Posted: 22 Aug 2010 11:48 AM PDT

By Caroline Goldstein

When Patrice Zimmerman of Coatesville found herself out of a job, she vowed never to go back to the corporate world.

Instead Zimmerman, who was in finance and banking for more than 20 years, decided to make a change and start her own business.

She said she had long felt the need for more clothing options for taller women such as herself and could not think of a better time than now for her to design and market that type of product.

"It's just like now all of a sudden I have this driving force," she said.

But not everyone finds their unemployment as inspiring.

Some, like Nancy Roggen of Philadelphia, are expecting to take a major pay cut when they finally find employment. Roggen said she foresees earning $25,000 less than she did at her last job.

Zimmerman and Roggen were among the 25 women who came together on July 14 at the Saturday Club in Wayne for a career seminar focused on finding and using one's strengths.

The program was held by the Women's Resource Center in Wayne in conjunction with SEI, a financial-services company, and Right Management, a career-management consulting firm.

Women participated in one-on-one coaching, a group-strengths exercise and group-networking practice.

"Sitting in front of your computer applying to jobs just doesn't cut it anymore," said Suzanne Levitch, career-services program coordinator for the Women's Resource Center.

And so many people are turning to seminars to gain insight from professionals.

Ford Myers, president of Career Potential, LLC, a career-coaching company, said at a July 20 seminar in Radnor that networking is the most important action to take in looking for a job.

Myers stressed getting help in one's job search. "Don't try to do this by yourself," he told the group. "It's too hard."

That is what many, like Bob DeHaven of Lansdale, have found – frustration.

DeHaven, who became unemployed 13 months ago when the pharmaceutical lab he worked at closed, said that companies rarely contact job-seekers after the submission of a résumé or an interview.

"It's a victory if you get a letter saying that 'we've already filled that position,'" he said.

A man attending the Career Potential seminar, who requested his name not be printed, said in a former job he had been in the hiring seat.

"All that stuff they say about people looking at résumés for 10 seconds, it's true, but worse," he said.

He shared some advice, such as not using small writing or a strange font on a résumé and making sure that the grammar is correct.

"You want to have a reason to get rid of it as fast as you can," he said about résumés received for an open position.

Those who led the Women's Resource Center and Career Potential seminars also had some advice for job-seekers.

Samantha Sheetz, working in workforce development for SEI, suggested making a specific résumé tailored to the company to which a person is applying, and said that asking good questions and following up after interviews show interest and enthusiasm in the job.

A handwritten thank-you note is another way of following up that makes a job candidate stand out, said Alice Lindenauer, group leader for workforce development at SEI.

While the unemployed are searching for jobs, public officials are often working at creating jobs.

"We should, I think, make a conscious effort to pursue policies that will make jobs for people in our area," said Pennsylvania state representative and Democratic congressional candidate Bryan Lentz during a town-hall meeting at the Wayne Art Center on July 24.

Lentz said he believes that businesses need the ability to write off capital investments, which would then allow them to hire more workers.

To specifically help with job creation in the region, Lentz said that there must be an investment in education, particularly community colleges and secondary education, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Investing in infrastructure, such as structurally deficient bridges and rail lines, is another way Lentz said he wants to bring jobs to the area.

In the meanwhile, Myers said that because the average tenure for white-collar workers at a job is two years or less, people should always be networking and practicing interviewing and negotiating skills, even while still employed.

For the unemployed, he believes that one question can triple a person's chances of being hired when it is asked during an interview. That question is "How can I help you?"

Laid off about one year ago, the man at the Career Potential seminar puts the current job market in perspective.

"You think about your immigrant ancestors... they didn't love their jobs; they just wanted to feed their families," he said.

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of mainlinemedianews.com.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent.

Students, job seekers get free online writing help

Posted: 21 Aug 2010 03:48 PM PDT

KUSA - College students and job seekers can now get free online help with term papers, cover letters and resumes from Purdue University.

The University is offering free writing assistance to people in more than 100 countries through its online writing lab.

The lab offers basic information on mechanics, grammar and punctuation as well as more specific tips on academic writing and job search related documents. Writing tutors are also available to answer questions that are not covered on the site.

For more information visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/.

Quitting a job with class important, experts say

Posted: 22 Aug 2010 12:50 AM PDT

By LAURIE WINSLOW World Staff Writer
Published: 8/22/2010 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 8/22/2010 7:23 AM

That apparently was a lesson lost on Steven Slater - the notorious JetBlue flight attendant who caused a media storm when he quit his job.

By now, most everyone has heard about Slater, who flew off the handle following an alleged confrontation with a passenger and quit his job with an obscenity-laced rant over the plane's public address system before escaping down the plane's emergency chute.

His dramatic exit has resonated with many people who know what it's like to work with rude customers or stressful job demands. But what he did was wrong, workplace experts say.

"Whether it's a job you love or a job you've hated, the important thing is that you resign with class. You never want to leave on bad terms, if possible. The main thing is you don't burn bridges," said Rachel Wagner, founder and director of Tulsa-based Rachel Wagner Etiquette and Protocol.

Tempers are short, and many workers feel pressured with slimmer staffs and longer work hours.

"Employees are frustrated with the economy, and in a bad economy some employers take advantage. They know that they can get a way with a lot more and employees really don't have anywhere to go," said Kevin Kennemer, founder of The People Group in Tulsa. "So you're sensing some frustration from employees because they are kind of in this scenario where they can't leave to go get another job."

The airline industry in particular can be very frustrating for passengers, let

alone employees, who often must fend for themselves. But an employee shouldn't be able to pull a stunt like this flight attendant did and receive all this attention, Kennemer said.

"Some people are calling him a hero; he is not a hero. Sure, flight attendants can be heroes, and we have seen heroes ... but what he did was not heroic. He quit. He allowed the situation to get out of hand, and he became unprofessional," he said.

The people who deserve accolades are the ones who go into work every day with smiles on their faces and try to handle people with class and dignity even when they're not being treated that way, said Lynn Flinn, president and managing partner of The Rowland Group. They work hard every day and do the best they can.

Becoming emotionally involved in a situation doesn't help matters. Employees who find themselves in a heated situation at work like Slater did should remove themselves and let someone else handle it, Kennemer said.

Preferably, employees should be able to talk to their supervisor, explain their frustrations and work out a solution before it gets out of hand. That might entail changing responsibilities or switching positions at work. "Obviously, communication is so important," Kennemer added.

Trash-talking an employer can have the opposite effect and reflect poorly on the person saying such things.

"You don't want to bad-mouth your boss or your company even if you have worked for the worst boss in the world," Wagner said. "The world is pretty small, especially when it comes to social media. You never know the information that gets passed around from Facebook or Twitter ... All of those things have a way of coming back to bite you. Your paths may cross with this person again. One of these former employees could end up being your boss or wind up in a cubicle next to you."

Flinn has met several job candidates who start their job search with negative comments about their previous employers. It's generally not a good sign if the pattern repeats itself and might indicate that something is wrong with the behavior of the person seeking the job, rather than the former employer, she said.

If you talk negatively about a former employer, those interviewing you for a job may wonder what you'll say about them when you leave one day, Flinn added.

"When you're talking about a town like Tulsa, that is smaller, the word gets around more than you think it will," Flinn said. "People can connect dots here."

Talk goes on behind the scenes. Word spreads. A future boss may be a friend of your last boss or know someone who worked with you.

People often have a false sense of security when they leave a job and assume no one will learn what happened there, but chances are "very high" they will, Flinn said.

"Leaving a job with class and courtesy will never come back to haunt you," Wagner said.

Dos and don'ts for leaving a job

Have you ever been so furious, so fed up with your job that you've wanted to stomp out of the office, hurl a BlackBerry across the room, spew venom at anyone in earshot or throw a pie in your supervisor's face?

Last impressions make lasting impressions. So think before you act.

Here are some job resigning dos and don'ts.

Don't steal company information or data. Don't send files to a competitor. "Don't do things that are vindictive. You could actually get in a lot of trouble over that with some of the privacy rules that companies have set up," said Kevin Kennemer, founder of The People Group in Tulsa.

He noted that many employers require that employees sign confidentiality agreements when they start a job. He recalled the termination of one employee who when escorted back to her work space hit one computer key and deleted every file.

Don't let the heat of the moment drive your decision-making process.

In the heat of the moment, you might think a boss is your enemy, but time has a way of healing disagreements. Later on you may realize your boss was just doing his or her job.

No matter what your difference of opinion with an employer, extend a hand of friendship when leaving a job. You never know when you might need that individual later in your career, Kennemer said.

Do give proper notice. No matter how stressed you are, don't just walk off the job, say human resource experts. Give your employer enough notice to make the transition. Some companies might require a two-week notice, others a four-week notice.

Do stay engaged in your work up until you leave. Many people after they give their notice suffer from "short-timers syndrome" and slack off.

Try to stay 100 percent engaged, said Rachel Wagner, founder and director of Tulsa-based Rachel Wagner Etiquette and Protocol. Even if you have a great track record, people remember those final days, which can become your legacy.

Go the extra mile and offer to train your replacement during this overlap time. Invite him or her to call you with questions even after you've left your job, Wagner said.

Lynn Flinn, president and managing partner of The Rowland Group, appreciates people who go above and beyond their normal duties during their last two weeks of work.

"I truly do remember employees that have worked up to the last minute and have asked, 'What else do you need me to do? How can I help you?' Those people stand out. You will always have a soft spot for them. You will always do something extra for them because they did something extra for you," Flinn said.

Do leave your desk and office clean. Take time to organize materials for the person replacing you.

Don't quit by e-mail. Quitting by e-mail is the chicken way out, Flinn said. Just as an employee doesn't want to be fired by e-mail or voice mail, an employer doesn't want to learn of a resignation that way, either.

Do provide a written letter of resignation. You may not feel like writing a letter because you're angry or upset, but do it as a courtesy to your employer. The letter can be brief and simple, stating that you're leaving your job to pursue other opportunities. You don't have to give specifics on where you're going and what you'll be doing, Wagner said.

"No matter how you feel, thank your boss for the opportunity of working for the company and the skills you've learned. It's just a formal way of stating you're leaving and directing your appreciation to them," Wagner added.

Present the letter after you've met with your supervisor or boss in person and have told them you're resigning. Don't leave the letter on his or her chair or desk, Flinn said.

After notifying your boss, you also may want to send a brief, positive e-mail to your co-workers, Wagner said. Provide them with your new contact information because you may want to network with them or get reference letters in the future.

Don't bad-mouth your boss. The world is small, especially with today's social media and communication tools such as Twitter and Facebook. Information spreads quickly, and words said in haste can come back to haunt you.

Don't use exit interviews as a way to trash your boss or throw personal potshots, Wagner said. Instead, use them for constructive feedback. For example, you could explain how there was lack of communication within your department or how you weren't given enough job responsibilities.

"Keep that positive. Don't air dirty laundry," Wagner added.

Do leave with class and dignity. The one thing you have is your reputation. How you handle yourself in the most difficult circumstances will reveal your true character, Flinn said.

"There is never a downside to leaving your last employer with a good feeling about you. There is never a downside to leaving with class," Flinn said.

Original Print Headline: Dos and don'ts for leaving a job

Laurie Winslow 581-8466
laurie.winslow@tulsaworld.com

Job Search

Sunday, August 22, 2010

“Career programs help unemployed get an edge in the job search” plus 2 more

“Career programs help unemployed get an edge in the job search” plus 2 more

Dos and don'ts for leaving a job

No comments:

Post a Comment

Popular Posts