This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Dan writes:
I am an architect in my late 50s who is finding it exceedingly difficult even with an exceptional work history to get any response to resumes sent to executive-search firms. This even when (1) it would seem my background would match perfectly with senior management position requirements advertised, (2) I state my salary is negotiable, and (3) when asked, I respond that I am open to relocating if necessary. In a youth-oriented profession such as architecture, is there a certain approach that should be following in submitting in seeking a position or in the job-hunting process in general?
As baby boomers continue to get older, I think we will see many changes in how older job-seekers are viewed — and we’re already seeing some of those changes — but perceptions are slow to change (and vary by industry and profession).
Are you focusing all your energies on executive recruiters? And if so, why? Recruiters can be one source of job leads — but should only be one source. Remember that headhunters work for the employers — and not job-seekers — so you need to be just as aggressive in following-up with these recruiters as you would employers.
Have you been networking? I know long-time readers of my blog are probably tired of me constantly beating the networking drum, but all studies point to the importance and power of networking when job-hunting. And many professional organizations also often have career and job postings on their Websites and at conferences. Investigate all the possibilities.
One of the other things I’ve discovered about older job-seekers, especially those who have been out of job-hunting for many years, is that they are often weak on job-search techniques and tools. What does your resume look like? Have you taken dates off your degrees and limited your list of experience to no more than 20 years of work? Is your resume centered around accomplishments and achievements?
Finally, what about the resources of your alma mater? Contact the college where you received your architecture degree and see how the career services and alumni offices can help you with your job search.
Get more help with your resume by reading numerous articles and reviewing samples in the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Anonymous writes:
Since 1992, I have worked for several different companies. About 3 years ago, I switched employers and stayed there about a year before joining a start-up company. I had been employed by the start-up for about 8 months before they were acquired by my original employer.
I’ve been asked to take a substantial pay cut. So, I’m somewhat torn between staying with this company and looking for new employment locally. I suspect that even at my reduced salary I might be faring better than the local wage scale. Then there’s also the problem of my resume. I’m concerned about how bad my resume looks with all the moves in such a short period of time. A co-worker said that since I was only gone for about a year and now back I started that I should just list the current company as “1992 to present”.
The current state of the economy is affecting workers and job-seekers in so many ways, from layoffs to reduced hours to pay cuts. And everyone is frustrated, including the employers and the employees. And you face multiple issues.
First, because you work for an out-of-state employer, I suspect your pay is much higher than the local wage scale. But rather than guessing, I suggest you hop on the Internet and do a little salary research. You can conduct your research by going to one or more of the several salary Websites and/or searching for similar jobs and comparing wage scales. Once you’ve completed your research, you need to develop your options. If you decide to accept the pay cut, I would try to negotiate a timeline for a return to compensation at your previous levels. I might also negotiate an increase in other non-compensation benefits, such as more time off.
Second, please do not “fudge” your resume. There is nothing worse than lying or providing misleading information on your resume. By definition, a resume is a statement of facts about your educational and work experiences. In your situation, you have solid work experience with a number of companies that shows your ability to stay with employers for extended periods of time. But just as importantly, job-hopping is so much less an issue than it used to be. Employers know that numerous factors (mergers, economy, rightsizing, dotcom bust, etc.) have led to many job-seekers having more short-term job stints than in the past.
Find more information about salary and salary negotiation tactics by going to this section of Quintessential Careers: Salary Negotiation Resources. And you can get more information about writing your resume by going to the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Carol writes:
I have read your Quintessential Careers article Moving Up the Ladder: 10 Strategies for Getting Yourself Promoted with great interest because of my situation.
It has been recommended I write a proposal to create a new position for myself to move into. I am having a difficulty finding a template as to how to create such a document. Can you make any suggestions.
The Career Doctor responds:
If I am reading between the lines correctly, I am guessing that someone within your organization has suggested that you create this proposal, but even if I am mistaken, the advice I am suggesting will be useful.
One caveat: If you have not been encouraged to create such a proposal from someone higher in the organization, tread lightly, because management could view such a proposal as you being unhappy with your current job.
There are several keys to success here.
First, you need to conduct research. Try and determine if other similar organizations have the type of position you are proposing. If so, gather as much data as possible to build your case. And even if your search is fruitless, by conducting the research, you are building your network — and perhaps other more interesting opportunities may arise from it.
Second, you need to do a detailed (as possible) cost/benefit analysis. You have to show for the added costs of the position (including salary, benefits, etc.) that there i s also an added benefit — such as increased efficiencies, reduced costs, more revenue, etc. The more numbers you have to support your proposal, the better.
Third, you really need a champion of the new position in upper management. Someone who is going to sing your praises and push for the new position. This person could be your mentor — or anyone else in your internal network.
How likely it is to be approved depends on the strength of your proposal and how flexible the organization is to new ideas.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Dan writes:
I am an architect in my late 50s who is finding it exceedingly difficult even with an exceptional work history to get any response to resumes sent to executive-search firms. This even when (1) it would seem my background would match perfectly with senior management position requirements advertised, (2) I state my salary is negotiable, and (3) when asked, I respond that I am open to relocating if necessary. In a youth-oriented profession such as architecture, is there a certain approach that should be following in submitting in seeking a position or in the job-hunting process in general?
As baby boomers continue to get older, I think we will see many changes in how older job-seekers are viewed — and we’re already seeing some of those changes — but perceptions are slow to change (and vary by industry and profession).
Are you focusing all your energies on executive recruiters? And if so, why? Recruiters can be one source of job leads — but should only be one source. Remember that headhunters work for the employers — and not job-seekers — so you need to be just as aggressive in following-up with these recruiters as you would employers.
Have you been networking? I know long-time readers of my blog are probably tired of me constantly beating the networking drum, but all studies point to the importance and power of networking when job-hunting. And many professional organizations also often have career and job postings on their Websites and at conferences. Investigate all the possibilities.
One of the other things I’ve discovered about older job-seekers, especially those who have been out of job-hunting for many years, is that they are often weak on job-search techniques and tools. What does your resume look like? Have you taken dates off your degrees and limited your list of experience to no more than 20 years of work? Is your resume centered around accomplishments and achievements?
Finally, what about the resources of your alma mater? Contact the college where you received your architecture degree and see how the career services and alumni offices can help you with your job search.
Get more help with your resume by reading numerous articles and reviewing samples in the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Anonymous writes:
Since 1992, I have worked for several different companies. About 3 years ago, I switched employers and stayed there about a year before joining a start-up company. I had been employed by the start-up for about 8 months before they were acquired by my original employer.
I’ve been asked to take a substantial pay cut. So, I’m somewhat torn between staying with this company and looking for new employment locally. I suspect that even at my reduced salary I might be faring better than the local wage scale. Then there’s also the problem of my resume. I’m concerned about how bad my resume looks with all the moves in such a short period of time. A co-worker said that since I was only gone for about a year and now back I started that I should just list the current company as “1992 to present”.
The current state of the economy is affecting workers and job-seekers in so many ways, from layoffs to reduced hours to pay cuts. And everyone is frustrated, including the employers and the employees. And you face multiple issues.
First, because you work for an out-of-state employer, I suspect your pay is much higher than the local wage scale. But rather than guessing, I suggest you hop on the Internet and do a little salary research. You can conduct your research by going to one or more of the several salary Websites and/or searching for similar jobs and comparing wage scales. Once you’ve completed your research, you need to develop your options. If you decide to accept the pay cut, I would try to negotiate a timeline for a return to compensation at your previous levels. I might also negotiate an increase in other non-compensation benefits, such as more time off.
Second, please do not “fudge” your resume. There is nothing worse than lying or providing misleading information on your resume. By definition, a resume is a statement of facts about your educational and work experiences. In your situation, you have solid work experience with a number of companies that shows your ability to stay with employers for extended periods of time. But just as importantly, job-hopping is so much less an issue than it used to be. Employers know that numerous factors (mergers, economy, rightsizing, dotcom bust, etc.) have led to many job-seekers having more short-term job stints than in the past.
Find more information about salary and salary negotiation tactics by going to this section of Quintessential Careers: Salary Negotiation Resources. And you can get more information about writing your resume by going to the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Carol writes:
I have read your Quintessential Careers article Moving Up the Ladder: 10 Strategies for Getting Yourself Promoted with great interest because of my situation.
It has been recommended I write a proposal to create a new position for myself to move into. I am having a difficulty finding a template as to how to create such a document. Can you make any suggestions.
The Career Doctor responds:
If I am reading between the lines correctly, I am guessing that someone within your organization has suggested that you create this proposal, but even if I am mistaken, the advice I am suggesting will be useful.
One caveat: If you have not been encouraged to create such a proposal from someone higher in the organization, tread lightly, because management could view such a proposal as you being unhappy with your current job.
There are several keys to success here.
First, you need to conduct research. Try and determine if other similar organizations have the type of position you are proposing. If so, gather as much data as possible to build your case. And even if your search is fruitless, by conducting the research, you are building your network — and perhaps other more interesting opportunities may arise from it.
Second, you need to do a detailed (as possible) cost/benefit analysis. You have to show for the added costs of the position (including salary, benefits, etc.) that there i s also an added benefit — such as increased efficiencies, reduced costs, more revenue, etc. The more numbers you have to support your proposal, the better.
Third, you really need a champion of the new position in upper management. Someone who is going to sing your praises and push for the new position. This person could be your mentor — or anyone else in your internal network.
How likely it is to be approved depends on the strength of your proposal and how flexible the organization is to new ideas.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
A well-constructed resume will include qualified and quantified information spoken in plain language that is relevant to the industry, and easy enough to understand by the lowest level screener, writes Sherri Edwards in her article for Quint Careers, Dispelling the Myth About Resumes.
You must pass “go” before you move to the next level. Beyond being clear, the information provided is also an opportunity to begin building your value. Never assume that past titles or general statements will imply value, or secure a whopping salary.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
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