A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds many people over 50 reporting great difficulty finding work and feeling that their age is a factor. After Worboys was laid off and his hunt for another teaching job was fruitless, he sought counseling positions. When those leads dried up, he applied for jobs in juvenile detention centers, in sales and elsewhere. He finally settled for part-time work, all the while still scouring online listings and sending out applications each week. "They're looking for the younger person," he said. "They look at the number 65 and they don't bother ... more
It’s time for the tech industry to walk the walk when it comes to women and minorities in the tech and gaming industries. That’s the surprise message delivered by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich as he unveiled a $300 million diversity initiative and a plan to make his company diverse from top to bottom. “It’s not enough to say we value diversity,” said Krzanich, unless his company and the industry fully represent women and minorities. He noted the wave of diversity reports from major technology companies, virtually all of which paint a bleak picture of diversity, with many of the companies' ... more
Six years and several jobs in politics and corporate finance later, I've learned how to put the theory into practice as well as how to show leadership on diversity — wherever you are in your career. 1. Learn what diversity actually means A common mistake people make is to think diversity only pertains to race and gender. It's completely understandable: Whether we're male or female, black or white, gender and race are social characteristics we notice about each other almost immediately. Just remember, diversity also includes characteristics you may not be able to see, like disability, sexuality, and religious beliefs. ... more
Since 1 in 7 employees in the United States is foreign born, according to the Congressional Budget Office, you’re likely to work with someone whose origins are from another country (if you aren’t already). But that healthy workplace relationship can quickly turn sour because of a seemingly innocent remark or question made on your part. How to avoid this situation? more...more
Formal cross-cultural mentoring programs are increasing at DiversityInc Top 50 companies because, our data show, they increase diversity in management representation. Forty-six percent more managers in DiversityInc Top 50 companies participate in mentoring today than five years ago, and 100 percent now have formal mentoring programs (up from 72 percent in 2007). How can your company successfully launch a cross-cultural mentoring or sponsorship program? In our diversity web seminar on mentoring and sponsorship, BASF’s Chief Diversity Officer Patricia Rossman, and Deloitte Consulting’s Kelvin Womack, Principal, Lead Client Service Partner, Federal Health Practice, and Managing Principal, Diversity, discussed: How BASF Successfully ... more
The job market is improving overall, but it's still a tough row to hoe for 50-somethings. According to AARP , the length of the median job hunt for workers age 55 or older is nearly a year. If this is you, consider these tips: Rethink your resume. Does it list every job you've ever had? Don't bother. You should include only the most recent ones (nothing from more than 15 years ago unless it's huge). Remember that employers care much more about what you can do for them now than what you did in the '80s. Look for industries in ... more
Lazy. Unfocused. Demanding. Overly dependent. If an HR manager caught you labeling all workers older than 50 this way, he or she would haul you aside for a chat on age discrimination. Yet these terms are frequently used—in news articles, books, speeches and, yes, workplaces—to characterize the entire generation known as Millennials. It’s become common at many companies to view Millennials (born between 1980 and the early 2000s) as requiring special attention and expertise. A whole industry of speakers and consultants has sprung up to advise employers on how to hire them, keep them, treat them and “handle” them. READ ... more
On the one hand, they’re workplace progressives—demanding more scheduling flexibility than perhaps any generation before. On the other, you might say they are traditionalists—wanting conventional benefits like robust disability and life insurance packages that offer financial stability. “They” are Millennial employees who’ve become parents. And among these 18- to-33-year-old workers, fathers increasingly expect their employers to help them play a key role in their children’s rearing, according to The Hartford’s 2015 Millennial Parenthood Survey. “Millennial men are approaching parenthood differently than previous generations, which means employers should factor in fathers when they build benefit plans and work/life policies,” said The ... more
Searching for a job can be a tedious process requiring a great deal of time and effort. People are accustomed to using various methods to find job openings, hoping to increase their chances of getting an interview. Yes, the skills and qualifications listed on your resume are a determining factor in whether you will be chosen as a candidate, but there are other forces at work to keep in mind. Failing to diversity proof your resume might hinder your chance to get that perfect job opportunity. Here are five tips on how you can make your resume diversity proof. Prevent ... more
The top four issues on the minds of women business owners are the state of the economy (57%), health insurance cost and affordability (40%), business tax issues (36%), and access to a quality workforce (36%). This is among the findings of the State of Women-Owned Businesses survey conducted by the National Association of Women Business Owners and Web.com Group. But the survey also finds overall optimism: 85% of women entrepreneurs say more women will join their ranks this year than in the past two. Additionally, 38% of women business owners plan to invest more in hiring this year while 54% ... more