Judi,

What you are going through is not uncommon. Countless people have been faced with this same dilemma.  People returning to the workforce after an absence have multiple worries: “Will I have to prove myself all over again?” “How do I explain the gap in employment?” “What if I lack the required skills or education?”

It sounds like you are driven and motivated, but right now job seekers need all the help they can get. You want make sure you are looking at all your possibilities … including some you might not have thought of. Here are several things you can do to get your foot in the door or start earning a paycheck while developing skills to add to your resume:

1. Maximize your cover letter and resume. Your cover letter highlights your key accomplishments and gives you an opportunity to answer any questions about an employment gap. Put your resume into a functional format (click for an example) that highlights your skills instead of a chronological one that lists your jobs starting with the most recent.

2. Network. Join professional networking sites like Brightfuse and LinkedIn. Look for groups to join that reflect your background or job interest. (For example, search the term “mom”.) The more you network, the more likely you are to meet people who are in a similar situation … or who have been in your situation and are now hiring.

3. Stay informed. Stay abreast of new trends, technology and developments in your industry by attending seminars and courses to prove your time off doesn’t put you at a disadvantage. Research the company, job or industry BEFORE you apply to a job and incorporate that information into each cover letter.

4. Remain open to all possibilities, even if the job title, salary and benefits may not be exactly what you were seeking. Holiday hiring season is in full swing. Try searching using the terms “seasonal” or “holiday.” Even though there are fewer openings this year and these jobs are typically temporary, there are employers who extend permanent offers to seasonal staff. Or consider direct sales like Avon, Stella and Dot or Wine Shop at Home.

5. Work with a professional. Recruiters at staffing firms like Robert Half and Kelly Services have their fingers on the pulse of the job market and work with employers to fill all types of jobs. They can also provide useful feedback on your resume and interview skills.

Click on these links for some additional articles that might be helpful to you:

It’s been 10 years since my last job search
http://www.primecb.com/its-been-10-years-since-my-last-job-searchwhat-do-i-do/?siteid=cbworkbuzz

Worried about gaps on your resume?
http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1911-Cover-Letters-Resumes-Worried-About-the-Gaps-on-Your-Résumé/?siteid=cbworkbuzz

Dealing with gaps in your resume and cover letter
http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1111-Cover-Letters-Resumes-Dealing-With-Gaps-in-Your-Resume-and-Cover-Letter/?siteid=cbworkbuzz

Can you relate to Judith’s story? What advice would you give her?

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Oh, salary questions. It’s the issue that arises with every job search. The first thing you have to decide if it you want to actually list your salary requirements in an application. Opinions vary…Most people say that, no, you shouldn’t list any salary information on the application. Common advice says to ignore the salary request until you’re actually in the interview or to simply write on the cover letter or résumé, “Salary negotiable.” More on that later–first to answer your question…

However, if you’ve decided to give your salary history, most employers want to see your most recent salary, which might be what you’re earning now, depending on your situation. Sometimes they even make a point to ask what your starting salary was and what your current salary is, which gives them an idea of what increases you earned and what salary trajectory you’re on. Sometimes that’s all they want, but if they’ve indicated they want a more thorough history, then work your way backwards. You’re most likely earning more now than you did in your first job, so this build a narrative for your income. You should also list the job title and company with each salary. Because this information will line up with your résumé’s job history, it makes the most sense.

But back to whether or not you want to offer this information early in the application process…

Now, if an employer is really strict and they are demanding salary information at this stage, you have to realize that you  might be removing yourself from consideration for the job. That is a risk you take, and if you’re not willing to make the move, then go ahead and list the salary information.

Why do so many people suggest you don’t give salary information, then? Salary information can take you out of the running for a job, too. For example, if you say your last salary was $50,000 per year, the hiring manager might think you’re not going to take the job if it only pays $40,000–so she passes on your application. Or maybe they’re prepared to pay $75,000 and your low salary makes you appear cheap, as if you’re not worth much. Or you could be locking yourself into that salary. If they’re willing to pay more but they see that you’re making $25,000 less than they were going to offer, they think they can offer a similar amount to your current wage and still woo you. You get a tiny pay bump; they save thousands of dollars. All the power goes to them when you put the salary information on the page. (To be fair, at this stage in the job search process, they are the decision makers–regardless of what you do.)

When you push the topic away until you’re at a good stage in the interview (most likely when you’ve been offered the position), you can have an actual conversation where you give your requirements and they offer theirs. It’s easier to find a common ground verbally than via text.

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Peter, if we’re cutting to the chase, the answer to your questions are yes (kind of) and no, respectively. Here’s why…

I know we’ve discussed age at length here and here. But this question touches on something we’ve yet to discuss: How specific should you be on your application when it comes to giving away your age? Well, you don’t need to put your birthdate on your resume or cover letter, whether you’re 16 or 60. So don’t worry about that. And if you’re afraid employers will automatically dismiss you (even though they shouldn’t) because of the dates of your graduation, then leave those dates off. What matters is that you graduated with a degree, not when. There’s absolutely nothing dishonest or deceitful about that.

Still, we don’t advocate lying, and we’re not for burying information either. See, you still should put dates by your employment history, especially the most recent ones (aka ones that you had over the last 10 years, possibly longer depending on your field). Leaving those dates off will seem very suspicious. Employers will assume you’re hiding something. So an employer can always do some quick math if they really want to figure out your age.  Plus, if you get an interview, they’re going to see you face-to-face and, well, unless you’re really good with makeup, they’re going to know you’re not 19. So there’s no point in lying or going through extensive means to hide your age. And do you really want to work for a place that fears mature workers and experience?

Perhaps most importantly, you shouldn’t be ashamed of your age. If an employer is going to assume you can’t perform the tasks or doesn’t want someone with a little grey hair in the office, that’s not going to be a good place for you to work. (Forget how illegal it would be for them to openly dismiss you on those grounds.) Avoiding a few specific dates where possible might not be a bad idea if you’re afraid a college graduation date of 1973 will intimidate someone before they even look at your qualifications. But don’t lie and don’t forget that you probably have gained experience that a newcomer hasn’t. Be yourself and be proud of what you’ve done with your career.

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Sylvia’s experience with the younger members of the work force haven’t been all great, so she expressed some hesitancy at losing out on a job to a recent graduate. While we here at The Work Buzz don’t think anyone’s automatically a better or worse job candidate because of their age (or any other demographic trait, for that matter), we do think it’s worth addressing a conversation that’s been going on for decades and has heated up more in the last few years. If two candidates are pitted against each other, one being young (by professional standards) and the other being significantly older, who’s going to get the job?

The thing is, no one knows, and it’s not as cut and dried as age. First off, you should know your legal rights in terms of age discrimination, as explained on the government’s EEOC site. So rather than try to say that you, specifically, can always get hired in any situation, here are ways you can stress the attributes of your age without having to actually talk about your age. Why? Well, because no employer wants to hear “I know I look old, but…” or “I might have baby fat, but…” Instead, phrase it all in terms of experience.

You’re an older work (however you want to define “older):

• You’ve already  made the mistakes
  When you discuss weaknesses or learning experiences, you can refer to mistakes you made earlier in your career. Everyone makes rookie mistakes, and hopefully you learned from it so that you can point to a time when you didn’t know your limits and now you do.
• You’ve been around the cubicle (for lack of a better metaphor)
  If you’ve been in the work force for 10, 20, or 30 years, you’ve probably held different positions. Maybe you changed industries, employers, or roles. That experience informs the decisions you make today. The skills you’ve acquired have come from hands-on experience, which is something school alone can’t teach you.

You’re a younger work:

• You know the current trends
  On average, younger workers (especially those straight out of college) are familiar with today’s technology and new industry trends that are just now making waves. For many employers, that’s a huge asset because their current employees might be more focused on what’s previously worked and not think as much about what’s coming up.
• You’re willing to take risks
  No employer wants to hire a liability, but if you’re still trying to establish yourself in the professional world (aka you don’t have a ton of credibility to lose at this stage), you’re more likely to try new ideas. Unconventional ones that might not appeal to others could be a boost for you.

The goal isn’t to attack the other applicants but rather to show why you are a positive addition to the team. And remember, your focus needs to be on what you bring to the company. Employers want good workers regardless of age or gender. No one will hire the whiny crybaby who spends the whole interview complaining about the rest of the job seekers.

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Well…Everybody has to start somewhere. Remember that, because you can easily feel defeated or frustrated when you’re trying to enter a new industry. There will be some bumps, but pretty much everyone in that industry was a novice at one point.

However, you’re about to graduate with a hospitality degree, which tells employers that you have an education and can commit to a task. (That is important, by the way. So many people are working in jobs unrelated to their degrees and you wonder how they did it. Because many employers are less concerned with what you studied and are more concerned with the fact that you decided to get a degree and completed it.) You probably learned quite a bit of customer service and interpersonal communication skills during your studies. You  might not have learned specific marketing terms and industry jargon, but you know how to relate to people, and those are skills you need to play up. That goes for people with degrees in education, English, and communications.

Plus, you’ve already done something right: You joined a college club. That’s a smart way to make contacts, get insight on what’s happening in the field and show that you’re serious about branching out. It’s easy to say you want to go into marketing with no experience to prove it. A college group shows that you’re willing to sacrifice your personal time for this switch. Plus, you have a role in the group, which shows initiative and leadership skills. That’s a smart move for someone wanting to go into marketing.

As to specifically approaching a company, you should act as confidently as if you did have 4 years of marketing behind you. Apply for internships just like everyone else is–you don’t have to take a special route or feel like you’re an outsider. Don’t be cocky, and acknowledge your different background, but don’t be intimidated. If your cover letter or interview consists of you apologize for your lack of a marketing degree, you’re basically giving the employer a list of reasons not to hire you.

• In your cover letter and in your interview, refer to your background. In the cover letter, you can say that you studied hospitality and certain skills or experiences there made you realize you would be a good fit for marketing. Mention what you learned in the marketing group. Then move on to your skills and assets. Acknowledge, but don’t dwell.
• In an interview, follow the same pattern. Though, it’s possible that the interviewer will bring the subject up before you do. It’s a perfect chance to say, “I know I’m a different kind of candidate, but I’ve got the skills.”

Plus, remember that you’re asking for an internship, not a senior-level position. They realize you’re trying to get your foot in the door and you’re probably not going to cost them much money (if anything at all, depending if it’s paid), so they understand there’s a relatively low risk in working with you. After all, how many college interns started out with a completely different major? How many interns don’t end up working in that field? At this stage in your career, employers know that you’re not signing on to stay with the company until retirement. They want someone who can fulfill the job duties (or go beyond them) and be an asset to the team. If there’s a chance for you to stay on, great for both of you.

You’ve taken all the right steps so far. A strong, qualified intern is a benefit for any employer, and that’s what they’ll be looking for.

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The first issue I’d check is whether or not there were any regulations preventing you from taking the performance evaluation from your previous company. In many companies, there’s no problem because the document is about you and belongs to you. It’s not as if you’re giving away confidential information–but you never know what company policies are, so just be careful about that. If the evaluation has “DO NOT REMOVE FROM HUMAN RESOURCES FILES” stamped across it, then don’t. When in doubt, check with the company first.

If you were asked to bring the review, you certainly can. If you weren’t asked to, I’d make sure it was relevant before tossing it on the table and saying, “Read ‘em and weep!”

Bringing a performance review has its pros and cons, and if I were you, I’d consider each carefully before bringing it:

The good:

• If it’s a glowing review, you can’t help but want to show it off when you need to woo an interviewer.
• Even if there’s one “needs to improve” mention on the review but everything else is great, you’re basically saying that you’re not ashamed to discuss your flaws. Plus, you can use it to illustrate you have improved in that area.
• If you’re up against several candidates, performance reviews could be a way to get an edge over everyone else.

The bad:

• You’ve just shown a potential employer what a past employer said about you, and it might not be 100 percent great.  Not that anyone thinks you’re perfect, but why hand the interviewer a reason not to hire you?
• You could potentially be setting yourself up to be held to this standard if you get hired. So this particularly fantastic review says you were amazing and surpassed all goals one year. Great, but in this new job, things might be different, and if you’re not delivering the same results, you could look bad.
• You have to wonder about the motives behind an employer who wants to see the review. What does he or she gain from asking you to supply this information that couldn’t be obtained from checking references? If you feel like something’s fishy,  it might be.

Obviously we can’t tell you what to do because you have to live with your decision. Remember, this request isn’t a standard part of every interview, but it is popping up here and there. Perhaps it’s the start of a trend or maybe it’s something that a few employers are trying out and it won’t be around for much longer.

If you lose the job, will you regret not handing over the reviews? Or will you be happier that you didn’t do something that made you uncomfortable? Your gut reaction to the request is probably the best guide.

Readers, have you had this happen to you? Did you bring the reviews or did you opt not to?

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Well, there are other options!
When you’re looking to switch industries, you need to look beyond just the title of your degree or current profession. Switching industries can include switching from your educational background or from your work experience.  In most cases, employers will overlook those differences if you prove you’re a right match for the responsibilities of the new job. The best way to do that is to break down what experience and strengths you have. And if you don’t yet have a job on the horizon, it’s also a good way to discover what jobs you could be suited for.

Ask yourself these questions.

• What are my strengths in communication–verbal or written?
• Am I a leader?
• What’s my customer service experience? (Do I normally deal with them one-on-one or am I behind the scenes?)
• What about my last job/training did I like?
• What career goals did I initially have and can I achieve them in another field?
• On my resume, if I covered up my industry’s name (in this case “education”), what sort of jobs do I look prepared for?

Some of those questions might sound obvious or even silly, but they’ll get your mind thinking about your future beyond simply what you were trained for.

In the case of education, specifically elementary education, you probably have the following:

• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Strong leadership skills
• Experience thinking on your feet
• Creativity (seeing as you’re constantly thinking of new ways to engage the students)
• Conflict resolution skills (education courses often involve various classroom re-creations)

Some jobs that encompass these qualities and are often good for educators:

• Instructor for a business
  Businesses often hold in-house training sessions on a topic related to that industry or on continuing education. An education background makes you an ideal candidate for these positions.
• Textbook editors and advisers
  Seeing as you are an educator, your brain is ripe for the picking when it comes to creating course texts. You know what works, what doesn’t work, what’s lacking, etc.
• Admissions directors
  Your education experience also makes you a prime candidate for working with incoming students and aligning the admissions department with the school’s goals. (This could be at a variety of schools, including post-secondary.)
• Sales in education-related jobs
  Working in any school, you’re aware that businesses are constantly approaching educators and institution about new products, tools and resources.  Many educators are able to tap into their experience and realize what teachers need and how they want to be communicated with in order to sell these products.

Depending on the specific organization, you might need more training for these jobs, or maybe just an additional certification. Or maybe not. Workers constantly switch industries and employers know that expertise doesn’t just come from a certification or degree title. You can’t count yourself out of any job because you think you’re only trained to teach elementary school and nothing else. Look at your qualifications and then look at the qualifications in job postings and you’ll be surprised.

Have you been in Courtney’s situation and made an industry switch? We’d love to hear how you did it.

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Companies often outsource background checks to a third party who checks your criminal records and sometimes credit history. They also do the employment verification, too, but they use the references you put down most of the time. Make sure you have someone to list for each of those companies–preferably someone you reported to, but at the very least someone who can verify your dates of employment, job title, and duties.

Based on personal experience, I’ve had a company doing the background check call me if I accidentally put down the wrong number and they couldn’t reach the person. (Don’t panic–they’re not going to hold it against you; just give them the correct number.) My references also told me what they asked, and every time it was just to verify the information I’d given them. The employment verification process if important to verify that you’re honest and suited for the job, but they’re not trying to catch you in a lie. As long as your criminal history and credit history check out, you’re probably in good shape.

Also, you can explain your situation to the hiring manager beforehand so they understand what’s going on. If you’re honest about the situation, there won’t be any confusion or doubts raised about your credibility. You’re probably going to have at least one interview before you get to the point in the process where they call references. When you’re discussing your experience and qualifications for the current job, you can reference the fact that X Company went out of business, unfortunately. Then when it comes to references, you can circle back and say, “Although the company no longer exists, I have some contacts to answer any questions you have.”

And, as Rachel mentioned last week, do not buy fake references.

Have you had a different experience with this topic? If so, let us know how you handled it!

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Mark

Oy, the dreaded moment when reality meets the rules. Guidelines are great, as we’re proponents of them ourselves, but they don’t lend themselves to all situations. For example, sometimes you shouldn’t wear a suit to an interview. You know, the exceptions to the rule.

Mark’s dilemma with his résumé is one many professionals face once they’ve gathered substantial experience over the course of their careers. In short, you can exceed the one-page rule. There are pros and cons to doing so, and I’ll break down each side:

When you should go beyond one page:

• The position demands a wide skill set.
  If you’re applying for a position that requires a variety of experience and expertise in several fields, of course you want to include all relevant information. Don’t leave off important parts of your work history that could seal the deal just because you want to keep it to one page.
• You have the right experience.
  I don’t care how important you think your childhood lemonade stand was, it doesn’t qualify as an entrepreneurial characteristic. If you’re going to make the hiring manager turn the page, make it worth his or her while. Your experience must be relevant to the position, not just any experience will do. If you’ve been in the work force for 20 years, your high school job is probably not worth mentioning. That means relevant experience that began 10 years ago is still worth  mentioning. The rule with keeping experience only to the last five years is often to remind applicants to keep their information fresh and updated. Sometimes that works, but other times it’s worth expanding.
• Everything’s digital anyway.
  This is a generalization, so keep that in mind: With so many employers only wanting online applications, concern about reading more than one page of writing isn’t as important. You just keep scrolling on an online application. The rules about relevant content don’t change, but the stigma toward turning the page is dwindling.
• Lengthy résumés are the norm for my industry.
  I know people who have been in management and sales for decades and their résumés are two pages. On the other hand, I know people in education who have been working for a decade and have four pages. Their résumés, or more commonly CVs, tend to be longer for a number of reasons. It’s the industry norm and getting everything to one page would probably not be a good career move. Know your audience.

When you should keep it short:

• You’re just starting out.
  I’m not saying young people don’t have experience, but most graduates straight out of college don’t have a strong enough work history to warrant two or three pages. At that age, the bulk of your résumé concerns your course work and maybe internships. It’s not uncommon for new graduates to have a tough time filling a full page.
• Most of the space is taken up by wide margins and borders.
  You want to present yourself as a professional, not as someone trying to pad the page and force multiple pages. If you have colorful borders (BALLOONS! SOCCER BALLS!) and absurdly wide margins (like the one you used to meet the 5-page minimum on that history report), edit yourself. Get rid of the clutter and see how much actual content is left.
• The experience doesn’t match up.
  This is the flip side to that second bullet point at the top of the page. Who cares about experience if it doesn’t have any relevant to the job posting? It’s great that you were a line cook, but it doesn’t have much to do with your desire to teach a communications class at a community college, does it? (If you can draw a compelling connection between the two, then be my guest.)

Don’t forget that there are also different types of résumés. You’re probably most familiar with the chronological type, which lists your experience from most recent to oldest. You can also use functional, which means you group experience by skill set rather than in a timeline.

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Nicole

Well…

Here at The Work Buzz,we’re anti-lying, and here’s why:

1. Once you lie, you have to keep it up. (Too tiring.)
2. If  you get caught, you can lose the job offer/job. (Bummer.)
3. If you get caught, your professional image is damaged and can haunt you. (Booooo.)
4. After you lie, you spend a lot of time worried that you’ll get caught the aforementioned reasons and always have that anxiety in your mind. (Waste of energy.)

That said, we don’t think you need to expose all the skeletons in your closet unless necessary. In other words, don’t walk into an interview and say, “First things first: I was fired from my last job.” That’s like opening a first date with, “My last breakup was heinous!” Big no-no.

Answering this question can definitely put you on the defensive, and you’re guaranteed to get some follow-up questions with it. How and what you say is really circumstantial.

Were you fired in 10 years ago when you were a high school or college student who was more concerned with partying than working? If so, admit it was a folly of youth. You were young and didn’t have the right priorities, but your work history since then can prove you’ve rectified the situation.

Were you fired for something more serious, such as failing to achieve goals or job duties that were your responsibility? Explain why you messed up and what you learned from it. Don’t make excuses. Put the facts out there as gently as possible and then give examples of what you’ve done or will do that proves you understand the importance of job performance.

Were you laid off? That’s definitely different than being fired and you should be aware of that. Tell the interviewer that due to a reduction in work force, you were let go/your position was eliminated for purely financial reasons and not due to your performance.

You might be thinking, “Can’t you just lie and get away with it?” Technically, you might be able to. If you were fired from your babysitting job in junior high, I doubt anyone’s going to notice, and that’s not really relevant. But if  you were fired from a job that’s part of your work history, the employer will likely find out. With job seekers outnumbering job openings at a great rate, employers are going to make sure they’re taking the best of the best. One call that reveals a lying candidate makes their decision that much easier.

To get back to the last part of Nicole’s question, you do want to portray yourself favorably. Part of what makes a good candidate is experience because it’s not just what you’ve done, it’s also what you’ve learned. Don’t let one firing characterize your professional life.

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