CareerMysteries

I hear a lot about people getting tired of the daily grind and going back to school or getting training to start fresh in a new career.  Why not?  Career change is hard at any age.  Rethinking what we want to do for the rest of our career lives is a practice you should undertake at least every few years.  Ask yourself the tough questions.  Are you happy doing what you are doing?  Is each day a drudgery?  Are you bored and no longer challenged by your job?

When you walk into the room for your job interview, the hiring manager has already seen your resume and now he sees you. Whether or not you are approachable is very critical to the way he perceives you and your candidacy.  Smile, be friendly and open.  Reach out your hand for a strong handshake.

If you can do that, you are more than fifty percent likely to get that job at that moment. His knee-jerk response to the question, are you a good, normal person with a positive attitude has been affirmed before you even speak a word.

Now let me just say that if you open your mouth and out comes a whine and list of complaints about his directions, your old boss, the condition of the parking lot, etc., you will have effectively nullified the effect of a good smile.

One note on the sexual tension aspect of interviews is appropriate here. If you sense tension or find the person who is interviewing you is attractive and charming as well, be careful not to start flirting or imply any attraction. This could result in losing a job offer. Some managers will prefer to hire someone who is very strictly professional and do not want to be distracted by the possibility of a relationship with someone in the office.

So above all else be positive and professional and smile.

Finding a job after being laid off in this economic environment is challenging to say the least.  Opportunities are scarce and those that are attractive are inundated with viable applicants waiting for a shot at an interview.

Networking with friends, colleagues and prior job mates is a great way to hear about inside track openings on jobs.  Sometimes, if the timing is right, you may get a job offer before any posting even goes out to the general applicant pool, but that is a rare event.

Keep your eyes open and feelers out for anything that might be a suitable position.  The more people you talk to in a day, the better your chances are of finding a job.  Have your resume ready and your interview clothes cleaned and pressed.  Come up with a general list of questions and you are ready for fate to take you for a ride.

Vow to yourself that you will rewrite your resume this spring.  Make it better, more concise and more interesting by punching in some great industry keywords that can get you an interview.  Because if the pervasive use of resume software programs that are based on keywords, you need to be sure to include words and phrases that will get attention from the computer, much as you previously tried to attract human attention from a recruiter or HR representative.

Getting the interview is your first major conquest in the job search and your resume is your best calling card.  Take the time up front to make it worth reading and have friends and colleagues look it over for you for a second opinion.  Best of luck in your search.

Getting laid off from work is becoming an everyday event.  All of us have someone in our immediate circle of friends and family who is in job limbo, probably because of the miserably state of the economy.

If you are one of the lucky ones who has managed to hang on while others in your group are being let go, the stress of that situation can be a daily burden.  However, you must be doing something right.  What are some things you can do to avoid being the next one to go?

Look busy.  Do not slack off and even if you are “on break” in your head, don’t let it show to others by playing solitaire on your computer or making personal phone calls from work.

Personal phone calls that are apparent to others if you don’t have a private office are a real problem.  You would be better off to go out to your car at lunch to make calls than to make calls in your cubicle for all to hear.  You may think others are not paying attention to you, but believe me, they are watching and listening every minute.  The walls really do have ears.

Stay alert, busy and ready for sending out your resume.

In case you live in a cave, you know that today is the last day to file your income tax without incurring the wrath of Khan or Uncle Sam, at least.  Even if you are unable to pay the full amount, at least file the forms and send in as much money as you can muster up as a good faith effort.  It will not prevent penalties, but will lower the amount you owe and make you feel a little better.

Some people have way too much money deducted from their pay so they will never have to face the music on April 15.  This is my plan.  Though I do not earn any interest on the money while I am having it deducted, it is a way for those who have trouble saving, to do it anyway.

So get thee to the mailbox and get down to business.  Today is the day.

Most people are very cautious about job change and sometimes appropriately so.  However, you don’t want to continue to work at a job you hate to do because it has lost the challenge, you are bored and you stopped learning new things long ago.

Get out there and find yourself a new career.  Some people find that they can take the knowledge from the old job, find some consulting work to continue to bring in enough money to be comfortable and they can go back to school or start out in a different career with a consulting supplement.

Eventually, as you gain skill and experience, you can let go of the old career entirely if you want to focus on just the one job. Consulting is the way of the future and more and more, telecommuting opportunities are going to replace traditional 9-to-5 office jobs.  This is good news for most people who would prefer the freedom of working from their homes, without sacrificing the pay.

Just don’t stay in your old job because you feel you are stuck there and cannot leave.  You can.

I read an article this morning from the Orlando Sentinel that states that the days of wine, roses and casual Fridays are gone.  They suggest that women need to be sure to dress up on the job and state the old cliche that you need to dress for the job you want to be in and not the one you are in now.

I agree with this advice.  I have always adviced people who face discrimination (i.e. overweight applicants) to overdress for the job interview.  When the job market tightens up so severely, with very high unemployment rates, you need to stand out from the crowd in a positive way to get noticed and to get that job offer.

They go even one step further in stating that it is not a good idea to dress down on Fridays or casual days.  This is valid advice in that some people don’t really understand what dress down means and they dress way too down.  Never wear sneakers, sweat clothes or even jeans in the workplace if you work in an office setting, unless you are having a “clean up the office” day or something similar.  Let’s face the fact - people take you more seriously when you dress that way.

Here is the essence of a question recently asked by one of my readers, “When applying for a state job, is it all right to call the person in charge if you have already made contact with them for another job in the past? (He) was hired for a short term winter job two years ago, but was hurt and broke his leg, thereby losing the job. He may have to go through the same HR person for another job for which he is highly qualified, but is concerned that his injury has shut that door for him.”This can be a sticky one.  My suggestion would be to call the hr rep and explain the situation, stating what happened and that you are now doing great and really excited to see a new opening that suits your background perfectly.  Ask when you may come in for a formal interview and be as accommodating as possible in making arrangements.You want to get the point across that you are upbeat, doing fine physically and really do meet the job requirements.  Be polite but tenacious and you may get the interview even if he is reluctant at first.

Happy Easter to everyone.  Today is my poetry day and I would like to offer a short work that is technically called a Senyru.  This is a poetic form that is similar to a Haiku but it generally deals with people and feelings as opposed to nature, animals or things, as in the Haiku poetic form in that it follows a five-seven-five syllable rule.

I am very thankful to be celebrating this holiday weekend with my family.  I do wish you and yours a very blessed day filled with sunshine, flowers, beauty and love. 

Faith

Love is family

God’s grand graces bless each child

Joy overflows life.
pix courtesy of antony chammond at flickr.com