Q. I've spent my entire 30-year career at one company and have,for the most part, loved it and thrived. Recently, changes inmanagement make me believe I'll be laid off. Does it make sense towalk into human resources and ask for an amicable separation withseverance, or should I just wait for the ax to fall?
A. Before jumping to the conclusion that you will be laid off, orthat you should volunteer to be severed, you need to evaluate yourcurrent situation and see if you really want to leave yourorganization.
Start by identifying the factors that made you love your companybefore the change in management. Include personal factors such asopportunity for advancement, managing others, sense of contributionor importance, and organizational factors like culture, commonpurpose, corporate direction, and former management style.
Once you have completed the list, try to determine what haschanged and if you think it is fixable.
No matter your initial conclusion, schedule a time with yourmanager to go over the information and ask for his or her help inidentifying your future potential within the organization. Havingyour thoughts gathered before the meeting will help you control whatis bound to be an emotional conversation.
If you discover you really want to stay, your manager can advocatefor getting you the training, coaching, or mentoring that you willneed.
If you decide it's time to move on, I do not recommend goingdirectly to human resources, but again to your manager, who mostlikely has access to information about potential staffing changes. HRusually does not have the latitude for these conversations. Yourmanager is in a better position to act on your behalf and explore thesituation and options with HR.
As a long-standing and valued employee, you possess critical andhistorical information that the company will be reluctant to lose,and it will be costly to replace you. This could be advantageous toyou if you ask to be let go and are seeking a severance package.
What you want to avoid is your offer being declined andidentifying yourself as someone not interested in staying with theorganization. Therefore, approach the conversation with a commentconfirming your commitment to the organization and how you recognizethe company may need to eliminate positions. Offer to help reviewyour situation and the company's options. If you're interested incareer
change, start by networking
I am seeking full-time professional work, but not having anyluck. I'm not sure whether my age, 48, or time I took off to spendwith my child are factors or not. I'm getting some interviews, andmade it to the top two candidates for one position, but no job offer.I'm not getting any interviews in the area that I'm trying to switchto public health but am in the field I had worked in for many yearsthe environment and agriculture. I have started taking classes for amaster's in public health . Can you offer any advice?
Age, among many other issues, is relative. So before you focus onone factor that you believe may be impeding your success, let'sreview your situation.
You have good experience in environmental and agricultural fields.Employers find this experience attractive, as evidenced by yourability to get interviews. So we'll consider that a strength.Continuing your education is another strength. Sounds like you don'thave experience in the place you want to be a weakness. Your age canbe either a strength or weakness depending on your attitude,behavior, and the environment you'd like to work in.
The first thing you need to do is improve your '30-secondcommercial.' You need a strong target statement that outlines whatyou want to do, what environment you desire, and what you bring tothe table. Wanting to 'switch into public health' doesn't give meenough information, but it does give me clues that a switch means theindustry is new to you, and you have little or no experience.
A stronger statement might be, 'I'm using my XX years ofexperience with environmental and agricultural issues to focusspecifically on public health. I'm in a master's in public healthprogram and am working on a specific expertise in the areas of ------- and --------. I'd like to join an organization dealing with issuesrelated to -----.'
People trying to make a career change can't rely on resumes andpaperwork to transmit their credentials, or their eagerness to havean impact in another industry. Networking, an important part of alljob searches, is vital to someone making a career change. Your goalshould be to develop a group of 'field sales people,' who can speakto your expertise, all you have to offer, and the reasons an employershould consider you for a position where you may have limitedexpertise.
So where do you start on building that network? Start with yourformer colleagues. Identify similarities between the industries youwere in, and where you want to go. Contact former managers and co-workers, and build from there. Practice your commercial, and see ifit provides them with enough information to get you closer to theright people. Develop a list of organizations you'd like to get into,and names or titles of people you'd like to meet. Recognize that Adoesn't lead to B in networking it just gets you closer.
Next, move on to your faculty. Review their experience, pastemployers, and current and former students who could help you. They(and your university's career development or graduate studies office)may know of internship or volunteer opportunities to build yourskills and expand your contacts.
Research professional associations in your target field. Do theyhave student memberships? Attend local meetings or volunteer to workon administrative tasks (i.e., registering guests or moderating Webforums) as an easy way to make contacts, expand your knowledge of jobopenings, and have potential employers become familiar with you.
Be creative become an expert on who's who in your target field,and do not rely on paper to make a 'relationship' sell.
Job seekers with specialized
degrees should cast a wide net
Q. I am finishing my master's degree in American religioushistory. I have had my resume on the market for nearly 8 months andhave only received two interviews, though I applied for over 100jobs. I am looking for a position in the non profit sector, auniversity , or in education. I have tried several online job boards,but nothing seems to work. One problem is that I have little workhistory. I am a hard worker and feel very frustrated with the search.I have tried my career office but it was no help. To top it off, Ihave huge educational debt.
A. Students who pursue degrees in specialized fields that havelittle or no business application often have difficulty parlayingtheir education into real life work. Here's how to get started:
Find ways that your degree and education will differentiate youfrom the rest of the pack. Look for part-time work or an internshipthat will help position you for future employability.
The job search is not a passive game to be successful you need anactive approach. For example, you say your resume has been 'on themarket,' and you have submitted resumes or used Web-based job searchtools. That's a terrific start, but these activities really don'ttake all that much energy. And to get where you want to be, moreenergy must be invested.
You've identified the industry you'd like to enter, but thefunction is missing. These two components work in tandem and you mustbe able to clearly and concisely state what opportunities you arelooking for.
Does your resume reflect what impact you'll have when you join anorganization, or is it just a chronology of where you've been? Whileyour grade point average and course work are valuable, how will theytranslate into the skills you'll bring to the job, and the resultsyou can generate? Ask a faculty member, or your career servicesdepartment, to read your resume with a fresh eye.
The power of networking can't be overstated. And in my experience,you will find people very willing to help. Who do you want to meet?What are their titles? What is the name of the organization? Wheredid other people in your graduate program get jobs? Where have yourfaculty members worked before? Where do your classmates work? Createan organized system, start with a colleague, and let the connectionshappen.
While your debt may seem huge, don't let it sink you. Concentrateon being upbeat and show how you can bring that positive energy tothe workplace.
The same way you got through school, one paper, one class, onecredit or course at a time, is how you'll complete the job searchsuccessfully. Using all job search methods ads, online job boards,recruiters, and networking set quantitative goals per week for each,and keep at it.
Need advice about managing your career or your workplace? The JobDoc can help. Our specialists can answer your questions on topicsranging from career transitions to management issues. E-mail queriesto jobdoc@globe.com, or send letters to Job Doc, c/o the BostonGlobe, P.O. Box 55819, Boston, MA 02205-5819. Letters may be editedfor clarity and length.
