Poynter Online

How to Return to the Workforce at Any Age

By Colleen Eddy

At least once a week job candidates ask me how age plays into hiring decisions. Based on my talks with them, I've come up with some tips for people looking to re-enter the workplace.

Hit the ground running. Promote your experience as an asset that makes you ready, willing and able to offer immediate work solutions. Market your expertise.

Connect with those you don't have to convince. Use the people in your network to provide you with potential job openings and to serve as solid references who can advocate for your quality performance. Remember, each person knows at least 100 others with whom you can connect.

Highlight your time off. Show how you have used your time off to update skills, be involved in volunteer organizations and take professional courses.

Be up-to-date with technology. Show you are tech-savvy. Have a blog, your own Internet profile posted on a professional networking Web site and prepared thoughts about how you use social networking sites and any other technology you have learned recently.

Exhibit confidence. Know your value and how to speak about it with confidence. And when there is interest, don't be afraid to negotiate. Do this by knowing how much people typically get paid for the position you're applying for and by showing how well-qualified you are for the job. Wait until the offer comes before negotiating.

Inquire about training. Show you are passionate about continuously learning and having the tools to do the job well.

Don't be pushy. Be persuasive. Show how you care to contribute to the company, and recognize the importance of being there in person to reinforce your value. Avoid requests to telecommute until you are well-established in the job.

TheLadders, a career-related Web site, offers additional tips related to new opportunities for older workers.

How to Deal with Frustration When Looking for a Job

By Colleen Eddy
Every day I hear job seekers' frustrations. These are challenging times, and it's understandable that those looking for work would feel frustrated. There are several ways, though, to make this frustration more bearable.

The career site BrazenCareerist.com recently offered some valuable insight into managing frustration while job hunting. I agree with these two bits of advice:

• "Acknowledge what is going well." I call this reinforcing the good. The more we credit ourselves for positive strategies, the more quickly they become part of our regular routine.

• "Keep up the momentum." We can't always help the way we feel, but we can find ways of handling our emotions better. Avoid self-pity sessions that last more than 15 minutes. Think about what you can do to make yourself feel better, and then act positively.  

Here are some extra pointers I've come up with to help you handle frustration:

• Make the extra call to build your network. Networking with others, rather than isolating yourself, can help take your mind off your frustrations.

• Learn new skills (Web design, computer programming, etc.)

• Surround yourself with support, whether it comes from a career coach, support group, social networking site, business club, etc.

• Find some sort of expression for the frustration. I bake. Kneading bread is a great way for me to work out the frustration of my inability to make things better for so many journalists and other media colleagues who are looking to find work.

• Write in a journal. Write out your frustration and get it off your chest.

• Exercise. Being fit changes our attitude about ourselves and can be a good stress reliever.

• Engage in a hobby at least a few hours each week; hobbies help keep passions alive.

• Talk to friends you trust. Role play with them as a way of developing your interviewing skills, and then seek feedback. Friends can help you strike a better balance between fear and reality.

• Learn more about yourself and your frustrations by reading self-help books.

Join me and Joe Grimm, visiting journalist at the Michigan State University School of Journalism and author of Poynter's "Ask the Recruiter" column, during our free, weekly live career chats at 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesdays. The chats are often geared toward job seekers.

How to Avoid Seeming Old, Out-of-Touch During an Interview

By Colleen Eddy   
Many mid-career journalists ask me how their age may be held against them in a job search. A recent Huffington Post column, "How to Be Perceived As 15 Years Younger Than You Really Are on an Interview or at Work," has some good tips. Below, I've listed the points I agree with and expanded on them with my own advice.

Join Facebook -- today.
Understand how social networking plays a role in your job search. This should be "a must" on your to-do list. If you have nieces, nephews or even grandchildren, connect with them on Facebook as an incentive to keep you interested.

Learn how to text.
To this I would add, sign up for Twitter and learn why it's important to journalism and other professions.

Know how to use Wikipedia and Google.
Don't just use these sites -- read up on them to find out how they may be applicable to your job. This is increasingly important as news organizations look for new and innovative ways of using online tools.

Know what's going on in pop culture.
Pick up a copy of "Entertainment Weekly" or similar publications that can keep you updated on the latest pop news.

Brush up on sports.
Sports are so often the topic of the day, especially now during March Madness. NCAA games engage many in passionate conversations. Next month people will be talking about the Kentucky Derby.

Rarely refer to your children.
In particular, avoid mentioning your grandchildren or great-grandchildren. I would recommend leaving family out of the interview completely.

Make eye contact.
A good rule is to look directly into the eyes of the person you are speaking to at least 60 percent of the time.

Go to the gym.
Keeping fit not only helps you look better but also helps you feel better and manage stress. Employers will see less risk in healthy hires.

Give your hairstyle a long, hard look.
Follow the column's advice about asking an outsider for his or her opinion about your current hairstyle.

Always dress age-appropriate.
A navy sports jacket and tan slacks are always ageless, and a navy suit is a safe option for a formal, corporate environment. Shine those shoes and eliminate the perfume and cologne.

Be proud of your smile.
As the Huffington Post column suggests, use Crest Whitestrips if you have to. A bright smile will be a warm invitation to the people interviewing you.

Tips for Explaining Why You Left Your Last Job

By Colleen Eddy
Ask the Recruiter's Joe Grimm will be hosting a live chat, "Explaining Why I Left My Last Job," on Tuesday, March 17, at 1 p.m. In timing with his chat, I've listed some tips to help address this topic. Feel free to share your own feedback to help add to the discussion.

1. Remember the truth is always the best answer. In telling the truth, be consistent and clear, and think about how your answers come across. For example, if you were laid off, state the context of the lay off. "I was one of 60 (or however many) let go in the third round of cuts."

If you took a buyout, state the reasons. "This was the fourth buyout the Hartford (Conn.) Courant offered. I knew with Sam Zell cutting costs, it would mean no more buyouts. So I took this one and left."

2. Recruiters are good at vetting people's honesty. Make your answers real, clear and sincere, but also professional. How you answer is as important as what you say. Look the interviewer in the eye. Watch for reactions. If the interviewer looks uncomfortable,  follow up with a question for clarification, such as "Have I addressed your concerns?"

3. If your reason for leaving was one of difference in values, be sure to know how the organization you are entering is run. What are the values there? To say you left because the company was "too bottom line focused" may leave you out of a job.

On the other hand, saying you left because of the "way the people were handled," may make the difference. Be sure you can back up what the "way" was, though. Disagreeing with bosses who want to misrepresent the truth is a reason that would stand you well.

4. You were fired. Now what do you say? First be clear about why you were fired. If it was something performance-related, the best way to respond is to say you're sorry about what happened, state what you learned from that experience and say what you're doing to avoid it in the future.

If you were fired for a personality difference with a boss, describe what that was without using the person's name. Never besmirch someone else in an interview. State how you would handle the situation in the future. If the person left a trail of dismissed employees, make that clear but brief. Be careful not to spend time on negative conversation.

5. You were let go after only three months on the job. Was it LIFO (last in, first out?) If so, state that. Often employers will give you a letter from Human Resources letting future interviewers know that your dismissal was financial and not performance-related.

These times are drastically different from 10 years ago. The average length of stay in top roles can be two years or less now, so more and more hiring managers and recruiters are open to conversations that formerly would have stood in the way of your being hired.

The secret is to be honest, factual and positive. State what you learned and how you will apply it in the future. Be ready to back up your answers with conversation that helps the interviewer understand you and appreciate your predicament.

Job-Seeking Tips for Journalists Who Have Been Laid Off

By Colleen Eddy

A friend recently sent me a link to a New York Times article, "Forced from Executive Pay to Hourly Wage." The friend is a recently laid-off photojournalist who is talented, bright and good at what he does. He has consistently impressed me with his attitude and his unselfish, appreciative and gracious nature.

		RELATED
		Join Colleen Eddy and Joe Grimm for a live chat on Tuesday, March 10, at 1 p.m. to talk about surviving between jobs.

Thinking about him as I read the article, I was struck by this excerpt: "You're fighting despair, discouragement, depression every day. Many are doing their best to hold out as long as possible on unemployment benefits and savings while still looking for work in their fields."

It kills me to see such wonderful people, such stellar employees, folks passionate about what they do, out of work. Below, I've offered some tips for those who have been laid off and are in a period of transition.

1. Know where to direct your efforts: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics can help show you which industries are hiring.

2. Take the initiative to brush up on skills that would make you more marketable to an employer. Read Joe Grimm's live (and now archived) chat, "What Digital Skills Do Journalists Really Need?" for more information about this.

3. Take a class or two if needed. This may be especially necessary if you are changing careers. Check out New Horizons, an independent training company, and local universities and community college professional development programs.

4. Consider part-time temp work. I addressed this recently with Grimm in a Poynter Online live chat, "Is It Time to Get out of Journalism?"

5. Remember seasonal jobs. Tax preparer, inventory services and hospitality jobs are all options.

6. Take every job seriously; every job is a connection to a network that can get you to the goal you ultimately seek.

7. Show initiative. I consistently coach job seekers to be persistent, to apply each week to multiple jobs, to be positive and flexible and to follow up. Handwritten thank you notes are always a strong statement to an employer.

8. Emphasize your strengths. Build a resume that states your top strengths, and back up that statement with the results those strengths demonstrated.

9. Prepare answers to difficult questions such as "Why are you not working right now?" Be sincere and avoid bitterness or resentment.

10. I know you're tired of hearing it, but be sure to network like crazy. Keep records of all the people you've contacted and follow up consistently.

The most important tip: Don't become isolated. 

Using Social Media Sites to Network, Build Contacts

By Colleen Eddy
When it comes to social networking sites, it pays to mind your "social netiquette." Handle networking on these sites as you would during a face-to-face meeting or interview by showing interest in your contacts and following through with them.

The Ladders, a career-related site, has some tips about using the Web in your job search. Here are some additional pointers I have to offer:

• Build contacts on social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. When you communicate with these contacts, respond to their inquiries promptly.

• Avoid jokes that may be considered off-color. 

• Be sincere and not overly self-promotional. Social networking sites can be a good place to moderately promote your work, though -- through links on Twitter, for example, or by posting one of your articles, videos, blog posts, etc., on Facebook.

• Be polite and helpful to others by using that golden rule of "do unto others" ...

• Be respectful when contacting someone you have not met but whose information you found through social networking. Let that person know how you learned about him or her and what you hope will come of your outreach.

• If you are building a network on a site, contribute to it regularly and make sure it has up-to-date information. Using social networking sites frequently helps show that you are well-versed in social media, which is a good skill to have at any news organization.

Make sure recruiters can find you through Google searches and that what they find speaks well of you.

Keeping Your Job in the Midst of Layoffs

By Colleen Eddy
I have spoken with several colleagues recently who were lucky enough not to lose their jobs when their news organizations went through rounds of layoffs. I was happy they hadn't gotten laid off, but still worried.

If you are one of these "lucky" journalists who has survived a series of layoffs, know you are not alone in feeling the following emotions:

• Increased anxiety because of a greater workload

• Fear of the looming possibility that you are next

• Uncertainty due to poor internal communication

• Nervousness about your own abilities, your health and exhaustion

• Survivor's guilt

• Lack of sleep or the inability to fall asleep

• Betrayal of the company you've committed your efforts to

What to do about it?
 
A recently published Associated Press article has some good pointers. Michael Barr of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, who is quoted in the story, recommends asking these difficult questions: "Am I on the list? How would I know? Would I get severance?"

After a round of layoffs, clarify and confirm with your boss what your new duties will be and how you will prioritize them with the work you now have.

Focus on work that matters so you can show your boss you are needed in the daily production of work. The AP quotes Stuart Sidle, director of the University of New Haven's Industrial-Organizational Psychology Graduate Program, who recommends becoming an expert in crucial organizational tasks that most people are too lazy to learn.

Remember that relationships are the foundation for networking and that most jobs are found through connections rather than through resumes on career sites. You have heard time and again to build and maintain your network. It is good advice.

My parting comment to a friend on the phone the other night was "take care of yourself." Exercise boosts your serotonin and improves your mood. Eating right and getting eight hours of sleep a night (ideally uninterrupted) are wonderful for recovery from stress. And have a support group you can turn to when you need to talk.

Honesty the Best Policy on Resumes

By Colleen Eddy
The St. Petersburg Times last week highlighted an age-old topic in its employment section: the importance of getting the facts right in a resume. The paper excerpted a book by Andrea Stanfield recounting the impact on her life of fabricating a college degree in her resume.

Legal seminars I have taken that deal with hiring repeatedly stress the importance of accuracy and truthfulness on the resume and the application as the best testimony for hiring (or not hiring) applicants.

When you create your resume, you need to present your value and strengths. Use words that serve you well, but that also are substantiated by facts. If you are an "award-winning journalist," back it up with the awards you won for the work you did. The same is true for the skills you cite as strengths. List the accomplishments and results that demonstrate the truth of your statements.

Know the dates you were employed. Know the salary you made and the title you held. Report these facts honestly.

Yahoo Hot Jobs offered the following advice on the Ultra-Honest Resume.

• If you're not sure about dates, titles and other job information, don't guess. As you would do in reporting, look up the facts.
• Be honest about your temporary or contract work. If you're a temp, your employer is the agency, not the company at which you temped. If you are a contractor, note that and the company you worked for.
• Provide extra information if the company's situation has changed. With all the buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, recruiters researching your work history may find the fact-finding tough. Help the hiring manager by clarifying the new owner of your former employer on your resume or in a cover letter.
• Be careful with titles -– use the one Human Resources lists for you or if you had another title on your business card, refer to them both.

Over the years, I've read about a number of top executives fired for fabricating his or her college degree. If you list a degree -- or anything else -- on your resume, be sure you can back it up.

Show and Tell in Hiring

By Colleen Eddy
Job seekers’ greatest frustration in their hunt is the silence they face from hiring managers. They send in a cover letter and application, follow up with e-mails and phone calls and wait. It is frustrating guesswork to know what to do without feedback.

Two sites came to my attention (vastly different in production quality), offering tips that can help bridge the silence. Recruiters across myriad industries talk about what turns their heads toward a job seeker on this YouTube video gallery.

Yoh, a provider of mostly clinical and scientific outsourcing services, has created a portal it calls YohTube. Even though its videos are mostly focused on such areas as engineering and I.T., the advice is important to anyone in the hiring process regardless of job. For example, employers said having a solid resume that shows the candidate’s value captures their attention. They also want to see proficiencies, areas of expertise that relate to the jobs they have open, college degrees and the ability to communicate effectively in the candidates they will consider hiring.

What I also liked about the YohTube gallery of employers was the example it gave job seekers on how diverse interviewers are. There are myriad levels of ability, composure, cordiality and preparation among those who interview job seekers. Watch some of the videos to see how you might react to the different hiring managers.

Another site, Media Job Pod, was most helpful in offering what it promotes as "Job search advice for multimedia journalists and production majors."

The pros list what they look for in a TV reporter, TV producer, videographer/editor, and Web reporter.

For example, Mona Alexander stresses the importance of the tape or DVD in illustrating that the job seeker must know how to tell a story and leave no unanswered questions. She notes that the selection of the sound bites and of the story itself tell her volumes about the candidate's reporting skills, which are critical.

In multimedia, preparation and organizational skills are core skills for a successful producer along with the ability to anticipate and solve problems. Producers need to stay ahead of the issues, anticipating problems and steering clear of them.

Take a peek at these sites and use what you find valuable. It may also help you decide what to put in your video resume or clip.

What Makes a Good Career Coach?

By Colleen Eddy
We all want the right solutions to solving our problems. I hear this over and over now as I speak to the many laid off journalists calling us in Poynter's Standing Up for Journalism program. One candidate I had the privilege to coach just took a job using journalism outside the traditional media. She was excited to find the opportunity and believed her resume helped her market herself.

It got me thinking about what makes a good career coach and I thought that these tips paraphrased from money.cnn.com and taken from a 30 year career coach, John McKee, were good answers to that question.

Be sure your coach has:

1. Real world experience, at least comparable to yours so that you are understood and the advice is practical.

2. Credentials. Choose a coach who has some formal training and maintains standards of professionalism.

3. Credibility. "Your coach should be active and visible in the industry," says McKee.

4. Testimonials. What do those coached by this person have to say about the service? Will the coach provide you with references from past clients?

5. Methods. How will you meet? How will you work together? Face to face, over the phone and one-on-one sessions are options that can be used and tailored to you. Be sure it works for you.

6. Goals. What are your priorities and how will the coach help you determine them? Can you state your expectations for what you want the coach to do and can this person meet those expectations?

7. Consultation. How does the coach extend the service? All first discussions should be free. Take that time to see if the chemistry is right between you and the coach. How well does he/she listen to you?

8. Guarantee. If you don’t get what you expected from the coach, and you stated it clearly up front, will the coach extend the time with you?

9. Fees. McKee points out that rates vary wildly, with coaches who target middle managers charging anywhere from $75 to $500 for sessions that may last an hour or a whole day.

To McKee’s list I would add:

• Ask the coach what motivates him to help you. Why does he coach?
• Has this coach experienced the career search himself and how long ago that was?
• Ask the coach to tell you how his background relates to your industry. How does he work to understand you and your needs and to help you achieve your goals?

Note: No coach gets you the job. You are in charge of your career. What you want is support, good advice and confidentiality.