Cultural Expression in The Work Place Blog Part 2

Posted on December 15, 2011
Filed Under Corporate Policy, Employment, The Workplace | Leave a Comment

By Shun McGhee, Guest Contributor

Even with the strides made concerning cultural expression in the work place, some still hesitate to address the subject.  A recent African American college graduate came to me for advice. She’d decided to stop using chemical relaxers to straighten her hair to culturally express herself. She’d recently accepted a new position with a company, and her parents were worried that it would hinder her rise up the corporate ladder. As she looked to me for advice, I remembered my aunt’s philosophy, get the job first; you can wear your hair the way you want later. Since she already had the job, I told her times were changing, and suggested that if she was uncomfortable straightening her hair for work, she should stop. Read more

Cultural expression in the workplace, Part I

Posted on December 12, 2011
Filed Under Attire, Corporate Policy, Employment, The Workplace | Leave a Comment

By Shun McGhee, Guest Contributor

In the early 90’s, fashion for me included sneakers, jean overalls, and an Africa medallion. Back then, I could still grow hair and wore a high-topped fade, also known as a box-Philly. My aunt told me not to go to job interviews wearing this hair style. Though she liked the hairstyle (she should have, as she was my barber), she feared that I wouldn’t be hired because they wouldn’t accept my appearance. This was based on what was happening at the time, especially since news publications were discussing the firing of an African American stewardess for wearing a braided hairstyle. I filed auntie’s advice away and decided to see for myself. Read more

Some advice for first-time job seekers

Posted on December 8, 2011
Filed Under Employment, Finding a Job | Leave a Comment

Job searching for the first time is a lot like stepping into another world that has its own set of muddled conventions, which, to the unacquainted, seem completely unapparent. It’s like your first time at a wedding. What may seem normal to some may seem counterintuitive or befuddling to others. [Befuddled isn’t just fun to say—say it with me, “befuddled”—it describes a state of immense confusion, bamboozlement (another fun word to say).] While the un-initiated may head straight to the cake, prematurely satisfying their sweet tooth while simultaneously ruining the newly married couple’s ability to take that iconic picture in which they mercilessly cram cake into each other’s faces, soiling the formal atmosphere of the occasion with two quick swipes of buttercream, the initiated are familiar with the schedule and pace of a wedding reception, and know not to touch the cake until it is served. In a weird way, the experience of learning to search for a job is similar. Read more

How saying the wrong thing in your resume could prevent you from landing that job

Posted on December 5, 2011
Filed Under Cover Letters and Resumes, Employment, Finding a Job | Leave a Comment

It’s no surprise that a career services blog would devote significant time and energy to sufficiently treating the issue of how to craft the perfect resume. Though, describing only those things make a resume truly stellar paints half a picture. In the same way the Plato believed it’s impossible to know what anything is unless you first become acquainted with what it is not (e.g. without first experiencing sadness you lack the cognitive ability to properly identify, or comprehend happiness), I believe I have spent too much time explaining what a resume is, instead of focusing on what it is not. The truth is, writing a good resume is a developed skill—something you hone over time. It’s not intuitive. The first time, we all get lost, inevitably and include too much, too little time, or the wrong information. Read more

Salt, meat, and great employers: Thoughts on Fortune’s list of 100 Best Companies to Work For

Posted on December 2, 2011
Filed Under Employment, Finding a Job | Leave a Comment

Ask any job seeker—finding a job is only half the battle. What’s the other half? Finding a good job. Even if you aren’t particularly fond of your job, having an employer (or perhaps being surrounded by a group of people) that demonstrably cares can keep you from getting sour. A good employer, offering stellar employee-focused benefits, can be the salt used to preserve your interest and passion for your career field. What? Salt? Yes, salt. In the same way that salt was used a means of giving meat a longer shelf life before the invention of refrigeration, a good employer allows you to preserve whatever feelings of fondness you may have for a particular job for longer than you may otherwise, extending your shelf life in your field. Read more

« go back

Recently


Categories


Archives