Ask Tory Archive

Always try to find a person to follow up with. Don't call to say DID YOU GET MY RESUME. Instead say I recently applied for this position, here's why I'd be an ideal match, I'd like to know the steps in the screening process in hopes of securing an interview.

If you've already interviewed, it's perfectly fine to follow-up within a week to ask how things are going and when a decision is expected. You can ask where you stand in the process. Before ending any conversation, ask when would be a good time for you to check in again.

Try to avoid leaving voicemail messages. They're easy to ignore. If you can't get someone live after a couple of tries, an email is better than a voicemail.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TakeControlOfYourLife/story?id=1915016&page=1

That's a piece I did on personality tests. The reality is you should answer questions honestly. If they don't select you, you probably wouldn't have been happy in the role. They're looking for a specific person (that differs with every role) and if you're not what they want, then pass it up.

You could read HOW WOULD YOU MOVE MT FUJI if you think you're getting logic questions that you can't answer.

Figure out a topic that is appealing to you -- write up a newsletter -- and then email it to everyone you know asking them to forward it to 5 people. Within the email ask everyone to join your email list -- either by replying to you asking to be subscribed, or by visiting a website (if you have one) where they can subscribe. There are many email programs you can use to manage lists and create good looking newsletters using HTML templates. Topica and Constant Contact are two good ones.

That's a great question. If you get called for an interview -- or even in a cover letter -- you can say that you're happy in your job but when you saw (or heard about) this particular opening, you decided to apply because of the potential of working at that particular company. Meaning you'd be willing to change jobs because of the great company, not just for the sake of moving around. Employers always want people who know their companies and want to work for them...as opposed to people who are willing to work anywhere. Once it's been at least a year, you can talk more about a desire to move on, if it comes to that. You should also think about potential opportunities to move up within your current company. Just because you've gotten what you can in this position, doesn't mean you have to leave the company if you like it. Many companies would rather accommodate a move instead of seeing you leave.

The first place to start is creating a resume that reflects the volunteer work you've done -- highlighting specific accomplishments from raising money to organizing events to leading/recruiting other volunteers. Try to quantify and qualify the successes. Once you have that solid document in place, let everyone you know that you're now looking for a position in the event planning field, which is your personal passion and your professional expertise. Then try networking with the groups/associations where you've volunteered in the past. You can also talk to the vendors you used -- for example, did you work with a table or tent rental company or a caterer when you planned those big events? Those kind of people work with event planners all the time and are the first to hear of job opportunities. Ask them to help you make some introductions. If your big fundraiser was for a school, talk to the parents of the students you worked with -- many times they know of openings within their own companies. You can also contact big charity groups or large universities in your area to see if they need help (even on a project basis) with fundraising and event planning.

Thanks for your message and welcome to the Women For Hire Network.

You have a couple of options. One is to make an appointment to speak candidly with your boss about your experience in relation to your current position. By now they must know you're capable of doing a lot more challenging work, and they should also understand that you accepted this position to get your foot in the door. You can try negotiating a win-win by saying that you'll work in this position for 3 to 6 more months and help to find and train a successor, all of which means a smooth transition for your boss and no disruption in productivity. In exchange, you'd like your boss to help you transfer to another department where your talents would be put to better use. Many smart companies would rather accommodate your request instead of losing you, especially since they've already invested in you. The cost of turnover is so high, but it can be avoided by redirecting your talents internally.

If you don't think your boss would be receptive to this, then you can begin to look for work outside of the company. You can be clear in cover letters that you accepted this position since it afforded you flexibility and steady income (along with great experience/exposure) in a new industry, if that's the case) but now you're looking to return to the level of work and responsibility that is commensurate with your education, talent and capabilities. This explanation helps prevent your current position from being held against you.

Don't view your recent career move as a mistake. Surely it's been valuable for something -- even if it's been a paycheck. It's all in how you spin/leverage it going forward. You can help shape how prospective employers view it.

There are no guarantees of a better financial situation anywhere -- nobody can make the promise to you, so your question is a bit unrealistic for us to answer. Unless you have a job lined up or people to help support you, there's no reason to think that NY is any easier than LA. If you have contacts in NY, you can begin to job search long distance, but that is typically harder than doing it where you currently live. I'd suggest working harder in LA to try to find something. Four interviews in two years is hardly anything, to be honest. A steady and consistent search should generate more interviews than that. I know it's not easy to search while you have a job that occupies much of your time, but it's essential to carve up specific time to devote to a search. Figure out the kinds of positions you want to go for, then figure out how you can meet people in those areas.

Perhaps you have to look outside the specific fields/types of jobs that you're typically drawn to. You might need to rethink the type of positions and try branching out a bit. Can you do any freelance/project-based artwork of your own while also working at the gallery? Do you have other skills that could help supplement that current income? Can you network with the people who visit your gallery? How about the vendors you do business with? Think about people who've come to know and trust your work ethic in the last two years -- those are the first people to help with your search.

If you want to make a change to NY, you have to be prepared financially for some down time to get settled and to find a position. You can investigate the art world long distance, but you won't get a firm job offer from across the country unless someone knows you and is willing to hire you within that in-person connection.

I wish that we could offer you a magical solution, but job searching, as you know, isn't that simple. Focus on finding pockets of time to devote to this and force yourself to connect with 3 new people a week who might be able to support your efforts. Meeting new people, thinking of different opportunities to pursue, and forcing yourself to commit the time will not only produce results, but it'll make you feel much better and more proactive about the process.

You can leave that information on your resume, however since you're not a new grad, I'd move it to the bottom -- not the top. Start off with professional experience, then education, not vice versa. The reference to your school in the cover letter is fine -- maybe people do that even 20 years after graduation if the school provides clout in the industry in which they work.

It's very difficult to prove a legal case of discrimination unless you can show a documented pattern of unfair and illegal treatment. For example, do the black women in the same positions earn less than their Caucasian counterparts or are the black women repeatedly given lesser assignments or lesser (or no) promotions? Are you the only person who feels this way -- or do others share your same concerns? Are the concerns based on emotions or facts? These are some questions to ask yourself before weighing your options. I would encourage you to visit www.eeoc.gov for some valuable advice and insight on this -- since it's more focused than our area of knowledge and expertise.

Beyond that, typically I try to encourage people to attempt to communicate directly with their boss to improve the workplace climate. For example, if you pointed out two or three specific examples -- fact-based, not emotional or accusatory -- you might find that your boss doesn't even realize that she's behaving a certain way. You don't want her to become defensive -- instead you want her to see the validity of your concerns. For example, "When you yelled at me in front of my colleagues, it embarrassed me. I want to hear your comments and criticisms of my work because I know it'll lead to improved performance, but I'd respectfully request that we have those conversations privately." Or "I know that you've given some exceptional assignments to Mary and she's done a great job. Since I possess much of the same experience and skill sets, I'm hoping that you'll give me the opportunity to contribute to similar projects since I'd like to show you what I'm capable of achieving for your team."

Those are examples -- obviously you'd want to focus on things that have really bothered you, but offer a positive spin, not just a negative to pin her in the corner.

Perhaps you'd be happier going back there if you knew that you had a plan to try to make things better. Right now of course you're dreading it -- who wouldn't?! But you do have the potential power to make things better -- for yourself and for your colleagues. Continue to look for other employment, but don't give up the possibility of trying to fix things here either.

If you feel obligated to mention it, now that you have the written offer in hand, you can say that you are happy to accept the offer -- and you'd also like to let them know that you're pregnant, due to give birth in about five months. You're excited and eager to hit the ground running and get settled into your position ASAP -- and then you expect a standard maternity leave -- and then you'll be ready and eager to resume your position. The worry among some employers is that you'll start now, but won't really be into it because you're focused solely on your pregnancy -- they also worry that you won't come back. So try to nip those up front by saying that you're eager to jump right in -- and also eager to get back to work after the baby is born.

If you feel obligated to mention it, now that you have the written offer in hand, you can say that you are happy to accept the offer -- and you'd also like to let them know that you're pregnant, due to give birth in about five months. You're excited and eager to hit the ground running and get settled into your position ASAP -- and then you expect a standard maternity leave -- and then you'll be ready and eager to resume your position. The worry among some employers is that you'll start now, but won't really be into it because you're focused solely on your pregnancy -- they also worry that you won't come back. So try to nip those up front by saying that you're eager to jump right in -- and also eager to get back to work after the baby is born.