I was thinking about how evolved recruitment, hiring, human resources, and human capital management has become over the years.

Throughout my years as a career coach, I have heard the stories of clients who believed they were discriminated against in the employment areas. They believed they were not selected for a position based on discrimination, were terminated from a position due to discrimination, or prevented from a promotion due to discrimination. Many of these clients asked me how they could manage and make it visible that they had been discriminated against. Oftentimes I referred them to their human resources, ombudsman, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or an attorney.

Case Samples:

• One client, a male in his late 60s, told me he was discriminated against and prevented from obtaining employment because he was short (less than 5 feet). He did not believe his age was a discriminating factor, because he had so much experience.
• A woman informed me that she was discriminated against because she took of 15 years off to raise children. She said no one would hire her because she had a gap on her résumé.
• A man, Caucasian, age 58, believed he was laid off because he was too old, and a younger man, age 26 was hired in his place at half the salary.
• A woman, African-American, told me she was not promoted and was held back because she was African-American and the rest of the office were Caucasians.
• A male, age late 40s, weighed 400+ pounds, and he believed he was discriminated against because he was overweight. He was not receiving any job offers; however, he received many interviews.
• A woman who was handicapped with a sight issue, believed she was discriminated against and not offered employment because she requested a reasonable accommodation for a computer software with extra-large viewing pane and verbal subtitles.
• A man, in his mid-fifties believed that he was discriminated against because his name is unpronounceable – he is from India. He has a Ph.D. and is a very smart – go-getter – yet, he has been held back on promotions. He believed his name on his résumé is an automatic discriminator. He now uses a nickname to try to circumvent the discrimination.
• A woman who was handicapped and provided a zero gravity by her employer as a reasonable accommodation – when she got a new boss – the new boss did not like the chair in the office – and had it removed. The employee was not able to work well or concentrate and subsequently lost her job. She told me she was blatantly discriminated against by this new boss.

Several of these people filed Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints with the EEOC. One sued the agency where she worked and won the case ($1 million); one finally was promoted, and one received a reasonable accommodation to move forward in her work. Others floundered and became dejected in the job search.

Discrimination

Discrimination is considered unequal treatment of a colleague, subordinate, or customer based on their membership in one or more protected groups.

The laws that prohibit discrimination and protect former and current employees and job candidates from employment discrimination include:

Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963: Prohibits wage discrimination by employers based on an individual’s’ sex.

Title VII Of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Prohibits employment discrimination based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex including pregnancy, gender identify and sexual orientation, and national origin.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967: Prohibits employment discrimination based on age, specifically for individuals who are 40 years of age or older.

Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Requires the employer to provide reasonable accommodation to an employee or applicant unless doing so would cause undue hardship.

Undue Hardship: A significant difficulty, or a change that is extensive or disruptive. The emphasis is on the resources and circumstances of the agency/company as a whole and impact on the operations. A specific detailed analysis must be conducted.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008: Revised the definition of disability to more broadly encompass impairments that substantially limit a major life activity.

Definition of Disability: Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such impairment, or being regarded as having a disability. Not everyone with a medical condition is protected by law. To be protected, a person must be qualified for the job and have a disability as defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008: Prohibits discrimination against job applicants or employees on the basis of genetic information. Prohibits ‘requesting/requiring’ individual or family members take a genetic test. Prohibits disclosure of an individual’s genetic information in the employer’s possession except under specific conditions. (Example: An employer cannot refuse to hire an applicant or make an employment decision based on information that the individual has or may be predisposed to have a genetic condition (e.g., cancer, depression, diabetes).

Reasonable Accommodation

A reasonable accommodation removes a workplace barrier, thereby providing an individual with an opportunity to apply for a position, perform the essential function of the position, or gain equal access to a benefit or privilege of employment.

A reasonable accommodation may include modifications to a job application process, modifications to the work environment, or modifications that allow the employee to enjoy the benefits or privileges of employment.

Benefit Types

Leave can be considered a reasonable accommodation and unpaid leave should be considered a reasonable accommodation if it does not create undue hardship on the employer. The different types of leave include sick, annual, Leave Under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and Leave without Pay (LWOP).

An employee who has a disability under the Rehabilitation Act and serious health condition under FMLA, may be entitled to leave under both statutes. Under FMLA, an “eligible” employee may take up to 12 weeks of leave during any 12-month period. FMLA also covers care for close relatives, so an FMLA covered “serious health condition” is not necessarily a disability.

It is illegal for an employer – to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information for:

• Publish a job advertisement that shows a preference for or discourages someone from applying for a job; for example, a help-wanted ad that seeks "females" or "recent college graduates" may discourage men and people over 40 from applying and may violate the law.
• Recruit new employees in a way that discriminates against them; for example, an employer's reliance on word-of-mouth recruitment by its mostly Hispanic workforce may violate the law if the result is that almost all new hires are Hispanic.
• Discriminate against a job applicant; for example, an employer may not refuse to give employment applications to people of a certain race.
• Making hiring decisions.
• Make decisions about job assignments and promotions. For example, an employer may not give preference to employees of a certain race when making shift assignments and may not segregate employees of a particular national origin from other employees or from customers.

Also,

If an employer requires job applicants to take a test, the test must be necessary and related to the job and the employer may not exclude people of a particular race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or individuals with disabilities. In addition, the employer may not use a test that excludes applicants age 40 or older if the test is not based on a reasonable factor other than age.

If a job applicant with a disability needs an accommodation (such as a sign language interpreter) to apply for a job, the employer is required to provide the accommodation, so long as the accommodation does not cause the employer significant difficulty or expense.

A job applicant can request a different type of job application, if required for a reasonable accommodation, e.g., interview questions sent in advance, a paper application versus online, etc., if they meet the requirements of Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

EEO Process

A complaint may be filed by current or former employees or applicants for employment if they believe they have experienced discrimination based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender stereotyping, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability (mental or physical), age (40 and over), genetic information, reprisal (prior EEO activity), religion, political beliefs (affiliation), family/parental status, or marriage status.

The Complexities

According to the EEOC, the ADA requires an employer with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, unless it would cause undue hardship. 

To file a discrimination charge, the employee is required to file a Charge of Discrimination with the EEOC before filing a job discrimination lawsuit against the employer. Federal employees and job applicants have similar protections, but a different complaint process.

Not all employers are covered by the laws enforced by the EEOC and not all employees are protected. This can vary depending on the type of employer, the number of employees it has, and the type of discrimination alleged. Also, there are strict time limits for filing a charge. Read the information found at EEOC.GOV and Department of Labor (DOL.GOV) to help determine your rights and what action you need to take.

Summary

This is a quick overview of information provided from the EEOC and DOL concerning discrimination in employment. I typically ask my coaching clients to reach out to EEOC or an attorney if there is an alleged discrimination. Even though this is not my areas of expertise, I try to stay informed, in the event that a coaching client informs me they have been discriminated against.

Many of my clients have “gaps” in their work experience. During career coaching sessions, and while crafting their accomplishment stories, some clients will ask me how they should “hide” the gaps of time on their resumes.

In true career coaching form, I will ask them several questions to determine the reason for the gap and determine why we should “hide the gap.”

For those of you who completed the Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) program, you know that I believe in “Diane’s Whole-Person Theory.” As such, a gap of time within the career progression, is part of who the person is – and most likely cannot be “hidden.”

Let’s consider some gaps:

• Stay-at-home-mom/dad / giving birth / adopting a child (maternal / paternal leave)
• Sabbatical – travel the world, complete a bucket-list item (clime a mountain, swim the Chunnel), volunteer at the Special Olympics or a missionary trip
• Illness - overcoming cancer, chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, or Covid-19 (medical leave / long-term medical care)
• Caring for an ill child, family member, or friend (caregiver / long-term medical care)
• Caring for an elderly parent on hospice (caregiver / long-term medical care)
• Incarceration
• Returning to university to obtain an MBA or EMBA (advanced education)
• Attending university / training to obtain a degree or license/credential (advanced education)
• Completing education while in the military (advanced education)
• Left job before lining up a new position
• Laid off, fired, or contract ended
• Vacation between jobs (common for military making the transition to corporate)
• Trailing spouse or dependent (military or corporate)

Recruiters and hiring managers can see quickly through gaps and red flags. For example, a candidate who omits months on a resume – sends red flags to a recruiter.

Here are sample gaps as written on resumes:

• Project Manager | 2021 – 2022: Red Flag – The question is: did the candidate work from January 2021 to January 2022 – and gain 12 months of experience? Or did the candidate work from December 2021 to January 2022 – for one month of experience?

   

• Software Manager | 2018 – 2020: Red Flag – Between this position and the above position – there is a gap of either 1 month – or 1+ year.

   

• Program Manager | 2016 – 2018

  Many of the recruiters I have spoken with state that they will typically only look at a resume with months omitted – after they have reviewed resumes with months and years included. If a job vacancy announcement states, “must have 24 months of experience in accounting…” and a resume omitted months, and it is not clear to the recruiter if the applicant has the requisite experience, other applicants will be considered first. That is even before they determine the reason for the gap of time.

  Let’s look at the same chronology with dates:

• Project Manager | 11/2021 – present

  With the months included – there is nearly a 21-month gap between the job below and the job above.

• Software Manager | 11/2018 – 01/2020

   

• Program Manager | 03/2016 – 11/2018

Most employers do not care much about a short gap of time – 2 to 6 months typically – this is usually the time it takes to secure a new position. However, longer gaps, simply deserve an explanation. Every recruiter and hiring manager I have spoken with has told me, “if the candidate would just explain the gap of time, I can usually work with it.” Recruiters and hiring managers prefer honesty and many understand the value of the “experience gained” during the gap of time.

Let’s Explore the Value of a Gap of Time:

• When my parents became ill and on hospice during the pandemic, it all happened very fast. Moving to their house, I thought I could still work while I cared for them. I learned very quickly, that caring for my parents was a full-time job – 24/7. The hospice doctor informed me that they could not release my parents to their home unless I proved that I could provide full-time / 24/7 care. I began to interview caretakers. I was provided with a number of resources via the hospital, the hospice company, and friends. I called the church, the local schools, and more. I interviewed a number of potential caretakers. What I learned was that they charged from $25 to $28 an hour – up to $35 an hour when my dad was also on hospice (2 people at the same time to look after).

   

• I learned that these care takers would not touch or administer any medications or change catheter bags. They would sit with my parents, make sandwiches, and some would do light cleaning or laundry. With round-the-clock-care it would cost: $20,000 to $30,000 per month including nights and weekends. And I would still need to be available to manage and administer the medications, some of which were administered every couple of hours.

• My point is – the experience of learning to care for the elderly and manage hospice requirements is valuable on a resume. I learned the physical requirements of caring for hospice patients: laundry (lots of laundry), preparing three meals a day, caring for wounds, catheters, bathroom schedules, bathing, oxygen machines, blood pressure and pulse OX charts, and more. I learned how to communicate with nurses and doctors and use medical terms. I became like a pharmacy technician – and I communicated with the pharmacy daily – sometimes multiple times a day. I even learned how to understand drug counter-interdictions. I became adept at figuring out how to make processes easier for the caretakers and the patients – I bought lightweight plastic plates with food dividers, toddler cups with lids and straws, and I created tooth brushing stations with red solo cups.
• The other side of hospice is the paperwork. I completed and submitted numerous forms for the hospice team, medical forms, Powers of Attorney, the trust documents, social security, and so much more. I worked with an estate attorney, CPA, and the veteran’s administration.

All of this would, in short form, make a strong entry on a resume – as a GAP of time: volunteer caretaker – Equivalent Salary: $20,000 per month.

The same can be said from gleaning the skill sets from being a stay-at-home parent, taking a sabbatical, volunteering in the community, or gaining a new degree.

Advanced Education

Recently a young adult’s (we will call the young adult John) father asked me to write a resume for his son. He completed a degree in geology. The father was skeptical if there were any jobs to be had in geology. John’s resume was a list of courses he took in college:

• ●2020 Mine Safety & Health Administration Safety Course & Certification
• ●2020 CPR Course & Certification
• ●2020 Earth Surface
• ●2020 Petrology Course
• ●2019 Principles of Sedimentology & Stratigraphy Course

He also had 6 years of experience in the Army in Military Intelligence (MI) and as a Reservist before he attended college. He did not want to work in MI or anything like that. (Side note: his father had been in the Army.)

After asking John what he wanted to do, he sent me several target positions from LinkedIn and Indeed. I asked him if he completed an internship, prepared a paper for professors, or completed research projects. As it turns out – he completed many projects, digs, and served as a paid research assistant. None of this was on his resume.

His resume now shows four years on his resume – as a Student. His “job time” / experience as a student provides several examples of his accomplishment stories while in college. John no longer has a “gap of time” on his resume. The experience he gained as a student is now valuable and understandable to potential employers.

Claim the GAP

By confidently claiming a “GAP” of time on a resume and demonstrating the importance and skill sets learned, recruiters and hiring managers will be pleased to see the honesty; they will be able to see the experience gained and understand the value. Job seekers “are who they are” – if they try to hide gaps of time, it will most likely do them a disservice in the long-term. 

CPCC Musings

By Diane Hudson, Director CPCC program

The Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) program was launched at the end of 2005. It took me 16 months to develop the program – write the curriculum, video tape and edit the first set of videos, and prepare the materials for hard copy / snail mailing. The first CPCC students received a three-inch three-ring binder with 400 pages of reading materials, exercises, and resources including the beloved Gear Box. The notebook also included a plastic jacket with six DVDs. The packaging, printing, and mailing was nearly $100 per program. Imagine that!

As the program grew and was updated, the materials were placed into two three ring binders – ready for mailing.

As I transitioned the CPCC program from hard copy to automated (circa 2012/13), I secured a website developer who built a platform for an online version of the CPCC course. It took one year to build the site, upload the written materials and videos, check the bugs, and launch the CPCC program on an automated membership page.

The CPCC program is turn-key and easy to follow – thus transitioning to the automated program made it easier for students to manage the materials and view the videos online. There were no longer bulky three-ring binders and no more DVDs.

The CPCC students could download the PDF reading materials to their own computers and print them out of they wanted (and some did want the print materials) or read the materials online. During the next updates, we upgraded the video platform to be viewed on a cell phone, tablet, or computer. Many of my students informed me that they could watch the videos while traveling, at the gym, cooking in the kitchen, or jogging. I also arranged to have the videos provide closed captioning to meet the needs of our CPCC members who were hearing impaired.

To date we have more than 2,000 CPCC students or certified CPCCs in the program from across the globe. We have CPCCs from all 50 U.S. states and more than 38 countries including:

• Guangzhou, Asia
• Canada
• France
• Malaysia
• Taipei
• Amsterdam / Netherlands
• Switzerland
• Panama
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Japan
• Germany
• Cayman Islands
• Dubai
• Bahamas
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Saudi Arabia
• Casablanca, Morocco
• London, UK
• Australia
• El Salvador
• Kiev
• Kenya – Africa
• Brussels, Belgium
• Nabatieh, Lebanon
• Singapore
• Larnaka, Cyprus
• China
• Guam
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Hong Kong
• United Arab Emirates
• South Korea
• South Africa
• Marshall
• Lagos
• Italy
• Ghana

Despite the pandemic we registered 345 new CPCCs in 2020 and 2021, and 216 students completed the CPCC program and obtained their CPCC credential. In 2021 we initiated the “Difference Making …Career Coach Insights with Diane” series … that will continue in 2022.  

Students range from military career transition specialists, to Human Resources professionals, to recruiters, to outplacement specialists, to workforce development professionals, to government and state career center specialists, to university, college and vocational career center professionals, to managers and supervisors of personnel/employees in businesses, to professional resume writers, to entrepreneur career coaches, and much more.

They serve a myriad of populations and career fields including high school students, college students, graduate students, and EMBA students; medical professionals, mothers returning to the workforce, executives, mid-career, project managers, the incarcerated, those living in shelters / underprivileged; trailing military spouses, trailing CEO/international company executive spouses; minority and women populations, handicapped populations, LBGTQ populations; transitioning military and their spouses and dependents, those in federal and state government positions, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas industry, medical administration, logistics, protective services, non-profit, ministers/faith based practitioners, Senior Executive Service (SES), political appointees, PhDs, doctors, lawyers, nurses, accountants, engineers, law enforcement, and so much more. If you can think it or dream it – there is a CPCC supporting the career field or population.

In the next two months, the updated CPCC program materials will be uploaded to the PARW/CC’s Freestone platform – and ready for roll-out before the Thrive!22 Conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The platform will allow for ease in program updates and ease of registration for participants.

I am so please at how the CPCC participants over the years have expressed their pleasure in the value delivered to them for the CPCC program materials. Even though the CPCC program teaches how to career coach, it is designed to coach the students as they learn to coach. Many have informed me that they set personal goals to lose weight, get fit, gain more clients, make more money, travel, buy a house or car, and they set and got their goals by learning the coaching competencies and applying the exercises in the program.

If you are a CPCC and will be attending the Thrive!22 Conference – please see me there for your small gift from me.

The badges and lanyards are from just sampling of the places I have spoken at – conferences, specialized trainings, and events to impart the insights of career coaching and career management.

And – there is a picture of me with Stephanie and Vera – in Boise, Idaho – having lunch. I try to meet with CPCCs when I travel.

Positive insights about the CPCC program:

“I appreciated the wealth of knowledge and experience relative to career coaching that has been compiled and put together as part of the CPCC program. The modules are packed with information, and the presentation was well thought out and documented. Also, even though there was a lot of information included in the modules, it was presented in such a way that I didn’t get bogged down in the data and verbiage. I also appreciated Diane’s responsiveness to my emails and questions. I never had to wait more than 24 hours to get a response, and most of the time it was a lot less.”– Phil Schlesinger, CPCC

“I have learned so much about the entire career coaching process. I have been doing more executive coaching, some of which has included elements of career coaching, so what I learned in the program has been extremely helpful. I have not only gained valuable career coaching skills, but I have also gotten a lot more clarity of direction by taking the program.  I really liked the fact that the program was designed to accommodate different learning styles.  I used the videos a lot and listened to them several times.  The written materials were also very well put together and easy to follow. The tools from the program are incredibly helpful. In particular, I have used the Goals Form and the Values exercise to help me clarify the direction that I want to take my second “career.”  When I used it with my two “test” clients, they both commented (without prompting) on how clarifying the Form was for them in their job search.  The values exercise …  I used it in coaching some of the mid-level executives I work with, and it has helped them get clear on what was important to them as they build their careers.” – Christine Yamamoto, CPCC

“The CPCC program was eye opening for me. I learned more than I imagined. I learned not just about career coaching but also so much about myself. I was pushed towards building success in the same way I hope to push my own clients. I appreciated the questioning in each module that really challenged me to think deeper and more strategically. I found that the material and videos shared were both challenging and engaging. The tools provided in the Gear Box went above my expectations. These tools will help me further assist the clients I serve. I appreciated the use of examples and real-life scenarios. Your stories kept things interesting and engaging. I appreciated the added quotes in every module. I’m easily drawn and inspired by them. Diane’s whole-person theory has caused me to reflect and change the way I look at each person I work with. I believe this approach will help me be a better and more effective facilitator and coach. Diane’s whole-person approach also made me reflect on Listening between the lines and how I will pay closer attention. I am excited to adopt these practices in helping drive success. The program gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for career coaching and the impact it can make. I enjoyed focusing on my goals and purpose while coaching and being coached. I have seen positive changes in myself and am excited to share it with others. Thank you for the fresh and new perspective. I appreciated the use of modules and videos and how easy it was to follow. The testing portion was helpful as it brought it all together. It helped to revisit the material and re-read my notes. It helped me refocus on the things I found most helpful. The testing will be a wonderful guide through my coaching career. Thank you, Diane for the opportunity. Thank you for sharing your coaching career success and expertise.” – Clara Trejo, CPCC

“The query system was very helpful to have an organized approach to questioning. This is very helpful in guiding clients to dig deep and figure out answers to some questions they really had not considered, such as the purpose for the career search and the type of career they are seeking. I learned more about the proper way to develop a resume and also the importance of having an updated/relevant resume even though I am not currently job searching. I suppose I have never really stopped to think about the fact that perhaps the reason I love my job so much is that is aligns very well with my values … I understand now, after going through this course, the importance of working in a job that provides a sense fulfillment. Prior to this course it never occurred to me to include this as part of my coaching, but I will definitely use this as a major piece. Diane Whole-Person Theory reinforced the importance of creating work-life balance. I have tried in the past to sort of stay out of the person lives of my clients, but this reminded me that all the pieces of one’s life are connected and affect one another. This statement: “Career seekers are whole people with families, finances, and lifestyle issues. Their careers are only a part of who they are and what defines them!” (– Diane Hudson).  It is a great reminder that, even though my part in their lives seems minor, it is a piece of the bigger picture. It also reminds me to approach each person and each situation with kindness because I may not know what is happening in those other areas of the person’s life.” – Kim Rawlings, CPCC

“My practice has largely been built on resume writing. I enjoy coaching and had dabbled with working with some clients through their job search and their interviews and saw the value I could add there, but I had no idea how to really put it all together. I wanted to learn best practices on how best to serve my clients in this way. The biggest thing I {learned} was validation. I didn’t really know what I was doing from a structure/packaging/organizational perspective with career coaching offerings outside of resume writing. I had an issue with a few clients not paying up front and either having to chase them down or write them off. By implementing a service agreement, pinpointing the point of sale and taking payment up front I’ve eliminated all write offs.  Diane’s Whole-Person Theory has helped me help clients narrow their focus, understand how their personal goals tie into their career goals, and vice versa. It has also allowed me to build stronger relationships with them because I get to know them on a personal level.” - Franklin Buchanan, CPCC

Certainly, 2021 proved to be challenging for everyone across the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even Santa’s operations were affected at the North Pole. Santa’s various production facilities were impacted, as the toy making, gift wrapping, cookie baking, review of the Naughty & Nice list, and other operations were required to remain ongoing, and each operation required close coordination from the Elves. Social distancing was nearly impossible.

To manage the virus at the North Pole, Santa asked my coaching guidance. We included the Grinch, who was hired permanently as the Chief Motivational Officer (CMO) overseeing the mental and emotional wellbeing of thousands of Elves, and Cirdan who was hired in 2020 as the North Pole’s epidemiologist to manage the initial COVID-19 outbreak requirements and who was previously the Flying Reindeer Head Veterinarian (FRHV) at the North Pole.

Together, we determined that a good approach to containing the virus was to form small team working groups within the production facilities. These groups would be required to work within enclosed areas with dividers to help prevent the contagiousness of the virus and its variants. To accomplish this requirement, we decided to promote Elves interested in leadership roles to Team Leads.

Since Santa had not created Team Lead roles in the past – rather he had oversight Director roles for his various departments: Flying Reindeer; Toy Making; Gift Wrapping; Tinsel; Cookie Baking; Naughty & Nice List; Global Transportation; Gift Delivery; Mall Santa’s, Maintenance; Engineering; and others, we needed to define the Team Lead roles and provide career coaching to promote these new positions and the associated promotions.

The Position Description

To begin, I defined the roles and responsibilities of the Team Lead position and then drafted the Team Lead Position Description:

JOB VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT / POSITION DESCRIPTION

Reference Code: Toy Train

Job Title: Team Lead

Location: North Pole

Position Description:

• Report directly to Santa and the Grinch (CMO)
• Lead by example and possess the energy and enthusiasm to match Santa’s excitement
• Knowledge about the various Departments at the North Pole
• Bring forth exciting concepts, themes, ideas and provide everything your team may need to ensure full production
• Team Leads reinforce exceptional customer service behaviors delivered by the team through accountability, reinforcement, recognition, and praise
• Cultivate an “It can be done” attitude with your team when it comes to overcoming challenges
• Lead a team in a dynamic and fast-paced demanding environment
• Adaptable and able to manage change daily through your team as toy delivery requirements change throughout the year
• Possess strong communication skills and the ability to build relationships with your staff
• Manage and plan the daily and weekly workload to deliver on goals
• Assist Santa with team onboarding and learning
• Continuously direct and coach team members
• Team Leads work a schedule that aligns with the toy delivery requirements on December 24 (including early morning, evening, overnight shifts, and weekends)
• Team Leads are responsible for creating an environment that promotes Elf engagement and retention

Qualifications:

• Ability to lead, encourage, and motivate a small project team to ensure on-time production and delivery of products
• Prepare performance evaluations
• Ability to manage schedules, onboarding, and retention
• Ability to counsel Elf team members
• Ability to multitask in a high-energy, fast-paced environment that includes Flying Reindeer, toy making, cooking baking, candy cane making, gift wrapping productions, and more
• Dependable and flexible to changes as we work our way through the pandemic
• Strong time management skills (organization, prioritization, multitasking)
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Familiarity with Elves, Flying Reindeer, toy making, gift wrapping, top delivery, and remote location operations

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Management or 8+ years of management / project management experience

Physical Requirements:

• Requred to lift, push and pull up to 25lbs daily
• Responsible for cleaning and maintenance of work group area
• Climbing ladders is required to re-stock and obtain stock
• Utilization of the helium system to fulfill some orders is required

Sweet Benefits, Perks & Stocking Options:

• ÷All expenses paid Santa’s sleigh ride to home of origin for 3-month R&R from January to March
• ÷Lodging and meals including Gingerbread dorm house, Candy Canes, and Mrs. Claus’ cookies and hot cocoa
• ÷Nightly display of colorful flickering lights dancing across the sky
• ÷Classes in Time Travel
• ÷Flying Reindeer Rides
• ÷Gym membership
• ÷One annual dental cleaning

We posted the position description in the Elves’ breakrooms and on the ‘Colorful Night’ website established for the Elves working at the North Pole. The initial position description included an announcement for any interested Elves to attend a career coaching session about Team Leadership led by me and the Grinch.

The Coaching Session

The Grinch and I prepared information and a Question & Answer session for those interested in the Team Lead position. We wanted to coach them and prepare them for these Team Lead roles and possible promotions. The Team Lead roles would include additional levels of responsibility that the Elves had not experienced before in their careers at the North Pole.

We began by explaining the position and the associated responsibilities. Some Elves left the session soon after listening to the new responsibilities. For the Elves that remained, we engaged them in several group coaching exercises. I asked them to complete a goals exercise, a values exercise, and a motivational factors exercise. I also presented each Elf with a career interest activity to help them determine where their interests were most prominent. Each Elf completed a DISC assessment, and the Grinch and I agreed to review the assessment reports at a subsequent session.

I explained that any results from the exercises that indicated a lack of leadership or dislike for managing other people might indicate that the Team Lead role might not be the best fit.

The Grinch and I then posed a series of questions and asked the Elves to write their answers. This would help them formulate their responses to understanding why they might want the Team Lead role and it would also prepare them for the interview process with Santa:

• Why do you want to be a Team Lead?
• What is your main area of expertise?
• Do you want to move from your current area of production to a different area? What would it be?
• What will happen if you become a Team Lead and do not like it or feel like you do not fit in the role?
• Are you a micromanager? Why or why not?
• How do you motivate others? Give an example.
• What does team player mean to you? Give an example.
• How do you resolve conflict? Give an example.
• What do you value most in a job? Give an example.
• What do you believe makes a successful leader? Give an example.
• What value can you bring to Santa’s operations by being a Team Lead? Give an example.

Following this session, we asked the Elves to provide a résumé or bio and include a letter of interest that answered the question: “Why do you want to be a Team Lead?”

After reviewing the résumés and bios, the Grinch and I provided a list to Santa with about 300 names of potential Team Leads. We then held socially-distanced / virtual group interviews of 20. The Grinch and I scored the 15-minute interviews while Santa asked the initial interview questions. We narrowed the candidates to 150 and Santa held 30-minute interviews with smaller groups of 10.

Together as a hiring panel, Santa, the Grinch, and I selected 100 Elves as Team Leads. We offered them the Team Lead positions, brought them into an onboarding orientation session, and set them to work with their new teams – working team that we formed on a staffing matrix to ensure social distancing and prevent the spread of the virus, while ensure full production of toys, gift wrapping, cookie backing, and other requirements.

During this time, I also worked with the Elf engineers to design a “spacesuit-like” outfit that Santa and the Grinch could wear when touring the production facilities to keep them safe from potential infection. I also was able to wear the suit when needed to hole coaching sessions with the new Team Leads as they integrated into their new positions.

The North Pole experienced very few cases of Covid, and the toy delivery production was set for an on time “GO” for December 24.

Happy Holidays!

Diane

Track my flight path this year with NORAD (North American Aero Space Defense Command) at:

http://www.noradsanta.org/

SANTA TWO

How am I flying?

Complement or Concern

Call: 1-800-NORTH-POLE

NPDOT

A perk of becoming a newly minted Certified Professional Career Coach is the press release. After completing and passing the testing portion of the CPCC program, the new CPCCs receive a press release to use to market their new credential and businesses.

Many of the new CPCCs ask me how to use the press release. The term “Press Release” almost seems old-fashioned. Yet, a press release is as applicable as it was 100 or more years ago.  The first press release was used by Ivy Lee in 1906 to provide information concerning a railroad accident.

According to Wikipedia, a press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release.

A really strong press release does not necessarily mean a journalist will call you to write an article; however the content of the press release will become the article. A press release may assist a journalist in researching a topic. Certainly, to further the marketing campaign, it will be helpful if the journalist or Public Relations specialist calls for additional information – or perhaps to run a second article, or conduct a television or radio interview.

Credibility & Visibility

A press release is an effective and inexpensive marketing tool.  The purpose of a press release is to bring visibility to your career coaching business, experience, and skills. The press release may validate a new credential, degree, award, promotion, or other accomplishment (book author, article author, public speaker, or bring awareness of new products and services available to a community, or announcement of an event, and more).

As a business owner, your goal is to gain traction, market your business, and sell products and services. You can spend money marketing your company or you can spend time marketing your company.

If you work for a company, your press release will further validate your skills and experience and the value your company delivers to its clients.

A press release is a valuable tool for gaining exposure within your local and extended community.

Who Receives a Press Release?

As a journalist with a background in communications and public relations (PR) I have written scores of press releases over the years. Before the Internet – press releases were the key method of sharing information. The telephone was effective for sharing information, however the press release documented key pieces of information and ensured accuracy.

The telephone can cause discrepancies in spelling, names, locations, and other pieces of information due to simply mis-hearing or mis-interpreting what the caller said. A phone call produces notes – a press release provides accurate and correctly spelled information – and it provides a point of contact if clarification or additional information is needed.

To send a press release – think wide and deep – there are no holds barred:

• Post the press release on your website’s news feed. Further integrate the content onto the website for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) purposes.
• Integrate press release content in a current blog – and tie it to your social media accounts.
• Post the press release on your LinkedIn profile as a blog or activity.
• Send the press release to local media – television and radio. Many local television and radio stations like to interview locals. These stations and news outlets want news.
• Then, circulate the press release to national media – think big: Good Morning America, CNN, Fox, and Oprah Winfrey.
• Circulate the press release to local newspapers and other periodicals. Look for periodicals that cover local neighborhood happenings at the entry to grocery and retail stores. This includes the magazines focused on local events and information about your local city/area. This can often lead to quick responses and follow-on interviews.
• Use a snippet of the press release in your email signature line with a link to the full press release.
• If you work for a company – send a press release to your boss and the media / PR department. Let them know what you have accomplished.
• If you are a member of an association, send the press release to each association for which you are a member. Offer to write an article or blog for their newsletter or website.
• Send the press release to your alma mater. Universities want to know about the accomplishments of their graduates. They may publish your press release as an article in their newsletter. Offer to be a guest blogger, article writer, or speaker for the current students.
• If you attend a faith-based organization – send them a press release.
• If you are an expert in a specific topic, function, or population – send a press release to those organizations or target their trade publications. If you are an engineer, identify engineering associations, companies, and other groups (perhaps on LinkedIn) and send them each a press release. If you specialize in military – send a press release to local military bases. Offer to become an expert blogger or Q&A expert on their website for the organizations you approach.

To send a press release, look at the target organization’s website and see if there is a media room, link to send a press release, or look for the Editor-in-Chief. If it is a large publication, they may list multiple editors based on topic. If you are not sure, call or email first and inquire for the best person to send the press release.

The Return on Investment

For minimal effort with high return on investment and high impact marketing with no cost if you write and circulate the press release yourself, you can potentially have an article written from your press release, receive a call for an interview for radio or television, be invited to speak at an event, be invited to write an article or articles, be chronicled in a magazine or other periodicals, be invited to be a guest blogger or expert for an industry site, be invited to be interviewed on a podcast, be highlighted in your university’s newsletter, and much more. Your SEO may increase because Google likes content.

If you are time constrained and want to hire a company to write and circulate your press releases, that is available. Check the Internet for such companies and ask for references.

The possibilities are endless.