Tory Johnson Answers Your Questions

ByABC News via logo
April 2, 2007, 8:09 AM

April 2, 2007 — -- "Good Morning America" has launched the "Take Control of Your Life" tour with co-anchor Diane Sawyer and workplace contributor Tory Johnson.

As Johnson tours three cities -- Chicago, Atlanta and Denver -- she will answer your questions about how to find better balance between your work and your life.

Question: I'm 49 and haven't worked professionally for 23 years. My youngest child is off to college in the fall and just yesterday I submitted two online resumes for very desirable positions. Should I be invited for an interview, what issues do I need to be prepared to address? How do I convince them that my time away could, in fact, beinvaluable life experience and not a detriment to my qualifications andability. -- Joy Denison

Answer: The first step, Joy, is not to reply on the Internet to land an interview. This is especially true for someone with a large gap in work history. Typically, you'll have to work harder and smarter at landing an interview than someone who has current experience.

Your focus now should be on how to network face-to-face with people who might be able to help you get hired. At the same time you'll work on interview skills. Life experience counts for a lot, but you also need the specific skills they're looking for. Express that you're highly adaptable to new responsibilities and that you're a quick study. Those are two areas where workers are sometimes vulnerable. Rehearse some of the basics and record your answers in a tape recorder to review: Tell me about yourself. What are your greatest strengths? Where do you see your weaknesses? Why should we hire you? Good luck in your search!

Question: How can you effectively work with a boss that you don't respect due tohis/her actions? -- Janet Baldeck

Answer: Sometimes you must look for your validation elsewhere, especially if you love your work. Can you get feedback and recognition from your peers and other superiors, not solely from your immediate boss, in order to compensate for your disrespect for him or her? This can often help to diminish how much you're replying on your boss for feedback.

Another option: Pinpoint specific things you don't respect and figure out if there's a way to fix them. If you don't respect that your boss withholds information from you, that is something you can ask to fix. If you don't like that he/she yells a lot at you and your co-workers, you have every right to insist that you're spoken to respectfully. It's wise to have a conversation in which you offer direct examples of behavior that you'd like to see changed so that you can do your job more effectively. However, if you don't like that your boss treats his wife (or her husband) rudely, no matter how much it irks you, that's not something that you can change. There may come a time when you decide you are too unhappy working for this person and you opt to change positions or companies. Not every workplace relationship will be perfect, just as not every personal one is either.

Question: How do you get past being fired? I have had several interviews for which I am more than qualified for but did not get the position. I was totally honest in the interview, but feel that just the fact that I was fired was the deciding factor. I have been in banking for 15 years and do not know anything else. Finances are starting to run short and I need to find a good job. Thanks for your help, Tory. -- Holly Bonner

Answer: Being honest is important, but it doesn't mean you have to go overboard in explaining what went wrong. For example, the banking and finance industry are heavily built on trust and honesty, so you want to be careful about what you reveal and how you reveal it. If you were fired for missing funds, that's going to be difficult to overcome any time soon. You might have to switch gears to a new line of work for a short period.

If you were fired because of a personality conflict, that's something that everyone can relate to. In such a case, you should not go into huge details explaining it. Instead, you can say you loved your work, but as is the case once in everyone's career, there was a personality conflict that you regret. Say you learned a lot from that experience and you are even more qualified now to deal effectively with anything that comes your way. You don't want to paint yourself as difficult to deal with, which is why it's key to say this kind of thing happens once in anyone's career. We all don't love who we work with. Overall, address the issue briefly and move on. Do not get into nitty gritty details and hold back on bad-mouthing anyone. Those triggers will not reflect positively on you. Keep plugging away!

Question: I am originally from Maine and still have family that lives there. I would like to move back, but would like to have a job in place before doing so. I have been sending my resume to employers, but feel as though many wont look at me becuase I am not a local applicant.... Do you have any advice for anything further I can do to look for jobs in an area where you are not currently living? -- Andrea Coron

Answer: Use a local Maine address on your resume, along with your current out-of-state one. Indicate in a cover letter that you visit often, so you're available for interviews, and that you expect to pay for relocation on your own. Don't leave it up to them to assume that you'll do that -- spell it out for them directly. You should also join the Maine chapters of any professional groups in your industry and/or that are specific to the local area you're eyeing. Networking with locals can help to get the message across that you're ready to move back for the right opportunity.

Question: I have worked for a large medical transcription company for five years and have NEVER received a raise, no cost-of-living, incentive, etc. When Ihave asked about a raise, all I get is "we're working on it." I'm not the only one; none of the transcriptionists in my "office" have gotten raises either, and most of us have been here 5+ years. Where do we go from here? We work at home and have no face-to-face contact. We don't even get expenses for out-of-pocket costs. -- Phyllis Cummings

Answer: I hate to say it Phyllis, but that has happened because you've allowed it to happen. You must put your foot down. Don't threaten to leave until you get another offer lined up, which might be exactly what has to happen. If you allow them to keep saying they're working on it, and you never follow up and you don't hold them accountable, they know they can get away with it -- over and over again.

So push a bit: figure out if it's smarter to go to the boss alone or if you should all join together as a group to demand a higher, fair wage. If they say they're working on it, ask for a firm timetable and go back to them at that time. Put your request in writing. Include research on current salaries for your type of work in your geographic area, so that you can help build a strong case. Smart girls talk about money and they ask for what they know they're entitled to. I'm rooting for you!

Question: How do I find a legitimate online job that I can do out of my home? -- Francisca Slocum

Answer: We've created a list of options to get you started on the "GMA" Web site. We can point you in the right direction and give you ideas, but in the end only you can decide if an opportunity is right for you.

Some things to keep in mind: The Internet is loaded with scams. If an ad says you don't need any experience or any skill, but you can make up to $1,500 a week, stay away. There's no legitimate way to earn that kind of money without skill and effort. If you can't talk to a live person to answer your questions about the highs and lows of the opportunity, don't send money.

Evaluating home-based positions requires a healthy dose of common sense. On the "GMA" site we offer some food for thought before committing to any one opportunity.

Question: Hi Tory. My question for you: I wanted to know if there are Web sites that are free for women to apply for free government grants to start a first-time business. I have been told that there are sites, but every one I've checked out you have to pay for the information. -- Diann Ruscitti

Answer: There are three great resources that I highly recommend: The Web sites Countmein.org, Score.org and Sba.org offer extensive information, free personalized mentoring and access to answers. You'll be able to find information on various loan, grant and other financing options to determine which are best for you based on the type of business you're starting.

Question: I don't have a success story yet, but soon hope to. I am a new mother of a 4-month-old and I am working my normal job now part-time form home. They are not going to let me continue from home, and I am in desperate need of finding work from home. This is my situation. I had my daughter back in August and could not imagine leaving her for someone else to raise. I feel like I need her as she needs her mother. I am doing the breast-feeding thing and I can't pump enough to leave her, (if I want to continue breast-feeding) and a lot of workplaces won't agree with taking breaks to pump, so I would not be able to pump on demand. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom, but we can't make it on my husband's income alone. Please help. -- Melissa Voiles

Answer: Turn that feeling of desperation into action. If you're absolutely positive that your current employer won't accommodate you, then it's time to look for an alternative. (Before you close that door, however, you should meet with your manager to talk about the benefits of keeping you given that you know the ropes.)

While it's never an easy time to job search, especially with a new baby, don't allow fear to paralyze your efforts. Start networking with friends and family to find out who they know who works from home. Look at the options offered on the "GMA" site regarding home-based opportunities.

You shouldn't overlook regular employers that support nursing moms -- either with lactation rooms or an understanding about breaks for pumping. Even though your company may frown upon giving you such breaks, there are many employers that would surely support your needs.

And finally, you may find yourself thinking of ways to start your own home-based business. Many women have taken this path after having children and recognizing that they don't want to return to traditional positions, yet they must generate income for their families. It may suit you too.