Getting your player ready...
Dear J.T. & Dale: My son had to leave his IT position to become caretaker to his mother (who is now a lung cancer survivor). He took her to the doctor for her treatments and also maintained her home. He is now ready to get back into the work force. What is the best way to approach his “absence” for the past year? – Jeff
J.T.: Honesty works best here. Have him add “Caretaker” to his work history. He should try to quantify the experience – for instance, how many doctor appointments he took her to, and his duties as head of the household. Not a lot, but just enough so they know the magnitude.
DALE: I’m all for the truth, in its place; however, “Caretaker” is a terrible truth to stick in a resume. To me, listing it as a job makes it seem that he left the IT profession to dabble in a new career. Instead, I’d downplay the time off. He can merely list 2011 as the end date for his last job, and give as the reason for leaving his last position that he was caring for his mother, who has since recovered.
J.T.: I guess I have a bit more faith in hiring managers. However, either way, the wonderful news is that his mother recovered, and I’ll bet he’s excited to get back to work. That should be conveyed in his cover letter in order to alleviate any concerns that he may still need additional time off to care for her. They’ll want to know that he is truly ready to return full time.
DALE: He also should attend professional meetings and do some IT work for friends or as a consultant in order to make clear that he is not out of touch. He needs to emphasize that he is ready to get back to work in every sense, re-energized emotionally and professionally.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I recently was turned down for a position after a credit check was run, even though my experience met all the company’s criteria and I was called back for a second interview. I was upfront with them about my credit. Is this a common practice, and how can companies get away with this? – Landon
J.T.: I know it seems unfair, and that’s why some states are enacting laws to prevent employers from using credit as a criterion.
DALE: But let’s back up for a second. I’m sure there were many applicants for the job, but they picked you to interview, Landon, and you were so impressive that they asked you back a second time. Getting to that point means you did 100 things right. And now, because you didn’t get the job, you’re wondering what it was that you did wrong. BUT … odds are, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s like a college basketball team that makes the Final Four but doesn’t win the championship – someone else was better or luckier on a given day. I bring this up because I don’t want you to get fixated on credit history as blocking your future and get defensive in interviews. It may have been a small factor in the company’s decision; in fact, it may have played no part.
J.T.: Some companies use credit scores as one measure of how responsible a person is. With so many people looking, they may feel it’s easier to hire someone with a good credit score.
DALE: Which is why you were right to bring it up in the interview. And you should rehearse a brief statement talking about all you’re doing to repair your credit scores, playing up the “lesson learned” theme.
J.T.: Further, I wouldn’t write off the company that turned you down. Stay in touch. They could be doing more hiring. If they see that you took the rejection well and offered to check in regularly because you were impressed with them and still want to work there, they will remember that.
