Jul 10, 2008

BUSINESS MATTERS: In job hunt, freedom not always free

By Mildred Culp / Daily News Columnist

Q: Dear Dr. Culp:

I was convicted of felony assault because of a bar fight and spent one year incarcerated. I have a B.A. in communications, many years of work history and an excellent work ethic, but I find it extremely hard to find employment. Could you give me any tips?

I have redone my resume, per the agency I am using, to better reflect time prior to my incarceration where my employment was spotty due to the pending charges. I have yet to have any interviews, as I was just released a few weeks ago ... still sending them out weekly though.

Launching

A: Dear Launching:

Read back issues of this column to find out what to do in addition to sending out resumes. You mentioned in an e-mail that you have some felon-friendly possibilities to explore. Do, immediately. You also mentioned bankruptcy, caused by your inability to pay bills during your incarceration. Stay away from occupations close to handling money, because a credit check would probably lead to a non-offer.

You greatly diminished your prospects that night at the bar. While looking for conventional work, start building a business that doesn't require capital. Read about small business ownership, especially service businesses.


Redirection

Q: Dear Dr. Culp:

Are there any secrets to beating the HR computer systems or should we resort to lying to get an interview and a job offer and hope we don't get fired?

There is a limit to connections in every market. Online job searching has turned into a fiasco, except, possibly, federal sites, with people getting jobs because of a contact.

I've been semi-unemployed for eight months now after being gung-ho for five, with odd jobs and part-time employment through local networking. After sharp targeting on the Internet, I heard only from employment agencies trolling for database candidates. Online recruiters look for an easy fit. Interviews came through a small town paper and by word-of-mouth.

Raving Mad

A: Dear Raving:

Do you want an employer to lie to you? Most - not all - people find jobs through connections. If you don't have 'em, build 'em. You found short-term work networking. Here's what to do: Revive your network, get more referrals, keep getting back to people, ask your references for contacts, search online and in the newspaper, use direct mail to reach employers and follow up with a call, skip the direct mail and call employers.

Throw all of the darts to see what sticks.


Stooping

Michael Chotiner, a writer and editor, job-hunted for almost a year as the economy slowed down. First he looked for the jobs he wanted. Then, three months later, with no offers, he increased the number of work environments he'd consider. A large, well-known corporation scheduled a telephone interview with him, complete with phone number and access. It was all downhill after that.

"When I called in," he says, "an automated interview service informed me that I'd have three minutes to respond to questions and that it would be difficult to redo the interview so not to hang up. Questions were fairly complex, such as, 'Discuss a situation when you had to fire an employee,' or 'Tell me about a time you got angry at work.' "

The employer had set up a severe disconnect in addition, misleading him about the type of job opening. "It became clear through the process that they were looking for some sort of telephone customer service rep," he recalls. He maintains that it was an experience of a lifetime - the worst ever.

Ask yourself: "To what level will some employers stoop to make certain that they don't find the best people for the job?"



E-mail your job-hunting questions to Dr. Mildred Culp at culp@workwise.net. Copyright 2008 Passage Media.