Ultimately, you get to choose what and how you include your experiences and accomplishments on your resume or CV, and what you share in conversations. However, if you are concerned about conscious or unconscious bias in the hiring process, here are some considerations to minimize potential impact on your application:

1. Determine your comfort level with disclosure

Your ability to perform a specific task or job is not necessarily determined by personal characteristics. Sharing about your participation in some affinity/identity-based groups might reveal information about you that you may be uncertain about disclosing.

While many identities are protected under certain employment laws and regulations, this varies by state and country, so you may need to conduct additional research to help you decide when and how you might want to disclose identifying information. Consider the broader social, political, and economic climate on the local and national level, and how these factors might influence a company’s policies, hiring trends, and supports for identity/affinity groups.

2. Align your values

How important is it at the job that you obscure or hide an aspect about yourself? How important is it for you to be able to share this aspect of your identity at work? What professional persona do you want to bring to this workplace? These questions will have very individualized answers, and there is a wide spectrum of what might feel right for you — and that’s okay. Some people want to fully align their personal and professional personas at work, while others feel more comfortable having a professional identity while keeping some aspects of their life outside of work private.

This may become more or less important to you as factors outside of your control may affect your decision. Current events, the economy, political/organizational climates, and the job market might be some factors that may influence your choice.

While there is merit in helping to make change on the inside, working to support an organization that does not fully value you can be challenging. Find the degree that you feel comfortable with sharing aspects about you, keeping in mind that what may feel right for others may not feel right for you — and that’s also okay.

3. Make it relevant

What knowledge, skills, and abilities are important for this job? Your application, interview, and related discussions should focus primarily on how you are prepared to tackle the needs that the organization has identified through the job description. If you held a treasurer role in an organization, and your skills/accomplishments from that experience do not support the needs outlined in the job position, you may not need to include it. Focus on identifying the information that is necessary for them to know.  

Ultimately it is up to you as a candidate to determine what is best for you. If you need additional support on this topic, schedule an appointment with a career advisor, and we can discuss your unique experience in the job search.

For example, if you identify as an engineer, you might start off your job search by entering “engineer” into the keyword search box. When asked at networking events to describe who you are, you might rest on convenient labels such as “software developer,” “architect,” or “data analyst.”

But what if you want to pivot into a new role, a new identity? All of a sudden, the convenience of the label you have taken on may start to feel limiting and restrictive. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to atomize your background.

at●om●ize (verb): reduce something to small, distinct units

How to atomize

Continuing with our example, you may have always identified as a software engineer, but you might also have a unique blend of a body of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes that support the work of a software engineer that can support other types of work as well. You might have knowledge in coding best practices or logic. You might be skilled in a variety of programming languages, such as Java, Python, or C++. You might have abilities to modify code, analyze a problem, or assess database performance. Being a software engineer is a combination of a lot of smaller pieces, like atoms, that you can take, recombine, and reconfigure to fit a variety of new directions.

Hidden in your background might be other skills and competencies as well. Serving in a leadership capacity for a student organization might have yielded leadership, budgeting, management, marketing, collaboration, or other interpersonal skills.

Even these might be able to be broken down into smaller units, such as the skills you needed to manage the budget or what tools you used to market events.

If you are uncertain how different occupations can be atomized, take a look into the Occupation Information Network, or O*Net. This database covers over 1,000 different occupations, breaking them into different tasks, skills, knowledge bases, and more.

Using your “atoms”

Once you start to identify your atoms, you can start to leverage them in new ways. Here are just a few ideas to help you begin crafting your career pivot:

Job searching

Use your atoms as keywords in conducting your job search. Rather than searching by a job title or industry, search by your skillset, your degree program, or other attribute about yourself that you think aligns with the opportunities you see yourself doing in the future.

Keywords work best if they are specific and well-defined, so be aware that sometimes this process may yield more potentially irrelevant jobs for you. However, this might also help you become more open to new directions or possibilities that may help you with your pivot.

Interviewing and networking

In your introductions or descriptions of past experiences, you might have relied heavily on convenient labels such as your degree program or job title. Now, you can think about the different attributes you possess that might support you going forward and promote those in whole or in part.

Let’s say you are interested in pivoting away from engineering; you could combine multiple atoms into a “professional with a comprehensive understanding of mechanics, design, and fabrication.”

These smaller atoms may also help the people you are connecting with see various ways your background can support their needs.

Resume, CV, and cover letter writing

When attempting to increase the relevancy of your application materials, it can be helpful to atomize the job description to which you are applying.

Break it down into keywords and phrases. These can be technical jargon, or as simple as the verbs that are used. Any words that resonate with you, or reflect your background or experience, should be words you ensure are included in your application materials.

Then, by coopting the language, you connect more closely with the individuals reviewing your materials. This might even help you overcome issues with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Moving into the future

Your unique blend of knowledge, skills, and abilities are going to continue to grow and develop with time.

As you seek out new professional development opportunities, think about ways you can invest in yourself to help you grow in depth or breadth to continue to increase your flexibility around your career.

You can also think about how you can recombine your attributes in novel configurations to place yourself into a variety of roles as you progress through your career.

Regardless of how you atomize, it is important for you to think about how you meet the needs of the individuals and organizations you connect with. Take time to reflect on your past experiences, your skills and abilities, and align them with the types of work you are seeking. It’s in this moment that you truly need to become the subject matter expert on your background and think of ways to recombine its elements into new configurations.

Smart casual is one of the most challenging dress codes to pin down. It is not quite formal attire, but it also isn’t everyday casual attire. Finding the sweet spot between the various dress codes is key to creating a smart casual look that appears well-thought-out and polished.

However, selecting the outfit that will make the wearer confident isn’t as difficult as it may seem. Most people have the right clothing pieces for a smart casual outfit in their wardrobe already.

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Executive coach, strategy leader, and author Jessica (Begen) Galica MBA ’16 is redefining workplace success for women. Her new book, Leap: Why It’s Time to Let Go to Get Ahead in Your Career, reframes hard-charging burnout culture: purpose and intention are more important than ambition at all costs. The book profiles women who’ve shed workplace norms to find greater fulfillment and satisfaction.

Galica has challenged the status quo about women and career since college. As an undergraduate American Studies major at Georgetown University, her thesis examined archetypal portrayals of working moms across media. At MIT Sloan, she pioneered the first research study to compare rates of students’ class participation by gender—proving her hypothesis that men were more likely than women to speak up in quantitative courses.

Continue reading…

In this article, we define what a professional reference is and list several ways you can address a bad reference during the hiring process.”

This map resource provides the guides in text form. All 50 state job offer guides can be found by selecting the regions beneath the map.

When all those hours include stress due to wage gaps, societal pressures, commuting (or endless Zoom calls), it can be a lot. And if it feels like you should be doing something different with your life, that’s worth examining. Read more.

Get to know your colleagues

Be thoughtful, intentional, and confident when engaging with new colleagues for the first time. Whether you’re grabbing coffee with a peer or meeting the head of your division, be sure to: 

• Do some homework to understand the person’s role and background.  
• Direct the conversation by highlighting ways you can work together, sharing what is most important to you, and inquiring about parts of the organization you want to learn more about. 
• Develop a short pitch about yourself and how your background or work connects with theirs. 
• Convey your willingness to learn and potential opportunities for you to add value to their work. 
• Actively listen. 
• Don’t reinvent the wheel or be afraid to stand on the shoulders of others — ask about how things were done in the past, and request previous materials and resources to help you get started.  
• Try to anticipate the needs of your colleagues and offer information or help whenever possible.

Establish short- and long-term goals  

Many companies have a formal framework to set goals which are reviewed every three, six, or twelve months. However, make time to set personal goals to foster your professional development. When setting goals   

• Allow ample time to formulate goals. 
• Understand how your skills and interests fit within the company’s priorities. 
• Gain multiple perspectives on your goals, whether they are from team members, your manager, mentors, or others within your professional network.    
• Highlight the impact of your goals on the organization you work for. Why should you or the company care whether or not you achieve these goals? 
• Maintain open communication with your manager regarding your goals. They aren’t set in stone, and communicating about potential changes with your manager can help you remain aligned with the company’s priorities and best interests.  
• When assigned a new project, ask impact focused questions, and have conversations with your manager both before and after. For example: 
  • Before:  How will this project advance company goals?  How can we expand the impact? 
  • After: How did it go? What was the impact? 

Implement strategies to prevail through new job hurdles    

We all experience obstacles throughout our career; however, navigating these challenges often leads to the biggest professional growth. The strategies below can help you cope with some professional growing pains.  

• Develop strong mentoring networks, including sponsors and allies  — seek both peer mentors (at your level or just above), as well as more senior mentors (further ahead in their career). This is especially important for women and other underrepresented groups. 
• To assess a company’s culture, ask how the organization approaches feedback. You can ask questions like these starting in the interview process:  
  • How does your company/institution collect feedback from employees?  
  • What is done with the feedback?
  • How is it shared?  
  • How is it acted upon?
• Recognize that there may be multiple causes for challenges you encounter. Separate internal criticism or personal growth areas (such as feelings of imposter syndrome) from the systemic biases that might be at play.  
• Practice self-advocacy and conflict resolution through positive conversations and manage up to find mutually beneficial solutions. Frame your requests and propose solutions, highlighting how it also benefits the company and the audience you are speaking to.

Find more resources 

Want to learn more? Take a look at these new jobs & career transition resources to help you develop from a student into a professional. 

By: Tavi Sookhoo & Simona Rosu

Craft a personal vision statement

A personal vision statement is a way to bring together your values, strengths, and goals into a singular statement that you can use throughout your life to guide both your life and career. This exercise does take some reflection and brainstorming, but completing this exercise is time well spent. For more information on how to craft your personal vision statement, check out this article from BetterUp.

Build your five-year resume

Think about yourself five years from now. What kind of job do you have? What degrees have you earned or are in the process of earning? Where do you live? What skills do you have? By projecting an idealized form of you five years into the future, you may be able to uncover the steps you need to get there through planning and goal setting. This article will help you build your five-year resume.

Write a love list

Thinking about the future? Why not include things you would love to do in the future! A love list is a simple activity that allows you to write out all sorts of activities and things you would love to do. They do not have to be work or career related, however there is a possibility that you can uncover your passions through them. Learn more about writing a love list with tips from Be More With Less.

Build your wheel of life

If you are feeling out of balance, it might help for you to think critically about the areas in your life that you may be focusing too much on, and the others you are neglecting. The Wheel of Life exercise is a way for you to self-assess your specific areas and identify if you are finding yourself out of balance. Try building your own Wheel of Life using this online tool from noomii.

Map your heartbreak

One step to finding your purpose is through identifying issues or causes that really matter to you. If something breaks your heart, you may find additional motivation to do something about it. This reflection exercise prompts you to think about your passions and connect these with issues that affect these passions. Learn how to do this exercise with steps from Learning to Give.

Identify your values

Identifying your values can help you focus on what you find truly important in life. Let your values help guide you and filter out the aspects of your life you may not want to focus on too heavily. When you meet with CAPD, we can help you with a values card sort exercise, or you can do something very similar online using this exercise from Think2Perform.

Write down your purpose

Regardless of whether you did the previous exercises listed here or not, taking a moment to write down your personal purpose statement can act as your own personal guide into the future. Keep in mind that identifying and pursuing your purpose make take time and evolve as your progress, but these reflective exercises are a great way to get started. Learn more about writing your statement with the help of Fearless Culture.

Still struggling to find ways to tap into your greater purpose? Meet with a career advisor to discuss some of your thoughts and get connected to additional resources.