Category Archives: General Info

Five Tips for Highlighting Your Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion in Your Resume: Here’s How

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As a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant and trainer, I am grateful to Jill Smith for providing this guest blog. In terms of looking for employment or for those hiring professionals, diversity and inclusion commitment is becoming increasingly important.

The year 2020 has seen huge cultural changes sweep over the country. Some of these changes have made their effects felt in the workplace – there has been a powerful push for diversity and inclusion. The world is made up of many different kinds of people, with each kind bringing their own aptitudes and talents to the table. Every person is able to contribute.

As employers undertake to diversify their workforce and bring in greater inclusion than ever before, it’s important for those applying to jobs to make clear that they share an enthusiasm for these initiatives, as well. It’s a good idea to begin by calling attention, on your resume. If you know how to write your own professional resume, you can integrate your own successes with diversity and inclusion.

1) Talk about how you’ve done work with diverse teams.   If you’ve had the opportunity at any point in your career to be a part of teams that were made up of people of different ethnicities, you can make a mention in your resume of how you’ve done well in these situations. You may have worked with clients in different countries, managed remote employees in other parts of the world, or been part of geographically dispersed teams. You can think about what you’ve achieved or learned through these experiences, and mention it in your resume.

2) Talk about how you welcome diverse viewpoints and opinions. An ability to accept and respect the opinions of others is fundamental to diversity and inclusion. If you can talk about specific instances when you asked others around you at work for their feedback and opinions, and took the ideas you received into account to arrive at decisions, it can make for an impressive resume. It’s an important skill when it comes to helping with diversity in the workplace, to be able to take in the opinions of others who have backgrounds and experiences that are different from yours. If you can remember times in the past when different opinions informed your decisions, you should highlight an example or two in your resume.

3) If you’re multilingual, bring it up.  If you are good at another language, it’s a positive that should go on your resume. You should also include it in your resume if you were ever in charge of a project at work to make a product or service more accessible to a wider audience by making it available in multiple languages. You may have had to work with teams in other countries to negotiate a contract or start a new office. Putting in your experience working with people who come from different language backgrounds helps show how you are good with language diversity.  (Note from Stan – I have a client who recently was looking to hire an HR professional who was fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese.)

4) Bring up any volunteering experience.  If you’ve ever contributed time volunteering at a local shelter or anywhere else, if you’ve done fundraising work for advocacy groups, if you’ve been part of a group that works to promote cultural diversity, it should go on your resume. It gives employers a look into what matters to you and who you are as a person. The information that you offer employers about your volunteer work may help them see how you care about diversity enough to make it part of your life outside of the office.

5) Include experience being on company committees and community outreach programs. Many companies organize internal communities to serve the purposes of diversity and inclusion. If you’ve ever been a member of such a committee and done work in these areas, it would be a good idea to highlight how you were involved in these teams, and what you achieved. If you’ve never been involved in such a company committee, it would be a good idea to start now, and then put it on your resume.

The idea is to show potential employers reading your resume that you are part of the solution, and you work, in many ways, to help promote diversity and inclusion, both in the workplace and outside. Making such information available on your resume can help set you apart as a candidate.

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This guest blog was authored by Jill Smith, solely written for totalengagementconsulting.com 

Stan Kimer is a diversity consultant and trainer who handles all areas of workplace diversity and with a deep expertise in LGBT diversity strategy and training, Unconscious Bias and Employee Resource Groups. Please explore the rest of my website and never hesitate to contact me to discuss diversity training for your organization, or pass my name onto your HR department.  [email protected]

 

Overcoming Pandemic Fatigue – Five Recommendations

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Since the COVID-19 Pandemic is disproportionately affecting minority communities, as a diversity consultant I welcome this guest blog kindly provided by Cristy Canes.

Flattening the mental health curve is another challenge brought about by the coronavirus — this time, through a phenomenon called pandemic fatigue. This is the kind of fatigue that comes from the stress of social distancing, wearing a mask, and frequent hand-washing. In addition, there’s pressure to make health-related behavior changes, such as increasing physical activity, eating healthy, and quitting smoking — all this on top of widespread job loss, social isolation, childcare challenges, and general uncertainty about the future. It’s all too taxing for the mental health of people everywhere, leading to bouts of loneliness, depression, fear, and anxiety.

The impact of the pandemic fatigue is even greater on racial and ethnic minorities, who are more likely to have low-wage jobs or be laid off due to the economic slump. These disenfranchised communities also have greater health risk as essential workers with more exposure to the virus, but are less likely to have health insurance or access to medical care.

Moreover, the Center for American Progress reported on higher unemployment rates for same-sex couples even before the pandemic. And while there’s no data yet on the impact of the current pandemic fatigue on LGBTQ+ minorities, history can show how they’ll be disproportionately affected and will take longer to recover, too.

All this is why it’s crucial for companies to step up and take the lead in making the necessary changes for their employees, and help them cope in the current crisis. Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer previously pointed out the importance of promoting effective diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. It can start with having mission, vision, and values statements, so they can formalize their goals and become empowered as one solid organization. This can lessen the impact of the pandemic fatigue, especially on minorities, and can be further supported if individual steps to overcome it will be encouraged among employees. Five of these steps include:

1) Accepting negative emotions. Be honest about bottled up emotions like anxiety and uncertainty. Don’t be afraid to talk about these things. It’ll be good to let all the negativity out of your system by consciously releasing them through constant communication with family, friends, and even colleagues.

2) Creating new goals. Set personal goals that are achievable, enjoyable, and will give a sense of accomplishment — whether it’s exercise or small weekly social gatherings. It’s good to have something to look forward to on a daily basis.

3) Conserving emotional resources. Employees should also take time out from work to prioritize self-care. If you’re pressed for time or energy, then even just a few seconds of deep breathing can do the trick. Sheena Bergado writes on Pain Free Working’s guide to breathing exercises that these have the power to reduce stress and improve your mood. Deep breathing by inhaling and exhaling slowly through the nose may seem simple, but it has great benefits in getting rid of headaches and calming your nerves.

4) Being kind to yourself. As an employee, you should recognize that it’s okay to have both good and bad days. Instead of focusing on the negatives, try to acknowledge and celebrate your achievements. This is a conscious effort that can be done through positive self-talk, which can make you mentally stronger and more resilient in any tough situation.

5) Asking for help. Although it’s good to be mentally tough on your own, it’s also good to ask for help. Employees don’t have to be afraid to seek support from mental health professionals in their organization or elsewhere, whenever needed. Alan Kohll of TotalWellness advocates for workplaces that support mental health, where there could be awareness, training, mental health policies, fair treatment, screening resources, or monitoring of employee engagement.

Always remember that we’re all in this together, and your success, whether in work output or mental wellness, is also the success of your team. Don’t hesitate to reach out and make the most of the practice of diversity, equity, and inclusion in your organization.

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This guest blog was authored by Cristy Canes, provided solely for totalengagementconsulting.com

Stan Kimer is a diversity consultant and trainer who handles all areas of workplace diversity and with a deep expertise in LGBT diversity strategy and training, Unconscious Bias and Employee Resource Groups. Please explore the rest of my website and never hesitate to contact me to discuss diversity training for your organization, or pass my name onto your HR department.  [email protected]