Big Help Job Doc chat with Patricia Hunt Sinacole

January 4, 2007

BostonWorks: Happy New Year, and Happy Big Help! Welcome to the first chat of the Big Help, with BostonWorks job doc Patricia Hunt Sinacole. Thanks for joining us Patricia! Chatters, please ask any job questions you may have.

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Thanks for having me BostonWorks and Happy New Year to chatters!

newgraduate: Hi Patricia - what kind of advice do you have for new graduates? For example, can I afford to be picky about my first job, or should I just take what I can get?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: First, congratulations new graduate! Welcome to the working world! Some advice -- make sure that your resume is crisp, polished and error-free. Think about what you enjoyed in college and in part-time jobs or internships. And also what you didn't! This will help you focus your search. Think about the longer term too. What a company can offer you for opportunities now but also once you have proven yourself. Don't let a thousand dollars sway you one way or another. Follow your passions and interests. Good luck!

newgraduate: Is it best to use a recruiter or headhunter, or just apply for jobs online?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: The answer is (d) -- all of the above. Recruiters, headhunbers and online job postings are all useful. Sometimes applying online can be frustrating because it feels like your resume gets dumped into a black hole. Word of mouth is another good way of landing an interview -- friends, family members, etc. Additionally, since you are a new graduate, you can likely use your career services office at your college or university. Best of luck!

SouthernGal019237: I live in the south and want to move to Boston. Is it kosher to stick to phone interviews, in the interest of avoiding extra travel expenses, or will companies think that Im not enthusiastic enough?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Great and welcome to Boston! I think starting with phone interviews is fine. However... most companies will want a face to face interview. Some may even be willing to reimburse you for travel expenses. If you do take a trip to Boston, try to let companies know in advance. That way they can try to schedule an interview for you and this may even prompt them to consider you more seriously! Good luck.

artistictothebone: I'm thinking about going back to school, but Im not sure how to do it. Would you suggest night classes, in addition to my day job, or the more speedy (but more expensive) option of going full time?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: There are a few options here. I have seen it done both ways and done successfully both ways. One question to research... does your current employer offer a tuition aid program. If they do, you may want to take advantage of that program. Full-time is indeed more expensive. In the long run, college grads do make more money than non-college grads. Thanks for your question!

Heather26: I've interned at the same company for over a year now and I want to apply for a full time position. Should I go through HR, or approach one of the higher-ups directly?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: It is great to hear how your internship may become a full-time position! I would suggest going through HR. It shows respect for the internal process. I think it is ok to let higher ups know that you are interested in pursuing a full-time position -- maybe with a quick email or if you see him/her in person but let them know you are going to go through the established process. Thanks!

Wanttobealawyer: Since Boston has so many schools, you'd think that it would be easy to find a job at one of them - however I've applied at several schools and never heard back. Why is this? Do they mainly hire internally?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Your question is a good one and a source of frustration for many. The "black hole." Most employers will let you know where you stand but some employers don't. Sometimes it is simply the resources internally don't have time to get back to all the candidates. I would suggest following up via email first and then with a telephone call explaining the date the resume was sent, etc. After all, you want to make sure that your resume was received. A little professional follow up is a good thing too. It shows that you are seriously interested!

lovelybones: Whats the best way to go about completely switching professions? I'm currently working and taking night classes, but I'd like to focus more on my dream career.

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Ok, I am not sure what your dream career is but let me give you some general info. First make sure that you have some experience working in your dream career. Alot of us think we would like another career and after we begin working in the new career, it is not so dreamy! If you are taking night classes, try to craft a curriculum that will help you in your new career. Thanks for your question!

hereforaday: Happy new year Patricia! I need some tips for following up on job applications. Is it best to email or call? How long should I wait? What should I say? This has been awkward for me in the past.

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Happy New Year to you as well! Following up on applications is always appropriate. It can be awkward -- I agree. I would give allow at least one week, and maybe a bit more if that week has a holiday. I would suggest first by email if you have the email address. Keep the tone positive and professional. Give the dates that you submitted your application and the position of interest. If there is no response in a day or two, follow up with a phone call. Again, keeping the tone positive and professional. Thanks for your question.

livenow: I have been underemployed for several years (in a mindless series of jobs) and need to get a "real job", but I feel that I already have three strikes against me

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Hi -- sorry to hear that you feel underutilized and underemployed. I am not sure if your question got cut off because I don't know what the 3 strikes are but let me give you some general info. Think about your career. What have you done well at? What have you not done so well at? This will help you with your next career move. Also, education pays. Think about returning to school if you don't have a college degree. Esp in the Boston area, a college degree is almost expected for most professional positions. Also look at companies that offer growth -- typically larger employers will move you up if you prove yourself. Good luck!

howsoon: Is there a best time of year to apply for jobs? Like, now, for example?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Great question. This time of year is great for hiring. Jan - May is a great time. The summer slows down a bit. Then there is another surge in the Sept - Nov time period. After Turkey Day until Jan 1st, most companies may be hiring but not as aggressively as other times of the year. So, yes, this is a great time to be applying for a new job!

helpmegetajob: Hi Patricia! Question - Should I have more than one resume, for applying for different jobs? How do I ignore past jobs on a resume?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Hi -- another great question. Some candidates do have more than one resume for some good reasons. For example, if you are pursuing two different industries -- education and biotech for example. One resume may highlight more of your academic experience and the other may highlight more of your biotech experience. Or different jobs in the same industry may also be a good reason -- if one is in purchasing and the other in sales. If your want to omit a past job you can do that on your resume. However, when you complete a job application, you need to provide a complete work history and you should not leave out jobs that are part of your work history. Sometimes on a resume, if you leave out some jobs, it can be a yellow flag esp if there are gaps in your employment history. It is ok to start your resume with the heading of "Relevant Professional Experience" which sort of gives the resume reviewer the heads up that you may have left some of your work history off because some may not be relevant. Thanks!

helpmegetajob: Also should I not mention irrelevant jobs in an interview?

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: This is similar to the last question. I would steer your conversation to what is most relevant but not hide the irrevelant jobs. Hiding it may seem like you are trying to hide a problem. I would focus more on the relevant skills, experience, etc but be forthright, honest and factual about the less relevants parts of your work history. Thanks for your question.

newinschool: can you reccomend a good resume service? i think my resume needs revamping

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: There are lots of good samples available on the internet. Some of the big job hunting sites offer samples and resume writing tips. Also, BostonWorks has a whole advice area -- click on that for more info.

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Also, candidates sometimes forget about alumni associations and career services offices at colleges and universities. They are often free and very helpful.

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Lastly, I have to give a plug to your local library. We forget that sometimes our local library is a great resource.

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Also, have a second set of eyes review your resume for you. Sometimes we don't catch our own mistakes and errors even though we have proofread it several times! Good luck!

BostonWorks: Thanks so much for chatting with us Patricia - your advice was very helpful! Chatters, thanks for joining us, and come back tomorrow at 1 p.m. for a chat with Karen Kaplan, President of Hill Holliday ad agency . Good luck!

Patricia_Hunt_Sinacole: Thanks and Happy New Year!