May 28, 2008

Alcoholism doesn't prevent getting an offer

By Mildred Culp / Daily News Columnist

Q: Dear Dr. Culp,
I've always been an academic achiever. I was class president in high school and went on to graduate from my university with honors. After graduation I developed a drinking problem that cost me a lot of good jobs. I've been sober for a year and a half but I've had no luck finding a job. I don't know how to write a resume with my unstable job history. Please suggest how to overcome this. I am desperate.

Sober



A: Dear Sober,

Breathe a sigh of relief. Getting into recovery and staying there is a lot more complicated than the resume problem. Look objectively at each job. You may omit jobs held for less than a year. Next, decide whether your titles or company names will sell you better for your current purposes. Put the better one first, followed by a comma, then the other one, followed by a comma. Insert the year or years - not months. If a full year is missing, insert a job you tabled for that time frame.

Does your new resume suggest that you've had a lot of jobs? Respond to an employer's question by smiling and saying that you were young and finding your way.
Not again

Q: Dear Mildred,
I currently work a 40-hour week away from home. I want to find a part-time position with an online company doing something like data entry from home in addition to my regular job. I have an ill family member and feel guilty about being away from home any more than I already am. This would allow me to be home to take care of family and still have the ability to earn supplemental income.

I've been searching online. Many sites make wonderful promises of great income, but they want an investment from you. Sometimes it's only $35 to several hundred. Is this normal? How do I know if the company is legitimate? I am very worried about giving my personal information online. Do you know of any trustworthy online companies that you can share with me?

Skittish



A: Dear Skittish,

You're wise not to jump. The only way to determine if a company is legitimate is to speak with five of its satisfied customers. Consider the gamble if they say that the company is true-blue and that the investment is worth it. No references? There's your answer. When you find one online company you can trust, tell me who it is.
Gossip

Do you ever wonder what's safe to say and what isn't? Anne Brown and Beth Zefo, in "Grad To Great" (Dalidaze Press, $18.50), give you something to chew on. In particular, they emphasize, get your eyes to visualize a "close relative" when a person asks you for an opinion about a third party.

Their anecdote about Tina begins with her bumping into Cindy, who had less than a day before leaving for Mexico for vacation. Cindy wanted her opinion of Ralph. Tina considered him a good worker, helpful and results-oriented. But her personal opinion of him was quite different. She responded, "Well, actually, I think he's loud, obnoxious and kind of a sleaze-bag." In a few weeks, she spotted him in the cafeteria. He didn't return her wave. She thought he didn't see her.

Wondering about the tan Ralph was sporting, Tina asked Sam, another co-worker, how he got it. When she learned that it came from Mexico, she remarked, "Oh, really? What a coincidence! Cindy just went to Mexico, too."

Sam replied, "They shared a room."

After that, Ralph proved to be far less helpful to Tina. Imagine that.



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