Author Archives: Dorothy Dalton

LinkedIn is not Facebook. Brand blurring on social media

LinkedIn is not Facebook… right? But when I look at the two platforms what I see is a blur of blue, off white and similar functionality.

As a head hunter LinkedIn has become part of my daily routine. I use it in every operational and many strategic elements of my businesses. I value the content of trusted contacts and “influencers” and use it as a tool for staying in touch with people as well as issues and trends in my field. Even when the Pulse function opened up and became not so much a pulse, but a palpitation of unregulated content, I was able to triage key information.

I am not alone

I thought it was just me – but seemingly not. I saw just a very fleeting comment pass through my feed, that suggested that exact same message from someone else. I did try to track that person down, for it but couldn’t find him or her. Neither of us, it would seem, want to look at photos of people’s lunches and images with sometimes pithy quotes (sometimes not so pithy), on a professional platform.

We can see those on Twitter and Facebook.

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The new LinkedIn layout and interface for me has morphed into a Facebook look-alike and left me as a consumer, brand confused. The white noise of unregulated content increases incrementally on a weekly basis, which is becoming a source of irritation by a similar increment.

So as these two platforms take each other on, in both a professional and personal context, the world’s biggest social networking platforms seem to be leaving the the consumer dazed and confused, with an acute lack of product differentiation.

Facebook at work

Facebook is orchestrating a foray into the world of professional networking and workplace connecting, with the proposed launch of the Facebook at Work currently only available to people who have an account through their employer. LinkedIn has responded by upping the ante, to offer similar features to Facebook on its own platform.

LinkedIn has the had the lion’s share of the professional networking market and established itself as the primary global data base to connect employers and recruiters with job seekers. The new interface seems designed to encourage an even higher level of user-generated content with the possibility to add posts, updates and photos.

There are now also short cuts to “staying in touch” with network connections with “like” buttons very much in Facebook style. We can also take advantage of lists of statistics to generate user activity alerts of how our profile positioning has gone up and down.

Does that really work? Do people really care?

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LinkedIn, in the early days, was a platform to post your C.V. and create a professional presence usually associated with people who were on the market for a job. But now it seems to be targeting those who aren’t job seekers. The aim of the new look, in theory, is apparently to encourage more interaction and conversations by people in employment, which in turn will generate traffic and therefore revenue for LinkedIn.

Brand differentiation

For one person at least (me!) it’s having the reverse effect. I find it mildly annoying to have to tune out much of the white and mindless noise that has followed this development. In my network out of 14 updates posted in one hour on a Sunday, three were images: one a piece of jewellery, the others were photos with the “wise” words of so-called philosophers and thinkers which we can see anywhere else especially on Facebook and Twitter. On Monday morning, an increase in traffic saw four out of 18 update were images, with an identical breakdown. I have even had car adverts, a posting for a cleaner/housekeeper and baby pictures. If I see one more quote about Uber, AirBnb and TaskRabbit not producing anything, I will get on my desk and scream!

I am now seeing LinkedIn Pulse articles displaying just a hyperlink to a web site post, reminiscent of Twitter functionality and culture.

Interestingly, all three platforms have similar shades of blue as their brand colour, which only adds to the brand blurring.

Is it just me? Anyone else feel the same?

The Jeremy Clarkson lesson for HR & the talent pipeline

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Abuse has no place in any environment, but especially a professional one. This includes physical violence against individuals or property, or even feigned or threatened violence. Nor should there be any verbal abuse, yelling, swearing or humiliation of any kind related to race, appearance, nationality and anything else you can think of, that would make someone feel demeaned. Add to that “no go” list, emotional abuse or intimidation.

But nor should there be any defence of those situations or behaviours. It’s simply not O.K. and very much part of the problem.

When divos are dangerous

So it’s not that the British divo Jeremy Clarkson has made international headlines – again. That doesn’t shock me. It was inevitable. It’s the national petition to defend him that leaves me perplexed.

If organisations turn blind eyes, make excuses or create work around systems to accommodate the unacceptable, or even illegal behaviour of individuals who are otherwise valuable, they have a work place crisis in the making. It may not happen immediately – but it will sooner or later.

This applies whether it’s the diva or divo sales person, the mover, shaker, fixer, financial whizz kid, deal maker, sales closer, or the star presenter of a multi-million pound earner car show on the B.B.C.

Eventually these employees develop egos that require a postal code.

Their remorse, regret and superficial apologies will become increasingly hollow as they make no real effort to modify their behaviour. Weak excuses will be made about pressure and extenuating circumstances offered. A war zone or A & E is pressure. If they are serious organisational cash cows they will come to believe they are untouchable.

And the tail will start wagging the dog.

Situations will probably not be reached where national petitions are raised to protect the average super star employee, but the idea of what is acceptable will seep into corporate and therefore wider culture. They eventually become negative role models.

And then they will do something which crosses everyone’s line.

Talent pipelines need succession plans

The fact is, no one is irreplaceable or indispensable. There should be succession plans for all employees and Plan Bs for key personnel. They could get sick (or die) or just lose the plot like Jeremy Clarkson. If the media is to be believed, well-adjusted people don’t abuse people over a plate of cold cuts. Or they may be poached, simply leave, want to retire or take a gap year.

The financial success of one organisation can’t be centred or reliant on one of anything, whether client, product, or person. But above all it is never O.K. for anyone to abuse anyone in the office. No matter how popular or valuable they are.

There is one good thing about the Jeremy Clarkson lesson. It should have all organisations rushing to examine their succession plans and committing to improving their talent pipelines.

They should be starting to understand the power of one is potentially dangerous for all. Unless stopped he WILL do it again and a toxic culture will be embedded even further.

If you need support with workplace bullying and toxic divos/divas GET IN TOUCH NOW

Choreplay – 50 Shades of Housework

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There has been lot of conflicting information out there linking sex and housework for a long time. Jumping rather than leaning into it, we have Sheryl Sandberg CEO of Facebook in the New York Times, who has just resurrected the concept of choreplay. That is, men should be enticed to engage in household chores as part of a woman’s gender balance strategy. Why? Because it will improve their sex lives.

Now that’s interesting. Really? Does the notion of being chained to a hot stove take on a whole new meaning? Could this be the choreplay scenario?

Honey…. stack the dishwasher and you’ll get lucky

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It’s not rocket science

It’s no wonder people are flocking to see 50 Shades of Grey in their millions. House work is boring and repetitive, everything most couples would want to avoid in a their sex lives, one would have thought. Working with Adam Grant of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Sandberg references research indicating that men who participate equally in domestic responsibility have happier partners and more successful relationships. And wait for it… more sex.

Using research by Constance T. Gager and Scott T. Yabiku Sandberg maintains that men and women who work hard seemingly play hard. There have also been a number of other studies dating back a few years, that suggest that couples have sex more often when men participate equally in housework.

Seduction tool?

But I would put money on it, rather than fantasies of their partner wielding a feather duster, it’s having the time and energy to think about sex (and enjoy it) as well as feeling valued that would be the turn on. Good sex certainly beats fixing the packed lunches, sorting socks or arranging after school play dates. If you prefer the latter, now might be the time to make an appointment with a relationship coach.

Besides I suspect a man who wants to get jiggy with the vacuum cleaner, is possibly more motivated by the sex, than the notion of gender balance.

So the latest extension to the Lean In brand to suggest that gender equality will be served by literally seducing men into housework, with the promise of better sex lives is ridiculous. What are they? 1st grade? Finish your vegetables and you’ll get dessert?

Men should do this because they love and respect their partners and value their skills and experience. They also believe it’s right and if they have any sense at all, will know well, that relationships where one partner is tired, angry, stressed and resentful is headed for those three passion killing words “not tonight darling”

It’s not just about women

But importantly sharing domestic responsibilities releases men from their own gender stereotype roles. Increased involvement in parenting makes men more patient, empathetic and flexible, with a reduced risk of substance abuse. When dads spend more time with their kids higher levels of job satisfaction are reported, as well as other health benefits

Not forgetting that most couples need two incomes – which the Sandbergs clearly don’t.

They simply have to find a way of pulling together.

If your organisation want better gender balance – get in touch now.

Gen Y recruitment: How to make the most of job fairs

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It’s the season for job fairs. These are mechanisms for companies and candidates to screen each other and for both sides to get a feel for the market. They are an interesting combination of informational interview, actual interviews and networking. The skill is identifying which is which and applying the correct strategy.

Today, there is discussion about how useful they are for employers. Many are finding that college graduates lack basic skills for white collar jobs and are considering other forms of assessment. But if there is one for your sector or in your region, as a job seeker it’s an additional opportunity to make contact with organisations and therefore worth doing.

“Having multiple companies under one roof, is a logistical bonus.”

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Here are 7 tips on how to make the most of job fairs

1. Register for the Fair

Some job fairs allow candidates to register for the event, usually online, when they can pre-submit a CV. This gives companies an opportunity to screen applicants and identify the individuals they want to meet. There is no guarantee that this will take place, but if offered the chance, take advantage of the process. Always check for late company registrations – this can happen.

2. Be strategic

Many job seekers don’t treat job fairs seriously or strategically and attend and wander around in ” go-see” mode. This can be unproductive and waste huge amounts of time. Attendance at job fairs is usually high. Lines get long, especially for high-profile companies. If you can get the layout of the exhibition centre, plan a route around the fair. They can also be very tiring.

Identify target companies before hand, and if possible connect with recruiters and hiring managers. Generally the ones attending job fairs tend to be more junior and not final decision makers. Nevertheless, they will be influencers and will make a difference to whether candidates are advanced in the process.

Devise a plan for the day, perhaps going to see your top choice companies in the morning before the recruitment team get hiring fatigue and while you are at your sparkling best. You can always call by at the end of the day to make sure they remember your face.

3. Updated CV

For job fairs use a CV with a photo so the interviewer will connect you and your CV when he/she is back at the office. Take multiple CVs – very often you will need a different one tailored specifically for each organisation. There may also be several people at the stand.

A good tip is to have a resume on your phone or tablet.

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You can send it on the spot if necessary.

Back at base these CVs will be inputted into a data base, so strong key-worded resumes are vital for easy future retrieval.

4. Interview attire

Dress as if you were going for a formal interview or smart casual. What seems like an informal chat is an interview by another name. Most students don’t dress to impress and become a blur of T- shirts, jeans and the ubiquitous back pack. Stand out from the crowd.

5. Prepare, Perfect, Pitch

Preparation is critical to success. You may only have two to five minutes to sell yourself to really need to make the most of your time. Use your 30 second commercial to create a dialogue. You may need multiple versions. Don’t forget general common courtesies and body language, especially eye contact, handshake and smile are key! As are all the usual common courtesies. If you are going to practise anything at all – make sure your basics are in place.

“And ditch the device! Start practising holding a conversation”

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Prepare your own questions to show that you have researched the company and ask what they are looking for and what you need to do to make the cut. If you feel the interview is not going as planned – perhaps they are not looking for candidates in your discipline for example, you can always ask for a network referral.

Some companies offer a “Golden Hello” to candidates they are really interested in and offer signing on bonuses. Check this out beforehand rather than raise it at the interview, unless you already have a similar offer from another organisation. Discounts on student loans or other financial incentives, are great perks at the start of a career.

6. Network

Job fairs are great opportunities for networking and informational interviews. If there is a programme of career workshops or other presentations sign up. You can get a lot of excellent tips and maybe network with the presenters. If you see a stand with no one in line but not on your target list, you can always chat to the company representatives. It helps build up your general market knowledge and networking skills in a low-risk environment.

“Avoid hunting in packs.”

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Yes, of course it’s more fun standing in a queue with your friends, but you risk becoming part of an amorphous group. You want to stand out! Do not take a parent. If a parent does drive you – leave them in the coffee lounge while you take care of “business”.

Have some business cards printed to distribute. If you are studying, use your USP under your name.

7. Follow-up

Many job-seekers fail to follow-up after interviews or connections made at job fairs. Ask for a business card of the company representatives and if you can connect with them on LinkedIn. That’s another way to re-enforce an impression. Your own profile should be impeccable, carrying the same photo as your CV.

You can send any contact a thank you email with a copy of your CV. Use that email to reposition yourself and to re-confirm your interest, re-iterating your main skills. I have seen recommendations to leave a voice mail on a mobile phone. I suggest that would depend on how well you connected with the interviewer. Some may find it intrusive. If you know the next steps also confirm those – especially timeframes. Strong candidates are being courted early and fast by top companies, so it’s important to have an understanding of the process, especially if you receive multiple indications of interest.

Good luck!

Unconscious bias dries up the tech talent pipeline

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At a dinner party last week I was asked by a yummy mummy, what field should she encourage her daughter to go into and what academic choices would I advise she make? The kid is 8. Now my first instinctive reaction was that this was more than a little over the top.

I wondered if I had encountered a good dose of PMS (Pushy Mother Syndrome)

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The poor girl should become whatever she would like to be …. right? In line with her talents and passions …

Or maybe not.

How do you know what you are good at or passionate about if you have no knowledge or experience of it?

I have recently been invited to be a VIP Blogger at the HR Tech Conference in London in March. I tick many of the boxes: I blog, Despite an HR background in many ways I’m not technically minded. I dropped maths and science as early as I could in school. Yet, I am above average intelligence (really), generally quick to pick things up, was a strong student and the only person in a recent Executive MBA class who could explain Pythagoras’ Theorem.

So what happened? Rewind to home and school.

Unconscious bias

Back in the day science was for boys. We had no data then to tell us how we were being channelled, even unconsciously and even less idea if it mattered. I studied Social Sciences, breaking the curve for the time, because back then it wasn’t a “girly” subject, with women students being out numbered probably 5:1. At that time it was a gateway qualification for women into business and industry.

But both my brothers took straight science. They were also taught to play golf. I wasn’t.

Drought in the female talent pool

We live in an era where organisations are trying to deal with critical hard and even soft skill deficits. Companies are looking internationally for computer scientists and engineers, many of whom now come from overseas. Almost 30% of US engineers are born outside the US. Yet although 60% of European and US graduates are women, they are not selecting these subjects with only 20% of technical and engineering graduates being women. In the UK only 6%of engineering jobs are held by women.

So even today, many years later, knowing what we know now, nothing much has changed. The tech fields, still struggle to attract women, with men dominating those industries and functions, whether home-grown or imported. Even the workforces of forward thinking companies such as Google are only 30% female. Women are continuing to move into careers with a soft skill focus (pink functions) or so-called caring professions and the gap continues to widen.

Gender balance

There are simply too few women to attract. Organisations have missed the boat. The reality is combating stereotyping and gender balance starts while the workplace is a twinkle in a pushy mother’s eye.

A woman’s career path can be carved out years before she dons her first business suit.

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I have met a few women who took science qualifications in later life, but generally in my experience, the trend has been in the other direction. 40% of women for example leave engineering reducing the talent pool even further. Egg freezing benefits fail to address the real issues and come far too late in the talent pipeline process.

So good for the pushy mother at the dinner party. Not so much pushy, as savvy and strategic.

Identifying effective opportunities to deal with these challenges is complex, involving paradigm shifts in thinking in many areas of our society. All are integrated and almost inseparable. It will inevitably involve creating effective gender balance policies to make any dent on our unconscious bias riddled culture.

Advice to parents

To parents: encourage sons and daughters to explore all sides of their intelligence and discourage a split into girly subjects and activities, separating them from those for boys.
To education authorities: making science compulsory to a reasonably senior level, also gender neutral and fun. In some educational systems high school graduation is impossible without maths, a science, as well as arts subjects.
To the media and tech companies themselves: Kill the mad, reclusive, on-the – spectrum, scientist stereotype. Make science cool and sexy, not geeky. Create characters for movies, cartoons and games that show that women can be scientists and engineers, without being unfeminine. Not forgetting boys can be caring, without jeopardising their masculinity.

Anna and Elsa should be scientists with degrees, not princesses with magic powers.

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To organisations: make women employees highly visible. Give them and make them mentors. Send them to schools as ambassadors and make sure they are on stage as conference speakers internally and externally especially when talking about diversity. Create return-ships for women who have taken parenting leave, so that they stay with their companies, rather than deferring having children. Someone still has to take that child to the dentist.

Of the 9 new jobs anticipated for 2030 – how many require tech skills?

I predict a good profile for the future will be a technical subject (of some yet to be created discipline, which we currently know nothing about) languages (no, not everyone will prefer to speak English) and business training.

Only time will tell if I am right!

If you you would like a career pivot – get in touch NOW!

How to develop a lifelong learning habit

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Never let schooling get in the way of your education – Mark Twain

Hard and technical skills we are told become outdated as fast as we obtain them, making a commitment to lifelong learning even more important than ever. Content learned in the first year of an engineering degree is said to be out of date before the end of the final year. It has become vital to stay committed to lifelong learning habits. This isn’t about keeping your end up in dinner party conversation.

It will be critical to being present in your own future.

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As professional careers or working lives become extended, workplaces become more age and culturally diverse, staying in touch with the zeitgeist will assume a new significance for all. On top of this many hard skills will need updating. A marketing expert can no longer survive with traditional marketing knowledge alone, but will need digital marketing skills and know how. A lawyer might need business training or soft skill training, a chef will need financial skills, nutritional and legal knowledge. This has possibly always been the case to some degree, but today, with an unprecedented pace of change and individuals having to assume greater responsibility for investment in their careers, it is more important than ever.

Today, with the demands made on us from every angle and attention spans decreasing, even those who understand well the need for lifelong learning, can find it challenging to stay the course.

Here are 12 tips for developing a lifelong learning habit:

1. Have career goals and strategy

Understand your life long career goals and create a career strategy to achieve them, starting with the current year ahead. Carry out a career audit. What are your strengths and personal development needs? Are they in line with your goals? Do a skill set assessment for this year. What do you need to work on for the next step in your plan? Create that plan and stick to it. If you are thinking of a career gap for any reason – parenting leave is one, make sure that you have a strategy for staying up to date and lifelong learning. Many women are shocked at how fast the work place moves on, as they have busied themselves with their domestic roles. Re-entry can be a struggle. During periods of unemployment it is also important to stay focused on lifelong learning.

2. Select a career that challenges you

If you are not in a career or role that stimulates you most of the time (most jobs have some boring elements) now is the time to change. This might be a new profession all together or a new role.

If you need support on this check out my career coaching programmes

3. Prioritise learning

Very often, especially those who have had lengthy and rigorous training, take their foot off the gas once they have qualified, or reached a certain level of seniority.

“This is a sure-fire route to the career cemetery.”

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You don’t want to go there – especially mid-career. Make learning a priority.

4. Make a business case

You company might not be enthused about your interest in wine, but where applicable commit to making a business case for your personal development for corporate sponsorship every year. Even though organisations are tending to invest less in employee training, the worst thing that can happen is your boss can say no.

5. Stay up to date

Create a habit of reading and understanding what’s going on in the world and your sector. Whether this is via a newspaper, online sources, Twitter or Facebook or following influencers and thought leaders on LinkedIn. Create alerts for the topics that interest you and keep an eye open for those that don’t currently – but might in the future. Understanding how world events impact those not directly involved, is important to anticipating trends.

6. Cultivate the right network

Add people to your network who can enrich your skill set, knowledge and experience. Meet and or interact with them regularly if possible.

7. Look for a mentor

Find someone who has walked in your shoes to be your mentor. What wisdom can they share from their own experiences? What would they advise in your position?

8. Be your own brain storming buddy.

Albert Einstein said, “Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.” Start keeping a record of ideas and projects and a journal of your own thoughts. They might come in handy.

9. Put your hand up

Volunteer or position yourself for stretch assignments so you can put into practise the skills that you have learned or develop new ones. It might be a negotiation skill, handling a difficult conversation or even a new hard skill. Make sure you gain maximum use out of it before that too becomes obsolete.

10. Become a mentor

Pay it forward. Share what you’ve learned with someone junior, or even act as a reverse mentor with an older or more senior colleague to consolidate the knowledge you have acquired.

11. De-clutter

Just like your computers, your network, mental hard drive, address book and feed alerts need to be defragged and cleaned up to be at peak performance. De-clutter.

“Be tough about what you no longer need to know or could let go.”

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Perhaps you have advanced and are in a position to outsource some of the low value work, or a niche specialist for the more specific technical elements. Let go of people in your network who hold you back.

12. Daily routine

Making lifelong learning part of your daily routine will eventually become a habit. Allocate to begin with 10 minutes a day of “you” time to implement your strategy and achieve your goals so that your future is the one you have planned.

What else would you add?

Protect your earning potential. Avoid zero contact clauses

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We are seeing increasing moves from employers to control the activities of ex-employees. This can mean zero contact with the market sector in general, especially with competitors, network connections or even ex colleagues. It could include punitive and restrictive non competition clauses lasting as long as two years, or asking for LinkedIn connections to be deleted from the employee’s LinkedIn account. I have just heard from one employee who has been prohibited from contacting his ex-colleagues in any way following his departure

There is a reason why many companies call employees “human capital”. This is “the stock of knowledge, habits, social and personality attributes, including creativity, embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce economic value.” (Wikipedia)

Zero contact is becoming a device that companies are implementing in growing numbers.

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Whether the employee exit is acrimonious or harmonious, creating a firewall to ring-fence the company, to protect their business interests with a zero contact clause or clauses, seems to be on the rise. It is especially true for any individuals who work in client facing situations, are engaged in product development or strategic innovation roles.

Non-competition clauses

Helmut, now ex-President of a high-tech company, was “let go” six years ago. He had a “gardening leave” clause of two years with 80% of a very acceptable salary in his contract, which he had signed willingly. What could be bad about that he thought at the time? An extended holiday on an enviable salary. During this period he was completely prohibited from working in his sector. With the prospect of spending time with his family, improving his golf handicap and pursuing some new business interests, he looked forward to this time-out with some relish. He kept in touch with his network throughout the period and handled the transition by the book. However when he tried to re-enter his old field some two years down the line, now ravaged by recession, he met one rejection after another. Helmut has never been able to return.

Jane, somewhat lower down the pyramid, also had a non-compete clause when she was made redundant. At entry-level with two years experience in Digital Media business development, she is now looking for another sector to transfer her skills. “It’s not easy with experience in only one sector to transfer into another. Inadequate product or market knowledge is something I hear all the time. At entry-level I can’t do that much damage to my old company.”

Who owns your LinkedIn connections?

Perhaps not you. Nathan an Account Executive was made redundant recently. His employer wanted him to delete all the contacts he had made during the course of his employment from his LinkedIn account. It would seem that who owns your LinkedIn connections is a potential business minefield, especially if the employer pays for a Premium account which an employee has access to.

A good move to counteract this is simply to export all LinkedIn contacts so that they can be re-instated at a later date.

Read this for information on: How to export LinkedIn connections

Zero Contact with colleagues

A final area of potential conflict of interest came when Marilyn, an Events Manager was prevented from contacting her ex-colleagues, when she resigned from her position. Over the course of her employment, several had become good friends.

Christopher Head, Director at Irenicon U.K. employment law specialists commented “The situation with requirements not to contact ex-colleagues is even more ‘off the graph.’ Employers must have a protectable interest to start applying these clauses – and what are they trying to protect? If they think confidential information is going astray, they should tackle that head on … but by an embargo on existing staff gossiping with former colleagues about in-work issues – not by trying to stop ex-staff from keeping up friendships they forged when they were working for the employer! Employers tackle this from completely the wrong end … so often failing to set up basic and sensible security protocols about their data, and then putting in hysterical clauses into contracts to try to backfill their failure to do basic housekeeping.

Christopher continued “If the employer wants to stop ‘poaching’ of key staff, those clauses can properly go into contracts – but there is a fair body of case-law about how far those clauses can go … only “reasonable” ones will be enforced.”

Annabel Kaye CEO of Irenicon, added a final thought about the “potential unenforceability of ‘no contact’ clauses” because of the Human Rights Act “freedom of association” not forgetting “the right to a private life” protections.

So the moral of the post is to get advice before signing any contract that has the potential to reduce your opportunity to earning a living.

Network and business contacts are now valued hard currency so need to be protected.

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But not just by the employer. They need to be protected by the employee as well.

Does dressing down hurt women?

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One of the most curious and confusing trends in recent times is the business dressing down culture. A fad from California and dot.com start ups in the 90s, it has spread with the viral persistency of fast food outlets to other geographies. We started with casual Fridays, an employer’s way of showing the caring and human sides of their corporate natures. In many organisations this has evolved now into every day dressing down, except quite often in client-facing situations.

Hard to navigate and get right

Business casual and dressing down is one of those professional dress code scenarios which is hard to navigate, and even harder to get right. But is it one area where women can suffer more than their male colleagues if they miss the mark? We work hard to pursue our careers ,yet do we run the risk of throwing that away by wearing casual clothes in a business setting?

I sat in a corporate meeting room recently taking a break with a group in a half-day coaching session. The door opened and a well-groomed woman popped a perfectly coiffed head into our session. The CEO was on a walkabout and asked if could he look in for a few minutes. Of course – he’s the CEO!

Instantly the men reached onto the back of their chairs and put on their jackets. One guy pulled a tie from his computer case (OK – well he was in sales) De daa…, they were all transformed within seconds from dressing down casual, into an almost business presentable CEO reveal. The women, on the other hand, who were actually in the majority in this case, looked exactly the same. It wasn’t that they looked scruffy or badly groomed. They didn’t.

But their professional image was subdued and soft to say the least.

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They looked casual and not particularly business sharp. We could have been in an pre-school social, a sports club lounge or any other coffee morning. There were an array of cardigans, soft sweaters, some floppy casual trousers, a couple of sweet floral dresses and a puffa gilet.

Women judged more harshly

Given what we know that women are judged far more frequently and harshly on their appearance than their male counterparts, perhaps women have to be more cautious with casual dress codes and dressing down in the office. This is even more necessary in situations where there are fewer men and more women involved, simply to stand out, especially at the lower and mid levels of the hierarchy where they are more prevalent.

Although today there are less hard and fast professional image rules, we all need to be mindful of the impression we create. This is the memory that lingers long after we’ve left the room. The women didn’t look inappropriate in any way. There were no cleavages or unkempt clothes, but none looked memorable. In my recollection they had morphed into a gentle blur of soft pastels.

Should this be so? Of course not. We should all be judged on our qualifications and experience.

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The peacock syndrome

We know in advance that the appearance of women is ranked higher than their qualifications and experience in any selection process, coming in at 3rd place for women compared to 9th place for men. Is this then something women should factor in and be prepared and ready at all times, to bring on their A games and stand out like peacocks? Or do they say that they want to be true to themselves and risk getting left behind in the “memorability” area of executive presence?

The CEO when he did arrive was courteous and charming, impeccably suited, booted and well turned out. So this clearly was setting the tone for the company.

The nature of business casual is that men can upgrade in a matter of minutes.

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For women it’s more complicated.

Gender bias

Mark, the aforementioned Sales Manager told me “I’m not a fan of dressing down anyway. Like today, you never know what’s going to come up. I always keep a fresh shirt in the car and a tie on hand. Sometimes customers want unscheduled tele-conferences and now client facing doesn’t necessarily mean a personal face to face meeting. I expect all my staff, men and women, to do the same. There are always external visitors in the building even if they are not meeting me”

The question is should women abandon dressing down all together, or like their male colleagues simply keep jackets on the backs of their chairs? Image Consultant Claire Soper would probably say a yes.

But we never know if we might be called unexpectedly into a meeting whether with a client or senior management or even to an external lunch.

Jocelyn, a Design Engineer was dismissive “Sometimes I have to go from a meeting on site, where I need to wear protective footwear and clothing, on to a business lunch and then to a cocktail networking do. I always keep makeup, tights and a change of clothes in my office. I’m not sure I would have a jacket on the back of my chair, but certainly handy if appropriate. If I turned up on site in a power suit and killer heels, I would be in breach of health and safety regulations anyway and sent away!”

At a recent training event a participant shared how she struggled to be taken seriously by her male colleagues. I asked her to consider her professional image. Despite being a 30 something professional she looked and dressed like a student half her age. Women might put on their corporate suit for the big meeting or interview, but if on the other days of the year they don’t project a corporate look, which perception will dominate? The one-off “dress-ups” or the daily visual memory?

The reality is there is no connection between appearance and competence. It is a concept riddled in bias. The truth is that bias is alive and well and we need to be aware of that when we decide what to wear in a professional setting.

What do you think?

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Designer stubble and interviews

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The growing beard and designer stubble trend

There is no doubt facial hair is on trend in my part of the world at least. A quick look around my MBA classroom, TV shows and a recent series of interviews, was a clear testament that designer stubble and beards of various shapes, sizes and design are adorning an increasing number of male faces. From David Beckham, to Ryan Gosling, to my own son, facial hair seems to be the current look for many men.

Beards and Bias

For many years facial hair has almost considered a barrier to career progression for men. A 2003 University of Sao Paulo study showed 60% of personnel managers said they preferred clean-shaven men as a boss, compared to 15% who preferred a bearded boss. Frequently men are advised to shave a beard before an interview and to remain clean-shaven if hired. Certainly, the majority of CEOs seem not to be going for the beard trend.

But is this changing with a younger generation coming through the ranks and pushing back against bias? The former CEO of Apple, the late Steve Jobs was well known for sporting signature, designer stubble. Are these attitudes now out dated?

Would you advise a man to shave before an interview?

I wondered why

Obviously facial hair is a very evident gender differentiator (usually.) Although, somewhat ironically, there has apparently been a commensurate and veritable boom in the “manscaping” sector in recent times, as many men look for silky smoothness. I am of course only interested in boardroom implications.

Beards also have a number of obvious practical functions. They can protect men’s faces from the sun and from the cold. Men apparently spend 3350 hours in their lifetimes in an effort to have a hair free face. Having a beard saves time, shaving off (sorry) valuable minutes from a grooming routine. Although after reading this article on stubble maintenance with tips on exfoliating, gelling and shaping, perhaps not.

They can also be a sign of fitness and health, as well as being a badge of confidence and lack of fear. In battle, beards could be easily grabbed and the wearer pulled to the ground. City bankers be warned. So to sport a beard in armed combat was a signal of supreme assurance.

Status symbol

Beards increase age, social status and aggressiveness.

We all know teenage boys who tried to grow beards so they could get into bars and clubs without being carded. The girls wore make-up of course. However Research from Dixon and Vasey suggests that in certain cultures women and men perceive bearded faces to be older and associated with a higher social status, than the same men when clean-shaven. They did not necessarily find them more attractive, although in basic survival of the species terms, females prefer to mate with the most highly adorned males. The beard is definitely a male adornment.

Additionally, men wearing beards are perceived to be more angry than clean-shaven men. Anger is associated with preparedness to protect and negotiate at a time of conflict of interest. The anger face is according to criminologist Aaron Sell “a constellation of features, each of which makes you appear physically more formidable.”

What does this mean for corporate cultures?

Psychologist Robert Pellegrini (Psychology, 1973, Volume 10, No. 1,) says “Judging from the data in the present research, the male beard communicates a heroic image of independent, sturdy, and resourceful pioneer, ready, willing and able to do manly things.”

As the male face is prevalent in most of our senior echelons and corporate boards, the notion of the dominant, formidably bearded face, stands to become more deeply embedded. So with facial hair now back in fashion, what does that mean for corporate cultures? Will older leaders take up this new trend, or will they opt to stay with smooth chins and cheeks?

Is this trend a coincidence?

Occurring at a time where women probably for the first time in history are attempting to compete in the same arena as men, perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising.

This would be in line with other historical trends. According to Dr. Alun Wuthey an expert in medical history, the return of the beard to fashion in the late Victorian era could be attributed to a sociological and cultural shift. “Perhaps more importantly, though, women were beginning to find a voice and to offer a raft of entirely logical arguments against their continued subjection. How did men respond? By cultivating massive beards”

Interestingly Dan Stuart in Time suggests that this trend might have peaked. Clean shaven men could now be in the minority and will therefore be more visible to women.

Or is it all just a passing fashion fad?

I would be interested to hear your thoughts! Would you still advise a man to shave before an interview?

If you need help with interview preparation get in touch NOW

How to handle age gaps in the interviewing process

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Generational diversity in any organisation encourages a broader range of talent, but it can often mean conflicting ideas and judgements impacted by unconscious bias based on generational stereotyping. Identifying and appreciating generational differences can transform the selection process from one of miscommunication to building up an effective age-diverse and productive team.

Mind the gap

One of the greatest challenges for let’s say more mature candidates, is when they are confronted by the age gaps in the people in the interview process, whether interviewers or hiring managers, who might be young enough to be their children. Or scarily, even younger for some. But as we head towards a five generation workforce, this situation is going to become the norm rather than the exception. We all just have to get used to it.

Wide age gaps can trigger a number of reactions, not all of them centred around the great added value a candidate could make to the organisation, but a traumatic reminder to the interviewee, that their shelf life is about to expire.

Equally for the young interviewer when confronted with a track record of significant experience, even though some of it might be out of date, they can become easily intimidated and feel uncomfortable interviewing someone who is a replica of their Mum or Dad.

The situation then becomes difficult to navigate on both sides with a potential communication train wreck waiting to happen.

Beat the stereotypes

As a candidate you have to try and forget the interviewer’s age or level of experience and let all your own biases go. You will have many. Use your sophisticated social skills to create an immediate rapport. Don’t dumb your answers down and assume that young equals stupid. It doesn’t. Focus on creating a good impression and let them know you have the soft skills to reinforce your professional competence which will include: adaptability, energy, flexibility but above all a willingness to learn new techniques and skills.

As the interviewer your prejudices will also kick in about rapid onboarding, facility with technology, coping with change, mental agility, resistance to younger authority and time off for health reasons. But the average length of time a Gen Y employee spends in one job is 1-2 years, so the older employee feels rightly frustrated if they are viewed as a flight risk or unreliable.

Sarah has taken a year’s sabbatical from change management in the medical devices sector, while she works out a career transition. In the meantime she would like to find some sort of interim work to cover her basic bills, freeing up her evenings to pursue an entrepreneurial venture. “I am in my mid 50s and no one believes me that I have valuable skills and am just happy to work even at a junior level. They simply focus on my age. I was then interviewed by a manager who recognised that I could add balance to his team. It was wonderful. He was literally 25 years younger than me”

5 tips for mature candidates to fake it until you make it

Radiate energy: In many geographies it is prohibited to ask the age of a candidate. What most recruiters do is enquire into the year you graduated and then do the maths. The knack is to look the part. Sit forward in your chair and look interested. There are few interview situations where women have advantages over men and this is one. Some skilfully applied make-up can do wonders to radiate an energetic and vigorous appearance. There is nothing more off-putting than a defeated demeanour which can happen at any age.

Today, there are enough products on the market to create a youthful glow of nuclear proportions.

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Buy just one.

Update your image : if your professional image is circa Joan Collins, shoulder pads and mullets, invest in an image consult. It will be worth it. Your body shape generally changes with age (except mine of course) as well as your skin tone.

Avoid what friends affectionately call the “atomic mutton” look.

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Modernise your vocabulary: Don’t use pop jargon to appear cool, #careeradvice, or drift into street vernacular (Yo dude,…) but at least have an understanding of terms and trends that are current. I was introduced to a new phrase last week “Let’s uber it” meaning call a cab. I knew that….!

Understand technology: this is one area where older candidates genuinely fall behind. Getting up to speed on modern technology is critical, the platforms and applications. If you reject it all, do it from an informed position. “I can’t be doing with that Facebook” will not be as well received as a detailed technical response on the limitations of the privacy settings. Have a strong online professional presence and a demonstrated wide network. Make sure you can navigate your way around programmes that kids cut their teeth on in primary schools.

Know what you don’t know: This is where strategic questioning and attentive listening skills come in. Understanding that you have knowledge gaps to fill, without being intimidated by the situation will prove to be a real bonus. This will give you insight into the contribution you can make and allow you to position yourself accordingly.

One cross generational gesture that is always appreciated is a post interview thank you. But perhaps this time you might want to leave the embossed stationery in your desk drawer and just send an email.