Facing Your Career Obstacles!

Ask Lisa; A job blog for job seekers.

Talk with Bangor Daily News Recruitment Manager, Lisa Rancourt, about your job-seeking experiences in Maine.

Submitted by Lisa Rancourt on Mon, 2007-05-21 19:52.

All of us have faced at least one major work obsatcle. For some of us it was getting let go, others re-entering the job market after an absence, or forging an entirely new path with little to no experience. These work obstacles are surmountable and I'll show you how step-by-step. Let's look at getting let-go....

After workshops, the first question I seem to be asked is how to write on a resume about getting fired and what to say about it in an interview. What the jobseeker is really asking is how do I cope with this turn of events in my career path. I have done the research for you and here is some of the best advice I found in Books like Powerphrases, and Lifescripts and Websites including, Women for Hire. These sources tend to say the same thing in different words so I have summarized for you what I believe to be the best advice.

So You Were Fired? Maybe you weren’t a strong performer. Perhaps you were late too often. Or it might have been that you did something more serious or even illegal. Or it may not have been your fault at all, what about cutbacks and lay-offs. Even though you are in shock, you’re by no means the first person to be fired. You can get back on your feet, and even be a better worker the next time around.

Some of the stigma of being laid off has diminished. It is quite common for companies to downsize, and it doesn't necessarily reflect the actions of the employee. Do not feel this is something you need to hide or feel ashamed of.

When your are struck with the news, first things first: Leave on an optimistic and positive note,Wish your co-workers good luck. Do not act as though you are being fired. You want to secure as many contacts and future references as possible. Send out a mass emailing and inform friends and business contacts why you were laid-off before they receive misinformation from another source, don't bash your former company or boss (be positive) jus let everyone know how they can reach you in the future and what kinds of positions you hope to pursue.

Do not encourage people to feel sorry for you. Pity will not earn you the respect you need to get a job.

Take people up on their offers. Especially in the beginning, people will offer to take you to lunch and send news your way. This is a golden networking opportunity that you should take advantage of while it lasts.

Wait for the one you want. Avoid the temptation to take any job offer that comes your way out of fear of not having a job. Clearly finances play an important role, but if you accept something that makes you miserable, you'll be unemployed again in no time.

Plan something positive to keep your spirits up. The weekend after your last day, go for a hike, or spend the day relaxing at a beach or in a museum. This will refresh your energy.

Establish a daily routine until you have your next position. Include "work hours" when you will search for jobs and assign yourself tasks. Set realistic goals such as when you will have your résumé complete, how many letters you will send out each day, and when you should have your first interview.

If you were let go for any reason other than a cut-back or lay-off, be honest with yourself. You were fired for a reason. To move, you must figure out exactly what that reason was so you can correct the problem. Was it a one-time thing (a mistake), a personality conflict, or do you have a history of a certain negative behavior?

Take the initiative to fix the problem. Fired for lying? Find help through a program, support group or therapist immediately. Take care of yourself and your personal challenges before attempting to regain employment. Fired for showing up late every day? Take a course in time management and purchase a reliable alarm clocks. When you go in for future interviews, it will look much better if you have at least sought help for your problem and taken responsibility for your actions. In Short get your self and your home life under control, before you chance burning another bridge and chance repeating your mistakes.

On your resumes never write reasons for leaving a position. But be ready to answer questions in an interview.

Be straight but positive with future employers. You will be asked in interviews why you left your previous position. Don't lie, it is very likely they will check this information. State in the most positive spin you can give it the reason you were fired. If you were continuously late or missed work, considering saying something like this, "I was terminated because it was challenging to manage my time effectively. I didn't have a good work/life balance and failed at juggling all of my responsibilities. Since then, I've taken time management courses and I've experienced a dramatic improvement with terrific satisfaction in this area." (womenforhire.com)

Don't bash your former boss or company. Your interviewer is your potential future boss and will not appreciate that they could soon be on the recieving end of your bashing. If you had issues with your former employer, keep it short and offer solid references who will back up your stellar work performance.

If you have been fired repeatedly, or committed a serious act, you will have to take a few steps back and try again. Ask friends, family, and networking contacts if you could work for them for a probationary period at low pay. Consider freelancing. Take what you can get and slowly rebuild your trustworthiness the old-fashioned way.

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Ask Lisa; A job blog for job seekers.

Facing Your Career Obstacles!

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Elevator Speech?