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ASK THE CAREER EXPERT

 Good morning is Deborah Kroeger, Director of Talent Acquisition and University Relations, Prudential Financial, Inc. Deb has more than 20 years of Human Resources and recruiting experience in nonprofit, private and public companies spanning higher education, hospitality and financial services industry groups. Additionally, she is currently President of the Sussex-Warren Human Resources Management Association, a local affiliate chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.

During the next hour, we will answer as many questions as possible. Thank you to everyone who submitted a question in advance. If you have a question that you have not sent us, please feel free to do so during this hour. Let's get things started!

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Leaver, GA I am a military spouse and move frequently, which makes it difficult for me to get a job or even an interview when I send out my resume to potential employers. Can you offer suggestions about how I should deal with this problem? How should I address it on my resume/in my cover letter?  
Deborah Kroeger These websites specialize in assisting military spouses: http://www.military.com/spouse, http://www.emilitary.org/milspemp.html, and http://www.defenselink.mil/mapcentral/spouse.html. Another option may be to consider working as a temporary employee or working as a freelance worker in your field? Check out http://www.sologig.com/ and http://www.guru.com/. With respect to how to address it in a resume or cover letter, one normally doesn't write the reasons for leaving companies in either a resume or a cover letter. Let me offer a different spin and suggest that you offer this information and use it as a selling point to the prospective employer because you are moving to their area and have the specific skills and demonstrated successes they are searching for! No employer hires anyone knowing how long a candidate will stay with the company.  
Neal, MI I am a Business Management student and I desperately want to assume a more professional position with my current employer. I have been working for this company for seven years and throughout that time, I have come in contact with many executives and worked with them on various projects. I do not work in a business related position. How can I network or communicate with these executive and other management individuals that I am an excellent candidate for the job without being pushy and rude? Is there a way to exhibit about my skills to get them to notice me more?  
Deborah Kroeger

 Your professional growth and development should occur as a regular part of your performance management process. You and your supervisor should develop professional goals and objectives and develop action plans to achieve them ... similar to how a business plan is developed, executed, and evaluated. Identify a mentor within your organization and one external to your organization to get their perspectives. Give some more thought to what "a more professional position" translates to in your own mind. Prepare a personal summary of how your past experiences and project work have prepared you to take on this next level of responsibility and then share that with your supervisor and mentors. It already sounds like you have a significant number of people to network with. Invite them to lunch to learn their perspectives about the "job" you are interested in. Confirm that you indeed have developed the skills necessary for the position and are perceived as such. If you learn there is a gap, then take the appropriate steps to close that gap. Good luck!  
Faye, WA I have worked in the Human Resources department for many years as Payroll Specialist and Site Security Manager. I recently obtained a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. How can I really break into Human Resources?  
Deborah Kroeger If you haven't already joined the Society for Human Resources Management, this should be your first step. Find your local chapter by contacting the national office. Then volunteer. Get involved to meet people and expand your network. Find out if there are any HR outsourcing companies in the areas/regions states you are willing to work in. These companies specialize in providing HR services to companies and organizations who have decided to outsource a portion or all of their HR administrative functions. SHRM posts HR jobs and you can sort by location. There is always a demand for great recruiters. If you have worked in payroll and site security for many years, I anticipate you may be good at resolving problems and have developed strong people and conflict management skills. If you can get our foot in the door through your network, recruiting may be a good entry level opportunity for you.  
Deborah, NY I have been an administrative assistant for 20 years. I recently went back to school and received a Bachelor's degree in General Business. I would like to go into the field of Human Resources and need advice about how to gain an entry level position to learn more about the field. I also recently took an online course in Understanding the Human Resources Function. Would an internship be valuable to gaining experience and eventually, breaking into my field?  
Deborah Kroeger The best way to get into the field of human resources is to obtain an internship. Also make sure to join your local SHRM chapter and volunteer immediately. This will give you exposure to many people in the field and enable you to demonstrate your leadership skills while volunteering. The fact that you have a wealth of experience as an Administrative Assistant will be an asset. Be able to describe specific examples of working with diverse people, resolving issues, exercising judgment, multitasking, and contributing to team and department goals. As an Administrative Assistant, if you had any role in screening candidates for the person(s) you supported, highlight that. Based on your area of interest in HR, think about what you have done as an Administrative Assistant that can directly translate to the work of the HR position(s) you decide to pursue.  
Rhonda, FL I am 53 years old and recently earned a Master's degree in Public Health. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get a job in my field. I have experience, but it's from the early 1990s, so essentially I am starting over. I can't seem to get interview, but when I do I don't come across well. What can I do? I feel I have a lot to offer ... how can I get this across to the employer?  
Deborah Kroeger If you know you are not interviewing well, by all means it is worth the investment to get interview coaching. Your school's career center should offer this as one of the services available to you as a graduate student/alumni. I also suggest you contact recent interviewers and solicit their feedback to find out specifically how you can communicate better. Practice interviewing in front of a mirror. Additionally, I suggest you check out the American Public Health Association website - it offers career coaching services.  
Anissa, TX How did you figure out what career you wanted? I don't know what career I want to pursue. Should I figure out what I am good at or what I like to do? I attended a technical school, but I feel like I didn't get anything out of it. My major was Computer Networking. I also want to try for my A+ certification. Where should I start?  
Deborah Kroeger My career evolved over time as yours will. Through each career experience you gain, it helps to shape within your own mind:

what you enjoy and do not enjoy doing
your greatest strengths
where you don't want your career to go

It sounds like technical school didn't fulfill some aspect of what you expected. Can you identify what that is? What was missing? That will be an important piece of information to help redirect your career. I believe there is great value in personal profiles and career self-assessments. I highly recommend reading the following two books:

Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger; and
Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton, Ph.D.

You may also consider taking a motivational aptitude performance profile (MAPP) , which might help you "identify your true motivations toward work and allow you to match yourself to job categories to see where you best fit." You may also be interested in taking a course in career planning/selecting your occupation.

I suggest you invest the time to determine what it is you want to do before you attend any additional classes.

  
Cordelia, AL I have a Bachelor's Degree in Human Resource Management, as well as experience in Human Resources (Recruiting, Human Resources Assistant); however, I would like to pursue a career as a Career Counselor. Please give me advice on how to do this.  
Deborah Kroeger Cordelia, my best advice is to redirect you to the National Career Development Association (NCDA), a division of the American Counseling Association. Their website outlines the steps and requirements to become a national certified career counselor. Additionally, NCDA hosts a national conference, which will be held next in Chicago, from July 7-9th. They also offer a mentoring program.  
Etta, NC I recently graduated from grad school and turned 40 this year. I have no concrete experience and I don't believe my resume has enough power just to secure an interview. I am worried and would like to how I can highlight my most valuable experience and get the call for interviews. I have an M.B.A. with a concentration in Human Resources and would love to get into this field. I would especially like to conduct diversity training and perhaps contracting in the future. I do not want to leave my current location, since I recently purchased my dream home.
Deborah Kroeger You have a number of factors outlined, so let me try to address some of your key points. If you haven't already done so, become an active member of your local Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Each chapter has a volunteer position to support SHRM's commitment to diversity. You may want to consider serving in that role. The national SHRM website has some great resources relative to diversity and an annual conference dedicated to diversity. Find out if there is a local chapter for the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). As you read the job description of the positions you are interested in, put yourself in the hiring manager's shoes and develop answers to their questions, "What skills are required for this position? What responsibilities and results are they looking for the selected candidate to take on?" Given my experiences, what have I done to best prepare for a position of this nature.? Since you do not want to relocate, you will need to be persistent to identify potential openings. Networking is critical for you to break into any profession.
Kevin, MA I am a recent graduate and majored in audio/radio while in school. I am considering positions in Marketing and PR and my experience in music, media, and communication makes me confident I will be able to make the transition. My question at this point deals with taking more classes. After talking to many friends who studied marketing and communication in college, as well as a few industry professionals, the general response I have received is that an internship would be much more valuable than taking more classes. I have also been warned that taking more classes may be a waste of time considering I already have a decent knowledge of the communication field, despite my major. What do you think I should do?
Deborah Kroeger Based on what you have shared, I suggest you take the advice of your friends and industry professionals. Highlight on your resume any relevant marketing and PR courses or experience from prior positions held. Then pursue an internship or other full-time position that will leverage your strengths and experience, while broadening your exposure to marketing and PR. Find an employer who offers tuition reimbursement for a job-related course. You will create a win-win scenario for your employer and yourself!! Relevant Web site: http://www.quintcareers.com/network_career_sites.html
Joseph, WA I am in the Navy and plan to retire in a year. Additionally, I am in an M.B.A. program at the University Of Phoenix. Is there one business discipline that offers a better future/more opportunities than another? (i.e. Financial, Accounting, Leadership, Management, Human Resources, etc.).
Deborah Kroeger First, thank you for your service.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics offers an employment out look for various occupations. While being aware of employment prospects is valuable, I encourage you to pursue employment opportunities that are most aligned with your strengths, passions and interests. Your quality of work life will be enriched because of it.
Keith, LA I worked my way through college for ten years (BA, MA, and JD) in various positions (store manager to Emergency Room Tech to law student intern) and have a 17 year work history. Where should I draw the line in terms of listing previous employers on the resume? I have been unable to land a job outside of law ... I am interested in returning to sales management or general management rather than practicing law. Are employers/recruiters afraid to hire attorneys for non-legal jobs? I've had one runner-up interview over the past year.
Deborah Kroeger This is a two-part question. Part One: Several thoughts on this ... First, you want to make sure your resume highlights and includes the experience that will sell you best. If you were attending school full-time, indicate you worked various jobs while pursuing your education. You can either list these jobs at the bottom of a functional resume with dates OR indicate you held various positions while pursuing your full-time education. You will have the opportunity to list employers on a formal application. You should definitely list your employers since graduation to account for your time.

Given your career interests and the diverse positions you have held, I suggest you consider a functional resume format. You should describe all of the relevant accomplishments and skills you have developed that demonstrate your ability to be successful in sales. Leverage the fact you have worked in various industries and interacted with diverse types of people.

Part Two: I have not heard of employers/recruiters being afraid of hiring attorneys for non-legal jobs. It is difficult to evaluate your concern without knowing how many sales positions you actually applied for, whether you have had your resume reviewed to ensure it best represents and markets you, as well as an objective evaluation of your interview skills. I suggest you try to target sales companies whose primary clients are attorneys. You'll have the perfect background. You may also want to try to obtain some feedback about your resume and interviews. Finally, without knowing what websites and/or sources you are using to identify sales leads, try to target some niche sites specific to your area(s) of interest.
Greg, IN I am currently enrolled in a local school, pursuing a major in accounting. I love crunching numbers and have experience with Microsoft Office 2003. The only thing holding me back from an accounting position is my degree. I would like to get my foot in the door and start working for a firm, bank or financial institute. Can you recommend anything that might help me accomplish this goal?
Deborah Kroeger Do whatever you can to secure an internship. Many companies offer paid internships which achieve two goals: they offer a company the opportunity to evaluate you as a prospective full-time candidate on a temporary basis, as well as allow you to evaluate the company, work environment, and potential co-workers and boss. These same companies usually try to convert a percentage of the interns to full-time hires. Use the services of your school's career center, network with people you know and you check out http://internships.wetfeet.com/ and www.groovejob.com to identify potential internships. Good luck.
Dino, NJ I sent my availability to a potential employer almost a week ago to schedule a phone interview. What is the proper time frame to contact the company, given that the recruiter has not responded?
Deborah Kroeger My answer is somewhat dictated by when you were supposed to be scheduled to have the phone interview. Never be afraid you are "bothering" a prospective recruiter or hiring manager. The reality is they are probably extremely busy, and have good intentions of getting back to you. If you submit your availability and don't hear back from a recruiter within 24-48 hours, you should follow-up. Better yet, when you speak with or email an employer/recruiter, ask him/her when you can expect a response. Then you don't have to guess. If you don't hear from the recruiter/employer within the timeframe you were told, always follow-up. Be an assertive job seeker. Passive job seekers miss out on opportunities they never know exist because they wait for someone to call them.

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