Today, I was contacted by a wonderful woman who’s had the rare misfortune of having to look for a job 3X in the last 2 years. ALL 3X, the companies went out of business. Talk about bad luck! Over the age of 50, she suggested that I offer some advice to those in her generation about job search in the year 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: What are your thoughts on part-time employment for older retirees? I’m in good health, and frankly, I’m bored. I have a BS in engineering, have taught automotive engineering, operated an automotive business, and am a certified auto technician. — Howard Read the rest of this entry »

Penelope Trunk, who writes the blog Brazen Careerist, wrote a post today called: A Recession Probably Won’t Affect Your Job Market.

The ‘Your’ in the title refers to Gen Y and Gen X employees. Trunk says, “There is a lot of hoop-la over the recession. Or coming recession. Or statistical but maybe-not-really recession. But the truth is that the job market is just fine, especially for the post-Baby-Boomer set.”

So the question is: Do older workers suffer more in a recession? The comments posted on Trunk’s blog would indicate so.

I think that in spite of an impending recession, there will always be a ‘talent’ shortage. As many of the commenters suggest, I firmly believe those who keep their skills up-to-date and brand themselves properly will always be employable.

Whether you are a seasoned workplace veteran or a new professional, how do you plan to keep yourself employable during an economic downturn?

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’m a vice president at company that is slowly dying. I need to redo my resume. When I look at executive resume writing sites, every service claims to be the best and wants anywhere from $500 to $1,000 to write a resume that gets attention. So how does one pick the best one? — Ken Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: When I was terminated from my job, I was not given a reason other than it was a “corporate decision.” I was never asked to give my side of the story. I want to be honest during my interviews and also on employment applications. How would you recommend that I handle this? — Mary Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. and Dale: I am attaching a copy of my resume. I have fully and honestly listed all employment, all successes and all the technical alphabet soup that applies to my work, education and training. I send out a lot of resumes, and I follow up, but I haven’t been getting results. — Sidelined Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I graduated with bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and chemical engineering in 1994.

I began working for my family’s small retail business. Now, 13 years later, the business is dying and I’m beginning to think about going back into my “educated” profession. I live in a town full of engineering jobs, but they all require three years’ experience.

– Kevin Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: After 15 years as a trial attorney, I am seeking to change careers, but I’m having difficulty getting my foot in the door. I updated my skills and then applied for jobs as a change-management analyst, corporate-compliance manager, contracts analyst, proposal writer, proposal-development coordinator and program manager, among others. – Regina Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I recently left a well-paying job after five years with the company. The problem was with the two girls I had to work with. They would feed off each other and make it difficult for me. My supervisor said her hands were tied. I told her if nothing could be done, I would have to look for a position elsewhere. She said, “I hate to see you leave, but I understand and feel free to use my name as a reference.” You can imagine how I felt. Well, I left the company. I do not like the job I took. The man who hired me is always miserable. I was told I need to shrug it off, and if I can’t it would be best to find another job, because this is the way he is and he will never change. What should I say in future interviews as to why I left and why I’m looking? – Evelyn Read the rest of this entry »