How to Handle Mental Health Issues in the Hiring Process

How to Handle Mental Health Issues in the Hiring Process When people ask Ruby Wax whether they should tell their boss about their mental illness, she asks them, ‘Are you crazy?’ Sadly, nine times out of ten, she’s probably right. Mental illness is the stickiest of labels, and any admission of depression or anxiety can instantly put an arm’s length between you and anyone in your professional network. In recruitment it’s a big grey area no one wants to explore: recruiters, employers, candidates â€" no one. But in order to be sensitive to what is almost always a complex situation, you’ve got to approach it from every angle. Candidates: Be honest with yourself It’s easy to think you won’t perform in a job you won’t enjoy, but at the same time, you never know whether you’ll enjoy a job until you start. Approach the job hunt with openness and shrewdness: the job you take on will reward you for your abilities, and that’s no bad thing if a little self-congratulation is what’s lacking in the first place. Apply for jobs you’re interested in and that fit an overall career progression with confidence, knowing that by law  your employee rights are protected.  Remember, full time employment could be a great replacement for full time depression. The pay’s better, too. Sniff out company culture Your performance as part of a company is in part defined by your ability to gel with other employees. Trying to spot company culture in a job interview can be a challenge. It’s the last thing on your mind when affronted with a barrage of questions probing your professionalism, and is often swallowed with the fear of being thought of as juvenile. Find more creative ways to probe the suitability of office culture, without asking give-aways such as    â€œhow much sick pay am I allotted?” or “how would you react if I told you I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder?” Work on not working Ultimately, the binding force in most offices is the collective pursuit of cold hard cash. If your colleagues are understanding about your condition one day, they might be cagey the next. There is no real reason for this. A narrow spectrum ranging from social decorum to general awkwardness that defines most office interaction is usually incompatible with the medley of emotions experienced by the mentally unwell. Weave a strong support network outside of work and put your eggs into this basket instead. Recruiters: Reserve judgement What should a recruiter do if they believe they have a candidate that is mentally unwell? Well, the first impulse might be to drop them, but think about it. Why are they here? They must have done something right to get to their current position. Remember your role as a recruitment consultant not a psychiatrist and reserve judgement. Professionals should be defined primarily by their achievements, rather than by their “undesirable” traits. A main criticism of recruiters is their penchant to speak with authority on topics they don’t really know much about. The same applies to those candidates: the least you can do is get to know your candidate and step out of the way of their career trajectory. Apply humane skills Putting forward a candidate with mental health problems could damage your reputation. Will the client come back to you for another candidates after the first took an emotional tailspin? Perhaps not. Similarly, while you might be tolerant of issues of mental health, your client may not share that view. Carefully judge the tone of the role or you could inadvertently be buckling your candidate in for a bumpy ride. Being able to read avenues of possible behaviours between the candidate and client is a central part of your job. Apply your intuition your best asset and leave as little as possible to chance. Don’t fear-bait Attitudes are changing in the UK. Mental health charities such as Mind are doing their bit to improve the living and working conditions for those who are diagnosed, yet the chasm between employers and employees is closing with regard to mental health issues. As an agent between the two, you need to treat the issue sensitively. The best candidates will encourage their clients to open up, professionally-speaking. An open conversation about what the business expects and how the candidate regards the role should do the trick. Normalcy should reign: any sign of unprofessionalism should be considered within the framework defined by a job description, and shouldn’t question the individual’s personal constitution. Employers: Use your noodle Could you handle someone diagnosed with mental illness? What does that sentence even mean? There’s always the possibility any candidate could be unwell, and unless it  really  seems like there’s a problem, until it surfaces, it’s not worth double guessing. Recruitment in Britain is tolerant and more supportive of diversity than many other nations, but has a sting in its tail: most just don’t want to know. However, if the situation does arise that a candidate or employee’s mental health is brought into focus, it is important that the employer is able to respond to the situation with appropriate care and diligence, and not just supply a dismissive pat on the back. Give them options Noticing mental illness in an employee shouldn’t necessarily be encouraging them to settle into a normalised office environment. Nobody wants to be stuck in a rut, and a degree of flexibility when it comes to workload and hours enables an employee to work it out for themselves, on their own terms. Only when all reasonable options are exhausted can you be sure your employee isn’t right for the job, and you’re sure they would be better placed elsewhere.   Try a little tenderness Intervene without being David Brent. The best employees are the ones that care. Without making them feel indebted to you, make them feel included. With a little effort, the situation can be turned on its head. I’ve experienced cases of employees with depression where a single sincere conversation has brought about a committed employee able to produce work of a consistently high quality. Here, both of us were well rewarded by a very simple bridge-building exercise and what began as initial misunderstanding quickly turned into a concerted effort.

Turning a Dream to Reality Applying for Your First Business Loan Â

Turning a Dream to Reality Applying for Your First Business Loan   While positivity and planning makes for a big portion of turning your dreams into reality, nobody can deny the importance of capital to any #sidehustle. If you are wealthy and have the funds to put in, a business loan may not be something you’re looking into. However, most people go by limited funds and usually put their entire savings into the business â€" something that is a big risk, especially if you are going into business for the first time. This is what a business loan is good for. Whether applying for a personal loan or a business loan, it is a daunting pursuit if you are not ready for it. While banks make a big profit from loans, recent financial crisis has caused them to be more stringent with their guidelines and application procedures. Startups are always considered to be a gamble, so many lenders aren’t keen on making the approval. Don’t let this dissuade you though. As long as you compile everything needed from you and you have a strong plan on how to make the money back, banks would most likely give you what you need. Step 1 â€" Business Plan Business Plan â€" the less holes in your plans to make your company work, the higher your chances are to get a loan. Write down a business plan that outlines your company’s operational process, markets, competitors, and both current and projected financials.  Step 2 Research Find a business counselor or a loaning officer from the bank, so you can understand and find out the best sources of loans and assess just how much your business is qualified to receive.  Step 3 Documents Organize all your documents based on what the bank will require. Once at the bank, they will be able to provide you with a list of things that they need to see in order to process your application. To avoid several trips, make sure that you have everything on hand.  Step 4 Collateral List down what the bank can get as collateral for loaning you the money for your business. It can be vehicles, equipment, and other items of value which you will be using to operate. Your personal assets can also be counted as collateral. They can assess your current personal finances. In most cases, a guarantor will also be required. Like I always say, slow progress is better than no progress. Take each step one by one and take your time, youll be surprised at how far you can get in a few months if you stay determined to get through each step. Have you ever applied for a loan? Tell us all about it in the comments below.

Can Age Ever Be More than Just a Number

Can Age Ever Be More than Just a Number As a culture we celebrate the ideal of youth. We invent names by which to define it â€" we talk about ‘millennials’ or ‘Gen x/y/z’ â€" and as employers we court it, using recruitment initiatives designed to vacuum up new talent. And, perhaps most visibly, we celebrate it in popular culture and politics. Of course I am not suggesting that young people aren’t vital to businesses, society or the wider economy. Far from it. We need new talent, new ideas and fresh thinking if we are to continue to innovate. But do these qualities reside solely with younger people? Does our pursuit of youth run the risk of us excluding older, more experienced people? Experienced candidates are getting scarce: This is not an abstract debate. The UK’s workforce is one of the most highly skilled on the planet but the level of employment amongst over-50s in this country is one of the lowest. In ten years’ time, there will be 700,000 fewer people aged 16-49, but the number of people aged between 50 and the current state pension age will have swelled by an incredible 3.7 million. This demographic bulge will force us as a society to look again at more experienced candidates for roles. But why should we wait to be forced to tap into these ready-made pools of talent? I believe that businesses need to do more to re-engage older generations in the world of work today. As employers we have a responsibility â€" as well as a clear commercial opportunity â€" to encourage older people to look again at new careers and make it easier for them to switch roles. Reverse mentoring strategies pair older and younger workers: Some businesses are already tapping into this pool of talent and tailoring initiatives designed to help people transition more to other opportunities easier. Businesses like Dell and Sodexo have embraced ‘reverse mentoring’ strategies, which pair older workers with younger counterparts to ‘upskill’ them in areas such as technology and encourage closer collaboration between generations. Others are encouraging older people to take on internships to sample different roles in new sectors. Parents arent sure what their children do at work: Despite this good work, there is much more to be done if we are to connect different generations with new opportunities. In fact, LinkedIn research has shown that one in three parents has no idea what their child does at work â€" a worrying disconnect which prevents both parents and children from sharing their knowledge â€" even though they both confess to wanting more advice. So, although we may recognise the value of their knowledge, we are not seizing the opportunity to learn from one another, which is why LinkedIn last year launched Bring In Your Parents Day â€" a day designed to break down career ‘barriers’ between parents and their children. Professionals say thanks to their parents: This initiative saw thousands of businesses welcome their employees’ parents into the workplace. Parents were given the opportunity to learn first hand about their child’s job, professionals were able to say “thank you” for the guidance and support they had been given, and both generations were shown the value they can generate by learning from each other. I believe that we all have a vital role to play in closing the generational gap.   The answer to solving the problem of the UK’s ageing workforce is not as simple as shifting recruitment policy in favour of older candidates, but instead requires a more collaborative attitude, increased employee engagement and skill sharing. Isn’t it time that “experience isn’t wasted on the old” becomes a familiar refrain? Author:  Ariel Eckstein  is the Managing Director of LinkedIn for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

How training can improve workplace relations

How training can improve workplace relations Regardless of industry, division or team â€" behavioural challenges in the workplace are an inevitable part of working life. As organisations bring people together as a team, there will always be issues that arise from time to time â€" but how the business responds to these issues is critical in maintaining engagement and improving performance. Whether it is a white-collar office environment, industrial warehouse or factory floor, whether in the retail sector or services industry, making sure that a workforce is able to engage with each other positively is an essential part of achieving wider objectives. Here are some specific ways in which training can ensure that relations in the workplace dont cause problems to the smooth running of a business. Systems training If a member of staff is not sufficiently trained in the use of technology or systems it can impact negatively in a number of ways. Not only will the individuals confidence suffer and their productivity drop, but team morale can also be affected especially if other employees feel a team member is not pulling their weight and they have to pick up the slack as a result. Having the right technical training programmes in place will make sure everyone is up to speed and will also generate a team spirit that can be invaluable. Diversity training Some training programmes are specifically aimed at developing social interaction at work. Diversity and inclusion training is one example that can help make an organisation a better place for employees to work. Developing an inclusive culture in the workplace helps to overcome any unconscious biases and builds an atmosphere of mutual respect. This not only helps avoid problems but often has a significant positive impact on productivity. Non-inclusive behaviours dont have to be deliberate actions, as they can come about without any conscious or malicious intent. However, legal and moral issues are also important factors when it comes to diversity issues in the workplace, so there are a whole range of issues that can be addressed through effective staff inclusion training. Educational training With most businesses facing an ever increasing need for skilled staff across a wide range of disciplines, encouraging employees’ continued involvement in further education can be something extremely positive for an employer. As well as being great personal development for individual employees, giving access to educational programmes and courses can benefit a company in the long term by encouraging staff retention and making the most of in-house talent. Business partnerships with educational institutions and government programmes can be cost effective and bring positive results for all concerned.

Resume Writing Services - How to Find a Good Contact Number

Resume Writing Services - How to Find a Good Contact NumberIf you want to look for good service companies, then you need to consider how you can get a good resume writing services contact number. You will be able to ask a lot of questions to make sure that you are getting the most appropriate services for your needs. It is not easy to find a good contact number, but there are some things that you need to consider when doing this. Some of the things that you need to consider when trying to find a good contact number is the following:First, make sure that the contact number that the company gives you is credible. This means that the number should be an email address or a toll-free number. However, make sure that you are getting information about the company and not just information about the number.Second, make sure that the number that you will be using has a phone number. This will give you a way to speak to the company. Some companies require you to call them directly to get their b usiness.Third, make sure that the company will provide you with a guarantee for the services that they are providing. When you are trying to find a service that will help you get a better job, then you need to make sure that the company will be able to deliver its services. Remember that the company's services are meant to help you get a better job.Fourth, check whether the resume writing services will be able to provide the materials that you need to get a better job. The company should be able to give you the right materials that you need in order to write a good resume. It is important to remember that the company should be able to give you the right materials that you need so that you will be able to get a better job.Fifth, you should check whether the resume writing services will be able to give you the right information that you need. There are some companies that may give you information that will not be helpful in your career search. Make sure that the company is giving you accurate information so that you will be able to use the material to help you in your career search.Sixth, make sure that the contact number that you are using has the right website address. This means that the website address of the company is valid. You will be able to find the right website address by checking the website of the company.Finally, make sure that the website that you are using is updated regularly. In fact, make sure that the website is constantly being updated so that you will be able to use the materials regularly. Make sure that the company is working hard to provide you the right materials that you need so that you will be able to get a better job.

[BOOK REVIEW] The 6 Reasons Youll Get the Job - CareerEnlightenment.com

Plan for SuccessThere are six main factors that come into play during the hiring process: presentation, ability, dependability, motivation, attitude, and network. Using  the PADMAN framework, the authors show how employers evaluate each quality.PADMAN is your best defense against getting screened out during the hiring process. Of course its good to make sure you have personalized examples of how  you excel in each category but its also important to customize it to specific employers.“Each company will define their PADMAN slightly differently, because each company has a different image, personality, and set of goals. Understanding how  employers judge each category allows you to identify their preferences and tailor your marketing strategy.”An employer hiring for a customer service position will probably look first at presentation and attitude. For a sales position, your network will be the  hot ticket item.Speaking of networking, here are some interesting statistics from a survey about reputation management thatll encourage you to clean up your online  profile: “86 percent of executive recruiters look online for information that goes beyond a candidates resume, and nearly seven in ten say job candidates  prospects improve when positive information is found online.”Tip the Balance in Your FavorDont forget that in the eyes of an employer, you’re a financial investment. Make sure you’re a wise one. “The employer makes a wise investment when the  benefits he gains outweigh the risks and costs.”Its helpful to gauge your cost benefit ratio before the hiring process begins.If there are any gaps in your resume that an employer could use to screen you out, you should seek out side doors before you submit a resume. This will  give you the opportunity to convince an employer of the benefits of hiring you before theyve even seen a red flag.With this book as a guide, you can build the best plan for highlighting your assets and cushioning your weaknesses. Not only can you get the job, you can  get it faster.Find more materials and resources like the Wall of Side Doors at  www.the6reasons.com

Summary Sunday Lets Get Visible! Your Career Needs It

Summary Sunday Lets Get Visible! Your Career Needs It Lets Get Visible Isnt it time you upped your career game. Seriously. At some point in time, maybe even right now, you want a new job. What are you doing to increase your online visibility, your personal brand- peoples awareness of you? This weekly roundup is dedicated to helping you get visible! Lets Get Visible There are many ways to improve your visibility. Think about thishow many people know about the work you do  inside and outside of your team?  You cant rely on your manager taking an interest or even giving you credit for the outstanding work you do. Sad but true. This is the new normal so rise to the challenge and become your own advocate! Incorporating visual content (images, photos, video, samples of work) is what it takes  to stand out. But dont let this intimidate you. JOB SEARCH 5 Fast Tips on How to Become Visible to Executive Recruiters by Martin Buckland | Martin Buckland Speaks Here are 5 fast tips on how to become visible to Executive Recruiters when you are searching for that next step on your career ladder! LINKEDIN There are many ways to get visible on LinkedIn. One way to showcase your work on LinkedIn is by adding Projects to your profile!  Think about that  special project you took on. Adding it to your LinkedIn profile as a project, rather than just including it under your job helps highlight your work! Grab Recruiter Attention with LinkedIn Projects by Laura Smith-Proulx | Job-Hunt.org The Projects section can facilitate your findability as a candidate, especially when you add a substantial amount of  keywords. And remember Projects do NOT have to represent formal initiatives from your work history. SOCIAL MEDIA Social media enables you to interact with people and that means more people can become aware of what you are doing! Dont dismiss the chance to get visible among people you are connected to on social media. Use  some of these secrets! 24 Awesome Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram Pinterest Features You Didnt Know Existed by Lindsay Kolowich | HubSpot Social media networks are continuously adding cool little features here and there, and it can be tough to keep up especially if theres no big announcement. Thats why this post is so important! LIVESTREAMING Livestream is a video live streaming platform that allows customers to broadcast live video content using a camera and a computer through the Internet, and viewers to play the content via the web (according to Wikipedia) Ok, so maybe you arent familiar with this term. But Livestreaming gives anyone the ability to post video on air- essentially you are airing your own talk show! Thats pretty awesome! There are lots of platforms and people using Livestreaming to promote themselves and their businesses  because its popular! Facebook Live is being rolled out. And then there is Periscope (on Twitter) and even Instagram and Snapchat allow public video. Google is discontinuing Google+ Hangouts On Air on September 12, pushes users to YouTube Live | Venture Beat Video and Livestreaming are hot! Unfortunately, Google is forcing people to use YouTube Live for public group video chats. Its unclear how this will really impact the average or small-time user. Here are alternatives:  Which Livestream Platform Is Right For You? by Ross Brand TOOLS Canva, Adobe Spark and 29 Other Apps That Let You Design Stunning Social Graphics | CreativeMarket From creating your background images to adding visual content to your status updates, youll want to know about tools that allow you to easily create these things! Heres help! CAREER SHERPA Now it is time to share with you some mentions/quotes as seen in other places! 5 Signs It’s Time To Ask For A Raise by Jenny Che | Huffington Post What To Do When Your Boss Plays Favorites by  Caroline Zaayer Kaufman | Monster How To Make A Resume  â€" The Only Guide You Need [EXAMPLES] by  Natalie Severt | UpToWork 20 Best Career Blogs To Read | Freesume Asking for a Raise? Take These 5 Important Steps by Shannon Gausepohl | Business News Daily