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.
Tiffany writes:
I am currently seeking a customer service position, preferably in the medical field,
which will allow me to begin university classes this upcoming Fall semester. I had
been working as a customer service rep at a Cingular Wireless Call Center. The job
became too redundant so I quit and took a job at another wireless call center. I am
afraid that after I get out of training, I will be given a mid-day work schedule which
will not allow me to take classes in the morning or in the evening. Therefore, I am
still seeking another position. If interviewed for a new position, I know they will want to
know why I quit one wireless company, began another, and am still searching for a
new job. What should my response be?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
First and foremost, let me applaud your efforts to start your college education.
All studies show that lifetime satisfaction and income levels are higher with folks
who complete a college education than for high school graduates, so I think it’s
great you are thinking ahead and trying to find employment with flexible working
conditions that will allow you to take some classes.
I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself. Why not wait and see what your
schedule will be once training is complete? Unless, you know for sure that you
will be given a mid-day schedule; if you’ve already been told your future schedule,
then you have two options.
First, if you like the current company -- and given that they have already invested
money into training you -- I suggest talking to your boss and asking about schedule
flexibility. Explain that you value the job and the company and want to help to stay
and contribute to the company’s success, but at the same time, you also need to
think about your future. More and more companies, especially in tight job markets,
are willing to be flexible -- up to a point -- to keep good workers.
Second, start looking for new employment. I don’t think your short stints will affect
your attractiveness as a job-seeker. Plus, I would not even include this second job
on your resume since you are still in training anyway. Remember, a resume is not
a complete job history -- just a relevant job history. And in your case, having a
short gap from Cingular job to now would look better than listing a one-month
position with the new company. Your situation is also a time where using your
network to find employers with more flexible scheduling would be especially helpful.
Q:
Christina writes:
I taught at an exclusive private school on the west coast. I was terminated
after a combination of in-school politics and personalities collided. My boss
-- the terminator -- emphasized that my competence was not an issue. (I
had been advised not to resign by my immediate supervisor -- the headmaster --
who had also been forced out.)
How do I respond to the application (for another teaching job back here) question
that asks about one's being "requested to resign" or being terminated? This
happened in March 2003.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
To me, the bigger question is what have you been doing since March
2003? Have you still been in education? I think employers would be
more interested in this 3-year gap than the specific causes of how you
left your last job.
I personally think you got bad advice from the headmaster. When given the
choice, I think it’s better to resign (and often get some sort of compensation
package for doing so) than to be terminated. When you resign, you have
more control over the situation. And in job applications and interviews, you
can always say you resigned to seek new growth opportunities.
The one thing you do NOT want to do on an application or in an interview is
go down the murky road of why you were terminated -- especially as you
make the case it was not for competency but for politics. Sometimes, I think
employers are more worried about prospective employees who will not fit in --
who will cause “trouble” -- more than they are about the competency issue…
so, stay as far away from personality conflicts and office politics as possible.
The past is the past, and you can’t change it now -- or lie about it. So, your goal
is to downplay the termination as much as possible and focus on the positives --
on your skills and accomplishments as an educator. You’re also going to need to
explain what you have been doing for the past three years -- hoping something
that can enhance your application, such as additional education or training.
Debbie writes:
I have received a job offer for a Marketing Manager position from a company
that is a perfect fit for me, but is essentially a non-profit. As such, the salary
is lower than what the market value. My research indicates that an average
wage for a Marketing Manager in this area is in the area of $60,000. The offer
came in at $49,000. The posting for the job did indicate a range of $38,400
to $51,200. Benefits are good; of particular interest to me personally are the
401K and vacation time.
I am not experienced with the negotiations process and am concerned about
running the risk of overplaying my cards. We have not discussed that I am
aware that there is a posted range. I would like to ask for more money
and/or an additional week of vacation. The one area that I do not have
expertise in is with public relations, which is part of the job. How should I go
countering their offer?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
The key with job-offer negotiation is to carefully evaluate the offer, the potential for
areas where you can seek changes, and then do so in the most professional and
courteous manner possible. You can make a counter-offer in person or in writing.
Since you knew going in the salary was going to be lower than the market --
and often the case with non-profits -- and you know the offer to you was near
the top of their range -- salary, in my mind is probably not negotiable.
However, you can use your salary research to request other changes in the offer
instead of the salary. For example, you could request an additional week of vacation,
a 6-month salary review (rather then the typical annual review), or faster participation
in their various benefits programs.
The key in any salary negotiation is picking your battle carefully -- and not asking
for too much. Whether negotiating in person or in print, the key is to first thank the
prospective employer for the job offer, mention how much you want to work and
contribute to their success, and then mention you have just one (or two) issues with
the job offer that you would like to see changed.
REMEMBER: With any negotiation, there is always risk, so be sure to judge how they feel
about negotiation -- and make sure you express that you are flexible and want the job -- just
hope there are some things that can be tweaked. There are some employers, though, who
have revoked the offer because they have been offended by the counter-offer -- so tread lightly.
Best of luck to you.
Q:
Rosalie writes:
I have a friend whom is looking for work but doesn't have any interview clothing.
He is trying his best to land a job but because he is not in the right attire he is
not hired. Is there anything that your organization can do to help a good friend
of mine?
Please let me know!
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I laud your efforts for wanting to help your friend. Dressing appropriately at a job
interview is important, but not the only factor to be considered. A job-seeker’s
appearance (attire, grooming, smell, etc.) is certainly a major factor in first
impressions formed by the interviewer.
There are now organizations for low-income men and women to find suitable
interview clothing. And -- by the way -- also great places for the rest of us to
donate our old suits, ties, etc. For men, a growing career development organization
is CareerGear.org. For women, a more established organization is DressForSuccess.org.
Both of these organizations do a lot more than just provide interview attire -- they
are also career support organizations.
Of course, there are also many thrift shops that offer used clothing at low prices.
I think the most important thing to remember is that a suit is not as important
as the overall appearance. It’s better to have a nice (and clean, well-pressed)
shirt and tie than to wear an ill-fitting suit.
Finally, remember that interview preparation must go far beyond attire. Once the initial
greeting is done, the real heart of the interview begins -- and that is where job-seekers
must wow the interviewer.
Read more tips on dressing for success -- or how to donate to these two great organizations --
by going to this article on Quintessential Careers:
When Job-Hunting:
Dress for Success.
