The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Of 2008 or GINA, which was signed into law on May 21st, 2008 and is considered by employment experts to be the most aggressive anti-discrimination legislation since the Americans with Disabilities Act, takes effect today.
This act prohibits the use of certain health information to discriminate against workers with regards to employment or healthcare coverage. In other words, employers are now prohibited from asking employees or job candidates to take genetic tests or to provide their family medical histories. In addition, insurers are barred from using the same health information to determine how much workers pay for coverage.
GINA was supported by privacy-rights advocates, who were concerned that results of genetic tests could be misused by employers and insurers. Advocates feared that employees identified with a propensity for hereditary diseases could face more expensive health care, insurance-coverage denials, or even losing their jobs altogether.
All employers with 15 or more employees are required to comply with the GINA.
It’s aliiive! Just a short while ago, on November 7th, The Careerist went live with its first post on the recent extension of unemployment benefits. That was the first of many posts that I’m planning to bring to you, week in and week out, that cover all sorts of career advancement and development-related issues.
While I won’t regurgitate what has already been said on the about page, I would like to take a minute to thank you for stopping by and checking out The Careerist. Although I’m the new kid on the block for the time being, I have big plans for the blog over the coming months and I really hope you’ll join me for the ride by vising often, or better yet, subscribing by RSS or email.
A couple of other things while I’m at it – first, if you’d like to contribute by writing an article, I’d be more than happy to feature it as a guest post, assuming it meets my basic editorial guidelines. Of course you’ll receive full attribution as well as a link back to your website.
Also, I want to briefly mention how much I appreciate it when you guys take the time to share an article that you find particularly interesting. By sharing, you effectively increase readership and participation and that ultimately leads to a more dynamic and engaging community, so I thank you for that support.
Now, on to this week’s links!
Earlier this morning, I received three emails from three different recruiters regarding a job opportunity with AT&T. I have actually seen this position advertised on numerous job boards over the last couple months and found it hard to believe that they still hadn’t filled it. As it turns out, my skill set is actually a very solid match for the position and I was slightly curious to learn more, so I gave the recruiter a call during my lunch break.
Other than the fact that he was very inquisitive about my dog (which I’m sure he saw pictures of on my personal website and was using to establish rapport with me), the conversation was nothing out of the ordinary. He gave me a high level overview of the position and we discussed my relevant qualifications. We even discussed salary requirements and he was very receptive and positive about my prospects. After that point in the conversation however, a giant red flag went up.
He asked me for my social security number. I was so dumbfounded that I was practically speechless and had trouble gathering my thoughts. He explained that candidates are required to provide social security numbers to AT&T as a means of ensuring that they don’t receive duplicate resume submissions.
Seriously? You mean to tell me that one of the world’s largest telecommunications conglomerates can’t devise a better and more secure method for deleting duplicate resume submissions from its databases?
When I regained my composure, I politely declined to provide my social security number until I was further along in the screening or hiring process. In my opinion, the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft greatly outweighed the benefits of being considered for this position. In all honesty, I was ready to pass on the opportunity altogether, but then I had an idea.
My plan
I’m going to move forward with the screening process, but I’m not going to provide my actual social security number. Instead, I’m going to give him a completely arbitrary number and see what happens. Obviously, I’ll write it down in case it’s needed for future reference, but there’s just no way that he’s getting my actual social. I can’t believe that anyone would give out that information, no matter how hard up they were for a job.
Your thoughts?
What do you guys think? Is this legit or is this “recruiter” trying to pull a fast one on me? Would you move forward with the screening process or run like the wind? Let me know in the comments below.
Image courtesy of Dustin Diaz
You’ll often hear others tell you that you should always ask questions at an interview because it shows that you’re actually engaged and interested in the details of the position you’re applying for. I couldn’t agree with that advice more, however I took it one step further and developed a list of ten MUST-ask questions that I make sure to ask at every interview. I also ordered them in a logical manner that allows you to get the answers you want without appearing pushy. So, without further adieu, I present the 10 questions you need to ask at your next interview:
- What are a couple of the long term goals for the department?
By asking this question right off the bat, you’re projecting a sense of subdued urgency. It’s important to make note of the subtle clues provided during the answer to this question so you can tailor future talking points accordingly.
- What are some of the near-term, highest priority projects that I would work on?
This is the point where I really attempt to get a handle on the department’s / hiring manager’s immediate needs. I tend to ask this one early because I want to let the interviewer know that I’m interested, willing, and able to jump right in and provide value from day one.
- Is this a newly created position?
Whether or not the position was recently created can give you some valuable insight into many different aspects of the job. For instance, if the position is new, perhaps the company is growing and can provide you with advancement opportunities. On the other hand, if the position was recently vacated, you might want to consider asking why it’s available. Did they simply overwork the last sucker to death?
- What are a few of the most important qualities you’re looking for in the person who fills this position?
This question should provide you with some valuable insight as to what the interviewer thinks is most important. Again, you’ll want to take careful notes during the answer to this question so you can emphasize those qualities in subsequent conversation.
- Can you describe what a typical work day would be like for this position?
While obviously a basic question, you’ll want to make sure to ask it just to cover yourself. What if there was a mandatory 90-minute management pow-wow every morning? I’m sure you’d want to know about that before accepting a job offer.
- Can you describe your company’s performance evaluation process?
By asking this question, you communicate the fact that you’re performance oriented and are interested in the opportunity to progress in your career. Be cautious with this one however – don’t bother getting into specific details or you run this risk of appearing uninterested in the actual work you’d be performing.
- Would you mind telling me a little more about your background and how you came to be employed by Company XYZ?
The last few questions are ones I use to establish a rapport with the interviewer. While obviously slightly personal, by asking about their background, you show a sense of curiosity and interest in the interviewer as a person and not just a potential boss. I often try to relate a personal anecdote if appropriate.
- What do you like most / least about working for Company XYZ?
You’ll probably have to ensure that you’re B.S. meter is up and running when your interviewer answers this one, but you’d be surprised how honest some people can be. Take that honesty as a good sign because that means the interviewer feels comfortable enough to be genuine with you.
- Are there any additional questions I can answer for you?
I use this question as a catch-all to ensure that there are no lingering questions that I failed to address for the interviewer. It also shows a sense of courtesy and thoroughness.
- What are our next steps?
Finally, I come right out and ask about the next steps in the hiring process. I typically won’t elaborate and let the interviewer do all of the talking, but it’s important to get an understanding of when they expect to fill the position so you can follow up accordingly.
Did I miss any?
Do you have any additional questions that you tend to ask during interviews? Please share with us in the comments below.
Image courtesy of mischiru
We all know that job security has gone the way of the dodo bird since this relentless recession first set in back in 2007. Companies simply don’t have the financial means necessary to bring on new employees or dole out raises and bonuses to existing ones. In fact, nearly six million people have been out of work for more than six months since the recession began back in December of 2007 and the future’s outlook is still questionable.
Saying farewell to job security
As most job seekers can attest to these days, the act of simply submitting your cover letter and resume and landing a job offer are now ancient history. In years past, this was a viable job hunting strategy because for the most part, those were the only options available and the job market was much more balanced. But now, with such a topsy-turvy job market and a barrage of potential candidates eager to fill each opening for meager salaries, job security is nothing but a farce. Many organizations are under increasingly tense pressure to maximize profits and unfortunately for us hardworking employees, we’re more disposable and replaceable than we’ve ever been before.
Assuming you’re dedicated to either keeping the job that you currently have or finding new employment, I encourage you to bid farewell to the notion of job security and in its place, graciously usher in the concept of career security.
Embracing your savior, career security
It’s increasingly easy to become complacent with our current employment situations as we become accustomed to our routines, but staying sharp in our respective lines of work is critical. Because the company you’re currently working for can and likely will replace you at the drop of a hat if needed, you need to be fully prepared to face that situation by creating your own, personal layer or career security.
I define career security as the ability to remain employed under any set of economic or industry-specific conditions. To really get a handle on the concept, you need to look at your employment in a larger context. In other words, you should ensure that you’re marketable outside of the company that you’re currently working for and possess skills that are in high demand and applicable in multiple industries. I suggest doing so by improving and diversifying your skill set and then publicizing those newly acquired skills and abilities wherever you get a chance to.
- Improve and diversify your skill set.
- Take classes. If there’s a particular line of work of subject you’re interested in, check out the websites of your local community colleges to see what classes they offer. In some cases, their offerings are pretty robust and might just surprise you.
- Read relevant books. This tip really goes without saying, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who slog through their careers without so much as bothering to pick up a book to learn more and increase their skills. A good starting point would be The Careerist Book Store.
- Ask to be critiqued. Push your pride to the side and ask a colleague or supervisor to provide you with an honest assessment of your skills. The results of that feedback make an excellent starting point for developing a self-improvement plan.
- Publicize your skills and abilities.
- Mention in the course of conversation. Obviously I wouldn’t recommend you go hog-wild with this one, but when the opportunity presents itself in the course of normal conversation, mention the fact that you recently attended relevant training or received an advanced degree in the topic being discussed. Don’t be bashful when selling yourself.
- Actively participate in social networks. Contrary to popular belief, there’s more value to social networks than simply discovering that one of your sorority sisters is battling an epic hangover. Look for professional networking groups related to your industry and use them as a forum for discussing your line of work. People will eventually take notice and remember your name when an opportunity arises.
- Start a blog. I honestly don’t think there’s a better way to sell yourself than to create and write a blog. You can start one (for free) on any topic of your choosing and after a few weeks of posting, you’ll have built a small audience who will turn to you for your expertise. I intend to write more in depth on this topic in the near future, so stay tuned.
Your thoughts?
Do you have any additional tips or recommendations for increasing your level of career security? Please share in the comments below.
Image courtesy of Gino
