Focus on the job at hand

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, "Good" jobs are filtered through "who you know." I work 40-plus hours on half the salary, excluding benefits, from a year ago. I'm in an autopilot mode knowing what to expect from the current situation without knowing how to change the tune to stand out from the masses. No feedback in the search process provides no input on what I should change to get better results. I find myself looking at everything and responding without focus to a single listing. Can you recommend? - Lost Focus

A: Dear Lost, Your focus will come back if you work (and play) smart:

• Plan undistracted time to job hunt, perhaps an hour before work, and parts of evenings or weekends.

• Budget your time well by spending the vast majority of it catching employers at the beginning and end of the work day.

• Reduce the likelihood of endless form rejections by applying online only when you're certain a job is right for you. Take a break the rest of the time.

• Understand that you can create contacts, that you don't have to have them in hand to find work.

• Decide what you really want to do and jump relentlessly into that market. - mlc

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, Recently my husband lost his job and is trying to make a go of it at contract work. While he gets this going, I'm looking for a second-shift job so I can home-school my children and help get the bills paid.

I have a BA in Early Childhood Education and am a certified teacher. Every potential (mostly retail) employer has said, "You don't want to work here. You have a degree." I'm steeling myself for the same response as I apply for jobs that are lower on the education chain but fit my scheduling needs. How would you advise I respond to this? - Silent

A: Dear Silent, Turn your "liability" into an asset. Tell potential employers that many of their customers have degrees, which will make it easier for you to sell to them. They'll trust you and trust you with their money more than if you didn't.

If that doesn't work, smile with all of the charm you can muster and suggest that you work one day or week with your degree on trial. If it proves a hindrance, you'll need to be paid but you'll go home without their having made a large investment. - mlc