Blog
Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.
Don’t Get Scammed!
Employment scams are becoming more common, and job seekers continue to be a target of cunning scammers. If you’re looking for a new job, be alert to these scams by learning what to watch out for to better safeguard yourself against them. Criminals will pose as reputable companies and post fictitious job descriptions on fake websites that look like the real thing. They will then make fraudulent job offers to job seekers. Sometimes, they ask for money, banking details, or other personally identifiable information….
Unemployed Need Not Apply: Insidious Bias in the Hiring Process
We know that the hiring process isn’t always run by rational folks, and many of them can’t help making value judgments about people who are unemployed. There is a prevailing attitude that someone employed must be doing something right – they are “employable” and have been validated by another company. In contrast, a candidate who has been out of work for months or years raises red flags. Laid off? Must not have been that valuable relative to these candidates who are still employed. Health/personal issue/moved? Sounds like they aren’t going to be reliable. Culture fit issue? If they didn’t fit in there, they won’t fit in here either. Contract ended? Must not have been good enough for renewal. Outsourced? Must not be competitive. These are just some reasons I’ve heard hiring managers pass on candidates who are not currently employed….
Job Hopping: Does It Pay Off?
As the dynamics of the job market evolve, so does the perception of job hopping. Historically, job hopping, or frequently changing jobs, was often viewed negatively. It was seen as a sign of instability or a lack of commitment, particularly in the 1970s when it was even branded “Hobo Syndrome.” However, this perception has shifted, and job hopping is now more accepted, especially in certain industries and changing workforce dynamics….
Women’s History Month: Educational Firsts for American Women
To create an inclusive environment that fosters professional and personal success for all employees, regardless of gender, institutions are taking proactive measures. These measures include providing equal access to resources, facilities, and opportunities, promoting gender-inclusive policies and practices, and actively supporting programs and initiatives that help to break down gender-based barriers. We have come a long way, but much work still needs to be done….
International Women’s Month: The Woman Who Saved America from a Pharmacologic Disaster
In 1960, Dr. Kelsey was a Food and Drug Administration reviewer when the application to begin mass marketing thalidomide in the US landed on her desk. As a reviewer of New Drug Applications (NDA), she was one of three people charged with determining a drug’s safety before it could be made available for public consumption. After a thorough review, she rejected the application for thalidomide because it lacked sufficient evidence of safety through rigorous clinical trials. She found the clinical trials insufficient and reliant on anecdotes and physician testimonials rather than sound scientific study….
International Women’s Month: Women Achieve and Men Take Credit
The Matilda Effect was first described by suffragette Matilda Joslyn Gage, who posited that women in science become overlooked because many of their discoveries and breakthroughs are attributed to men. As it evolved over the last century, the Matilda Effect has come to describe the idea that male experience is representative of general experience, and female experience is women’s experience only. There are many examples of this throughout American history….
Black History Month: The Economic Powerhouse That Was Black Wall Street
In early 1921, the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was home to one of the most affluent African American communities in the United States. More than 70 businesses, mostly owned by Black Americans, lined up in just the 100 block of Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa. This single block was home to four hotels, two newspapers, eight doctors, seven barbers, nine restaurants, and a half-dozen professional offices of real estate agents, dentists, and lawyers. The economic success of Black entrepreneurs in Greenwood added to the striking image of Tulsa as America’s Black Wall Street….
Black History Month: The Famous Entrepreneur You’ve Probably Never Heard About
Last week, I devoted my blog to Black entrepreneurs’ often-overlooked contributions to American history. This week, I’d like to tell you about a famous Black entrepreneur of whom you are probably unaware. She also happens to be a woman….
The Vital Role of Black Entrepreneurship in US History
Black-owned businesses have a long and rich history in the United States. But today, minority-owned businesses have a harder time getting access to capital and, therefore, have higher rates of failure compared to white-owned businesses. The plight of minority businesses in the US is finally being recognized and addressed. In 2024, the federal government put $30B into a Small Business Opportunity Fund for minority-owned businesses. In the wake of social protests in 2020, companies like Citi and JPMorgan Chase pledged millions of dollars in funding to uplift Black and Hispanic-owned businesses. These actions are the first steps on a long road to equitable opportunity for all businesses….
Why DEI Matters for Everyone
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs are on the chopping block, which should concern everyone. One by one, DEI programs at some of the country’s biggest companies began falling apart in 2024, and efforts to reverse DEI initiatives are ramping up in 2025. Major companies, including Walmart, Target, Lowe’s, Ford, Toyota, Meta, and Amazon, heeded the calls and dialed back their DEI programs, particularly after social media-driven campaigns by conservative influencers. This means ending racial training programs for staff and evaluations designed to boost supplier diversity and withdrawing from the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index….