Readers:
Dr. Randall Hansen, a nationally recognized career expert, is the Career Doctor.
Discover more about Dr. Hansen, read about the purpose of this column,
and find previous issues of this column at the home of The Career Doctor.
If you have any college, career, or job-related questions or comments that Dr. Hansen could
provide valuable assistance with, please
feel free to email him at: careerdr@quintcareers.com.
Dr. Hansen writes this column on a biweekly basis.
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?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Telecommuting, also referred to as teleworking, is an employment scenario
that many workers -- at one time or another -- fantasize about. The idea of
not having to face the morning and afternoon commutes, of wearing your
pajamas or sweats all day, of totally managing your time, and of spending
more time with your family -- all these things contribute to our view that
telecommuting should -- or could -- be an option that would make us
happier and better workers.
And people with young children or elderly parents often seek out telecommuting,
as you have, as a way to stay an active member of the workforce while
balancing family obligations.
The reality of telecommuting, though, is that while you do eliminate the
commute to work, you still need childcare or eldercare -- because you
cannot expect to effectively work while being constantly distracted by family issues.
You also need enough room in your house or apartment where you can
carve out some space that is dedicated to work.
If you are still seriously thinking about telecommuting, here are a few
other reality checks for you to consider:
It’s very rare to find a job that starts out as a telecommuting job. It’s
much easier to convert an existing position into a telecommuting position
by presenting a proposal to your supervisor.
Most people who telecommute do not do so full-time; instead, they
usually telecommute from home two or three days a week. Two days
per week is the national average among teleworkers, according to the
International
Telework Association and Council.
On the positive side, 28 million people teleworked in 2001, according to the
International Telework Association and Council, and about one-quarter
(21 percent) of working Americans telework. And some companies have
much more favorable attitudes and policies about teleworking than others.
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 years old 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.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
A lot of people -- especially the baby boomers -- are leaving the traditional
workforce and moving forward into a world of entrepreneurship -- where your
destiny and success depends a lot more on your efforts than the decisions of
some small group of detached corporate managers. And the airline industry
has experienced much more turbulence (pun intended) than many other industries.
So, your next step is deciding on what you want to do with this next chapter
of your life. It sounds as though you have already given it some thought and
are considering dog grooming. Have you done it before? Are you considering
starting your own grooming business -- or working with an established business?
Is the community where you live (and the surrounding communities) big enough
to support your interests? Can you make enough of a living off of this venture to
live comfortably -- or the way you are accustomed to live?
If you’re going out on your own, then there are a whole set of other questions,
such as do you have the entrepreneurial spirit needed to run your own business?
Do you have the desire to deal with all the issues involved in running your own
business?
I suggest you talk with some dog groomers to help you find the answers to
some of these questions.
You should also look at some of the many resources we have on Quintessential
Careers for freelancers and consultants.
Q:
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 just
find that the companies I am most interested in working for just simply are
not hiring. I just 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?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I know it won’t give you much solace, but you should know you are far from
alone. The current job market continues to deteriorate for almost all types
of job-seekers, and while there is some long-term hope, there are also some
disturbing trends that could dramatically affect future job prospects.
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 strong… none of these things matter -- and all
of them matter -- in the crazy and challenging job market we face today --
and for the foreseeable future. And to make matters worse, people in your
age group -- Gen X’ers -- are being squeezed at the top by baby boomers
who will not retire and at the bottom by Generation Y’ers who will work
much more cheaply.
How does an unemployed person who wants to work find a job in this market?
With a detailed job-search strategy, a clear picture of past accomplishments,
a focus on specific jobs and employers, a superior resume, a large network
of contacts, and a determination to achieve one or more job-search activities
(talking to a contact, sending out a resume, going on an interview) on a
daily basis. More than ever, getting a job offer is only going to be
accomplished by those job-seekers who know the rules of good job-hunting --
and are ready to persevere to get it.
And if you are currently unemployed, don’t spend all your time job-hunting;
instead, make sure some of your time is career-productive by getting
additional training or education, consulting or freelancing, or volunteering.
Employers do not like to see gaps on resumes, so find a way to stay
involved in your career field.
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.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
You need to look at your job-search as an investment in your future. You
can do a haphazard job-search and maybe find another job, or you can
really put a lot of effort into it and find a great job and great career move.
The same holds with each tool of your job-search, and your resume is an
extremely important job-search tool. You need to make the decision to invest a
lot of time and energy to make it the best resume for you -- or -- you need to hire
an expert to do it for you. Either way, it’s an investment of time or money; but
either way, the payoffs should be big.
If you have the time and inclination, I suggest you read up on resume writing.
You can find some good resources online and in your local library. Most
job-seekers should have the ability to write a solid resume.
You have one other option besides hiring someone to write your resume. You
can also get your resume critiqued by a professional resume writer -- usually
for a very modest fee. You can then make the changes yourself or hire the
expert to do it for you.
Our sister site, with Credentialed Career Master Katharine Hansen at the helm,
offers detailed resume critiques for only $15. Go to
Quintessential
Resumes and Cover Letters.
You can also find quite a lot of resume-writing advice and strategies in the
Resume Resources
section of Quintessential Careers.
