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Barbara  writes:  
I’m an experienced professional, currently working fulltime, but feeling a bit burned out and underappreciated. I also have a number of other strengths and skills that my employer does not utilize.

What you are seeking is called a portfolio career. In such a career, you manage a portfolio of part-time jobs, that when combined result in the equivalent of a full-time position. For example, an accountant may work two days a week with one client, teach part-time at the local college, and also have a consulting practice (and during this time of year, perhaps also a tax service).

Some say the term originates from the early 1990s when management guru Charles Handy stated that future careers will be made up of lots of small jobs rather than one big one. Handy talks of careers that offer more control to the worker rather than to the corporation. Portfolio careers offer greater flexibility, and Handy especially sees more women taking advantage of this type of career – with much of the work being based in home offices.

Before you move toward this multi-job strategy, know that there are some disadvantages. It may be difficult to mesh multiple employer demands into your schedule, and it will typically add more stress and uncertainty into your life. You’ll also have to either rely on a significant other’s health insurance or find your own.

But, if you are an organized person who seeks flexibility, new challenges, and autonomy, then a portfolio career could be just the direction you should follow.

For more on portfolio careers, please read my article published on Quintessential Careers: Portfolio Careers: Creating a Career of Multiple Part-Time Jobs.

If you’ve read my column or articles in the past, you know that I always believe in erring on the conservative side, so my advice would be to wear the suit, perhaps with a new blouse, and not worry about the director really noticing that it’s the same suit three times running.

On the other hand, because fit is important for this visit, you don’t want the prospective co-workers to think you are trying to upstage them by wearing a suit when their attire is more casual.

So, you have two options. First, wear the suit. You are job-hunting, and the suit is the outfit of choice. I don’t believe the co-workers nor the director will be put off by it. Second, call either the director (or her assistant) or someone from human resources and pose the question to that person.

If you do call and ask, don’t frame it as “I only have one suit, so what should I do?” But, instead, “I want to make a good impression on my future co-workers and called to solicit your advice on what type of outfit would be best to wear to meet them.” Asking about attire can actually add to your status as someone who wants to fit in with the organization.

For other issues related to how to dress for interviews, read my article, When Job-Hunting: Dress for Success, published on Quintessential Careers.

And having the chance to teach, empower, and interact with some of the future leaders is one of the greatest benefits of being a college professor. Your corporate finance experience should be a plus – both in your teaching and in your research.

The academic job market is fairly different than the corporate market. While many universities do post job listings on their Websites and some also advertise jobs, many of the initial interviews for new assistant professors are actually conducted at academic conferences. I’ve also found a lot of the academic market is based on word-of-mouth and referrals.

Since you are just starting your studies, the best sources for information are the professors in your doctoral program. Talk with them about the most important conferences. While still a student, try to get one or more papers accepted at these conferences – or simply attend – so you can watch the process before you have to experience it as a job-seeker.

And you can start looking now at job postings to see the types of qualifications that universities are seeking in assistant professors of economics. And if you have a specific set of colleges in mind, you might start making connections, building your network.

Your situation is quite different, though, and it gives me the opportunity to again stress the importance of follow-up to all job-seekers. Please remember these words if you want to succeed in finding a new job: follow up, follow up, follow up. Following up job leads shows prospective employers your interest in the company and position -- and gives you another chance to sell your qualifications. Some job-seekers fear sounding desperate or annoying when making follow-up inquiries, but as long as you do it right, you will come across as interested, not desperate.

You need to track down every job lead and keep on top of the status of each of those leads. I recommend waiting no more than two weeks to follow-up with a prospective employer… calling or emailing to make sure your resume was received and get your name remembered.

Here are some other tips:

• If you apply online for a position, consider following-up the online application with a cover letter and resume sent to the hiring manager via postal mail. You will stand out over the other online applicants because few will also send a hard copy.
• Keep your follow-up brief, to the point, and professional.
• Focus your follow-up around your fit with the position and organization and your USP. You might also ask the hiring manager if he/she needs any further information not included in your original application.
• If you recently completed training, received an award, or earned some other recognition that would make you an even better candidate for the position, be sure to mention it in your follow-up.
• Continue following-up regularly

For much more advice and tips, read my article, Follow Up All Job Leads: Don’t Wait by the Phone (or Computer), published on Quintessential Careers.

Dr. Randall S. Hansen is currently Webmaster of Quintessential Careers.

Dr. Hansen is an associate professor of marketing at the School of Business Administration, Stetson University. He has been a published career expert for the last 10 years and an employer and consultant with hiring/firing decisions for the past 15 years.

Through his experience as a professor of marketing, Dr. Hansen uses proven marketing techniques and applies them to job-hunting. He is currently working on such a book. Some of his work can be seen at his personal Web site.

He and Katharine Hansen co-wrote the very successful job-hunting book, Dynamic Cover Letters, published by Ten Speed Press. You can order copies from Barnes and Noble of this cover letter bible. He is also author of several career-related magazine and journal articles.

Finally, Dr. Hansen has been an employer and has firsthand experience in the hiring process. He also stays active in the field by reading magazine and journal articles and by talking with employers on a regular basis.