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.
Dr. Hansen writes this column on a biweekly basis. 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.
Jeff writes:
Recently I was terminated from a sales position after two months. I am considering
whether or not to include the employment on my resume. My employment gap will
only be two months if I exclude the position.
Would it be better to list the position and use the term downsized? Or should I
use terminated?
Any advice or tips will be greatly appreciated.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Let me reiterate a critical point about resumes that all job-seekers should tuck
into the back of your heads: A resume is not an all-inclusive job history. Your resume
is a marketing document. You tailor the facts in your resume to fit each job with each
employer. Notice I did say facts. I am not advocating lying on a resume; I am advocating
making your resume a unique document for each opportunity you seek.
And here is a second point about resumes. Never provide unnecessary information. You do
not need to make any mention on your resume why you left a particular job -- simply put the
start and end dates. You should also NOT put your supervisor’s name, your salary information,
or phone numbers. For each job you have held that you wish to include, you should list your
job title, the organization’s name and location (city, state), dates of employment, and your
key accomplishments.
You don’t say why you were terminated so quickly, but two months is such a short stint that
I would never recommend including it on your resume. And you’re right, two months is not
much of a gap, especially in the current job market.
Regardless of how you handle this job on your resume, however, you will need to have some
sort of story to tell in the job interview -- either about why you only lasted two months on the job
or why you have a two-month gap on your resume. In terms of lingo, downsized usually results
from budget cuts and does not reflect on the quality of your work while terminated says your
work was no longer needed (or was bad, ineffective, etc.).
If you are working on your resume, you should visit this section of Quintessential Careers for
much more resume advice, tips, and samples: Resume
and CV Resources for Job-Seekers.
Q:
Jennifer writes:
Dr. Hansen -- thank you so much for your informative website!
I needed to make a career change, so I chose a new field (with your help!)
and recently graduated from graduate school. Now I am looking for a job, and
would appreciate some interview advice. I have found a full-time position that I
am considering applying for -- I would prefer part-time work, though, and was
wondering when would be the best time to mention this subject to the hiring individual.
Another possibility for me would be telecommuting, so I guess I have the same
question about that subject as well -- should I wait until they have offered me the job
to mention my interesting in telecommuting, or should I be more up front and ask
about the possibility earlier in the application process.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Yours is a challenging position because most employers do not set out making jobs
either part-time or with a telecommuting option. There are other possibilities too,
like job-sharing and flex-time.
My best suggestion is to find a few prospective employers that have a corporate culture
that supports such flexible work options. By doing your research, you will be interviewing
only with organizations that offer these types of programs. Review company Websites
and talk with people who work there.
As a career-changer, you will have to work a bit harder in your job-search, and since part-time
is only a preference and not a necessity, I would focus more on finding the best opportunity first.
Once you are with the organization for a while, then you can raise the issue of work flexibility options.
If part-time work is a requirement, then I would make it known in my cover letter that the
position I was seeking had to be part-time. You are going to be eliminated from a lot of
possibilities, but better to be upfront than to pretend you would accept a full-time position.
Q:
John writes:
I graduated from college last year and took a job that I thought was perfect for
me, for my degree. But I am now having some problems.
How do I decide if a new career is what I need or just a new boss/position/company?
If jumping ship is the best option, how should I go about doing it? What support
system do you need in place? What are the risks?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I guess the first thing I want to say -- partly as a lesson to younger folks -- is that this
problem could partly be solved by internships. Not entirely, but the more internships
a college student can undertake, the more knowledge s/he will have about the types
of jobs, careers, and employers. Besides internships, other good ways to learn more
about different jobs and careers include informational interviews and job shadowing.
That said, please realize that yours is a VERY common situation. Many new grads
come to realize that they made a mistake in taking that first job after college and that
something needs to be done. Many, many college grads switch jobs in that first year
after graduation.
The question those folks who are unhappy in their jobs need to decide is whether it is
the job/employer that is wrong or whether it is the career choice that is wrong. One of the
questions I ask people who approach me is whether they love the work they do or not.
If the work itself is completely unsatisfying or boring, then it is most certainly not the
right job -- and it might not even be the right career. I usually ask about their work environment
and whether they like their co-workers and boss... and if they hate them, but enjoy their job,
then it is simply time to switch employers and find a similar job in a better organization.
So, if they are unhappy in their jobs -- and it is the job itself that is driving them over the
edge, not the environment, then I advise career research and exploration. In this situation,
research other jobs in the field, talk with old professors, and get a handle on what other
options are out there.
Jumping ship is not a big deal, especially if you have put in about a year with the company.
You do not want to be switching jobs every year, though, because eventually you will be
labeled a job-hopper, so take the time to really know the type of job and type of employer
you want to work for -- and then find your ideal situation.
Emily writes:
I am starting a new career and have not been successful in landing a job.
I am interested to work for the banks but have limited experience. About 99%
of the jobs advertised requires one to be experienced.
How do I get in at entry level with no qualifications? I am a quick learner and a
team player. I need to work before I can afford to study further, if the job requires.
I am 50 years old but look about 40. In today’s working world 40 is old so I
have an extra dilemma.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Career change is always a challenge, but even more so for older workers. What
kind of job are you looking for in banking?
There are always ways to gain experience, if not directly in banking, in some related
field that uses the same skills. (Think temping or volunteering… and don’t forget
transferable skills from your current career field.)
Please note, though, that you will most likely NOT find a new job by replying to
advertised job postings. You need to use your career network to help you uncover
the hidden job market -- and to use your network contacts to help you get a foot in the door.
As for being an older job-seeker and career-changer, you may face some age-discrimination
issues, but as long as you showcase your willingness to learn, to make a contribution,
and to be a team-player, you should be okay in your job-search.
