PODCASTS
On today’s episode of the Career Clarity Show, we are talking about all the different influences that are factors into how we talk about ourselves and present ourselves in the professional space. Those influences can be anything from social norms and expectations, family norms and expectations, to things like your gender identity, your ethnicity, your race – all kinds of different pieces that can really shape how people have expectations of you and how you have expectations of yourself.
This can be really illuminating for you no matter where your station in life, identity traits, or experiences you’ve had so far. We are joined by Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill. Nii Ato is a holistic career coach who helps ambitious professionals of color advance their careers while remaining true to themselves.
The title says it all: an open conversation between a black man, black woman, white woman, and white man about race and racism in the professional and personal spheres.
I love doing job search trends because the changes are constant in this industry. This gives people a chance to reset their mindset and take action at the beginning of the year. This year, I decided to go with a panel so everyone can hear how different views are often the same for a proactive job search.
Welcome to part 2 of "Modern Job Search Trends of 2020."
VIDEOS
Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill is the Founder and Head Coach at Avenir Careers. He's also our #1 pick for the Top Job Search Expert to Follow on LinkedIn for 2021. In this video, he shares his advice for job searchers in 2021.
Check out my latest The EdUp Experience "EdUp UnPlugged" web series episode for a conversation with Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill, a career coach with over a decade of experience. His career has focused on helping ambitious professionals of color navigate their job search while remaining authentic to themselves. Nii Ato's master’s level training in mental health counseling, allows him to provide a holistic approach to his work. He has provided job search, resume, and career guidance to over 5,000 global clients spanning mid-career professionals up to C-suite executives — across industries. But corporate America can be challenging for Black professionals:
🚫 The unemployment rate for Blacks was 9.20% in January of 2021, according to the United States Federal Reserve. (13.4% of the population is Black).
🚫 Just 3.3 percent of executive or senior leadership positions are held by Black people.
🚫 There are only four Black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.
Nii Ato and I discuss the challenges that Black employees face when navigating predominantly white spaces in the workplace. He recommends success strategies for Black professionals while maintaining their authenticity.
It's time to admit it. The Ivory Institution is part of the problem. Come for a conversation on lived experiences of racism and ways we might shape a better education system. #HHE2020 #ChangeHigherEd #HHEpanel2
PRESS
Nii Ato’s holistic approach to job seeking is prevalent in his LinkedIn posts. His content focuses on providing advice for the more tenuous parts of job searching such as creating resumes. However, he also focuses on job seekers’ mindsets—sharing real, authentic advice on how to navigate the search with your mental health and values intact.
Nii Ato on what he’d advise job searchers to prioritize in 2021:
“I’d really encourage job seekers to prioritize their values in their job search and also check in with themselves about what stories they’re telling about themselves to themselves—especially if they had a really hard 2020.
They say the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
You might feel as if you’re going a bit mad while trudging through the job searching process. You’re not alone. As a creepy Cheshire Cat once said, “We’re all mad here.”
The job searching process fuels a weird sense of redundancy and can feel like you’re reliving the same day over and over again:
Update your LinkedIn profile
More than 87 percent of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn to search for qualified candidates. Regardless of whether you’re actively looking for a job or not, it pays to have an eye-catching profile. “Customizing your LinkedIn headline is an often-missed opportunity to make a great first impression on employers,” says Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill, founder of Avenir Careers. “Without customization, your headline, which appears underneath your name on your profile, will default to Your Name at Company X, which means that you’re missing out on being able to use the 220-character limit to tell employers something interesting and/or compelling about you that would make you more attractive.”
On today’s episode of the Career Clarity Show, we are talking about all the different influences that are factors into how we talk about ourselves and present ourselves in the professional space. Those influences can be anything from social norms and expectations, family norms and expectations, to things like your gender identity, your ethnicity, your race – all kinds of different pieces that can really shape how people have expectations of you and how you have expectations of yourself.
This can be really illuminating for you no matter where your station in life, identity traits, or experiences you’ve had so far. We are joined by Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill. Nii Ato is a holistic career coach who helps ambitious professionals of color advance their careers while remaining true to themselves.