To level the job search playing field women learn to express
themselves assertively in their business relationships. This is
especially true when they are in the job market.
It's all part of strategizing a successful job campaign in
advance of sitting down with a prospective employer. As EEI
points out in its innovative job search system, nothing will
happen to further your career unless and until you meet
face-to-face with a decision-maker.
EEI, a pioneer in alternative job search strategies, recommends
that you dump the idea of interviewing in favor of establishing
rapport and chemistry with an employer through a carefully
scripted dialogue.
In other words, if you aren't speaking at least 50% of the time
you're in front of your next employer, you're missing an
opportunity to reveal how you solve problems, think creatively,
and present the contributions you can make going forward.
A noted career coach, Molly Dickinson Shepard, points out that
men get more than their share of money and power in the American
workplace.
She advises women to step up to the competitive plate by
excelling in communication . . . gaining an advantage by
practicing talking tips:
1. Speak up in business meetings. Don't wait too long to present
a decisive, briefly worded opinion.
2. Stick to the big picture. Details are what make men think
they ramble.
3. State your point briefly--and then stop talking. Silence
gives others a chance to digest what you say, and respond
intelligently.
4. Don't sit where the boss can't see you. If the room is
crowded, stand up so you can be heard.
5. Assertive speech is good, aggressive is bad.
Shepard's tips are aimed at women in business meetings while on
the job. But , according to EEI, her informative approach
applies equally to women who are engaging a prospective employer
before a job comes along. In both cases your success will not
depend on what you used to do, but on how well you can
communicate who you are and what you can do going forward.
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