3 ways the gender pay gap still hurts women

3 ways the gender pay gap still hurts women 3 ways the gender pay gap still hurts women The year is 2018, and men and women are still not getting paid equally for the same work responsibilities. Women face financial penalties at work and at home that follow them throughout their career, creating cycles of being underpaid. With knowledge comes power.Here are the numbers on ways women continue to get underpaid so that we can help end these cycles of inequity sooner rather than later:It gets worse as women ageAcross every industry and role, the average woman in 2018 only earns 77.9 cents for every man’s dollar, according to a new PayScale report that surveyed 46,000 respondents evaluating job offers. By the time women are over 45, that gap widens to 69.1 cents for a man’s dollar.Opportunity gaps led to wider pay gaps. There are not enough women in the corner office commanding higher pay.By the middle of their career, 60% of women are still in individual contributor roles, while only 52% of men are in these roles. Men were more likely to jump into higher-level manageria l roles by the middle of their career, which led to more pay.“Workers in higher-level roles almost always earn a higher salary, so the lack of women in these roles means the average woman is almost certainly destined to make less than the average man,” the report concluded.Taking time off hurts womenThe PayScale report  found that women are more likely than men to take time off work to care for a family member or a child.Extended breaks of more than a year are not looked upon favorably by employers. When they return to the workforce, women are going to make 7.3 percent less on average.Women in finance face the biggest gapThe pay gap, unfortunately, exists in all industries, but some women in industries face harder battles to be paid equally than others.When not controlling for various factors like seniority, women in finance face the biggest gap, making 73 cents on the dollar. Female consultants also fared worse than men, making 79 cents on the dollar, while women in healthcare made 81 cents on the dollar.

Introducing New 5 Steps to Apply For a Federal Job On USAJOBS

Introducing New 5 Steps to Apply For a Federal Job On USAJOBS Introducing New 5 Steps to Apply For a Federal Job On USAJOBS Introducing New 5 Steps to Apply For a Federal Job On USAJOBS New USAJOBS application process as of 2/20/2016 ! FIVE STEPS TO BEGIN TO APPLY FOR A FEDERAL JOB ON USAJOBS: Step 1: Select Resume Step 2: Select Documents Step 3: Review Package Step 4: Include Personel Info Step 5: Review and Continue Application Process What’s new about these 5 Steps: The graphics are new and these 5 steps are clearer now. These 5 steps are BEFORE you get to the other “application process” at the agency’s automated recruitment system where you will complete the self-assessment questionnaire. Steps 1 and 2:   Select Resume and Documents. The human resource specialists are very concerned about receiving the right documents and resume formats for their federal positions. This screen makes the document selection clearer for each position. For tips and samples on how to write the best federal resume format, the Federal Resume Guidebook, 6th Edition, contains samples of federal resumes that feature KEYWORDS, accomplishments and specialized experience. We recommend that you build the resume in the USAJOBS builder, so that you include all of the specific information that the HR specialists will need to determine your qualifications for the position. Step 3. Review Package. This is a very clear page to review your documents. Again the HR specialists are trying hard to make SURE you upload the right documents for the announcement. Step 4. Include Personal Information. This is the former demographics page and “How did you find out about this announcement?” questionnaire. Step 5. Continue with the Application. NOW…. When you click on CONTINUE, you will be shown the floating USAJOBS graphic with documents until you are sent to the Automated Recruitment System Screen where you will answer the Self-Assessment Questionnaire. Good luck with your USAJOBS applications. Begin the entire USAJOBS resume building and document upload system AHEAD of your deadline. Get this part of the application finished before you actually start to APPLY for your federal job! Kathryn Troutman, Author, Federal Resume Guidebook, 6th Edition Need Help with your Federal Resume for a USAJOBS? Complete our Request Quote for Federal Resume to ask for a QUOTE for professional writing services for your federal resume. Strategies for Writing a Winning Federal Resume, 6th Edition The Number One Book on Federal Resume Writing! 6th Edition  is completely  redesigned as a practical workbook, making the complex process of writing a federal resume easy to understand. This book is not just about federal resumes. This book set the standard for federal resumes! Kathryn Troutman, Author and Publisher LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: One of the “Books most borrowed in U.S. Libraries”, Career Book List, April 1st, 2009   With a focus on writing the best Federal Resume for USAJOBS and other online federal resume builders, the Federal Resume Guidebook provides comprehensive, in-depth guidance on how to craft the perfect federal application to change jobs or get promoted. Order your copy Federal Resume Guidebook

Key Components of a Strong Resume

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How to Make Friends At Work - The Muse

How to Make Friends At Work - The Muse How to Make Friends At Work A sense of community and belonging. It's something that we all crave- hey, it's even a level in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. But, while this concept applies everywhere, it really holds water in the workplace. After all, you spend a major chunk of your time in the office, and it's helpful to know that you have people you can lean on and socialize with. Even further, when your professional life makes you feel vulnerable or anxious, having that tight-knit circle of colleagues can be a huge asset and confidence boost. But, here's the thing: Finding your tribe at work isn't always easy, particularly when you're one of many employees in a huge company. So, how can you identify and build a support system, even when you feel like you're just a number among hundreds- or even thousands- of co-workers? Here's how to put yourself out there and find your people. 1. Think Outside the Box Within your company, there are undoubtedly people that you work with far more than others. You'll collaborate more frequently with the people in your immediate department than anybody else, for example. But that doesn't mean that all of your close work friends need to come from that same group. There's no rule stating that your tribe needs to be built with people who do the exact same things as you. You shouldn't hesitate to expand your horizons and think outside the box when seeking people to forge a bond with. Perhaps you and that person in the accounting department don't ever have overlapping projects- but, you don't need to have similar work in order to have similar values. 2. Join (or Start!) an Employee Resource Group Employee Resource Groups are a great way to reach out beyond your group of immediate colleagues and find others who share your interests and passions. If you're unfamiliar with what these are, Employee Resource Groups are employee-led and voluntary groups that aim to foster a more inclusive and collaborative company culture. USA Today Network, for example, has these groups geared toward women, young professionals, and veterans. When you find a group that seems like a fit for you, go ahead and attend some of the meetings, discussions, and get-togethers. Not only will you be able to meet people you align with outside of your department, but you'll also contribute to bettering your workplace. If your company doesn't currently have any groups for you to join? Well, come up with one you think would be helpful, then run that idea up the flagpole to see if you can get it started. 3. Work on Cross-Departmental Projects Another great way to reach out and meet new co-workers is to volunteer to work on cross-departmental initiatives. Whether it's a large project that requires the expertise of numerous departments, or it's something more casual- like helping to plan your company's anniversary party, for example- engaging in these sorts of opportunities offers numerous benefits. By stepping up to the plate, you'll be able to expand your web of connections in the office, while also challenging yourself to learn more about how other teams work. 4. Sit With Someone New You sit at the same table with the very same people for lunch every day (or, you just chow down on that sandwich alone at your desk!). When you head out for a company happy hour, you head straight to the corner where your cube-mates are hanging out. Sure, that's easy and comforting. But, if your goal is to find new friends and build your tribe, socializing with the same people day in and day out is opposite of what you should be doing. Instead, ask someone new (perhaps somebody you met in an Employee Resource Group or while working on that cross-departmental project!) to grab lunch with you. Or, when you arrive at that office happy hour, introduce yourself to somebody you don't already know. It seems like a relatively small change. But, forcing yourself out of your comfort zone can make a huge impact on how connected you feel in the office. 5. Share About Your Personal Life Years ago, it was common advice that you shouldn't share too much about your personal life at the office. But, times have changed. While you still shouldn't share the gory details of all of your problems, there is a lot to be said for opening up about your passions and hobbies outside of work. Doing so will help you find people that share those same interests- giving you something else to connect on, aside from the fact that you earn your paycheck from the same place. So, don't think that age-old advice means that you need to keep every single conversation work-related. Sharing more about your whole, authentic self can be a great way to connect on a deeper level with people in the office. When you implement these tips and find your tribe at work? Don't fall into the trap of thinking that this equates to being an exclusive clique. Invite other people in, and soon you'll have a large group of close colleagues, which will help you to feel that much more connected in the office. After all, when it comes to friends at work, this old sentiment holds true: The more, the merrier!

Work Book Club Success Stories

Work Book Club Success Stories Work Book Club Success Stories Are you interested in how to put a book club together at work? Workplace book clubs have long been recommended as an effective, efficient form of on-the-job employee development. A book club provides benefits for the employee- and for the employer. Employees learn new concepts and ways of doing things that they can apply in the workplace.A workbook club builds camaraderie and teamwork among the employees who attend. It is a team building activity.It provides an opportunity for employees to step up and practice leadership roles such as leading a group discussion.When employees learn the same concepts, by reading the same book, they share a language and ideas that make  the application of the ideas easier and more seamless in the workplace.You can help your organization become an organization that continuously learns and develops. In an earlier article, I recommended an overall approach to implementing work book clubs. In this article, a couple of employers have shared their book club success with my readers. Sara Janes, Marketing Manager for Pinnacle Financial Partners and Scott Kriscovich, President of TrueBridge Resources  (now North Highland Workplace Consulting), a national professional staffing firm, shared their experiences with book clubs in their workplaces. Interview With Sara Janes of Pinnacle Financial Partners Susan Heathfield: What was the impetus for the book club in your organization and how did you approach it? Sara Janes: When Pinnacle was founded in 2000, learning was one of our core values. We wanted to make sure associates were encouraged to keep reading and honing their skills. The firm had about 40 associates in the beginning, so everyone would meet at President and CEO Terry Turner’s house to discuss the book he chose and strengthen their relationships over dinner. Terry is a voracious reader, so he would read several in search of the book that best applied to Pinnacle. Book clubs take place two to three times a year and are voluntary, but most associates choose to participate. Heathfield: What was successful and not successful about your book club? Janes: The concept has been so popular that some associates have formed their own book clubs within their workgroups. As Pinnacle grew, it became more difficult to get everyone into one room to discuss the book. We had to adjust and form multiple sessions. Everyone still reads the same book, but now they can sign into our online learning system, choose the date and location that works for them and request the book. Now that we have 750 associates, there are too many sessions for Terry to lead personally, so he hosts a discussion for 20 or so leaders who then go on to lead the rest of the book club meetings. Heathfield: What has been the impact of Pinnacle sponsoring book clubs in the workplace? Janes: Book clubs help associates see the big picture and apply what they have read about to their work. We’re a financial services firm, but we have learned a lot of lessons from Starbucks’ and Ritz-Carlton’s experiences. After the book clubs are over, associates will refer to stories from the books in meetings and talk about whether we can approach challenges in the same way. The book clubs are also a way for associates to have fun- they get to know people in other areas of the firm and deepen existing relationships. We have found that by participating in book clubs, associates are more motivated and committed. Heathfield: What books would you recommend that made a difference for your company? Janes: Some books we’ve read in the book club and that I would recommend include: Onward: How Starbucks Fought for its Life without Losing its Soul,Good to Great, andThe New Gold Standard about Ritz-Carlton’s customer service. The latest book we read, Linchpin: Are you Indispensable? by Seth Godin helped energize associates in all areas of our firm. It makes the case that anyone, regardless of their title or place in the company, can make a significant contribution. Interview with Scott Kriscovich, President of TrueBridge Resources Susan Heathfield: What was the impetus for the book club in your organization and how did you approach it? Scott Kriscovich: We decided to create a book club at TrueBridge Resources based on several factors: We started it from the beginning when we were a very small company because I was looking for ways to build a company culture and cohesion among our team at the offset. We’ve read several books where I’ve tried to incorporate those thoughts and ideas into our thinking as a company and how we run the business; it allows us to have a common language and common context. For example, when I talk about “hedgehogs” or “flywheels” from Jim Collins’ Good to Great, then everyone knows what I am referring to without my having to explain it. Susan Heathfield: How is your book club set up? Can you share details with my readers? Scott Kriscovich: Employees are provided with a copy of the book. They are expected to read the book and be prepared to discuss the book at the quarterly Book Review meeting. During the quarterly discussion, we will review aspects of the book that may help us to function better as a team. It could include setting action items and determining necessary follow-up activities. Employees are divided into randomly selected groups of no more than 15 employees each for the book discussion. The discussion will be lead by a volunteer employee facilitator who will guide the discussion, asking probing questions as needed. The facilitator will assign one member of the group to serve as the note taker for the meeting. Since each discussion group includes a variety of internal employees from different geographic locations, the discussion will be held via a conference call. Every employee is expected to serve as a facilitator at one point in their careers with TrueBridge Resources. Heathfield: What was successful and not successful about your book club? Kriscovich: Our successes include: We all say that we want to read more, so putting a lightweight structure around it encourages and gives us a platform to do that.It allowed us to connect and build a relationship with Joe Callaway, one of the authors whose books we’ve read. He ended up interviewing us for one of his upcoming pieces.We just read The Southwest Airlines Way as we were launching and introducing our one TrueBridge Resources Way into our company culture. We were able to parallel what we read in the book to our own circumstances especially because both are considered commoditized industries. It allowed us to help define our unique differentiators internally and for our stakeholders. Our challenge was: It is difficult to hold a book club discussion with 12-14 active participants over the phone (our book club is held across all nine of our offices). We decided to max the group at 15 and then with at least four new people; we add a new facilitated group. Facilitators meet before each monthly book club call to come up with common discussion points and direction, then meet afterward to compile the primary takeaways to share with our entire team. Heathfield: What has been the impact of Pinnacle sponsoring book clubs in the workplace? Kriscovich: We encourage people to volunteer to lead book club discussions, and we have seen people from different teams and different functions hold that role. Different geographically, in responsibility, at level; everyone is part of TrueBridge Resources, and it gives us a common ground. The other impact I’ve seen is that our staff is proud of the fact that we have a book club and make reference to it and what they’ve learned in business meetings and internally. Not everyone reads every book; it is a voluntary program because the minute you tell them they have to do it, the book club evolves into something else. Heathfield: What books would you recommend that made a difference for your company? Kriscovich: Because we have a system in place where we choose the books democratically, we have found that each book we have read has facilitated exciting discussion and affected our organization positively in some way. Here’s our booklist for this year: Crucial Conversations or Difficult ConversationsDelivering Happiness: The Path to Profit, Passion, and Purpose or The Zappos ExperienceGetting Past No or Getting To YesHigh Five or Raving Fans Book clubs at work are an inexpensive way for employees to develop their skills both personally and professionally. Book clubs help you build your culture and develop your employees. They contribute to employee satisfaction, employee motivation, and retention. Why not try one?

Articles That Are Music To Creative Ears

Articles That Are Music To Creative Ears Articles That Are Music To Creative Ears Taking a leaf out of the popular and funny porn for women and porn for new moms books (dont worry, none of them are x-rated), the following articles tell creative people exactly what they want to hear, need to hear, and never hear enough. From the basics of writing a creative brief that art directors and copywriters can actually use, to talking about morale and creating solid ads, these articles are like catnip to them. Mediocrity and Vanilla are Enemies of Advertising Vanilla is a flavor everyone, or 99% of ice cream eaters, like. Its rarely loved or talked about with passion, but its a safe bet. If youre serving ice cream, go with vanilla over something like Rocky Road or Cherry Garcia. But how many people will taste vanilla ice cream and blog about it? Or rant about it to their friends? Or insist that they get the recipe for it?  Vanilla is mediocre, as flavors go. It is safe. Really safe. And safe advertising suffers the same flaws. If you play it safe, youre playing to lose.   The Power of Failure and the Success It Can Bring FAIL and HARDER.  Two words that, when placed together, create an idea much bigger than themselves. These two words are emblazoned on a wall at Wieden Kennedys main office - an image made entirely of thumbtacks; over 100,000 of them to be more accurate. Of course, it would have been easier to create those words with the thumbtacks, and leave the space around them blank.  Thats not the WK way. Instead, the negative space is filled with the thumbtacks, leaving the words FAIL HARDER, in a beautifully scripted font, to shine through. It took 351 hours to complete. In essence, they chose the hard way to get the message across. This is in the DNA of one of the most successful, and most creative, advertising agencies in the world. And it underlines one of the most important lessons in advertising…   One Quick Easy Way To Do Better Work There is no shortcut to talent and creativity. While you can always get better, and learn more, you need to have the raw ability to become a success in advertising. However, there are tried and trusted methods you can use to do better work. Some of these that many creatives rely are listed in this article. Read more.   Great Advertising Needs Great Clients The advertising industry has produced some truly remarkable campaigns over the years. From the epic 1984 Superbowl spot for Apple (agency: TBWAChiatDay) to the ridiculously good Subservient Chicken for Burger King (agency: Crispin, Porter Bogusky), and hundreds in between, great ads produce a reaction from the consumer that drives the brand forward and makes a huge impact. Some say that these ideas are few and far between, and that advertising is 90% mediocrity and 10% brilliance. But those of us in the industry, on the creative side at least, know that brilliant ideas are born every day. Sadly, having a great idea is really only half of the battle. Getting the client to buy it, thats a different story.   Giving Credit Where Its Due In most careers, advertising included, people like to receive credit for the hard work that they do. However, unlike acting performances, top doctors or genius accountants, its often difficult to nail down the source of the inspiration in an advertising agency.   Why Creatives Should Always Present Their Own Work In advertising, marketing and design agencies, different roles exist to facilitate the production of good, creative work. There are people trained in account management, others who are trained in production, and theres a whole department filled with creative minds. These are the copywriters, art directors and designers who produce the creative work that makes the agency what it is. However, all too often, these creative are not there to present their own work. This happens for several reasons, outlined below. It is strange to think anyone could stand there and say keep the creator of this work out of the meeting room, we dont need to know his or her rationale but it happens. Find out why.

Wearables Help Stroke Victims

Wearables Help Stroke Victims Wearables Help Stroke Victims Imagine the feeling of not being able to do all the routine, effortless movements youve always performed. The motion of brushing your teeth. Putting one foot in front of the other to walk your dog. Even raising a spoon of cereal to your lips to start your day. This unfortunately can sometimes be the fate of a stroke victim. And rehabilitation can equal huge frustration, at a time when the patient is already frustrated. A team at New York University has the goal of making this uphill climb a little easier for stroke victims through a new, low-cost, wearable sensor system. Strokes are a very common problem in the United States, he says. There has been a high concentration of research on stroke patients, says Ashwin Raj Kumar, who has a masters degree in mechanical engineering from New York University and is presently pursuing his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering there. And people dont realize there is a large number of young stroke patients here also, people who want to get back to their life, too. According to the American Stroke Associations website, each year approximately 800,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke. For rehabilitation, they go to clinics but few products supplement the rehab well in a home-based setting, Raj Kumar says. Sensors in the jacket measure arm placement. Image: NYU Their system involves wearable devices, which include a glove and a jacket to have microcontrollers measure the movements of a user and feed it to a smartphone, giving the data to patient and doctor alike. This can lead to more interaction between them, with the doctor able to be that much more involved in helping the patient in between in-person visits, he says. One of the areas the glove looks at is the wrist orientation and the jacket focuses of arm orientation. Sensors show the user how theyre doing when it comes to tasks such as lifting or gripping. The user performs the action and sees the effect. This gives them a feeling of control in their improvement, says Raj Kumar. They arent just doing exercises but getting true feedback to encourage and feel part of a team [achieving] a goal. It can also be used in a virtual reality game, allowing a user to see what they should be doing and adding a little fun to tasks that can otherwise seem like pure drudgery. They see their performance when doing the exercises in parts of the body not affected by the stroke which can possibly help serve as a teaching tool for the areas needing rehabilitation, he says. The plan is to take the device and make many prototypes and work with stroke centers to understand how effective the rehabilitation is and well incorporate that feedback, he says. There are challenges with this work. Even when designing the glove, you need to think about how it will be effective. A stroke patient can have a closed fist, for example. Youre trying to create a device that will give them comfort when theyre already feeling less than comfortable. As much as anything, they want to give them hope. Strokes can happen at any time and often take someone out of a normal life without any warning, says Raj Kumar. Think about being jolted like that. We want to get them back to what they knew beforehand if its possible. Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further Discussion Strokes can happen at any time and often take someone out of a normal life without any warning. Think about being jolted like that.Ashwin Raj Kumar, New York University