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.
Sandy writes:
I’m struggling and I need your help. I used to love my job and my employer, but
ever since a few months ago when takeover rumors started to circulate and the
company announced a new round of layoffs my attitude has changed. I used to
love getting up in the morning, but now need like two alarm clocks to get me up.
And I also find myself making more and more excuses for not going to work.
What can I do to go back to how I used to feel? What should I do?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Life is certainly changing for the typical U.S. worker. We’re working
longer hours than a generation ago, forced to do more work because
of layoffs and hiring freezes, and sometimes have to deal with rumors
of takeovers and downsizing hanging over us.
These issues – and more – are leading to more workers having increased
levels of job stress, which can lead to job burnout.
Job stress is something we all face as workers -- and we all handle it
differently. There is no getting around it. But, not all stress is bad, and
learning how to deal with and manage stress is critical to our maximizing
our job performance, staying safe on the job, and maintaining our physical
and mental health. For most workers, infrequent doses of job stress pose
little threat and may be effective in increasing motivation and productivity,
but too much -- and too prolonged -- can lead to a downward spiral -- both
professionally and personally.
What should you do? See if you can make some changes; follow some of
my tips for managing the stress. Whatever you do, make some changes
before you face job burnout, which has serious psychological and physical
consequences.
Some tips for managing job stress:
Put it in perspective. Jobs are disposable. Your friends, families, and health
are not. If your employer expects too much of you, and it’s starting to take its toll
on you, start looking for a new job/new employer.
Modify your job situation. If you really like your employer, but the job has
become too stressful (or too boring), ask about tailoring your job to your skills.
And if you got promoted into a more stressful position that you just are not able
to handle, ask about a lateral transfer – or even a transfer back to your old job
(if that’s what you want).
Get time away. If you feel the stress building, take a break. Walk away from
the situation, perhaps walking around the block, sitting on a park bench, taking
in a little meditative time. Exercise does wonders for the psyche.
Fred writes:
I am a 23-year-old newly-minted college graduate with a degree in journalism.
I have a job working for a small-town newspaper. I have worked for my current
employer for about two months. Before graduation, I felt my hard work in
college would not go unnoticed, but my futile attempts to get hired at a bigger
place make me feel as though it has.
Working for a small paper was never my idea of a permanent career. I felt it
would be a stepping stone to a larger paper and what I would consider more
challenging and fulfilling work. I don't feel comfortable where I currently work.
Nobody in their 20s intends to graduate from a college filled with other hip
20-somethings and go right to work in dullsville, at least not permanently.
My question to you is: how soon is too soon after starting a job to begin
looking for a new one? I itch to dust off my resume and send it to larger papers,
but I worry potential employers might not want to take a chance on me because
I have worked for my current employer for such a short amount of time.
Am I right to be concerned?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Let me preface with my answer with a note that I am biased. I interned at
a small town newspaper for two months one summer, and while it was not a
hotbed for investigative journalism, it was a solid and safe place to develop my
budding journalism skills (even if eventually I was won over by marketing). And
now I live in a small town…
When you are in your twenties, you want everything… some say your generation
especially feels this way, labeling you folks the entitlement generation.
No job is permanent, and you could leave at any time. But, I totally believe that
this job could be the stepping stone you suggest. However, you need to work there
long enough to build the clips and reputation before moving on to a bigger media
outlet. Take initiative, ask for more responsibilities, bigger stories.
That said, I also believe in having a current resume -- just in case. And it is never too
early to start building bridges to larger newspapers by developing your network, joining
a professional group, etc.
Q:
Jean writes:
My husband changed positions twice during the past few years resulting in
unanticipated moves; these moves resulted in my separation from the workforce
for two years. Now, my new location does not have opportunities in my old
profession and I have limited networks, so I am considering a career change.
How would you suggest a person begin networking in a new field when they
have no local contacts? Can you advise any book or site that documents the
progress of individuals who make significant re-careering decisions in their
mid-30s to 40s?
I would also like to point out that my experience as an older career changer is
daunting because there seems to be a trend towards increased credentialism
over the past year that makes retraining longer and more costly. In particular,
do you know of any list that shows the best jobs for older workers?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Lots of great questions here, and let me try to address each briefly.
Career change -- at any age -- is daunting. It takes a lot of hard work,
planning, and execution, but career change is very possible. We have a
whole collection of career change resources on our site, located here:
Job &
Career Resources for Career Changers. And the best book on career
change, in my opinion, is David Helfand’s Career Change: Everything You
Need to Know to Meet New Challenges and Take Control of Your Career (McGraw-Hill).
Tips for building a network in a new career field? Start with informational interviews.
Identify mid-level professionals working in your new career, and ask if they would
be willing to spend some time talking about their careers. Just about everyone
loves talking about themselves, so most will agree to meet with you. Not only
are you building your network by meeting with these folks, but you can also ask
each person you interview for suggestions on how to build your network… and it
all grows from there. Volunteering and searching out organizations are also
other great ways to build your network (and gain experience). Learn more in this
Informational
Interviewing Tutorial on Quintessential Careers.
Finally, credentialing. Your observation is correct. Certification programs have
proliferated enormously in the past several years. At a minimum, there are
nearly 1,600 certifications available, according to the definitive directory on the
subject, the Certification and Accreditation Programs Directory. Learn more in
this article published on Quintessential Careers:
Certifiably
Empowering: Hot Fields in Which Certification May Boost Your Career.
Q:
Anonymous writes:
I read your article on Job Hunting Cold Calling. I’ve been employing this
strategy for a few weeks and have had great success in getting the
names of hiring managers and answers to specific research questions.
But, once you reach out and contact the senior executive who’s hiring
for the position, what’s the best approach in beginning and conducting this
conversation. I’m interviewing for senior positions in Marketing (i.e., VP,
Director, 17+ years of exp). I can manage all of the other conversations,
but I’m stumped when I get to this point. I need something more than, “ask
for an interview.”
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
A quick review for readers, because I still believe cold calling should
be part of any job-search (along with networking at the top of the list,
and reviewing and responding to job postings). Cold calling is a proven
method of finding employment -- but you need to follow these steps to
be successful:
Compile a list of all companies that you might be interested in working for.
Research and gather the names of the people who have the power to offer you a job.
Write and send a dynamic cover letter that will get the attention of each hiring manager.
Contact the people you wrote to in the third step – and ask for an interview.
Cold-calling works better at lower levels, but it still has potential for someone at
your level. I suggest you take the approach of using cold calling more for networking
purposes, which may indirectly lead to job interviews. Use cold calling to increase
your visibility in the field. Instead of asking for the interview, ask about having a
meeting, doing a lunch, or playing a round of golf.
