Career Q&A: Taking a year off to travel

I am in the midst of a fairly significant career decision. My wife has an option for further work on her doctorate, and I am considering taking a one-year sabbatical to go to the United Kingdom with her. How do...

Career Q&A: References from an employer who was difficult to work with

"I have been in the same job for a year but I am being bullied and feel I should be looking for something else. I have skipped from job to job different times because I was not getting enough hours....

Career Q&A: Returning to work after a health-related absence

"After more than a year's absence from the work scene (my last job was deputy ED of a large professional organization), I am now considered ready to begin work again. The reason for the long absence was health-related and the...

Career Q&A: Gaining entry-level employment in the nonprofit sector

I've sent out tons of resumés for an entry-level job in the nonprofit sector, with no results at all. I want to work in nonprofit because of my beliefs, but should I switch to the for-profit sector just to get...

Career Q&A: Including your age in a cover letter

Please advise if a person applying for a position should disclose in a cover letter that one is a mature person (over 40) so that a prospective employer is aware of the applicant's age? I know an employer is not...

Career Q&A: Pursuing a consulting career

I'm currently a marketing director with a well-known, national not-for-profit. In order to have more flexibility in my personal and professional life, I'd like to pursue a career in consulting. What are some suggestions on the best steps to take?...

Career Q&A: Tips for mastering the panel interview

Whenever I have a panel interview, I get nervous and usually blow it! Any tips? Panel interviews can be very intimidating for many job seekers. In the not-for-profit world, panel interviews are much more common than in other sectors as...

Career Q&A: The best way to highlight achievements on your resume

What sort of job duties should I list in my résumé for the positions that I've held? First of all, remember that on average most hiring managers spend less than two minutes reading a résumé. I liken résumés to the...

Career Q&A: Working in an unsafe environment and dealing with threats from management

"I work for a large nonprofit organization where I am a health and safety committee member. There are many safety hazards in my workplace that I have brought to the attention of management and they continue to disregard the situation....

Career Q&A: Dealing with an unpleasant and disruptive co-worker

I work in a small organization (12 staff), and we have one individual who is causing a lot of problems. She can be quite moody and even nasty at times. She can be disruptive at our staff meetings, depending on...