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Tech Careers
Hosted by Lisa King
Talent Agent
Randstad
Wednesday, April 10, 2002; NOON EDT

The transcript follows below.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Lisa King: Thanks everyone for being here today. I’m Lisa King, a technical talent agent for Randstad, and we’re here to talk about technical careers from what’s up and coming to best strategies for landing the job you want. Send in your questions now and we’ll get started.

Forestville, Md.: Thanks for taking our questions. I screwed up recently, and took a job with a company where my immediate manager is very enthused about branching into contingency planning, and had me to believe that upper management was very interested in it as well. However, now that they have hire me, the very first request that requires money (about $1700 in training), is being met with a level of resistance above my manager's head that is shameful! I feel as though I have been lied to, and it is my fault. I am waiting for my certification to be approved and could have pushed my way into a company that had an established contingency planning group, but I really thought, after working with this person and his/her immediate manager, that they were really interested in the opportunities that are avaiable. Mind you, I am not basing my disappointment on one failed set of classes; there are other things that cause me to believe that someone misstated the possibilities here. Once I have a certificate in hand, I think I will be looking around. Since I worked for them as a subcontractor for a year, and now as an employee for a few months, I can arrange my resume in such a way as to show that I have been with them for nearly 18 months. I was also recently approached by a headhunter who specializes in the field.

Thanks for the space to rant! Your thoughts?

Lisa King:
It may be that you weren’t deliberately misled, but the business environment changed (there actually weren’t the glut of contracts expected to be available), or the business priorities have changes (they may not be able to launch a new business line at the moment because of capitalization or other factors) or the decision may have been reversed above the level you’re in contact with and no one wants to admit that they got stopped in their tracks (happens way more often than you’d imagine – damn pride!).

But anyway, even if it wasn’t deliberate, the situation you’re in is not what you expected and you may not want to wait around to see what happens in the future. As far as "arranging" your resume – be upfront about it. Put XYZ Company, June 2000 – January 2002. And then in the description, include "hired as full-time employee after subcontracting for 11 months" (or whatever is was). It shows the stability of having been there, that they thought enough of you to bring you on board, and avoids any appearance of trying to juggle dates – it’s not a lie, but you don’t want to have to explain away any seeming discrepancies in an interview.

Definitely start looking around, but don’t burn any bridges either – you never know when you’ll run into people again. The momentary satisfaction isn’t worth it when you end up working (or not working) with those same people after you’ve all moved on to other companies.

Good luck!

Washington, D. C.:
I have over 15 years of accounting experience, several of which have been as Controller for a few different organizations. I don't have my degree yet, but I do have about 70 hours completed. I'm interested in getting into the government but am not sure of the best way to go about it. Also, I'm concerned about whether I'd be able to enter at my desired salary level ($55-$65K). What would you suggest?

Lisa King: Probably your best route is to finish your degree first. It’s going to be difficult (but not impossible) to be hired for the federal government at an equivalent position and salary without it. Unfortunately, neither the federal government nor accounting is my specialty, so I’d also direct you to the Washingtonjobs.com message boards where others might have been advice for your situation.

Good luck!

Fairfax Virginia: I have been exhaustivley seeking a new position in the Information Technology field for the last 8 months. Prospective employers have been impressed with my resume, but since I don't have a security clearance it has become a deal breaker on several occasions!
I have been under the impression that clearances are generally granted to an employer for an individual, and when they leave that job, the clearance goes inactive,
is that true?
How can John Q Public get a clearance? I used to have an access level clearance issued bt TRW, but it doesn't show up when employers check records.

Lisa King: Okay, this is the most common question I hear and there are several here today - yours is representative of them all, so take heart that you're not alone.

There is no way to get a clearance on your own. The process is too expensive and the resources too limited to allow that. As well, just as there’s "need to know basis" even in the commercial world, the same concept exists for clearance – you can’t be eligible for one unless there’s a need.

Remember there are also a variety of clearances and all are not parallel – that is, a military clearance won’t translate automatically to the Treasury or State Department (though it can speed the investigation process).

Best ways to get a clearance:

Join the military (drastic for many, impossible for others);
Get a job that doesn’t require a clearance and get transferred to a project where you’ll need one – most common.

Remember that for employers, it’s not necessarily in their best interest to hire people that can’t work on a project for 18-24 months until their investigation is complete, so that’s why there’s the current emphasis on current, active clearances.

And yes, your clearance becomes inactive when you leave the position where it's necessary (see "need to know" above).

Best information source is Defense Security Services and their web site is www.dss.mil

McLean, Va.:
I would like to take advantage of the benefit of living the Washington, D.C. area and work for the federal government. However, I have found that the employment process is a tangled bureaucratic web. I have applied for several jobs and none have resulted in a job. I am afraid that either I am not qualified or doing something wrong. I have a law degree, lived in Africa for five years working for a multi-national, and high-level management experience. In addition, I am a volunteer fire fighter. HELP!

Lisa King:
First, thanks for being a fire fighter – we all appreciate it! The federal employment process can be a difficult one to maneuver. Some agencies wait until they have three applications for a position to trigger the review process. If they don’t receive at least three before the closing date, they may or may not re-post the position immediately and may or may not keep previously submitted applications to consider for the next go-round. If you can find a "guide" to help with any agencies you’re interested in working for, that’s extremely helpful – perhaps someone who works at the agency and can let you know what’s different or special about they way they hire.

There’s a book I’ve heard good things about, Government Job Applications & Federal Resumes: Federal Resumes, KSAs, Forms 171 & 612, and Postal Applications by Anne McKinney. That might help you with the federal application process.

And then be sure to check out the Office of Personnel Management web site (http://www.opm.gov) for other helpful information.

Good luck!

Alexandria, Va.: Hi, Lisa!

I'm a technical writer with about 12 years experience, over 20 total (editing, word processing, graphics, network administration). I have been looking casually at jobs for some time and have almost been hired except for salary (I'm pretty sure, anyway). My current salary is high end (75K) but I'm willing to drop to 65K for the right position. Is it just that there's not much of a market right now?

Lisa King: As you know, everyone thinks they can write and so often don't put a premium on professional writers. And it depends on what kind of writing you specialize in - there's definitely a market for proposal writers but less for web content development. And at that salary, make sure that your expertise in an area comes shining through.

Of course you may have more than one area of expertise but develop separate resumes for those and tailor it for each position you're applying for. Too often people try to put too much on a resume and it looks like their experience is scattered and doesn't show any depth of knowledge or skill.

And in interviews, try avoiding a specific salary discussion until as late in the process as possible - say that you're interested in the company including benefits, growth potential, training as well as salary and don't want to get tied to a specific number yet.

Good luck!

Maryland: I am about ready to give my brother a piece of my mind, but I thought I would ask an expert first. My brother graduated last June with a Computer Science Bachelor's. He has no paid experience in the field. He has yet to find a job despite "his best efforts". He whines to me and asks for money to help pay bills. I wonder how much of this unemployment is due to outside factors and how much is due to his lack of trying. Is it reasonable to expect that college grads could take so long to get a job? When I graduated a few years ago (different economy, I know), I had an Admin job within a few months. While an administrative assistant is not the best job in the world, it is a start.

Lisa King: Right now it's extremely tough for new graduates without experience, particularly depending on their expectations. Many started college in a booming economy and expected to graduate and walk into jobs with salarys of $50K ++. And now that those aren't materializing, they feel cheated or betrayed somehow.

Options to suggest (in a supportive way) :)

Volunteer at a school, library or for a good cause (definition of good cause varies by person) to get experience - if you're not working anyway, you might as well volunteer.

Start attending networking and alumni events - many schools have extremely active alumni chapters in the DC area - participate and meet people and see where they're working

Get his A+/Net + certification - there are hardware technician jobs available and it'll be an opportunity to get in the door and show what he's got (same principle behind getting in as an admin - it gets you work experience which is what he needs now)

Make sure the resume is absolutely grammatically correct with no typos or spelling errors. And that any cover letters are well-written and personalized.

That's a start..

good luck!

Washington D.C.: I have worked in the non profit industry for ten years and at this point in my life (35 yrs. old) I am ready for a change, but most of my professional background has been based around working with the hard to serve and to get them trained for employment. I have worked with clients from prisoners transitioning to civilan life to people transitioning from welfare to work. My primary job with both types of clients has been providing job readiness training and case management. I also have had years of employment providing community outreach for different programs under one employer that I was employed with for 9 years. It was last year when I decided to make a break from that employer due to bad management and try to go to work for a profit business. An opportunity came fast from another start up non profit and now I am ready for a change after being here for 9 months. I am not one to job hop, but I would like to know the best way to transition with my background to a corporate employer?
Re-starting at 35

Lisa King: I'd start with the members and/or sponsors of the organizations you've worked with in the past - those are people who are familiar with your work, skills and experience.

Ask for informational interviews (no asking for a job allowed), where you talk for 15-25 minutes and ask what they see as an opportunity for something with your background and if they know anyone else you should talk with.

Place Omitted to be Protect the Innocent and Guilty: An employer fires an employee. The employer lies to the press about the reason for the firing. The employer tells a falsehood to protect the real reason the employee was fired, which could be potentially embarassing to the fired employee. Yet, the reason given to the public causes a different type of embarassment to the fired employee. Could the fired employee sue, and what should the fired employee and the employer each do to best protect themselves?

Lisa King: I guess you have to make the decision about which is the worst case - the truth or the lie being known. As far as grounds for suing, consult an employment lawyer - you can try the Employment Law Information Center as a starting point to learn more or find an attorney .

Gaithersburg: Could be wrong, but my guess for those trying to get into the Federal Government, is that they expect to high a starting pay. A GS-12 Step 1 pays $55,694 and that is a journyman level. Above that is usually first line management and the government like most good organization wants to promote from within first.

Lisa King: That is sometimes the case - federal salaries often don't match the private sector (though there is now a technical pay scale for certain positions to help attract good people to government service) but benefits and stability often outweigh that for applicants.

But yes, keep in mind that there are trade-offs. The dot com high salaries were balanced with high risk. The security and benefits of federal employment is balanced with lower pay.

DC Woman: Hello Lisa:

How is it you use the title DC Web-Women, when most of your members are from MD & VA and probably mostly white women?

Do you do anything for Washington DC area? For example, helping or assisting in training women on the welfare program. Or helping little girls in public schools?

Lisa King: DC Web Women encompasses members from Baltimore to Richmond (we define the DC metro area very broadly), and our members come from all over the area. Our current president resides in Washington, DC as do most of the members of the Board of Directors. As far as racial demographics, it's primarily a virtual group and so there's no way of knowing - we don't survey the members or collect that in any way.

DC Web Women has an outreach program and every year for 4 or 5 years, we've sponsored a program to teach web development skills to young girls (8-14) and help them explore careers in technology. Other outreach programs in the past have included helping wire DC public schools. Many members volunteer individually with such terrific programs as Byte Back (their executive director is a member), which teaches basic computer skills to women in shelters.

If you have suggestions for other programs you'd like our members to know about, please visit the DC Web Women web site (http://www.dcwebwomen.org) and drop us a line - our Outreach chairs are always looking for new opportunities for us to take on as a group or pass along to individual members.

thanks!

NYC: Hello - Is depression a condition covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act? My assistant has not been performing well for quite some time and being as busy as we are, it is taking quite a toll on the rest of the staff. However, she recently confided in me that she is suffering from depression and feels that fact may be the reason she isn't performing well (although she's never really been as productive as we had hoped she'd be when we hired her a few years ago). Other management team members and I have discussed dismissing her (prior to her telling me she has depression) so my question is whether or not such a condition would be covered under the ADA making it difficult or impossible for us to dismiss her or would firing her open us up to a lawsuit. Any guidance you could provide would be appreciated. Thank you.

Lisa King: ADA isn't my speciality and I'd definitely seek legal advice in this case, but a lot would come down to whether she's been clinically diagnosed and treated for depression. There are law firms now that specialize in HR law and ADA - I would investigate with an expert before proceeding.

Reston Va.: I am being let go after three years as a HTML Specialist contractor for a telecom company. How should I market myself in this tight market and how do I find those elusive full time jobs with the benefits I need?

Lisa King: Beef up your other skills - there are very few full-time HTML positions available these days. Whether you train on your own and use BrainBench for testing or enroll in classes, add as many other skills (SQL, ASP, ColdFusion, Java, XML) to your repertoire as possible.

And then network, network, network - attend New Media Society, Art Directors Club, HTML Writers Guild, and Cell Heads meetings. Check the Thursday Post Face Time column in the Business Section for a good list of upcoming events or the Netpreneur calendar (www.netpreneur.org) and find out where there are full-time opportunities available.

good luck!

Seattle, Wash.: How do I make it clear on a job application that I do not want my current employer contacted? One of the jobs I am applying for is a federal job that doesn't allow a cover letter. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Lisa King: I would put under current employer:

XYZ Company (confidential) <--in bold

or even:

Current employer: CONFIDENTIAL (XYZ Company)
and omit contact information.

There may be better suggestions in the book I mentioned above on federal applications.

Fairfax, Va.: As I private sector person who's exploring federal employment, I don't know how to address my lack of subject matter expertise and how to write a KSA that emphasized how I have picked up the subject matter expertise of every industry I've worked in so far.

Lisa King: KSA stands for Knowledge Skills and Abilities - and if you don't have the knowledge of the subject matter then it might not be the best fit for you.

While the ability to learn is important in any position, it can't be considered a primary qualification.

good luck!

Raleigh, NC: I accepted a temporary transfer 6 months ago but I am going to be relocating back to the DC area because I just found out my fiance is pregnant. My boss has said he'll try to help me transfer back to my old position but he doesn't know if they can because it was a lack of work in that office that led me to take this temporary assignment. So I may have to look for other companies in the area. My question is, when I'm interviewing, should I tell them the reason I'm coming back? I think it's the right thing to do to tell them that I might have to take paternity leave in 7 months, but I'm afraid that might hurt my chances of getting the job. Also, I don't know how some employers would react to a pregnancy occuring before marriage.

Lisa King: Just let them know that you're moving back to the area for family reasons. The rest is no one else's business and also serves to let them know that you're not expecting relocation assistance - that you're coming anyway.

With the growing number of adults involved in the care of their aging parents, "for family reasons" is hardly ever questioned any more - and most of the followup questions would be illegal in an interview anyway.

If pressed for additional information, you can just say, additional family committments or be closer to family - all of which is true.

And good for you!

Arlington, Va.: I find more often than with men, I am often in conflict with women at work. I think it is that they can be as aggressive as they like with me but when I push back, they play the wounded female or victim. Is this fair that they should play like men except when it counts? Even in the tech workplace, there's this weird schism, STILL.

Lisa King: There still are some weird dynamics - because in some settings women are still viewed/treated as interlopers in the technical field. And women need to understand the difference between "this is a bad business idea" and "you're a terrible person - I hate you." However, you need to make sure that your pushing back isn't personal and is rooted in the professional situation.

Tough problem - not isolated and nothing we're going to solve today - perhaps a topic for another chat?

Hagerstown Md.: I'm interested in the tech job environment in the DC area right now. I've been in IT for approx. 4 years. I have two years at IT help desk in the finance industry and another two years as a technical instructor. I have a Bach of Science, an MCSE in the "old" NT 4.0 OS and a couple certification tests completed for the W2K path. All of this but no Sec. clearance. In your opinion, what are the chances of obtaining reasonable employment as an admin type in the DC market and where would be the best place to start in this down market?
If there isn't good oppotunity in DC I can look elsewhere.

Employed, but seriously shopping!

Lisa King: If you'd like to move to a system/network admin position, I'd start in the areas where you have experience (finance) because you bring other knowledge (an understanding of the industry) that can help outweigh your lack of admin experience.

Also, concentrate on smaller offices where the head IT person does some help desk, some user training and takes care of the network - a place with a one or two person IT department. In those offices, your experience would be an asset but you wouldn't have to promise more than you can deliver. Any huge undertakings would involve outside vendors anyway.

Hope that helps!

Maryland: Can you comment on the ability to get an interim/temporary clearance? DSS seems to be very particular in giving these temporary clearances. They are easily denied even to people who would otherwise get a clearance after the two-year long investigation process, leaving those people who have been hired nothing to do in their jobs while they wait for their clearance.

Lisa King: There are a lot of things for the interim clearance that can go either way in a full investigation. For example, one hot button is unpaid child support - so if that shows up, you might not get an interim clearance, where a full investigation might show that there are perfectly good reasons it wasn't paid at the time.

Since the interim clearance decisions are made without full information, what may not be a problem can be a stumbling block initially and why it might be denied or delayed until a full investigation is complete.

Lisa King: Unfortunately that’s all the time we have today – great discussion! Thanks everyone for your questions and comments. If you still have questions, please feel free to post them to the message boards where all the career experts can respond. Have a great day and be sure to check out all the other features of the Virtual Career fair on Washingtonjobs.com.

Bye!

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