Dear J.T. & Dale: I’m a high-school student, and I want to get into radio broadcasting. I consider myself a pretty entertaining guy, and think being on-air would be the ideal job. I told my dad, and he thinks it’s ridiculous. He said he won’t pay for college unless I study something that will give me a valuable skill. What should I do — get the degree, or pursue my passion? — Jason Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: With the increase in companies asking to have applications submitted online, how can I make mine stand out from the hundreds of other applications? — Bette

Dale: Never forget that the goal of your application is to help the HR person or hiring manager put you in the “yes” pile. Those “yes” people are the ones who meet all the requirements. So, make sure you Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: After months of job searching, I feel totally stalled. I have responded to every ad, sent out hundreds of resumes and asked all my friends and relatives to look for openings for me, but I have only a handful of interviews and no offers to show for it. Can you please give me a suggestion as to what else I can try? - Noland

J.T.: One technique that could be of value to you is to stop looking for employment POSITIONS and start looking for employer COMPANIES. I recently created a short video post on the subject of creating Bucket Lists for your job search. Here’s how it works - ask yourself and friends: Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’m a 52-year-old female desperately looking for employment. Until a reorganization, I worked as an administrative assistant at a major company, with a salary of nearly $40K. In addition to applying for just about every administrative position advertised, I’ve applied to several placement agencies and lowered my salary requirements to the $28K range. Although employers can’t tell me that I’m too old, I suspect that may be one of the reasons. Advice? - Keri

J.T.: I read your e-mail and my first thought was, “You might be casting your net too wide.”

Dale: My first thought was, “Time for a reminder that ‘Hiring IS discrimination,’” which turns out Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’ve just been laid off from my job. For the past four years I’ve been doing customer service in insurance, but I’d like to go back to what I studied in college - computer information systems. I almost graduated but never finished. How should I approach making the switch? - Jeremy

J.T.: The good news is that you have an idea what you want to do next. Now it’s time to get focused and take action. Get your degree in computers. Find an affordable night school, and use its career center to help you get connected and find work in the field, even if it’s only in the form of internships or entry-level jobs. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I recently got an associate degree with a certificate as a medical office specialist, and yet I’ve been having problems finding a career. I have seen hundreds of advertisements looking for fresh-out-of-college students with 6-plus years’ experience, one even seeking 10! Now, assuming you graduated on time, that means they expect you to have started your career in the field at age 12. Am I missing something? - Dylan

J.T.: What they mean, Dylan, is that you should have a degree and THEN the years of experience after graduating. Although, there are occasions when someone gets experience first, and then goes back to get a degree to qualify for higher-level jobs. Either way, Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: Next month, I will have been unemployed for a year. Since moving cross-country in 2003, I have held three different jobs - a year and a half at the first, a year at the second and nine months at the third. I’m worried that my instability of job tenure is working against me. I’ve had five interviews, but they hired someone with more experience or from within the company. Are my relatively short stays at three companies working against me? If so, how do I overcome it? - Harvey Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: A good friend of mine is struggling with how to approach re-entering the work force. She left work to care for her husband, who had cancer and eventually died. One of her friends has suggested that she include the reason for her absence in her cover letter. I disagree, and believe she should wait to bring it up in an interview, although she has some concerns about becoming emotional during such an explanation. What are your thoughts? - Bill

J.T.: To start, I would list on her resume Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I have a poor work history. I have been fired or quit many times. How do I get a decent job now? I have great customer-service skills but keep losing out to less-qualified candidates. - Scott

Dale: You say you lose out to “less-qualified candidates,” but it’s important to remember that your work history IS a qualification.

J.T.: But you know what Scott means.

Dale: Yes, but for almost every job, there are plenty of people with experience - the choice is made on whom the hiring manager believes in and wants to work with.

J.T.: So, Scott, you need to build a new work history. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’m an accountant who’s been absent from the work world for seven years as a stay-at-home mom. How do I get back into the accounting world, which I have missed so much? - Ann

J.T.: Just list the gap in your employment as being a “full-time mother” - that one simple line accounts for the years spent doing the hardest job of all. (OK, can you tell I’m a mommy?) Then, create a unique cover letter that shares an example of your passion for your field. Read the rest of this entry »