Karen Suarez, MA, CMCS, CPRW

Your biggest role in the job search? Being a translator. It starts with understanding what your audience cares about and what’s most relevant to them. Then, connect the dots. Take the experience you have and translate the most relevant information in a way that piques your audience’s interest. This applies across all aspects of your job search. But especially in your resume. That’s why people tell you to “tailor your resume” all the time. I’ve shared some examples. Remember, your role in your job search is to connect the dots for employers, painting a clear idea of how your skills and experiences align with their needs. #jobsearch #coaching #resume

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When you ignore intersectionality in DEI, you ignore parts of identities that makes a person feel whole. I constantly see the one dimensional approach on creating DEI initiatives and it is causing a big issue in BELONGING. The “B” in DEIB that is often overlooked OR non-existing. “People will feel less ignored if intersectionality is addressed more often in DEI efforts and initiatives.” One might question, could this approach also help change the perception of those who think DEI is “useless”?

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Accommodations are actually cheap. U.S. Department of Labor put out a study recently that explored the true cost of accommodations ( https://lnkd.in/gjUj7NKX ). What they found was striking: ➖56% of respondents reported that the accommodations they provided cost nothing–$0! ➖Another 37% reported a one-time cost averaging $300. ➖When comparing this to the average cost of acquiring new hires of $4,700 (according to SHRM), this is small potatoes. Many accommodations are slight adaptations to the workspace and require a little bit of creative thinking. Furthermore, many of your employees with disabilities already know what they need to be successful but might just be scared to ask for it. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ One of many insights from our conversation earlier this month at The National Disability Inclusion Roundtable™ sponsored by Peak Performers. A special thanks to Dawn Siler-Nixon, James Lucier, and Myles Wallace for contributing to our conversation. You can view the entire interview here: https://lnkd.in/gUz2yEg4 And if you want to work with Peak Performers, check out our website at peakperformers.org. #Disability #DEI #Hiring #Inclusion #PeakPerformers Peak Performers

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This week's article is all about why #TraumaInformedWorkplaces are especially important to the LGBTQIA community. I'll be honest- I knew that there was a significant impact of #trauma and traumatic experiences on this community, but combing through the data was devastating to take in all at once. In our current climate, the LGBTQIA community needs our support, advocacy and action more than ever- at work and beyond. Check out the link to the article to learn more about how #traumainformed culture can help you put #Pride into practice in your organization. https://lnkd.in/gFCJE8JE

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" You must get out your motherly instincts through your dogs!" Working in the DEI space, I have learned to be very sensitive to Microagressions and the language we use. Language matters! Even if your intent is not to hurt people, you do! The impact is there even if the internt wasn't! I do not have children (for various reasons that no one knows anything about). At the end of the day, it is by choice. I normally would not share but the other day, I was with a group of women, having a great time wining and dining, when suddenly one woman said, " You must get out your motherly instincts through your dogs!" I could not believe it...I was stunned in fact! And...around a group of ladies I was just getting to know. I went quiet but did not react! Words CUT people. I have learned that some people aren’t worth the emotional effort or work that goes into responding, especially since I had not build any relationship with this person. I decided to let it go because we had only just met and there was no investment in our relationship (and probably never will be). But my silence spoke volumes! Raven Solomon, a speaker, author, and researcher makes an interesting statement on what people say... "One does not have the “right” to an opinion about you, if they have not built up a rapport with you — or built up a “credit” in your relationship — this is necessary before they get to make withdrawals from you." She says that you should consider your relationship with the person who made the comment and how much time and energy you want to invest in the relationship. This is why I will be speaking at DisruptHR Halifax on the topic of Microagressions: Death by 1000 Papercuts. Hope you will join us! May 30th! 25 slides. 5 minutes. Huge Impact! https://lnkd.in/g74sryJa #disrupthr #wordsmatter #DEI #EDI #microagressions #watchyourwords

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Ask Me Anything (AMA) 🌶️ Neurodivergent Edition Curious about neurodivergencies or neurodiversity? Whether you're curious about the basics, want tips on supporting neurodivergent coworkers and loved ones (maybe even yourself), or have specific questions about life experiences and best practices—I'm here to answer all your burning questions! 🔥 Nothing is off-limits—not even questions about me and my special interests! Speaking of...a bit about me for context: ⇨ Diagnosed with ADHD at 35; Autism at 37 ⇨ Co-led neurodiversity efforts at 2 different startups ⇨ Former team lead for a crew full of neurodivergents ⇨ Coach/mentor for neurodivergent entrepreneurs ⇨ Household full of spicy brains (wife AND kids) 🤪 ⇨ Fitness/kettlebell/goat milk latte enthusiast Before jumping in, if you're unsure of the topics, peep the definitions below. ⇨ Neurodiversity: The full range of brain development types including people with neurodivergencies and those without—also known as neurotypical. ⇨ Neurodivergencies: A spectrum of medical conditions (NOT personality types) including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette's Syndrome, dyscalculia, OCD, and others. I'm on a mission to bring awareness to how neurodivergent folks add so much value to our workplaces and communities because of their amazing strengths and unique perspectives! With that said, I'll be sitting here with my goat milk latte and cozy blanket for roughly the next hour, so fire away! 🐐🥛☕️ P.S. If you find this post after the next hour or so and still have questions, post them up and I'll respond as I can. Better late than never! — ✷ Looking for an ADHD coach? Let's chat 🧑🏻‍💻 ✷ Want to craft confidence in your career? DM me 💬 ✷ Does your org need neurodiversity training? Say hi 👋🏻 ✷ Want to chat 1:1? Click the link in my profile 🔗 ✷ Find this post useful? Repost it ♻️

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Transparency I'm slighty disappointed and MORE than slightly annoyed that the messages in my inbox these days are more from people trying to solicit business services to me, and virtually never from people/recruiters with job opportunities. *I strongly dislike messages from people trying to sell me stuff- especially strangers. I thoroughly enjoy many features the LinkedIn platform has to offer, primarily the JOB OPPORTUNITIES. =) Recruiters can see that I am absolutely "Open to Work". The feature is turned on. - My resumes and writing samples are uploaded in the Featured section for simplicity. - I state that I am open to work in my About Me section with my specialties listed. That's 3 different places. My profile is 100% complete. According to the stats this is supposed to make me 40x more likely to receive opportunities. It's been 12 months since I've last been part of a larger team (in corporate). I'm sowing the seeds on my end, and remain prayerful that the right opportunity comes along from the public-facing end. I politely decline your offer to sell me whatever it is you're selling. I graciously accept your offer to be a dynamic contributor to your amazingly awesome open position for someone who gets the job done.

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Whoa! A recruiting company that actually puts people over profits? 😱 In this week's episode of What is Wrong with Hiring, I chat with Dave Miller, an 18-year talent management veteran and founder of Design Citizen, a truly human-centered recruiting and career advisory firm for product, design, and creative professionals in tech. There's so many gems in this one! 💎 Insights on past, present, and future tech industry and job market trends (good news: we're both seeing more activity but still not sure when things will get *better better*) 💎 How different roles are faring during this downturn, from player-coaches and creative technologists to displaced design leadership and overloaded product managers 💎 Why the hiring process is and has always been kind of a mess 💎 A healthy mix of reality check and optimism about the benefits and downsides of AI for tech jobs, and the existential and socioeconomic impact on tech professionals  💎 The downturn as a forcing function for professional evolution and entrepreneurship 💎 And a thought provoking question: are job seekers undervaluing themselves due to a potentially false perception of wage decreases? I love that Dave's small and mighty team actually walks the talk—no lowballing candidates, no design homework, and no asshole clients. They're focused on relationships and mutually beneficial outcomes rather than metrics and sales. This is exactly the kind of firm I would choose to work with. If you're looking (or you're hiring!) for positions in product, design, research, marketing, and related roles, get with Dave stat!

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This week I was required to report on numbers related to #gender. I had two options: male & female. Here's a gender breakdown of folks who applied to CodeOp (an unrequired, self-reporting question on our application) in the last three months: cis woman: 180 trans woman: 2 cis man: 34 trans man: 10 nonbinary: 14 genderqueer: 7 gender fluid: 6 bi-gender: 3 GNC: 2 agender: 2 third gender: 0 intersex: 0 other: 71 Here are my thoughts that immediately followed: - how beautiful, dynamic and complex gender is - how happy I am to see the array of folks who find their way to CodeOp - how many folks are we systematically neglecting to honor/respect/care for because we render them inexistent when we inquire into gender - what % of the 71 who marked Other are actually cis folks - we have a lot of work to do. Fix your forms folks.

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🌟 **Transformative DEI Strategy for Modern Workplaces** 🌟 In today's fast-paced work environment, embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is more critical than ever. The NeuroLeadership Institute's DEI Impact Case offers a groundbreaking, science-based framework that integrates DEI into the core of organisational practices. This approach goes beyond moral and business imperatives by emphasising diversity tied to business goals, fostering inclusive habits, and systemising equity through strategic policies. Discover how prioritising DEI can enhance problem-solving, boost performance, and create a sustainable, just workplace for all. 🧠💼✨ Learn more about this transformative strategy and how to implement it effectively here: https://lnkd.in/eAugXie3 #DEI #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #Inclusion #Equity #NeuroLeadership #Productivity

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Stop aimlessly scrolling, start being more effective with your #socialimpact job search! If you're job searching this spring, I'm hosting two gatherings (starting this week!) that will help you get the traction you're looking for. Please join us for: 1) Cohort 2 of the Impact Career Sprint, a fast-paced, energizing (dare I say fun?) 8-week program combining tactical group workshops with 1:1 coaching sessions to help you make progress + get unstuck in your search (starts Tuesday, May 7!) 2) Leverage LinkedIn for your Social Impact Job Search, a one-hour masterclass in using LinkedIn effectively (happening Wednesday, May 8 – you'll get the recording if you can't attend live!) Remember: Clarity comes through **action**, not through over-thinking. Join me this week to get things going! Links below!

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I'm curious (and I'm secretly betting you are too), when searching for or hiring for an L&D job, do you require (or have you been required to submit) any type of project and/or work sample? If yes, what has that entailed? I'm especially curious for the L&D roles where work products are harder to produce (like leadership or admin roles). Or do you just rely on (or experienced) an interview alone to make a decision? What's your experience? #learninganddevelopment #jobsearch #hiring #talentdevelopment #bestpractices #creativepractices

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Corporations are not created to solve social/political issues. They’re created to provide products and services. Their responsibility is inward not outward. Corporate DE&I will only work if companies focus on making themselves the best possible place to work and something people want to be a part of. That will reverberate into the community and society at large. DE&I was created to be a shield not sword. It’s all to often unintentionaly weponized by things like tokenism. It becomes the antithesis of what it’s supposed to be. The entire paradigm/idea of DE&I has to change. It’s time to stop rewording, rephrasing and start rethinking the entire concept of Corporate DE&I.

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Are you #opentowork? Declare it in the comment section along with your profession. And if you're #hiring, state it boldly in the comment section. We're not just forging connections; we're cultivating a robust network. Remember to engage and repost for broader outreach. Let's make the most of #SocialSaturday and build meaningful connections. #letsconnect #jobsearch #networking #linkedingrowth #socialsaturdaysquad #letsgrowtogether #OpenToWork #Share  #hiring #growth #Connect #socialsaturday #OpentoHelp #freelance

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Are you #opentowork? Declare it in the comment section along with your profession. And if you're #hiring, state it boldly in the comment section. We're not just forging connections; we're cultivating a robust network. Remember to engage and repost for broader outreach. Let's make the most of #SocialSaturday and build meaningful connections. 𝗣.𝗦. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲? I'm offering free resume reviews this weekend! Just send your resume over and I'll provide some helpful feedback. #letsconnect #jobsearch #networking #linkedingrowth #socialsaturdaysquad #letsgrowtogether #OpenToWork #Share  #hiring #growth #Connect #socialsaturday #OpentoHelp #freelance

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Are you #opentowork? Declare it in the comment section along with your profession. And if you're #hiring, state it boldly in the comment section. We're not just forging connections; we're cultivating a robust network. Remember to engage and repost for broader outreach. Let's make the most of #SocialSaturday and build meaningful connections. 𝗣.𝗦. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲? I'm offering free resume reviews this weekend! Just send your resume over and I'll provide some helpful feedback. #letsconnect #jobsearch #networking #linkedingrowth #socialsaturdaysquad #letsgrowtogether #OpenToWork #Share  #hiring #growth #Connect #socialsaturday #OpentoHelp #freelance

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Hello to folks in one or a few marginalized groups. Please be careful. In a live class on a values-forward approach to LinkedIn today, I spoke with someone who was advised not to post "polarizing" content about making workplaces safe for queer and trans folks. It might take them out of the running for roles at certain companies, he was told. What kind of companies, though? Companies that are ............. UNSAFE FOR QUEER AND TRANS FOLKS Were those places they wanted to work? Very much no, they confirmed. Meaning this person was doing EXACTLY what the values-forward approach is designed for: repelling harmful environments to more quickly call in the right ones. You need to be REALLY F**KING CAREFUL about taking advice from people for whom values-fit is a "nice to have." From people who are going to be automatically accepted and respected and get raises without asking and promoted on potential. Or who are stuck in scarcity and THINK they'll sneak into that group by being one of the "good ones." We spend over a third of our lives at work. We job search values-first not as a matter of performance, but as a matter of *safety*. ➡ Because misalignment puts our *health* on the line. ➡ Because a toxic job is why I had to use my cane today. ➡ Because you deserve joy, fulfillment, and ease, but in a capitalist white supremacist patriarchy literally set up to extract from our labor, you've got to go and get it on purpose. If a piece of advice makes you feel small and gives you the ick, (1) BOMBASTIC SIDE-EYE, (2) investigate if y'all are solving for the same things (3) find a community of people who are (hello, if you read all the way to here, it's me and my people. I have the community. Come say hi 😊 ) *pic is a screenshot from today bc I am not ick by I am cringe 😘 ::twirls::

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UPDATE: My book proposal was rejected by both publishers. It is my understanding the rejections weren't due to a lack of talent, but 1) I don't have a big enough platform 2) the anti-DEI climate in some states has reduced or made speaking engagements unsafe and 3) the increasing number of book bans. If any of you are thinking of going the traditional route for a DEI book, please know this is what you're up against. I get why some of you have gone the hybrid or self-publishing route. Anyhoo, in order for me to land a traditional publisher, I would need a bigger platform to convince them my sales would be strong enough to offset the problems I mentioned above. To do that, I need another platform. As of now, my top choices are Instagram or Medium. I'd love your opinions on these and other platforms. On another note, tonight I'm completely unplugging from LinkedIn for a couple of weeks to recharge and plan my next move. See you in May!

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