Getting your player ready...
Dear J.T. & DALE: After college I worked in startup tech companies for 10 years. I worked like crazy and was super successful. I unexpectedly got sick – a brain tumor. It took me out of work for almost two years. My doctor just released me to go back to work full time. How should I explain this to employers? Also, I want to go back to the tech startup world, and I don’t want to work more than 40 hours a week so I can keep my strength up and stress down. – Blake
J.T.: The good news is that a lot of startups are now being founded by people who believe in work-life balance. Not all expect you to work crazy hours.
DALE: Perhaps you can tap into your network of former colleagues and identify such a place. However, you may find that the “laid-back startup” is an oxymoron. Perhaps you want to consider other options. For instance, with your background, you could work for an investment firm that funds tech startups, giving you the rush of being in on a new endeavor while still having regular hours. Or you could work for the development team of a larger company.
J.T.: As for explaining to tech startups, I think you should be proud of your story. Briefly describe how you survived and how, with the support of your doctors, you are ready to get back to work. Tell them what you miss most about tech and how much you want to prove to the company that’s willing to hire you that it made a great decision.
DALE: Good. However, I don’t think you can go in and start talking about limiting your work hours or seeking a low-stress job. Everyone believes his or her job is stressful. (Just think about how often you’ve heard people say, “You can’t imagine the stress of going in every day and having almost nothing to do.”) Maybe you can identify work-life-balance companies ahead of time. If not, you might want to get back into working by seeking consulting assignments. After all, being out for two years with health issues is going to be a concern for employers.
J.T.: I don’t think you’ll have to compromise on finding a full-time job. Just make the story of your return interesting and compelling, but most of all, show them the happy ending. A great employer is going to want to play a part in your story.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I want to start my own company, but I need a day job to pay the bills. How can I promote myself online as an entrepreneur without my company finding out? I’m afraid they’ll fire me if they know I’m looking for funding to start my own business. – Jeremy
J.T.: You are wise to be careful. Employers don’t want to hear that you are using them. So I would keep your dreams of entrepreneurship private for now.
DALE: That’s good advice, although you could make quiet inquiries around the office and see if current or past employees have started side businesses. There are organizations that accept such endeavors, particularly if presented as a “hobby business.” If that won’t fly, then you can seek traditional startup funding, doing it the way entrepreneurs have for hundreds of years: rolling up your sleeves and doing the tough work of persuading your relatives to invest.
J.T.: Or, you can begin to undertake “stealth networking” and expand your influence and find connections privately. Making the transition from employee to business owner doesn’t happen just because you announce it online. The real work is done with relationships you build and actions you take to find funding. Don’t worry about the online part and focus on building the plan, finding resources and making connections that will help turn the dream into a reality.
DALE: Keep in mind, not only does becoming a business take more than an online announcement, it takes customers. So focus your efforts on talking with prospective ones. Finding funding will be easy if you have clients ready to buy.
– Workplace consultant and career coach J.T. O’Donnell has coached, trained and mentored employees and managers on a wide variety of career-related subjects since 1994. Her book, “CAREEREALISM: The Smart Approach to A Satisfying Career” is available at JTODonnell.com. 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. copyright 2013 King Features.
