitchen as many restaurants and cafes hire young workers in weekend and seasonal jobs. And once you have these jobs, you will find that it is easier to work your way up through the cheffing trade, especially if you go on to train professionally at a cookery school. So, if you have some free time, it will be very worth looking for a work experience placement! We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+

How to identify your job search network -

How to identify your job search network - Have you ever told someone you cant network successfully because you dont have a network? While it may seem as if your network is small, especially if you dont put a lot of effort into growing it, or you are a new professional, you probably have a much larger network than you realize. Learn how to: Identify your network by expanding your definition of professional networking (both in person and online). Pinpoint your networks strengths and broaden your ideas about where networking happens including random meetings! Focus on the different levels of networks you have including people you know directly and more distant contacts in your extended networks. Get my free white paper:  5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week   Read more including some inspiring networking stories via my article  published on Vault.com. In addition, if youd like a guide to help you through every step of your networking journey, I authored one for Vault.com, and its available now.  Vault is  known for its influential rankings, ratings and reviews of  thousands of employers and hundreds of internship programs. Vault.com also shares  information about what it’s really like to work in  an industry, company or professionâ€"and how to position yourself to launch and build the career you want. You can find the  Vault Guide to Networking  available online.