Ask Paula
Paula Vieillet
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Dear Paula,
I was laid off over a year ago and I am becoming discouraged. All the good jobs seem to have gone overseas. I have been applying for jobs on the Internet but hardly anyone has even replied. Do you have any advice for me?
Bill
Dear Bill,
It is natural to become discouraged and even angry after being laid-off. Now that you have been off for over a year, I'll bet you are beginning to feel a little stir-crazy and anxious - maybe even grouchy!
Bill, it is time to get off the couch, turn off the news shows, and stop worrying about where all the jobs have gone. We have become a global economy, and it is going to be a while until the problem of jobs going overseas is solved (unless you want to work in a job overseas!).
Best thing to do with all those feelings and time is to get busy: exercise, get involved with a club, your professional organization, or your church. Volunteer. Consider signing up for our next online webinar, Resumes for Career Change, which will teach you how to punch up you resume and get the job for which you are most qualified. This webinar starts March 5, 2008, and includes a free copy of our job seeking skills manual.
While the internet is a great source of information, and it is possible to apply for jobs from the comfort of your bedroom, people, not computers, hire people.
The nice thing about staying active in your community and in your associations is that when you volunteer and work on a project or mission with others, you have an opportunity to show others just what you can do. You can even try out new roles and skills. You are much more likely to get a job at that company downtown if you collaborate with someone who works there. At least you won't just be an icon in that stack of on-line applications.
Dear Paula,
I am struggling with my resume. For the last ten years, I have been working in the food service industry in a management position. Due to my current physical condition, I am no longer able to manage the heavy lifting and constant standing that my position requires.
My entire career has been in food services, either as a cook, restaurant manager, or deli manager. I have supervised up to 60 persons including wait staff, cooks, counter, sales, and banquet prep staff. There are no alternative positions in my industry which pay comparably and which are not too strenuous for me. Do you have any suggestions?
Dave
Dear Dave,
As a manager you have a lot of skills that are useful in other types of industries. You likely had to hire, fire, and train staff, develop and maximize customer service policies to achieve higher sales and customer satisfaction, prepare budgets, project labor costs and profit and loss statements, and order and maintain inventory.
You probably are familiar with employment, safety, and sanitation laws. Focus your resume on your transferable skills and abilities instead of the industry. There are many industries that can utilize your ability to manage people and ensure profitability as well as ensure quality customer service. Your experience could be quite valuable in many different types of industries. Consider a customer service environment, government office, educational facility, or any industry that involves coordinating and managing people
Although writing your own resume is certainly feasible, hiring a professional resume writer may be worth your while. People find it difficult to describe themselves in positive qualities like dependable, detail oriented, and excellent interpersonal skills. These types of descriptions can be quite effective when utilized in a resume. They are often included in the profile or summary of qualifications. Consider signing up for our next online webinar, Resumes for Career Change. As I told Bill in the letter above yours, this webinar will teach you how to punch up you resume and get the job for which you are most qualified. It starts March 5, 2008, and includes a free copy of our job seeking skills manual.
Dear Paula,
How do I know if my resume is any good?
Beverly
Dear Beverly,
One way is to show it to a headhunter or employment agency. This is a particularly good method, as they may be able to offer you a suitable position and, if not, they can offer you feedback about the resume itself. Ask them if they feel that your qualifications are properly emphasized for the type of work that you are seeking, and if your resume is clear and easily read. The other test of a good resume is whether or not you getting calls back when you send it.
If you are getting replies for positions which seem appropriate, then your resume is good. If you are not getting calls back or if they are for the wrong type of job, then you may either be sending the resume to the wrong employers, or the focus of the resume may need fine-tuning. Remember the purpose of a resume is to get an interview. A resume does not need to include every detail about your work history; however it should include major personal accomplishments on the job (such as how you saved the company $100,000 a year by streamlining personnel, for example).
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