Dyslexia at Work 10 Ways Employers Can Help

Dyslexia at Work 10 Ways Employers Can Help According to the  British Dyslexia Association  (BDA), dyslexia affects approximately 10% of the British population. Therefore, around  2.9 million workers  are living with this learning difficulty, meaning it’s incredibly likely that a current or future employee will be dyslexic. Understandably, revealing a learning difficulty can be a daunting prospect in the workplace and this anxiety can hold back those with dyslexia from asking for help. This means that their behaviors can occasionally be misunderstood as a lack of ability, dedication, and inattention. However, those with dyslexia can bring as many strengths and qualities to a business, as non-sufferers do, which means it’s incredibly important to encourage people to speak up about it. Most commonly, symptoms of dyslexia include struggling to formulate thoughts quickly enough to participate in conversations and confusing words within sentences and letters within words. Not only that, but struggling to schedule work, making deadlines and recollecting and recording the contents of meetings and messages are frequent signs of dyslexia. Recognizing these signs and encouraging an open conversation about dyslexia, will ensure that those living with it, can reach their full potential and enjoy work, whilst feeling fully supported by their employers. To facilitate this, the wellbeing experts at CABA  have shared 10 ways in which leaders can support employees with dyslexia: 1. Set up a mentoring scheme This ensures that the workforce feels more comfortable talking about learning difficulties, with the hope being to subtly encourage those that are struggling to come forward and ask for help. A mentoring program can offer a range of tailored advice and support for anyone who may be suffering from anxiety,  mental health  or any other form of learning difficulty in the workplace, not just dyslexia. 2. Diagnostic Assessment To be able to best support your team members, diagnostic assessments would be truly valuable in understanding their specific needs. These can be arranged via the BDA, who could also help to provide advice that may have not been considered previously. 3. Create dyslexia-friendly content If you recognize that an employee has dyslexia, small changes can be made to help employees navigate through work content. This may mean using an easily readable font such as Arial or Comic Sans, as small or italic fonts can cause letters to appear more crowded. It may also be useful to use headings to create structure and to avoid background patterns or pictures as they could distract from the text. 4. Adapt your communication style It’s worthwhile asking any dyslexic employees what their preferred method of communication is. This is because if the individual is a visual learner you could work using a mind map or flow chart, to best get across important points. Remember, everyone works differently, so ask the individual what works best, to ensure you get the most out of them. 5. Training services To help employers support staff members who may experience work-based learning difficulties, The British Dyslexic Association and  the  Helen Arkell  Dyslexia Centre offer a range of services to ensure that both parties are mutually benefitting. So, ensure you set aside enough budget to invest in resources to help aid people with dyslexia. 6. Assistive technology There are a number of technological devices that can make work life easier for those with dyslexia. For example, speech recognition software allows speech to be converted into text, and vice versa â€" cutting out the task of reading and writing which can often take much longer for a dyslexic employee. 7. Raise awareness Why not run a dyslexia awareness course for all staff, using a qualified and experienced dyslexia specialist who has experience training in the work environment? This will help to clarify any misconceptions about dyslexia and help to make all employees feel comfortable in dealing with it. 8. Alternative workspace Loud and busy environments can make it hard for dyslexic workers to concentrate, so to help them, it can be beneficial to offer alternative work environments. For example, allowing these employees to use a meeting room, to help them focus when they really need to. If this is not possible, then provide headphones or earplugs as an alternative. 9. Encourage the use of calendars and alarms   Dyslexics can benefit from seeing things more visually, so using calendars and alarms can help to track time in a more visual way. In turn, this will help employees stay on schedule, and help them to plan their day and week.   As well as this, the use of diary invites and desk calendars can be used to remind them of important deadlines. 10. Specialist stationery Black text on white paper can be problematic as the whiteness can be dazzling and make it harder to read. Using paper of softer tones like yellow or pink may be preferable. As well as thicker pens, like gel pens which allow a team member to better understand their writing. Organizations need to accept that everyone works differently and must look to adapt to individual needs  â€" because those with dyslexia will range in their abilities. It’s important that employers create an unrestricted and honest environment to allow their employees to talk freely about dyslexia and  other learning difficulties. This will be desirable to both the individual and the whole organization because after all, employees are better able to perform and be more productive when they have the correct support. About the author: The CABA provides lifelong support for past and present ICAEW members and their families and are Passionate about health and wellbeing.  

Utilizing the Daily Grind Job Tips for Short-Term Career Woman

Utilizing the Daily Grind Job Tips for Short-Term Career Woman Professional success is not always tied to a career woman’s current workplace. For me professional success has always been defined as: writing and publishing novels that grant enough royalties to pursue my craft full-time. Unfortunately in order to accomplish that goal, I need money to pay the bills and acquire food. Before I landed my first job, I figured I could pursue my goal while either writing grant proposals or articles full-time. I never considered that my job should do more than provide me with a continual supply of money. Before accepting that job, you may want to consider how that job will affect your overarching goals. Physical exhaustion Physical exhaustion comes in many forms. For writers, computer programmers, and artists, our livelihood and our craft are both dependent on our ability to use our hands. Before my job responsibilities changed slightly, my job entailed typing ten hours a day. A year after I started typing non-stop, the beginning of carpal tunnel syndrome set in. Physical pain and the potential for serious damage to my appendages seriously cramps my ability to perform my job at work and pursue my personal goal. Pursue a job that does not involve full-time typing. Mental exhaustion I wrote three, sometimes four, articles a day for the first eight months. When I finally dragged myself into the house, the last thing I wanted to do was write. Writing, art, computer programingâ€"each type of craft has its own burn out stage. While you will excel if you use your skills in that craft, you might benefit from pursuing a job that doesn’t exhaust your ability to continue personal projects. Locate a job that utilizes part of your educational skills or does not utilize them at all. Remember the job is simply a means to survive while you pursue your dreams. The Time Paradox When you locate a job, you should try to find a company that gives their employees the freedom to determine when and where they work. Companies that allow that kind of freedom lead to an increase in personal and professional satisfaction and productivity. Here are some types of work policies to look out for: Four ten hour days. Full time, free Fridays to dig into your personal projects, and a slight decrease in commute time…who can ask for more? Work from home. Full time, no commute time, and the ability to arrange your schedule in a manner that you will be more productive. Work where you want on the business premises. Grab your laptop to work in the breakroom, out by the lake, or on the deckâ€"wherever you can accomplish what you need to. Jobs to Expand, Not Hone This is not a career. This is a job. Jobs should not just pay the bills. They should be a method for you to gain a broad range of skills that will help you create, maintain, and share that masterpiece. Before accepting or choosing to stay at a job, ask yourself this question, how is this helping me achieve my goal? To speed up your personal career trajectory the answer should encompass more than “it pays the bills”. Here are a few skills all freelance writers can benefit from learning at a professional workplace. Web Development. Right now 1 in 3 workers do not have the tech skills to do their jobs. As an artist, writer, or potential business owner, the ability to design and maintain your own website is vital. Today 84% of adults in the United States go online every day. This means you’re potential customers are online, you should be there too. Marketing. Finishing a project, product, or service is only the first step. The next arduous task you must complete is to determine how to get that service in front of your target audience. By pursuing a job in marketing, you can learn and practice all of the tactics to successfully get your project off the ground. Pursuing a personal goal as a business owner, an artist, a web developer, or writer is a full-time job in its own right. Choosing a job that will only pay the bills while not wrong, is inefficient. By strategically choosing the company and job you work at, you can give yourself the tools to succeed.

Essential graduate cover letter dos and donts

Essential graduate cover letter dos and donts After three years of essay and research paper writing, addressing employers can feel a bit alien for recent graduates. If you’re preparing your CV and are ready to email it to lots of companies, you’ll first need to create a short and snappy cover letter. Andrew Fennell is the founder of CV writing advice website StandOut CV. He is a former recruitment consultant and contributes careers advice to websites like Business Insider, The Guardian and FastCompany. Here he explains how to introduce yourself in the most professional and interesting way: Do address the recipient directly If you know the employer or recruiter’s name, speak straight to them. Your email will be landing in their inbox, so a generic ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ can seem indirect or even a bit too formal. Starting with ‘Hi Sarah’ or ‘Hi Michael’ is much better. Check the job ad for a name to address. If you’re sending a speculative application, the appropriate person to contact should be on the company website or on LinkedIn. Make sure you add a brief “I hope you’re well” too. It’s an expected level of politeness, whatever industry you’re trying to break into.   Dont attach your cover letter as a separate document This is your first introduction to the employer and it should be immediately visible. Opening an attachment might seem pretty low maintenance, but it’s important to bear in mind that files corrupt and people are busy. To improve your chances of being noticed, paste your cover letter into the main body of the email. If you’re applying through a job site or form, there should be a specific box for you to copy and paste it in. Do remind them what you’re applying for It helps to give the recipient a brief reminder of which role you’re applying for, just in case they’re recruiting for a few things at once. Helpful tip! Keep your opener simple. Start your cover letter with something like “I am writing to apply for the role of job title, as advertised on job site.” Dont send them too much information Most recruiters and hirers skim read everything they receive. Your cover letter should be brief and to the point, with a basic layout and clear font. 3-6 sentences is plenty, even if it doesn’t look like very much. Things to include: Your most relevant or recent experience. “Earlier this year, I completed a 3-month internship with X, where I” Crucial skills you know they’re looking for. Re-read the job description for specifics! Focus on hard skills like languages, specific qualifications, and practical things you’ve picked up from work experience or internships. Your experience level and what you’re currently doing. Let them know if this will be your first graduate role, and when your degree finished or will finish. Why you’re applying and why you’d be a great fit. Motivation is important. Tell the recruiter why you want this role and what you’re going to bring to it. Your detailed job history should be left strictly for your CV; it’s simply too much information to put in your cover letter. Instead, focus on keywords and qualifications the reader will be skimming for. Dont forget your contact details Your phone number is already on your CV, but put it in your email signature to make life a bit easier for the reader. A professional signature is a simple, effortless way to demonstrate you mean business. It’s much easier for them to pick up the phone to you too! Searching for the right graduate job takes time, particularly when competition is high. Impress them with a carefully crafted cover letter, that shows off your enviable skills, and your chances of scoring an interview will go up significantly.

The Ugly Tax - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Ugly Tax - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If you earn 10-15% less than someone who does the same job, you’re paying the price of being less attractive. The average cost of being ugly is $230,000 out of your paycheck, over your working lifetime. Deduct another significant chunk from your salary if you are obese, but only if you are female. Fat women earn about $14,000 less per year than their average-weight sisters, or about 12% if you are Caucasian and 7% if you are African-American. On the other hand, remarkably thin women earn $2,000 more each year than the average woman on the job. While fat men get a pass, thin men pay a hefty price. Their salary averages $9,000 less per year than their average or big-boned brothers. When you compare a man 6’ to one 5’5”, you are talking $5,525 in added income for the big guy. But it’s still a game of inches for a man 5’10” who earns $950 less in annual pay on average, versus the six-footer. Taller women make 5-8% more than average women, for every three extra inches they tower above the ordinary. Blonde women earn $870 more on average than brunettes and redheads. Bald men to the tune of 63%, report earning less than guys with a full head of hair. While most of these personal statistics are clear-cut: taller, fatter, blonde or bald for example apparently, even ugly is pretty easy to agree on. Over half the people rated as ugly were given identical scores by more than half the respondents in a study cited by Daniel S. Hamermesh, a professor of economics at the University of Texas, Austin in his new book, Beauty Pays. How you look directly affects the outcomes in your life. It’s a fact of life that people prefer to buy from better looking sales representatives. Jurors’ decisions favor good-looking attorneys. The electorate leans toward photogenic political leaders. The reasons may come down to how you were handled from the get-go. Cute babies get more attention from their parents. Adorable toddlers are, well, adored. The legacy of attracting positive attention breeds a certain kind of social ease, a charm that lasts a lifetime.   Being well loved may also prevent you from overeating or being careless about your grooming habits. All these qualities lead to the real reason we like attractive people more: they are self-confident. We intuitively believe that if you like you, then we should like you, too! How can you add “attractive” to your personal brand? It’s pretty simple. Change what you can control. Posture matters. People who put their legs up on a desk or otherwise pose in an aggressive manner â€" chest puffed out or leaning forward â€" actually change their own neurochemistry. Such posing raises your testosterone by 20% and lowers your stress hormone by the same amount. That looks like self-confidence. Of course, you can’t walk around pretending you’re Superman all day, so actually being buff would cut down on the posing and the extra weight. Get to a gym. Face the facts. Men with facial hair are viewed negatively by 60% of business people. About the same percentage of directors appreciated women wearing make-up. For either gender, an attractive face-framing haircut goes a long way. Get a makeover or at least, a good hair stylist. If youre bald, think Bruce Willis or Samuel L. Jackson, not Clint Howard. Of course, it’s not perfection but self-love and self-confidence that trump any cosmetic change â€" including plastic surgery according to current studies. I recommend this exercise to my clients. Create a list of everything that makes you feel confident â€" the family and friends who adore you, the work that you excel at, and the skills, interests, qualities, beliefs and values you have that give you a sense of security, purpose and joy. Keep the list where you can see it, and add to it regularly. Fill a journal with notes of that appreciation. That will buoy your self-confidence, which helps us appreciate you. After all, wealth is all about getting your assets to appreciate. Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen

How extra-curricular activities can prepare you for a career in marketing

How extra-curricular activities can prepare you for a career in marketing This article was written by an external contributor. Katherine Sayer talks about how you can use the extra-curricular activities you love to help you land that dream marketing job Without a degree in business or advertising, it can seem impossible to put together a competitive CV for a career in marketing. We get that some parts of your schedule cant really be rearranged, such as studying and sleeping. And this means that  can seem tempting to abandon your extra-curricular activities in order to gain some precious time to enhance your resumé through work experience and the like. While it is definitely valuable to have time to focus on your career, abandoning your hobbies is a high price to pay. As the catch phrase in marketing goes it’s all about thinking outside the box. So, think outside the box with these steps you can take to add to your marketing CV using the power of extra-curricular activities: Drama If the theatre is your passion, there’s no need to take a final curtain call in order to prioritise your career. Drama and marketing often go hand in hand. Take on a role as a producer for a student play and you’ll be responsible for advertising the production to the student body. This could be on social media or through physical poster and leafleting campaigns. The experience you’ll gain is identical to the experience level coveted by marketing firms in the real world, and is a great way to contribute to your passion while gaining transferable skills. Alternatively, you could take on a role as a designer or costume maker, using your creativity to produce a marketable aesthetic according to the specific brief of the script. This is just the same way an advertising agency might use a brief from a client to produce an advert in the real world of marketing. Even directors are showing their ability to respond thoughtfully and creatively to a brief. So if drama is what you love, looking backstage can do your CV a world of good. Sport Whatever sport you play, the likelihood is that at university level your team will need a social secretary. There’s no need to ditch the pitch. You can continue playing exactly as before, but with the added responsibility of helping to organise socials and events, whether this is fundraisers, drinks events, or even curry nights. The experience you’ll gain in managing logistics, overseeing events and liaising with venues on behalf of a brand will stand you in good stead for a career in marketing. Most marketing roles often involve organising events, and let’s be honest, this is the only way you can ever put arranging a lads night out on your CV. For a more involved role, most sports teams will also have a treasurer, who will be responsible for helping to organise sponsorship, so assisting the treasurer in their bid to gain sponsors might be a strong way to demonstrate your ability to liaise with potential clients professionally. Charity The majority of student charities operate on a smaller scale than national charities, but this doesn’t mean you can’t apply the same business model. Big charities like Oxfam have entire departments devoted to social media marketing, which may sound daunting. But acting as the media officer for a charity on a student level is likely to involve scheduling posts on Twitter and Facebook, and possibly helping to organise the odd promotional campaign. This voluntary experience in social media marketing will stand out on your CV as well as helping those in need. Who knew that Instagram could be good for charity AND good for your job prospects? Clubbing Yes, I know what youre thinking. But clubbing could (potentially) be good for your CV. This is mostly because the majority of clubs in student cities are just venues playing host to club nights organised by events companies. These events companies operate just like any other events or marketing agency. The crucial difference is that rather than promote their events through corporate advertising, they will often advertise on the ground within the student community â€" through so-called “reps”. By applying to be a rep, not only do you enhance your knowledge of event promotion and targeted advertising, but you will also (often) get free club tickets. That sounds like a win from our perspective. So, whether you’ll be dancing your way to your dream job at a marketing firm or acting your way into advertising, the proof is in the pudding. If you think outside the box, you really can enhance your resumé through your day-to-day hobbies. Don’t give up your day job, it just might get you your dream job further down the line. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

144 Matthew Tukaki - Social Investor and Entrepreneur - Jane Jackson Career

144 Matthew Tukaki - Social Investor and Entrepreneur - Jane Jackson Career Matthew Tukaki is Chairman of the Board at Suicide Prevention Australia, founder of Entrehub, Host of ‘Talking Lifestyle Second Career’ radio show on 2UE, Co-Founder of the Sustain Group, formerly a Director of the Board of Australias Indigenous Chamber of Commerce.A genuinely caring and inspirational gentleman, Matthew is also the author of more than ten  eBooks ranging from social media engagement, sustainability and  entrepreneurship  to raising capital and  crowd funding.I was privileged to interview Matthew about his career journey, what inspires him and his relentless drive to help others in need, his passion, and the care he shows for the community through his inspiring work at Suicide Prevention Australia.In 2014 Matthew was appointed a member of the World Class New Zealand Network that seeks to promote New Zealand, its business and its culture around the world.In 2015 he was appointed as Chairman of Australias National Coalition for Suicide Prevention and has been a Non- Executive Director of the Board of Australia’s peak mental health body, Suicide Prevention Australia. In November of 2017 Matthew was elected as Chair of Suicide Prevention Australia.As Host of Talking Lifestyle; Second Career  radio show Matthew is dedicated to helping Australia’s unemployed get employed and his National Employment Exchange initiative is one that does just that.We have a fascinating chat about his early days and what inspired him to achieve so much with such enthusiasm and with such a caring attitude towards everyone he meets.Where to find Matthew:Website: www.entrehub.orgTwitter: @tukakimatt

Resume Writing For Internships - What You Need To Know

Resume Writing For Internships - What You Need To KnowYour resume should be focused to your prospects if you are thinking of seeking an internship. Resume writing for internships can help you land the perfect job in no time. Whether you have great ideas or not, you will get recognition in the short term and long term as well.First of all, you need to set up your own internship and advertise it to the other companies that want to hire you. At this stage, you may be asked to submit your own resume, so do not forget to include it. The most common mistake is to leave out the part about your experience and qualifications for the position you are applying for.Before writing your resume, you will have to decide what kind of positions you want to apply for. Now you can write your resume based on the companies' requirements. In case you are applying for a few different jobs at the same time, you can put down the responsibilities you can handle at each company. When writing your resume, ensure that you give a detailed description of the job duties you have done.In addition to your main points, it would be a good idea to highlight your unique skills. Some of the examples that might come to mind are 'creating a strategy for all company's expenses', 'full-time sales support', 'trying new products', etc. Writing your resume using these skills and experiences will make your resume more appealing. You may also include information that is personal and not related to the company.In case you have got a job offer, ensure that you fill it and return it within the deadlines given. If you have filled it earlier, please send your resume and cover letter as soon as possible. The resume writing for internships can also depend on the institution where you will be applying. It would be better if you don't use your high school diploma in your resume.In case you have got an internship in a competitive field, you should focus on quality instead of quantity. The resume for an intern in a high position must highlight your qualifications that have helped you get the job. You will need to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field, abilities and talents, how you will contribute to the organization, your research and the projects you are working on.Show your passion for the work you have got. Without passion, it is impossible to create value and a valuable contribution to the company.An easier and a good way to research and decide on how to craft your resume is to do some reading from several sources, including white papers, books, and magazines. This will help you choose the best attributes and the qualifications that you can highlight and make visible in your resume.