WorkWise Q&A: Idea-starved, bridge-building

By Mildred L. Culp
culp@workwise.net

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BROADENING

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, I have great credentials, tons of experience and a professionally done resume, and I've been actively, energetically job-hunting using online sources and networking. I cannot find a job. I'm in writing/editing/publishing but can also do PR.

I'll attach a resume but my new web site shows experience and publications, which include work for Sesame Street and Disney, pieces in national publications like Columbia Journalism Review or regionals like Southern Accents, experience at great newspapers and PR work at two prestigious universities. On Empty

A: Dear On Empty, Your site is beautiful but sells everything about you. Your resume also overkills in five pages. If you want to persuade people that you should be in writing/editing or PR, don’t give them lists of everything you’ve done. Be creative.

Then, broaden your base:

• Increase the size of your market by opening a new one -- local, regional, national or international.

• Explore industries you haven’t tried.

• Reshape your search by showcasing some of your less obvious skills/experience. Squeeze out excessive information. Sharpen the new focus while pointing out the difference your traditional skills make. mlc

TRANSITION

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, How do you explain to potential employers that you are re-entering the workforce after taking off three years to start a family without seeming like a less than fully- committed potential employee? Blocked

A: Dear Blocked, If you want to “tell all” about your time off, job hunt where there are a lot of women with young children. You’re least likely to present an opportunity to discriminate against you in that type of environment.

If that isn’t your objective, convert your thinking about the three years as a break. Think of them as an extension of some parts of you. What did you do in that time that reflects job skills? If you can’t think of anything, ask your friends and members of your family. An employer will be able to guess why there’s a break in full-fledged employment, but don’t make it easy. Build a bridge in your presentation reflecting continued use of skills from before and, perhaps, new ones that might help add a new dimension to your offering. Don’t you have more to offer now than you did before? mlc