Career Doctor: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips #3

Career Doctor Q-TIPS #3:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips

These tips have been gathered from job-seeker Q&A's with the Career Doctor, Dr. Randall Hansen. For more information, go to The Career Doctor.

If you've been at your first post-college job for just a short time but are unhappy and ready to seek new employment, be assured that job-hunting after a short stint is not as much of an an issue as it might have been in the past. Employers recognize that the reality of the current job environment is that most people need to move around to advance in their careers.

Furthermore, many of the entry-level jobs that college graduates fill can be mastered in about a year, so some employers expect that these employees will be ready for advancement. Focus on the positive when interviewing for new jobs. Stress that you have mastered the skills required for your current job and are looking to make an important contribution in a new job for a new employer.

For a refresher on interviewing techniques and questions, take a look at Quintessential Careers: Interviewing Resources.

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A functional resume is often used when you have employment gaps or when you are trying to make a change from one field to another, and you want to emphasize your transferable skills, not your old career path. Analyze the key skills you have developed and honed from your previous employment and use these skillsets for the bulk of your resume. Toward the end of your resume, list a bare-bones employment history that de-emphasizes the gaps. Be prepared, however, to answer questions about gaps at the interview. Employers will want to know why you spent time unemployed.

Read our article, Should You Consider a Functional Resume?

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If you've transferred from one college to another -- even if you've done so more than once -- your transfers will have little, if any, effect on how prospective employers view you. The key is your degree, and as long as you are satisfied that the final college you attend is a solid and reputable institution, transferring should not be a big deal. And the only way a potential employer might know you attended several colleges is if you volunteer that information for some reason or a copy of your transcript was requested. There is no reason to list all the colleges you attended on your resume; the only one that matters is the one that grants you a degree.

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We've heard from job-seekers who are worried about listing their unlisted phone numbers on resumes and cover letters. Some are even concerned that employers have sold phone numbers to telemarketers. We have a hard time believing that any company would sell this information to telemarketers, but even if they did, most experts would agree that when you are job-hunting, you cannot place any obstacles in your path. If you leave off your phone number, you risk missing out on some opportunities. If you are concerned about unwanted phone calls, you may want to get a screening device, such as an answering machine, voicemail, or Caller ID.

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Say you've received a job offer and verbally accepted the position. You haven't received a written offer, and then you are offered a much better position -- in fact, your dream job -- with another employer. What do you do? You are under no obligation to the first company -- except to send a "thank you, but no thank you" letter or phone call.

But before you send that letter, make sure you have the second offer in writing and are all set. No sense burning bridges until you are absolutely sure. Will there be some hard feelings with the first company? Perhaps, but until you have the offer in writing, you are really under no obligation to that employer. Politely turn down the offer, and try not to end the relationship badly. Ethically, it may not be the best decision you'll make, but don't let that issue stop you from accepting your dream job.

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If you've majored in an area that seems to offer few job opportunities, realize that the most important thing you have going for you is that you have your college degree. While majors and minors play a role in giving you some direction, specialized education, and training in a particular area of study, they do not lock you into one specific career path. And many employers care much more about the degree than the major or minor. First, determine whether you do indeed want to pursue jobs related to your major, and if so, identify appropriate types of jobs.

Check out Real Jobs for Real Majors: What Can I do With a Major in...?. This section of Quintessential Careers provides you with real job titles and careers for students who major in just about any major..

Be proactive in your job search since companies may not necessarily be recruiting grads from your major. Once you've focused on an occupation that utilizes your educational background and skills, be aggressive in contacting potential employers and asking for an interview.

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Experienced civil servants who want to apply their background to the private sector may have concerns that government rules, politics, and jargon won't translate well outside the bureaucracy. While it would certainly help if the rules and policies were the same in the private sector, the key is to have mastered the skills, because they can easily be transferred to other jobs and other employers. Thus your opportunities may be better than you think.

Plan your job search, including developing a list of prospective employers, using your network, developing/honing your resume, polishing your interviewing skills, writing a dynamic cover letter, etc. You might want to visit Quintessential Careers: Marketability Test for Job-Seekers to see how prepared you are to begin your job search.

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When an job ad asks for your salary requirements, how and where should this information appear in your response to the ad? An employer request for salary requirements is purely a screening device to weed out people who would work for below the salary range and those who would work only at a salary way above the salary range.

The key is to try to do some research and get an idea of the salary range of the position. If you can't find the range for that particular company, try to find the average for that type of company or industry. A wonderful Web site that organizes and categorizes salary information is Salary.com. Once you have an idea of the range, the next step is deciding whether you would be willing to work for that salary and whether your work history would support your earning a salary in that range. You can read more salary-related tips and advice in Quintessential Careers: Salary and Job Offer Negotiation Tutorial.

In your cover letter, simply insert a sentence stating that your salary requirement for the position is $xxxxx. If you are unsure, you can also state in your cover letter that you are flexible in your salary requirements, but be aware that some employers will still screen you out with that statement.

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Behavioral-based questions in a job interview or on an application are based on the theory that your past performance is the best indicator of future behavior; thus, there are no "right" answers, per se. Dig into your past and find answers to these questions. Recent college grads with minimal work experience should focus on class projects and group situations that might lend themselves to these types of questions. Hobbies and volunteer work also might provide examples.

Finally, frame your answers based on a four-part outline: (1) describe the situation, (2) discuss the actions you took, (3) relate the outcomes, and (4) specify what you learned from it.

You can read more in our article, Behavioral Interviewing Strategies.

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Are you an athlete thinking about majoring in sport/exercise science or the allied health field? One of the biggest decisions college students make during the college careers is choosing a major. The sports and exercise science and allied health fields are among the fastest growing professions in the U.S., so majors in these fields have many options ahead.

Steps to making a decision about this major include:
1. Decide what you enjoy about being an athlete.
2. Talk to your coach(es) about various career options for you.
3. Contact some recent and not-so-recent alums who were athletes. You can probably get their names from your career placement center, your alumni office, or perhaps your coach, if he or she has been there a number of years.

From this combination self-analysis and networking, you'll gain some direction to guide your research into various majors. Conduct this research by meeting with professors in the various departments housing those majors. For many more tips and advice on choosing a major, read Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path.

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Sending out dozens -- or even hundreds -- of resumes and getting no replies? First, be sure you have sent out cover letters with your resumes and have followed appropriate cover-letter techniques: writing to a named individual, requesting an interview, and promising action. Now, list all your recipients in a spreadsheet and start contacting them right away.

Never expect employers to respond to your inquiries; as you may have discovered, very few do so. Follow up your resume/cover letter after about a week to 10 days later with a phone call.

Read more about cover letters and job-hunting at Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources, which includes a link to our Cover Letter Tutorial.

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All sorts of personality and career-assessment tests -- both on and off the Web -- are available to help guide career decisions. But before you take any of the tests, though, sit down and make a list of the things you feel are your strongest qualities, such as hard-working, well-organized, creative, etc. Then think about the kinds of activities you enjoy doing the most, such as writing, designing, planning, etc.

Once you have these two sets of information in front of you, then go to Quintessential Careers: Career Assessments and take one or more of the assessment tools. There are also non-Web-based tests and books on this subject, which can provide more information about the results of your tests.

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When you're planning to relocate, submitting your resume with a cover letter to various companies in hopes of establishing a relationship and inquiring about employment opportunities is a great idea. A cover letter is an extremely important part of your direct-mail campaign, but also be sure you've devised an overall strategy about relocating. Research companies in the new location, decide which ones to target, and identify key people to contact.

Our Quintessential Careers Directory of Company Career Centers can help you reach major targeted companies. And once you've sent out your cover-letter and resume packages, make sure you follow up and contact these people to try to get some interviews, either by phone or as soon as you arrive at your new location.

For help with your cover letter, visit Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources, which includes a link to our Cover Letter Tutorial.

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The cover letter is a crucial marketing document that must be directed to a named individual and create enough interest on the part of the potential employer to inspire him or her to then look at your resume. You must create interest while quantifying your qualifications for the position you seek. You must also demonstrate some knowledge of the company and stress what you can do for the company. Finally, you must request action -- an interview.

Visit Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources, which includes a link to the cover letter tutorial, a list of cover letters do's and don'ts, a cover-letter formula, and much more.

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If you are an older worker who has been downsized and are having trouble getting interviews, you may be concerned about finding a new job. Don't be discouraged. Being downsized hurts the ego; there's not doubt about it. It's a blow. And no matter how much we try to convince ourselves that we were not fired and that there is no stigma, sometimes we carry that issue with us into the job search and into interviews. Try to find a neutral party, such as an associate, and ask that person to evaluate your approach and style. Make sure he or she is totally honest with you. Make appropriate changes.

The next issue is networking. Because of your level or experience and expertise, networking is crucial. Again, networking will only work for you if you have overcome the first issue. You cannot appear downhearted, discouraged, or desperate. For your network to work, you need to spin your situation as an opportunity for a new direction and new challenges. Work your network -- friends, family, associates, former coworkers, etc.

The third issue is your level of expertise and salary. Downsized managers, especially middle managers, can be the hardest to place because the flattened business model has less need for them; thus, make sure your resume stresses quantified accomplishments -- that you were an active participant in your past company. The salary issue may be a little harder because some companies may eliminate you from consideration based on an assumption of affordability. You might also contact a headhunter. Keep in mind that headhunters work for hiring companies. It will take some time, so be patient. Build that network and focus on the positive.

For more tips and advice, please read our article, The Impact Of Getting Fired.

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Most companies with various divisions and subsidiaries have very specific guidelines regarding the process for applying for a job outside one's current subsidiary/division but within the corporate umbrella. In some cases, the policy treats the process as a simple job transfer, but in others, the policy treats the process as a full-scale job search.

At one corporation we know of, the policy is that you must inform your current manager that you are interested in an internal position (transfer). He or she then has the power to approve or disapprove the interview and possible transfer. If you are interested in moving within the parent company, speak to a human resources person at your parent company, and determine, in general terms, the process that your company wants its employees to follow. Failure to follow this policy could be disastrous.

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What can you do with a major in history? Since the latest statistics show that the average person will change careers -- not just jobs -- at least five times over his or her worklife, the most important thing is to finish your college education -- and to fill it with as great a variety of courses as you can so you can be exposed to a variety of skills and experiences.

As for history in particular, you can become a government worker or aide, research assistant, lobbyist, journalist, intelligence agent, consumer advocate, foreign service worker, and others. A great source for learning more about this topic is to visit the Ashland University Career Development Center's What Can I Do With a Major in History?

For more guidance, read Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path. Also, see how the Internet can help you choose a major at the Choosing a Major portion of our tutorial on Job-Hunting on the Internet.

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On your resume, how can you explain an employment gap necessitated by a lengthy and/or life-threatening illness? Remember that job-hunting is all about marketing -- giving the prospective employer all green lights and no speed bumps when evaluating your potential performance. Thus, as with any time in which you are unemployed for a long period of time, switch to a functional resume from a chronological resume.

A functional resume focuses on key skill areas and successes you have had in your career and de-emphasizes your actual work experience until the end of the resume, where you list the places, job titles, and dates relating to your past employment. You can find some helpful hints by reading our article, Should You Consider a Functional Resume?

You will have to face the issue of an employment gap at some point, but probably not until you are in the interview and can give a quick explanation of a medical condition (you do not need to go into details) while showing that you are in good health now.

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Graduated from college but lack experience? Look at what you have you been doing recently. Take a hard look at what you did in college. Part-time jobs and internships are obvious sources valuable work experience, but also examine your college career. Focus on any kind of extracurricular activities you may have participated in as well as the specific assignments and work you completed in your classes.

Perhaps you were a member of one or more groups in college. Did you hold any offices or perform any duties as a member? As for your classes, did you complete any large projects and analyses?

Read Quintessential Careers: Fundamentals of a Good Resume, along with a related article on transferable skills. From these two articles, you should be able to build a fairly strong resume, even without a lot of "real-world" experience.

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Interested in becoming a probation officer? While the U.S. Department of Labor seems to put probation officers into the larger grouping of social workers, the California Employment Development Department offers some great information about careers as a probation officer or parole agent. The site includes job descriptions, working conditions, training, salary and advancement, education requirements, etc.

You might also want to check out Inside Jobs: A Realistic Guide to Criminal Justice Career for College Graduates, edited by Stuart Henry (1994, Sheffield Publishing) or Careers in Criminal Justice: The Inside Story, edited by Stuart Henry and William G. Hinkle (2000, Sheffield Publishing).

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Wondering about the best way to look for employers and positions in the information technology field? It largely depends on how open you are to where the job may be located. If you are open to moving, join a professional organization or professional discussion group on the Internet. Check out Quintessential Careers: General Professional Organizations and Associations for the best sources for finding the right groups.

Search the job postings at the ten major job sites. Search some of the IT-specific job sites, the best of which can be found at Quintessential Careers: Computer Jobs.

These three sources should generate plenty of job leads.

If, however, you are not open to relocating, you need a very different approach. Network on the Net, as described above, but also make a strong effort to network locally. Check local colleges and chambers of commerce for any information on information technology groups in your area.

Develop a target list of companies large enough to need your services or are technology-related companies. Develop a list of the IT gurus (VPs, division heads, CIOs) for each of the companies and write them a personalized, targeted cover letter. Then follow-up with phone calls. If you are currently undergoing training, check with the school's placement resources. Also see if any temporary or placement agencies in your area specialize in placing IT professionals.

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Interested in a career that involves animals, wilderness, the outdoors? Go to Quintessential Careers: Volunteering and Nonprofit Career and Job Opportunities. At this site you can find links to Earthwatch, the National Park Service, and other organizations that may offer career opportunities that match your career interests. Many other environmentally oriented groups, such as The Wilderness Society, have their own Web sites, where you may be able to network and search for job opportunities.

You should also check out the unusual job listings in our collection of Cool, Unusual, and Seasonal Jobs.

Finally, check your college's career office or a local college's career office for leads, especially if one of these schools has an environmental studies department.

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Your cover letter is a marketing document in which your goal is to spark the interest of the potential employer. We are amazed at how many cover letter "experts" advise people to waste their first paragraphs -- which are the most important part of your cover letter.

In this first paragraph, aim to attract the interest of the prospective employer, not simply state that you are applying for a job. Visit the Quintessential Careers Cover Letter Tutorial for more information.

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Resumes have not changed all that much over the last few years, with the exception of scannable (or text-based) resumes and the move toward using keywords or skills summaries in resumes. Make sure your resume includes strong action verbs to describe your accomplishments (not your duties).

Read up on transferable skills. More resume information can be found at Quintessential Careers: Resume Resources.

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Earned an MBA but having trouble finding a job? Get your entire job-hunting technique -- including resume(s) and cover letters -- evaluated by a professional, such as the career placement office from the college where you received your MBA -- or use our professional service. Once you know that your job-hunting tools and techniques are sound, try the following plan:

Use the career placement office to locate leads.
If possible, look beyond your immediate location, especially if it is a small town.
Join one or more industry associations and network, network, network! For more tips on networking, visit Quintessential Careers: General Professional Organizations and Associations.
Join one or more Internet discussion groups related to your professional interests and goals and network there. Check out Quintessential Careers: Places to Network on the Web.
Visit, search job openings, and post your resume at one or more of the top job sites. Check out Quintessential Careers: Top 10 Job Sites for a list of the 10 best.
Visit one or more of the MBA-specific job and networking sites. You can find a list of them at Jobs for MBAs.

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A psychology degree is great because it offers you a broad choice of opportunities, though those with a bachelor's degree in psychology might also want to think about continuing your education by earning a master's degree in psychology or a related field to keep your skills up up to date, increase your credentials, and make you more marketable.

Other careers you could pursue with a psychology degree include: school counselor, social worker, employment specialist, teacher, researcher, and many others. Check out the links at Quintessential Careers: Career Exploration for some great resources for discovering more ideas and resources about careers in psychology -- as well as many other careers.

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Thinking of switching careers late in your professional life? Ask yourself these questions: If you do so, will you have to push your retirement back? Will leaving your current career adversely affect your pension? How much more education do you need before you can make the switch, and how will that time affect your decision? Are you leaving because of a true passion for your desired new career or out of negative feelings or frustration with your current career?

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Since benefits are valued at up to 40 percent of a job offer that includes a salary and benefit package, is it appropriate to ask for a benefit package in writing? All job-hunters should get the entire job offer in writing: salary, benefits, probationary period, reviews, etc. Having this information in writing protects both the employer and the prospective employee.

We've known of a few job-seekers that never heard back from companies when they've asked for the offer in writing, but our advice is always the same -- you don't want to work for a company that is not willing to put its offer in writing. The only time we would recommend against asking for the offer in writing is when you are not yet at that stage in the negotiation.

For other tips and an overview of the process, take a look at Quintessential Careers: Salary and Job Offer Negotiation Tutorial.

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Why does it sometimes take as many as six interviews before a company can make up its mind if you are right for the job? The interviewing process is a little like dating. Both parties are trying to evaluate whether there is a spark, a level of rapport, and the potential for future greatness. Just as you can't always tell whether a person could make a good mate after one date, so too with both job-seekers and employers. Both need the time and multiple contacts to decide whether there is a fit.

Some companies can make these decisions after just one interview, but most companies now conduct at least two or three interviews, often with a different mix of interviewers. And while it certainly makes economic sense for the employer, it also makes sense for the job-seeker; the multiple contact points can help you make a sound judgment.

Find more information about interviewing by visiting Quintessential Careers: Interviewing Resources.

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Finding an ideal career and job can be a job in itself. You can't expect a career to find you. As you work to find your ideal career, keep in mind that current statistics show the average person changing careers about five times. Here's how to begin the hard work of finding your ideal career:

Make a list of the things that you do well and the things you enjoy doing.
Take a few career-assessment tests. See Quintessential Careers: Career Assessments. Many of these tests will suggest a number of careers that take advantage of your skills and interests.
With the information you have from the first two steps, visit a college university or community college to see if you can learn more about the education requirements for the types of careers that interest you.
Consider volunteering, job-shadowing, or conducting informational interviews to learn more and see people working in the careers that interest you first-hand.

These steps take a lot of time and effort, but the end results should lead you to some exciting choices.

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When in doubt about prospects for any given career you're considering, go search for information at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook.

If you're a college student or recent grad, your best bet is talking with your professors, recent alumni, the career placement office, and recruiters who come to your campus.

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Something bugging you about your current job? Before making a change, assess the complete picture; don't just focus on the one thing that irritates you. Do you enjoy what you are doing? Are you making a good salary? Do you have good benefits? Do you like the work environment and your coworkers? Is there room for advancement? How long have you worked there? Can you afford to quit?

If the job offers you opportunities to use and develop new skills that make you more marketable in the workforce, you might consider staying. If the negatives outweigh the positives, start job-hunting immediately.

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It wasn't too long ago that action verbs meant everything in resume development. Action verbs are still important, but nouns and noun phrases are the buzz with resume development -- mainly because of the increased use of scannable (also called text-only) resumes. Because a growing number of employers are using resume databases -- either their own or a job site's -- to select candidates to interview, it becomes increasingly important for the job-seeker to know the most effective nouns and noun phrases (keywords) that employers will use to search the databases to pull applicants.

Where do you find the nouns? Look at job descriptions and job profiles for the requirements. Look at the industry's use of jargon. Look at the skills that are in demand. Use this knowledge -- assuming you have the necessary skills and experience -- to enhance your resume.

You can get a more in-depth discussion of this topic by visiting Quintessential Careers: Scannable Resume Fundamentals.

Read more tips from the Career Doctor in Career Doctor: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips #4.

Review all our Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips.

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Career Doctor Q-TIPS #3: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips

These tips have been gathered from job-seeker Q&A's with the Career Doctor, Dr. Randall Hansen. For more information, go to The Career Doctor.

Review all our Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips.

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

Career Doctor Q-TIPS #3:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips