Getting your player ready...
Dear J.T. & DALE: For four years I worked in a dental office. The dentist was very abusive. I was going to my family doctor three times a week for stress, and I had to quit the job. I went to school and updated my education. I get lots of interviews but no job offers. At the interviews they ask me for references, and they always call the dental office even though I tell them not to because the dentist will not give me a reference. What can I do? – Savannah
J.T.: I’m glad to hear you decided to stop taking the abuse and moved on. However, your explanation for leaving makes you appear “suspect” to potential employers. Telling them not to call a previous employer makes it seem like you are trying to hide something. DALE: Agreed. The first goal of hiring is to avoid bringing in a problem employee. If you come in complaining about a previous boss, well, you might just be a complainer. This is why you always hear the advice to never criticize aprevious employer. J.T.: Just say: “You are welcome to contact my former employer, but I must be honest and tell you I’m sure what kind of reference he will provide. I learned I work better with a different type of management style. That’s why I went back to school, to change my career emphasis and be part of a work environment where I could really put my talents to use.” DALE: Yes, that’s a chipper, upbeat response. However, the interviewer may well ask what was so bad about the previous workplace. Then it gets tricky. You must NOT say that you were required to work late or that the dentist was furious about mistakes – these things happen in every workplace. Further, do not mention that you sought medical treatment for stress – all managers believe their workplaces are stressful. You either have to dance around, talking in generalities about management style, or offer a startling example. I mean something like, “He went through 30 assistants in a single year,” or “He would scream and throw dental instruments against the wall.” I know this goes against the conventional wisdom of never criticizing a previous employer, but the exception is when the behavior is so outrageous that the old boss loses all credibility. J.T.: The key is to approach the discussion from a calm and balanced perspective. No complaining. Employers want to hire reasonable people, and you must demonstrate how, after four years at your old employer, you made a reasonable decision to move on. Dear J.T. & DALE: I am 31 and work in HR. I am ready to try something new. I am inheriting some money within the next few months, and I want a game plan. My passions in life are music, film and art. I have thought about IT careers because that stuff seems easy to me. I’m afraid to go back to school without a plan. Should I work part time while going to school? – Chris DALE: Most everyone contemplating a major career decision starts with “follow your passion.” You’ve done that. Plus, you’ve gone further and considered your skills, contemplating which ones come naturally to you. Now it’s time to take that self-knowledge and test it against the employment marketplace. As you consider attending schools, don’t just ask what programs they offer, ask what jobs their graduates are finding. You want to start at the endpoint – the career – and work backward.
Management guru Dale Dauten has written six books and is an authority on innovation in the workplace. His latest book, “Great Employees Only: How Gifted Bossess Hire & Dehire Their Way to Success” is available at Dauten.com. ©2012 King Features Syndicate.
