Spam, innovator, would you believe?

ANALYSIS

Concentration, Underemployment, Opportunity

Q: People tell me that I send too many emails, that I don’t answer all of their questions. My boss has said he thinks I need help with reading. I’m starting to job hunt and I don’t know how to handle this problem.

Staying calm during interviews

Q: I find interviews embarrassing. I have to sit and talk about myself as if I were interested, when I’m really more interested in finding out about the job. How can I keep from sounding too abrupt when I answer questions and from feeling self-conscious when I do?

Coach, Switcheroo, Skype

Q: I’ve been using a coach once a week for a month to help me decide what I want to do and develop a campaign. When we started, I thought we’d be further along by now.

Telecommuting plan

Q: I’ve been offered a promotion, which I haven’t yet accepted, because I don’t know how to convince my employer to allow me to telecommute. He knows that I have good relationships with my neighbors, that we spend time together in the evenings and on weekends. He also knows I date. I sense t…

Writing, whistleblowing, interviewing

Q: My resume is one page long and contains all of my work history. The graphics are eye-catching, but interviewers seems to be saying things I think they’re saying to everyone they interview. How can I inspire them to think about what I’ve done and how to use my experience?

Finding International Jobs

Q: I’m bilingual and second-generation American, but I’ve never worked overseas. My skills and experience will transfer to a variety of industries. How do I begin the process of finding companies in any industry that are Spanish-speaking? Central and South America would be fine. So would Spain.

Start Your Own Business, Strategicaly

Q: I’ve been working in a large organization for a long time, but I want to buy a business in a very different industry. Because I’ve been up in the ether, I’d like to spend a year or two in a small business to get ready. How can I best approach employers?

Don't waste energy on a "worthless" job

Q: The job I finally found more than a year ago isn’t worth having. I grabbed the first thing that came up and have regretted it since almost the first day.

Don't hide from a negative past

Q: I spent seven years in prison and three on the street. How can I ever find a job?

Job instability and uncertainty

Q: Last year I wanted a job so badly that I agreed to rent our house and relocate about 1,200 miles. We’ve rented here and the job has gone all right. Our children attend local schools.

Work for fruitful employers

Q: I work in an engineering department in a good firm. It’s small, but people here are decent. I’ve been going to school for my engineering degree so I can get out of support and into engineering. This spring I’ll have my degree.

If your heart isn't in it, don't interview

Q: It’s time to reinvent myself, because the field I’m in is contracting. Another field where I have experience seems to offer a great deal of opportunity; so I’ve been updating my skills, reading about it and speaking with people about it.

Flexibility to move forward

Q: It's a bit ironic: I'm afraid I won't be able to interview; so I've not sent out resumes!

The long day delimma

Q: I am a 58-year-old woman with a full-time receptionist’s job in a doctor's office. I love my job and the people, but I need a part-time evening job for financial reasons. Here’s my dilemma. Patient load determines when my day is over.

Ethical ambitions

Q: Now that the job market is gradually coming back, I want to be a recruiter. Before, I was afraid I’d be overwhelmed with candidates. Now I know there are enough employers out there to become my clients.

Matching skills with relevant industries

Q: When employers review my experience, they can’t pull it together. I’ve jumped from one industry to another. The progression makes sense to me, but I’m in the middle of it and I can’t articulate it well. Can you point me in a direction?

Expanding avenues for the job search

Q: I spent all of 2012 job hunting. I sent out more than 300 applications from listed jobs. The three interviews I had went well, but I wasn’t hired. In each case I had at least 40 competitors.

Phone interview anxiety

Q: I hate using the telephone. I’d rather see a person face-to-face. On the phone I’m so uncomfortable that I can’t think on my feet or I’m tongue-tied. How can I job hunt with this problem?

Using past experiences to find your "fit"

Q: I’ve been living a double life. I play in a band, which I love, and do temp work during the day. If you could see all of the jobs I’ve had, you’d think I’m good at job hunting. But I wouldn’t go back to a single one of them, because they’re dead ends.