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168 | Eliminating Sexism at Work | Annie Hardy, Founder, Zeet Insights, Austin, TX

Episode 168 is live! This week, we talk with Annie Hardy in Austin, TX.

Annie is the Founder and Managing Director at Zeet Insights, where she leads a team of market researchers and strategists. She spoke at SXSW with one of recent guests, Erika Gable, on the topic of fighting sexism at work.

We’re going to cover a sensitive topic that we don’t usually cover on this show: sexism at work. Our goal with this conversation is to both enlighten and empower both men and women on this important issue that impacts everyone.

On today’s episode, Annie shares:

  • The biggest misconception about sexism at work
  • What we can all do to treat everyone more equally
  • How sexism and sexual assault are different, and what sexism can look like in the workplace
  • How to handle sexist behavior if it’s happening to you

Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

To learn more about Annie, visit her website at www.zeetinsights.com. 

Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send me your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.

Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!

 

Continuous Interviewing

One of the hardest things about looking for a new job is this. Most people wait to start looking until they need a job. In other words, they’ve been fired, or they hate their work situation so much that they’re ready to quit. Does this sound familiar? The problem is, if you wait until you need a job, you’ve probably waited too long. The chances you’ll find a job on just the day you need it is low.

So, what can you do about this problem? I recommend what I like to call “continuous interviewing.” In other words, always network, always keep your eyes open for interesting job opportunities, and always be open to interviewing for a new job.

This process will keep you up to date on your industry. It will allow you to consider all opportunities to eventually find one that’s a great fit. It’s a proactive approach, rather than a reactive approach. In other words, if you wait until you need a job, your choices will be slim. If you always keep your eyes open for opportunities, you will have many options to evaluate. It will allow you to leave your current job when you want to, rather than when you have to.

I’m sure this sounds like a lot of work. It is a lot of work. But, it’s worth it. It gives you more choices and it allows you to make better decisions about your future. You may devote thirty minutes a week to continuous interviewing for one year. Or, you may devote over twenty-five hours to looking for a job in a short period of time when you’re unemployed. You’re spending a similar total amount of time either way. They’re just divided up differently.

So, how can you implement this idea of continuous interviewing? The next time a headhunter calls you to ask if you’re interested to learn about a new job, say yes. Talking to a recruiter isn’t an indication that you hate your job. And, it doesn’t mean that you have to say yes if they offer you something that’s not a good fit. A conversation with a recruiter is simply that: a conversation.

Visit Indeed.com and setup a job alert for your type of role. This way, you’ll be notified by email when companies in your area are looking for people like you. Sign up for the Glassdoor.com “Know Your Worth” tool to keep an eye on your salary compared to others in your area. Keep your resume up to date. And, update your LinkedIn profile to match.

Once these simple steps are in place, focus on networking. The more you’re able to get to know people in your field, the more they’ll think of you if something comes along. Continuous interviewing puts you back in the driver’s seat. It allows you to find the right job for yourself, at just the right time.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

 

Finding that Perfect Job

Each year, Glassdoor.com ranks the best cities to find a job. Bottom line: Glassdoor has ranked multiple mid-sized cities higher than larger cities.

This list is compiled by ranking U.S. metros with the highest Glassdoor City Score, determined by weighing three factors equally: how easy it is to get a job (hiring opportunity), how affordable it is to live there (cost of living) and how satisfied employees are working there (job satisfaction)2. As part of this report, we include each metro’s median pay for employees, median home value, job satisfaction rating, number of current job openings and a few local in-demand jobs.

The top cities selected for the Glassdoor Best Cities list.

  1. Pittsburgh, PA
  2. Indianapolis, IN
  3. Kansas City, MO
  4. Raleigh-Durham, NC
  5. St. Louis, MO
  6. Memphis, TN
  7. Columbus, OH
  8. Cincinnati, OH
  9. Cleveland, OH
  10. Louisville, KY

“Big, metropolitan cities may be more famous than others, including being home to some amazing companies to work for, but this recognition is also what contributes to them being among the most expensive places to live,” says Glassdoor Chief Economist Dr. Andrew Chamberlain. “People may be overlooking midsize cities like Pittsburgh or St. Louis if they are looking to relocate or find new opportunities. What this jobs report shows is that many midsize cities stand out for offering a great mix of a thriving job market with plenty of opportunity, paired with home affordability and being regions where employees are more satisfied in their jobs too.”

I spoke to Marybeth Conley and Alex Coleman about this issue, and why mid-sized markets are great for your job search. Check out my WREG News Channel 3 interview on Live at 9 below.

 

167 | Sexism at Work | Erika Gable, Executive Director, Women’s Small Business Accelerator, Columbus, OH

Episode 167 is live! This week, we talk with Erika Gable in Columbus, Ohio.

Erika is the Executive Director of the Women’s Small Business Accelerator. She brings over 17 years of experience with nonprofits and social enterprises.

Today, we’re going to cover a sensitive topic that we don’t usually cover on this show: sexism at work. Our goal with this conversation is to both enlighten and empower both men and women on this important issue that impacts everyone.

Erika Gable - Sexism at Work

On today’s episode, Erika shares:

  • The biggest misconception about sexism at work
  • Why people don’t speak up more about sexism
  • What we can all do to treat everyone more equally
  • How to handle sexist behavior if it’s happening to you

Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

To learn more about Erika, visit her website at http://wsbaohio.org/.

Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send me your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.

Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!

Talk to Strangers

If you’re like me, the adults in your life taught you early on, “Don’t talk to strangers.” You may have even heard the phrase, “stranger danger.” The idea is that strangers can harm you in some way. Staying away from strangers kept you safe from kidnapping or something else bad.

I whole heartedly agree with this idea for children. As a child, avoiding strangers helped me to keep myself safe in a number of potentially dangerous situations. Frankly, I still sometimes avoid strangers in public places for fear that “something” might go wrong. It’s like a residual reaction left over from childhood.

In reality, as a professional, strangers are the very people you want to talk to. I don’t mean the random people you pass in the street. I’m talking about the person you’re sitting next to at a professional conference. Or, perhaps there’s a new employee in another department you haven’t met. It could even be the person sitting next to you at a coffee shop.

I like to think of networking as making new friends. And, new friends are all around you. William Butler Yeats once said, “There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t yet met.”

The same applies for LinkedIn. I’m often asked by job seekers whether or not to accept connection requests from strangers on LinkedIn. Most people prefer to only connect to others they have worked with before. But, if you’re in the business of looking for a job, connections are everything. Expanding your network means there will be a greater chance that you’ll know someone at the next job you apply for.

In fact, LinkedIn prioritizes candidates who have connections at companies where they apply for jobs. When you apply to a job on LinkedIn, LinkedIn sends your information (along with every other applicant) to the recruiter or hiring manager. LinkedIn has to decide who to rank first, and having connections with the company is one of the factors they consider.

On top of that, LinkedIn will let you contact strangers, if they are second and third degree connections. This means that you may be able to reach out to a hiring manager you don’t know – if you have enough first degree connections.

In real life, you may wonder what this looks like, especially if you don’t typically work to build your new connections. Take the time to introduce yourself to new people at events and parties. Ask the other person about themselves. Listen carefully. Afterward, follow up with the person on LinkedIn and set a time to connect again in person.

With enough practice, these sorts of interactions will become a bit more natural and less forced. And, with enough follow up, the strangers you meet won’t be strangers anymore. They’ll be business contacts. They’ll be friends. They’ll be people who you can turn to when you are looking for a new job at a new company.

Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.