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.
Jenny writes:
I’m trying to set some goals for myself in the new year -- in terms of my career.
What advice can you give me to reach my goals in 2005?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Well, unfortunately, I don’t know what your career goals are, so
my advice is going to have to be a bit general -- but ideally useful
for everyone reading the column.
I think there are six things you should examine, contemplate,
and act on to help you achieve your career goals.
First, review your accomplishments from last year. Make a list
of them on a piece of paper. Are you satisfied with what you
accomplished? If not, make some plans for accomplishing
more this year.
Second, make some career goals for the year. Where do you
want to be at the end of the year? Do you want a new career?
A promotion or raise? Work-life balance? Career-change?
Third, take action. All the planning in the world is not going to help you
achieve your goals. You need to make action steps -- and then take
them! Sometimes a big change does not seem so unmanageable
when you break it down into smaller steps.
Fourth, make time for professional development this year. Join a
professional organization, attend a conference/workshop/seminar,
get more training, read trade journals/books. Rejuvenate your skills
and interests in your career.
Fifth, build your network of contacts. Networking is not just for when
you are looking for a new job. Find innovative ways to add people to
your list of contacts. Build those relationships.
Sixth, work on those job-search materials -- your cover letter and resume --
even if you are not contemplating a job change. You should always be
prepared for opportunities.
These six things are a lot to work on -- but all of us need to find the time
to work on our career and professional development. Not only will we be
better prepared for new opportunities, the process will also keep us
focused on where we see ourselves going next.
Ken writes:
Could you please send me a list of the top financial services recruiters?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
There are a number of sources for finding the information you seek. The
best online source is Oya’s
Recruiter Directory, which allows you to search for recruiters by location
or specialty. If you are more of a print person, the best source is
The
Directory Of Executive Recruiters, published by Kennedy Information,
a leading source of executive recruiting information.
But before you jump into the world of working with recruiters -- also referred to
as headhunters, executive recruiters, executive search consultants -- let
me offer some advice.
First, it always works better for you if you have been contacted by a headhunter
rather than the other way around. Headhunters work for the companies that hire
them to find and screen the candidates they seek, so a headhunter may not
be as interested in you if they do not have a particular slot they are trying to fill
that matches your qualifications.
Second, never pay for any kind of services. Some folks mistake employment
agencies with recruiters. Recruiters are always paid by the employer; job-seekers
never should have to pay any company a fee for helping them find a job.
Third, you need to adjust some of your job-search materials to the format that
recruiters want. Your resume must be a standard, chronological format. You
should have a specific job-search goal in mind. And you should have a detailed
list of your specific --and ideally quantified -- accomplishments.
Recruiters and headhunters can be a valuable asset to you in your job-search.
They are connected to positions that may never be publicly known -- the so-called
hidden job market. And if you have the skills and accomplishments that match the
types of jobs they fill, it can be an extremely beneficial relationship.
But remember, you should always strive for a balanced job-search -- using multiple
sources of job leads.
Dave writes:
How does the future look for home inspectors in terms of career and salary?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Home inspectors conduct inspections of newly built or previously
owned homes.
According to the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), “Ever
since home inspection first came on the real estate scene in the
mid-1970s, consumer demand for the service has been growing rapidly.
Home inspection is a young and growing professional consulting
service aimed at helping homebuyers make the biggest financial
decision of their lives.”
And the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook
states, “Home inspection is becoming a standard practice in the home
purchasing process, creating more opportunities for home inspectors.”
Home inspectors need extensive knowledge in many areas of residential
construction such as: soils and foundations, wood and construction,
roofing, plumbing, electricity, heating and ventilation, air conditioning and
heat pumps, appliances, swimming pools and spas, termites and wood-destroying
insects and environmental considerations.
According to a 2002 edition of the American Society of Home Inspector's
Home Inspection Business Operations Study, full time home inspectors'
annual income ranges from $35,000 to $150,000. The median salary for a
typical building inspector in the U.S. is about $45,000, according to Salary.com.
Home inspectors need training and certification. Once you’ve accomplished
these, you have a couple of employment options. You can join an existing
company or start your own home inspection business.
Here are the main professional organizations, where you can find more
information, tools, and resources:
Amy writes:
I have been working for the same company for over 5 years and am currently
starting an active job search because of a downturn in business. I cannot give
anyone in my current company as a reference because of the need to keep the
job search completely confidential and the company I worked at previously is a
key client of my current company so giving a reference from there is not possible
either. Neither company has had turnover to the point I could use someone
as a reference that is now at another company. The place I worked at (for 9 years)
prior to my last two employers was sold and I do not have contact information for
previous co-workers or managers there. I am interviewing with a state agency
that requires that I provide three references that they will contact. How should
I approach the reference situation in this circumstance?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Your situation allows me to get on my soapbox about a couple of
issues -- and while I’m up here, I hope to also provide you with some
good advice.
The situation you find yourself is more common than you think, and I
do not understand why.
First, let me assure you -- or deflate you -- that you can only in the very
rarest of situations ever keep a job-search completely confidential. Job-hunting
is a people business and people talk. So, you kind of need to get over this
hurdle. You can do your best to make people promise to not divulge the
information, but the world is smaller than you think -- and word often gets
out.
But word getting out that you are job-hunting is not always such a bad thing.
In many cases, you become almost instantly a more attractive worker. In a
sense, job-hunting is a test of your value in the marketplace. Will some
bosses be offended? Of course, but others may see you in a new light -- and
especially if your work helps them look better.
Back to my soapbox… yours is another example of the importance of
networking -- building relationships -- throughout your life, not just when
you are job-searching. People in your inner network should respect and
support you enough to serve as a reference for you even if they work in the
same company -- all the while keeping your job-search confidential. On the
other hand, a casual acquaintance may also serve as a reference, but has
fewer reasons for keeping your job-search confidential.
Finally, remember to keep up relations with at least a handful of people from
previous jobs -- people who knew your work -- and make them active
members of your network.
