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Free Online Certificate Courses (Sept 2020)

It’s 2020 and I’m a job seeking recruiter during a recession and a global pandemic. Can someone say “uncharted territory”? Understatement of the year & especially for the current job-market and recruitment professionals. 

That said, with more of us being at home, whether employed or searching, why not learn something new? Take time and explore. 

Take a chance! Dive deeper into that thing that interests you.  

I hope you take some time and look into these or take a chance and hit up that google box (your computer and the internet!) and search for yourself. What do you have to lose?

Building Your Leadership Skills | Coursera 

CS50: Introduction to Computer Science | Harvard University 

Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming | Coursera  

Write Your First Novel | Coursera 

Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking | Harvard University  

Gender and Sexuality: Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace | Coursera  

 

Introduction to Digital Humanities | Harvard University 

Innovation Management | Coursera  

Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health | Harvard University  

 

Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History | Coursera 

Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles | Harvard University  

Feminism and Social Justice | Coursera  

Love as a Force for Social Justice | Coursera  

Systematic Approaches to Policy Design | Harvard University  

Nonprofit Financial Stewardship Webinar: Introduction to Accounting and Financial Statements | Harvard University  

Project Management Principles and Practices | Coursera  

Interviewing in 2020: Making Feedback Normal

Recently, I interviewed for a recruiting leadership role at a tech company. The recruiter was lovely to speak with. 

The virtual interview took place on a Monday and lasted about 38 minutes. The recruiter was so complimentary. It was refreshing to know that I was perfect for the role. She kept complimenting my answers to her questions and mentioning how well my previous experience lined up with the role. We even discussed my lack of tech recruiting experience. She said while it is preferred, I was the only candidate on her radar that had all of the required experience. She told me that I checked off all of her boxes and that I should hear back no later than Wednesday morning on when to expect my next interview, which would be with the hiring manager. I left that phone interview feeling amazing. I was on cloud nine. Was this the opportunity I’d been waiting for? I was so excited!

Two hours and forty-three minutes later, I received a rejection email from the same recruiter. No feedback. Just that I should keep looking at the website and applying for their open roles. I was shocked! In denial, I reread the email several times. I was in disbelief that I was being rejected after the phone interview.

The silver lining in my experience... I applaud the rejection letter / email coming so quickly. It’s something many organizations are not managing properly. It’s better to know vs. not knowing your status as an applicant/candidate.

Recruiting is no simple task. It's a calling. It's life for many of us. I applaud those who recruit day in and day out. A big thank you to recruiters for all that you do! Thank you for being agile and having the ability to pivot and change course as often as you do! Let's embrace this feedback concept together. Let 2020 be the year candidate experience is coupled with candidate feedback.

LET US LEAD WITH HONESTY, TRANSPARENCY, & COMPASSION. 

CALL TO ACTION:

___________

Do you have questions? Ideas? Thoughts to share? Have you had this similar experience as a candidate? I'd love to hear from you about your experience. 

What's new?

Check out my web page: 🠟🠟🠟

https://recruitingshero.wixsite.com/recruitingshero

(you can even check out the links [click on the photos under 'My Extras"] to my recent appearance on the HR Social Hour Podcast and more)

Wisdom in Simplicity

It’s been a long year for most of us in the world. Living during a pandemic is tough. I’ve spent a lot of this time (more since March for sure) trying to remind myself that there are going to be lessons in this. Reminding myself to slow down, watch for the lessons and making sure I am giving them the great thought such simplicity deserves. I saw this quote this morning and it once again reminded me to slow down and look for the simplicity in it all. 

I've had so many conversations with friends and colleagues about the power of slowing down to go fast over the years. With the same mindset and thought, I've also had discussions recently about why we are so driven to move fast. Why do we feel guilt when when we slow down? Why do we push ourselves to the point of almost breaking? 

There are many reasons that could be said for these questions. For me, I am trying to focus less on amount of output and more on simplicity and the quality that comes with it. It's a back to the basics mentality that seems to be a "go to" for me when I need to refocus or recenter my thoughts, life, actions, etc. 

WHY DO I WAIT TO LIVE IN THIS SIMPLICITY AND QUALITY VS QUANTITY FOR MOMENTS OF NEED? WHY WAIT FOR A NEEDED MOMENT OR TIME TO BE RE-CENTERED OR FOCUSED?

Socrates said, "KNOW THYSELF". Think about that. I sure have. I have been marinating in this for a while now. 

What is it like to be a job seeker during a pandemic in 2020? It's like trying to pick a lock and you have no tools (oh and you've never picked a lock before).

WHAT HAVE I LEARNED & WHAT DO I KNOW? 

I'VE STARTED A LIST (A SMALL VERSION OF THE BIG LIST) MAYBE IT 

WILL HELP YOU AS WELL:

• Being a job seeker is a full-time job 
• It’s okay to take breaks (just don’t forget to start again) 
• Self-Comparison is a Liar and a Thief of Confidence & Joy - no one’s journey is the same – stop it 
• Writing lists has helped me stay focused and organized 
• Making sure to have 3-5 meaningful interactions with others in my field each week has been instrumental in keeping me motivated and on track (I’ve averaged 5-7 a week but 3-5 is perfect to start) 
• Set small obtainable goals and obtain them.
• I have asked for advice. I have asked for help. Getting over myself and being willing to be the student has made a huge impact in my job search and approach. We all cannot know everything, and we all have different points of perspective. Ask trusted colleagues and those in your industry and outside of it to look at your resume, to review your cover letter, to sit with you (virtually works!) and discuss what’s on your mind or your methods in general. 
• Yoga & Meditation have helped me find my simplicity. Try it. You may like it.
• Be willing and open to accept and put into action the feedback and advice you receive. Sometimes it’s new information and sometimes it’s old information that you forgot about. Be humble and be grateful for those that are willing to give you the time. 
• Less is more. With the right information on your resume or your online profiles, less can be more. Don’t forget to save old drafts. It’s nice to see the evolution of your resumes and online profiles. You never know if you will need something later.  
• I’ve stayed open and willing to help others. But not to my own detriment. I’m learning to say NO. You should too. 
• The time-frame I thought it would take to find a job and start that job vs.  what is reality are two separate things. I've had to let go of time frames (back to that making smaller obtainable goals to move forward). This makes me think of the song, Let It Be.  

Socrates also said, "WISDOM BEGINS WITH WONDER".  

I hope you take a moment to look at your own hustle, your own pace, and your situation today. Take some time to wonder. Take some time to evaluate where you are. There is no specific pace or speed. There is no specific amount of work or lack of work that is measuring your success fully (do you realize this?). It's person by person and case by case. I challenge you whether you're a job seeker or not - take a look at your pace. Think on it. Where should you be focusing? Should you be giving such attention to everything on your plate? Is your plate overflowing? Could you take on something new? Should you throw the whole plate out and start with a new plate? Are you taking care of yourself?

I know myself. I know I am impatient and take on way too much at a time. I've had to accept these things in order to develop patience with myself and in that, I've been able to say, NO. I've been able to slow down. There is definitely something to be said about focusing and swimming in simplicity. 

Something I've been saying over and over this year, LETS GO BACK TO THE BASICS.

Whether it was taking March and April to retrain/refocus my recruiting team by going back to the basics in what we do or now in my own job search. I've been working to un-complicate it all and map it out for others and for myself in bite size pieces. When I think about that quote above, "There is Wisdom in Simplicity", I think of this. I think of pealing back all the layers and forgetting about what I think it should be. Let's look at this (life & job search) with fresh eyes. Eyes with wisdom that are willing to be the student. That are willing to be the teacher. That are willing to swim in that simplicity and let the core basics guide me (guide us) to continued greatness and success.

More to come later this month on specific job search and self promoting job-seeker techniques that I have used. Things that have worked and things that have not. If you take anything from this blog today, I hope it's that it's okay to slow down and that there is power in going back to the basics. Find your simplicity.