Do you have any suggestions on how to explain/validate long periods of professional work gaps in a resume? I am a stay-at-home mother and need some convincing and creative ways to describe this recent position on my resume. I would appreciate any input.
The Career Doctor responds:
I know I risk the wrath of some of the women reading this blog, but I don’t really like to see resumes that under experience list something cute, such as “Household Manager” or “Domestic Coordination Specialist,” as job title for women who stay at home to manage their households and parent their children. Of course, with a traditional chronological resume, if you don’t list something for when you stayed at home, you will have huge gaps between jobs.
So, you really have three options. First, you can take the approach listed above and make your time at home a category under experience. And while I realize there are many responsibilities involved — I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home dad for a few months a long, long time ago — I still don’t think, from an employer’s prospective, that it qualifies to go in this section.
Second, you can consider experimenting with reorganizing your resume into a chrono-functional or hybrid resume that is organized around skills clusters (such as communications, leadership, organizational, etc.) rather than specific jobs and experience. Unfortunately, this style of resume is on the outs right now because employers fear you are hiding something by taking this approach.
Third, you can look beyond your household and compile all the volunteering, freelancing, or other part-time or educational experiences you may have had and use those to show that you were still using and perfecting your skills.
Remember that the goal of your resume is to get your foot in the door — to get you that job interview — and once in the interview, you can decide how to position yourself — your experiences, skills, and accomplishments — to sell the employer on your candidacy.
Learn more about mastering resumes by using one of more of the excellent resources found in the Resume and CV Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
]]>In a job interview, the interviewer asks the specific questions that you are to answer, and after answering all these questions, the interviewer may ask if I have any questions. What should be the questions that I ask so that I know if this is the job for me, especially if I am changing jobs?
You raise a great question here. While career experts often spend a lot of time teaching job-seekers the art of selling themselves in a job interview,they often leave unsaid how important it is for the employer to also sell you on the opportunity … and the importance of job-seekers to find an job-seekers and a job that fits them well.
So, while it is always important for job-seekers to ask questions at a job interview — because it shows the employer you are interested — you should also have a plan for asking the types of questions you need answered to provide you with enough information to make such an important decision if a job offer should come your way.
More and more larger companies are placing this information on the pages of their online career center, so be careful not to ask something that can easily be found.
Some types of questions you could ask to learn more about the company and the opportunity:
Learn more about corporate culture by reading this article published on Quintessential Careers: Uncovering a Company’s Corporate Culture is a Critical Task for Job-Seekers.
]]>How much money do I ask for my first job? I am applying for a job in the printing business in computer graphics or desktop publishing. I have a professional certificate.
You ask a great question, and it’s one where many job-seekers fall short. Before applying for any job — and most certainly before any job interview for the position — job-seekers must conduct a little research in salary and other benefits and compensation.
And there is no reason not to do conduct research — because there is so much information available.
For general salary information, often the best source is one of your industry’s professional organizations — because many of these groups conduct salary surveys regularly. Another source is your network within the industry; conduct your own informal survey of professionals you know to gain knowledge about salaries, job titles, career tracks, etc. Your school’s placement office (and teachers/professors) should also have some basic salary information. And, of course, there are multiple sources online (such as salary.com) that provide salary information by job title AND location (factoring in cost of living).
For company-specific information, you may need to do a little more digging and use a bit more finesse. Interestingly, some companies are putting salary information on their corporate career centers. For other companies, you may need to have an inside contact to get you the information.
Please remember two things, though. First, even though you are armed with all this great salary information, you always want to push salary discussions to later job interviews — and certainly not on your first interview. You will lose negotiating power if you disclose your requirements too soon. Second, always look beyond salary to some of the other benefits (“perks”) that the company offers, including things such as vacation days, personal days, health insurance, life insurance, education reimbursement, profit-sharing, retirement savings, etc.
One final piece of advice — especially for first-time job-seekers — never sound too desperate and never accept just any job offer.
Take a spin on the Salary Negotiation Tutorial found on Quintessential Careers — as well as all the other Salary Negotiation and Job Offer Tools and Resources.
]]>I have a 17-year-old daughter who is trying to figure out what she wants to major in. She has no overwhelming interest in anything but is a good student with an ambition to continue her education.
What are some helpful means of career information-gathering and self-awareness would you suggest to help her focus in on a few options?
The Career Doctor responds:
I know you mean well, and I know you worry about your daughter not wasting her college years, but please remember that the college experience — including the degree — is more important right now than determining a major. College is supposed to be about a child truly transitioning to adulthood and finding his/her way in life and career.
That said, there are numerous avenues you and your daughter could take to at least get a general sense of possible career directions.
First, have your daughter examine what she likes doing most — at school, at home, and anywhere else. Does she have hobbies? Does she volunteer? What does she do in her spare time? She should start making a list of those activities she most enjoys.
Second, there are numerous self-assessment and career interest tests in print and online. She should consider taking a few of these and seeing if any of the results sparks her interest. Her high-school guidance office may also be able to help her.
Third, examine your network of contacts and consider having your daughter conduct informational interviews or job shadow some of them to learn more about potential careers.
Fourth, have her review some of the career exploration books or Websites that discuss various careers and the education needed to succeed in them.
Read more — and find links to key resources — in my article, Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path, published on Quintessential Careers.
]]>Hoping you will answer a couple of questions about our 4 college students and summer employment.
My husband and I are at odds about our 4 college students 20, 22, 23, and 24 years old (none of whom have ever really been gainfully employed for long, we have made the mistake of paying for everything for them, college, books, cars, insurance, spending cash and on and on).
I believe they should have that resume compete now! They should be making at the very least, 2 contacts minimum per day via email or phone or in person and a minimum of 60 contacts per month until they have at least one job offer and then maybe look for a back up plan. Not to mention out on the street pounding the pavement, visiting their college career office and on and on.
My husband believes I am being an extremist and far too aggressive with my requests of them. I believe finding a job is a job, especially today.
First let me thank you for making me and many of the readers of this column feel better about our parenting and home situations — and financial situations! I can’t imagine having four kids in college at one time, let alone paying for everything for them.
I don’t want to start a war in your family, but you need to stand your ground. Finding a job — any job — is hard work — and a job-seeker must plan for putting in the hours and efforts to land a job. Do your kids plan on being professional students all their lives, or are they going to use those college educations to be productive citizens?
I absolutely love your job-search system. Setting goals — easily attainable job-search goals — are great motivators for job-seekers. And from what you say, your kids are going to need a system to succeed. Employers want college graduates who have work experience.
Have them march immediately to the career services office at their schools and get the help they need finalizing versions of their resumes, developing a strategy for tracking down job and internship leads, growing their network of contacts (including alums of their colleges), and learning critical job-hunting skills.
Please don’t let your children become like the two children of a friend of mine… those two are late in their years (50+) and still getting a monthly allowance from their mother.
Check out this article on Quintessential Careers: 10 Reality Checks of Job-Hunting: Overcoming Common Job-Search Mistakes.
]]>I am in a job that is unfulfilling and I see no growth or development opportunities for me. For the last two years I have been searching for another position. I have had a few interviews, but no job offers. I do not know why I am not getting any job offers. I interview well and my qualifications are very good. I am so unhappy in my present job that I am ready to resign! I have voiced my concerns to management only to have them negated and ignored. More importantly, I am concerned that I am not getting any offers, especially because my qualifications are very good. Can you please give me some suggestions on what I can do to increase my likelihood of getting a job offer?
I hate to break this news to you, but I sense someone needs to do so. You have a problem, and while I can’t say for certain without more information, I would point the finger at your ego and your attitude.
It’s important for job-seekers to be confident, but I can tell you right now you most likely do NOT have good interviewing skills if you are not getting to the next level. Now, it is slightly possible that you work in an environment where everyone knows everyone else and the gossip mills have branded you a trouble-maker or whiner, but if that were the case you would not even be getting any interviews. It’s also possible that you are not following-up each interview with a thank-you letter and showing your ongoing interest in the employer.
So, I think your job-search strategies must be solid. You must write decent cover letters and resumes, so it’s time to take a hard look at your interviewing skills. Here are your options:
Hi. I am considering the idea of taking a second job on top of my regular full-time job. I see it as a chance to pay off some debt and get back on my feet, while helping my family. I have excellent skills, so I am not so worried about difficulty in finding a job, but I am worried about the effects of so much work on me and on my family life. Any thoughts?
Somewhere between 7-8 million Americans hold a second or third job… and most do so to simply earn a living or to help earn extra money. Moonlighting is tough — it’s hardest on you (because you will have no free time) and your family and friends (because they will never see you).
Here are some strategies for finding and surviving a second job:
Read more in my latest article published on Quintessential Careers: Moonlighting in America: Strategies for Managing Working Multiple Jobs
See also this section of Quintessential Careers: Jobs for Consultants, Freelancers, and Gurus
]]>I have a question regarding interviews. I currently have a full time job, but am looking for something new. Unfortunately, in just the few phone calls I have made, it seems as though most companies interview between 9 and 5. How should I handle this? Is it rude to try to make an appointment for earlier or later? For companies near my office, I can schedule an interview during my lunchtime, but some places that are farther away might take half a day of travel. I only have a limited amount of vacation time, and while one or two days for a viable job option would be fine, I don’t want to waste all my vacation days on jobs that might not pan out! What is the typical protocol on this?
Yours is a very common misconception among job-seekers. Many, if not most, employers are willing to work around the schedule of their top candidates. Thus, many employers are willing to schedule before- and after-hours job interviews… and some will even sacrifice the lunch hour to schedule interviews. So, when you get to that point of scheduling interviews, simply ask the employer for a convenient time for both of you.
As for the employment opportunities where the prospective employer is located some distance from where you work and live… that’s a different issue. It’s obvious for these interviews, you will need to burn a personal day or vacation day. No question. But you can avoid using up all those days by being very selective in applying for jobs that require that kind of commitment. Remember, you should be taking a narrow approach to your job-search, selectively choosing only the best opportunities in terms of fit with the job and employer. Don’t waste your time or a prospective employer’s time by applying for jobs that you really have little interest in. And don’t ever use sick days to go on job interviews; it is not only unethical, but could come back to haunt you if discovered.
One other strategy to follow if you have several out-of-town opportunities, assuming they are in the same far-off city, is to attempt to schedule all of them in a two-day period… that way you can get them done in two days while spending the night there and staying fresh and focused on your task at hand.
]]>I am a graphic artist just starting out. I have been asked to give a salary history but really do not have a salary history in my field. How can I get around this and still prove I am very able candidate for the job?
Getting asked by a prospective employer for a salary history — especially when you are a new graduate or new to the career field — is not that big a deal. Employers often want this information for a variety of reasons, such as to evaluate your salary progression through a series of jobs and employers, to evaluate whether you have been underpaid or overpaid, and to gain power in the salary negotiation phase.
A salary history for you seems kind of moot since you don’t have any salary history in your field. Still, if you want the job, it makes sense to comply with the request.
When writing your salary history, use the same letterhead as for your cover letter and references list. Simply list job titles, employers (including location), dates of employment, and starting and ending salaries — in reverse chronological order (with most recent job first).
You could also include a short paragraph on your salary history sheet and/or on the cover letter with which you send the salary history that explains why you feel these salaries are not important — and that makes a case for a better salary in your new career field.
And whatever you do, never lie about your salary history.
Read more — and see some sample salary histories — in this article published on Quintessential Careers: Responding to Requests for Salary Requirements or Salary Histories: Strategies and Suggestions.
]]>I’m searching for a guide on how to write my resume, but I can’t seem to find anything. If you could give me some tips, or a site that I could go to, that would be greatly appreciated.
Can’t find anything on resumes? Wow. There’s tons of stuff available on resumes — in magazines, books, and on the Web… but I’ll give you a quick primer.
Your resume is a critical marketing tool. Your resume has to entice a prospective employer enough — through its focus, content, and style — to first consider your qualifications for the job at hand and then to invite you for a job interview. A resume is a statement of your unique mix of experiences, education, and skills. You must not lie on your resume, but you must always remember its goal.
I think the most important thing any job-seeker should do before attempting to write a resume is to first sit down and make a list of your skills and accomplishments from all your previous experiences (work, volunteer, school, etc.) because you will take from this list those critical skills and accomplishments — not your duties and responsibilities — that highlight your fit for the next job you are seeking.
The next step is researching and identifying the job — and all the requirements of that job — that you are seeking because it is critical that your resume is focused on specifics. You should also research the potential employers that may have jobs that you seek so that you can incorporate some of their keywords into your resume.
Wait! Does this advice suggest that job-seekers need to have a specifically tailored resume for every single job they apply for? Yes! There is absolutely no reason for you not to develop a different resume for each job and employer. For most job-seekers, this task will simply mean tweaking small parts of your resume for similar jobs.
Once you have the content down, you should focus on the style and look of your resume. Do not use a template; design your own. Follow a consistent style. Use normal fonts and sizes. Use bullets rather than paragraphs. Do not use personal pronouns. Consider using a career/job objective or profile section. Always list education and experience in reverse chronological order (starting with the most recent stuff). Do not list any personal information (such as age, marital status, weight). Do not include controversial information. And ALWAYS, ALWAYS, spell-check and carefully proofread your resume for any and all errors.
Read our articles published on Quintessential Careers: The Scoop on Resume Length: How Many Pages Should Your Resume Be? and 10 Resume Mistakes to Avoid.
You can gets lots more advice, including resume samples, resume-writing tutorial, and more, in this section of Quintessential Careers: Resume and CV Resources.
]]>I am a special-education teacher who has been teaching for approximately 20 years. I would like a career change, and the one thing that attracts me is cultivating plants and flowers. I would like to know, what sort of measures would I be able to take to start a career or business, that would allow me to do this. I have often thought of having a business where I can grow and sell my own plants in a greenhouse, something similar to the nurseries they have alongside towns and suburbs. However I have no background in this except for growing in my own (small) garden.
The Career Doctor responds:
One of the first questions I ask people who desire a career change is to list their hobbies, interests, and activities — the things they enjoy doing when not working. It’s often from this list that we discover a career field worth researching. I think switching from education to horticulture is possible, but before you finalize that decision, I would also recommend examining some of your other interests — just to see if there are any other career paths worth investigating.
Once you decide on a career field, the next step is research. Growing plants these days is a science, so I would recommend talking with an agricultural agent with your county or state. I would also schedule informational interviews with the owners/managers of several local nurseries. Once you have developed these contacts, you might consider volunteering or working part-time on weekends or school holidays to get a taste for the work.
After you’ve completed your research and your trial work, the next step is whether you want to try and find work for an established nursery or horticulture business or start your own business. Many former job-seekers and workers have opted out of the workforce to start their own businesses — and some have been more successful than others. You might see if there is a local office of the Small Business Administration (or go to its Website), where you can find critical resources that may help in your decision. And, of course, if you are thinking of starting your own business, you will need to speak with your local government about zoning issues and permits/licenses.
Go to the Small Business Administration Website.
]]>Can you tell me what classes and how long and what I need to do to become a paralegal? I work for a law office as a legal secretary right now, and they want to promote me to a paralegal once I go to school for it. Can I go to my community college for it??? Help!
First, let me congratulate both you and your employer. You are obviously a great employee, and it’s wonderful to see your employer wants to help you grow as a legal professional. Before you take the next step, please make sure this career step is one you want to take. I assume, working in a law office, you have a good idea of pros and cons of being a paralegal… but if not, now is the time to do the research. Since you are obviously very good at what you currently do, there is no shame in staying a legal secretary if becoming a paralegal does not appeal to you.
OK. Now to your question. There are several ways to become a paralegal. If you do not have a college degree, one option is to attend a local community college’s paralegal program leading to an associate’s degree. If you do have a college degree, there are certificate programs that lead to a certification in paralegal studies in just a few months. If your local community college does not offer paralegal studies, there are numerous online programs that do — but make sure you find an accredited program. You do not necessarily need a program approved by the American Bar Association, but graduating from an ABA-approved school should enhance your options (if something happens with your current firm).
Once you complete your education, you may also want to look into becoming certified through the National Association of Legal Assistants or the National Federation of Paralegal Associations.
Find more useful information here:
After graduating from college with a degree in psychology I got a job at a title insurance company where I’ve been employed for the past 3 years. I am presently working on a master’s degree and feel the need to change to a more promising, financially rewarding career. What should I do?
Unfortunately, I have no clue what type of job you currently hold, what area your graduate degree is in, nor what your interests and goals are — besides wanting something financially rewarding. I think most of us — at least those not independently wealthy — want a financially rewarding career — so the key is finding one that you are passionate about… a career and job that will make you excited to head to work every morning.
Usually you get a master’s degree in the field that you see yourself entering. If you are continuing your psychology at the graduate level, then it certainly seems that a counseling career is appropriate.
My best advice is to first sit down and reflect on who you are and what you like doing. Perhaps conduct some research on a number of careers that interest you. Then meet with one or more of the professors in your graduate program (or perhaps even from your undergraduate days) and pick their brains about career options. Finally, once you have narrowed your career choices down, start making a plan for how you will make the change from what you are doing now to your new career.
I recommend you read my article, The 10-Step Plan to Career Change, published on Quintessential Careers. You might also enjoy my Career Change Do’s and Don’ts
]]>I’m in a dead-end job and feel a real need to make a career change. My employer is reorganizing the department and probably going to offer most people a package. I see this as my chance to get out and do something different. So, what should I do — and what should I not do? I already have a tentative job offer from an old boss and am thinking of taking it once I get the package. Your advice?
What should you do? If you are seriously thinking of changing careers — not just jobs or employers — what you should not do is jump at the first opportunity that comes your way.
One of the most common mistakes career-changers make, especially those who are being forced to make a change through some sort of corporate restructuring, is to grab hold of the first job offer that comes your way. I don’t mean to imply that it might be a bad offer, but why not take the time to see what other opportunities are out there, especially if you have a severance package? You need to evaluate whether you want to stay in your current career or make a switch to something different.
What are some of the other career-change mistakes to avoid?
You can read more details about these 10 mistakes in this article published on Quintessential Careers: 10 Career Change Mistakes to Avoid.
And find lots of great resources and tools in the career change resources section of Quintessential Careers.
]]>I am interested in technical theatre and I am thinking about majoring in it. My concerns are what type of steady occupation could I work in after college?
The Career Doctor responds:
First, let me state that only you can answer your question. The ideal situation for any student or job-seeker is to find a job/career that you love — and that is in demand.
Technical theatre is all the stuff that goes on behinds the scenes — stage management, lighting, sound, props, wardrobe, scene design, etc. And as long as there is continued demand for theatre, there will be demand for the professionals who are responsible for just about everything but the acting.
My advice is to conduct some informational interviews with professionals working in the theatre. Informational interviews are where you sit down (in person, by phone, or electronically) with someone in a job that interests you. Ask as many questions as you can about how s/he broke into the field, how s/he sees future employment trends, how you can best prepare for a career in this field, etc. The goal is information. A side benefit is adding the person to your network. And in some cases, the interview may result in your being invited to apply for an internship.
I would also talk to the professors who teach the technical theatre courses. Ask about careers and ask about the placement of recent grads and other alums.
I haven’t seen any news indicating the demise of theatre in this country, but I think it’s a bit cyclical and tied to the economy — when people have jobs and are confident about their future, they are more likely to spend more money on entertainment, such as the theatre. But ask your professors and the professionals in the field — they will have the inside scoop.
Here’s a really cool site for technical theatre:
www.theatrecrafts.com.
And for books about technical theatre, check out: TheatreBooks: Technical Theatre.
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