Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 23, 1995                   TAG: 9507210028
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: F-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CAMILLE WRIGHT MILLER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

INTERNSHIPS, SUPPORT NETWORK CAN HELP OLDER JOB SEEKERS

A: Your situation reinforces the importance of internships. For both traditional and nontraditional students, internships allow students to gain professional experience in the field. Opposite internships, as you mentioned, are legal remedies. While litigation may be an option, proving age discrimination is extremely hard. More productive is putting your energy into intensifying your job search.

Review and expand your network. Engage friends, family, fellow church members, former employers, and former co-workers in your job search. Dramatically increase the number of resumes you send out; consider your search a 40-hour-a-week job.

Keep a positive attitude; prospective employers are put off by negativity. Remember, also, that you aren't alone. Evelyn F. Bradshaw, director of the Career Development Center at Hollins College, says that "with the changing work world there are literally thousands of older workers on the market."

Bradshaw hopes that more employers will discover that older workers bring "maturity, excellent decision-making skills, matchless experience, which can be used in new positions, education and training. They have diverse backgrounds which bring untapped talent to new jobs." Until that happens, Bradshaw counsels, older applicants need to "accept and make clear that they're willing to start at entry level." Promotions come once ability is demonstrated. Also, "consider temp work. It's a way employers screen individuals for positions and it lets the individual explore new career fields."

Consider a support network of similar job seekers. Sharing experiences, information and resources can improve job prospecting. Bradshaw notes that a group for older workers pursuing professional careers is being formed. Information can be obtained by calling 362-6364.

Q: We recently took a credentially impressive candidate to lunch. His grammar and table manners were atrocious. We're split on the hiring decision. I don't believe the problems are correctable.

A: Employees who will meet and eat with the public represent the organization. Poor grammar and inadequate dining manners will reflect badly on your company.

To bring the individual up to standards will require substantial effort from a member of your staff. Determine if anyone is willing to accept etiquette tutoring as an assignment. If so, extend the job offer with the provision that remedial work is in order. Note that employment is on probationary terms with continued employment contingent on correcting deficiencies.

Tutoring should be done in private; if managed with a sense of humor and thoughtfulness you should see dramatic results rather quickly.

If you determine not to hire the individual, tell the candidate why. Only when candidates know what prevents employment can they address problems. Improvement of any kind widens the pools of excellent candidates for all organizations.

Q: I have a number of areas targeted for professional growth. These range from handling interruptions to giving constructive criticism. Despite desire for improvement, I can't find time for any area I've identified.

A: We all have room in our lives for improvement. Bil and Cher Holton, authors of "The Manager's Short Course" (John Wiley & Sons, 1992) suggest creating a numbered list of 31 areas of desired professional development. The list could include running meetings, managing stress, communicating with supervisors, communicating with staff, handling ongoing projects or staying current in your profession.

Use each item with the corresponding date and focus on that item for the day. For example, if the first item on your list is managing clutter, spend 30 minutes on the first of every month managing clutter. Clear your desk of a few files.

On your calendar note the development you tackled and the action taken. This allows comparisons over the course of a year; you can see progress. Your calendar entry for the first might be: "Managing clutter: Desk under 3 inches of paper. Action: cleaned off desk, emptied in basket, handled all paper."

You can, and should, take courses and workshops for professional development; however, nothing improves development like actually practicing the desired skill. Adding the "31 Day List" is another tool to move each individual to a higher level of performance.