Dear J.T. & DALE: After seven years with his company, my son resigned his job due to improper payments and a hostile work environment. He did not realize it’s easier to get a job when you have a job. Knowing that he shouldn’t say anything negative about his previous employer in interviews, how should he handle having resigned? – Julia
J.T.: The fact that your son resigned will tell potential employers that something went wrong, so it’s sure to come up. The best way to address it is for him to share the blame for what happened. He needs to be accountable for his decision to resign and admit that it wasn’t the best solution.
DALE: Here’s another situation where questions are the answer. He simply explains to the hiring manager that only after resigning did he hear that it’s easier to find a job when you have one. Then he asks the interviewer’s opinion as to whether that’s true. Employers love to hire those who are curious and eager to learn.
J.T.: Still, he likely will have to explain the reason for his resignation. I would suggest saying: “I worked for the company for seven years. Eventually I became disappointed in the company’s improper payments for work and also frustrated by the work environment, which made it difficult to stay positive and motivated. So I decided to resign in order to focus on finding a place where I could excel.”
DALE: That’s good, but I’d shift emphasis. As your question suggests, Julia, nobody wants to risk hiring the sour individual who carps about previous employers. So tell your son not to blame management, but instead blame the environment created by his co-workers. Forget the comment about payments and just say, “I was surrounded by negative, complaining people who didn’t care about the company or the customers.” Ding, ding, ding! That’s the guy who resigned for the right reason, and the one you want to hire on the spot.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I am 45 years old and have been self-employed as a remodeling contractor for the past 15 years. I grew up on a farm and went to college to become an automotive technician. I can weld, read blueprints, work with wood and steel, and am very good at problem-solving. I would like to apply these to a new career with a larger organization. What are some job titles that I should start researching? – Morgan
DALE: As you begin to search for new organizations and titles, you might experiment with your self-employment. Maybe it’s time to switch to new construction or become a sub-contractor to a company that rehabs buildings. This might give you new energy while keeping the many benefits of being self-employed.
J.T.: As for getting hired into a larger organization, you have a wonderful, nontraditional combination of skills, education and experience. The troublesome word in that last sentence is “nontraditional”; it means you won’t find job titles that match. Instead, you need to focus on employers that do things that matter to you. Find 10-20 companies in your area that work on projects that interest you and align with your talents. Then, network to meet people who work in those places. Your goal is to converse with employees about their work and to exchange ideas and past work experiences. An employee who can see your potential will want to make introductions on your behalf. It just comes down to your creating the opportunities to have meaningful conversations about work. So, do your homework, and choose companies that do something you can talk about knowledgeably.
DALE: Along the way, you will learn what job titles might apply. Many will require credentials or specific experience that you don’t have. However, you have a great story, and that often tops formal job requirements. There are plenty of managers who appreciate a farm background. In fact, I once had an executive at 3M tell me that growing up on a farm is the ideal background. Why? You grow up learning to work hard and to make things work. That’s you.
– 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.
