Posts Tagged ‘unemployed’

Q. After graduating from college in May, I have found a full-time position at a plant nursery near my home. I am the receptionist. Unfortunately, the closest I have gotten to using my B.A. in English has been proofreading some things. I am very thankful to have a job, but I am also worried that I am so far from getting any real experience, I will never be able to work within my desired fields of public relations or publishing. Should I freelance to get some writing samples?

Dear Readers,

Having to take a job for which you are overqualified is such common problem nowadays that it would be foolish for job interviewers to hold it against you. Instead, they should respect you for making the mature choice of doing whatever it takes to support yourself.

That said, you will have a better chance of breaking into your chosen field if you figure out a way to get some experience even while you are working full time at something else. A budding writer has all sorts of options. She can write freelance articles for print or internet publications. As a volunteer, she can approach nonprofit organizations and offer to help with their newsletters or other marketing materials.

But publishing is just one of many fields where there are many opportunities to work as an independent contractor or consultant. Sologig.com is one web source for people searching for freelance opportunities in a wide variety of fields.

If you cannot find freelance jobs, look for ways to volunteer. Choose opportunities that are challenging enough to give you some significant experience. Also make sure that there is someone willing to document your contributions and give you a reference when the time comes. In addition to gaining valuable experience, you will meet people who are likely to be impressed by your determination, and consequently may alert you when job openings appear.

Repair Resume With Resilience

Q. I have a question about resumes. I will be applying for a new internal position with my company. My resume has a two-year period of work experience that does not relate to my current or new job. (This was a time when I was out of work and was looking to put food on the table.)

Should I delete these two years from my resume, and if I do remove these years, what should take their place? The prior job (for a year) was as a private contractor. Should I extend this time frame to cover those years?

Dear Readers,

You should never fudge facts in your resume. If any falsehood is discovered, it can undermine your integrity and ultimately your employability. “I always say honesty is the best policy,” says Mary Janaitis, principal at MSJ Consulting in Oakland, Calif. “Otherwise you can get wrapped up in a series of lies. Any discrepancy can cost you your job.”

Janaitis suggests taking a close look at the opportunity you are applying for and highlighting on your resume the skills and abilities at each prior position that would advance your candidacy.

Do the same for the two-year gap that worries you. If there is no connection, then either minimize that period or omit it entirely. You can cover the gap briefly in your cover letter and point out the characteristics that make you shine, like your sense of responsibility towards your family, resilience, resourcefulness, or determination in the face of adversity, says Janaitis, and “use them to sell yourself.”

Determination is a big selling point, whatever the job. As the late Senator Ted Kennedy told his son, when Ted, Jr., asked his father why they always were the last ones out at sea practicing the night before a sailing race: “…most of the other sailors we race against are smarter and more talented than we are. But the reason why we are going to win is that we are going to work harder than them, and we will be better prepared.”

As his son wisely observed, the Senator was not just talking about boating.

I’m on the verge of quitting my job. My boss and I do not get along. If I quit, would I be eligible for unemployment insurance? I am tempted since the federal government just extended benefits for another 13 weeks. A smart move?

Dear Readers,

The prospect of collecting unemployment benefits is rarely a good reason to quit your job. In fact, it’s generally true that if you quit, you are not eligible for benefits. This safety net was designed to lend support to those who lose jobs through no fault of their own.

That said, most states have some exceptions for extenuating circumstances. In Wisconsin, for example, if you quit because your paychecks bounce or you have to relocate to a different market to keep your job, you may be eligible. In Connecticut, you may be entitled to benefits if you quit for “good cause,” which may include reasons like caring for a seriously ill child or spouse. Even so, you have to be available for full-time work.

Because unemployment is administered by each state and the rules change periodically, it is important to check with your state labor department to find out the latest requirements. Even if you do become eligible for collecting unemployment checks, either because you are downsized or quit for what is ruled “good cause,” you will be required to engage in a job hunt. Since you are unhappy in your current situation, why not get a head start?

Interviews Galore

My friend is applying for an executive position. She’s been interviewed more times and by more people than for any other job she’s ever held, and still there’s been no decision. What’s going on?

Dear Readers.

Now that the high unemployment rate has put employers in the driver’s seat, they are being more selective than ever. They also more cognizant of “the costs of making a wrong decision,” says John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the Chicago-based outplacement firm. Often it takes six to eight months to realize that a mistake was made, says Challenger, which means at least half a year’s salary can be wasted.

Consequently, employers, whether they are hiring executives or temporary employees, are beefing up their screening process, confirms Mike Steinmetz, vice president and general manager of Manpower Inc.’s Midwest division. “Some of the larger firms have been trying to reduce risk through multiple rounds [of interviews], getting multiple people involved,” he says. Rather than be interviewed simply by a prospective supervisor, for example, a candidate also may have to meet with the supervisor’s supervisor to make sure there is a consensus on the hiring decision.

The hiring process is also more likely to include “behavioral interviews” and other sorts of assessments, such as skill tests. Behavioral interviews incorporate sets of questions that “attempt to elicit a candidate’s behavior in concrete situations that parallel what might be found at the company,” Challenger says. When Steinmetz interviews candidates for managerial positions, for instance, he typically inquires about difficulties they encountered and how they dealt with them. “I don’t want all rosy stuff,” he says.

Steinmetz notes that “soft” skills, such as leadership, teambuilding, conflict resolution, and the ability to motivate employees who are not direct reports, are highly prized. The best way to prepare for an interview nowadays, adds Steinmetz, is to come with some specific examples that can illustrate any number of these traits. “If the illustration can answer two or three questions at once,” that’s great, he says. “I like it when I don’t talk very much.”

With so many layoffs, Steinmetz notes, many “A-players” have been downsized. Whether companies are hiring new employees or hiring back old ones, “they are trying to upgrade their staffs by identifying and adding the available A-players.”

Candidates do not have to be proficient in every single area. Screening also helps employers identify areas that need coaching or on-the-job training once you are hired.  Most of all, you want your interviewer to view you in the following way: as someone who is reliable, trusthworthy, teamwork oriented, inquisitive, and always looking for a better way to do things. “I much prefer someone with those skills and mediocre technical skills than the other way around,” says Steinmetz.  That’s because technical skills are more easily taught.

I never thought having 25 years of experience would be a liability, but that seems to be the case when you are looking for a new job. Is there any way to turn the negative perceptions about “older workers,” true or not, to my advantage?

Dear Readers,

Even if you have false teeth and use a walker, there are ways to take a bite out of the job market and sail past your younger competitors. Most likely you have collected a lengthy list of accomplishments, navigated a rough patch or two, and developed perspective that only age can bring. All you have to do now is convince a prospective employer that, in addition to your unmatched experience, you have tremendous energy and enthusiasm.

Charles Hays, vice president at Right Management Consultants, Inc., gives a monthly seminar for job hunters over 50. He offers the following tips to boost your chances of success:

Attitude Matters: “If you think you’re old, you are,” says Hays. Maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle pays off when you interview. Work in some mention of your life outside of work “so interviewers get to know the whole person.”

Appearance Counts: Some older workers show up at interviews wearing ill-fitting clothes commenting that, “they just want to feel comfortable,” Hays says. If interviewers are looking for a reason not to proceed with the hiring process, those applicants just handed it to them. Stick to tailored clothes and an up-to-date look for a good first impression. Also important is upright posture, a lively gait (if possible), and lots of eye contact.

Animation Helps: What gets a higher rating from interviewers – experience, communication, enthusiasm, or personality? Answer: enthusiasm. Research shows that it “wins by quite a bit,” Hays says. Upgrade your mildly positive, I-can-do-that-in-my-sleep approach to true enthusiasm for the position.

Emphasize Your Work Ethic: The view that older workers have a stronger work ethic than the younger generation “is the biggest thing older workers have going for them,” says Hays. To underline this point, mention the times you have gone the extra mile, worked after hours, and held fast to your commitment to a stellar attendance record.

Stretch Often: To counter the perception that people age 50 and older are inflexible, demonstrate involvement with new managers, different product lines, and expanded responsibilities. Keep current with technology and management styles. Managers who came up through the ranks and have trouble adapting when their organization takes a flatter, more inclusive approach often lose their jobs, Hays says.

10 Is Better Than 35: “Everybody wants to tell you their life story,” says Hays, but it’s far better to focus on your accomplishments of the last 10 years.  This true of your resume, too, which he advises keeping to two pages. One way to stand out, especially if the company you are applying to has experienced some ups and downs, is to indicate your accomplishments in both growth and consolidation environments.

Short Answers: Another stereotype is that older people ramble on. Keep your answers short and to the point. Start with “what” not “how,” Hays advises Prepare a few sentences about your most impressive accomplishments and stop there. If your interviewer wants to know more – the details of how you did it – she will ask. “Pay attention to the eyes,” Hays says. If they start wandering, you’ve lost her and should stop talking so she can redirect the conversation.

Reassure The Youth. If you will be working for someone younger, she might feel threatened by your experience. Stress your largesse. Among the things you might say: Which needs do you think I can fill?  How can I help you grow?

Over-qualified? To head off the question of whether you will move on if you find a more challenging position, pare down your resume. “We tell people not to fluff up their resume, but nothing says you can’t dumb it down,” says Hays. When one of his clients applied to a company that was smaller than the department he had previously run, the client omitted numbers from his resume that made the contrast too apparent, and “it worked out quite well,” says Hays. He landed the job. Furthermore, he enjoys it and has no plans to move on.

I’ve heard that job interviewers size up applicants within the first seven seconds of meeting them. Is that true?

Dear Readers,

When top television executive and Republican strategist Roger Ailes was a lowly producer, he helped conduct the first interview with Charles Manson in thirteen years. Manson, who brutally murdered actress Sharon Tate and six others, had been given nine life sentences in a maximum security prison for the criminally insane.

Ailes opens his book “You Are the Message” (Broadway Business, 1989), still a popular guide to communication, with the scene in which he and Manson meet for the first time and size each other up. Ailes claims that because he projected great confidence in the first few seconds, Manson backed down from his initial attempt to appear menacing and turned obsequious. “Research shows that we start to make up our minds about people within seven seconds of meeting them,” Ailes writes.

While others have cited similar findings, the time span varies slightly. You may have slightly more time to impress your interviewer: up to 30 seconds.

Why are first impressions so important? Because they are often face-to-face, they are vivid, and stick in one’s mind, making them hard to erase and replace.

When your initial encounter is face to face, you are judged more on your appearance and body language than your words. Being well-groomed and conveying an upbeat, warm, and confident attitude will help you make a good impression. If you are speaking over the phone, a positive and pleasant tone of voice also may trump what you have to say.

That doesn’t mean words do not count. If you can work the other person’s name into your first couple of sentences, that can increase receptivity to your message. Also key is demonstrating that you are a good listener. Pay close attention and then ask follow up questions, which signal that you are interested in what your interviewer has to say.

First impressions are not flawless. People can be distracted by a candidate’s most obvious attribute, especially if it is sociability, and tend to overlook factors that may be more difficult to detect, such as intelligence level. They also may be affected by their own moods. According to some researchers, people in happier moods make more accurate snap judgments. Cultural differences can also get in the way of accurate interpretations. What is considered outgoing in one culture, for instance, may be considered reserved in another.

Keep that in mind if you don’t get a job, or if you find yourself judging someone else harshly after just seven seconds.

WEB-BASED WORRIES

When a jobsite asks you to copy and paste your resume into a 1-inch opening, are people at that company able to see other documents on your c-drive?

Dear Readers,

Copying and pasting your resume into a corporate website does not give the recipient access to anything else on your computer, says Joe Dukler of Computer Geeks in Milwaukee, WI.

You should worry, however, about what happens to the information you do send. Don’t include a social security number on your resume, Dukler says, and “make sure you are sending it to an actual, decent company.”

The reasons to be cautious are numerous. For one thing, internet-savvy thieves set up fake corporate names with fake job openings in order to solicit personal information in hopes of eventually stealing your identity.  Once these thieves have your resume in hand, “They may have someone sitting on the internet trying to find out more information about you,” says Dukler. Their goal: tapping into your credit card accounts and other financial assets.

Even going through a well-known online employment service such as monster.com carries risks. Monster.com’s website admits that the company “recently learned our database was illegally accessed and certain contact and account data were taken.”

The site also warns users that their email addresses could be used to target “phishing” emails asking people to confirm their usernames and passwords.

If someone you have never heard of contacts you with a job offer and asks for personal information, do not fall victim to yet another scam targeting job hunters.

And you thought your only problem was finding another job!

Dear Readers,

How can you position yourself now and in the future?

Martha Fields, a Boston-based human resources expert, suggests thinking positively both about the present and what’s next. The present, as she sees it, is an opportune time to prepare for the economic recovery that will surely follow the current recession.  “It’s a long-range issue, and an opportunity to reassess where your passion is and your goals,” says Fields, president and founder of Fields Associates, an international management consulting firm and a contributor to Roadmap to Success (Insight Publishing, 2008) with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard.

If you love your job, check out the projections for future growth in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor, says Fields. If the projections are good, that’s great. If not, think about how the opportunities might shift over time. If you love working in the auto industry, for instance, consider shifting to a company that is developing products related to “green” cars, high speed rail or other forms of transportation.

If you hate your job, you can peruse the Occupational Outlook Handbook for professions that are expected to grow in hopes of finding something that catches your interest. If you don’t have the time, money or inclination for lots of retraining, check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ List of the 30 Fastest Growing Occupations. The list includes jobs that require only short- or medium-term on-the-job training, such as home health aides, pharmacy technicians, and dental assistants. The expected growth between 2006 and 2016 for these occupations are 48.7 percent, 32 percent, and 29.2 percent, respectively.

People who can afford some additional education can consider jobs that require an associate degree, such as veterinary technologists and technicians (41 percent projected growth) and physical therapist assistants (32.4 percent growth).  High growth jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree include job in network systems and data communications (53.4 percent growth) and personal financial advisors (44.6 percent).

Affordable job training programs can be found at local community colleges and vocational technical schools. Many schools offer courses on nights and weekends and some even give credit for life experience.

Fields suggests investigating a link on same web page that introduces the Occupational Outlook Handbook called “Tomorrow’s Jobs.” It offers a concise look at which occupational areas are poised for growth and explains why. The report, which also covers the period through 2016, projects that, “More than 3 out of every 10 new jobs created in the U.S. economy will be in either the health care and social assistance or public and private educational services sectors.”

The employment implications of the U.S. government’s recent spending spree can be found at www.recovery.gov/, Field notes. This site gives details about how the $27 billion released through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be spent. “You can find out the type of jobs that might be in demand and where if you dig deeper into the website,” she says. “Another pocket of money,” she notes, is the funding designated for making medical records electronic.

The future holds promise, if you’ll strategize. Too many people spend more time deciding what they are going to wear to a hip party than “how can I position myself today” for tomorrow? Field complains. No wonder one of her favorite quotes is, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Do you have questions about your job or the best way to handle a workplace challenge? Leslie Whitaker would like to hear from you. E-mail Leslie@ctwfeatures.com and join the conversation at her Web site, www.lesliewhitaker.com.