The Career Salon

Who You Gonna Call?

We should be writing a post to remind you about Open Enrollment, yet here we are crafting a message to all Employers to ask them to be proactive in protecting and showing compassion for people of color in their workplaces.

Here’s a list of things employers should be thinking about before the drastic potential changes in the world:

  1. Do you have a Civil Unrest Emergency Preparedness Plan in place for your workplace?
  2. Are you prepared to give time off for change processing?
  3. What are the potential consequences for employees harassing other employees about i.e. the results of the election, heated differences about race and/or politics
  4. Do you have a plan if there is unrest in your business area or an employee’s residential area and they are unable to be present for work
  5. Remind employees about your Employee Assistance resources if needed during this time

Employees, what can you do?

  1. Ask your employer if they have a plan?
  2. Talk to your manager about your concerns and how you can be proactive to ensure protection for your job
  3. Emotions are high these days, don’t add fuel to the fire if there is one brewing. Stay professional
  4. Do a quick review of your company’s Employee Handbook about policies, i.e. Social Media, to understand company guidelines
  5. Access counseling services through your employer if they are available i.e. Employee Assistance Programs, etc.
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The price we pay for mediocrity


We like group projects. You get to interact with people of various skillsets with diverse ideas and take on enormous tasks by collaborating. When it’s all settled, everyone has their individual pieces to contribute to the success of the team. Of course, in many group projects, there is this thing that starts to rear its head after introductions and the division of work in a project. You start to realize through your regular updates and team meetings that a few team members are not doing the work. You try to put in extra time and effort to cover the gaps. You try not to bring it to your leader’s attention for fear of being a tattletale but you have to admit you’re extremely agitated. In some cases, you do bring it to a leader’s attention but the results are still the same, nothing. Everyone sees it, they are tired of the shenanigans and yet the project is over, it was a success and those slacking team members’ reputations are still intact. What just happened?

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MEDIOCRITY ——–>>>

Is this the norm now? We accept mediocrity as above average or excellence?

It’s the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. We’re going to let you in on a little secret, employees are not ignorant and they know what’s going on. Employees who do the work tend to notice when promotions and special opportunities have been made into a political game, a result in “who you know”, or a learn on the job leadership experiment.

Making mediocrity the norm changes the whole landscape of the work culture, causes resentment, and can lead to toxicity on teams. Organizations should play chess not checkers when it comes to strategically placing people who will foster a culture of excellence. When leaders accept mediocrity in the name of protecting people who look like them or because they were once a good individual contributor (of course they would be a good leader) or simple laziness, we literally create “work monsters”. Work monsters, who will make other employees lives a living hell. Mediocrity has the nerve to:

  • Do performance reviews/make comp decisions
  • Question others who are bringing value to the team and know what they are doing
  • Make more money than the people rowing the boat
  • Continually be given the grace to hold, keep, and move up in leadership positions

For some reason, we thought that hard work, dedication, and commitment to being strong servant leaders were some of the ultimate goals in organizations. If we look closely and ask the people working in most of these environments we will see that it’s not always the case.

When we tolerate mediocrity in our work environments we are asking our employees to pay a price. The price of not having a safe space, not having equal opportunity, suffering at the hands of a know-it-all by proxy of promotion, or favor and not being recognized for the real hard work. THAT PRICE IS TOO HIGH!

#dobetter

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Drown out the Noise and Manage YOUR Career!

We decided to write this short article because the daily perusing of LinkedIn is inundated with career coaches, personal brand builders, and content noise. We love LinkedIn for the fact that it brings so many people together to share information, network, or find job opportunities. The main goal of this article is to encourage people that may be looking for work to drown out the noise and manage YOUR career. There are so many career experts and conflicting opinions floating around on LinkedIn, which might be confusing for those who are actively trying to land an opportunity, especially in the age of COVID-19.

There are awesome people on LinkedIn that are totally qualified and knowledgeable to provide resources and guidance in your career. With that being said, in all situations there may be people who attempt to capitalize on the moment to build themselves up, increase followers, and be “popular”. The time is now, for content creators/thought leaders to be consistently authentic and original. Recycling content and posting things that tickle the ears of vulnerable job seekers is not where it’s at. Job Seekers: No one is more familiar with your background and experience than YOU. Help is a wonderful thing, but noise has got to go! Drown out that noise, focus, and be the manager of your career!

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When the Comfortable Majority is Uncomfortable in Corporate America

We have entered a period where silence for most is no longer an option. The constant trauma of seeing and experiencing black lives taken needlessly has evoked a move to cry out to the world. Black men and women have always held their emotions close. We often come to work pretending that everything is ok. We strive for success, we try to jump higher and run faster just to keep up a pace, where others are almost always given a head start. What is that head start? Not being black

Before the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others, it was a well-known secret that we couldn’t afford to talk about our true feelings and be our authentic selves. We have policed our tone, facial expressions, dress, and hair, but these terrible tragedies were the heavy cherry on top of all of that.

We are tired, thus you get TRUTH. 

We are starting to have conversations, demanding safe spaces, equality, respect, and accountability. Many people that are in the majority are uncomfortable. This is not a bad thing and we are going to give you 3 reasons why:

  1. Change happens when you are uncomfortable
  2. People are becoming more aware of the root cause of the discomfort
  3. We can call out the people, things, issues that make us uncomfortable as a result of more people seeing it and do something about it

Most black people go to work every day in uncomfortable circumstances, aside from those outside of work. It’s time for that to change. We call on allies to use their discomfort to make change. Organizational leaders and HR departments have the opportunity to be on the side of right and truly make their workplaces all-inclusive and diverse, on purpose. We urge all of you to feel empathy with your discomfort. We charge you to CLEAR THE PATH. DO BETTER. 

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The Expectation of Positivity

This was an article written for LinkedIn at the start of the year, but it’s a little reminder to stay positive in the midst of everything.

Someone asked me earlier in the year, if I subscribe to making New Year’s resolutions and my answer was, “No, I have none.” What!? Yes, of course I have goals and things I’d like to see achieved this year and every year, but I have not put the undue stress of resolutions on myself. My sole focus, no matter what happens, is to think POSITIVE! That may be cliché but I think it’s a necessary art. Being in a consistent state of positivity takes effort and maturity, especially when things don’t go the way you think they should.

Let me be the example, from a career-oriented perspective. I’ve had many great opportunities in my life and career. Some of them, at times did not make me happy, as I thought they should. It was during these times my attitude changed, I shut down, talked to my work friends daily rehashing negative thoughts, and gave the proverbial “silent treatment” to my employer so they would recognize how unhappy I was and do something about it. What I thought was keeping to myself, made me stand out as not a team player, a negative contributor, and a follower not a leader. This my friends is not the answer…

As I look back over my career, I missed out on some things because I did not have a positive outlook in the moment. I realized that sometimes in the midst of chaos and uncomfortable spots, if you have an attitude of positivity it can change the outcome for the better. It’s very hard to do that when you are dealing with challenging people and situations but positivity is a must have. It’s an intrinsic characteristic that makes you the best version of yourself.

In this year of 2020, I challenge you to lead with positivity and have the expectation of it at every turn.

-The Recruiter

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COVID-19: Advice for at work or at home

Everyone is thinking about Public Health and Safety during this time. The Coronavirus pandemic presents unique circumstances that we have not encountered during this generation. Hopefully, we are all willing to work together to communicate and find unique solutions that will help preserve the employee and the employer alike. Here are a few tips:

Employers:

1. Lead With Empathy

Everyone has a level of stress during this time. Be sensitive to that and watch your communication and tone

2. Check with all benefits vendors to see what is available for your employees

 i.e. EAP, Short Term Disability, Worker’s Compensation

3. Balance your approach with flexibility and safety

i.e. You may have to bend your attendance and work from home policies

4. Think of out the box solutions like rotational schedules 

Maybe rotating staff will reduce exposure if you have to stay open because of the nature of your business

5. Don’t Panic.

It makes things even more stressful and your employees are observing how you lead and handle stressful situations as an organization

6. Check for government assistance to employers, as bills for aid are passed

Employees:

1. Stay Calm and wash your hands (with soap and hot water, at least 20 seconds)

2. Stayed informed and read ALL information distributed by the organization during this time (and ask questions if needed)

3. Make sure you know your rights as an employee:

  • Your possible contraction of COVID-19 could be considered a worker’s compensation claim, if you believe it was contracted at work
  • If applicable, FMLA may be available to take care of you and your family
  • Your employer providing accommodations for you at work if you are concerned about contraction, such as moving your work station or providing you with Personal Protective Equipment (i.e. gloves) while doing your job
  • Filing for unemployment if your job temporarily closes and provides no financial assistance (Check state regulations)
  • Filing a short term disability claim, if you contract the virus and your job provides no financial assistance (Usually 7 day waiting period applies)

4. Take advantage of benefits provided by your employer

  • Telehealth and video doctor’s visits to check on your symptoms 
  • Employee Assistance Program for counseling services (If you are feeling a little anxiety)

5. Stay put

Your plans might have been to jump ship, but if you are with an organization that is supporting you through this time and treating you fairly, you might want to reconsider for the short-term. We are unsure on what the economy or status of certain businesses are going to be long-term. You definitely do not want to transition to something unstable.

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