Whats in a Name and Why it Matters in the Workplace

Whats in a Name and Why it Matters in the Workplace Unless youve changed it by deed poll your name is the one given to you by your parents at birth, so how important is it to get it right? My name Ushma is a traditional Hindu name which my parents gave me.   It means warmth, but Im always cold, so slightly ironic! My dad wanted a simple, modern name which is easy to say and hoped people would only use Ushma to address me. In fact, he would get really offended if people did get it wrong or shortened it to Ush or Ushie. I think its fairly easy to say, you just say it as its spelled Ush- ma. There are no silent letters or hidden pronunciations  but youd be surprised how many people still get it wrong. So how important is your name in the workplace? Well to me its extremely important. I use it all the time in a professional capacity and so I expect people to get it right, I dont even mind if you ask me how to say it. In fact, I would rather you do that, then got it wrong. So how do you deal with someone getting your name wrong? In my early days as a newspaper reporter, in my mainly-white office, I got really upset that my work colleagues would often get my name wrong but then wouldnt make any attempt to correct themselves or ask me how to say it. This prompted me to fire off an email with the subject Correct pronunciation of my name to the entire newsroom staff. Thankfully it worked! Nobody was offended and my name was pronounced correctly (mostly). But should we be getting upset at work colleagues getting our names wrong?  Darain Faraz, LinkedIn Careers Expert, says: Your name acts as a unique identifier, differentiating you from most other people,  and is ultimately the label to your ‘professional brand’ in the workplace. Get that wrong and you may already be on the backfoot. At best a mangled name pronunciation can come across a bit lazy â€" at worst, a tad rude. For me, having a slightly “exotic” name means you constantly have to deal with it being botched  (I recently wrote a  LinkedIn post  about it here), I’d suggest trying to get your head around the pronunciation before meeting people.  I’m mightily impressed when people get my name right in the first instance. And first impressions last â€" particularly in a work context. Here at the Undercover Recruiter/Link Humans headquarters, we are a very multi-international bunch.  I asked our  team to tell me some of the wrong names theyve been called. Take our boss Jorgen, who is Swedish. His name is pronounced Yur-gunn and youd be forgiven for getting this wrong if you didnt know that in Swedish the letter J is pronounced as a Y. But with that in mind, surely being called Jaw-gun is probably the worst hes been called, right? Wrong! Jorgen Sundberg says: Jordan, Goran, Jorge, George, Nigel (yep) I usually let it go unless were doing a podcast recording and Id hate for them to call me the wrong thing for 30 mins. And its not just his name that people get wrong, it seems Undercover Recruiters sister company Link Humans trips people up too. Jorgen told me its been called  Humanlinks, Links Human, Think Human, and even LinkedIn! So far all these names havent been English so there is room for error when it comes pronouncing them. So youd think Andy Partridge, who is Head of People, probably hasnt experienced anyone getting his name wrong. Well, not according to Andy: Ive been called Alan Partridge a few times, and had people email me. I tend to let it go as people are horrified if i point it out and super embarrassed. Quite rightly too! (Non-British readers may want to Google him!) Our Advertising Guru Chris Kedwell was given an unlikely promotion: My old Polish next door neighbour in Toronto used to call me Christ. Jon Gregory, who is a career trainer and writer of Win-that-job.com has these useful tips to correct your colleagues: If someones name is hard to spell, or indeed to pronounce, always make the effort to get it right. It shows professionalism, theyll be forever grateful, youll stand out from many of your peers, your relationship will strengthen and who knows where that may ultimately lead you? Getting someones name wrong the first time may be just unlucky, especially if youre rushed and the dreaded auto-correct kicks in. As soon as you realize, go back to them,  apologize and resolve never to make the same mistake again. Never risk leaving a potentially open wound to quietly fester in the background. Repeatedly getting someones name wrong never bodes well for the future of your relationship. At the subconscious level, youre repeatedly demonstrating you couldnt care less about them. As a Jon I suffer from this hugely. Even months and years after relentlessly signing off as Jon, some people still address emails and messages to John and spell my name incorrectly in programmes, on agendas, and in online articles. How hard can it be? I presume theyre either, dim, lazy or just disrespectful. Theyre always the second choice in my book. Oh and if you want to know the names Ive been called, here are just some of them: Kufma Usha Osama Usma Usharmar Manisha!! (yes really) Ishmael

Why You Should Give Your Staff a Mental Health Day Off Work

Why You Should Give Your Staff a Mental Health Day Off Work Your leave policies may include sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, compassionate leave and even bereavement leave. But does it include mental health sick leave? We all know the mental health of our employees is paramount and a lot of companies are being proactive and robust about the way they deal with employees mental health. Some of the things companies are doing include providing a healthy work environment, supporting employees with mental health issues  and talking to staff a lot more. But did you know you could allow your staff to take a mental health sick day? Thats exactly what Madalyn Parker did and the response she got from her boss went viral. When the CEO responds to your out of the office email about taking sick leave for mental health and reaffirms your decision. ?? pic.twitter.com/6BvJVCJJFq madalyn (@madalynrose) June 30, 2017 High five to Madalyn Parker Ben Congleton. Mental health just like physical health is health. She took a mental health day. Hes her CEO. pic.twitter.com/CuKMpu6S1t Dr. Rosie P Bingham (@TigerBingham) July 12, 2017 So why should you be offering mental health sick days as part of your leave policy? Well because  mental health is  just as important as a persons overall health. If your employees don’t proactively address their mental health, they won’t be able to perform at their best. In fact, the Center for Prevention and Health estimates mental illness and substance abuse issues cost employers up to $105 billion annually. Reduced productivity, absenteeism and increased healthcare costs are just a few of the ways mental health issues cost employers money. Its estimated that  only 17% of the U.S. population is functioning at optimal mental health, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates. And  1 in 5 people experience a diagnosable mental health condition  at any given time. In the UK,  according to Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey statistics, last year, Britons took 137 million sick days. Of these, 15.8 million days were for a stated mental health issue whether that is stress, depression, anxiety or a more serious condition such as manic depression and schizophrenia  By contrast, 34 million days were lost to minor illnesses, like coughs and colds. But there is no legal difference between taking a mental health sick day and a day off for a physical problem like a back problem. Employers are legally required to protect the health and safety of those at work and this includes mental health problem if it affects a persons day-to-day life. A mental health day is where an employee does not come to work and takes a  sick day  for reasons other than physical illness and are more common place in countries like America and New Zealand. Some people may consider a mental health day to be when someone simply does not feel like coming in to work, but the most accurate use of this term is related to true mental illness rather than a desire to skip work. The difficulty with most mental illnesses is that they dont show any outwardly physical symptoms like a broken limb or sickness. And while we do know some employees do feign illness to blag a day off work, its not always a good idea to doubt an employees sickness. We also know that there is a huge stigma around mental health and quite a lot of ignorance from other members of staff and managers when it comes to dealing with an employees mental health so its even more important that those who suffer from conditions like anxiety and depression are fully supported at work, or even while theyre taking time off work to recover instead of being judged. Jessica Williams, Managing Director of Sidekicks said: Giving your staff the time and space they need to feel well is very important. You hire people because they add value to your business, so valuing their mental health and respecting their needs at challenging times is beneficial to everyone; employer and employee alike. Overcoming the challenges of mental health in the workplace is something were very aware of at Sidekicks. Our not-for-profit programme, Work to Recover, supports people returning to work after mental illness by providing them with practical support and coaching, so it is something we have thought about more or less from day one. The mental health charity Mind has lots of advice and a guide to improving mental health at work  which can be accessed by anyone. After all, unless youre a medic, no-one is an expert and youll be surprised just what little effort it takes to make sure your employees are well both physically and mentally.

How Your Facebook Picture Can Damage Your Personal Brand

How Your Facebook Picture Can Damage Your Personal Brand Can a good picture help your personal brand? Maybe. Can a bad photo on Facebook ruin your brand? Absolutely. Heres a nifty infographic from LinkingR about the level of damage your image can make to your online identity on Facebook and other places. Minor damage is incurred by using a default picture (imagine the egg on Twitter). A little more damage is done by using a low-res photo or something blurry altogether (so forget those holiday snaps please). Dual damage is when you use someone elses photo, especially if that photo is bad as well. In the graphic below theyve used Brad Pitt which probably mitigates that damage just a tad. Severe damage is caused by using an offensive image that will shock your grandma. The highest level of damage is apparently the use of pornographic imagery. Funny that, I see lots of these images on Twitter by spammers and it seems to work for them, mind you theyre not looking to boost their online personal brand of course. Related: 7 Pictures You Should Never Use on Your LinkedIn Profile.

Elevate Your Nonprofit by Learning From These 5 Technologies - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Elevate Your Nonprofit by Learning From These 5 Technologies - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Nobody â€" especially the private sector and government sector â€" knows how to do more with nothing as well as a nonprofit organization. Stakeholders understandably want costs to be kept in check, yet enacting change in whatever field you’re dedicated to can be a long and expensive process. Resources can still be hard to come by even if you’re relatively well-funded, too. Fortunately, technology can help your nonprofit discover the next great idea that can make a difference. Inspired by Technology There are a number of unique technologies out there that can inspire your organization. Some of these are brilliant ideas that help bring like-minded people together. Others are so simple, yet elegant, that you’ll wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. Take a look at these five examples of technology doing good to see what types of solutions your organization might be able to come up with: Charity Miles As a society, we’ve become obsessed with tracking our fitness. From phone-based running apps to fitness tracking watches, we like to look at our progress and reach our daily goals. Gamification is a great way to encourage people to get in shape. As the Charity Miles app proves, it’s also a great way to raise funds while people are working out. With this app, walking, running or bicycling leads to a donation for every mile covered. Before the workout, users choose which charity they want the money to go to. There’s also a social element, as runners and bicyclists can share their results via social media. Combining fitness â€" which many people were partaking in anyway â€" with a good cause is undoubtedly a smart idea. Freerice This brilliant little game has been around for almost a decade. Despite its age, Freerice is still worthy of admiration. The concept is simple â€" answer multiple-choice questions in a variety of subjects. For every ten questions a player gets right, 10 grains of rice are donated by the World Food Programme to people in need. Obviously, ten grains of rice is very little in the scheme of things. The sheer popularity of this simple quiz game, however, has led to almost 100 billion grains of rice being donated. What makes this so effective? For one, people love helping out when it isn’t especially demanding. That’s not a knock against stakeholders, either. People lead busy lives and are constantly being solicited for their time and money â€" or a combination of the two. Freerice is satisfying on an intellectual level, as people like testing their knowledge, but it’s even more satisfying emotionally. It feels good to help â€" even if you’re doing so by performing algebra or answering what the capital of Nepal is. Software for Improving Communication Communication is everything when you’re a boots-on-the-ground nonprofit working in challenging circumstances. To help ensure people receive the assistance they need and that there’s no miscommunication, specialized software is used. Some programs, for instance, work to prevent medical dispatchers from making errors. During slow times and in the office, communication is also important. There are a number of internal communication programs that ensure everyone is on the same page. The Internet of Things The Internet of Things (IoT) isn’t one specific product, but rather, it’s a vast array of technology that can greatly impact how nonprofits operate. In short, IoT is the networking of physical devices to the Internet, like smart homes, smart cars, etc. This industry is growing at a rapid pace, with an expected 50 billion connected devices by 2020. What does this mean for nonprofits? From strictly a consumer device perspective, this is another dimension for marketing. As Nonprofit Tech for Good explains, someone could be listening to a radio during a pledge drive and make a donation through voice recognition. Someone could also be watching a news story on TV about a natural disaster and be prompted to easily donate to the cause via their smartphone or tablet. The technology goes beyond TVs and cars, however. Smart technology is being used collect invaluable data that can help nonprofits achieve their missions. It’s still a developing technology, but it shows a lot of promise. iRecycle Nonprofits struggle with making it as easily as humanly possible to get people to help their mission. Earth 911, an advocacy group dedicated to promoting recycling, responded to this dilemma with their iRecycle app. This simple app points users to the nearest recycling centers in their area to ensure people’s waste is disposed of properly. Just type in what kind of object you want to recycle â€" from an old computer to aluminum cans â€" and the app brings up all the locations that accept the waste. This app shows that a good idea doesn’t have to be overly complex or bogged down with extensive features. All it has to do is easily fulfill a need. The Next Great Idea Great ideas don’t come out of anywhere. Instead, they come from personal experience and knowledge about a subject. Keep an eye on the latest technology being used both by nonprofit and private sectors. Build on what’s useful and throw out the rest as you use technology to strengthen your nonprofit’s mission.

Are Face-to-Face Interviews a Necessity in 2017

Are Face-to-Face Interviews a Necessity in 2017 Optimizing the hiring process is a common theme across many companies that want to reduce the cost of recruiting while still managing to find the right people.With the incredible power of the Internet, digital resumes, and online interviews, it’s easy to wonder if it is it still necessary to conduct face-to-face interviews.evalRichard Fairbank, CEO of Capital One certainly thinks so. “At most companies,” he notes, “people spend 2% of their time recruiting and 75% managing their recruiting mistakes.” This is why many large companies are moving away from a streamlined digital interviewing process to a larger emphasis on face-to-face interviews.Although a digital onboarding process may initially save money, studies show companies classify 30 to 50 percent of all recruiting efforts as failures. They define failure when a new hire quits or is fired within the first year, or the original candidate rejects the offer. Accurate Screening. Applicant can’t provide false screening in formation such as gender, age, race, or discuss specific experiences during a live interview.Interviewee Focus. According to TheLadders.com, job applicants spend an average of only 76 seconds reading and assessing a position description online. Online applications and interviews may be convenient, but are often in the midst of distractions such as texting, reading emails, or looking up company information in the moment. Face-to-face interviews create an environment free from technological distractions.Non-Verbal and Emotional Cues. Although online and phone interviews may capture verbal cues, only an in-person interview lets the interviewer to read body language, assess comfort with interview questions, and judge levels of enthusiasm for the position.Although there are disadvantages to face-to-face interviews such as cost, limited sample size, and the need for qualified interviewers, there are certain aspects that can only be learned during an in-person interview.5 Candidate Behavio rs Only Found During In-Person Interviews1.Did the candidate arrive on time? A punctual applicant is more likely to be a punctual employee. Arriving with time to spare shows that the applicant is invested in the opportunity and takes the interview seriously. A timely applicant is likely to be more organized than one who rushed in 30 seconds before the interview began.2. Was the candidate dressed to impress?This is not the time to judge applicants by their sense of style, but rather their grooming habits. Are they tidy and put together? Does it show that they made the effort to dress appropriately for the interview?evalAn overdressed applicant shows the care whereas an underdressed interviewee may lack the professionalism needed for the job.3. How was the greeting?The first few moments of an interview are pivotal. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, the majority of interviewers The initial greeting can tell an interviewe r whether an applicant fits into the expected office culture within seconds. Was there an impactful first impression or did you see a droll and lackluster personality?4. What does the handshake say?A handshake can tell a lot about a candidate’s confidence and professionalism.For example, the “limp fish” handshake displays a lack of power or authority and may stem from a sense of insecurity. This handshake comes from someone who needs to be led. This handshake won’t come from a take-charge type but someone who will probably become an office follower.A firm handshake shows confidence and a willingness to lead. People with firm handshakes are often sure of themselves, their abilities, and feel confident that they can excel in the given position.The two-handed shake shows an applicant hungry for power. This person wants to keep the upper hand and may be overeager for the position. This applicant likes to take charge but may have difficulty following or being part of a team.Final ly, the “Power Play” handshake is when the applicant struggles to have a hand on top or applies unnecessary force or pressure while shaking. There’s an attempt to bring the other person into his or her own space as a show of force.Envision the “Donald Trump” handshake. This is someone who will not take no for an answer and may be a strong leader but will likely have difficulty remembering to put the company first.5. What did the applicant’s BODY say?An applicant’s body language shares many important details that may not be obvious in the resume or online profile. Did the candidate fidget and hide hands in pockets or behind the back? This may mean the applicant is not being entirely truthful.A “palm down” speaking style can indicate that an applicant is very sure of himself but may allude to an inability to negotiate successfully. Palms up and open show readiness for new ideas and open to working together.evalBody language often conveys more truth about what an appl icant is saying or what is written in their resume. If their words and actions don’t align during the interview, be aware.Photo Credit- Pixabay.comMake the Right Choice the First TimeStreamlining the talent acquisition process for your company and moving the process online is a great way to reduce costs and reach more people in less time. However, the most important information regarding a candidate’s success is learned through face-to-face interviews.Faster doesn’t always mean better, especially if faster simply means the company isn’t finding and hiring the right applicants. The job interview funnel can be a convoluted mess but no online system can take the place of a good old-fashioned interview.Change the statistics. Hire the right people the first time by understanding the importance of what cannot be written down in a resume and focus on finding an applicant with the perfect combination of experience and soft skills.

3 Unconventional Tips for Finding Work Overseas - CareerEnlightenment.com

I recently asked my fellow career professionals on LinkedIn to provide their best advice for you, if you are looking for overseas work experience. Here’s what they came up with.1- Make it Easy to Justify Hiring YouThe company you want to work for needs to justify hiring you with their local government. Why hire you when they could hire someone locally?If you can’t articulate at least one extra bonus that you bring to the table, you won’t have much chance. This could be a specialized skill, or a set of unique experiences that relate directly to the success of the organization.LinkedIn has some tools you can use to help you identify those skills. Try looking up someone who does the job you want to do in the country you want to do it. Take a look at the Skills listed on their LinkedIn profile. Here’s another advanced technique for finding Skills.Ruth Winden, a career coach specializing in international employment, told me that, “Relocating candidates (and potentially their spo use and family) is an enormously expensive undertaking for a companyCandidates from abroad need to clearly show the additional value they offer, so they can compete against local or national candidates.”Offering a different strategy, career coach Hank Boyer, says, “The employer has to show that they could not fill the position with a citizen of that country, which may be very hard to do. So the advice to the job seeker is to look for jobs where you meet the qualifications and it is a hard-to-fill position in the country in which you want to work.”2- Have Some International ExperienceAs an MBA who graduated from an international program out of Boston University, I know how difficult it can be working with people who don’t share your most basic working values.Trying to get our group projects done was twice as hard as what culturally homogeneous groups had to go through. First we had to navigate our cultural differences before would could even start to tackle the business case. I confused silence for assent, rather than defiance. I thought yes meant yes. I thought being on time meant being 5 minutes early. I was the only one who had these particular set of assumptions which made decision making almost impossible.If you’ve never worked with foreigners or had to adjust to a completely different culture over a long period of time, then your chances of failure at that job double or triple. And the company knows it.If you can’t show a history of working abroad or with working with foreigners, you will probably need to volunteer in order to get that experience before you have a chance.Maureen Farmer, a resume writer based out of Canada, told me that having your travel documents ready by the time you apply could help your job application. Not to mention having friends in your target company willing to recommend you!Sharing her own experience working abroad, career counselor Tanya Maldonado said, “When I worked overseas (it was a developing island nation) I made the mistake of taking my American work attitude with me. Working in a culture where people said yes but really meant no. The different understanding of time, urgency, deadlines ended up frustrating me not the locals. Know the culture is my advice.”I would add to this. Have some kind of direct experience with that culture. Go there for a visit. Get involved with a local community of them. Reading Lonely Planet won’t prepare you.3- Network into Your Target CountryAll of my jobs overseas came from networking. All of them. The job in Japan came to me through a girl I was dating at the time. She emailed the head mistress who agreed to talk to me.The job in Nepal came from a buddhist monk I was friends with, who introduced me to the business owner who happened to be one of his sponsors.Cynthia Orme told me, “I have also lived and worked overseas for a number of yearsMy starting point was to connect with other professionals for networking. I learned much about that culture and the job market from doing that, as well as getting a job offer.”Hiring from outside the country is probably the last thing on a recruiters mindunless they are friends with a foreigner or have a role unfillable by locals. So get to know as many professionals in your target country as possible.LinkedIn is increasingly becoming a global network, with most of its members outside the US. But it’s always a good idea to see if there’s another social network you can join to further boost your chances of meeting the right people. Here’s some research I did on the state of global professional social networks.Thanks to my fellow Career Professionals for their insights:Maureen FarmerHank BoyerRay Van EsRuth WindenTanya MaldonadoCynthia Orme

Preparing for Your Interview Part I - Hallie Crawford

Preparing for Your Interview Part I Why Looks Really Do Matter Congratulations, you landed the interview! Now you need to make a great impression. Are you digging through your closet? Asking everyone you know what you should wear? What kind of tie do you put on? What should you do with your hair? If you’re getting differing opinions, here are some simple guidelines to help plus two things not everyone considers but employers do notice: 1.Dress for the job you want, not the job you currently have. If the industry is more formal, dress accordingly. If the position is a step up from your current one, dress better than you normally would. Spend some money on a new suit that would fit your new role. And no matter what do your homework. Find out what the culture is like so you can dress appropriately. 2.Dont try to make a major statement with your clothes. You want your personality and qualifications to stand out-not the funky clothes youre wearing, unless its a creative environment where thats more acceptable. 3.It’s ok to express your individuality in some way. If you want to show your personality with your clothing, wear a scarf, tie or something else small that expresses it. You don’t want the person interviewing you to be distracted by a large hat or huge bulky belt buckle. 4.If you aren’t sure what the culture is like for your particular industry, err on the side of being more professional and formal than casual. Not all workplaces are as casual as you might expect these days. 5.You want to wear higher quality clothes. It makes an impression and we all know that first impressions are important. If you don’t have a decent suit, go out and buy one; it’ll be worth it. Wearing higher quality clothes shows that you are willing to invest in your career and your future. You are dressing for success! Stay tuned tomorrow for Part II of Preparing for Your Interview Career Coach Career Speaker P.S. Are you interested in getting help from one of our job search coaches? Our upcoming teleclass might be the place to start. Read more here: https://www.halliecrawford.com/jobsearch.html