Confidence is Key!

 

Anyone can build confidence inside of them by having self-awareness and acceptance, skill development, a positive mindset, and practice of exposure are things that help build confidence. One person must know their strengths and weaknesses. Many people are lost in the thought of competition just running in a race like rats trying to better themselves to prove themselves to others. People must begin to accept who they are as a person instead of comparing yourself to others.no person is perfect or born talented. Everyone must learn to develop such skills that help improve their way of work. 

Confidence grows when a person is good at what they do but that doesn't come without hard work. You must invest time in learning and improving your abilities. Another thing that also matters most in having confidence is having a good mentality towards yourself to not be insecure. Practicing having confidence is a great exercise to just lie to yourself for a minute and overcome any obstacle easily.

Having confidence is important because it influences various aspects of your life. Confidence helps you trust your abilities, making it easier to take action, make decisions, and stay persistent even when facing challenges. It can enhance performance by reducing self-doubt and encouraging you to push your limits. Confident people are more resilient when things don’t go as planned. They are less likely to be discouraged by failure and more likely to learn from their mistakes and keep trying. Confidence enables you to communicate effectively, express your thoughts, and set healthy boundaries, improving both personal and professional relationships. 

When you’re confident, you’re more likely to take initiative in pursuing goals or seeking opportunities. This could be starting a new project, applying for a promotion, or trying something outside of your comfort zone. A confident mindset can help lower anxiety in social situations or high-pressure environments. You’re less likely to second-guess yourself and more able to cope with uncertainty. Confidence can lead to higher self-esteem, as it’s rooted in a belief in your own worth and abilities. This positive self-image promotes emotional well-being. Confident people tend to be more persuasive and trusted by others, as their self-assuredness creates a sense of authority. This can lead to more leadership opportunities and influence.

TIPS TO BOOST CONFIDENCE:

1. Set personal goals and celebrate when you achieve them, no matter how small.
2. Talk to yourself with kindness, just like you would to a good friend.
3. Learn something new. It can be as simple as a new recipe or as challenging as a new language.
4. Exercise regularly to help improve your mood and energy levels.
5. Dress in clothes that make you feel good about yourself. When you look good, you often feel good, too. Fun Fact: You don’t need expensive clothes to do that!
6. Spend time with people who make you feel positive and support your growth.
7. Volunteer your time, as helping others can make you feel good about yourself.
8. Practice saying no when you need to—it's important to set boundaries for yourself.

 

https://www.calm.com/blog/how-to-gain-confidence

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-boost-your-self-confidence-4163098

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-be-more-confident

By: Mahnoor Saif Butt 

Working with a Disability: Know Your Rights & When to Disclose

 

Every job seeker with a disability must decide: "Should I disclose my disability or not?" This choice may feel different if your disability is visible or not visible. In the end, the decision to share this information is entirely yours.

 

New York City has one of the strongest civil rights laws in the nation, which outlaws discrimination, very broadly defined. The New York City Commission on Human Rights has the job of enforcing that law, as well as educating New Yorkers about our rights. Anyone who believes they have been a victim of discrimination in New York City can file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, which will investigate and, if cause is found, take legal action.

 Federal law protects people with disabilities from discrimination in employment. You do not have to inform an employer of your disability when you apply for a job, including if you apply online, or when you are hired — even if later you need a reasonable accommodation.

 

The Employment Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The New York State Human Rights Law protects individuals from discrimination based on their disabilities.  The Human Rights Law defines a disability as:

•           “a physical, mental or medical impairment prevents the exercise of a normal bodily function or is demonstrable by medically accepted diagnostic techniques, or

•           a record of such an impairment, or

•           a condition regarded by others as such an impairment.”

However, the term is limited to disabilities that, upon the provision of reasonable accommodations, do not prevent an individual from performing in a reasonable manner the activities involved in the job or occupation sought or held.

It is unlawful to discriminate against individuals with a disability in hiring for a job, job advancement, job training, job compensation, or other terms and conditions of employment.

It is unlawful for an employer to take a discriminatory action because of a history of disability or because of a perception of disability.

It is also unlawful for an employer to take a discriminatory action in retaliation for filing a complaint of discrimination.

The New York State Human Rights Law covers all employers.

Why Disclose in the Workplace?

When you start working, you need to tell your employer about your disability if you need special help. In school, your needs were automatically shared each year, but this changes in the workplace. The ADA and the Rehabilitation Act protect you from discrimination and ensure you can get help, but only if you disclose your disability. Your employer must know about your disability to provide work-related accommodations.

When to Disclose Your Disability                                                                                     There is no single best time or place to talk about your disability. Choose a private place to talk about it, and give enough time for the other person to ask questions. Focus on your strengths, not just the limitations of your disability. Think about the benefits and drawbacks of sharing this information at different stages of the job search and hiring process. Decide when to discuss your disability based on what feels right for you. Consider these stages:

• In a letter of application or cover letter;
• Before an interview;
• At the interview;
• Before any drug testing for illegal drugs;
• After you have a job offer;
• During your course of employment; or
• Never

To Whom to Disclose Your Disability                                                                                 

Share your disability only with those who need to know. Give details about your disability and the help you need at work to the person who can arrange these accommodations. Consider telling your supervisor, especially if they oversee hiring, promoting, or firing. They need to know about your needs to support you properly and evaluate your work fairly.

 

What is the decision of an employee to disclose their disability to an employer?

Every job seeker with a disability is faced with the same decision: "Should I or shouldn't I disclose my disability?" This decision may be framed differently depending upon whether you have a visible disability or a non-visible disability. Ultimately, the decision of whether to disclose is entirely up to you.

Disclosure Protections and Responsibilities

As a person with a disability, you have disclosure protections as well as significant responsibilities to yourself and to your employers.

You are entitled to:

·       Have information about your disability treated confidentially and respectfully;

·       Seek information about hiring practices from any organization;

·       Choose to disclose your disability at any time during the employment process;

·       Receive reasonable accommodations for an interview;

·       Be considered for a position based on your skill and merit; and

·       Have respectful questioning about your disability for the purpose of determining whether you need accommodations and if so, what kind.

You have the responsibility to:

·       Disclose your need for any work-related reasonable accommodations;

·       Bring your skills and merits to the table; and

·       Be truthful, self-determined, and proactive.

  

Resources

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth. The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities

 

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth. The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Families, Educators, Youth Service Professionals, and Adult Allies Who Care About Youth with Disabilities

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

https://AskJAN.org

 

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/publications/fact-sheets/youth-disclosure-and-the-workplace-why-when-what-and-how

 

https://dhr.ny.gov/disability-employment

 

https://icsny.org/nyc-bias-disability-discrimination/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz19mhJdxXkMG9IQ7ZsiMDHn6VDSflGBmYgNpVOvoKBFGTr_xTpNs7W8aAmvkEALw_wcB

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/LegalRightsandProtections/Wilberforce/Wilberforce-ENG-100116.pdf

By: Taras I. (career peer)

Balancing Life & Career: How are they Connected?

Balancing Lifestyle and Career Life in itself has a few components. You have life as a single person, life as a partner, life as a parent and life as a professional. They are all so different from each other and yet interconnected. Each of these roles can significantly influence each other because at the core of each role, there is “you.”

Life-work balance is a back-and-forth between yourself, family, and work. It is the time spent on yourself, family, and work. Prioritizing must be one of your skills. Having a balanced lifestyle and career are so important and a key part to it is self-care. Before having a good relationship with someone or anything else, you must have a great one with yourself. To do so, there are some steps that need to be taken into consideration. Taking adequate rest, incorporating physical activity, and leisure (free time with and only you) allowing yourself time for relaxation and rejuvenation can enhance your energy and make you more productive at work.

Life as a partner.

After taking care of yourself, your life as a partner followed. Making your partner feel and know that his well-being is important for you can also be beneficial to your children because they are witnessing it and will likely model it when they are adults.

Having time for your partner. Listen attentively to his dreams, concerns, and worries. Let your partner know that you will always be there to support him can do wonders in your relationship. Have a date night with your partner and make him realize that before being the father of your kids he was your friend. If life has made you distant, reconnect with your partner and your relationship will improve so much.

Life as a parent.

Like your relationship with your partner, your relationship with your children is also so valuable. Spend time with your children and nurture them. Get to know your children. Let them know that they have a voice, and their voices are heard. When your children are old enough, include them in the life-career balance conversation to minimize the impact of your absence when you cannot be in some of their activities because of work commitments.

Life as a professional.

Optimize and prioritize the time spent at work. Own your schedule, do your best work. Time management should be one of your preferred skills. Work is your second family. You spent most of your time there. Be honest with yourself and with your colleague. Treat your colleague with respect. Value their time and efforts. Remember, overworking can lead to burnout. Do not do that to yourself and your family. 

Understanding Work-Life Balance: What It Is (And Isn't) (betterup.com)

Balancing Work and Life: Tips for a Healthy Career and Personal Life (kgcareeracademy.com)

Balancing Life and Career. There are a lot of guides out there… | by Tom Drapeau | Codifying | Medium

By Rose-May John (career peer/staff)

Professional Development after Graduation: Ways to Stay Competitive

 Even after graduation, it’s extremely important to continue building your professional development and staying competitive to make yourself stand out and more marketable to potential employers by adapting and developing skills. This helps you grow further into your career goals and attain a successful future.

1. Continue to grow your professional network

Continue to build your network and make professional connections in your field after graduation. Think of your professional network as your support system and build on that. Stay in touch with people you already know such as coworkers, former managers, career services, etc. since they can help alert you to possible opportunities. Attend events, join organizations and utilize online platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed and Handshake to expand your network and market yourself to experienced professionals.

2. Continue to build your soft skills

Soft skills play an extremely important role when it comes to getting jobs in this job market. Soft skills that employers are looking for include communication, leadership, problem solving, adaptability and teamwork. You can continue to develop these skills after graduation with internships, projects, programs, training courses and even extracurricular events.

3. Continue to seek internships and entry-level positions

Internships and entry-level positions offer valuable opportunities to gain hands-on experience about your industry and how your career of interests operates.

4. Set your goals

Having a plan and setting your goals is a great way to start your life towards reaching your career success after graduation. Use the SMART goals method to ensure that your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and have a time bound.

5. Be adaptable and accept change

The job market is constantly changing, and recent graduates must learn to adapt to stay marketable to employers. Be open to change and look at new opportunities and demonstrate a strong sense of willingness to learn and grow. Look at challenges to push yourself further than what you believe your capabilities are.

By: Shannon Alexander (Career Peer)

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/strategies-graduates-staying-competitive-constantly-job-balakrishna/ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/professional-growth

Questions to Ask on an Interview

 

When you reach at the end of your interview, the interviewer is most likely going to ask the question, “Do you have any questions for me?” It’s important to never say that you don’t have questions. These are some examples of questions that you can ask for your interview.

1.    What are your expectations for this role?

This question is specific to the job/position and demonstrates that you are actively interested in the role which leaves a good impression on the interviewer

 

2.    What types of skills is the team missing that you’re looking to fill with a new hire?

This question is specific to the team and the work environment. This demonstrates that you are a team player and that you are willing to communicate and cooperate with the team you’ll be working with.

 

3.    How does your company measure success?

This question is specific to the company, and it shows that you're eager to be successful in the new role. It also gives the interviewer a chance to explain what success looks like to their company and how they measure employees' achievements.

 

4.    What is the company culture like here?

This question is specific to the company, and it shows that you are actually interested in the company and their environment. The interviewer’s answer can provide you with more in-depth information about the company's values and its employees, which can help you decide if your personality and work style align with them.

 

5.    Does the company offer any career development opportunities?

This question is specific to your own self development, and it shows that you are determined for self-growth and achievements. This leaves a good impression of the interviewer since it shows that you are success driven and goal oriented.

 

6.    How do employees emphasize the company's mission?

This question is specific to the company, and it can help you learn more about the company's employees and how they uphold the values and achieve the goals of the business.

 

7.    What's the training process for this role?

This question is specific to the position, and it shows that you are eager to start working in your new position. It's also helpful to know what to expect so you can feel confident and prepared when starting with the onboarding process and training.

 

8.    Who would I be working with the most?

This question is specific to the team environment that you’ll be working with and asking this question can help you determine who your potential team members may be.

 

9.    What are some projects I would be working on?

This question is specific to the position and helps you gives you an idea of the work in the new position.

 

10What can I do to succeed in this role?

This question is specific to the position, and it shows the interviewer that you're eager to add value to their team.  Knowing the answer to this question can give you a boost as you get started.

 

 

https://hbr.org/2022/05/38-smart-questions-to-ask-in-a-job-interview

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/smart-questions-to-ask-in-an-interview

By: Shannon Alexander (career peer)