WorkWise Interactive: Q&A

By Mildred L. Culp

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Q: How do you overcome the stigma of not having a job so you can get one? My husband quit his job three years ago to work on his degree. In December, 2007, he started looking for work. Employers say he's been unemployed too long.

I was making good money until I lost my job of 23 years in September and have been looking for work while taking courses. We're currently applying for every job we can, including jobs we're overqualified for, but there are always several hundred people applying for one or two positions.

We're a family of five in a rural area and couldn't afford to relocate. We're now considering bankruptcy and moving in with my parents. Worried

A: Dear Worried, Your situation is acute. Your town is tiny, but you're not far from a growing, good-sized city. Health care needs workers. Here are some stopgap measures:

1. Move in with your parents.

2. Do something entrepreneurial, such as becoming a home-based virtual assistant or call center customer service rep. Find good companies by reading newspaper articles on the Web.

3. While job hunting, persuade a company that it needs an intern, unpaid, if necessary. Then, land a job from the inside. Update your resume. Job hunt through people/contacts, not only advertised jobs. mlc

STRIKES

Q: I was convicted for stalking and have less than a year to go to remove it from job applications. I was an industrial engineer but lost touch during incarceration. I went into writing. My recent credit history is terrible. It all sounds like excuses. But what can I do to get a position now?

After release, I put out 200 to 300 resumes, e-mails and phone calls. I was truthful. No dice. I am trying to "do over" a career. I blog and write from the library. I want to publish my work-in-progress, but what publisher is dealing with ex-cons who aren't famous? I don't want empathy. I'd like an alternative. Almost Ex-

A: Dear Almost, Save your future by not hoping to be published as an ex-felon, which would bleed into your employment prospects. Know, too, that books make money only if they're runaway bestsellers.

Read past issues of this column to find employment-related resources for felons. Develop an employer-focused objective. Condense your writing experience. Clean up your Web presence. Stand in front of a mirror. Would you hire this guy? Then, job hunt in person to make a positive impression before employers see your resume. mlc

BlogTip

SUIT

Doug Meacham held a number of jobs while building a career in song-writing (www.newmethod.net).

The headhunter who scheduled an interview for a medical supplies sales position recommended dressing in business-casual. The lobby was filled with suits.

"Trying to think fast on my feet," Meacham recalls, "I went out to my van and found a suit hanging in the back from a recent church event. It was GREEN! In a hurry, I changed clothes in the van -- tricky, because I'm over six feet tall."

The receptionist kept her cool, as did an assistant manager in a short warm-up meeting. However, the department head launched into a half-hour argument about whether Meacham could sell his product.

"He obviously had concerns about my appearance," Meacham concedes, "and felt the need to 'test me.' I left the office red-faced -- which contrasted nicely with my suit in a 'holiday' sort of color scheme -- without the job."

Meacham decided after that experience that he'd take a little more time doing research and preparing for future interviews. Ah, yes. There's more, he reports: "I burned the green suit!"

In other words, when you need to start over, make a clean break. Research multiple sources to obtain good company information.

Mildred L. Culp welcomes your questions at culp@workwise.net.