3 Key Takeaways to Help You Up Your Game in the Job Market
Autumn has been a busy season at Interview Boss. We kicked off our soft lunch at the annual Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit. We attended an interactive exchange on DEI – Strategies for Establishing a Blueprint, Leading Change and Leveraging Technology hosted by HR.com. And finally, we were special guests at the New York Black MBA Association’s Virtual Fall Career Fair. Now, we’re sharing our top three key takeaways, so that you can develop your competitive edge in today’s job market.
Courtesy @Forbes Magazine
Disruption with DEI:
The first key take away I’d like to share with you is regarding DEI. From Forbes to HR.com to the New York Black MBA Association’s Career Fair, everyone is talking about DEI. So, what does that mean for you? As more and more companies begin to implement strategies to create a workplace culture that is rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion, you can expect to see great changes in workplace culture. And that change starts with talent recruitment.
In a story published by Mac’s List:
Resumes with a white-sounding name (e.g. Greg, Molly) receive 25% more callbacks than the same resumes with black-sounding names (e.g. Lakisha, Jamal).
When the final candidate pool has only one minority candidate, he or she has virtually no chance of being hired. If there are least two minority candidates in the final candidate pool, the odds of hiring a minority candidate are 194 times greater.
The same story of a successful entrepreneur—with the only variance of gender difference—received different impressions: Howard was seen as a more appealing colleague, whereas Heidi was perceived as selfish and unlikeable.
While real change takes time, fortunately, hiring managers are beginning to expand their recruitment practices, redefine the language used in job descriptions, and use technology that blinds gender and ethnicity references. But in order for change to be effective, everyone must be invested in its success. That means you can expect to be apart of that change.
Soft Skills Matter:
As the interview expert at the New York Black MBA Association’s Virtual Fall Career Fair, I met with many job candidates to provide interview tips and advice. Meeting with so many people, I saw a wide range in the level of soft skills, such as communication and people skills. While some job candidates soared in their soft skills, others noticeably struggled. And the main skills in which I noticed weak spots were a lack of confidence, a lack of enthusiasm, and an inability to effectively communicate skills and experience.
But HR managers are beginning to focus more on hiring for soft skills in addition to hard skills. So, soft skills isn’t something a job candidate can afford to neglect. And this is especially important when you’re attending a career fair.
As the workplace transitions into a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, more companies are also beginning to implement soft skill assessments during the interview process. The top soft skills that HR managers look for during talent acquisition include communication, emotional intelligence, being a team player, having a growth mindset, time management, creativity, and leadership.
One way HR leaders assess these soft skills is by conducting pre-employment personality tests. From there, the candidate assessments are compared against the hiring profile to produce a job fit score. So to succeed in the personality test, Indeed suggests you answer honestly, study the job description, take your time, and consider taking a practice personality test. But once you’re hired, you have to demonstrate those skills, so I also suggest you take professional development courses to boost your soft skills like training courses in leadership, effective communication, and problem-solving.
Networking Creates Opportunities:
Let’s face it. Schmoozing with strangers can be awkward. You don’t want to bother people, you have to think of what to say, and sometimes it just seems like a waste of time. And when you consider virtual events, the level of awkwardness is taken to a whole new level. And that’s exactly what I saw at the Forbes Under 30 Summit a few weeks back. While there were many movers and shakers in attendance during the hybrid event, you couldn’t escape the very real reality of how uneasy these situations can feel. But instead of letting the opportunity go to waste, I stepped up as the unofficial moderator of the networking rooms. And the result was insightful conversation that allowed us all to better understand each other, while making meaningful connections.
So how can you make networking work for you? And better yet, how can you use networking to discover potential job opportunities?
Attend career fairs and networking events in person when possible to create a more personable connection. And when you do attend virtual events, turn on your camera. A black screen or photo does not equal a memorable face.
Whether you’re attending an event in person or attending a virtual job fair, make an effort to create meaningful connections. Dropping a link to your LinkedIn profile without actually talking to people won’t yield the results you’re seeking.
And if you’re networking with the hopes of discovering a new job opportunity, don’t fall into the trap of making the conversation all about yourself. See how you can be of service to the other person. And then let them know what they can do for you - by way of introducing you to a contact at a company, or sharing your information with a hiring manager.
So if you’re on the job market, keep an eye out for new processes involving DEI strategies, boost your soft skills, and implement the networking strategies above to create success in your career. And when you’re ready to elevate your career, let Interview Boss help you prepare for your next interview. Book a FREE consultation today!
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