Month: February 2020

What You Need to Know about Google’s Mobile Friendly Ranking Update

By Bill Rowland
Google’s Mobile Friendly Algorithm Update is upon us and digital marketers should take notice. Glibly dubbed “Mobilegeddon” by some, this change has raised questions and may leave inattentive marketers in the dust.
Given that the announcement was characteristically vague, what’s an online marketer to do? In this post, I’ll offer some background and Search Engine Optimization recommendations.

What Is Google’s Mobile Friendly Ranking Update?

Google’s Mobile Friendly Update is a revision to the search engine’s algorithm that will provide greater weight to mobile-friendly ranking factors. Announced on February 26, this change is made up of two parts:
  • Greater emphasis of “Mobile Friendliness” in search engine ranking
  • Inclusion of more relevant App content in search results.
Simply put, websites that adhere to mobile friendly principles are more likely to rank highly while other websites may drop in rankings. In addition, content contained within mobile applications may now appear in the Google search engine results for signed in users.
While many details of this update have not been provided, what we do know is this:
  • Affects organic search only
  • Improved indexation of Apps
  • Applied to individual pages, not site wide
  • Implemented on April 21
Frankly there are many other possible effects, but these are all we know about now.

Why the Shift?

2015 is expected to be the year that mobile searches exceed that of desktop and Google is taking steps to improve its mobile experience. Over the last several years the search giant has urged webmasters to focus on mobile-friendliness and this update is the final push.
It should come as no surprise that this is happening now. Searcher behavior has recently seen a dramatic swing toward the use of mobile devices and apps to access data. Furthermore, mobile penetration has slowed in the western world, while tremendous global growth is expected in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

What Do We Do Now?

Although this update seems to represent a seismic shift, digital marketers can survive and even thrive by simply applying some common sense principles. My recommendations include:

Don’t Freak Out

Typically a change in Google’s algorithm of this expected magnitude sets off alarm bells, but there’s simply not enough information about how this update will actually affect results. Furthermore there won’t be for weeks or months to come.

Define the Potential Impact

Before taking any action it’s critical to understand the potential impact to website performance. Remember impact can include improvement, so don’t be a glass-is-half-full thinker. Before spending significant time and money perform a sanity check to determine the level of threat or opportunity to your business.
If your mobile revenue exceeds 10 percent of total site, the Mobile Friendly Update represents a significant threat and deserves your attention. Identifying opportunity is equally simple; if mobile searches for the keywords of your top five competitors return results without the Mobile Friendly designation, there may be enough opportunity to warrant additional investment in time.

Identify & Resolve Issues

Simply put, identify and resolve non-mobile friendly issues. Although this process can get complex, a simple approach is often the best way to start:

Test Important Pages

Use Google’s Mobile Friendly Testing Tool to review a broad sampling of page types to identify potential problems. Remember that the mobile-friendly designation is on a per-page basis so extensive testing may be necessary.

Check Robots.txt

Confirm that mobile-friendly resources are not being blocked in the robots.txt file. These include image, JS and css files. Learn more about Robots.txt here.

Google Webmaster Tools

Every website should have an associated Google Webmaster Tools account, which can be used to diagnose a wide range of problems including those for mobile. Specifically inspect the Mobile Usability Report and the Crawl Errors Report selected for Smartphones.
While these tests are not intended to be comprehensive, they will uncover the vast majority of any website’s mobile-related problems. Furthermore Google’s tools are excellent and offer additional guidance in how to resolve the issues identified.

Develop a Performance Baseline

Performance is relative so the creation of a comparative baseline is needed to adequately determine how much impact the Mobile Friendly Update is having on your site. I recommend creating a simple 12-month trend leading up to the April 21st launch of the Mobile Friendly Update. This should baseline organic revenue and visitors by traffic source (desktop and mobile) to identify potential changes in performance.

An Opportunity

Although it may present some short term challenges, Google’s Mobile-Friendly Algorithm Update should be viewed by current digital marketers as more of an opportunity than a threat. The shift toward mobile is clear, and strategic marketers should take this opportunity to both consolidate and improve their competitive position.
Bill Rowland is an SEO manager at eBay Enterprise, where he works with e-commerce retailers like Levi Strauss & Co., Toys R Us, Mattel, and Wilsons Leather to maximize online visibility, traffic, and revenue. In addition to helping smaller businesses through his consultancy Nexus Interactive Marketing, Bill is the lead organizer of the SEO Grail Philadelphia Meetup and is active in the Philadelphia tech

Dr. James Coplan on the History of Autism and Advances in Treatment

By Erica Houskeeper
The 18th annual UVM Summer Autism Institute, June 24-26, will address aspects of inclusion and transition, research, and effective treatment of ASD. The event will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington.
James Coplan, MD, a keynote speaker at the UVM Summer Autism Institute, will present, “Autism: What Have We Learned in the Past 125 Years?” Dr. Coplan is a neurodevelopmental pediatrician and author of Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Create the Brightest Future for Your Child With the Best Treatment Options. He is board certified in Pediatrics, a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Child Neurology Society, and Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania.

We talked to Dr. Coplan about the history of autism and advances in treatment.

Public perception is that autism is a relatively new neurodevelopment disorder. What was happening in the 19th century?

history-of-autism

Dr. James Coplan
The first detailed description of autism dates from the 1880s, written by English physician Langdon Down, who described the classical features of autism, such as echolalia, excellent rote memory, social isolation, repetitive behavior, and stereotypies, but didn’t give the condition a name.
In the 1940s, Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger used “autism” to describe the same condition. There are fragmentary descriptions of what sounds like autism spectrum disorder at least as far back as Colonial times and descriptions in European literature that go back even farther. Basic science research has uncovered that mutations on chromosome 16 — a known cause of ASD — may have arisen as long as 250,000 years ago. If true, then ASD (or some genetically based “ancestor condition”) may have been with us as a species for a very long time.

What do you say to people who believe we are experiencing an epidemic of autism?

There has been an “explosion” in the proportion of persons getting a diagnosis of ASD (“prevalence”), most of which is due to broadening diagnostic criteria, increased awareness, and changes in education law. Prior to 1990, there was no checkbox on the Federal Department of Education forms for “autism.”
Once autism became a recognized diagnosis under Federal Law, it became reportable, and the apparent number of children with the diagnosis spiked. But there was a mirror-image decrease in children with other diagnoses (Mental Retardation, Emotional Disturbance, ADHD), suggesting that some children were being reclassified from their former diagnosis to autism. Around the same time, DSM-III-R and DSM-IV loosened the criteria for getting a diagnosis.
In 2007, the National Health Service in England conducted a door-to-door study based on a random sample of adults throughout the country. They found that the prevalence of ASD, using today’s criteria, was virtually the same among senior citizens as among today’s children. In other words, no change in actual prevalence (as opposed to the reported prevalence) of ASD going back 70 years. So there’s no proof behind the claims for an autism “explosion” or epidemic. It’s possible, but not necessarily the case. I’d like to see the English study replicated somewhere. Oldsters, like me, are a time capsule into the past, waiting to be studied.

How far have we come over the past century? What kind of progress still needs to be made?

The biggest advance of the 19th century was to recognize that human behavior is grounded in the laws of nature. Human behavior is far more complex, say, than studying the movement of the planets under the influence of gravity. But it is not capricious. And people with unusual behavior are not — as was once believed — “touched” by the devil.
Toward the latter half of the 19th century, scientific study of human behavior got off the ground with the work of Paul Broca and Karl Wernicke, and reports on Phineas Gage, the railroad worker who suffered a frontal lobotomy during an industrial accident. (Gage’s skull and the tamping iron that passed through it are on display at Harvard University.)
The 20th century witnessed the emergence of brain-imaging techniques, which enabled researchers to study the action of the brain in awake, non-injured subjects. The 21st century has seen immense progress in “functional brain imaging” — the view of the action of the brain at work on specific tasks.
We’re also witnessing an explosion of knowledge in behavioral genetics: the relationship between genetic code and behavior. But we’re only on the threshold of a new understanding. The interactions between genes, environment, and behavior are complicated, but for the first time we have tools that let us begin to get a handle on these interactions.
I think the biggest challenges we face are:
  • Communication across disciplines: neuroscientists, geneticists, behaviorists, psychologists, and educators tend to live in their own silos, talking to one another in private forms of professional jargon; and
  • Translation of research into an action plan for individuals and communities (mental health services, education, family support, job support, etc.).

Given the debate and debunked theories that vaccines cause autism, what is known about the etiologies of autism?

“Autism” is a collection of symptoms, not a specific medical entity. There’s not one cause of autism. Someday we may even abandon the word “autism” for terminology based on underlying medical causes or areas of brain involvement, rather than symptoms. In the 19th century, people died of “Bright’s Disease” – the catch-all term for chronic kidney disease. Nobody dies of “Bright’s Disease” today because the term itself has been abandoned in favor of specific descriptions of particular forms of kidney disease. You might even say that Bright’s Disease has gone out of existence (along with a lot of other 19th-century diseases).
A hundred years from now, people may look back at us and consider how ignorant we were to have lumped so many different disorders under a single label: “autism spectrum disorder.” There’s an argument going on right now: The official term in DSM5 is “Autism Spectrum Disorder (“disorder” – singular). Some prominent researchers, including Fred Volkmar, MD, add an “s” to “Autism Spectrum Disorders” (“disorders” – plural) to emphasize that we’re talking about a diverse group of conditions, not a single disorder.

What are some of the biggest misunderstandings about autism?

The biggest stumbling block is the mistaken notion that Mother Nature puts people into diagnostic cubbies. The first problem this leads to is quibbling over the question, “How autistic is ‘autistic enough’ to get a diagnosis?” However, there’s no bright line separating “people with ASD” from “normal.” Rather, there’s a continuum. For example, many parents or siblings of kids with ASD have mild features of ASD themselves. Diagnostic references (such as DSM5) reject the idea of “sub-threshold autism.”
But Mother Nature is not bound by DSM5, and the fact is that for every child or adult who meets criteria for fully-expressed ASD, there are probably half a dozen more who don’t quite meet the official criteria, but lie on the spectrum nonetheless. They still struggle with theory of mind, central coherence, and cognitive rigidity — the core neuropsychological characteristics of ASD — even though they may have pretty good eye contact and speech.
The second problem with the wish for diagnostic cubbies is the overlap between ASD and “mental illness.” We hear the word “co-morbidity” all the time: ASD plus “co-morbid” anxiety disorder, ADHD, or mood disorder – as if ASD and these other conditions are separate entities that just happen to coexist. In fact, life is like a watercolor painting, where borders between objects flow into one another. At a younger age, the atypicality may predominate. As the child gets older, symptoms of “mental illness” may predominate. At a genetic level, ASD, anxiety disorder, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are all caused by the same pool of genes. So it’s not a case of “co-morbidity,” but rather “continuum and metamorphosis” – the same underlying genes give rise to a host of symptoms, and over time the symptoms can “morph” from ASD into “mental illness.” We give them separate names, and in the DSM they appear in separate chapters, but they’re all joined at the hip by genetics and shared biological pathways.

At your presentation at UVM’s Autism Institute, what would you like people to come away with?

Forty years ago, when I was a pediatric resident, one of my mentors offered me the following advice: “Be prepared to learn from others, while always keeping your own goals firmly in mind.”
Going back farther, I remember JFK’s inaugural address. He was referring to negotiating a nuclear weapons treaty with the Communists, but the principle is applicable to our field as well: “Let us remember that civility is not a sign of weakness, and that sincerity is always subject to proof.” Sadly, when I survey the autism “community,” I see a lot of incivility and a lot of people who’ve written off the possibility of learning from others. It upsets me to see children dying because they were not properly immunized, but I can sympathize with frightened parents. It upsets me even more when I encounter researchers whose minds are closed to ideas coming from outside their field of expertise.
Science deals in probabilities, not certainties, and the results of science must always remain “falsifiable” — open to disproof, if and when a better theory comes along. The moment certain “facts” become sanctified as Received Truth, never again to be questioned, is the moment intellectual integrity goes out the window, and superstition begins to replace science.
We need to get beyond thinking in terms of diagnostic cubbies – both with regard to “ASD” versus “not ASD” and in terms of the overlap between ASD and “mental illness.”
Finally, we need to recognize that the goals of adults with ASD may differ from the goals of parents of young children on the spectrum, and somehow we need to honor both sets of goals, even though they may be different. It all comes back to listening respectfully to the other person, with an open mind, but keeping JFK’s admonition in mind: Sincerity is always subject to proof.

How Hiring Fits Into Your Business Growth Strategy

By Markey Read
Each company’s origin story is unique, but what they all have in common is the opportunity to create a company culture. Like the culture in a petri dish, each company’s environment supports certain types of life forms better than others. Additionally, as the company evolves through the natural stages of development, the culture changes; and like that petri dish, some life forms adapt, some thrive, and some wither.
The natural cycle of starting and growing a company can take an owner by surprise. When starting a company, consider these natural stages when hiring and developing employees. The basic stages of growth include:
  • The Launch (generating the inspiration and vision in order to initiate the concept)
  • The Muck in the Middle (developing and adapting the operations, products and services through the twists and turns of a new venture)
  • Staying the Course (stabilizing operations and strategizing for growth with a reliable team)
Each of these stages require different skills, personality styles, and energy levels. As a company grows, it must hire a different kind of employee, in the latter stages than in the first. This does not mean that loyal long-term employees need to be replaced periodically, but it does mean they need to evolve with the needs of the company or choose to join a different company. It is rare that the first 20 employees are the best people to successfully take the company to the mature level of development, unless they are able to evolve and contribute in key areas.

The Launch

Before launching a new venture, an entrepreneur gets inspired with a concept. This inspiration can come from adapting current professional skills that directly compete with similar businesses, noticing a product or service gap in the market and introducing this concept to serve a local or regional population, or true innovation that transforms an industry sector or creates a new one.
In this stage, the environment is very entrepreneurial, highly energized, and requires everyone to wear many hats. Hiring people who are flexible and who are willing to make mistakes, learn, and adapt quickly will move the company through this phase with success and relative humor.
While some level of technical skills are required for any industry, seek people who share the enthusiasm and vision that launched the business. This initial team needs to collaborate closely, share information quickly, and bounce off each other’s ideas and energy. This stage typically lasts for the first three to five years, depending on what kind of products and services are offered.
business-growth-strategy

The Muck in Middle

At this stage, a company is typically in the midst of reconciling what products and services customers are actually buying with the original vision or inspiration that launched the business. This is a time to adjust the message, align products and services, and introduce a few specialists who can bring some depth of skill and knowledge required to provide quality products and services to current customers. Some areas of specialization include: customer service, sales, marketing, finance, operations/administration, and technicians.
In the meantime, the company leadership needs to keep focused on the big picture. Depending on how committed the founder is to the original vision; there may be some focus on educating the public about the vision to gather enough interest. If the founder is willing to adapt the original vision; leadership will need to get ahead of the stampede and build a roadmap for how to guide the new vision of the company into the future.
The natural need for more specialization changes the culture from a free-flowing intimate team into a slightly more structured and larger organization. This phase demands more management processes and formal procedures. Some of the original team who were superheroes in the time of “wearing many hats” may find it difficult to function in this changed environment. Some will say the owner has “sold out” and leave; others will gracefully adapt into new roles; and a few will likely be promoted into management/supervisor roles for which they are poorly suited.
The mistake here is to search for people who are both specialist and generalist. It is a rare individual who can do both, and it is even more rare to find someone who does both well. Hire specialists where they are needed and let them specialize; develop some members of the current pool of generalists into managers who can supervise and potentially join the leadership team; and allow others to choose specialization or graceful departure.
The primary reason people leave or get inappropriately promoted in this stage is due to poor management by the owner or leadership team. Management in this stage requires being transparent, admitting ignorance, apologizing for mistakes, allowing people to vent their frustrations, and being honest about how each person fits into the new culture or not.
Hire people who enhance the operations and skills already present, welcome some structure, and are still able to adapt to the coming adjustments. Beware of hiring people who want to replicate too many systems or structures from previous employers. Success in one environment does not always translate to success in a new one. If the systems and structures were used at a similar stage of development, they can be useful but be careful about blindly applying them.
It is critical at this point to start establishing a strong leadership or executive team. If a company does not establish a leadership team, it tends to muck around a lot under the leadership of an owner/operator who has not realized his or her limitations. Many companies obtain profitability at this level and can sustain operations for decades, but they suffer from high turnover and dysfunctional departmental management.
business-growth-strategy

Staying the Course

At this stage, the company has a grasp on who its’ customers are, what it’s selling, and is actively initiating new ventures. It is critical at this point to have a strong leadership or executive team in place. If a company has not established this level of structure, it is not possible to stay the course. This stage brings with it higher levels of responsibility and accountability, more specialization, and more structure; without a strong leadership team accountability is difficult to sustain.
By this time, those who were promoted to their highest levels of incompetency have departed, some external professionals have joined the management ranks, and the company has a firm understanding of its mission/vision, strategy, and implementation plan.
Strong communications, personal/professional responsibility and accountability are crucial at this point. The culture will have overt structures and, at least, some light hierarchy so that employees are clear about their roles, who their resource people are, and how they can professionally progress within the organization. If no formal human resources manager or department has been created yet, this would be an important addition at this juncture.
The people who will support this next level seek formal planning and systems. They expect a more traditional structure with specialized jobs, clear expectations, and tangible rewards. People joining at this stage are usually implementers. They are the people who will take the ball and run hard with it, while relying on the strength of the team. They enjoy the diversity of a team and reliability of an established organization.
Whether the company focuses on promoting from within or hiring expertise from outside, hire people with enthusiasm for the company’s products and services, provide them with appropriate professional development and training, and give them the opportunity to develop personally and professionally.

Riding the Ebb & Flow

All companies have a natural ebb and flow of employees and some will revisit the “Muck in the Middle” several times as new divisions are added or businesses are acquired/merged. Naming each phase is useful because it allows leadership to identify potential trouble spots and address the real issues.

Structuring Your Business Growth Strategy

When hiring new people or promoting from within, talk about these stages and the inherent challenges and opportunities. Be clear with current and potential employees about the expectations of the current and future stages of growth. Hire people who match your level of development. Along the way, long-term employees will complain about how the company has changed. Provide them with the coaching and support to clearly choose if this company remains right for them as it develops into the next stage.
Although all of this takes time, resources, and forethought, the results are worth it. In the long run, it’s a lot cheaper than the alternative.
MarkeyReadMarkey Read, Chief Consultant of Career Networks can assist you in identifying key areas to address in this process. Additionally, she supports organizations in developing a leadership team that enables companies to shift from managing tasks and addressing personnel to leveraging their strengths

The Big Importance of “Little c” Everyday Creativity

By Carolyn Siccama
Never in my life have I been so inspired by creativity all in one place than when I attended the 2015 Destination Imagination Global Finals in Knoxville, Tenn., a few weeks ago. Picture a convention center with 10,000 of the most creative students (Grades 3-16) from around the world. Each Destination Imagination team, made up of no more than seven members, has eight minutes and can spend no more than $175 on their performance, props and materials.
Given those constraints, the beauty and significance of this event is that all of the costumes and props were made out of found objects and trash. Yes, trash. The complex simplicity of it is mind boggling.
This experience was so inspirational for me and made me feel so artistically creative, in fact, that since I’ve been home from Knoxville, I’ve made a few things out of trash and found objects around my home. It is fun to see what organic looking structures emerge, such as a ‘nest’ like item made out of folded and rolled up paper bags, yarn and hot glue, and a ‘tree’ made out of chair cushion foam, wool, puzzle pieces and, yes, hot glue. These are not master pieces of art, but they allow for an outlet of artistic creativity, an opportunity to open my mind to new ideas, a time to allow my mind to wander into a Zen like focus, work with new and different mediums, and to try new things with my hands.
It’s not without challenges. First, I needed to allow myself the time to go for it; there are no right or wrong answers and certainly no mistakes. Second, I needed to have the confidence to start and remind myself that it’s all about the creativity process, not the product.

World-changing ideas vs. everyday creativity

Creativity is complex. It has many facets and some researchers spend their lives studying and trying to define the elements of creativity. What is fascinating is that the focus on creativity is often on the ‘Big C’ creativity – those innovative ideas that change the world, or win the Nobel Peace prize. Those are rare.
Did you know there is also something called ‘little c’ Creativity? Basically, this is defined as everyday creativity, a process in which you may do every day and not realize it. It’s those small ideas and “ah-ha” moments that enrich and enhance our lives.
Little c creativity is the creativity that may be stimulated from your daily interactions in your personal and professional environment, the conversations you have, the sights you see, the people you meet, the big and small problems you solve on a daily basis.
There are many ways to help cultivate creativity and creative problem solving in your personal and professional life.

Let your surroundings inspire you

Use your home and work environment as a source of inspiration and stimulus for creative ideas. Take a different way to work, hang new and different art on the walls, walk through a beautiful flower garden.

Allow yourself to play

Studies have shown that kids who are allowed unstructured play time to invent, imagine, and create their play spaces are more creative. Similarly, for adults, reduced stress as a result of playing can lead to more ideas, enhanced creativity, and increased innovation.

Interact and collaborate with your colleagues

Do you have spaces in the workplace that allow for informal and impromptu conversations to happen? Unstructured and unfocused conversations with colleagues can lead to more creative ideas and solutions.

Do something else

Take a class, sign up for a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), attend a conference. Step out of your comfort zone. Keep your mind open to new ideas and new ways to look at the world.
And speaking of doing something else…
Reflecting on the Global Finals experience, even though it was not necessarily a professional development opportunity for me, it gave me a new and refreshed lens upon which I view the world. Was it the event that made me feel so creative (yes, probably) or the fact that I was able to shake up my regular routine and ‘get away’ from the office that helped spark a refreshed body and mind?
Similar sparks of creativity have also emerged after attending other conferences, too. Every time I attend a conference, I come back energized and refreshed with a long list of new ideas that help to spark my creativity both at work and at home. There is something to this, I believe.
Each of these six ideas from creative thinkers to help shake up your work routine involve some type of ‘getting away’ in various forms as a way to spark creativity, including keeping to a schedule, seeking inspiration, stopping while you’re ahead, and taking a mini-sabbatical.
If those aren’t possible in your busy life, then may we suggest you go for a walk. A recent study reports the positive effect of walking and how it helps creative thinking and opens up the free flow of ideas.

John Miller on Dating with Autism & Overcoming the Challenges of ASD

By Erica Houskeeper
The 18th annual UVM Summer Autism Institute, June 24-26, will address aspects of inclusion and transition, research, and effective treatment of ASD. The event will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington.
John Miller was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1968. As a child, he worked to overcome academic and social challenges. He pursued a master’s degree in special education to help other young people succeed; and during this time he was diagnosed with autism. For more than a decade, he has taught students with autism in a variety of settings and created pragmatic and organizational programs as a consultant for individuals with autism. His book, Decoding Dating: A Guide for those with Autism, focuses on dating and relationships for males with high-functioning autism.
Miller, a keynote speaker at the UVM Summer Autism Institute, will present “From Inclusion to Transition: The Road to Independence” at the conference.

You recently published, Decoding Dating: A Guide for those with Autism. Was there a particular moment or experience in your life that made you decide to write the book?

The desire to have a relationship was always there, but I did not know how to go about it.  This created unforeseen situations, and I really did not know what to say or do. Anxieties kept me from dating for many years because I only thought about what could go wrong.  This created a self-fulfilling prophecy and I allowed my own fear to keep me from growing and experiencing life.  I want young people with high-functioning autism to have the tools and self-esteem to attempt dating.

The book discusses how to know if you are ready for a relationship, what qualities to look for in a partner, and other dating topics. What kind of research did you do to write the book?

I looked at what I did right and wrong.  Before writing, I created a list of topics that would be most relevant to individuals with autism.  I kept in mind what challenges and difficulties people with ASD would face in the dating world, which is hyper-social.  The books takes a very practical, methodical, and blunt approach toward dating and relationships.

When it comes to dating with autism or ASD, what are some of the biggest challenges – trust, boundaries, dialogue?

Dialogue is a major problem due to the issues in receptive language, pragmatics, and reading body language.  These are things we can’t take for granted, and they need to be learned by doing and being exposed to practical examples and skills.  Knowing when to start, change, and end a conversation are very important skills to know – those skills involve observing, listening, and reading cues.  Certain subjects are appropriate, while others aren’t.  People with autism need to know what to talk about with different people.  Depending who they talk to, a topic may be acceptable or not. These skills will help make or break a relationship.

Your book mostly provides advice to men. Are there differences between how men with ASD and women with ASD should approach dating?

Women do share some of the same issues, However, ASD in women manifests differently in a variety of ways and in a subtler manner. Women can hide many things men can’t, and women tend to be more socially agile. Still, females are more likely to face dangers of being taken advantage of and having their trust betrayed in ways that are less likely to happen to males. Originally, I wanted a woman with ASD to write part of the book from her perspective, but wasn’t able to do so.  I feel that a woman needs to speak about these issues more directly.

You have been married to your wife Terri for eight years, and have a child. What advice would you give to parents who have ASD?

Quite simply, by forcing yourself beyond your comfort zone and thinking about other people.  With children it is not about you, but them. With a spouse, communication and putting yourself in their shoes is of paramount importance.

How do you believe the perception of autism has changed over time?

It is much more empowering to me now.  It is a realization that living with autism is not solely about the challenges.  Through teaching and speaking I have found my voice, and my mission is to empower and help individuals with autism succeed in life.  For individuals who are teachers or specialists, I want to inform, provide strategies, and help them look at autism in novel ways, As for parents, I want them to see that growth, change, and hope are possible.  Beyond that, I want to change the dynamics of the dialog on autism in wider society.

Could you describe some challenges inclusion poses for students with autism?

Acceptance from the other students and teachers they will encounter is one. Also, being taught the strategies and being given the tools needed to succeed in a mainstream environment.  Executive functioning and organization need to be taught earlier. Ultimately, for it to be successful, there needs to be support through action and deed of inclusion.  Tolerance has to be more than a cliché.

You have talked about how the concept of normality is subjective, and that there is a “myth of normality.” What does that mean?

Basically, it’s a reexamination of what normality is on many levels.  This is a term that is used to separate and even malign others. Upon closer examination, normality is subjective at best and really does not exist, save a few concrete examples.  When people use the label of normality in reference to people with autism, they see them as abnormal.  The reality is that many behaviors that are seen as indicative as autistic they are viewed as negative. However, when a person that does not have autism exhibits them, they are perceived in a much more benign manner.  My goal is to change the reality of how we view others and to humanize how others look at people with autism.

Could you describe the rewards and challenges you find helping others with ASD?

To me, there really aren’t challenges, but the rewards are many. It’s so gratifying seeing someone do things that they would never have seen themselves doing before.  I love it when I see someone navigating social situations, wanting to be social, and having real friends.  It’s an incredible feeling.

You were diagnosed with autism while in graduate school. What was it like being diagnosed as an adult? Did it fuel your passion to help others?

Looking back, the signs were always there but people gave me different labels.  When I was very young, I was told I was intellectually disabled, and when I was six I was seen as severely learning disabled.  As a teenager, I was told I was gifted specific learning disabled.  There was always a common thread in social situations and interactions were very difficult for me, almost paralyzing.  I often managed to say the wrong thing at the wrong time and misread people.  A diagnosis put the pieces together and provided me with a reason why I was that way.
In a sense, the diagnosis gave me peace. Helping others naturally came from this, due to my need to help people avoid what I did, and bring them to the point that they would succeed.  It’s really about me not wanting to be the exception — but rather the rule — of success and independence

2019 Summer Internship Award Program

The Summer Internship Award Program through the Career & Professional Development Center is now live and ready for applicants. The Summer Internship Award Program is designed to increase the ability for students to participate in internship opportunities that are unpaid. Internships may be on or off the DU campus. The deadline to apply is 4/19/19 @ 5 pm. Filling out an application will make you eligible for any of the below internships for which you qualify!
Sturm Family Foundation AHSS Summer Internship Award – 10 Awards at $3,400 each
CAHSS Internship Awards – $3,000 each
Denenberg Family Internship Award for International Internships – 4 awards at $2,500 each
Unpaid Internship Award – 8+ awards at $2,500 each
Submit your application through Pioneer Careers Online. Click here to check out the requirements and apply. You may also find the application by selecting “OCI and Job Listings” on Pioneer Careers Online then searching for “2019 Summer Internship Award Program”.
Please contact Stacey Stevens (stacey.stevens@du.edu) with any questions.

Finding the Right Internship Is Your Way To Success

Internships could be the experiences for the students that give them a chance of getting familiar and expert with the working environment. For interns it is a way of enhancing their skills for professional goals. It is not necessary that internship matches with the field of study, it just relates with the aims and objectives of the students. It would be preferable for success to choose the right internship by anyone, the type of internship that must clarify learning objectives of student in accordance to the career goals. Internship gives a chance of experiencing the professional workplace of concentration without stable and guaranteed assurance.

Reason behind popularity of Internship:

Mostly college students join the internship programs and the reason behind joining this parade is obvious: they feel fear to get slapped by the professional life after completing their graduation degree through a cold and aggressive employment market as degree of the student does not give assurance of reputable job. The right internship gives foundation to the recommence. Companies are now bound with bandwagon of internship for evading the faults in appointing staff. The ways by which right internships can improve and instigate the career life is given through the points that benefits interns.

It offers the interns to get profitable understanding in the field of study:

Being a student you just find the things by reading about them but being an intern you do them as a field work. At this stage you learn to apply your educational skills being in different surroundings and that must be the aim of anybody’s internship.

It identifies possible professional paths:

Through examining the field of company and the way how they work will help the interns for selecting designation for their self. Learn the ways being in internship period and make yourself capable of selecting the post for yourself.

It helps to get connected:

Being an intern, one can improve its networking by meeting to those who can support in professional progress. Connecting with others will offer the interns to enhance their understanding about the professional field and will give them a good reference for future occupational lead.

It enhances professional recommendations after Graduation:

A result of study conducted by National Association of Colleges and Employers reflects that 35% of the organizations select interns as permanent workers. Organization’s priority is selecting the ones that have experience and interns are best choice for them.

It makes easy to get into real world:

Internship makes ropes for the fresh graduates for getting into real world, it suggest them the things that companies want from employers as well as how they are required to perform for getting the perfect job.

It assists to expand manageable knowledge:

Skills are the main issue in any or every field. By completing the internship programs you can focus on expanding manageable knowledge and skills that relates with the professional field and workplace purpose. The right internship gives you the knowledge that is more than your education and will benefit you in future.

It let interns to develop societal skills:

Existing in the field, that absorbs knowledge more than the studies of books with the perspective about expression processors. It also includes societal skills like cooperation, communicating with the co-workers and gives knowledge of what to say and when to say. Internship suggests the ideas of handling conflict.
These are the benefits of doing the right internships as it secures the future life and suggest all the techniques for developing the skills related to the working environment.
Author Bio:
Angela Cathy works as a proposal writer for dissertation writing firm. She takes active participation in blogging platforms. Her areas of interest in writing include research, survey design and data analysis.

Milestone 1: Map Your Path

Employer and student resume reviewThere are many ways to trace the path of your career journey. One such way is to create a resume or CV to serve as a map depicting where you’ve been, and also provide ideas about where you’re going.
Your resume or CV is your career development foundation. Starting early gives you a solid base to construct your academic, internship, and career goals as you move through your time at DU. To get started, identify your current skills and experience to complete an approved resume or CV. Then, continue working with your career advisor to pinpoint your strengths and interests.

What is a resume?

A resume is typically a 1-page document that gives an overview of your past experiences, a snapshot of your skills, a framework to identify what you’d still like to learn and do, and so much more. A basic resume includes information about your education, your work and volunteer experiences, and your skills and certifications. Resumes are highly flexible and tailored to the position or opportunity to which you are applying.

What is a CV?

A CV is a type of resume that is often expected for academic positions. It is similar to a resume, but includes catefories that are more relevant to an academic setting such as research experience, teaching experience and publications. All relevant information is included meaning that the document can often be quite long.

Why is creating a resume or CV important?

Nearly every job or internship you apply to will ask for a resume or Cv, so the sooner you get one started, the easier it will be to apply to that perfect internship.

Events and Activities to Complete this Milestone

Start your resume or CV and have it reviewed to complete this milestone. There are a number of opportunities to have your materials reviewed here at DU:
Sample resources to help you write and edit your resume include:
Career Advisor & Peer Advisor Appointments | Schedule at www.du.edu/pioneercareers or by calling 303.871.2150
Drop-In Hours | Stop in for help without an appointment. Times are listed at www.du.edu/career
Pioneer Careers | www.du.edu/pioneercareers
Have your resume reviewed by a professional and then simply load your resume into your Pioneer Careers account to receive one last round of resume feedback via email.
Sample events to help you secure your internship or professional experience include:
Resume Review Day
Bring a draft of your resume to for a review or stop by for tips to get started. Watch the calendar of events for future dates!
Internshipalooza
Get tips for finding internships AND have your resume reviewed on the spot!

More Than the Registration Fee: Reasons to Invest in LSAT Prep

here is a lot of conflicting advice out there about the best strategy for taking the LSAT – how long to study, how many times to take the test, and even about how “good” a predictor it is of anything at all. The one thing everyone seems to agree on? The LSAT is not just a test; it’s an investment. And it’s an investment that can significantly impact how much you pay for law school down the line. One major theme that emerged for hopeful law students who attended The True Cost of Law School: Budgeting Beyond Tuition on April 6: Invest in a quality LSAT prep program.
You’ve probably heard that law school admission is based on two things: LSAT and GPA. Of the two, many admissions officers will say the LSAT score is their priority in assessing how aid will be distributed. This is also true for merit-based aid. As the number of law school applicants has dropped, schools have begun to compete more actively for the best-qualified applicants – often using merit-based financial aid as incentive to attract those applicants. In this competitive environment, the higher your LSAT score, the better your odds not just for admissions, but also for scholarships. According to Benjamin Leff, professor at American University’s Washington College of Law, a three-point bump on the LSATS can mean the difference in thousands – or tens of thousands – of dollars in financial aid. Consider scholarships in India which is a very good alternative.
Another reason to commit your time and your money to preparing for the LSAT? It’s an opportunity to spend small (relatively – compared to law school tuition down the line) early in the process and figure out if law school is right for you. Though it’s often debated, research suggests that the LSAT is a key predictor of bar performance. Law schools often claim that your score is the most consistent predictor of how well you will do the first year in law school and on the bar exam. If studying and then sitting for a test like the LSAT isn’t something you’re willing to do, consider how you’ll handle the three or four months of studying you’ll eventually need to commit for preparing to pass the bar and become a practicing attorney.
For the budget-conscious law school hopeful, investing $1500 or more in an LSAT prep program might seem like a lot to ask. Be creative, and use all of your resources. Above the Law suggests online options like podcasts and videos, which may cost nothing. The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) makes available (for free) Official Prep Materials, including sample questions with explanations, old tests, and videos. There are even free apps you can download to practice exam questions, connect with instructors in a community forum, and more. However, even if your hope is to get your LSAT prep for free, Above the Law still recommends that you invest in real LSAT materials to use for practice. At a minimum, take your LSAT prep seriously. Don’t try to take the test cold, or with only minimal preparation. Look for high quality test prep materials with strong reviews from actual test takers at every price point.
If you decide to enroll in a commercial preparation course, do your homework – before and during the class. Talk to others who have taken the same course at the same location, ideally with the same instructor. Be skeptical of any course that makes outrageous claims about raising your score. Commit to the program – showing up for the classes is not the same as participating and will not be enough to improve your score. You’ll need to devote significant time outside the classroom to master the material. And lastly, ask about discounts or scholarships. Though not widely advertised, some of the larger prep companies provide discounts to students with demonstrated financial need.
Most importantly, remember that becoming a lawyer is embarking on a career, not just finding a job. Taking the LSAT is one of the earliest steps in beginning your legal career on solid ground. Take it seriously, and invest your resources accordingly.
 

Careers in Education & Training Beyond Teaching

Do you love the idea of being in the field of education, but know that being a K-12 educator is not for you? There are many ways to take your passion for teaching and training and put that to work in other types of settings. Below are a number of ideas to get you started with links to more information. This is not meant to be comprehensive, but a sampling of ideas to get you started!
Training & DevelopmentMany organizations hire staff members to identify the skills needs of staff members and develop relevant training to ensure that employees have the necessary tools need to do their jobs. Delivery can be done through online training, or through in-person delivery and can include a wide range of topics.
For more information about this field, check out the Association for Talent Development
Academic Advisor/School CounselorAcademic advisors and school counselors help students with planning their academic paths, developing the skills needed for academic success, support students through academic adversity and conduct trainings on a wide array of topics to support student success.
For more information about this field, check out NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advisors or the American School Counselor Association.
Career Advisors/Career Coaches/Career Counselor
Career coaches help individuals reflect on their unique strengths, personality, skills and life experiences to help clients identify a career path that will be a great match. Additionally, many career coaches support clients in achieving those goals by teaching them effective strategies for job searching, resume writing, or interviewing.
To learn more about this field visit the National Career Development Association.
Technical Trainer
Technical trainers teach others how to use a specific technology. They become experts in a software system and/or technology and train customers how to effectively use the product for their business needs. They may do live trainings and/or develop recorded training materials that clients can reference at any time.
To learn more about being a technical trainer in the biotech industry, visit the Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network. For software training, check out the Professional Association for Computer Training.
Work for a Company or Nonprofit with an Educational Focus
There are numerous educational for-profit and non-profit organizations that would benefit from your passion for education! Within those organizations there a wide spectrum of roles that would benefit from your passion for education and training. These range from fundraising, communications, volunteer coordination and more.

Resources for an Organized Job Search Process

If the job search process stresses you out enough to need a hot pink straight jacket and sparkly helmet, then listen up. Finding your next job does not have to be such an arduous task, at least not when it comes to organization! Below, I have listed a variety of mobile applications and websites to help you better organize your lists of jobs to apply for, professional contacts to reach out to, and interviews to make. Utilize these websites to rid yourself of the difficulties of bookmarking every job search you’ve made and stressing yourself out over where you placed an important note or job-specific document. An organized job search process lies ahead!
Mobile Applications
Available for both Apple and Android phones
JibberJobber
  • Pros: Very straightforward application. On the application, you can add contacts, companies, jobs, and action items which can be viewed on the application’s calendar and set reminders for.
  • Cons: You are not able to search for jobs within the application or save jobs directly from another website. It is also not the most aesthetically pleasing application.
  • Overall: I highly recommend this application as a job search organizational tool. It is simple and has a variety of features available. Indeed, everything must be entered manually, but it is easy to use and available for both major cellular platforms.
  • Pros: Simple and fast to use. It allows you to search for a job using an aggregated listing of more than 100 job boards and save it; it will tell you the salary, about the company/organization, and if you can apply via the mobile application for most jobs. It can also send you daily emails or notifications for jobs you may be interested in. You can also upload your resume and bookmark jobs that you can apply to later on your computer.
  •  Cons: It does have limited features as it can not be used to organize jobs, contacts, etc.
  • Overall: It is a good application for job searching. The notifications can be somewhat annoying, but that feature can be turned off. It does not allow for one to organize their job search process well, however.
LinkedIn Job Search
  • Pros: Links with LinkedIn account and allows for easy job search by title, location, industry, or key word. It does have a limited organization feature in that you can categorize jobs by “viewed, saved, or applied.”
  • Cons: Its organization features are very limited.
  • Overall: This applications best feature is that it links with LinkedIn. It is great for job searching but very limited in its possible use as an organizational tool.
Trello
  • Pros: Can be used as an organizational tool as it acts like Pinterest. Allows for an unlimited number of tabs and things to be added to it for organization.
  • Cons: It only has the options of “doing, to do, and done” for its overarching categories to which anything can be added.
  • Overall: While this application can be used for organization, it is not an application dedicated solely to the job search process. It would require a person to come up with categories and anything they want to enter themselves.
Available for Apple phones ONLY
Jobaware
  • Pros: You can search for jobs nationwide or by city through an aggregated list that takes job listings from sites such as Indeed. It syncs with your LinkedIn account. You can track jobs easily by either dream job, second choice, third choice, etc. For each job, you can enter whether you have done research on it yet, if sent individual resume, had an interview, take notes.
  • Cons: It does not have a designated spot to enter contacts or upload resumes.
  • Overall: I highly recommend this application for Iphone users. Besides the pros already mentioned, its best feature is its learn tab that allows you to learn about what to include in a resume/cover letter, interview prep, negotiation strategies, etc.
Rake
  • Pros: Allows you to track jobs and enter information manually, such as title, company, location. It also allows you to add a to-do list for each position and gives you examples of things to do for each position like add a cover letter or deadline to apply by. You can categorize jobs by saved, prep to apply, and applied. You can also set reminders to do things for jobs as well.
  • Cons: No way to search for jobs and save within the application and does not have a designate spot for contacts, but this information can be entered in the job manually.
  • Overall: This is a good application with a lot of features. Its only major downside is not being able to search for jobs within the application itself.
Websites
Jobhero
URL: Gojobhero.com
  • Pros: Can link up with LinkedIn. It is simple to use as a job can be searched for and a job from any site can be saved to it. You can also enter a variety of information for a job such as due date, contacts, or documents specific for each application. You can also upload general documents and categorize jobs by “interested, applied, not interested.”
  • Cons: Not available on a phone.
  • Overall: I highly recommend this website for job search organization. It is easy to navigate and has a variety of things that can be added to each job application.
JobTrack
URL: Jobtrack.io
  • Pros: This site is strictly for organization. It requires you to enter the company you’re applying for, operated by Glassdoor, which allows you to view different ratings of each company such as company culture or career advancement opportunities on a scale of 0 to 5. You can categorize jobs by interested, applied, have an interview, expired, etc. Depending on what point you are in applying for each position, it will ask if you want to add specific information such as an application deadline or interview date. For each application entered, you can also add specific contacts or documents.
  • Cons: It does not have a job search feature and can take a bit of time to figure out how it operates.
  • Overall: I highly recommend this website if you are strictly trying to organize jobs. It allows for specificity amongst each application. Additionally, it as a very unique feature in that it will run an analytics test so you can see your rate of how many interviews you have, etc. Once you understand how to navigate this site, it is a great organizational tool.
Starwire
URL: Starwire.com
  • Pros: Can sign up for job alerts if desired or text message updates about the status of an application. You can sign up to see where you stand in comparison to others who work there, according to Glassdoor. It is simple to use as a job search tool that connects to LinkedIn and you can manually enter applications and add a simple statement such as “I have an interview” of what point you are in your search.
  • Cons: It is limited in its features in comparison to other sites.
  • Overall: This is an above average organizational tool that does allow job search as well. Its functionality is somewhat limited though in that you can only add simple statements for applications.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

The Ideation Challenge and YOU!

ideation challenge
Take advantage of an amazing opportunity to gain practical experience in your field while simultaneously working with incredible companies and employers. Apply for Arrow Electronics Ideation Challenge! This innovative experience will give you the opportunity to work in small teams with students from all majors across campus to collaborate together to imagine and design the next steps for the SAM Car’s technology and evolution.
The Ideation Challenge will take place April 29th from 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. By participating in the program, you will get to showcase your skills and capacities to executives from Arrow Electronics, DaVita, Southwest, AirMethods, Charles Schwab, Ball Corp, Gates, 9NEWS, TerumoBCT, HomeAdvisor and Denver Public Schools. The event will conclude with a networking reception from 4-6 p.m. In addition to submitting your findings from the challenge, your resume will also be included in a portfolio for Arrow Electronics.
Fifteen years ago, doctors told Sam Schmidt, a former Indy Racing League driver who crashed during a practice lap at the Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando and severely injured his spinal cord, that he would never move his arms or legs again; he was now a quadriplegic. Naturally, driving was no longer an option. In 2013, after years of Sam being a businessman and owner of his own motor sports company, Arrow Electronics’ engineers determined to make Sam’s dream of driving again come true.
Arrow engineers designed the Semi-Autonomous Motorcar; SAM. SAM is designed to restore independence, control, and a sense of accomplishment to qualified disabled drivers. The technology breaks down barriers and opens new physical and emotional horizons. Developing the infrared camera system was only the first step…
Why not take advantage of such an innovative, cool, and practical opportunity to work with students from all discipline areas while simultaneously network and work with employers and executives from these great companies?! The deadline to apply is April 15th.  Please follow http://daniels.du.edu/ideate/ to apply today!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Do Homework to See How Labor Costs Measure Up

What are your labor costs? It’s an excellent question for any business owner, and one that should be asked on a regular basis. This number also should be tracked over time to understand trends and inform you when corrective action needs to be taken.
As your company grew, you probably added staffers to perform specific tasks — naturally. When you started, you might have had a one-person office that answered the telephone, kept the books, did the correspondence, billing, etc. As you grew, you may now have a bookkeeper, receptionist and a customer service representative. The same increase is likely on a manufacturer’s production floor or a retailer’s sales floor or a service company’s staffing patterns. And, on the surface that makes sense. Where once you had five employees supporting $50,000 in sales, you might have 50 staffers handling $3 million.
But a true test of your productivity is the percentage of the cost of sales that your labor requires. On a direct basis — the actual cost to produce or provide your service/product — the number should remain about even, and go down as you gain efficiencies with increased size. Restaurants, for example, often have labor costs that run around 30 percent. Service businesses, on the other hand might exceed 40 percent.
After your best cost level has been established, you need to make sure you keep within your goal. If you don’t know the average for your business, check with your industry association. If you have historical records, compare your actual costs with industry averages.
You would then compare your cost of labor to your revenues. For example, if the 5 employees cost you $12,000 supporting $50,000 in sales you have a 24 percent cost of labor to sales (12/50). But then you added full-time staff, managers, production, sales help, etc., for a total of 50 employees for total payroll of $1.2 million to support the $3 million in sales. Your cost of labor to sales has risen to 40 percent (12/30). That increase from 24 percent to 40 percent is the area that should be analyzed. There may be good reasons for it, but the key thing is that you know and understand the facts and the reasons behind them.
The raw numbers can be misleading or masking a management decision that needs to be explored. We need to be comparing percentage of increase (or decrease) of expenses to sales and personnel expense is a critical area for small businesses to consider. If you decide that you must “retrench,” be sure that you are working with all the facts.
Marcia Bagnall is Director of the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center and instructor of Small Business Management Program . The Small-Business Adviser column is produced by the center and appears each Sunday. Questions can be submitted to SBDC@chemeketa.edu. Visit the SBDC at 626 High St. NE. in downtown Salem or call (503) 399-5088.
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Are You Underpaid? 7 Signs You May Be

52% of working Americans feel they are underpaid. This, according to a recent Gallup Poll. Naturally, there are those that permanently believe they are underpaid, even though their salaries are in line with their skills and positions elsewhere. But, there are also people who are genuinely underpaid, and they should know that – after all, they may want to take some action, by pressing for a raise even looking for positions somewhere else.
If you suspect you may be underpaid but are not sure, there are some pretty clear signs, if you know what to look for. Here are seven of them.
  1. Your Own Research Shows Higher Salaries for Similar Positions
There is a lot of college writing on the topic of average pay, most of it categorized by career field. You can do your own research – the Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great source – it even provides wage statistics by geographical regions of the country, which is certainly a factor as you compare salaries. If you discover that your pay is below average, you do have some “ammunition” when it’s time for annual raise considerations. Particularly in small companies, a boss may not even know that employee salaries are not comparable.
  1. There is High Turnover at Your Current Company/Organization
If everything else is pretty good at your place of work – people get along; people like their supervisors; the overall climate is good – but still the turnover rate is high, it is possible that people are leaving for more money elsewhere. If you are close to one or two others and feel comfortable asking, find out if being underpaid is the reason.
  1. The Company Has Grown More Profitable, but You Aren’t Sharing in That
Most organizations like writing services that start small and have original employees will reward those employees when the company succeeds and takes off. If you are not sharing in your company’s success with higher pay, then it’s time to have a conversation with your boss or start looking for a new place. There are lots of custom writing services that can help you with a resume.
  1. You Have Been Given More Responsibilities but No More Money
Companies downsize. And, often, they do so by not replacing those who leave. They simply delegate those tasks to the remaining employees. If you have been the “victim” of such a practice, you need to speak up – diplomatically, of course. Your moderate raise will certainly not be anywhere equal to the cost of the employee that left.
  1. You Find a Posting on Your Company’s Website with a Higher Salary
Believe it or not, this does happen. And then you have a choice to make. Do you confront your boss, do you stay silent, or do you just go out, get some writing help with that resume, and start looking? This will be a major decision, not to be taken lightly, of course. Still, there is no harm in finding out what you are worth in the marketplace. If nothing else, it will be something you can use to negotiate a raise, especially if you are otherwise happy where you are.
  1. You Believe You are Underemployed
A lot of college grads are working at Starbucks. This has become somewhat of a joke, but it is true. They are underemployed – not using the knowledge and skills they acquired through school. And even though many of them probably wrote for money on the mob marketplace in their business courses, here they are.
A recent PayScale survey resulted in 46% of respondents stating they were underemployed. And this is a conversation you should have with yourself now. You may have been originally hired below your skill level, and many do, in order to get in with an organization or at least get a job related to their career fields.
But what has happened since then? Have there been openings that you are qualified for but are not getting? If this is happening, then you are both underemployed and subsequently underpaid. And your prospects are not good where you are.
Here may be your solution: Keep your current position and begin a strategy to market yourself. You may want to try some consulting work in your field on the side; certainly, you should make the effort to re-brand yourself, and that will probably mean some homework help or assistance with your resume.
  1. You Have “Settled”
Job security is an important benefit, especially during times of economic downturn. And certainly, after the economic crash of 2008, many employees saw job security as their highest priority. That may have been true for you, too. It is now 2017, and the marketplace is opening up. Your skills may a bit rusty over the past nine years. So, what have you done to make those skills more current? If your answer is nothing, then you have some work to do. Part of getting paid what you believe you are worth will involve you. If you take steps to get additional education and training, make sure that your employer knows what you are doing. And when you complete coursework or training, announce that to your superiors. Make your career goals known as well.
Many believe they are underpaid; some in fact are. If you discover that you are, you need to make a plan to change that. That plan may include a serious conversation with your employer; it may include upgrading skills and talents and it may mean a new job search. The one thing you don’t want to do is sit and “stew.” You will become resentful and unmotivated. And that is good for no one.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Pay Equity – Don’t Settle for Less

During the most recent election cycle, pay equity was a hot topic. It should be. In September 2016, the National Committee on Pay Equity reported that based on 2015 U. S. Census data, women currently make 79.6% of what their male counterparts earn. Women’s median earnings were $40,742 while men’s were $51,212—and this reflects a 1% increase over the prior year. While any improvement is cause for celebration, 1% means it will take quite some time before women earn as much as men. The numbers encompass women at all levels of their careers. In fact, the higher the income women earn, the greater the disparity.
These facts can be depressing. And who wants to wait until retirement for the wage gap to disappear? In the meantime, besides supporting legislation and societal change, women can and should negotiate for the best total compensation package possible.
Step One: Knowledge is Power. Know what you are worth. This improves your bargaining position. It is more difficult for an employer faced with hard facts to decline your request than one presented with a vague statement like, “I don’t think I’m paid fairly.” Although employers guard this information closely and often discourage their employees from sharing wage and salary information, there are other resources. Check with your professional association for salary surveys, look on current job boards for similar job descriptions to see what other companies are paying or use GlassDoor, a tool available through DU that publishes salary information.
Step Two: Advocate for yourself. Once you know what you should earn, demonstrate your value. Itemize the tasks you do, the skills you bring to your work and call out your successes. Keep a file that holds the compliments you’ve received from customers or coworkers. Quantify how you’ve helped your employer’s bottom line: How much did you increase sales? What new projects did you start? List the new customers/clients you manage. Emphasize the things your employer cares about most.
Step Three: Ask for more than you want. If you start with a request for $10,000 more annually, you can bet your boss will assume there is bargaining room. If you want $10,000, ask for $15,000. You can always bargain down; it’s harder to ask for more later.
Step Four: Get creative. Think about this from your employer’s point of view. Even if your department had sharp growth last year, if company profits were stagnant, there may not be much money available. (By the way, still start by asking for dollars.) When your supervisor tells you this, don’t leave the negotiating table. You already demonstrated why you are valuable to the company. Follow up with alternates to increased salary. For example, could you have more paid vacation? Will the company fund an advanced degree or certificate? Can you work remotely part of the time? Would you like a better office? What about a paid parking space? Can you take on different or new assignments you would prefer? Can the company contribute more to your 401(k)?
Step Five: Don’t give up. If you don’t get what you want the first time, tell your boss you would like to revisit the issue in three, six or nine months. In the interim, don’t hesitate to look at other jobs. Having another offer can provide the leverage you need. On the other hand, you may just decide that the grass is greener elsewhere. Be sure to negotiate your job offer, too, so you’re exactly where you want to be from the start.
Don’t accept the status quo – negotiate yourself into a better wage. If these steps don’t work, consider leaving and finding an employer who appreciates you and the value you bring to the company.
If you want to learn more about Pay Equity and steps to improve your position, join the DU Women’s Professional Alliance on April 4 at 6:30pm here on campus. Register here.
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