Thursday, March 12, 2020

A Guide for Handling Inappropriate Interview Questions

A Guide for Handling Inappropriate Interview Questions A Guide for Handling Inappropriate Interview QuestionsJob hunting can be stressful.As a candidate, you put a lot of effort into crafting your cover letter and your resume, networking your way to the perfect openings, and managing your nerves on the day of the vorstellungsgesprch. You want to make a good impression by answering questions in a way that positions you as a strong candidate.So what do you do if the hiring manager poses inappropriate bewerbungsgesprch questions - or worse, illegal? TWEETUnfortunately, this is not a hypothetical question. You may be surprised to find out that according to asurveyconducted by Harris Poll, a shocking 20% ofover 2,000 hiring and human resource managers that were surveyed indicated they have asked a candidate illegal interview questions. When the same group of hiring managers was presented with a list of illegal questions and asked whether they were legal, at least 33% said they werent sure . Since you cannot always rely on the hiring managers to do the right thing, researching this subject before the big day can help you map out tricky territory. First off, lets draw the line on what illegal interview questions are. In summary, race, gender, nationality, religion, military status, marital status, and disability are all protected categories. That means employers cannot use them to discriminate in their hiring practices.That sounds reasonable, you might say. What does that look like in practice? Here are some examples of questions that are illegal during the interview process. Some of them are so obvious you might cringe. Others are veiled and round-about. You might even spot one or two that you have been asked in an interview I know I didWho will take care of your children while you are at work?A good rule of thumb on any question that hints at gender or family status discrimination is to ask yourself, Would the employer be asking this if I were the opposite gender? T he implication in this question is that you may not be able to fulfil the responsibilities of the job because you are a parent.A legal way of asking this question might look like this Will you be available to be present in the office from 9 to 6 during the work week? As long as that is a valid job requirement, and the question is asked of every candidate, clarifying availability is ritterlich game.Are you planning to have more children?You family plans are legally off-limits in an interview, and this is definetly an inappropriate interview question. While you may be tempted to share pregnancy or toddler stories with a hiring manager (especially if she comes across as friendly or has a picture of a young child on her desk), the prudent thing to do is to refrain from doing so.How often are you away for Army Reserve training?This is an example of a discriminatory question based on military status. A legal way of reframing this question is, Are you available to travel two weeks out of t he month to exhibit at conferences and visit clients? If those are legitimate job requirements.Have you ever been arrested?Asking about the arrest history of the candidate is an illegal interview question. bedrngnisably, the hiring manager can ask whether or not you have been convicted of a crime, or have used illegal drugs in the last 3 months, as neither criminal conviction nor illegal drug use are protected categories.Are you on any medication?This can be viewed as a roundabout way to ask about your health history and possible disability. A legal way to address the underlying concern is, Are you fit to operate heavy machinery, as would be required by this job description?Do you attend church every Sunday?This question hints at potential religious discrimination. A legal way to address a legitimate employment concern is along the lines of, Are you available for after-hours and weekend work duty if needed?What year did you graduate from high school?This is just another way of askin g how old you are. Not OK.Now that you know what illegal and inappropriate interview questions might look like, what should your strategy be if one of those lands in your court? You have one of three choices.Answer the question. Many candidates do this as a default simply because they are afraid of coming across as non-collaborative, or dont see anything wrong with the question. My advice is to consider simply answering the question if you are comfortable doing so. Short and sweet answers are best.Refuse to answer the question. With an illegal question, it is certainly within your rights to not answer it. You can point to the protected nature of the category as your reason for not answering. Most employers will back off. Be prepared that this strategy can create some awkwardness not through any fault of yours, but uncomfortable nonetheless.Answer the intent of the question. This option allows you to protect your rights and tactfully address the hiring managers valid concern. You ca n offer a response that targets the heart of the question. Instead of answering Where were you born? directly, you might way If you meant to ask whether I am legally allowed to work in the United States, the answer is yes. Alternatively, you could redirect with a clarifying question. Help me understand why this matters, because I want to better understand the job Im interviewing for, will do the trick.Now that we got illegal questions out of the way, lets briefly address inappropriate questions. Believe it or not, cringe-worthy questions are sometimes asked at interviews. HR professionals are usually better trained on this subject, but it is not unheard of for line managers to ask whatever comes to mind. Some examplesDo you get PMS?Can you flirt with customers to make them spend more money?Can you wear more makeup?Your choices on an inappropriate interview question are essentially the same as for an illegal question. You can answer it directly, use humor to redirect, or ask the hiri ng manager to demonstrate how the question applies to the position you are applying for. If an inappropriate question turns you sour on the position, consider it a blessing in disguise and fodder for a good story.In closing, my best advice when dealing with illegal and inappropriate interview questions is to remain calm. In the interview, as in the rest of your professional life, you have control over what happens next. Dont let a prospective employer bully you into disclosing something that you are not comfortable with.Occasionally, hiring managers use illegal questions as an intimidation tool. Most of the time, however, the interviewer may not realize he is asking an illegal or an inappropriate question. This is particularly true if a portion of the interview is an informal lunch with prospective co-workers. Because of the relaxed setting, it can be easy for them to slip into personal territory with you that might be normal among them but is not appropriate in the context of an i nterview. Remember that you are in charge, dont get defensive, and protect your personal boundaries with grace and confidence. Aim to diffuse the situation, and use this as an opportunity to showcase your interpersonal skills.Need help with your resume? Take advantage of our free critique today Related Articles

Saturday, March 7, 2020

The Idiots Guide to Osu Resume Writing Tips Explained

The Idiots Guide to Osu Resume Writing Tips Explained Osu Resume Writing Tips - Dead or Alive? Employing a custom resume instead of a generic one is going to greatly increase your probability of an interview, as youll be a better match in the view of the reader. While a resume objective tells the reader what you would like to do and why you wish to do it, a summary provides a fast recap of your career. Analyze job ads You will see lots of helpful info on job ads. To implement a productive job search campaign that youll need to get prepared. What You Dont Know About Osu Resume Writing Tips If youre a member of an organization that might be controversial or that may lead to questions that may be interpreted as discriminatory, you might leid desire to include it on your resume. If youre sending a resume to a company, it ought to be a given that youre offered for an interview and you will provide references if requested. You truly need a cover letter. Know the purpose of your resume Some men and women write a resume like the intention of the document was supposed to land work. The True Meaning of Osu Resume Writing Tips Typically if you have a look at the URL, the ATS system is going to be included. If you are in possession of a professional Web website, include the URL. These websites are able to help you avoid plagiarism. There are plenty of websites with tips around the internet, but most bring just a few them. In terms of technical jargon, do bedrngnis automatically think that the employer will understand what you are speaking about. You may have a million things you wish to write about. There are a lot of things you may consider doing before you get to writing. When youre considering how to format your resume for an authentic live reader, concentrate on making the document attractive and simple to skim. Before you set a single word on paper, develop an agenda of the best few things you desire an employer to understand about you at the clo se of the interview. When youre in the interview, its fine to bring a pause to think and have a breath before answering the question thats being asked. You simply get one chance to create a first impression. In reality it might even hurt your odds of landing an interview. What About Osu Resume Writing Tips? For that reason, it is a price of the work hunt process worth paying. If you are able to explain the way that it will benefit his company, and to connect it to tangible effects, then youll really enhance your chances. Attempt to know the market of the organization youre asking for work, and identify what sort of difficulties they could be going through. 1 small typo and your odds of getting hired could slip. What You Should Do to Find Out About Osu Resume Writing Tips Before Youre Left Behind You should clearly state what kind of a job which you want, and know what types of skills and experiences are necessary to succeed in that job. Learn about the three kinds of sk ills its possible to highlight and the way you are able to incorporate them into your resume. Get organized and create categories for different topics you intend to write about. There are two primary kinds of resumes.

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Most Powerful Question to Ask When Prepping for a Speech or Presentation Why You

The Most Powerful Question to Ask When Prepping for a Speech or Presentation Why You Youre preparing to give your first company-wide presentation, and you want to make a good impression. In prepping for it, you need to ask yourself one deceptively simple question thatcan make or breakyour success Why you?In other words What gets you out of bed in the morning? Why do you care about your work? What made you choose this career or industry? What are you proud of in your work?Why you? is the single most powerful question you can ask yourself when preparing a speech or presentation. This is where you put aside the bureaucracy of your job, the politics of your cause, or the dysfunction of your office and determine the sense of purpose that guides your actions. Its deeper than So I can make more money or So I can get promoted.A well-chosen Why you? helps you choose language that is authentic to you. When you truly believe in your message, that sense of purpos e animates your body and voice naturally. Its hard to sound authentic when you are parroting corporate jargon.A well-chosenWhy you?also builds your confidence. Both young professionals and seasoned executives will confess to a lack of confidence when speaking. They worry that others in the room may know more than they do, or that the audience may question their authority to speak. Connecting with your Why you?, however,reinforces your credibility and your authority.Below are some pointers for identifying your Why you? and understanding how and when to use it in order to become a more powerful speakerYour Why You?Can Show Your Human SideIn one of our leadership communication training programs, my team and I coach the sales managers of a financial institution. I was helping one particular manager prepare for an upcoming sales call when I asked her, Why you? Why do you do what you do?She responded Well, I like serving others.Why?Because service is important to me.Why?Growing up, my par ents ran their own business. Every single day, I saw them get up early to serve their customers, putting others needs before their own. I think about that experience every day when I wake up, and I want to teach that to my children as well. Thats why I do what I do.Youll notlageice many answers to the question Why you? come back to family and early childhood. You might think its unprofessional to share a personal story in a business setting, but we are not robots. We are human beings doing business with other human beings. We are driven by personal motivations, and we have values that guide our actions. When you share those motivations with others, even in a business setting, you connect on a personal level and build trust.When Your Why You?Is Impossible to Figure Out,That Tells You SomethingSometimes reasons can be hard to find. I coached someone in real estate development whom I knew was an engaged, passionate individual with a fabulous sense of humor. But as he stood up to practi ce a presentation to a community board, he changed completely. His shoulders slumped, his smile drooped into a grimace, and he sighed loudly while leaning on one hip and weakly gesturing at the slides behind him. He was afraid that he was a boring speaker and he was.So I asked him, Why you? Why are you passionate about your work?It turned out he wasnt. He hated his job. He mistrusted his boss. He didnt like the industry. He wasnt a boring speaker he was just bored.If you are bored with your subject or hate your job, its going to be difficult to give a powerful, authentic speech. In those cases, you have a couple of options. You can change careers, as my friend did. He wound up quitting his job and pursuing his dream to revitalize an abandoned building in his city. But maybe you have three kids to support, college bills, and a mortgage. Instead of quitting to pursue your passion, you may want think about what you do like about your work and focus on that.Once You Know Your Why You? , Lead WithItOne of the best places to include your Why you? is in the beginning of your speech or presentation. Imagine using the story about growing up in a family-owned business when you are pitching a small business prospect. That story might make the prospect think, Yes, this person understands where I am coming from. I can trust this person.Dont Forget the Power of Why You? in Job InterviewsWhy you? is also an incredibly powerful question to ask before a job interview Why is this company important to you? In what ways do you connect withits mission and values? Armed with that information, youcan offer more genuine, confident, and effective answers to the interviewers questions.Once crafted, your Why you? is a powerful way to start your speech or presentation. Using a personal story up front helps create a sense of connection between you and your audience, keeping them engaged and compelling them to take action.Allison Shapira is author of Speak With Impact How to Command the R oom and Influence Others.

Monday, December 30, 2019

Help Desk Support Resume Example

Help Desk Support Resume ExampleHelp Desk Support Resume ExampleDo you love IT products? Are you a natural trouble-shooter and communicator someone who can easily explain complicated technical features to computer end-users who dont know a firewall from a flash drive? If so, you might want to consider sending out applications and resumes for help desk support jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the need for talented computer support specialists is expected to increase by 11% by 2026 faster than the average rate of growth for most jobs. The 2017 median pay for these jobs was $52,810 a year (approximately $25.39 per hour). Help desk support is one of those career fields where you dont necessarily need a bachelors degree. Many employers will hire candidates with associates degrees, especially if they have proven customer-service skills, attentive listening skills, strong speaking and writing talents, and the ability to trouble-shoot simple and complex computer issues. Here is an example of aresumedesigned for a help desk support role. The resume includes asummaryof qualifications section. When creating your resume for computer support jobs, you should also consider including a technical skills section that lists the computer software and hardware you have knowledge of. Help Desk Support Resume Example STACY PATTERSON408 S. Enola Drive, Enola, PA17025 (709) 732-1234spatteremail.net SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS Experienced and knowledgeable information technology professional seeking to contribute training and acquired skills within a help desk support role. Well-versed in SAP and Windows Active Directory. Works well independently or in a group setting, providing all facets of computer help desk support such as troubleshooting, installations, and maintenance. In-depth knowledge and understanding of numerous software packages and operating systems. Skilled in providing customer and end-user help desk support. Easily id entifies and resolves technical issues and concerns. Excellent communication and presentation capabilities. EDUCATION TRAINING KnowledgeSoft, Inc., Mechanicsburg, PA?Courses in Intranetware 4.11 Administration and 4.1a Advanced Administration Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Shippensburg, PA,John L. Grove College of BusinessB.S. in Information Technology Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PAA.A. (Honors) East Pennsboro Area High School, Enola, PA TECHNICAL SKILLS Platforms Windows 7/10, Mac OS X, Android Software MS arbeitszimmer Suite 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook), Office 365SAP, Adobe, McAfee, Norton Utilities, Intranetware 4.11, SAP SE Hardware TCP/IP, DHCP, and DNS protocols, LAN/WAN, routers, Ethernet, SAN, VPN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General, Harrisburg, PA (01/2017 Present)Help Desk Technician Provide computer help desk support via telephone communications with end-users. Perform diagnostics and troubles hooting of system issues, document help desk tickets/resolutions, and maintain equipment inventory lists. Authored organizations first-ever manual of Help Desk standard operating procedures (SOPs).Implemented continuous improvement process enhancements that reduced trouble ticket response time by 45%.Consistently met ambitious customer satisfaction targets. Tri-County Association for the Blind, Harrisburg, PA (11/2015 - 1/2017)?Production Associate Performed various administrative duties such as mass-mailings to support fundraising efforts for the blind and other organizations for the disabled. Compiled literature, prepared mailing labels and envelopes, and disbursed via postal service.Accounted for and verified IBM equipment parts, assembled office supplies, and ensured proper packaging. Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Harrisburg, PA (09/2013 11/2015)Information Technology Technician Provided computer help desk support and technical training on hardware/software t o end-users. Documented help desk tickets/resolutions as well as providing overall assistance in daily administration of a SAP Community Network (SCN).Performed set-up, breakdown, and transport of agency equipment on an as-needed basis. More Tips for Help Desk Support Job Seekers As you draft your resume for computer support technician roles, try to incorporate as many industry-specific keywords into your document as possible. Many employers currently use automated applicant tracking systems to rank the resumes they receive. If your resume lacks the keywords these systems are programmed to identify, it may never reach the eye of a menschenfreundlich hiring manager. Your best guide to which keywords you should use are the texts of the job descriptions to which you are applying. Look for the terms they use in their Minimum Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications sections. Also have a look at these common tech support skills that employers typically seek in their job candidates . As soon as you hear back from an employer that theyd be interested in meeting you, its time to rehearse for your interview so that youll make as big of an impression in person as you did on your resume. Here are some help desk interview questions to review as you prepare.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

3 Serious LinkedIn Military Transition Mistakes

3 Serious LinkedIn Military Transition Mistakes3 Serious LinkedIn Military Transition Mistakes3 Serious LinkedIn Military Transition Mistakes 3 Serious LinkedIn Mistakesfrequently made by Veterans and Transitioning Militaryby Susan P. JoyceJanuary 22, 2019Through my years of teaching my LinkedIn workshop to the transition classes at Hanscom AFB, I have learned 3 major mistakes that transitioning military and veterans often make with LinkedIn.LinkedIn is an important job search and networking tool, and you MUST pay attention and work on your Profile and visibility in order to find employment in the civilian job marketWhen filling a job, recruiters typically first search in LinkedIn looking for local people who are qualified for a job. So, LinkedIn membership is a necessity today for fruchtwein professionals, a basic requirement for career and job search.In addition, recruiters also search LinkedIn to learn more about job applicants and job candidates, making LinkedIn an essential p art of our personal online reputation management. When a recruiter does a Google search on your name, LinkedIn results are usually near the top of the first page (few people look past the first page).Consequently, LinkedIn is nearly unavoidable for most working people today.1. Not joining LinkedIn BEFORE your transition.When is the best time to deploy the life boats after the ship has sunk or before it sinks? Before, of course Same with joining LinkedIn Build your LinkedIn career lifeboat before you need it for your civilian job search.Unless you are hired by a personal friend without a formal hiring process, most employers will want to compare your resume or application with your LinkedIn Profile. They assume, based on painful experience, that LinkedIn Profiles (viewable by colleagues, friends, and family) are apt to be more accurate than resumes/applications submitted privately which may contain a few exaggerations.Since you usually know your transition date well in advance, don t wait until the brde few days or weeks to work on your LinkedIn Profile. Start building it and expanding your LinkedIn network (a.k.a. connections) while you are still on active duty.2. Not translating military jargon into civilian-speakand notlage quantifying your accomplishments in LinkedIn.Yes, everyone in the military knows what an OIC and an NCOIC are, but the civilian world has no idea. Explain in terms that civilians understand number of people led, logistics required, accomplishments achieved, and leadership demonstrated.In your military duties, you gained amazing experiences that most civilians your age have not come close to reaching, even if you are in your 40s or later. You managed impressive quantities of people and material. Explain that to civilians who have no clue.Assume you led a platoon of Marines. The civilian world has no idea what a platoon is or how many Marines are in a platoon, so simply stating that fact in your LinkedIn Profile is not useful.Better explai n that to them in terms civilians can understand Led 44 Marines for 12 months in combat action to meet tactical and strategic requirements. Managed team readiness, responses, and tactical assignments in very high stress situations. Accountable for $1,500,000 of material, organizing and coordinating cross-functional activities to acquire and maintain the appropriate level of supply as well as the movement of material as necessary, with no losses or discrepancies. Facilitated 10 technical skills certifications and 12 promotions for team members.3. Wasting the LinkedIn Premium Careers Membershipby Using it Too Soon+++Dont sign up for this one-time benefit until your Profile is complete and you have at least 300 connections+++Wait until you are 3 months or less from separation. Implemented too far in advance or without a solid profile, you will be wasting a benefit that costs civilians $360, and you will look green to recruiters.LinkedIn offers a one-time free annual Careers membership . (Click here.)Benefits of the Premium Careers membership includeBe a Featured ApplicantWhen you choose this option and meet a recruiters search criteria, your Profile receives greater visibility in the recruiters search results. (This will not make up for having a skimpy Profile In fact, a member with a skimpy Profile looks very clueless and/or lazy if they implement Featured Applicant.)See Profile ViewsSee who has viewed your Profile in the last 24 hours and in the last 90 days. These views hopefully include recruiters, employees of other organizations, and other LinkedIn members who havent set their accounts to be anonymous. LinkedIn will show you the trends in views of your Profile. So, if you publish an article or make a comment, you will (hopefully) see the reactions in the trendline.Take LinkedIn Learning classes for freeFor you, the Premium Careers membership includes 12 months of free access to all of the online courses available in this site, formerly known as Lynda.com, o ffering over 10,000 courses in business, technology, and creative skills.This is available for veterans and members of the US Department of Defense, any time. It is also available to the spouses of military members who have transitioned, retired, or done a permanent change of station in the last six months, and includes 12 months of LinkedIn Learning (thousands of online courses you can take).If you arent sure you want to use your 12 months now, accept LinkedIns standard offer to try Premium for 30 days. At the end of the 30 days, you can activate your free 12 months or not. Best to save this option until you can gain the most benefit from it.For more details about the program and the application process, veterans and active duty military can learn more about this program at LinkedIn Veterans Programs, and spouses can find more information at LinkedIn Supporting Spouses.The Bottom LineLinkedIn is unavoidable these days for most of us. Veterans, active duty military, and the spouses of active duty military have a great opportunity provided for free by LinkedIn. Gain the greatest benefit you can from that membership by avoiding the 3 major mistakes above.About this author Susan P. Joyce is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Susan is a two-time layoff graduate who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org, a Forbes Top 100 Website for Your Career. Follow Susan on Twitter jobhuntorg, LinkedIn, and Facebook.BEST BOOK FOR TRANSITIONING MILITARY, SPOUSES AND VETERANSJOBSEEKERS GUIDE, 8th Edition

Friday, December 20, 2019

How Liberty Mutual Is Approaching Hiring Tech Talent Making Boston a Tech Capital

How Liberty Mutual Is Approaching Hiring Tech Talent Making Boston a Tech CapitalHow Liberty Mutual Is Approaching Hiring Tech Talent Making Boston a Tech Capital When many of us think of working at an insurance company, a familiar image comes to mind a pretty risk-averse employee pacing in his nondescript cubicle crunching numbers and worrying about everything. You know, like Ben Stiller as Reuben Feffer in Along Came Polly . Now, press the mental delete button.Today, companies like Liberty Mutual Insurance are looking for new ways to serve their customers. The modern tech employee at Liberty Mutual is a trailblazer - part innovator, part leader, with a unique platzdeckchen of skills for generating out-of-the-box initiatives to serve customers. A true Jack or Jill of all trades. At least, this is how those at Liberty Mutual would describe their ideal candidate .We want prospective employees to show us that they possess the technical skills, innovative thinkin g, and leadership qualities that will help solve problems for our customers, says James McGlennon, Liberty Mutuals EVP & Chief Information Officer. But that is not enough on its own. Candidates also must demonstrate compassion, integrity, and doing the right thing- all intangible skills that help us put the customer at the center of everything we do.If youre thinking, This sounds like what big tech companies look for, you are right. Liberty Mutual may have been founded in 1912, but in the 21st century it has evolved into a fast, flexible and agile organization. Disruption and innovation have taken root at Liberty Mutual, and the Boston-based Fortune 100 company is looking to hire nearly a thousand new employees into all kinds of roles - not just tech - to help millions of customers in mora than 30 countries.Glassdoor caught up with McGlennon to dig into company culture,long-term goals and what theyre looking for in potential employees. Heres what they had to sayGlassdoor How do you define a Digital Transformation? What changes is Liberty Mutual currently undergoing as part of this?James McGlennon From driverless cars, to the Internet of Things and the sharing economy technology continues to disrupt every industry, including insurance. With technology changing faster than ever, we are at an inflection point from an innovation perspective. To keep up with customer expectations and to stay relevant, we must become even faster, more agile and increasingly open to smart risk-taking. To accomplish this, we are building a junges unternehmen culture within this 100 year-old Fortune 100 insurance company to more quickly deliver technology capabilities, better accommodate industry changes, and put the customer at the core of the digital experience. We are transforming our culture to build innovative solutions that drive unprecedented possibility for our team, partners and customers.Glassdoor What are your long term goals / visions for this transformation?James Mc Glennon Liberty Mutual is working to create a fast, flexible and agile organization that leads change in the industry by incubating new ideas and deploying new technologies. In a world where we cant predict the future and new competitors can come from many directions, we will win by being able to accommodate change and reconfigure our priorities in real time. We will do this by providing employees with opportunities to become multi-disciplined so they can harness the power of our collective differences and similarities to spark innovation and globally competitive ideas. By applying a diversity and inclusion lens to all that we do, we can bring more perspective, bring more background and bring more insight to our operations, products, and services.Glassdoor How is Liberty Mutual changing the way that we view insurance?James McGlennon We are at a critical point in time in the insurance industry. We are also in the middle of one of the most significant changes in the technology in dustry in decades. Every industry and all major companies are at risk. Disruption is all around us. Digital innovation and changing expectations create opportunities and threats. We need to disrupt ourselves and change how we operate, placing the customer at the center of our thinking and looking for new ways to provide value and enhanced service. By doing this we will redefine how customers shop for and learn about insurance by creating innovative ways to help them navigate the roads with more confidence and less worry. Glassdoor How is this way of thinking being integrated across the enterprise?James McGlennon As the agile mindset takes hold across the company, teams are using out-of-the-box approaches to test new ideas and significantly increase the companys speed to market and employees are feeling more and more empowered to take a risk and share ideas with colleagues and management. The past two years have binnenseen an explosion of innovative thinking coming from Liberty Mutu al includingGlassdoor Where do you see the company in five years? Whats your vision for the company moving ahead?James McGlennon Our goal is to be an innovation leader, developing products and services that address needs that our customers dont even know they have yet. To do this, it is imperative that we accelerate our speed to market. We will need even more flexible and agile product development and a more dedicated focus on our customers. We also need to increase the range of ideas and experiences that are brought to the table. One way we will do this is by attracting, developing and advancing the careers of women in technology both at Liberty and across the board. By fostering an environment in which everyone across the organization is encouraged to share their ideas and failure is not a negative, we will set ourselves up for another century of success.Glassdoor What qualities are you now looking for to make up this type of workforce? James McGlennon We want employees who e xemplify our core principles, including treating people with empathy, dignity and respect. Instead of just looking at how someone fits into a certain job function, we look for a combination of tangible and intangible skills and characteristics that indicate if he or she will make things better and follow through. This is becoming more prevalent in our approach to recruiting talent on college campuses. Instead of leading with the jobs/programs we offer, we are leading with the skills we are looking for in an ideal candidate . Finding talent that possess the skills to succeed in multiple roles throughout the company aligns with our focus on talent mobility and development focused culture.Liberty Mutual is an inclusive employer who welcomes and embraces all of the differences and similarities between people and groups. Because there are multiple dimensions of diversity, including race, background and sexual orientation as example, we offer a wide definition of diversity and value the intersectionality of the dimensions that make us whole beings. As a result we are continuously expanding how we create an environment that embraces all people.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Riding Your Bike to Work

Riding Your Bike to WorkRiding Your Bike to WorkWhether you want to help make the world a greener place, or simply want the exercise, bicycle commuting is an appealing idea. Think about it You start your day with a pleasant, leisurely bicycle ride to work. You arrive refreshed and energized. Youve gotten your daily dose of exercise, your blood is circulating, and now you can start your day. For some working mothers, bicycle commuting is a great option for these reasons. However, if the mere thought of pedaling all the way to work makes you tired, then bicycle commuting may leid be for you. If youre wondering whether bicycle commuting is the right option, weigh the pros and cons. zum besten von Bicycle Commuting Is Good Exercise Whether its two blocks or one mile each way, bicycle commuting allows for a good cardio workout as you travel to work. Con You Get Sweaty Depending on the shape youre in and how long your commute is, a long bicycle commute may cause you to sweat to the point where you need another shower. Youll have to leave early to allow for time to freshen up before starting your workday. Pro Bicycle Commuting Helps the Environment By not driving a car or riding a bus to work, youre helping the environment. Bicycle commuting doesnt contribute to the harmful emissions that pollute the air. By bicycle commuting to work youre making your contribution to a greener community. Con Bicycle Commuting Restricts Your Work Wardrobe You cant wear your work wardrobe of a skirt and heels on your bicycle commute to work. In fact, youll need to bring a change of clothing, and that presents yet another issue theres nowhere to hang a suit on your bicycle. Pro Bicycle Commuting Allows You to Enjoy the Outdoors Whether its a breezy fall morning or a sunny spring day, bicycle commuting allows you to take advantage of being outdoors before having to be inside an office building all day. Bicycle riding to work allows you to enjoy the scenery, smells and sounds of your community. Con You Cant Bicycle Commute in Inclement Weather When its snowing, raining or very cold your bicycle commuting needs to be put on hold. Even if its sunny in the morning, you may walk out of your building at the end of the day to pouring rain. Theres no guarantee the weather forecast wont change. Your commute home may not be as pleasant as it was in the morning. Pro Bicycle Commuting Can Be a Social Experience If you choose to bicycle ride with a buddy, you can enjoy a friends company on the way to work, engage in socialization and share all the pluses of bicycle commuting with that person. Con Bicycle Commuting May Involve Traveling Over Rough or Dangerous Terrain If your only route to work involves highways with no bike lane or narrow or bumpy roads, bicycle commuting can get dangerous. For this reason, its always good to map out alternate routes, especially those that include bicycle lanes. Also, be conscious of bicycle safety when riding in traffic.