Sabbatical Needn’T Doom You
Q: I worked for seven years as a project engineer in the chemical industry. I then took a four-year sabbatical to travel internationally and go mountain climbing. In looking to get back into the job market, I’ve gotten negative results because of the time off. If I apply for entry-level jobs, I’m told that I’m overqualified. Am I doomed to never work again?
A: Fours years is an unusually long “sabbatical,” but your career may not be doomed forever. Jean Kripton-Durham of Jean Kripton Inc., specializing in corporate staffing, suggests that you explain that it was an opportunity that could only be taken at that time and you are now excited to return to the chemical industry. List the sabbatical with the appropriate dates on your resume and describe it in your cover letter.
To show that you are serious about keeping current in the field, you may need to take additional courses, which you will want to add to your resume. When you interview, present yourself as a determined, highly motivated worker and stay focused on returning to work. Stay away from glamorizing your travels to alleviate any fears interviewers may have that you would leave again.
Don’t concede to unethical boss
Q: I worked for a dentist for one year. During that time, I caught him lying about everything, from his everyday life to dentistry to billing. He has stolen dental items from other dentists with whom he shares office space. He has billed patients for cleaning their children’s teeth when he has not done so. I also caught him in the computer system erasing information. When I questioned him, he replied that he was the employer and I was the employee. When I went on maternity leave, he told a friend of mine he didn’t want me coming back and refused to return my calls. We know many of the same people and I have heard through them that he is saying I stole from him.
A: This dentist’s deceitful practices with his patients, office mates and employees should be stopped. Hire a lawyer to deal with his spreading rumors that you stole from him. On your own, file a complaint with your state’s dental association or local dental society. You can locate the proper offices and find out how to file a complaint through the American Dental Association’s Web site at: www.ada.org/consumer/faq/ consumer.htmlfile-complaint.
22 years of documentation at work pays off
Q: After six months of various warnings, I was laid off at age 64 after 22 years at the same company. First, the company accused me of incompetence, so I pulled out 22 years of appraisals - all excellent. Next they said I didn’t work well with the team, so I showed them about a pound of commendations from peers and suppliers. Finally, they said there wasn’t enough work, so I was let go on a Friday.
Then I was called on Monday and asked to come back as an independent contractor. The real reason for the layoff was that before a corporate merger was to take place, the company wanted to reduce its payroll. The moral of the story is to save everything. It’s powerful ammunition against unscrupulous folks. I’m teaching now and having fun.
A: You may have had a good age discrimination lawsuit, but you won anyway with your positive approach to the problem by defending your record. It’s a shame employees have to protect themselves from situations as you experienced, but it’s a reality employees must face. Saving all documentation pertaining to one’s job is cumbersome, but it may provide critical evidence when dealing with such unethical antics.