Take the Job or Not??

By Career Advisor

Question:

I am debating whether to accept a job offer please help.

I currently am a project mgr at a retail company that has filed for bankruptcy protection and that just laid off a number of associates.  Luckily I was not laid off but I do not know whether they will make it through bankruptcy.  I have been there several years.  I live in Richmond Va and the job market is awful here. No jobs anywhere.  It may open up at some point next year.  I was able to find a job as a project administrator - basically no direct reports, just follow-up and what not.   about 50% of what I do now.  It is with a company that is not based in richmond but that has a 4 year contract with a state agency in the area to redo its pension system.  the opportunity sounds good but they have offered me 20K below what I make now with reevaluation in 6 months.   the benefits are comparable.  the owners of the company does not buy into the fact that the project mgr needs a person with my qualifications so they are not willing to pay for it yet.  I will also say that I am basically the sole provider of my family - husband, 2 stepkids, and 1 biological kid.  The good thing is that we could live on 90K b/c we live below our means.

Do I accept the job even though the pay is much below what I make now?

Answer: I think you should try to find out more information about your current employer. Do you really know if they will or will not make it through bankruptcy? Have they filed Chapter 11 or Chapter 7?

Most publicly-held companies will file under Chapter 11 rather than Chapter 7 because they can still run their business and control the bankruptcy process. Chapter 11 provides a process for rehabilitating the company's faltering business. Sometimes the company successfully works out a plan to return to profitability; sometimes, in the end, it liquidates.

If they've filed a reorganization plan with the SEC you should be able to find it here:  http://www.sec.gov/idea/searchidea/webusers.htm . Take a look at the plan and try to see if you think it's bull or for real.

Before you jump ship, make sure you have all the facts. If after looking at the facts you decide that their plan is not doable, take the other job.

The point that I'm trying to make is to make your career decisions on fact and not on emotion. It's very easy in this economic environment to feel like everything is caving in on you. People that make decisions on facts will get through this.

Stranded, Secluded, but still need to Work in Web Design

By Career Advisor

Question:

Hi Jason,

I live on the other side of Tennessee (East Tennessee). I've been struggling to find a position that is right for me and thought I could ask you for some advice.

I'm having some problems right now. The first of which is transportation. I'm twenty-three years old, I live at home with my family and we live in the middle of nowhere! It takes an hour for us to just get to the nearest Wal-Mart. I have no car of my own so I've been doing freelance work on the Internet for people who need web site work or other odds and ends that I can do over the Internet. The problem is that is drying up and I REALLY need to find a position soon. I'd like to move out on my own and get my life started.

The second problem is no one wants to hire me because I don't have any "experience" as they call it. I consider the freelance work that I have done my experience but a lot of employers don't.

The third problem is that I can do a whole lot but I don't specialize in one specific area. In other words, I don't know everything about one specific technology (generally programming languages). I know what they are and I have worked with them over the past few years. It probably wouldn't take me long to get myself up-to-speed on the languages if I was able to work on a project.

I feel as though I'm very talented and I have the potential to be even better if I am given the opportunity. I just feel with all the computer skills that I posses that SURELY to goodness there has GOT to be a position out there for me. I love web design, photography, pod-casting and blogging.

I know this message is a bit verbose. I'm just trying to figure out what I should do. Do you have any advice?

Thanks Jason,

I like what you are doing with this website. It is greatly appreciate. Thanks for your time!

 

Answer:

Andy, I know exactly where you live. We lived in Oak Ridge for 11 years and my wife is from Wartburg. It is secluded but beautiful country. Not the best environment for a Web Designer who doesn't want to work at the prison:) (inside joke)

I'm not surprised that the freelance work is drying up. I work for one of the biggest Technology Outsourcing companies in the World and business is dry.

Your first problem: Transportation. In this economic downturn there is an opportunity. I hear that many people are taking advantage this slow time to further their education because the job opportunities are few. Have you thought about applying for financial aid and going to college?

The reason that I say this is, that I know the area and am a graduate of Tennessee Tech. Tech is in Cookeville not far from you.

How will this solve your transportation problems? You can walk everywhere you need to go at college.

How can you afford to go to college? Financial Aid. http://www.tntech.edu/admissions/financialaid.html

What would you study? http://webdesign.tntech.edu/

Why?

1. It will get you out of Wartburg.


2. It will get you a Bachelor of Science in Web Design with a career department that will help you find a job upon graduation.


3. You are not going to be able to survive as a Web Designer if you stay in Wartburg. I'm sorry to tell you this but it's true. There are just not enough jobs in that area and freelance work is spotty at best.


4. You can call (931) 372-6568 to find out more. They will let you talk to a student in the web design program now to see if it may be right for you.


5. You may be able to get enough financial aid and/or student loans to support yourself while at college. You can also do freelance work in your spare time to earn extra money.

Second problem: Need more experience. Truthfully I don't think that's the problem. You have experience, just not the experience that that particular employer is looking for. You have to think of job hunting as a competition. You are competing against other web designers for the work that you get. It sounds like you're trying to work virtually. The problem with that is that most web designers want that, so you are competing against people with more experience and more education then you have. You have experience. You just have to find the job opening that fits your experience. That will be hard to find virtually and it does not exist within walking distance of where you live now.

Third problem: I can do a whole lot but I don't specialize in one specific area. You need more education and qualifications to prove to a future employer that you are capable of what they need you to do. Your CIW certification is good but you need a degree to go with it.

 

Summary:

There is no easy solution to your predicament. You will have to sacrifice and go beyond what you think your capabilities are now. I believe your goal of moving out on your own and getting your life started is attainable by taking advantage of financial aid while your young and getting a Bachelor of Science Degree. No matter what your education experience has been in the past there are programs that will allow you to attain a degree that will open up doors for you to start your life. It is possible. You have to find the information and talk to the right people.

Qualifications to become a Carbon Credit Broker?

By Career Advisor

Question: What are the qualifications required to be a carbon credit
broker/agent?

Answer: First, lets define the job.

Carbon credits are a key component of national and international emissions trading schemes that have been implemented to mitigate global warming. They provide a way to reduce greenhouse effect emissions on an industrial scale by capping total annual emissions and letting the market assign a monetary value to any shortfall through trading. Credits can be exchanged between businesses or bought and sold in international markets at the prevailing market price. Credits can be used to finance carbon reduction schemes between trading partners and around the world.

There are also many companies that sell carbon credits to commercial and individual customers who are interested in lowering their carbon footprint on a voluntary basis. These carbon offsetters purchase the credits from an investment fund or a carbon development company that has aggregated the credits from individual projects. The quality of the credits is based in part on the validation process and sophistication of the fund or development company that acted as the sponsor to the carbon project. This is reflected in their price; voluntary units typically have less value than the units sold through the rigorously-validated Clean Development Mechanism.

Emission markets

For trading purposes, one allowance or CER is considered equivalent to one metric tonne of CO₂ emissions. These allowances can be sold privately or in the international market at the prevailing market price. These trade and settle internationally and hence allow allowances to be transferred between countries. Each international transfer is validated by the UNFCCC. Each transfer of ownership within the European Union is additionally validated by the European Commission.

Climate exchanges have been established to provide a spot market in allowances, as well as futures and options market to help discover a market price and maintain liquidity. Carbon prices are normally quoted in Euros per tonne of carbon dioxide or its equivalent (CO₂e). Other greenhouse gasses can also be traded, but are quoted as standard multiples of carbon dioxide with respect to their global warming potential. These features reduce the quota's financial impact on business, while ensuring that the quotas are met at a national and international level.

Currently there are five exchanges trading in carbon allowances: the Chicago Climate Exchange, European Climate Exchange, Nord Pool, PowerNext and the European Energy Exchange. Recently, NordPool listed a contract to trade offsets generated by a CDM carbon project called Certified Emission Reductions (CERs). Many companies now engage in emissions abatement, offsetting, and sequestration programs to generate credits that can be sold on one of the exchanges. At least two private electronic markets have been established in 2008: CantorCO2e^[7] and Preserval Marketplace^[8].

Managing emissions is one of the fastest-growing segments in financial services in the City of London with a market now worth about €30 billion, but which could grow to €1 trillion within a decade. Louis Redshaw, head of environmental markets at Barclays Capital predicts that "Carbon will be the world's biggest commodity market, and it could become the world's biggest market overall."

Qualifications?

When finding out the qualifications needed for a career, I usually first search the job openings for that position.

http://jobview.monster.co.uk/GetJob.aspx?JobID=75032002&JobTitle=Energy+Solutions+Account+Managers&q=carbon&cy=UK&vw=b&AVSDM=2008-12-10+00:45:00&pg=1&seq=17

 

 

I have also collected a number of LinkedIn Profiles of Professionals that say they are in this business. You can look at their qualifications to get a feel of what you may need.

From U.K.:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/112/78

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/4/989/167

From Canada:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/carbonfinance

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/7/293/9a

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/7/293/9a

From Netherlands:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/94/376

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/b/284/229

From Germany:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/941/47b

From France:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/362/145

From USA:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/4/188/aa4

http://www.linkedin.com/in/erinkconner

http://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjgroup

http://www.linkedin.com/in/joloughlin

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/7/42a/8a9

From Hong Kong:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/85/174

From Brazil:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/renatogiraldi

 

Summary: I am no expert in this field but here is what I have gathered. It looks like the majority of carbon traders have Finance, MBA, or Economics degrees. There are a few that have an undergraduate degree in an environmental study and then have gotten MBA or Finance graduate degrees. I would recommend the later. Once you graduate, you can apply to the companies and work your way up.

Help From Akron

By Career Advisor

Question: In the past year, I have learned a new skill with Social
Media.

I have always had a great love for pop culture with an entrepreneurial
spirit and people have told me that I have pretty good interpersonal
skills.

Although I would love to stay in Ohio, finding a position that
combines all of my skills has been fleeting. Any suggestions?

Answer: I took a look at your Linkedin Profile. I liked you profile. It's an excellent example of being clear and to the point of what you have accomplished.

My first thought is that even though Akron is a great city, it is not the best place for you to find what you're looking for. There are certainly other cities that have a better environment for Social Marketing with a Pop culture edge. These would be New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Austin, but I'm sure you already know that.

There are some Marketing Agencies in your area that you may want to try if you haven't yet. The market is not good for them now, but it may change in the future:

http://neomarketingonline.com/

http://www.workplace-media.com/careers.asp

http://www.stpinc2.com/

http://www.academymediagroup.com/

http://www.fathomseo.com/

http://www.altpress.com/

http://www.davidgroup.com/

Re-entering the workforce

By Career Advisor

Question: I am currently seeking another position in medical sales after 20 years of experience and after being off for over 2.5 years, due to extended family assistance needed and my husband relocating his company. I have very successful sales experience and am told a great resume, but don't feel I get 98% of the applications i submitted even contacted back. I am not sure what I can do different? Any help would be great!

Answer: The problem is the 2.5 year gap in your resume. Employers are under the impression that you're skills will not be up to par.

You have to do 2 things on your resume.

1. De-emphasize that 2.5 year gap on your resume by using a functional resume rather then a chronological resume.

A functional résumé lists work experience and skills sorted by skill area or job function.

The functional résumé is used to assert a focus to skills that are specific to the type of position being sought. This format directly emphasizes specific professional capabilities and utilizes experience summaries as its primary means of communicating professional competency. In contrast, the chronological résumé format will briefly highlight these competencies prior to presenting a comprehensive timeline of career growth via reverse-chronological listing with most recent experience listed first. The functional résumé works well for those making a career change, having a varied work history and with little work experience. A functional résumé is also preferred for applications to jobs that require a very specific skill set or clearly defined personality traits.

Here is an example of a Functional Medical Sales Resume: http://www.resume-resource.com/exsa8.html

2. Use the first paragraph of your resume (summary section) to focus on the success that you had. Be specific about the numbers of sales that you achieved and and any awards you won. Sales are all about what you have done and it's a lot like Janet Jackson (What have you done for me lately?)

Looking for work as a freelance writer

By Career Advisor

Question:

I'm looking for work in California. I recently did some
freelance writing for a non-profit, and would love to do more  of
that. Any ideas?

 

Answer:

No problem. There are a number of web sites that specialize in helping freelancers to find work and make money. I've checked out the best of them, and have no hesitation in recommending Go Freelance.

This site has been established for a number of years, and has a great record of matching freelancers with projects. Wherever you are in the world, you can apply for jobs and projects, most of which can be undertaken remotely from your home location.

Thousands of Fresh Jobs and Projects

Just check out the jobs database, and you will find hundreds of fresh freelance jobs to choose from, plus a wealth of advice and information. As an example, take a look at the most recent additions to the Go Freelance jobs database:

Just click here to get instant access to thousands of freelance jobs.

Social Media Jobs in Austin, TX

By Career Advisor

Question: I'm in interested in any jobs you know of in the Austin, TX area entailing
online marketing, Internet advertising and social media at creative,
leading edge and thought-leading companies.

Answer: Here is what my research has come up with.

Here are some jobs that my research came up with:

http://www.powered.com/aboutus/jobdescription.php?job_id=10

https://www.amd.apply2jobs.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=6230&CurrentPage=23

https://www.amd.apply2jobs.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=6227

http://www.bazaarvoice.com/jobs.html

http://www.nfusion.com/careers/

http://www.vertive.com/marketing-jobs/

Here are some leads of companies that you want to proactively contact.

Company	Contact
http://www.nfusion.com	http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfellett
http://huske.homestead.com/	http://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinehuske
http://www.powered.com/	http://www.linkedin.com/in/astrout
http://www.mzinga.com/	http://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmoran
http://www.amd.com	http://www.linkedin.com/in/reneeirion
http://www.bazaarvoice.com	http://www.linkedin.com/in/samdecker
http://www.vertive.com/
http://www.fg2.com/
http://www.smallworldlabs.com/

 

Twitter

You should follow http://twitter.com/smcaustin 

also http://twitter.com/fgsquared

Military Before College?

By Career Advisor

Question:

I noticed the question posted regarding dropping out of
current college to join the military (Coast Guard), but I'm wondering
about joining the military prior to going to college?

I attended one quarter of college right out of high school, but then
did not go back for a second quarter because I wanted to get a job. I
have tried going back to school a couple of times, but ended up losing
motivation and dropping the classes due to my work.

Now I find myself in a situation where I'm at a dead-end job (with a
car payment) and fear that I do not have the discipline to go back to
school. Would you advise the military being a way to get through this
roadblock, or should I just spearhead the college with loans and put
myself in a situation of forced success or horrible failure? Which way
will be more beneficial in your opinion? I'm very hesitant on joining
the military, but I see it as giving me the potential discipline I
need to succeed in school and eventual career success.

Answer: It sounds like you have the discipline to go back to school now. People get discipline by acquiring motivation to change their current situation. Realizing that you need to go back to school to get out of your dead-end job is the first step on this journey.

Will the military give you the discipline (or motivation) to go back to school? That's an individual thing that no one will be able to answer for you.  The military gives you discipline by giving you the motivation to do what you're supposed to. That motivation may be fear of being put in jail for not following orders. It may be the fear of letting down your fellow soldiers. It may be the motivation of completing basic training (which not everyone can do).

The military will give you college money for a 4 year enlistment. You can also take out loans to pay for college and then join the military to pay them off. The military will pay your student loans off for a 4 year enlistment. You can get a good paying job and pay the loans off yourself after you graduate.

Look inside of yourself. Are you really tired of that Dead End Job? Are you willing to sacrifice your time to get a degree that will allow you to change your situation?  Will serving in the military improve your chances of completing a degree or will it just delay your attempt for 4 years? Are you thinking about the military because you're scared of failing in school? Ask yourself these questions.

I want to be clear that I'm not trying to lead you away from the military. I think serving your country is one of the noblest things that you can do. I just want you to do it for the right reason, if you're going to do it.

Drop out of college to join the Coast Guard?

By Career Advisor

Question:

I am currently enrolled in a university in the business
program and I am one semester away from earning an associate degree in
computer information system. Although I do well in school I fell that
it is not for me and was thinking of joining the Coast Guard and
become an IT while in the Coast Guard. I was wondering would
employers look down on my decision to drop out of school or would it
not hurt?

Answer: I know the answer to this question from personnel experience. In the late 80's (yes I'm that old), I was in college at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. While I was not a perfect student by any means (translation: out of control Frat Boy), I was doing OK. I dropped out in 1990 to join the Army because of a wave of patriotism during Desert Storm. While I do not regret the decision that I made, I always wonder what I may have accomplished if I had stayed in school. I went back and finished a degree in 2005 because I don't like leaving anything un-done. Do I make more money now that I have a degree? YES

Here are some answers to questions you may be thinking now. I answer these as a former Army Recruiter and current Technical Recruiter for the past 11 years.

Will not having your degree hurt your income earning potential in the future? YES

Will you regret not completing that last semester when you had the opportunity to do so? YES

Will the Coast Guard still be there when you graduate with your Associate Degree? YES

Will your Coast Guard IT Experience qualify you for an IT job when you get off active duty in 4 years? You may be qualified for an entry level Help Desk position but you would need to get further college education to advance beyond that. An entry level Help Desk Technician starts out about $12/hr in my area of the U.S.

Finish that last semester of your Associate Degree. You will earn more over the length of you life by having that piece of paper. You may be able to go into the Coast Guard at a higher pay rank if you have your degree.

Ask your Coast Guard Recruiter about the Delayed Entry Program while you complete your last semester.

English Teacher Job Search

By Career Advisor

Question:

First, I follow you on twitter now, and I thought any advice would be
helpful.

I have been applying to ads for English Instructors, for which I meet
the requirements, and yet I have had no interviews. I am a hard worker
with the drive to succeed at teaching at the college level. I send out
the materials in a timely manner and follow-up every application. I'm
just not sure why I have not received any offers to even interview. I
know that if I was given the chance to go and talk with these people
that I apply to I would have a strong chance of securing something.
I'm just not sure what part of my method isn't working.

Any thoughts?
Thanks.

Answer: I found your resume on Careerbuilder.com. Are you looking to start out as a college level instructor? If so, that may be difficult to do. You will be competing with people that have many years of teaching experience. It's not impossible, but it will be difficult. This may be why you are not getting interviews.

Have you thought about getting your English Secondary Education Teacher certification? You can get it online at Clarion http://www.clarion.edu/43550/. You can search Pennsylvania Teaching Job Vacancies here http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/cwp/view.asp?a=13&Q=32441&teachingNav=|93|

 

Another possibility is to gain experience as a Tutor for a company such as Sylvan Learning. You can search for a Learning Center near you to ask about job openings here: http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/form_jobs.cfm .

You also may want to try Graduate Assistant jobs to gain experience and contacts. Have you tried this site to search for jobs? https://www.higheredjobs.com/search/default.cfm The Community College of Allegheny County is hiring an English Instructor. http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175342022

 

Are you able to relocate? You may want to expand the geographical area that you are looking at. This will expand your chances of finding something. The more jobs you apply to increases your chances.

Cover letter for a teaching internship

By Career Advisor

Question: Any advice for writing a cover letter for a teaching internship?

 

Answer: Applying for an internship includes developing and targeting your resume and cover letter, providing the employer with a list of references (with an internship it's important to include your professor or professors as references), asking for a letter of recommendation from a professor, and sending out thank you notes after the interview.

Here is a format that you may want to follow:

1. 1st Paragraph - Why you are writing. Describe the position that you are applying for.
2. 2nd/3rd Paragraphs - What you have to offer. This is where you'll describe how your education (and any experience you may have) has made you ready for the responsibilities of the position that you're applying for. You need to be as detailed as possible. An example would be: If you're applying for a Kindergarten position, make sure that you highlight your early childhood courses. People often spend too much time with fluff (big words that have no purpose). It's better to be clear and to the point about how you're going to ROCK in this position.
3. Last Paragraph - Summary and how you’ll follow up. Be clear and concise as you summarize the 2nd/3rd Paragraphs. Make sure you let them know how you'll follow up. An example of this would be: "If I don't here from you in one week I'll contact you by phone to discuss further how I may help your school in this position."

Here's an example that I found online.

http://internships.about.com/od/samplecoverletter1/a/coverletteredu.htm

Follow up

By Career Advisor

Question: You propose following up post interview: however, nearly every time, I have interviewed; they ask that you not make such inquiry.  They state that they will contact you.  The other issue with your recommendation is that you are very unlikely to reach the person who has the actual authority and power to hire you.  It is much more likely that you'll end up playing "telephone tag" with either the receptionist or someone else who is playing the role of gatekeeper!  While I recognize those with the actual authority to make hiring decisions are very busy; what I have experienced, and what seems to be becoming the norm, is that they simply ignore you.

This way they do not have to give you a reason as to why you were not hired; thus eliminating the possibility for litigation.  And, while I do know that good managers don't like to be the bearer of bad news; it is an unhealthy, unprofessional practice to never get back to people post interview.  We're all supposedly grown-ups.  I may not like hearing that I'm no longer under consideration for a position, but at least when a manager has the courtesy to let me know where I stand; I can still respect them, and then move on.

Over the course of the past year, I've been on several interviews, and I have yet to hear from any of them.  And when I have called, I don't get passed the switchboard person or the receptionist.

All I want is a simple yes or no!  A Yea, or Nay if you will.  That is not asking for too much!

Answer: When people say to follow up after an interview it's because it's good etiquette. It's the polite thing to do. Whether you reach the person who has the actual authority and power to hire you is not as important as making the attempt on your end to follow through with what you are supposed to do. It shows that you have interest in the position. It may be the only thing that separates you from your competition for the position in some instances.

Some tips for following up after an in-person interview:

1. Ask for the interviewer's business card. This way you will have his or her email address / address  to send a thank you letter to.


2. Write individual thank you notes or letters to each person who interviewed you -- within two business days. Each letter can be essentially the same, but try to vary each a bit in case recipients compare notes. Don't ever fail to send a thank you -- even if you are sure the job is not for you. And do write thank you notes after every interview.


3. In the thank you note, remind the employer about why you are the perfect person for the position in a clear and concise manner.


4. Thank them for taking the time to consider you.


5. Don't burn any bridges if you don't get the job. Several weeks later, send the interviewer a www.LinkedIN.com invitation to include them in your network.

Will you know if it will work before you do it? no. You have no control if the hiring manager decides to ignore you after the interview. You can be sure that "you" did the right thing. What you do have control of, is that you used the proper etiquette of following up after an interview in a professional manner.

Do the right things in your job hunt and you'll find a new opportunity. It doesn't matter how many unprofessional hiring managers you find along the way.