Mac Prichard's Blog, page 18

Navigating a Job Search in a New Country – Tamara Tudor’s Job Search Success Story

After 25 years living in the United Kingdom, Tamara Tudor decided to move back to the United States in the summer of 2018. Despite being at the top of her industry in London, she struggled to connect with Oregon employers and faced frequent rejection. Once Tamara stripped back the negativity she was experiencing and focused instead on what she wanted to do going forward with this fresh start in her career, she was able to unlock a new career path, without fear of failure. Tamara shares how she found a financial job, how she navigated the cultural differences between U.K. and U.S. employers and a job search in a new country, and how she learned to re-market her skills to a new employer audience.

What do you do for a career?  Who do you work for?

I work in wealth management administrative and financial assistance at Keudell / Morrison Wealth Management.

How long did it take you to find this job?  

I have been very fortunate since repatriating back home to the US in May 2018 as I was able to secure a role in my first week back (in the insurance industry, which was my UK career industry).  Unfortunately, it was not a good fit, although it allowed me the time to re-integrate into the American way of conducting business and provided me with sufficient knowledge (and confidence) to change industries and go back to my original career route in finance, which I moved away from when I originally immigrated to the UK 25 years ago.  

My current role in wealth management took approximately 10 weeks to secure.  In fact, I applied and forgot about the role entirely. I was ecstatic, though, when I was asked to attend an interview 6 weeks after the initial submission of my resume.

How did you find your job?   

I found the job through Indeed.com as I was actively seeking a role in either finance with a back-up plan of looking at government risk or analysis roles (I was using my core strength of being an underwriter for 20+ years as a base point for roles that were both analytical, yet customer/public focused).

What resources did you use?  

I used Mac’s List for a year after I decided to return to the US.  I bought Mac’s book, “Land Your Dream Job in Portland,” as I was aiming for Portland and surrounding areas before I decided on Salem (close enough to relatives, yet sufficient distance to do my own thing!).  I also listened to the Find Your Dream Job podcast episodes each week, contacted Mac via LinkedIn for advice (and he replied with some real confidence boosting suggestions).  I was basically starting from scratch with no ‘local’ experience or history, but with heaps of International experience.

It was tricky to navigate the US employment field from afar, to start with, and it was a challenge to prove my experience.  Some of the best advice and direction was provided from Mac’s List and the various guests on the podcast. I literally studied how to get a job in the US for 6-8 months.  Completely revised my CV/Resume, learned how to “sell” my personality as well as experience and never took rejection to heart… I just kept trying! I actually secured the first role in Salem (Insurance) from the UK about a month before arriving in Oregon.  

I was tenacious and grateful in equal measures when going through the interview process from abroad – phoning the HR team in the middle of the night (UK time), Skyping and constantly communicating my interest.

What tool or tactic helped the most?  

Learning how to be American again, which is very different to the British approach.  There are definite cultural differences. I had to tap into my my hidden super-positive attitude (it had been turned down several notches while in Britain because one must be a bit more dry with sarcastic wit, which is not the done thing out here!).  

I wasn’t used to ‘selling’ myself, I was used to my credentials speaking for themselves – industry exams, history, who I knew, etc…  I had to literally market a new me when I repatriated.

What was the most difficult part of your job search?

Constant rejection or not even being given a ‘look in’ due to no local experience.  This was when I was looking for underwriting roles specifically – I was constantly rejected, which was frustrating as I was ‘top of the game’ in the London Market.  

But, this rejection was also a really positive aspect as I suddenly understood that I could reinvent myself and I could go for roles that were different and not in my ‘safe zone’ of underwriting.  It helped me take a step back and really question what I was doing, what I was looking for and why. What did I really want to do? And, why couldn’t I just start over and go back to the beginning doing something I that would give me pleasure and allow me to be of service?

How did you overcome this challenge?  

I did a lot of self-questioning.  I stripped back everything to the basics of what I like, what I enjoy, what I don’t want to do and what if I fail totally and completely?  

Once I realized that this was going to be an interesting challenge and that I was a blank canvas with no history attached and failure was not a negative, but a signpost to try again or take a different approach, then I accepted that I was starting over in midlife and it would be fun – it would a positive challenge and I decided to literally let go and go with the flow…and enjoy the experience and not seek an immediate outcome.  

Then, I did a lot of research on what I ultimately wanted to do – which was return to finance and be customer focused, engage with the community and play with numbers (the risk analysis will always be a part of my career because I enjoy the actuarial side of finance and insurance).

What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers?  

Challenges entice you to think differently.  Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and know your strengths – use them as a baseline to delve into areas that interest you and simply enjoy the experience of learning about yourself and others during your search.

Why do you love your job?  

My job is absolutely amazing and ticks all of the boxes for me, personally.  I actively research and I am involved in compliance, so I’m constantly learning on a daily basis.  We have fantastic clients whom I meet daily – I get genuine pleasure out of assisting in any way I can, whether it is pointing someone in the right direction or completely handling money movements and associated issues with their accounts, liaising with our partners and learning (always learning) about all the facets of wealth management as a complete package.  I have the opportunity to take the new SIE exam and Series 7, which I’m studying for now! The firm is growing organically and is very community- and client-focused – the partners are truly practicing ethically and their ethos is infectious. Their attitude is to be of service and it is evident in everything we do.

The post Navigating a Job Search in a New Country – Tamara Tudor’s Job Search Success Story appeared first on Mac's List.

Recruit The Best Talent in 2019: Top Hiring Trends for Pacific Northwest Employers

2019 is right around the corner and as your business prepares for the new year, hiring the right people is no doubt high on your list of important future goals. Making these high stakes decisions requires a keen awareness of the hiring market, and a fair dose of reality and humility about your own hiring practices. It may be time to make a change, but there’s no time like the present! Use this list of Pacific Northwest hiring trends impacting the recruiting process in the region so you can find the best talent in 2019 and beyond.

Candidates are in the driver’s seat.

Unemployment in Portland and the Pacific Northwest region has been at a record low for months, meaning talented candidates are in high demand and competition is fierce. Oregon workers are spending less time unemployed and more time working, even among young adults with less work experience. In 2017, the median number of weeks young adults in Oregon remained unemployed was roughly 8 weeks, down from over 15 weeks in 2010. As more jobs open up, Pacific Northwest employers are having difficulties filling the job openings with quality candidates. In the past year, Oregon employers had nearly 60,700 vacancies at any given time. Of those job openings, 64 percent were identified as difficult to fill.

This shift in the power dynamic between companies and candidates means applicants have more options for where to work and the opportunity to make choices with greater selectivity. Essentially, you don’t pick talent any more, talent picks you. As you think about hiring in 2019, what will make them pick you?

Here’s what employers can do:


Create a great candidate experience.

From start to finish, your hiring process must be applicant focused. You cannot afford a bad candidate experience. A complicated or time-consuming application process, disorganized interviews, or—the most frustrating—poor communication, are not just bad etiquette, they will hurt your organization when the negative reviews roll in. Treat every candidate with the respect they deserve, regardless of whether you hire them. A positive experience means they’ll be more likely to take the job, reapply in the future or refer other quality talent to your company.

Post clear and compelling job descriptions.

A candidate’s experience begins when they read your job posting. Is it clear, concise and most importantly, compelling? Candidates read hundreds of job descriptions during their search—make yours stand out. Outline the responsibilities and desired skills with clarity and brevity and consider if you’re requiring a university degree arbitrarily or if it’s really necessary to do the job. Communicate the salary up front. Gone are the days of holding your cards close to your chest; hiring trends show candidates want transparency. Finally, highlight your company’s culture and opportunities for advancement with authenticity.

Reconsider compensation.

Wage growth has been flat in Oregon for a few years now and the cost of living has steadily increased. Employers who haven’t acknowledged this and increased their pay are not attracting many candidates. Perhaps you’re a small business and are truly strapped for cash—there are other ways to offer benefits through your compensation package, including flexible work hours, floating holidays, wellness programs, volunteer hours, and more. Be creative—your employees are worth it.

The gig economy is here to stay.

In just two years, estimates show approximately half of the U.S workforce will be temp, contract, or freelance workers which has major implications for hiring in 2019. The days of a rigid 9-5 office job are far behind us and instead, employees hop from one temporary position to the next rather than being locked down into a long-term commitment. Or in some cases, employees are juggling multiple jobs and commitments. In 2017, over 100,000 Oregon professionals held more than one job in addition to their primary job. Transitioning from a more traditional schedule can be difficult but it’s time to embrace it for the long term success of your business.

Here’s what employers can do:


Reward loyalty.

If you want people to stay with you, think about how you can encourage and reward longevity. Your pay structure is a great place to start. Incorporate wage increases as folks gain seniority, and increase benefits with each year of employment. As nice as it is to have the flexibility of freelance work, a major drawback is not having benefits such as tuition reimbursement programs, a 401k, or health insurance. These can be huge incentives for a candidate to buy into your company long-term.

Treat short-term workers well.

If your company uses temporary workers or freelancers, it can be easy to treat them as afterthoughts. Building a structure and policy around short-term workers is crucial to getting their buy-in, and for freelancers to feel motivated to produce high quality work. Receiving unclear assignments, last minute deadlines, or never being sure of when you’ll get paid doesn’t encourage anyone to commit. Keep your freelancers happy, and your company will thrive as a result.

Employer branding is more important than ever.

A LinkedIn survey showed that 74 percent of job seekers research a company’s reputation and employer brand before applying. Again, a candidate’s experience with your company can make or break their decision to work for you. Capturing the attention of quality candidates for all the right reasons is critical. How do you stand out from the crowd? Build a brand that showcases your company’s culture, philosophy on work, your mission and values, and explains clearly why any candidate would be happy to work for you.

Here’s what employers can do:


Tell a compelling story.

An important way to assess your company’s current narrative is to look at it from the job seeker’s perspective. Do your website, social media platforms, and all your communication tell a compelling story about your company? They should answer two critical questions: why would someone want to work for you and how does your company add value to the community, the industry, or to your employees’ lives?

Throughout the hiring process, be clear and authentic about your organization’s mission, values, and personality. If you claim to value community involvement,  incorporate policies that provide your employees with opportunities—yes, during work hours—to volunteer. Authenticity speaks volumes to someone who is wondering if you value what they do.

Invest in your employees’ wellbeing.

Recruiting trends are clear—few things speak louder to a prospective candidate than a raving employee referral. Investing in the people who already work for you is not only the right thing to do, it’s good business. Happy people like to share their happiness. More than ever, nurturing a human-centered, transparent environment where employees feel like their voice matters and where their health and growth are prioritized is vital. Plus, if you invest in your employees today, in the future you can hire from within and have an established team that grows with your business.

Lead with your company culture.

Contrary to what you might think, salary isn’t the number one priority for many candidates. When Oregon employers were asked in a talent assessment by the Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board how they overcome hiring difficulties, only 35 percent identified wage increases as a remedy. In fact, studies have shown that applicants are willing to take less money if they’re convinced a company’s culture is the right fit for them. 

How do you communicate your company culture before you’ve even had a conversation? It’s in the little things—begin your job postings by highlighting what your organization values and stands for. Show how the specific position you’re hiring for contributes to its mission. When talking about benefits, be transparent about your values on work-life balance, social responsibility, and other culture and value-driven initiatives. Candidates want to know what kind of company and people they’ll be working with and what they care about. And finally, don’t fake it. Today’s professionals have options and they’re not afraid to leave jobs. If you bring staff in under false pretenses, you’ll just waste money and time on turnover. 

The post Recruit The Best Talent in 2019: Top Hiring Trends for Pacific Northwest Employers appeared first on Mac's List.

2018’s Top Career Lessons from the “Find Your Dream Job” Podcast

It’s been a big year for my podcast, Find Your Dream Job. We celebrated a major milestone of 200 episodes recorded, updated our podcast format, and had dozens of conversations with career experts from all over the country (and the world!). As we look back on this incredible year, we wanted to share some of the best career lessons we learned from our podcast guests in 2018.

Here are 10 key quotes from Find Your Dream Job episodes this year. We hope these lessons will help you improve your career in the new year.

1. Identify your strengths to find a better fit

If you’re looking for a better job fit, start to observe yourself at work, name your strengths, and rewrite your career story to show off your enthusiasm and ability. Portland-based career coach Mary Blalock joins us on this episode of Find Your Dream Job to share tips, tricks, and resources to learn about your strengths and find your best job fit.

2. Prepare a strong answer to “Tell me about yourself”

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You’ve probably encountered this question in most of your job interviews: “Tell me about yourself.” It sounds like a softball, but your answer to this introductory question can be a game changer. Career coach and job search strategist Kerri Twigg shares why your response needs to be prepared in advance to ensure that it’s conversational, compelling, and strategic.

3. Use LinkedIn better by investing in others

LinkedIn is a powerful tool that many of us are misusing! In this episode, guest expert Christie Mims shared four real LinkedIn mistakes to avoid. Let’s improve the way we build and engage our network on LinkedIn in the new year. Hint: The key is to invest in your network before you need a favor!

4. Turn your career history into a compelling professional bio
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Tell your story in your bio! There’s no other story like it, and it will help you stand out from the crowd. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, William Arruda explains why your biography matters more than a resume.

5. Dig deeper to see if a company’s culture is right for you

During the interview process, ask tactical, specific questions about the company’s culture and determine if it fits your needs. Dorianne St Fleur, HR practitioner and diversity/inclusion enthusiast joins the Find Your Dream Job podcast to examine how to identify if a company’s culture is a good fit before you accept a job offer.

6. Know your worth, and be specific in salary negotiations
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Our guest Lauren McGoodwin reminds us that self-worth is more than your net worth. But when you do negotiate for salary, focus on understanding the market value of your skills and ask for the pay that compensates the type of work you do.

7. Be thoughtful to get your best pay ever

This episode of Find Your Dream Job shows you how to negotiate like a pro. With guest expert and negotiation consultant Kwame Christian, we learn what you need to do to prepare for your next salary negotiation, set a baseline for the salary you want, and convince your employer to give it to you.

8. Find a job faster with a few key strategies.
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Nobody wants a drawn-out job search. To speed things up, many candidates put more and more time and effort into the job hunt. Recruiter Jim Stroud says if you want to find your next job faster, there are three steps you can take now.

9. Rethink failure as an opportunity to learn something

One of the keys to a successful job search is to maintain positivity and perspective in the face of regular rejection. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, author and career coach Añuli Ola-Olaniyi explains how to manage failure in your job search and turn rejection into a learning opportunity.

10. Cultivate mentorships and be a mentor to fellow job seekers.
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Mentors can make an incredible difference in your career. Discover how to find a great mentor and how to be one yourself. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we’re joined by career expert Marci Alboher, vice president of Encore.org.

If you’re searching for a new job, we hope that these 10 career lessons provide insights that help you successfully land a job in the new year. We are excited for a new year of career advice conversations with experts from all over the world. You can subscribe to the Find Your Dream Job podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, YouTube or SoundCloud, and sign up for the weekly podcast newsletter here.

The post 2018’s Top Career Lessons from the “Find Your Dream Job” Podcast appeared first on Mac's List.

Finding A New Career Path For Your Skills: Stacey Rice’s Job Search Success Story

After a two month job search, Stacey Rice was ready to find a new career at an organization that aligned with here interests. The biggest challenge Stacey faced was identifying a job position that was suited to her skills, and that was the perfect next step for her career path. In the end, she found a job she loves with City Club of Portland. Get Stacey’s advice on what you can do to grow your career by volunteering and using local resources.

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

I manage the programs at City Club of Portland which includes our weekly Friday Forum luncheons, a research program that examines the civic issues that affect Portland and Oregon, and advocacy.

How long did it take you to find this job?

Two months.

How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most?  

I originally saw this job listing in Mac’s List and this is the main resource that I used. The weekly listings seems to hold listings of jobs that are of the most interest to me.  

What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge?  

The most difficult part of my search was trying to find the best fit for the next step in my career. Being very particular in what I was looking for really helped bring clarity to my search, and sticking to that focus kept me dedicated throughout my search.

What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers?

Volunteer with an organization that you have a passion for and that you would like to work for. They get to know you and if a job comes open that matches your qualifications, you may have the inside track to that job. I have gotten two jobs by doing this but I also gave my time to something that I believed in.

Why do you love your job?  

I am excited to help lead the organizational change at this 102 year old Portland institution to move it towards a more diverse and inclusive place.

The post Finding A New Career Path For Your Skills: Stacey Rice’s Job Search Success Story appeared first on Mac's List.

Design Your Careers Page to Connect With Candidates

Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, the careers page on your website is a candidate’s first look at your company’s values and culture. This first impression will influence whether or not they want to work for you. As you gear up to hire for new openings, it’s essential for your business to take a step back and evaluate your careers page. A good careers page will be consistent with your overall employer brand, tell a valuable company story, and present enough authentic, useful information to attract the right type of talent to apply for your open jobs.

It is no longer enough to just include plain text job descriptions on your career page and hope that people apply. Your careers page is your company’s recruitment center, where all potential candidates discover more about working for you, for the first time. The best employers invest in their career sites with relevant and impactful content.

Here are some tips to create a careers page design that spurs prospective employees to engage more deeply with your organization.

1. Know your goals.

What story do you want your careers page to tell? Map out actionable, practical goals for your careers page; that way you have a clear measure for success. If you want to increase applications, showcase your company culture, or build better branding, use your key goals to prioritize what belongs on the page.

Think about your values and mission statements when considering your goals for your careers page. What message do you want to communicate to people who visit your site?

2. Ensure your careers page is easy to find.

If potential candidates have to dig through three or more pages of your website to find your careers page, you could be losing out on tons of great talent. Position your careers page on your website so it can be easily located by potential applicants.

Keep the URL for your careers page simple, such as domain.com/careers or domain.com/jobs. This not only helps applicants to easily remember the URL, but it will also help you with search engine optimization.

3. Showcase what makes your company unique.

Think about what makes your company different from others in your industry or city. Identify these traits and make them part of your brand story. Your authenticity as a brand will shine through if you showcase real, unique stories and perspectives from the people who make up your company. Cut through the corporate jargon and include real bios that show off your employees’ personalities and help applicants get a sense of who they may be working alongside.

Put your values and mission statements on your careers page. This can give you the chance to inspire like-minded individuals to join your team.

4. Think about your application process from a candidate’s point of view.

Put yourself in the shoes of a potential candidate while reviewing your website and careers page. If you were a first-time visitor to your website, would your experience be positive or negative? Can you find the information you need and apply for positions easily? Does your website tell a story that gives candidates motivation and persuades them to apply for a job?

An overly lengthy or complex application process can lead to frustration, high drop-off rates, and ultimately brand damage. A simple way to test your application is to run through the process yourself and anonymously apply to one of your own roles. This will let you know whether you need to make any changes to avoid losing top talent.

5. Include dynamic content that captures the audience’s attention.

Short videos and photos from company outings or your annual holiday party can increase engagement from potential applicants and give employees a better sense of your work environment and company culture.

Include employee interviews, testimonials, and profiles that show real employees telling their real stories in their real voices. Connecting prospective candidates with your current employees can build excitement around the possibility of a new job – especially if your real-life employees explain how your company has invested in them, helped launch their career, taught them new skills, and helped them give back to your community.  

6. Optimize your careers page for mobile.

90% of job seekers use a mobile device as part of their job search! So it’s critical to optimize your career site for that kind of experience. For an applicant, having the ability to attach a resume from Dropbox or Google Drive will make the application much easier to complete on a mobile device.

Think beyond the mobile responsive platform. True mobile-friendly design should include short paragraphs, lots of white space, light images, shorter videos, and a short application process that doesn’t require typing a lot of text.

7. Create a relationship with future applicants.

Your careers page should have a way for people to start a relationship with your company. Whether you want to create a formal talent network or just send out job alerts, try to capture leads for passive talent that may not be ready to apply just yet or doesn’t see a match with a particular open position.

Maintain an active social media presence. Frequent activity on social media will create more ways to interact with and direct candidates to your careers page (and into your hiring funnel).

A company blog is a great means to educate potential applicants on what it’s like working for your company and for sharing your employee stories. It also lets you publish regular updates on the direction your company is heading.

The post Design Your Careers Page to Connect With Candidates appeared first on Mac's List.

Using Your University Connections to Find New Opportunities: Tanya Zarling’s Job Search Success Story

Tanya Zarling graduated from Portland State University in June 2018, and embarked on a 2 month job search before she was hired. During her search, Tanya applied to over 40 job openings online. But after one and a half months of exhaustively applying online, she had not received any job offers. It was only once Tanya started hacking the hidden job market and utilizing the power of her network to find new opportunities, that she was able to connect with an organization that aligned with her career goals.

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

I am an Engagement Organizer for the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV).

OLCV is a nonprofit that works to get pro-environment candidates in state offices and hold them accountable by creating an environmental scorecard that reflects how they have voted environmentally. I have a variety of exciting responsibilities that range from volunteer recruitment to helping out campaign teams for our endorsed candidates.

Since I started, I’ve been mainly focused on elections-related activities but after Nov. 6th I’ll have different things to focus on, like Lobby Day! I love the variety of this job!

How long did it take you to find this job?

It took me about two solid months. After graduating from Portland State University in June 2018, I traveled for about 4 weeks. Once I got back home I hit the job posting boards with everything I had. Eventually, I found the right fit and I am so grateful!

How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most?

It’s true what they say about using your network! I probably applied to 40+ positions posted around different job boards and only heard back from a small handful of them. I went to maybe 4-5 interviews, but never heard back from the majority of those. After about a month and a half of exhausting job board searching, I decided to spend more energy on figuring out how I could use the connections I had from PSU and my internships to find a job rather than just applying all over the internet.

Perusing Mac’s List was incredibly helpful, as I had read articles and attended an online webinar by Mac Prichard and learned how much more effective using your network could be! This was definitely the most useful tool for me, as I then focused on applying to organizations in which I had connections to. One of those organizations was OLCV, and after applying I reached out to a classmate of mine because I knew she had worked there.

What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge?

The most difficult part of searching for a job for me was the lack of response after I had spent so much time and energy each day looking for a job. I would essentially wake up, hop on my computer at my kitchen table, and just spend 6 hours or so a day just searching and applying. It was really tedious, and I felt discouraged because I knew I had so much to offer to an organization, but I didn’t know how to get that through to any place without having the chance to talk to them in person. I overcame this by spending less time applying all over to multiple jobs, and spending most of my day brainstorming networking opportunities and thinking creatively about where I had connections. Being a recent college graduate added to the challenge, as I didn’t have much experience in the field I wanted to be in. Using my PSU connections seemed like the best option for me, so that’s what I did.

What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers?

If you are a recent college graduate or soon to be, definitely use those connections you have from college! Be creative! This could mean extracurricular activities you took part in or internships you had, but also think about your classmates and professors you may have worked with on projects! They can be great advocates for your work ethic, especially when you may not have years of work experience to make your resume stand out.

Use your network, no matter what your stage of life or career! Put yourself out there, it’s definitely not as daunting as it seems. You might actually enjoy it! I would also say be open to a variety of job positions. I knew I wanted to work in the environmental nonprofit sector, but hadn’t put much thought into the more political aspect of things. By taking this position, I’m learning about an integral aspect within environmental issues in Oregon that I may not have even thought about had I not received this position. Sometimes our passions develop as we go, and with an open mind, any position can be a step forward toward figuring out what work you enjoy!

Why do you love your job?

I love my job because I’m learning new things everyday! I haven’t had much experience in politics before, so everyday I’m learning so much about issues that are so important and affect us all. The people I work with are all incredible and are doing such great work. It feels good to be part of a team working passionately everyday to protect our environment. I love working with our endorsed candidates, too. They are such progressive leaders and I’m excited to be helping support their efforts!

The post Using Your University Connections to Find New Opportunities: Tanya Zarling’s Job Search Success Story appeared first on Mac's List.

Building an Inclusive Workplace: Six Ways to Retain Diverse Talent

You’ve worked hard to recruit amazing people into your company. Think of the time you’ve spent reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, talking to candidates, debating who will bring the most value to the team, and navigating the offer and negotiation process – not to mention orientation and on-boarding. If you’ve done it right, you’re probably excited about adding another promising and talented member to your team.

But once they’ve settled in your office, what are you doing to retain your diverse talent? I’m not convinced most companies realize how expensive turnover is, in terms of money, time, reputation, and the wasted potential of what the employee could have achieved for the company. We instinctively know that when someone who is performing their job well voluntarily leaves, there is a cost to the company. However, most companies just haven’t taken the time or haven’t had the insight to try to quantify how much it costs.

Employee turnover costs more than you probably think. Some consultants and companies who have run the numbers estimate the costs of an entry-level position turning over at 50 percent of salary, mid-level positions at 125 percent of salary, and senior executives at over 200 percent of salary. Essentially, the numbers only go up the more specialized, productive, tenured, or senior that employee was in the company.

And turnover has a way of rippling out so that it also affects your current employees in terms of engagement, productivity, and client and customer service.    

So, what’s the best way to retain diverse employees? Be an inclusive company! I know, these words get mentioned a lot, so let’s dig into what it means to be inclusive in the workplace, and why it will benefit your business. 

This is how some brilliant HR voices, like Katie Augsburger, a consultant at Future Work Design, have explained it: if you create a workplace that is accessible and inclusive for the employees who have traditionally been excluded, the workplace becomes better for everyone.

Take the analogy of the curb cut (I just learned that this is the proper term for the dip in sidewalks at crossings), which was originally installed to make public streets accessible to wheelchair users. Despite the fact that it was intended to benefit a relatively small amount of people, everyone has benefited from the “curb cut effect.” Just think of parents pushing strollers, delivery people, people carrying heavy bags, people with joint pain, bikers, and skateboarders – everyone has benefited from this inclusive modification.

But what do we mean when we say be an inclusive company? I think the definition that pops up on Google explains it well:

Inclusivity: an intention or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who are handicapped or learning-disabled, or racial and sexual minorities.

Because, if you are intentionally including those who are most likely to run into barriers at your office, you will see an overall increase in employee retention. For example, the flexibility policy you created to assist an employee with a disability that allows them to work remotely as needed can help retain and engage an employee who takes care of their aging parents. The formal mentorship program you created to promote more diversity in leadership benefits all of the employees who participate. The inclusive language you use in your job description adds many more women to your candidate pipeline because they aren’t turned off by words like “hacker” or “competitive.”

But, what does all of this look like in practice? Here are six ways to make your office more inclusive:

Challenge your definitions of “professionalism” and “leadership” within your organization – and then hire and promote diverse leaders.

Focus on the image that pops into your head when you think about a business leader. I imagine, for most people, this image is of a grey-haired, clean-cut, white man in a suit. That’s certainly how it’s reflected in Fortune 500 companies, where 94.6% of CEOs are men and only .6% of those leaders are black.

But if that is the definition of leadership, what are we missing out on? A lot, as it turns out:

Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
Companies in the bottom quartile both for gender and for ethnicity and race are statistically less likely to achieve above-average financial returns than the average companies in the data set (that is, bottom-quartile companies are lagging rather than merely not leading).
In the United States, there is a linear relationship between racial and ethnic diversity and better financial performance: for every 10 percent increase in racial and ethnic diversity on the senior-executive team, earnings before interest and taxes rise 0.8 percent.

Try challenging the idea that leadership needs to present in a certain assertive, masculine way. Embrace professionalism outside of the vision of a suit and you might find your company has a very different approach to success.

As some incredible women founders wrote in their article “Sex & Startups”: “We’re as excited as anyone at the prospect of making money from the companies we’ve built — companies we hope will grow and flourish. But growth is more than numbers. Growth means improving our local communities; promoting our employees’ happiness; acquiring paying, loyal customers; helping users succeed; making and measuring improvements in people’s lives; and spurring cultural change. This is a more nuanced view of growth, but one in which quantity is decidedly not king.”

Consider offering flexibility to your employees.

According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), workplace flexibility can enable effective return-to-work for employees on maternity, family, medical, or disability leave, as well as returning veterans. Companies that offer flexibility find that it expands the recruitment of diverse employees – particularly single parents – and employees with disabilities. Flexible schedules also reduce absenteeism, improve employees’ health, and increase the retention of productive employees.

Employees who have even a small degree of flexibility in when and where work got done also had significantly greater job satisfaction, stronger commitment to the job, and higher levels of engagement with the company, as well as significantly lower levels of stress. Sounds good, right?

Be intentional in creating gender-inclusive options, like bathrooms, health care, and dress codes.

If you’re heterosexual and white and male, the modern office was designed for you.

The 9-to-5 schedule really only functions if you assume that any family responsibilities are being taken care of by a stay-at-home (female) partner. We have underlying, biased expectations that the women in the office will do the “office housework.” The language of business – businessman, salesman – and the adjectives we use to describe women and people of color in some roles – “female engineer,” “black accountant” – as if the descriptor is needed to explain how they deviate from the norm, clearly illustrates who “belongs” at work.

However, cues in the physical environment and policies can contribute to every employee’s feelings of belonging. Employers should consider providing gender-inclusive bathrooms (e.g., facilities that are not designated “men” or “women” but are available for anyone of any gender to use). At Boly:Welch, we offer employees a lactation suite and a homework room for kids out of school. Health care benefits should be open to same-sex spouses and partners, include reassignment surgery coverage, and offer parental leave vs. just maternity leave. Dress codes shouldn’t police what employees wear because of an outdated, sexist, and (especially when it comes to hairstyles like afros and locs) racist approach to “professional attire.”

It doesn’t take a lot to make people feel welcome, but we do need to challenge the default workplace settings.

Provide education around and try to use inclusive language.

Language can be incredibly powerful, and it also has a history of leaving a lot of people out. For example, think about the term “hey guys,” when there are women in the room. It seems innocuous, but if you’re the only woman in a room full of male coworkers, doesn’t it sound nice to hear, “hey everyone?” and have the default of humanity not be male?

Language does matter. Why do we use phrases like “male nurse” or “female doctor”? Why doesn’t that feel weird? Shouldn’t it feel strange to label a woman in a leadership position “bossy” when we’d call a man “assertive?” Can we stop calling people of color “minorities,” when they’ll comprise more than half of the nation’s population by 2040? Doesn’t “underrepresented” seem a bit more accurate?

A lot of our language choices are embedded and habitual. To create an environment where people feel welcome and included (e.g., using preferred pronouns), it’s going to take a bit of effort to consider the implications of the words and phrases we didn’t even realize we need to challenge. And this isn’t an effort to “be PC” – there is a strong correlation between gendered grammar and sexism.

Helpfully, there is lots of great information out there, including this comprehensive guide.

Offer formal mentoring to all employees, but be intentional about giving underrepresented groups access to information and key relationships that will make them successful.

Mentoring is an incredible way for all employees to engage and grow in an organization. And it’s also a great way to create more diverse leadership: a Harvard Business Review study found that formal mentoring programs within organizations boosted representation of women and people of color (POC) in management on average by 9 to 24 percent.

However, these studies also show that while white males tend to find mentors through their own social networks and can benefit from an informal structure, underrepresented groups and women are less likely to get a mentor through an informal program, so it’s important for the program to be formalized.

One reason, according to some research, is that white male executives aren’t comfortable reaching out informally to young women and underrepresented groups. But if they’re assigned a mentee in a formal program, they’re usually very ready to help.

Ask employees what they need.

It’s easy to assume we know what’s best for our employees, based on our own experiences and insights, but you know what happens when you assume things.

We’re all different. The employee who thrives with clear instructions needs different management than the employee who needs space and autonomy to do their best work. The employee with dependents needs different benefits than the employee nearing retirement. The employee who is new to your company experiences it in a very different way than a long-term employee.

So instead of assuming you know what works for your employees, ask them what they need! You can use surveys, focus groups, empathy mapping, shadowing, and interviews – whatever you need to develop a clear picture of what your employees need to be successful in your organization.

This is by no means an complete list of all of the inclusive practices out there. But, it might be a good place to start for a company to begin to benefit from the “curb cut effect” of inclusion.

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College Grads: Be Relentless to Land Your Dream Job! Derek Steffen’s Job Search Success Story

Derek Steffen recently graduated from college, and like many college grads, he found himself in the middle of his first major job search. Derek has lots of actionable advice for new college grads. Before he landed his first job, Derek had to wrap up his internship, connect with his network, and overcome the frustrations all job seekers face when confronted with rejection. Derek credits his successful and quick job search to networking, which played a major role in how Derek found his current job. Read Derek’s job search success story to discover how he stayed motivated, maintained his persistence, and got his foot-in-the-door as a new college grad.

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

I work for Two Rivers Marketing in Des Moines, Iowa. At Two Rivers Marketing, I’m on the digital team, though I mainly support two of our clients: Bobcat and Doosan.

As a social media coordinator, I do a lot of the back-end work that goes into our social efforts (I, quite literally, coordinate social media). I work with our internal teams to assign jobs, set due dates, oversee the workflow from first to final draft, route copy through editorial, and schedule our posts month-by-month. I also do community management on social media, which involves moderating the discussion in the comments section of posts, responding to direct messages, and keeping an eye on the total engagement of each post to report back to the team on what types of content are performing best for our audience on each channel.

How long did it take you to find this job?

I understand this is far from normal, but it didn’t take me long to find this position. I just graduated from the University of Iowa in May, and had an internship at FleishmanHillard in Kansas City from May through August. I started looking for full-time positions in my home state of Iowa the month before my internship in Kansas City was slated to end. Two weeks before I finished my internship, I applied at Two Rivers Marketing. The Monday after I wrapped up my internship, I interviewed for my current job, and they offered me the position later that week. All in all, I spent about an hour per night every night for a few weeks before finding my job at Two Rivers Marketing.

How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most?

I spent quite some time searching job sites for open positions. Although cold-applying for positions online generated quite a few job leads, I struggled to get past the proverbial “foot-in-the-door” stage of the job search process. I wound up finding this job thanks to the power of networking. I utilized LinkedIn to message communications professionals in the Des Moines area, one of who was an alumna of the college I attended. She encouraged me to apply for my current job, and acted as an internal reference during the initial stages of the interview process. Networking was a huge driving factor in landing my current job.

What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge?

I’d say the most difficult part of my job search was keeping myself from getting frustrated. After sending out dozens of custom-crafted resumes and cover letters, only to wait for weeks to find out I didn’t even get an interview (or, worse yet, not hearing back at all), it was difficult to stay motivated to go through that that over and over. It may sound cliche, but the power of will allowed me to overcome that challenge. At the end of the day, I was more motivated to find a job I loved than I was frustrated by the process, so I was able to prevail.

What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers?

Don’t give up. Giving up is the easiest thing you can do, but it won’t get you anywhere if you want to land a dream job. If you truly want to make a change and secure a position you truly love, you can’t settle. You have to go get it — relentlessly.

Why do you love your job?

I love my job for two reasons: my role on my team and the people I work with. Digital and social media marketing is my passion, and I was lucky enough to land a job in that industry while also finding a company with an amazing culture.

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Why You Can’t Find A Job in a “Hot Job Market”

Portland’s job market is “hot.” Unemployment hovering between 3% and 4% for over a year. New businesses are moving to the city, and many existing industries are growing by leaps and bounds. I talk to regional employers every day who are struggling to find candidates for the open jobs. And at the same time, I know many great professionals who are struggling to find work. So, what’s going on?

Since April of last year, 1.6 million unemployed Americans have been out of work for six months or longer, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Obviously, booming employment rates are not translating into jobs for everyone. Economists offer several theories such as plain old hiring discrimination, as well as the increasing popularity of applicant tracking systems, which many see as a barrier to human interaction and effective hiring. No matter the reason, it can be incredibly frustrating for a job seeker to hear about “full employment” while actively applying. Don’t despair! There are strategies and creative ways to respond to and overcome the hurdles of job hunting in a “hot job market.”  

Challenge: Facing age discrimination.

There’s no way to sugar coat it, but hiring discrimination happens. If you’re a 50+ job seeker, employers may discount your skills and experience in favor of a younger candidate who’s more tech-savvy, and potentially less expensive to hire. They may also have assumptions about your longevity in the company as well as your comfort level reporting to a younger boss. These are frustrating stereotypes, but they’re not insurmountable.

Solution: Address biases.

Address an employer’s potential concerns out of the gate. Your resume, cover letter, and interview are all opportunities to contradict biases. Include no more than 10-15 years of relevant work experience on your resume, focusing on results, achievements, and unique skills younger candidates likely won’t have. Your cover letter should emphasize your track record of sustained success, flexibility, and eagerness to work with people of all ages. And, in an interview, speak directly to how your experience and work ethic are the answer to an employer’s unique problem.

Challenge: Looking for a position in a niche industry.

If you’re trying to break into an industry that’s competitive or has a high retention rate, it might feel impossible to get your foot in the door. Portland has several niche industries such as the burgeoning creative fields, and there can sometimes be hundreds of candidates applying for one position. There’s been an influx of new talent into our city, making it even more competitive — so how do you stand out?

Solution: Build relationships.

It’s not enough to rely on your resume. Like never before, growing your network is critical. In fact, some experts would suggest not applying for a position until you have connections within your industry. Meeting and developing relationships with people who can vouch for you is the number one tool in your toolkit. Attend networking events, join professional organizations, and identify industry leaders who you can pursue for informational interviews. Portland has a vibrant networking scene and professionals tend to be generous with their time and energy. Find the format that works best for you and put yourself in front of the decision-makers in your field. If just one person has your name when a position comes up, that could make all the difference in getting hired.

Challenge: Getting lost in Applicant Tracking Systems.

Larger companies receive hundreds of applications for one position and as a result, they’re relying on Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to sift through them all. Using preset filters, they quickly narrow the pool of candidates to a select few and some studies have shown that only 3% of applicants ever even get contacted. This statistic is discouraging especially considering the hours it takes to fill out tedious online applications. Don’t lose heart—there are ways around these machines.

Solution: Customize your resume and cover letter.

Fine-tuning your resume is essential. An ATS is programmed to identify specific phrases and words, so uploading the same, generalized resume for every job won’t get you anywhere. Identify important skills and competencies in each job listing, and make sure to use their key words throughout your resume.

Your cover letter has never been more important. So, you managed to address an employer’s basic criteria, now you have show what makes you different. Cover letters have become the number one way to influence a hiring manager which makes it critical that you don’t bore them with the same information that’s on your resume. Use it as an opportunity to tell your story and create a connection with them, showing how you resonate with the company’s goals, mission, and values.  

Challenge: Lack of clarity on what you want.

If you want to convince an employer you’re right for the job, you have to be convinced yourself. Many job seekers struggle to get further in the application process because they can’t articulate the value they bring or they’re not clear on what it is they even want to do. Lack of clarity doesn’t inspire confidence in a hiring manager. You’d think showing you can do a number of different jobs should work in your favor but what you’re communicating is you don’t know yourself or your strengths. Employers will see this as an automatic red flag.

Solution: Identify your strengths.

Examine your skills and do some work in discovering more about who you are, what motivates you at your core, and what you’re uniquely good at. This may take some time, but it’s worth it. A key way to identify your strengths is looking back at your career and noticing key accomplishments, successes, and situations in which you thrived. Working with a career coach can be particularly helpful in learning to clearly express your skills, how they’re relevant to different positions, and most importantly, what value they bring to an employer. Articulate this in your resume, your LinkedIn profile, cover letter, personal website, and portfolio. This ensures your professional brand is clear and consistent—two attributes every employer looks for.

Discouragement and setbacks are par for the course in a challenging job search and while it may feel isolating, remember, you’re not alone. Maintain a clear focus, stay confident in yourself and what you bring, and you’ll get noticed.

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Staying Resilient and Bouncing Back from Rejection: Karrisa Barrera’s Job Search Success Story

Karrisa Barrera spent 3 months trying to find the right job position for her next move. She had an upcoming trip to Europe on the horizon and a decision to make: should she keep her current job or put in her notice before securing a new job? Karrisa decided to put in her notice and with some strategic outreach, she was able to secure a new position after she returned from her European travels. Get Karrisa’s advice on how she stayed resilient and overcame rejection in this job search success story.

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

I am a marketing professional in the tech field. I recently started working at the local Portland tech startup, NurseGrid. We’re a company founded by nurses with a mission focused on our belief that those who do the most important work deserve the best technology. NurseGrid provides a free mobile app for nurses and other healthcare professionals that streamlines and simplifies their hectic schedules and communication.

We help nurse managers save time with our staff and schedule management software, NurseGrid Manager. It’s very typical for nurse managers to spend hours managing schedules with spreadsheets, paper, calls, and even text messages. By using our software, they’re able to get time back to spend with patients and their staff.

How long did it take you to find this job?

I was looking to expand my professional experience about 3 months before leaving my last job at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. During this time, I applied to various positions and had initial interviews, however, none of them were the right fit. I also decided that I wanted to take a longer break in-between jobs than the typical 1-2 weeks and do some traveling. So, I decided to take a gamble, and put my notice in before finding a new position. It worked out in my favor, as I got an interview with NurseGrid my second to last day at Aruba. They offered me the position a few weeks later and I started after I returned from traveling in Europe.

How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most?

In Portland, there are so many resources for folks looking for a new position, career change or networking opportunities. There are job boards, networking events, mentorship programs, and more. I highly recommend folks take advantage of these opportunities to grow their personal and professional network.

I started attending networking events during my junior year of college, shortly after accepting a marketing internship at Aruba. That year I also attended my first PDX Women in Tech (PDXWIT) event. I was amazed at the safe and supporting environment and started volunteering as their Social Media Coordinator.

My internship at Aruba continued to be extended until I graduated college. Upon graduation, I accepted a position on the marketing team as a Communication Manager and my volunteer position moved into a leadership position as the nonprofit continued to grow. Networking and securing an internship both helped to jumpstart my early career.

Through my networking and involvement, I learned about the marketing position at NurseGrid before it was posted online. I ran into Elana Silverman, a fellow PDXWIT member at an Out in Tech event. I mentioned my fascination for the combination of technology and health and she let me know about a marketing position that would be opening up soon.

What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge?

For me, the most difficult part of a job search is the rejection. I can get really fixated on a job and company and take it personally when I learn they choose to not move forward with bringing me into the interview process, or extend an offer to someone else. However, over time I have found that those jobs truly weren’t right for me. Sometimes job rejections truly are blessing in disguise.

The whole job search process truly is a learning experience. If one opportunity doesn’t work out, take what you’ve learned from the experience and tweak your resume, cover letter, interview performance, etc. and leverage that for the future.

What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers?

I have a short list:

Networking is key – Having a professional and supportive community is crucial.
Don’t underestimate your skills or ability to learn new skills you may not have yet.
Apply to the job even if you don’t have all the qualifications! Women are statistically less likely to apply for a position if they don’t have all the qualifications listed than men. Apply to the job anyway and tell them why you’re excited to learn the new skills.
Have someone review your resume and cover letter – there are several resume building workshops in Portland.
Get a mentor! It can be someone you work with, a family friend, professor, or look into mentoring programs or events. PDXWIT has a great Mentorship Program.

Why do you love your job?

I love my job because I am working for a company that is value-driven and I’m surrounded by hardworking people who truly want to transform healthcare for the better. We’re advocates for nurses and create technology that helps manage their hectic schedules, resulting in better patient care.

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