Feature Article: Making Your Case for Telecommuting: How to Convince the Boss
Special Feature: Is Job Flexibility Right For You? A Quintessential Careers Quiz
Bonus Feature: Trying to Make Sense of the Job Market and Employment Outlooks
Q&A with a Career Expert Jan Melnik
Quintessential Reading: QuintZine's Review of Career Books
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
What's New on Quintessential Careers
The Career Doctor: Answering Your Questions
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search
Notes from the Editor: About this Issue...
If you've been hankering to change the way you work into a more flexible arrangement,
this is the issue for you. We have an article on making your case with your boss for telecommuting,
a job flexibility quiz, a review of a job-flexibility publication, and a Q&A with a work-at-home expert.
We also have a sobering -- yet solutions-filled -- look at the current job market.
This issue marks the halfway point of our 2003 publication schedule, and
we're delighted to report first-half 2003 site statistics for the Quintessential Careers network:
In the first half of 2003, we had nearly 2.4 million unique visitors, a 65 percent increase over the first half
of 2002, and we enjoyed 8.5 million page impressions, a 53 percent increase over the first half of 2002.
Thank you, QuintZine readers and Quint Careers visitors!
Making Your Case for Telecommuting: How to Convince the Boss
by Katharine Hansen
It's a rare worker who has not -- at one point or another
during his or her career -- thought it would be great to work
from home instead of commuting to work. Perhaps your personal
life is feeling out of balance with your work life. Perhaps you
have a new baby. Maybe you have an elderly parent to care for.
Or perhaps you're just sick of the grind. Certainly since the
9-11-2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S., many workers have sought
the perceived safety of home as a workplace.
For many, telecommuting is seen
as the answer to the desire to
work from home. Twenty-eight million people teleworked in 2001,
according to International Telework Association and Council (ITAC),
which also states that 21 percent of working Americans telework.
The number of telecommuters is increasing worldwide. Canadian
telecommuters, for example, can recoup up to six full work weeks
yearly -- an average hour a day -- by eliminating their daily
commute, according to Bernard Brodie, an InnoVisions Canada consultant.
To maximize your job opportunities, you'll need to cover a lot of ground. One way to do that is to post your resume
on all the best job boards, large and small. It may take some time, but it's well worth the effort. If you want
to save 60 hours of research and data entry, consider using professional resume-posting service like
ResumeRabbit.com.
After filling in one simple online form, they'll instantly post your resume on up to 85 of the top career sites at once.
Within minutes you'll be seen on Monster, HotJobs, FlipDog, Dice, CareerBuilder and more, where 1.5 million employers
and recruiters search for candidates daily.
Is Job Flexibility Right For You? A Quintessential Careers Quiz
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Many societal trends are leading job-seekers to seek flexible work schedules, from caring for young children
to dealing with elderly parents to simply seeking a better balance between work and family obligations. And according
to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, flex-time is the most popular alternative work schedule offered
by the responding companies, with two-thirds of the companies offering such a benefit. About a quarter offer job sharing,
while 41 percent allowed at least some telecommuting options. Other flexibility options include meal-time flexibility,
part-time work, and compressed workweek.
Experts agree that most employers are open to flexible work scheduling, even if they don't currently offer it or have a
relevant policy. Many employers see the benefits of boosting loyalty, strengthening morale, and minimizing turnover while
reducing recruitment costs, training program expenses, and lost productivity yet incurring minimal new expenses.
Quintessential CVs is Your North American Headquarters for CVs
We produce professional quality career marketing correspondence -- Curriculum Vitae (CVs), cover letters,
resumes, and more -- for job-seekers in all industries at all levels from all over the world. Quintessential CVs
is your premier North American source for:
Curriculum Vita (CVs) for Academic jobs: College/university teaching and administrative positions.
CVs for Scientific jobs: Research and all types of science-oriented jobs.
CVs for Medical jobs: Physicians, nurses, and more.
CVs for International jobs: Whether you seek a position in your own country or any other country around the world,
we can prepare an English-language CV for you that conforms to the CV traditions of your target country or countries.
Trying to Make Sense of the Job Market and Employment Outlooks
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Whether you are highly educated or not, whether your skills and accomplishments are in demand or not, whether you are young or old,
whether you live on the West Coast or the East Coast, whether you are white or any other color, whether you are a man or a woman, whether
the economy is weak or strongŠnone of these things matter -- and all of them matter -- in the crazy and challenging job market we face today
-- and for the foreseeable future.
How bad is the job market? See the employment facts and how to cope with them through effective job-search strategies
in our full article.
QuintZine's Q&A with Career Expert Jan Melnik
Jan Melnik is an author, Master Resume Writer, Credentialed Career Master, and Certified Professional
Resume Writer.
If you'd like to work at home but are concerned about whether you have the self-discipline, Jan Melnik, this issue's
Q&A subject offers the following advice: "It's important to identify appropriate work patterns based on (a) client needs and (b) individual
personality lifestyle type. Take advantage of whether you're a morning person or a night owl, and map your workday accordingly.
Take heavily into account the needs/wishes of those who may share the same domicile; if you live alone, you have the greatest luxury of
cultivating precisely the type of working schedule that suits you. If you have a significant other/spouse and/or children and/or elder
parents, your work schedule will probably require greater flexibility. Commit to working while at work and playing when not. In other words,
when you turn it off at the end of the day, be available to family/friends and not compelled to check 'one more e-mail.' When you ARE at work, discipline family
members and friends to your schedule and let them know 'it's just as if I were in a real office working --
I can speak occasionally on the phone for a few minutes, but I'm not free to go out to lunch and take a two-hour shopping trip
every other day!'
"Build intrinsic measurements into your day," Melnik continues,
"whether you're first starting out and you want to track the number
of new prospective client contacts made or you're well on your way
and you are measuring billable hours per day -- make it something
that will serve to define progress and success. Successful
entrepreneurship is among the most satisfying and gratifying
accomplishments there is!"
Read more of Melnik's advice, including how to find legitimate
work-at-home opportunities, how to optimize Internet job-hunting,
and how to follow up after sending out your resume and cover
letter in our
Q&A with her.
Instantly email your resume to 1000s of recruiters,
headhunters, and direct hiring companies! With the most
comprehensive and targeted network of recruiters on the
net, you can rest assured you have taken the steps
necessary to jump start your search. We are so sure
you will be happy that we guarantee our service!
Most telecommuting experts advise that those interested in
telecommuting need to present a written proposal to their boss if
they have any hope of converting their current job into a
telecommuting arrangement.(See our article,
Making Your Case for
Telecommuting: How to Convince the Boss.) Pat Katepoo
endeavors to make the proposal-writing process infinitely easier than
it normally would be if workers labored over a proposal on their own.
There's no question that Katepoo's publication is a huge time and
labor saver with proven results; the question is -- is the product
worth $29.95 when other telecommuting proposal templates and samples
are available on the Web for free?
Founded in 1993, the International Telework Association and Council (ITAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the
growth and success of work independent of location. ITAC sponsors Telework America and other research, holds educational events,
distributes publications, disseminates information about telework, and assists businesses and the public to optimize the advantages
of working remotely.
The organization's site offers research reports, a list of employers who offer telecommuting, an excellent section with
resources about telecommuting/teleworking, a free newsletter signup, telecommuting news and events, telework facts, and areas restricted
to members of ITAC.
Our Canadian readers may be interested in the site of the
Canadian Telework Association, which is extremely comprehensive.
Based on years of research, the Jackson Vocational Interest
Survey (JVIS) accurately measures your interests, showing how
they relate to the worlds of study and work, and mapping out
your route to an interesting career.
Canadian Bilingual Jobs -- where Canadian
bilingual-speaking job-seekers (French, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese with English) can search job listings (by
territory, job category, and salary), as well as submit your resume. Free to job-seekers.
icouldbe.org -- a unique site that
connects teens with career mentors to help teens discover what they could be. Adult mentors
come from a variety of career fields. Teens can find career information, talk with mentors
from a variety of occupations, and more. A great tool for career exploration. Free.
Vocational Information Center -- a truly great
career exploration resource for job-seekers wanting to learn more about vocational and technical careers.
Check out the skills employers seek, find a trade school, research technical topics, and review the job market.
Free to job-seekers.
Work & Family: A Work-Life Clearinghouse -- where
you can find information and resources related to all issues related to developing a workplace that is
both supportive and effective. A fantastic resource for both employers and employees. Free and fee-based.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest Additions section.
Ad: The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need
College students and new grads should check out this e-book,
The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need:
How to Find -- and Get -- The Job or Internship of Your Dreams!
The book contains must-read contributions from 149 of North America's top employment experts
and is available risk-free for 90 days.
Jennifer writes: "I want to be a stay-at-home mother -- and hold down a job. This seems to be virtually impossible
in today's business world. Telecommuting is my only solution to the problem. How do I go about finding the companies offering
this option?"
JC writes: "I have recently been furloughed from the airline industry. I worked with the airlines for 14 years and now am looking for a
new job. I was in the purchasing department for the last four years buying tooling for maintenance for all of our fleets. At this time
I am seriously considering a career change out of the corporate world with its stress and politics and taking up dog grooming.
"I would appreciate any assistance you could give me. I am 49, and it's a hard decision to make at this time in my life, but
if I'm going to do something different, now would be the perfect opportunity."
Rob writes: "I'm 31 and was downsized from my last job almost a year ago and I have been unable to find work. I have used
job boards, job ads, and networking, but find that the companies I am most interested in working for just simply are
not hiring. I don't know what to do. I have used up most of my savings and other resources. And now I'm worried that no
employer will be interested in me because I have been out of work so long. Do you have any suggestions?"
Tamala writes: "I'm e-mailing you to find out if going to a professional resume writer is worth the time and money. Right
now I really don't have the funds, but I am desperate to find a job that I will be happy doing and making at least $35-40K a year."
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Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
If you're telecommuting and leave your job, be sure you know whether you're eligible for unemployment benefits.
In a complex case reported by Barry Flynn and the Associated Press in the Orlando Sentinel, a woman who worked at a
New York company later moved to Florida and telecommuted to her employer's computer in New York state. When her employer ended
the arrangement, she wanted to collect unemployment compensation. But New York's highest court, the New York State Court of Appeals
recently said, in effect, forget about it. The court ruled that she was not eligible for unemployment compensation from New York,
either. The court ruled that for the purposes of unemployment compensation, the worker's location is what matters, not the employer's.
The court also said no other U.S. court had yet ruled on where telecommuters would qualify for unemployment benefits, an issue
that is likely to grow in significance as increasing numbers of Americans work from home. There are complexities of this case that
wouldn't apply to every telecommuter, but before you start -- or end -- a telecommuting arrangement, it's wise to find out what
you can expect in terms of unemployment if you leave that job.
Writing on CareerJournal.com, Arlene S. Hirsch offers tips for dealing with the anger:
Grieve the loss. Give yourself time to feel sad about losing your job.
Write it down. Recalling and reliving difficult feelings about your
job loss on paper can help you to deal with the trauma.
Stay connected. Don't isolate yourself.
Think through what happened.
Train yourself to think positively. Reconditioning yourself to
think positively can help reduce your negative thoughts and emotions.
Finally, give yourself time to reflect on what you've done and
reconnect with what's important to you. Perhaps this is a good
time to make a career change, go back to school or start a business.
Read the full article.
An article called "Writing Follow-Up Letters" on the about.com Web site suggests some uses for follow-up letters
that you might not have thought of. The article suggests using letters for:
Accepting an interview invitation.
Asking if a position for which you applied is still open.
Asking for feedback explaining the reasons you were passed over for a job (so you can try to improve your chances).
Offering additional information about your qualifications that your resume and cover letter didn't or can't.
Staying in touch by reaffirming your interest in the employer, after rejection of your original application.
Staying in touch after a layoff. As are many, your employer might be negligent about matching your qualifications
to open jobs after laying you off, despite what was promised in your separation package.
Requesting an extension to accept or decline a job offer.
Thanking an employer for a job opportunity after you've accepted it.
Thanking an employer for a job opportunity even after you've declined it. You never know when you might need to
count on a job offer from that employer again.
Calling attention to yourself once more, after sending an interview thank-you letter. It might help you to stand out
among other applicants.
Read the full article.
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* Can earning a certification boost your career?
* Letters of recommendation
* 10 job-search reality checks
* Dealing with a bad boss
* Don't wait by the phone: Following up on all job leads
* Dining etiquette
* What employers are really looking for
* New series: 10 mistakes to avoid in: resumes, cover letters, interviews, salary
negotiation, career change, networking, job-search
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Quintessential Careers also offers writing services
for those who have been asked to give a speech and
need assistance in researching and writing their
remarks.
Need a speaker for your career-oriented conference or
event at your college or organization? The Quintessential
Careers Speakers Bureau can help! Our quintessential experts
can provide presentations/workshops on a variety of
career-related topics.
