Readers:
If you have any questions or comments that Dr. Hansen could provide valuable assistance with, please feel free to email mailto:careerdr@careershop.com

Previous Columns: Get more advice from our archive of previous Career Dr. columns.

New!: QuintZine: A free career and job-hunting newsletter filled with timely and topical tips for springboarding careers, will arrive in your e-mailbox every other week. CLICK HERE!

• Check your main employer’s policies. Before you even consider looking for a second job, take the time to check your current employer’s policies about holding outside employment.
• Understand your reasons for taking a second job. If it’s purely monetary, you may be able to talk to your current employer to pick up extra shifts rather than take a second job.
• Consider a trial basis. Moonlighting in short doses – to accomplish some short-term goals – usually works better than working multiple jobs for long stretches of time.
• Find a job that interests you. Perhaps you have a boring office job as your main job, so try something fun like being a tour guide or other more unusual job for your second one.
• Consider second jobs that are less stressful. If your first job is a pressure-cooker, find a second one that is relaxing to you, such as pet-sitting or tutoring.
• Find jobs that are close to each other – or to your home. Your time will be limited enough without adding a long commute to your second job.
• Seek out new opportunities with new employers. If you are contemplating a career change, but are not sure of your next career, use second jobs to test out some of your career ideas.
• Reduce your load. If you are working multiple jobs, it’s probably time to cut some of those extracurricular activities.
• Carve out time for significant others. You must find a way to schedule some time with your family and friends or those relationships will suffer… and if you have a partner, be sure s/he is okay with your plans.
• Know when it’s time to quit. Whether it’s when you reach your financial goal or when you are beginning to mentally or physically breakdown, you must reduce your load... though that does not necessarily mean quitting your second job (if it has become your new career passion).

Read more in my latest article published on Quintessential Careers: Moonlighting in America: Strategies for Managing Working Multiple Jobs

See also this section of Quintessential Careers: Jobs for Consultants, Freelancers, and Gurus

It’s important for job-seekers to be confident, but I can tell you right now you most likely do NOT have good interviewing skills if you are not getting to the next level. Now, it is slightly possible that you work in an environment where everyone knows everyone else and the gossip mills have branded you a trouble-maker or whiner, but if that were the case you would not even be getting any interviews. It’s also possible that you are not following-up each interview with a thank-you letter and showing your ongoing interest in the employer.

So, I think your job-search strategies must be solid. You must write decent cover letters and resumes, so it’s time to take a hard look at your interviewing skills. Here are your options: 1). Ask a mentor to conduct a mock interview with you to critique your skills. 2). Contact a career professional and work on developing/ enhancing your interviewing skills. 3). Contact one of the hiring managers that passed on you and ask (in a very non-confrontational manner) if s/he would be willing to give you some honest feedback.

My husband and I are at odds about our 4 college students 20, 22, 23 & 24 years old (none of whom have ever really been gainfully employed for long, we have made the mistake of paying for everything for them, college, books, cars, insurance, spending cash and on and on).

I believe they should have that resume compete now! They should be making at the very least, 2 contacts minimum per day via email or phone or in person and a minimum of 60 contacts per month until they have at least one job offer and then maybe look for a back up plan. Not to mention out on the street pounding the pavement, visiting their college career office and on and on.

My husband believes I am being an extremist and far too aggressive with my requests of them, I believe finding a job is a job, especially today.

I don’t want to start a war in your family, but you need to stand your ground. Finding a job – any job – is hard work – and a job-seeker must plan for putting in the hours and efforts to land a job. Do your kids plan on being professional students all their lives, or are they going to use those college educations to be productive citizens?

I absolutely love your job-search system. Setting goals – easily attainable job-search goals – are great motivators for job-seekers. And from what you say, your kids are going to need a system to succeed. Employers want college graduates who have work experiences.

Have them march immediately to the career services office at their schools and get the help they need finalizing versions of their resumes, developing a strategy for tracking down job and internship leads, growing their network of contacts (including alums of their colleges), and learning critical job-hunting skills.

Please don’t let your children become like the two children of a friend of mine… those two are late in their years (50+) and still getting a monthly allowance from their mother.

Check out this article on Quintessential Careers: 10 Reality Checks of Job-Hunting: Overcoming Common Job-Search Mistakes.

What are some helpful means of career information gathering and self-awareness would you suggest to help her focus in on a few options.

That said, there are numerous avenues you and your daughter could take to at least get a general sense of possible career directions.

First, have your daughter examine what she likes doing most – at school, at home, and anywhere else. Does she have hobbies? Does she volunteer? What does she do in her spare time? She should start making a list of those activities she most enjoys.

Second, there are numerous self-assessment and career interest tests in print and online. She should consider taking a few of these and seeing if any of the results sparks her interest. Her high school guidance office may also be able to help her.

Third, examine your network of contacts and consider having your daughter conduct informational interviews or job shadow some of them to learn more about potential careers.

Fourth, have her review some of the career exploration books or Websites that discuss different careers and the education needed to succeed in them.

Read more – and find links to key resources -- in my article, Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path, 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.