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First Offer Not Your First Choice? When to Take It - And When to Walk Away

By Ian Christie | Monster Contributing Writer — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:01:00 -0700

When you're unemployed, unhappily employed or eager to change careers, jumping at the first offer you get - even if it isn't quite what you want - can be tempting. So should you?

While an offer can give you a sense of security, that feeling can quickly vanish if the position just isn't right for you and you find yourself looking for another job quickly. Besides giving the impression that you're a job-hopper, a poor career decision like this can also undermine your self-confidence and derail your career progress.

That's why you should think deeply about whether you should accept that first offer or hold out for something better. This guide will help you through the decision-making process.

h2. Weigh the Options

Before deciding, follow these four steps to get a clearer picture of your situation:

1. Examine Your Motivations: Why are you changing jobs or careers? Define what you're moving away from and/or moving toward. Clarify what you want more of and less of in your career.

2. Define Your Target Job: What characteristics must it have? Which ones would it be merely nice to have? How will your life be different if you have this kind of job? How important is that difference to you?

3. Weigh the Offer Against Your Criteria and Situation: How does the offer stack up to what you've defined as important? How much financial pressure are you under to accept it? How realistic is your goal? Have you done or are you doing the right things to achieve it?

4. Analyze the Opportunity on Its Own Merits: Do you want to work for the organization? Can you succeed in the job? Do the team and company culture seem like a good fit?

h2. Take the Offer?

The above questions can help you assess your situation, but there's no magic formula to arriving at a decision. However, I can offer some solid recommendations.

h2. Consider taking the offer when:

1. Family and/or financial circumstances require it, and you see few immediate alternatives.

2. You suspect you haven't invested enough bold, substantial action in your job search.

3. You can get something out of the experience, and the offer gives you more than you currently have and/or moves you closer to your goals.

4. You're confident you can succeed, and the opportunity is in a promising new field or company, or it puts you in the orbit of well-connected people.

h2. Consider rejecting the offer when:

1. You have the financial means to hang on a little longer.

2. You're confident in your job search plan and can honestly say it's just a matter of time before you land your target job.

3. The offer requires you to do a job or work in an environment that could potentially take a toll on you emotionally, physically or financially.

4. You sense a bad fit with the job, the people or your values. If you ignore this feeling, you drastically increase the likelihood that you'll be unhappy and looking for work again soon.

h2. Still a Toss-Up?

Even after going through this analysis, you may wind up with no clear-cut answer. If that's the case, look first for any deal breakers or potential wins. Is there some aspect of the job you won't be able to live with for long, such as working in an environment that causes physical and/or emotional stress or performing tasks you dread? Is there something about the job too good to pass up, like working for a rising company?

You can ask others for insight, but ultimately, listen to your gut. While there still may be no absolute right answer, whatever you decide, move forward purposefully, accepting the bad with the good.

Working with my clients, I define a successful career transition as getting closer to what's right for you. If the opportunity moves you closer to your goals and values, then accepting it won't be a bad move. But before making such an important decision, take the time to honestly evaluate that first offer and how it fits with your career plan.

[Ian Christie founded BoldCareer.com to help individuals build bold, fulfilling careers and help organizations attract, develop and retain talent. A career coach, consultant, three-time entrepreneur, former senior director at Monster and former retained executive search consultant, Ian is an expert in the fields of careers and recruitment. He believes that career management is a central theme to both personal and organizational effectiveness. BoldCareer.com offers career services to companies and individuals as well as free career resources.]

Overcome Family Pressure: Drive Your Own Career

By Amy Hume | Monster Contributing Writer — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:01:00 -0700

Brian (not a real person) was a successful accountant. He made a good living, had been promoted several times and worked for a respected firm. Yet Brian was unhappy and didn't know why. He had done everything he should have, at least according to the messages he'd received from his family. But by following those messages instead of listening to his inner voice, Brian strayed far from his true calling –– carpentry –– and was now miserably successful.

h2. Impossible to Avoid

You get messages from your family from the day you're born. Some of these messages deal directly with work, including:

• The jobs that are considered appropriate based on gender or income potential.

• The circumstances under which it's appropriate to leave a job.

• The acceptable motivations for working.

Your family may have clearly stated some of these messages, or rules. For example:

• "Of course you'll go to medical school. Your father did."

• "It's not appropriate for a man to be a nurse."

• "You can't work for minimum wage!"

You may receive other messages subtly via comments about other people. For example:

• "Can you believe she quit because she was bored? What about her bills?"

Message: It's more important to earn money than be happy in your job.

• "Mr. Smith sure is doing well. He owns his own business now!"

Message:Entrepreneurship is good.

• "Boy, she's really making a difference in the world."

Message: Social service is a worthy field.

h2. These Messages Have an Effect

As you became an adult, you internalized some of the messages from your family. The little voice in your head that tells you to look both ways before crossing the street is the same one that "tsks" when you consider a career that is unacceptable based on the messages you've received from your family through the years. The conflict between these messages and the skills, interests and abilities you possess as an individual can cause lots of stress and, ultimately, lead to bad career decisions.

Let's look at Brian again. His family messages included:

• "A good job is a professional job, like a doctor, lawyer or accountant."

• "It's better to be at the top of the ladder than at the bottom."

• "Income is the most important consideration."

• "It's not acceptable for a member of our family to work with his hands for a living."

It's that last message that's causing him the most conflict. Because Brian is listening to –– and following –– messages that don't match his true desires, it is highly unlikely he will ever feel fulfilled as an accountant.

h2. Get Back on Track

If you realize you've been following someone else's career rules, it's time to get back on track with your own. Follow these steps to get started:

Recognize the Messages: Articulate the messages and rules you carry around in your head. Question every assumption and bias you have about jobs and work. This can be tricky, because assumptions are often invisible to us. Keep asking yourself why, as in, "Why can't a man be a nurse?"

Evaluate the Messages You Uncover: Scrutinize every family message you recall. Is it something you value? Is it something you believe? Most importantly, is it a rule you want to keep?

Keep the Good, Toss the Rest: Keep the messages that match your values and beliefs. They will serve as a guide in your job search and work life. Toss the ones that run counter to what you believe. They will only get in the way when you try to hear and follow your inner voice.

Learn More About What You Believe: You will likely uncover some gray areas where you don't believe what your family taught you, but aren't sure what you should believe, either. This is a good time to do some self-assessment work.

By learning to listen to what your own voice is telling you, you'll be on track to find the career that's right for you.

Highest Paying Careers for Women

Kristina Cowan | Payscale.com — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:23:00 -0700

Three seem to be three easily identifiable stages within modern women's entrance into (and overtaking of) the world job market. First, women were to nurse and teach - not an absolute victory, because many men were not interested in working such jobs, but a victory nonetheless. Next, women were allowed to work in pretty much any career men worked in, except for lower pay, fewer benefits, and less job stability.

But now, there are female astronauts, business executives, lawyers, doctors, and politicians - who not only work in these fields, but are compensated for their hard work fairly. Which fields are most lucrative, and why (besides a fat paycheck) should women consider them? Career experts Susan Wilson Solovic , Dr. Laurence Shatkin and Dr. Warren Farrell weigh in on the best-paying careers for women:

Careers in Medicine

Careers in Information Technology

Careers in Law

Careers in Sales Engineering

Careers in Financial Services & Investment Counselors

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h4. *Careers in Medicine*

_Median salary for female M.D.s: $135,725_ Job search now!

Besides money, why consider this career? If raising a family is part of your plan, there's great potential for flexibility.

Solovic, the CEO of SBTV.com in St. Louis, suggests areas like internal medicine, anesthesiology and dermatology as excellent fields for women who also plan to raise families. "Those medical areas are not quite as taxing and demanding as some of the others," she explains. "For example, if you are a cardiac surgeon you could get called in the middle of the night and be doing surgery for six hours. It's more difficult to manage these calls if you are also a caretaker in your family."

Another possibility is concierge medicine, where doctors charge a yearly fee from a set number of patients while providing enhanced care. "This is good because it's flexible, you can manage your schedule a little bit better," Solovic notes. "One woman doctor I know who is a concierge doctor-she limits her practice now to 200 patients a year because she has small children."

Median Salary by Job - Degree: Doctor of Medicine (MD) (United States)

Compare your salary: Get a free Salary Report

Next Page: Careers in Information Technology

Search for a job in medicine now!

Return to the article's main page.

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h4. *Careers in Information Technology*

_Median salary for female IT consultants: $70,492_ Job search now!

Besides money, why consider this career? IT jobs are plentiful and increasingly friendly to women.

"There's a lot of opportunity in IT for women, either starting their own businesses or working for places, like Google or Yahoo, that are innovative," Solovic says, noting an abundance of IT jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' employment projections for 2006-2016, "demand for computer-related occupations" will rise in nearly all industries as organizations adopt more complex technologies.

"Technology is still dominated by men, but it's becoming more friendly to women," says Shatkin, a career information expert. "More and more of it is high-tech, where it doesn't have the work conditions that are strenuous, difficult, mechanical. That's proved very attractive to women."

Next Page: Careers in Law

Search for a job in IT now!

Return to the article's main page.

[page]

h4. *Careers in Law*

_Median salary for female attorneys/lawyers: $69,696_ Job search now!

Besides money, why consider this career? Women interested in making partner have more options, as firms grow more flexible.

Law firms are becoming more flexible to retain talented women attorneys, Solovic says, giving them opportunities to stay on the partner track. "So many of the law firms were losing out. [There was a] huge trend for women exiting and not making partner ... But now the trend is going the other way, where firms are recognizing the diversity of talent is critical for them to compete," she notes.

Median Salary by Employer Type - Industry: Law Firm / Law Office (United States)

Compare your salary: Get a free Salary Report

Next Page: Careers in Sales Engineering

Search for a job in law now!

Return to the article's main page.

[page]

h4. *Careers in Sales Engineering*

_Median salary for female sales engineers: $62,427_ Job search now!

Besides money, why consider this career? Because women tend to be effective communicators, they're well-qualified for these jobs.

Sales engineers work with companies' production, engineering, or research and development departments, or with independent sales firms, to determine how products and services can be designed or modified for customers' needs. These jobs, which require the background of an engineer and the qualities of a sales person, are an excellent fit for women, says Farrell, the California-based author of "Why Men Earn More: The Startling Truth Behind the Pay Gap-and What Women Can Do About It." "Women tend to be better verbally. A lot of men who are scientists or engineers are not very good verbally. Women who select themselves to be engineers are successful," he explains.

Median Salary by Industry - Job: Sales Engineer (United States)

Compare your salary: Get a free Salary Report

Next Page: Careers in Financial Services & Investment Counselors

Search for a job in sales now!

Return to the article's main page.

[page]

h4. *Careers in Financial Services and Investment Counselors*

_Median salary for women in financial services: $53,890_ Job search now!

Besides money, why consider this field? Building relationships is key to many jobs-something women come by naturally.

Solovic says the financial-services sector offers "one of the most lucrative opportunities out there for women right now, but a very small percentage of women are tackling it and succeeding. But those who do are extremely successful at it." She says women have natural characteristics well-suited to these jobs, like educating, communicating, and developing relationships.

Median Salary by Job - Industry: Financial Services (United States)

Compare your salary: Get a free Salary Report

Search for a job in financial services now!

Return to the article's main page.

Reinvention Review: Turn Prior Experiences into Current Capabilities

By Dan Woog | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:53:00 -0700

After three decades as a radio engineer, a 50-plus woman suddenly finds herself downsized. With the radio industry in a tailspin, what are her prospects for continuing the work she loves?

Pretty good - if she repositions her skills and reinvents her experience as relevant to employers seeking engineers knowledgeable about podcasts and MP3 downloads.

Is she alone in worrying about how to keep working? Hardly.

h2. Older Workers Face Many Barriers

According to Linda Wiener, Monster's Age Issues Expert and a workforce consultant specializing in the topic, "This is huge. I see more ageism in employment now than in the past 20 years." But Wiener adds, "I don't know if there will be a worker shortage in the future, but there definitely will be a skills shortage."

A 2005 study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that younger workers were 40 percent more likely to be called for interviews than those 50 or older. In fiscal year 2005, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission fielded 10,585 charges of age discrimination and collected nearly $78 million in settlements - the most since 1992.

Part of that bias lies with an increasingly younger corps of human resources personnel and hiring managers who, in the words of Granny @ Work editor Karen Riggs, "may have concerns about the ability and inclination of older people to perform."

h2. Unleash Your Curiosity

However, Riggs - an older Baby Boomer herself - says that her generation has many ways to show potential employers they are more than up to the task. "Unleash your curiosity," Riggs advises. "Roll up your sleeves. Poke around the computer to learn more skills. Pay attention to the technology your kids are using, and learn from them."

But simply learning new programs is not enough. To actually reposition yourself in the workplace, you must first examine your current position.

h2. Understand Your Expertise

"Look at your job description, capture your own experience," says Riggs.

For example, Wiener knows a 50-plus information technology project manager who was downsized three times while caring for her aging parents. She realized her technological skills could be used in gerontology, helping elderly people move from one residence to another. "She overlaid her current skills on her current life and filled a new need," Wiener explains.

Riggs advises: "If you feel that your skill set no longer fits with your organization and you have the luxury of time, go back to school. Take a couple of classes to recover your skills or get to the next stage."

h2. Accomplishments, Not Laundry Lists of Skills

Riggs urges older workers who are repositioning themselves to focus on achievements. "Let's say you've been a sales representative for 15 years," Riggs says. "You're an expert in maintaining client relationships face to face, by phone and letter. But now, through the miracle of technology, there are more expedient ways. So look at what you're doing, highlighting the number of relationships you retain, and how deeply and successfully they're held, rather than the methodology of maintaining client relationships. Focus on results, not how you achieve those results."

"If you helped your division increase sales 20 percent while you were working, talk about that," she says. "It doesn't matter if it was 20 years ago; it's still an accomplishment."

Many hiring professionals now search online for background information. To be noticed, create an online presence. Emphasize your work and credentials, not your personal life; include links to articles about you or testimonials from colleagues and supervisors.

The key to repositioning oneself is to highlight skills and experiences that never become obsolete. A manager in a manufacturing plant, for example, should look past a downsized industry and offshore production. Instead, Riggs suggests, "highlight your decision-making skills that benefit time and efficiency and supervising people. These are applicable to any field with products that must be moved and people who must be handled."

Always think of what you've done, how you've done it and who can benefit from your talents and experiences today. "Find the touchstone in your professional career," Riggs advises. "Don't massage it or doctor it; just formulate it sensibly. People don't like to connect the dots. Your job is to connect them for them."

Beyond the Paycheck

By Dona DeZube | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:33:00 -0700

When you're negotiating for a new job, there's much more to consider than the size of your paycheck, points out Mary Simon, author of Negotiate Your Job Offer: A Step-by-Step Guide to a Win-Win Situation. Simon suggests each offer has eight different components you need to consider.

h2. Total Compensation

This includes base salary, medical, dental, vision and retirement benefits.

h2. Quality-of-Life Factors

What are the company's policies regarding vacation, child/eldercare, parental leave, telecommuting policies and relocation requirements?

h2. Performance Parameters

Do the performance expectations, time period given to achieve those goals and annual bonuses seem right for you?

h2. Job Structure

How much domestic and international travel is required?

h2. Resources and Support

What technical and interdepartmental support will you get from IT, marketing, accounting and customer service?

h2. Career Development

This includes tuition assistance, professional development, mentoring and coaching.

h2. Stress and Time

Exactly what are you getting yourself into, and are you being compensated for it? Take note of peak work hours, parental leave policies, telecommuting policies and frequency of required relocation.

h2. Help with Transition

The relocation package, signing bonus, and assistance with job search and relocation for your partner/spouse can be a nice add-on and might even tip you off as to how much the company wants you to join the team.

Discover the Work You Were Born to Do

By James Gonyea | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:20:00 -0700

So you've been hearing that voice again, the one that says you're not doing what you were born to do. That may be true, but how do you figure out what you should be doing?

To begin answering this question, examine whether your current career path matches your core interests, beliefs, values, needs and skills. Professional career counselors usually undertake this strategy when attempting to help clients identify appropriate career directions.

Here's what I ask clients to help them find their core.

h2. Ask yourself these questions, and record your answers:

1. What subjects do you most enjoy reading about?

2. What television or radio programs do you most enjoy?

3. What are your favorite types of movies?

4. What are your favorite hobbies or pastimes?

5. What type of volunteer activities do you prefer?

6. What subjects do you enjoy discussing with friends?

7. What subjects come to mind when you daydream?

8. What have been your favorite jobs?

9. What were your favorite school subjects?

10. What are your pet peeves?

11. If you doodle, what do you often draw?

12. If you ran the world, what changes would you make?

13. If you won a million bucks, what would you do with it?

14. Who are your favorite kinds of people?

15. How would you like to be remembered after your death?

16. What are your favorite toys?

17. How would you describe your political beliefs?

18. Who do you most admire in life and why?

19. What tasks have brought you the most success?

20. What tasks do you think you could do well that you haven't yet done?

Examine your answers. Do you see a certain behavior or belief in more than one aspect of your life? What information do you see repeated that seems to reveal a behavior pattern? What are your long-lasting interests?

h2. Using this information, paint a self-portrait by completing the following statements:

I am mainly interested in…

I believe most in…

I most value…

For a good life, I feel I need…

I can do the following well…

Now ask yourself if your current job helps you achieve these five statements. If it does, you're probably in the right career. Chances are, however, that the nagging voice means your current career is not satisfying your core features. If this is the case, then it's time to find a better fit.

If the right career choice is not obvious from the information you have gathered about yourself, then try reading What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles.

Assess Company Culture to Find the Best Fit

By Michael Neece | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:08:00 -0700

Landing a great job involves more than interviewing well, getting an offer and earning a paycheck. While it's the interviewer's responsibility to assess your skills and experience, it's up to you to determine whether a particular employer is aligned with your core values and beliefs.

Working at a company with values inconsistent with yours is stressful, unrewarding, even depressing at times. No matter how great the position and salary, if you're working in a caustic, understaffed and unethical culture, you'll feel unfulfilled.

The job interview is your best opportunity to assess the work environment and organizational norms. But how can you assess the culture while you're being interviewed?

Organizational culture is dictated by the values, behaviors, beliefs and norms that permeate the group. Culture is expressed through the words and behaviors of each employee. Company or department leadership sets the overall tone.

Recruiters and managers often say that a candidate “fits” or “doesn't fit” to explain why a candidate should be offered a job offer or not offered one. What interviewers are really saying is the candidate fits or doesn't fit into the company culture. Many companies, in an effort to perpetuate their corporate cultures, hire people they feel fit and reject candidates whom they think do not fit their culture.

You should be sure the culture works from your standpoint as well. Rarely will you find a work environment totally aligned with your values, but you should be able to find organizations where the culture and your values can coexist.

h2. Be a Keen Observer

Here are some of the things to be cognizant of during your interview experience:

• How are you treated while interviewing?

• What phrases do the interviewers use frequently?

• Is there a theme or unspoken tone to the questions asked?

• How does the environment feel to you?

• How prepared are the interviewers? Are they on time?

• Were you given an interview schedule?

• Were you treated like a prisoner or a guest?

• Are your responses to questions treated with suspicion or professional curiosity?

• How considerate is the company recruiter?

h2. Ask for Details

Of course, digging up facts about company culture doesn't have to be an altogether clandestine effort. You can simply ask questions about organizational culture. Here are a few to consider:

• What three words or phrases would you use to describe the company or department culture?

• How does the company (team) handle conflict or differing opinions?

• How does the company recognize employee accomplishments?

• Does the company have a code of ethics?

• Please describe the leadership or managerial style at your company.

• What qualities do the most successful employees in your company possess?

• What is the company's attitude toward professional and educational advancement?

Job interviews are business events where your talents are evaluated - and they are also your opportunity to evaluate how the company's culture complements your values. Be sure to make the observations and ask the necessary questions to make a good assessment of whether the culture is the right fit for you.

Five Habits of Millionaires

Barbara Reinhold | Monster.com — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:06:00 -0700

According to a study of college students at the Ernst & Young International Intern Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, 59 percent of these young leaders expect to be millionaires within their lifetime. What's more, 5 percent of them expect to hit the million-dollar mark while in their 20s.

And the super-rich are a growing group. The top 0.1 percent of the population's average income was $3 million in 2002, up two and a half times the $1.2 million, adjusted for inflation, that group reported in 1980.

h4. *Earned Money vs. Easy Money*

Easy money usually comes from inheritance or luck, such as winning the lottery. The track record of people who get their money through the lottery or other windfalls is usually very different from those who created their wealth themselves or who planned for an expected inheritance. Lottery winners are often a sorry lot; more than 90 percent use up their winnings within 10 years -- some go through their money in weeks or months.

But there are some consistent patterns among those people who earn or plan to inherit their money, and these five strategies may be worth emulating.

h4. *1. Avoid the Earn-to-Spend Mentality*

Michael LeBoeuf, author of The Millionaire in You, points out that to increase wealth, it's essential to emulate millionaires who view money as something to save and invest, rather than income to spend. Many wealthy people live quite simply, he points out, choosing less pretentious homes than they could theoretically afford and opting for financial independence over material showmanship.

h4. *2. Focus*

LeBoeuf also counsels resisting the impulse to be scattered in your efforts and interests: "Winners focus; losers spray." And goals that are clearly written down are easier to keep in focus.

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h4. *3. Do Whatever Is Necessary to Meet Your Goal*

People who earn their millions are able not only to focus but persevere in the pursuit of their goals. One single mom entrepreneur, Melissa Clark-Reynolds, started her first business, a health and safety consultancy, when she had a young son. En route to her goal of being a millionaire by age 35, Clarke-Reynolds and her son ate lots of pizza, did homework late at night and often slept at the office. She is now a chief executive mentor for Empower New Zealand, a global business consulting firm headquartered in London.

h4. *4. Take Calculated Risks*

You have to take strategic risks to earn and grow money. And a little rebelliousness seems to help too. One interesting study found a majority of male millionaire entrepreneurs had been in trouble with school authorities or the police during their adolescence.

h4. *5. Be Generous*

And why doesn't it surprise us that millionaires are often very generous? Sometimes it's for the tax breaks, obviously, but often it's not. One Jewish Swiss millionaire, for instance, flew to Israel to give $5,000 in cash to a waiter at a Jerusalem café who foiled a Palestinian suicide bombing. Among the most generous of millionaires are those from North America, who are, according to a Merrill Lynch Cap-Gemini report, two to five times more likely to give to causes they value than their European counterparts.

These five habits are a pretty good prescription for living happily even if you're not a millionaire.

But LeBoeuf insists it's not so unusual to be a millionaire. As of 2004, there were 8.2 million households with a net worth of more than $1 million. And are the folks in those households happy? Yes, says professor Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick in the UK. After studying more than 9,000 people over eight years, Oswald concluded that people who come into money are happier. The happiest among them, he says, seem to be "highly educated, well-paid women who have jobs."

And how much money does the professor say it takes to be happy? "About $1 million, give or take a little."

Fuse Different Interests into an Incredible Career

By Peter Vogt | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:39:00 -0700

Glenn Street entered the sports mascot industry by happenstance, but he got hooked by passion.

Street, now president of Calgary-based Street Characters, which supplies mascot costumes for hundreds of professional and college sports teams in the US, Canada and elsewhere, used to work in commercial real estate. He considers this career "a great 'paid' education," adding, "I learned a great deal about marketing, sales, negotiating, business law, contract law and other things."

Street's career direction changed when he was called into emergency service as a mascot during the 1984 Calgary Stampede. His committee chair asked him to substitute for the usual mascot, who was in the hospital.

"They figure the weight of the costume (85 pounds) has caused his rib cage to compress, and so they've had to remove one of his ribs, because it was pressing against his heart," Street remembers the chair telling him - followed quickly by, "So, do you want to wear the costume this weekend?"

"Being young and foolish, I agreed," says Street.

Taking this risk not only helped Street spot a budding industry and grow a company to serve it, but it also showed him he could combine two seemingly divergent passions - business and mascots - into a rewarding career.

h2. Career Fusion in Action

Thousands of others have combined their interests to find fulfilling careers. For example:

Before Deena Hoagland's son suffered a stroke, he was a good swimmer who loved the water. So Hoagland, a therapist, took her son to a nearby marine mammal education facility to swim with the dolphins. Now, years later, she's executive director of Island Dolphin Care, a nonprofit that offers dolphin-assisted therapy to children with special needs.

Lee Goff‘s career focus changed several times. His original undergraduate major was marine biology, but he wound up getting a master's degree in entomology. As an entomologist, one day Goff walked a mile from his hotel to a conference to attend a presentation on mites. When he got there and found out the talk was canceled, he didn't feel like traipsing all the way back to the hotel. So he went to a different session on forensic entomology -- the use of insects in crime scene investigation. "That was over 25 years ago now," says Goff, who today is chair of the forensic sciences program at Chaminade University in Hawaii and occasionally consults for television shows like "CSI."

According to Hoagland, "trailblazing - cutting a new path - is difficult, lonely at times and takes believing in yourself, tenacity and a great deal of patience. But anything is possible."

h2. Fuse Your Interests into a Career

Would you like to be the next Street, Hoagland or Goff? It's not as outlandish as you may think, especially if you listen to the following advice from those who've successfully combined interests into their work:

h2. Ignore the Naysayers:

"If you're passionate about your dream, don't expect others to understand it," says Street.

h2. Take Action Despite Uncertainty:

If one theme is common to people who have melded two seemingly conflicting interests into a career, it's that they've been willing to jump without knowing where - or even if - they'd land. On the surface, their successes may look like pure chance, but it's really a result of taking chances. "We can't tell what will happen," Goff says. "So find out."

h2. Think About Your Assets, Not Liabilities:

"Your diverse interests can oftentimes be beneficial to the seemingly unrelated career," says Kent Seko, a designer for S&S Power. Seko found a way to turn his architecture background into a career designing roller coasters. Your unique interests "give a perspective to a job that others in that field of work or those desiring to be in that field of work may not have," he says.

h2. Accept Sacrifice:

"Be prepared to work hard, especially during the early years," says Street. "‘If you build it, they will come' only works in the movies."

Jump-Start Your Career Change

By Ian Christie | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:33:00 -0700

The prospect of changing careers is both exhilarating and daunting. If you know exactly what you want to pursue, don't become stymied by the enormous challenges the career-change process presents. Employ these powerful strategies to make that career change a reality.

Determine Your Leverage Points

Inventory the skills and experiences you can leverage in your career switch. Examples include:

* Company Type: Leverage your knowledge about the kinds of companies you've worked for. Nonprofit organizations have certain similarities. So do family-owned or owner-operated businesses and, to a certain degree, public companies.

* Transferable Skills: In most cases, skills you've honed in one career will be relevant in the next. Project management, team leadership, sales, customer service, analytical capabilities, problem solving, hiring, training and numerous other abilities are all common transferable skills.

* Experience: Use any startup, shutdown, merger, product launch or corporate crisis you've lived through as leverage when you talk to companies dealing with similar issues.

* Job Environment: If you've ever worked in a pressure-cooker environment, you'll be no stranger to a similar environment in another industry. The same will be true if you've ever dealt with unions, worked for an entrepreneur or worked without supervision.

* Networks: Leverage your current relationships to find entry points into your new field. All it takes is a different type of conversation to get started. Ask contacts what they know and whom they know related to the field you want to enter. Follow up on their leads, and you'll make progress quickly.

State Your Case Effectively

Be sure you have strong, valid reasons to change careers. If you know why you want to make the change and what you stand to gain from it, you'll increase your odds of success considerably. Also, be sure you can articulate those reasons to potential employers and explain what's in it for them. Employers don't want to feel like you're running away from something.

h2. Find the Logical Entry Point

Often, a certain role or company will serve as a natural transition into your new field. Bolster your chances of getting hired by using your leverage points to identify where you best fit.

h2. Avoid Overanalysis

Developing a strong understanding of yourself is imperative to managing your career change, but avoid analysis paralysis. You cannot think your way to a career change; eventually, you must act.

h2. Connect with People in Your Target Field

When you're changing careers, your resume is less useful as a marketing tool. For that reason, building your network becomes even more critical. Connect with people in your target field to validate your interest and learn about opportunities.

h2. Make an Impression

On interviews, be the standout candidate by talking up the actions you've taken that prove your commitment to the field. Reveal your industry knowledge, and mention industry events you've attended or industry associations where you volunteer. If you write an industry-related blog, reference that as well. You could even present a white paper on an industry issue you've researched or a business plan that demonstrates the value you could bring to the organization.

Your goal is to make potential employers see you as someone already in their industry and in it to stay, regardless of whether they hire you. Don't leave the impression that if they don't hire you, you will do something else.

h2. Moonlight

One tangible way to start your career change is through freelance or part-time work. Such work builds your resume and lets you test the waters in your new field.

Concrete steps such as these create momentum for your career change, demonstrate your commitment to potential employers and validate your plan.

When Changing Careers, Highlight Transferable Skills

By Kim Isaacs | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:28:00 -0700

A significant challenge career changers face is preparing a winning resume. After all, it's arduous enough when you have ample related experience. Writing this crucial document becomes even more painstaking when you're looking to take a completely new career direction.

Your saving grace: Transferable skills.

h2. What Are Transferable Skills?

Career expert Richard Nelson Bolles pioneered the idea of transferable skills in his perennial bestseller _What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers_. According to Bolles, we are all born with skills we take from job to job. These transferable skills can be broken down into three categories: people (communicating, teaching, coaching and supervising), data (record keeping, researching, translating and compiling data) and things (operating computers/equipment, assembling and repairing).

If you take the time to identify your transferable skills, you can convince employers that you have the core skills necessary to excel in your new career choice.

h2. Where to Find Transferable Skills

*Job Ads:* Search for your target job on Monster, and review the skills it requires. You may not possess all of them, but look for skills that are somehow related to those you developed via another career, hobby or educational pursuit.

For example, a teacher transitioning to sales might find that presentation, organizational and interpersonal skills are desirable for salespeople. She could then highlight her experience giving daily group presentations, creating and launching educational programs, and building team morale. All of these are examples of transferable skills you may overlook, because they come easily to you.

Occupational Information Network (O*NET): This site provides a keyword search tool that lists job skills based on career field. Search the list for those of your skills you can transfer to your new industry, and check out this list of all-purpose skills.

Industry Networking: Speak with workers in your desired field, read trade publications, study employer Web sites, network at industry events and connect with industry associations to learn which skills are important. Once you have a good understanding of desirable skills, you'll know which ones to emphasize.

h2. Identify Your Transferable Skills

Career coach Christine Edick works closely with her career-change clients to identify transferable skills. In one exercise, she asks them to create a chart of old job skills, new job skills and transferable skills. "Most clients find that they have at least 50 percent of transferable skills needed for their new job," she says.

Demonstrate you're qualified for your career change by prominently displaying your transferable skills on your resume. "Showcasing transferable skills upfront helps the human reader see the keywords they are looking for, and then they can look to other parts of the resume for more details," Edick says.

Your transferable skills may be included as a key skills list within your qualifications summary. You can lead with a statement like, "Highlights of my related skills include:" followed by a bulleted list of your transferable skills. When creating your Monster resume, you can use the Skills section in the Monster Resume Builder to list skills.

Back up your transferable skills by including examples of how you successfully used the skills in another career field or other experience. Edick uses the CAR (challenge, actions, results) approach by asking her clients:

_Challenge: What were some of the challenges you faced?_

_Actions: What actions did you take to overcome the challenges?_

_Results: What were the results of your work?_

"That way, career changers build confidence that the basic skills they developed in one career transfer to a new career," Edick says. The CAR stories can be added to a key accomplishments section to demonstrate previous success using these transferable skills.

Resume Dilemma: Career Change

By Kim Isaacs | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:22:00 -0700

In a competitive job market, it's hard enough for job seekers on a steady career path to get their resumes noticed. If you are pursuing a new direction, it's all that much more difficult to convince hiring managers to take a chance on you.

A common mistake career changers make is to use the same resumes that worked in their previous careers when they're pursuing new ones. Instead, resumes should be reworked to emphasize key qualifications for new objectives. The best way to get started is to research the field you're trying to break into to understand what hiring managers want from their workers. Network with people in the industry, and review job openings on Monster. Learn about the skills and other credentials that are important in your new career.

Now answer the question: "Why should an employer take a chance on me?" You may not have the desired experience, but you probably have skills that are transferable from your former career: A hobby, volunteer experience, etc. A transferable skill is a skill that you developed in one career that is applicable to your new career. For example, a teacher may leverage communication skills used daily in the classroom (e.g., delivering presentations, facilitating group discussion, persuading others and writing reports) to a new career in sales.

Write out a list of your most desirable, related qualifications; these should form the cornerstone of your resume. Next, select the most appropriate resume format based on the type of career change you are pursuing:

h2. 'Combination' Chronological

This one is best for career changers with transferable skills from a previous career.

Many career changers do well with a combination resume format, which is a chronological-style resume that leads with a qualifications summary. The summary emphasizes your most related credentials so hiring managers easily see you are qualified for your new goal. It is important for you to mention your new career objective, so employers don't assume you're staying in your old field. Your work history should focus on the skills, tasks and accomplishments most relevant to your new career.

h2. Functional Resume

If you're pursuing a career that is very different than your former career, a functional resume is a good choice. This style allows you to draw out your related skills and downplay your work history.

Lead your resume with a career goal and qualifications summary, and then create functional categories that highlight your related skills and experience. Your work chronology is a simple listing at the end of the resume (include company name, city, state, job title and dates), with no job description for unrelated positions.

h2. Resume Letter

Another strategy for career changers with minimal related experience is a resume letter, which is a cover letter that substitutes for a resume. A resume letter emphasizes your passion for the industry and any related experience/training, but its narrative format allows you complete control over the information you provide. Keep your letter focused on how your motivation, enthusiasm and passion for your new career would benefit the employer's operation. You will still need to have a more traditional resume format on hand in case it's requested, but the letter will serve as a good introduction and pique the hiring manager's interest in interviewing you.

Overcome Your Career Change Fear: 5 Expert Tips

PayScale — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:21:00 -0700

If you're ready for a career change but haven't yet figured out how to get there, follow these tips from Harvard's Dr. Timothy Butler and life coach C.J. Liu. Before you know it, you'll be on your way to a new career.

h2. 1. Look at the issues that make you crave change and outline your goals.

What are you satisfied with about your current situation? What are you dissatisfied with? Is it your boss or the culture of your organization? Or do you really want to change careers? Outline your goals - for example, more money, more time off or more flexibility. Write it all down.

h2. 2. Work to understand your inner critic

Observe thoughts that trap you with fear and prevent you from achieving your objectives. Write these down on a piece of paper, then crumple it up and throw it away to symbolize your freedom from thoughts that interfere with your goals and dreams.

h2. 3. Recognize recurring patterns in your life

What makes you happy? What are your recurring interests and social needs? What makes a work environment feel or not so good to you? Write it down.

h2. 4. Network and investigate career interests that map to your goals and needs

Once you've identified your patterns and desires, start thinking about careers that make sense for you. Give yourself one to three months to explore your curiosity by finding people who do these jobs and talking about the pros and cons of their work. Explore anything and everything until you're satisfied - or until your time runs out.

h2. 5. Make a plan that takes your financial situation into account.

Change is never simple, but having a plan that outlines your steps and financial requirements makes it doable. Will your new career require additional education, a small business loan, time off from work or relocation? Make a plan with financial considerations and a realistic timeline and that you can follow through on.

Refresh Your Retro Resume in 6 Steps

By Karen Hofferber | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:21:00 -0700

Many people are facing the prospect of finding a new job. And some are even contemplating a complete career change. If it has been years since you've updated your resume, you may be wondering where to start. Follow these six steps to turn your dusty retro resume into a high-powered personal marketing tool for winning interviews in today's competitive job market.

h2. Find Your Resume's Focus

Before you start refreshing your old resume, you need to clarify your job target. Without a clear vision of your career direction, your resume won't do a good job selling you to potential employers. If you have more than one career interest, you'll be much better off developing different versions of your resume rather than trying to construct a one-size-fits-all document.

Having trouble finding your focus? You might want to start with some self-assessment tests or by speaking to a career counselor.

h2. Research Your Target Job

Thoroughly research your job target before writing the first draft of your resume, especially if it's been a while since you've been in the job market. Talk to people in your target industry, and scour job postings on Monster to get a good idea of the qualifications employers are looking for. If you are changing careers, your research may prompt you to enroll in continuing-education classes to gain new skills.

Look for keywords that continually crop up in different ads. If you see terms used frequently, they should probably be in your resume whenever applicable. Pay attention to skills that aren't mentioned in these ads as well, and remove items from your old resume that will make you seem outdated.

h2. Develop Your Career Profile/Objective

Now you're ready to begin writing. If you're a career changer, you'll need a clearly stated objective to open your resume. Don't expect busy hiring managers to figure out what you want to do. Use this section to explain key skills you can leverage from your prior career into your new job target. Emphasize how you can help the organization, rather than what you want in a job.

Here's a before-and-after example:

_Before:_ Seeking a challenging position with a future-oriented company offering opportunities for growth and advancement.

_After:_ Dynamic public speaker/presenter with advanced technical knowledge, seeking to leverage these strengths as an award-winning computer instructor into an entry-level software sales position.

If you're looking for a new position within your current field, use the Objective section on Monster's Resume Builder to write a compelling career summary. This is the perfect place to write a few hard-hitting sentences emphasizing the breadth of your experience and the value you bring to the table.

h2. Zero in on Your Achievements

Your resume must have an accomplishments-driven focus to compete in today's job market and maximize calls for interviews. Avoid simply rehashing boring job descriptions. Instead, detail the results and outcomes of your efforts.

If you were a hiring manager, which would you find more compelling?

_Before:_ Responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining workstations and systems.

_After:_ Improved systems uptime from 91% to 99.9% for 350 corporate and remote users through expert, cross-platform (Windows NT/UNIX) troubleshooting/maintenance.

For each of the positions you've held, use action verbs and phrases to describe how you contributed to your employers, such as cut costs, generated revenue, improved service, enhanced processes, solved problems and saved time. Use numbers, percentages, dollar amounts, comparisons or other key details to back up your claims. Be sure not to reveal facts that disclose proprietary or confidential company information.
Design Your Resume

Does your retro resume resemble a typing job circa 1970? To stand out from the crowd, use your word-processing program's advanced formatting features, such as bold, italics, line draw, industry icons, attractive fonts, etc. - without going overboard - to give your resume a distinctive look. If you are not confident in your design capabilities, seek assistance from a resume writer or talented friend.

h2. Proofread and Test-Drive

Your resume must be perfect. Carefully proofread your resume to ensure proper grammar, punctuation and usage. If you are changing careers, ask for feedback from hiring managers in your targeted field for valuable input on how your resume stands up to the competition. After it's complete, post your resume online where thousands of employers will see it, and you can apply for jobs easily.

How to Get Ahead While Balancing Work and Family

By John Rossheim | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:19:00 -0700

For many professionals, it’s doable, though certainly not easy, to coast through their careers for some years while devoting most of their energy to raising small children. These sensible souls take care not to drop the ball at work, but they do forgo immediate opportunities to push that ball up the slope and land that next substantial promotion.

But the most ambitious of us may not be satisfied with the status quo, either because we need the money and personal satisfaction that come with advancement, or because we work at a company or in an industry in which our careers can wither and die if we don’t continuously advance.

If you do commit to continuing your upward trajectory while caring for your young kids or ailing parents at the same time, how do you carry out both commitments, each of which can seem all-consuming?

It begins with establishing expectations.

h2. Set Ground Rules

“My employer knows that I’ll put in the hours at home in the evenings and on weekends when I need to,” says Jennifer Sheran, who became full-time general manager at Schroder PR in Atlanta in December 2006 while bringing up a 5-year-old.

Sheran’s professional portfolio is impressive: She oversees the firm’s business development, client relations and campaign project management, as well as implementation, staff training and human resources.

In exchange for some family-friendly arrangements - she leaves the office at 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. most weekdays to arrive home in time for dinner and works from home on Fridays - Sheran’s employer expects she’ll put in all the additional hours the job requires, wherever she can fit them in.

“You have to sit down with your family and explain why you have to take up your work for an hour or two after the kids go to bed,” Sheran says. “It takes that to be able to get ahead.”

h2. Investigate Different Ways to Grow

For some ambitious professionals with big demands at home, professional growth may be measured along a dimension other than the corporate ladder.

For those willing to consider a nontraditional passage in their career trajectories, opportunities abound, says Susie Hall, Los Angeles-area manager for staffing firm Aquent. Rather than chasing the next promotion, Hall says, you can stay in the same position but take on projects with “higher-profile brands.”

To do that, you’ll need to delegate aggressively and creatively, so that you can focus your work time on the projects that will afford you the most visibility. “Think about your unique skills and spend more time on high-value activities,” says Ellen Kossek, a professor at Michigan State University’s Graduate School of Labor and Industrial Relations in East Lansing.

h2. Find the Right Support

But how do you keep your family onboard as you continue to advance your career? Two key tactics are to surround yourself with helpful people and to find an employer that values you enough to let you manage your own workday.

For Sheran, family commitments are a two-way street. When she has to travel on business, “my husband makes adjustments to his schedule, and I live not far from my parents,” she says. “Without them, it wouldn’t be so easy.”

For audit manager Liz Harper, the key was taking a job with a Big Four firm willing to grant flexibility by the hour, day and season.

“When the kids are in school, I work five days a week for six to seven hours,” says Harper, a senior manager working 60 percent time at accounting and consulting firm KPMG in Short Hills, New Jersey.

“In summer, I work full days but take one or two days off each week,” says the mother of four children, ages 6 to 14. “On the off days, I’m still pretty much online,” taking some phone calls and checking email occasionally.

h2. And There’s No Stopping

Can executives already in key positions advance even further while their kids are still in elementary school? They certainly aspire to.

“I would like to become partner at some point,” says Sheran.

The next step for Harper would also be a move up to partner. Although that may not happen while Harper is working less than full-time, her employer doesn’t rule out the possibility.

Prepare for the Workweek: Ten Things You Can Do to Make It Better for You and Your Family

By Christine F. Della Monaca | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:19:00 -0700

On one of the last episodes of “Seinfeld,” the main characters are stuck in traffic on a Sunday night. Galpal Elaine, who desperately wants to get home, wails, “All I know is that it's Sunday night, and I have got to unwind! Now, who's with me?”

If perpetually single Elaine felt that way, you can imagine how the rest of us - especially workers with families - cope on Sundays. But while some have their own ways to decompress before the workweek starts (Elaine watched “60 Minutes”), others spend Sunday nights either worrying about the upcoming week or trying not to think about it at all.

There are better ways to prepare.

“It all goes back to choices, and a lot of people choose to go the negative route,” says Joel Zeff, author of Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life. “Why not go the [positive] way? It’s less stressful.”

And while you may think planning is a drag, the truth is that the more you plan your life, the more you reduce your stress and increase your sense of control, says Steve Prentice, president of professional education firm Bristall Morgan and author of Cool Time: A Hands-On Plan for Managing Work and Balancing Time. “I always say that planning gives you the freedom to be spontaneous,” he adds. “Preparing for work is an investment in your long-term health.”

So how do you effectively prepare yourself and your family for the workweek? Follow these 10 tips from Zeff and Prentice:

h2. Prepare to Be Happy:

Happiness is a choice, Zeff says. “On Sunday, if you’re thinking about that manager or customer, you’re letting that customer choose your happiness,” he points out. “You’ve got to take the choice back. Choose to be happy, passionate and organized, and what you want to accomplish will happen.”

So how do you - and your family - avoid lying awake Sunday night fretting? According to Prentice, write out what’s bugging you. “In so doing, you can solve your own problems,” he says.

h2. Know What You’ll Eat:

This includes both at-work meals and what you’ll eat for dinner. Make a meal plan with your significant other, and get what you’ll need to prepare each meal. “The mental energy you’re spending at 3 p.m. wondering what you’ll have for dinner can be used for work,” Prentice says.

h2. Plan Your Commute Practically:

Figure out how long it’s really going to take. “If you’re realistic as to what your pillow-to-desk time is, you’ll reduce your stress along the way,” Prentice notes. And once driving to work, Prentice recommends staying in the right lane for the fastest commute.

h2. Get Up 15 Minutes Earlier:

Use the extra time to have a comfortable, relaxed breakfast, rather than “running out the door with a Pop-Tart in your mouth,” Prentice says. “The more you can start the day comfortably, the better you can handle stress.”

h2. Write It Down:

Always forgetting your cell phone or wallet when you leave for work? Make a list of items you regularly take with you and put it on your car’s visor, Prentice recommends. Another handy tool: A visual calendar for the fridge, which lets everyone know where everyone else is and what they’re doing.

h2. Do What’s Important First:

The hours of 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. are often the most productive, Prentice says. “Be ready to defend the morning strenuously from meetings and email, so you can get the most important work of the day done,” he suggests.

h2. Be Ready to Ask for What You Need:

Everyone needs something from work, whether it be the chance to be more creative, the opportunity to manage, more support, higher pay or anything else. “You need to figure out what you need to be happy,” Zeff says. “If you’re not getting it, you’re going to be physically there but mentally not. Stand up and say you need opportunity and positive support.”

h2. Ask How You Can Help:

At the same time, instead of just asking what others can do for you, think about what you can do for others. “When you help your customers, colleagues and partners, it will come back to you tenfold,” Zeff says.

h2. Stop Whining:

This is an energy-drainer, so make up your mind not to do it. “Does it help you?” Zeff asks. “It does nothing and just builds stress.”

h2. Accept the Upcoming Week Will Contain Change:

This constant in business and in life often is a source of stress. “When you’re open and flexible to change, you reduce stress, and the passion starts coming up, which means you’re more productive and effective,” Zeff says.

Woman of the Week: Nataly Kogan

Excelle — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:45:00 -0700

This week, we're featuring *Nataly Kogan*, a member of Excelle and also the co-founder and CEO of "Work It, Mom!":http://www.workitmom.com, one of our content partners. Nataly is, yes, a working mom, and also an entrepreneur. Here she shares with us her thoughts on her many roles as a woman and what strides she feels working mothers still need to make.

*Company Name*: "Work It, Mom!":http://www.workitmom.com

*Location*: Boston, MA

"Send Nataly a Message":http://excelle.monster.com/member/Nataly_Kogan

*Excelle: Why did you start Work It, Mom?*

*Nataly Kogan:* I was working in venture capital and had decided to change careers. I wanted to do something more creative and also get a chance to see my daughter more and have a more flexible schedule. So I looked for an online community for working moms so I could talk about my ideas, get advice, learn about how other working moms juggle work and family. When I didn't find it I decided to create WorkItMom.com so that the 30+ million working moms (just in the US) have a community where they can connect, exchanged advice and ideas, share support, and get helpful information and tips to help them juggle work and family a bit easier.

*WC: What lessons could you share about the experience of starting your own business?*

*NK:* Starting my own company is the hardest thing I've ever done, career-wise. I'd spent 5 years before launching Work It, Mom! as a venture capital investor, working with small start-ups and helping them grow. I thought I knew how hard it was to start a business but I was wrong. One of the very important lessons I am learning is that you have to be absolutely passionate about whatever business you're starting. If you're not, then you won't get through the hard times, and there are so many of them. Another thing I've learned is that you have to learn to be an optimist - if you're not one by nature - and be your own cheerleader. Every day there are challenges, things that go wrong, competitors that pop up, technical issues, staff issues, you name it. To get through it and to keep working towards your goal you have to believe in your capacity to overcome all of that.

*WC: What are the unique challenges mothers face in the workplace?*

*NK:* I believe that there is still such a thing as "mom-stigma" in many workplaces. Once a woman has kids there are often assumptions that being a mom is now her entire identity, that she can't take her work as seriously or be as committed. If you spend just a few minutes at WorkItMom.com, you'll see that this is absolutely not the case -- there are thousands, millions of working moms out there, who love their kids and their family and who are also ambitious, great performers at their jobs, and great contributors to their workplaces. But mom-stigma persists and working moms have to deal with it daily.

*WC: What are some challenges you yourself have faced as a working mother?*

*NK:* My biggest challenge has been - and I think this is true for most working moms - to find enough time and mental and physical energy to be a mom and a wife and to continue along my career path. I don't think work-life balance exists - some days I am more of a mom, other days I spend 18 hours working. It's hard, it's physically draining (I don't sleep very much or have any "me" time), but I love being a mom and I love growing this business. The other challenge for me is constantly feeling like I am not giving 100% as a mom, as a wife, and in my career. In each aspect of my life I could be doing more, but being a working mom requires giving up this idea of perfection, so I am working on it.

[page]

*WC: Which benefits should mothers and potential mothers look for when they're looking for a new job?*

*NK:* One of the most important things that our members tell us they want in the workplace is flexibility -- being able to leave early and finish doing work from home, working from home at least part of the time, being able to take their kids to a doctor's appointment and not have to take a day off to do that. On-site daycare is a big one. If you can drop in on your kids during lunch it makes a huge difference. Paid maternity leave. [The] United States is one of the few countries in the world that doesn't guarantee paid maternity leave, but many companies do offer it, in full or in part.

*WC: Do you believe that male and female bosses are similarly attuned to the needs of working mothers or not?*

*NK:* What we've heard from our members is that there is no guarantee that a female boss will be more attuned to their needs. There have been many stories shared about female bosses actually being worse in terms of allowing flexibility for working moms who work for them. On the flip side, what is clear is that your direct boss, vs the company overall, has the greatest impact on how family-friendly your job is. We've had many members share great stories about bosses who were amenable to flexible schedules or telecommuting, and how much this helped them as working moms.

*WC: What kind of progress is still necessary, in your opinion, for working mothers in the U.S.?*

*NK:* We need to have guaranteed paid maternity leave. Companies need to be more open to flexible work schedules and telecommuting - not just for working moms, but for all workers. With phone and Internet, many jobs can be completed as effectively from home, cutting down on commuting time. I run Work It, Mom! from a home office and everyone who works for the company works from home - it can be done and it can work great for the employer and the worker.

*WC: Any advice for working mothers out there?*

*NK:* My biggest advice is to give yourself a break. Being a working mom is hard and we often make it harder because we try to be perfect - at work, at home, with our families. Cut yourself some slack and be really proud of everything you're juggling. Nobody will care if your house isn't as clean as it should be or if you buy cupcakes for your kids' bake sale instead of baking them. Your family will benefit if you're feeling more sane and relaxed, however, so the trade off is worth it!

"Add Nataly to Your Friends, or Send Her a Message Here":http://excelle.monster.com/member/Nataly_Kogan

Tell Me About Yourself

By Carole Martin | Monster Contributing Writer — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:52:00 -0700

It’s one of the most frequently asked questions in an interview: Tell me about yourself. Your response to this request will set the tone for the rest of the interview. For some, this is the most challenging question to answer, as they wonder what the interviewer really wants to know and what information they should include.

Eleanor dreaded this question. When it was the first one asked at her interview, she fumbled her way through a vague answer, not focusing on what she could bring to the job.

“I’m happily married and originally from Denver,” she began. “My husband was transferred here three months ago, and I’ve been getting us settled in our new home. I’m now ready to go back to work. I’ve worked in a variety of jobs, usually customer service-related. I’m looking for a company that offers growth opportunities.”

The interview went downhill after that. She had started with personal information and gave the interviewer reason to doubt whether she was an employee who would stay for very long.

• She’s married, and when her husband gets transferred that means she has to leave; she did it once and can do it again.

• She has some work experience with customers but didn’t emphasize what she did.

• She is looking to grow. What about the job she is applying for? Will she stay content for long?

The secret to successfully responding to this free-form request is to focus, script and practice. You cannot afford to wing this answer, as it will affect the rest of the interview. Begin to think about what you want the interviewer to know about you.

h2. Focus

List five strengths you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences, traits, skills, etc.). What do you want the interviewer to know about you when you leave?

Eleanor is strong in communications and connecting with people. She has a strong background and proven success with customer relationships. Her real strength is her follow-through. She prides herself on her reputation for meeting deadlines.

h2. Scripting

Prepare a script that includes the information you want to convey. Begin by talking about past experiences and proven success:

“I have been in the customer service industry for the past five years. My most recent experience has been handling incoming calls in the high tech industry. One reason I particularly enjoy this business, and the challenges that go along with it, is the opportunity to connect with people. In my last job, I formed some significant customer relationships resulting in a 30 percent increase in sales in a matter of months.”
Next, mention your strengths and abilities:

“My real strength is my attention to detail. I pride myself on my reputation for following through and meeting deadlines. When I commit to doing something, I make sure it gets done, and on time.”
Conclude with a statement about your current situation:

“What I am looking for now is a company that values customer relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on customer retention and sales.”

h2. Practice

Practice with your script until you feel confident about what you want to emphasize in your statement. Your script should help you stay on track, but you shouldn’t memorize it—you don’t want to sound stiff and rehearsed. It should sound natural and conversational.

Even if you are not asked this type of question to begin the interview, this preparation will help you focus on what you have to offer. You will also find that you can use the information in this exercise to assist you in answering other questions. The more you can talk about your product - you - the better chance you will have at selling it.

The Ins and Outs of Business Casual

By Diana Pemberton-Sikes | Fashionforrealwomen.com — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:23:00 -0700

Business casual: What does it really mean? On a bright spring day several years ago, when the sky was bright blue, the tulips were in full bloom, and I was considering playing hooky as I walked into work, one of my accounting clerks sped by me in a flesh. Or was that flash? I still don't know. All I remember is that seeing that much skin in an accounting office on someone under my direction was more than my brain could handle before eight o'clock in the morning. It was also a very rude awakening to the pitfalls of business casual.

I was new to the department and still "learning the ropes." The atmosphere was very casual; while I'd come to accept that dressing professionally wasn't a high priority here, I refused to abandon all sense of propriety.

Casual Friday or not, the shorts, flip-flops, and tank top had to go. I tried to think of the best way to tell this woman to go home and change. I was heading straight for her cubicle when I was stopped by one of the most senior department accountants, who was dressed pretty much the same way as the clerk. Since this person outranked me, I knew that my protest would be in vain. Regardless of my feelings on the matter, the company norm had been set.

So...just how confusing is business casual? With more than 70% of all American companies adopting some sort of casual dress policy, you'd think there'd be some clear-cut rules. But there really aren't. The relaxed attitude that began invading corporate America in the early 1990's has seen a decade of bewildered business people trying to follow the trend, yet still maintain their professional credibility. What's more, with current trends favoring a return to traditional business wear, it's easy to see why so many people get confused.

One of the biggest reasons why there's so much uncertainty is that few companies have established dress code policies. While the office fuddy-duddy may think business casual means losing the tie, someone else may assume it means a T-shirt and jeans. Without a written policy, employees tend to "push the envelope" to see how much they can get away with. That was certainly the case with the accounting clerk.

If you're in a position to influence the dress code-or have the ear of somebody who is -there are a few things you should consider about the pros and cons of business casual.

h4. Pros

• Casual wear makes you appear more friendly and relatable than traditional business dress.

• Employees are more relaxed in comfortable clothes and tend to be more at ease with their coworkers.

• Casual days boost employee morale by demonstrating that even though you're business, you're not JUST business.

Many creative types-like those in computer jobs and dot com companies-prefer to wear casual clothes and put the dress code right up there with salary and benefits as a reason to accept or decline an offer. A business casual code may mean the very difference between hiring talent and losing them to the competition.

h4. Cons

According to Dr. Jeffrey Magee, a consulting research psychologist who, in 1997 and 1998, surveyed 500 firms ranging from small businesses (100+ employees) to Fortune 500 companies, businesses that adopted business casual dress codes reported:

• Relaxed attitudes lead to relaxed performance.

• An increase in tardiness, absenteeism, and early departures.

• An increase in foul language and inappropriate conversation.

• An increase in provocative actions, which lead to more complaints to HR, and consequently, to more litigation.

• A decrease in polite, mannerly behavior.

• A decrease in productivity and overall quality of work.

• A decrease in commitment and company loyalty.

Countless studies have shown that there's a direct correlation between how one dresses and how one thinks, feels, and acts or behaves, and how others react or respond. These results certainly attest to that fact, and are the biggest reason why many companies are returning to a more formal dress code.

Still, casual clothing CAN work in the workplace, but only if the environment is structured with appropriate limits, including a written dress code policy.

Remember: it's easier to set policy from the beginning rather than to try and change things after the fact.

h4. Here are some business casual guidelines to consider:

• 1. Decide what you want the dress code to say about your business.

• 2. Talk to your customers. Ask how they expect to see your employees dress.

• 3. Talk to your employees. Ask them what they consider appropriate.

• 4. Be flexible. Recognize that what is appropriate dress on the loading dock may not be appropriate for an outside sales person.

• 5. Be realistic. Your stock person is not going to come to work in a suit and tie.

• 6. Publish a draft to your employees. The draft should say what the business purpose of the dress code is and lay out the rules.

• 7. Ask for employee feedback and listen to it.

• 8. Revise the dress code based on their feedback and then publish it.

• 9. Always list consequences for non-compliance, including written reprimands, suspensions, or whatever's appropriate for your business.

• 10. Try it and see how it works. Adjust as necessary. Err on the conservative. It's easier to relax a dress code than to tighten it.

Read more tips @ FashionForRealWomen.com

Resume Critique Checklist

By Kim Isaacs | Monster Contributing Writer — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:11:00 -0700

Resumes normally get less than a 15-second glance at the first screening. If someone has asked you to review his resume and you want to help him ensure it gets read - or want to know if your own is up to par - be sure you can answer yes to the following questions:

h2. First Impression

Does the resume look original and not based on a template?

Is the resume inviting to read, with clear sections and ample white space?

Does the design look professional rather than like a simple typing job?

Is a qualifications summary included so the reader immediately knows the applicant's value proposition?

Is the length and overall appearance of the resume appropriate given the career level and objective?

h2. Appearance

Does the resume provide a visually pleasing, polished presentation?

Is the font appropriate for the career level and industry?

Are there design elements such as bullets, bolding and lines to guide readers' eyes through the document and highlight important content?

Is there a good balance between text and white space?

Are margins even on all sides?

Are design elements like spacing and font size used consistently throughout the document?

If the resume is longer than a page, does the second page contain a heading? Is the page break formatted correctly?

h2. Resume Sections

Are all resume sections clearly labeled?

Are sections placed in the best order to highlight the applicant's strongest credentials?

Is the work history listed in reverse chronological order (most recent job first)?

h2. Career Goal

Is the career objective included toward the top of the resume in a headline, objective or qualifications summary?

Is the resume targeted to a specific career goal and not trying to be a one-size-fits-all document?

If this is a resume for career change, is the current objective clearly stated, along with supporting details showing how past experience is relevant to the new goal?

h2. Accomplishments

Does the resume include a solid listing of career accomplishments?

Are accomplishments quantified by using numbers, percentages, dollar amounts or other concrete measures of success?

Do accomplishment statements begin with strong, varied action verbs?

Are accomplishments separated from responsibilities?

h2. Relevance

Is the information relevant to hiring managers' needs?

Does the resume's content support the career goal?

Is the resume keyword-rich, packed with appropriate buzzwords and industry acronyms?

Is applicable additional information, such as awards and affiliations, included, while personal information like marital status, age and nationality unrelated to the job target omitted?

h2. Writing Style

Is the resume written in an implied first-person voice with personal pronouns, such as I, me and my, avoided?

Is the content flow logical and easy to understand?

Is the resume as perfect as possible, with no careless typos or spelling, grammar or syntax errors?

excelle

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