Side trip into real estate could hinder his return to banking

By Patricia Hunt Sinacole | July 30, 2006

I worked for an investment bank as a manager for over 15 years and accepted a voluntary layoff mainly due to personal reasons. I wanted to stay home to raise my children for a few years. It has been three years since I left, got my real estate license, and sold properties on a part-time basis. Now I plan to start looking for a new full-time job in the investment banking field. My question is: Is it essential to include my real estate experience on the resume? I was not very aggressive and therefore not very successful and I am afraid by including it, it will hurt my chances with new employers. However, if I don't, then how should I address questions relating to the period I stayed home?

Congratulations on your decision to return to the field of investment banking. In short, a gap in any professional work experience is a yellow flag to a recruiter or hiring manager. Based on my experience, it is better to offer the information rather than have a prospective employer wonder about the three-year lapse in your career.

Additionally, many employment application forms will ask you to fully disclose your complete job history for the past 10 years. Therefore, being forthcoming is required. I think working on a part-time basis in real estate for three years demonstrates that you kept your hand in the workforce. You should, however, be prepared to explain your performance in that field as well.

Although you say that you were ``not very aggressive," my sense is that the most successful realtors have built their business over time. It takes time to establish relationships and build a reputation in the community. This is true of many sales roles. Perhaps time worked against you .

More important, a prospective employer will be most interested in your experience in the most relevant field, which for you is investment banking. Assuming you enjoyed success in investment banking, this will be the most important part of your background to highlight when interviewing. Past performance (especially in the same industry) is often an indicator of future success.

Boss deserves to know

what you're working on

My supervisor is a terrific person but lately I have the impression she is threatened by me. She went through a period of tough personal times and we had a very busy period at the office. My understanding of the job was that I had to handle the overflow of work as her assistant. Clients started coming to me first, knowing that I help them quickly and accurately. I started taking more initiative, and helped fix some office systems (with the blessing of the big boss and input from others in the office) that caused some problems with efficiency. She seemed happy that I was an efficient assistant with initiative; now she is starting to ``give me permission" to do things and say ``we" did something, when it was not ``we." I think it is her pride. I consulted with a friend in the corporate world and he said I need to start asking clients to ``cc" her on correspondence, and let her get involved in my assignments so she feels more in control and less threatened by me. It is a good job, especially in this economy. But I do not like feeling this way and feel bad that my efforts to do a good job and have work ethics are making her unhappy. Suggestions?

Unfortunately, we never truly know what someone else is thinking. You may be right about her pride. Pride in one's work is a powerful emotion. Maybe your supervisor is trying to get more actively involved, particularly if she has been out of the loop because of a difficult personal situation. On the other hand, perhaps she is indeed threatened by your growing initiative, competence, and visibility. The good news is that one strategy fits both situations.

I consulted with Paul Powers, a Wellesley-based management psychologist, executive coach, and author. Powers and I both agree that burying her in copies of e-mails may not be the best idea, unless she asks you to. Powers recommended an alternative: Schedule a regular time for you and her to meet (preferably early in the week) to review your projects, upcoming tasks, and get any suggestions or feedback she has to offer. That way you can be confident that your efforts are in synch with her priorities (a boss's rightful prerogative), and that you are fully informing her what is going on (always a good idea).

While assuring you that you are meeting (even exceeding) your boss's expectations, this strategy may even help your supervisor get better organized, focus more on the big picture, and make crisper decisions. Remember -- a great way to get ahead is to help your boss succeed.

Furthermore, be careful to contain any negative opinions of your supervisor. You may be perceived as a gossip, disloyal, or not a team player. If she has performance issues, they will, eventually, come to the attention of the powers that be (if not already). If you focus on your own work, you will likely win accolades for doing well under difficult circumstances.

Lastly, continue to earn a solid reputation with clients, co-workers, and others. This network will be an invaluable source of ideas, leads, and contacts when you are ready for another assignment.

Prepare before seeking

a career counselor

Do you recommend any firms that provide career counseling or a source of information that would be a great start when looking for career counselors? Do they offer free consultation? I have an opportunity to see one such person and want to know what is the first right step. I'm considering becoming a landscape architect and want to get some real good advice.

Selecting a good career coach is an invaluable start to launching a career. I consulted Rita B. Allen of Rita B. Allen Associates. Her firm provides career counseling and career management services. Initially, Rita recommends that you spend some time on planning and preparation. For example, set goals and expectations and think about what kind of experience would be important for you to get from a career coach. Then give some thought to logistics, such as your preferred meeting times and location.

Lastly, be realistic about your ideal time frame and budget. In your situation, you may want to ask about the coach's experience in your area of interest -- landscape architecture.

After this preliminary work, you are ready to move on to the search for a compatible match for your needs. Referrals are always a viable source. There is also a professional association for career coaches. The Association of Career Professionals International (acpinternational.org) is a great resource.

Another option is to contact the career services department of any college you have attended. You can also visit your local library to read information about career management .

Once you have identified possible coaches, narrow the list to three or so. Visit their websites, check references, and conduct a quick phone screen to assess whether one would be a match for you. Meet with the final candidates and explain that you would like a complimentary introductory meeting to learn more about their services. Most coaches will be willing to meet with you for an hour on a complimentary basis to provide you with a better understanding of their background, skills, and approach.

On your end, you should treat this almost like an interview. You are interviewing these coaches to gain an overview of their capabilities. Be candid about your expectations and goals. Refer to your preparation. You will then be able to select the best fit .

Lastly, don't forget an important step.

Contact all the coaches that you met with and inform them of your final decision.

Patricia Hunt Sinacole, who has 20 years' experience in human resources, is president of First Beacon Group LLC (firstbeacongroup.com), a human- resources-consulting firm in Hopkinton. E-mail questions to jobdoc@globe.com or mail to Job Doc, Boston Globe, Box 55819, Boston, 02205-5819.

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