#JobSearch #Friday HOW SHOULD COMPANIES MOTIVATE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN TO PROFITABLY RETURN TO THE LABOR FORCE?
For the 100th consecutive week of RecruiterGuy #JobSearch #Friday, I decided to combine both elements of the Career Search – the #TalentAttraction side with the #JobSearch side. This is important this week because both sides of the desk perpetuate the Gender Wage Gap.
This is an interesting challenge for organizations. There is a need for the talent that these professional women bring to their professions. Companies are literally crying for experienced help. Why are these women staying out of the workforce?
These women are saying, “Why should we return?”
Returning To Work Is Not Profitable For These Professionals
Some of you are asking, “Why Not? They are making money.” Well, the costs of working are too expensive to make it worth their while.
Consider,
- The costs of Child Care have risen – if they can even find a reputable child care facility in their area.
- The cost of fuel for their drive to work has risen.
- The cost of dress clothes has risen.
- Their wages have remained the same.
The result is that it costs these people money just to prepare for and go to work. Staying home costs less money.
How Can They Make It Profitable to return?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021 with men and women working in the same job, men are generally paid nearly 18% more than their women counterparts (For every hour men receive $1, in general, women in the same position are earning $0.825 per hour). Paying them what they deserve will draw more of these worthy professionals back to the labor force.
But money is not the only downside for these women professionals. Generally, they are responsible for their children’s childcare, if they can identify available childcare in their area. They directly experience the impacts of inflation on their food purchases, fuel for their vehicles, and costs of clothing for work. Then, we need to add the costs of parking that are prohibitive in some cities. Sure, they may take public transportation in some cities but it usually costs a fare and may take more time than women have. They usually are the ones cooking meals and helping with homework.
Where can companies make working more attractive for these accomplished professional women?
May I Suggest Four Improvements By Businesses?
- Companies need to become serious about the Gender Wage Gap. The Human Resource Recruiting Process perpetuates the Gap by requiring that candidates complete an application before submitting a resume. The first impact of requiring candidates to complete an application before submitting a resume IMMEDIATELY Cleanses the Applicant Pool. In other words, the Top Talented professionals leave the process because their experience with other companies demonstrates that completing the application is a waste of time.
- Train your Managers on how to effectively interview. Determine where women candidates fit within their teams, not by previous or desired compensation. Determine where their experience, skills, and attributes place them for compensation. In over 40 years as an Expert Professional Recruiter, I have found that very few Hiring Managers are taught how to effectively interview – and then receive follow-up reinforcing training.
- It is the Company’s responsibility to value the position and present an offer that fits the experience, skills, and attributes of the candidate. Remember that Recruiting mirrors the Sales Process perfectly – prepare to negotiate – or even offer upfront – childcare coverage, paid parking, or even offer paid memberships at stores like Costco and Sam’s Club. Let us be creative! Some companies already subsidize public transportation.
- Allow your employees to work from home at least 2 days per week. Provide office sharing options. The 2 years of Covid-19 has proven that people can work effectively from home when expectations are clearly communicated. Look at the pain points for your employees and candidates. Then find a creative way to solve those pain points.
What is your cost of lost revenues, productivity, or profitability if your organization is missing this talent? The cost will be recovered by Attracting and Hiring the right candidates, with an emphasis on ATTRACTING.
What May Professional Women Do To Equalize Compensation?
This is the reason that I decided to blend Talent Attraction with JobSearch in this Thought Leadership Blog. Women Professionals need to understand a company’s losses if they cannot attract you. This understanding builds your self-worth and confidence.
It is Far Better to Network your way into an organization because you bypass the Human Resource screen out process until there is mutual interest. Then, instead of responding to compensation questions on an application with your current or desired compensation, write the number $1.
When asked what $1 means, respond with, “Isn’t it too early to discuss income? Would you not agree that at the end of our interviews, if you like me and I like you, we will find some middle ground?” Is this true? Of course! The balance of my salary negotiation script is in my book.
If the manager says, you are a tough negotiator, respond with “Isn’t it better to see how well I negotiate before you hire me?”
Always Negotiate Something!
It could be a sign-on bonus to cover a year’s childcare cost or a parking allowance. Depending upon the position, it could be to negotiate a clothing allowance for someone in the public’s eye – Sales, Executives, or Public Relations, for instance. Many times, you may negotiate an extra week of vacation with the Manager. Keep in mind that HR is an Administrative or Compliance function – for proof, look at their functions outside of the SALES Process called RECRUITING. Compliance professionals are neither Sales nor Negotiation experts. Therefore, always negotiate with the Hiring Manager. Let them go to bat for you with Human Resources.
YOU GOT THIS!
You Are On The Way To A New Career!
The next steps will move you along your journey. We needed to give you a solid foundation to work from.
When you read Expect Success! The Science Of The Over 50 Career Search, you will notice QR codes. Most of these QR codes are links to some of my 130 TV interviews that are pertinent to our conversation in that Step. You will see me in action.
My passion is to help you succeed in your search. You Got This!
I am Passionate To Help People Find Their Dream Jobs!
How many other Career Coaches have written 99 consecutive weeks of #JobSearch #Friday Thought Leadership Blogs and THREE Career Search Books? All of you are on my mind!
My most recent book discusses the 4 different areas of Science that impact your search. You have the power to control Science for your Benefit. Expect Success! The Science Of The Over 50 Career Search.
This is the Readers’ Favorite Book Review for Expect Success!
https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/expect-success
You can do this!
Networking is the best practice to find a new career! I wrote my books to duplicate my efforts to assist you in your search. My expert experience as both a Recruiter and Career Coach gives me a perspective few professionals have. My Salary Negotiation script solves that pain point for most career seekers.
My third book on Finding A New Career – Expect Success! The Science Of The Over 50 Career Search Is NOW at Dolly’s Bookstore in Park City, UT, Weller Book Works in Salt Lake City AND Amazon https://amzn.to/3rVVRAe and Barnes & Noble https://bit.ly/3ABu8c5 ! This book is written to coach Career Seekers 50 and older to identify and land your next position. All three of my books include stories of professionals, like you, who found success in different aspects of their search. This is Mark Victor Hansen’s (“Chicken Soup For The Soul”) endorsement of my book and me – “You get what you expect in life. It’s true scientifically and theologically. Bill Humbert now shares irresistibly compelling insights on how to use it to achieve every good thing you want.” MVH
To take charge of your career, please immediately click on this link to my second book, Employee 5.0: Secrets Of A Successful Job Search In The New World Order – http://amzn.to/2D9w39f My book contains the 12 Steps to find a new career in a nice, orderly fashion that follows your sales process. According to a newspaper review, “It is refreshing to find an author who speaks With you and not At you!” It also has the stories of people who did well – and some who did not. You may learn from both sides.
If you feel the need for professional Career Coaching, my business has 3 different packages. I work closely with Professionals in all three packages. The primary difference is the time and personal requirements.
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