Real Economic Opportunity for Women in the Workplace

June 23rd, 2014 | SEIU My job as a family child care provider for the past 21 years is the lowest paying job I have ever had. I put my earnings right back into my business and what is left is not a lot. But the best part of this job is working with children. It is extremely rewarding to see all of your work reciprocated back to you instantly.

Being a part of the SEIU Local 99 Family Child Care Providers Union is one of the best moves I could have made. It helped me see that we are stronger together. Together, we can fight injustice and win.

Over the years, I have shared conversations with state and federal lawmakers that have led to bills, and finally to laws that have made life easier for people in my community and parents of the children in my care. I have stood in solidarity with other providers and shared stories about the wonderful work we do with legislators and even with our governor.

Women make up nearly two-thirds of all low wage workers in this country. When we come together and bargain collectively, we can raise wages and gain valuable benefits that can improve our lives and the lives of our families. For example, child care and home care workers in states across the nation have come together as members of SEIU to secure raises that lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

I have seen doors that were once bolted shut, slowly crack open and are now opening a bit wider. Together, women in a seemingly “common” position such as child care provider can do uncommonly great things that make life better for all of us and our families

How To Make A Great Impression In An Interview

Jappreet Sethi | January 25, 2014 | HR Interview | 4 Comments

It takes less than a minute for people to assess and make a first impression about the personality of a stranger. When it comes to getting a job and placing yourself before the interview panel, you must be extra careful not to disappoint.
There is never a second change to make a great first impression and failing here could mean failing to get the job. Interviews might be a stressful affair, but there isn’t anything to worry about if you can exude confidence and be prepared for what’s coming.
Here are five things to take note of when you want to make that first impression during the interview count.
1.    Dress The Part
The first thing that hits the eye of the interviewer when you walk in through the door is your attire and the way you carry it. You may be a regular sweatshirt and cargo user, but the interview desk is where you need to get professional.
It is not about changing your habits and style but about proving to possible employers that you care about the professional standards of a workplace. Dress according to the job you are interviewing for.
You need not be suited in straight trousers and blazers when looking for the position of a sketch artist or a photographer (although even these sometimes need you to be suited depending upon the company you are applying to).
Your dress also includes your overall hygiene – clean nails, shaved chin or neatly trimmed beard, subtle fragrance, neat jewelry and tasteful accessories.
2.    Have a Firm Handshake
Shaking the hands of the panelists as you are introduced to them is considered a positive gesture. Even if the interviewer doesn’t offer his hand in return, it is  standard protocol to, at least, initiate the gesture. If your palms happen to be sweaty, do carry a tissue and wipe your hands well before entering the room.
Make sure your handshake is firm, not floppy and weak, but also avoid gripping the other person’s hand too tight. A firm handshake implies confidence and makes a good impression on the interviewer.
3.    Avoid Fillers
Don’t talk too much, and don’t try to be over smart in an effort to conceal nervousness. If you don’t know the answer to a question, be polite and straightforward about your ignorance. It is not a sin to say, “I don’t know.” This could even chalk up some points for honesty.
If you need a few moments to compose your thoughts, start by repeating the question before answering. Avoid filler statements that have nothing to do with the question asked.
4.    Sport a Good Posture
An office is an uncomfortable place to be in, especially if you have just passed out of college and this is your first job. Resist slouching over while you are getting comfortable talking to the interviewers. It may even help if you practice interviewing yourself in front of a mirror and affecting a good, steady posture.
5.    Be Grateful
When you have done all you could possibly have and concluded a good interview session, don’t forget to thank the interviewers for their time .The heavy sighs of relief can wait until you are out in the hallway and away from the sight and sound of the interviewers.
Going to a job interview is always a stressful experience. But, if you are confident in your abilities and remember these tips, you are more likely to tackle the interview session calmly and improve your chances of getting the job

9 Biggest Mistakes To Avoid In Your Resume

Jappreet Sethi | September 30, 2012 | Career Tips, Résumé Writing, Resumes | No Comments

Here are 9 of the biggest mistakes to avoid In Your resume , not correcting them will instantly make your resume appear antiquated:
The One Page Rule
Don’t spend countless hours trying to squeeze a decade or two of valuable experience onto a single sheet of paper. The worst thing you can do is try to make the font smaller or eliminate space between lines. If you do, your resume is too hard to read.The best way to gain extra space is to decrease the margins. Use 1/2 an inch instead of an inch. The good news is that the one-page resume no longer rules, as today’s hiring manager is more likely to be scrolling down on a screen than flipping to the next page.In fact, for experienced professionals a two-page resume is the most common format. There are obvious exceptions, such as recent graduates and entry-level applicants who can easily fit all of their experience on one page without sacrifice. For seasoned pros, however, even three- and four-page resumes are not uncommon and are acceptable today.Printing double sided will get you two pages for the price of one, and can impress companies who are environmental oriented.
Using Ancient Fonts
A “font” is the style and shape of the words on your resume. The right fonts are modern and easy to read. The wrong fonts are ancient and difficult to read. The right fonts are Arial and Helvetica. The wrong fonts are Times New Roman and anything else too fancy.If you have your resume in Times New Roman font, like many of us do, change it to Arial. You’ll be amazed at how much cleaner, modern and more professional it looks.
Writing in Paragraphs instead of Bullet Points
Your resume is an outline, not a novel. Use bullet points to highlight your experience and education, with short sentences or phrases.Don’t write in long block paragraphs that tell a story. It makes your resume much harder for a human to “scan” quickly, and is likely to cause your resume to be thrown into the rejected pile.
Using a Street Address
Including a City and State is fine, but there is no reason to include your actual Street Address. The employer isn’t going to be notifying you of an interview by snail mail.Skipping the street address is good for you for two reasons. It helps prevent both identity theft and junk mail. Since many job ads are from companies that choose not to reveal their names, you never know who you’re sending your resume to, so skip the street address and keep yourself protected.
Not Including an Email Address
Yes, you may have emailed your resume to the recruiter, but it’s still important to have your email address on your resume, as well as your phone number.Listing an email is not just a matter of convenience. It says, “Yes, I am part of the modern world, please hire me.”
 Using an Objective instead of a Summary
Objectives are out and Summaries are in. The reason is an Objective tells the employer what you want. A Summary tells the employer who you are and what you can do for them.Your Summary should be about 2 or 3 sentences that state what job you are applying for, and a brief explanation of your career highlights. You should be able to read your summary section out loud in 30 seconds or less.

Ignoring Keywords
Resumes are scanned by computers as often as they are read by humans. The software is designed to scan resumes for the keywords chosen by the employer. If you don’t have the right keywords, your resume never gets selected to be read by a real human.There are two ways to manage keywords. The easy way is to simply include a keyword section (don’t call it that, call it “Core Competency”).The harder but better way of using keywords is to place them throughout your resume in the descriptions of your work and school experience. It’s more natural, and will score better with the actual human recruiter.The secret to knowing the right keywords is that they are usually in the job ad. If you see a list of skills required, a certain educational degree, or specific licenses or other qualifications, those are all keywords. Any unique words could be keywords, but things like “strong work ethic” are never keywords.
Stating Obvious Computer Skills
Don’t list common technology on your resume. We all know how to use Microsoft Word, Windows, Internet Explorer, Twitter and Facebook. We all know how to use an email program. For upper-level applicants, it is already inferred that you possess the entry-level technical skills that were needed to successfully rise through the ranks. Listing them would unnecessarily lend your overall presentation a lower-level feel, which you would obviously want to avoid.