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.
Rich writes:
I am just so discouraged with the whole job-hunting experience. Why are there no jobs?
When will the jobs return? I guess I'm lucky because I currently have a job, but I dislike
it and my employer for their attitude toward us, and I want out. What should I be doing
to get a new job?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
The good news for many job-seekers -- and possibly bad news for many
employers -- is that we are seeing glimmers of a positive (read growing) job
market returning. The latest unemployment numbers show that business
added new jobs in September -- the first time in eight months. But there
was also bad news -- people who are unemployed are still seeing long
periods of unemployment and the number of people working part-time jobs
because they could not find full-time employment also jumped.
Job gains were posted in the temporary employment sector, traditionally
one of the first to grow as employers unsure of future growth will first hire
temporary staff before permanent hires. Other job growth occurred in
construction, healthcare, transportation and warehousing, and financial
services.
So, why is the news bad for employers? Because many experts are
predicting the largest mass exodus of employees in recent memory
when the job market fully rebounds and people begin switching employers.
Numerous studies indicate that you are not alone in your views. A study by
the Conference Board reports that only 49% of Americans are satisfied
with their jobs. Employees are growingly dissatisfied with their employers --
due to things such as working multiple jobs to compensate for laid-off coworkers,
working longer hours for the same pay, and seeing little movement in
overall compensation.
What can you do to prepare for the expected job growth? If you plan to
stay in your current field, continue to strengthen and build your network
of contacts. If you plan to switch careers, take the time now to get the
necessary training or experience (by volunteering, consulting, or part-time
work) and begin establishing a network in your new career field.
Learn more about how best to use netowrking in your career development
and job-hunting by going to this section of Quintessential Careers:
The Art of Networking.
Q:
Eugene writes:
I am a student studying law, and I recently decided to apply for a position as a
paralegal with some law firms. I spent some time looking at your Quintessential
Careers website. Now, I do not doubt for a minute that much research is able to
substantiate the information that you have presented, but I find it difficult to
imagine that some of the techniques you mention do work. What immediately
springs to mind is the section on closing paragraphs: "I will call your office in
the next week to schedule an appointment."
To me, that sounds quite unorthodox, and perhaps even pushy and rude. I
actually incorporated a line to the same effect in my cover letters after
reading your website, but now I am wondering whether it was the best thing
to do. Could you please explain to me why this works?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
In any job market, but especially in this job market, job-seekers need to know
how to best market themselves to prospective employers. This self-marketing
strategy has several components when writing cover letters.
First, rather than saying something like "I hope you'll find my qualifications a good
match with what you're looking for," you need to show -- and tell -- the employer that
you are a good match for the position. Describe how your accomplishments, skills,
and training are a perfect match for the employer's needs.
Second, you do need to end your letter with an aggressive stance. If you do not want
to be so aggressive as to say you will call for an interview, you can simply say you
will call to discuss the job. Employers want go-getters, not passive employees.
Third, as I have stated numerous other times, you MUST follow-up all your cover
letters and job applications. Saying you are going to call is the easy part; the hard
part is actually making the phone call. And in the phone call, you need to still be
aggressive in not taking no for an answer -- just remember to stay professional
at all times -- while showcasing why you are the perfect person for the job.
Find lots more helpful information and resources in the
cover letter resources
section of Quintessential Careers.
Q:
Rebecca writes:
I just received an amazing offer letter from the company I would like to now
work with and I am in need of some advice. Regarding salary negotiation,
what is the best way to try to get some of the other things you want from
your future employer? The offer is good, but there are some other things that
I would like to ask for. Is it ok to ask and not have the employer think you
are being petty, picky or too high-maintenance? Or would it be best to take
the offer as it is and then see at a 6-month review where you stand, what
you've done for the revenue growth, etc.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Timing and finesse are everything in salary negotiation. Job-seekers should always try
to hold off salary negotiation to the very end -- once you have convinced the employer
you are the one candidate who can fill the position. Ideally, negotiation should begin
before an offer letter is sent, though I know any number of employers that don't
believe in negotiating until they send the letter or contract.
That said, and assuming no other negotiation has taken place and that you have not
accepted the offer, you are certainly in your right to make a counter proposal to your
prospective employer -- however, you must be prepared for any number of responses,
including a retraction of the entire offer.
The key to a counter proposal, just as with salary negotiation, is research. Since you
seem okay with the salary, but want to add/adjust some of the benefits, research
comparable benefits within your industry at your level. Many employers are more
willing to renegotiate benefits -- bonuses, vacation time, moving expenses, timing of
performance reviews, stock options, and the like -- than salary.
Remember that you only have one shot at a counter proposal. You can't do a second
one after the employer reacts to this one -- so make sure you have everything you
want in this first counter proposal. If you're comfortable, make the counter proposal
in a follow-up interview; otherwise, put the proposal in writing in the form of a letter.
And yes, you could certainly wait for your first review -- especially if it is in six months
-- a much safer route, but you will still have less negotiating power than you do right now.
And you can find many other resources and tools in the
salary negotiation
resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Q:
Roman writes:
Hi my name is Roman and I came across your website. My question for you is:
to be an eye doctor -- the type where you do surgeries and more enhanced
operations -- how long do you have to go to school and what type of salary
would I be starting off with and ending with?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Let me first talk about careers in the eye profession in general, and then
work to your question. The two main types of eye doctors are optometrists
and ophthalmologists. The career that interests you in is an ophthalmologist.
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating eye disease
and performing surgery on the eyes. He/she is trained to examine, diagnose,
and treat conditions of the eyes and vision system. Ophthalmologists
recognize the signs and symptoms of eye disease and treat them with
pharmaceutical agents or surgery. Most ophthalmologists have general
practices, but some may specialize. Requirements include four years of
medical school and four to five years of additional specialized training.
Ophthalmologists must be licensed in the state where they practice.
An optometrist is a practitioner who provides most primary vision care.
Optometrists also examine, diagnose, and treat conditions of the eyes
and vision system, and are trained in the prescription of eyeglasses and
contact lenses. Most optometrists are in general practice, although some
may specialize. Requirements include 4 years in optometry school after
3 or 4 years in college. Optometrists must be licensed in the state where
they practice.
The employment outlook for both types of eye doctors is good, as some current
practitioners retire and as the U.S. population gets older and demand increases for
eye care. Income ranges totally depends on where (and how) these professionals
decide to practice, from small solo offices to parts of much larger operations.
And as my brother, an Atlanta-based optometrist states, “Like most people,
many ophthalmologists and optometrists complain that they don't get paid
enough!”
Finally, let me add that you should have an interest in helping people, skills
and abilities in science, and less of a focus on money.
