Career Guidance and Opportunities

I’m a 24 years old and have done my bachelor in Economics and International Relations.  I’ve been working for the last four months and am quite satisfied.  Now suddenly I have gotten an offer from another company for a similar work position, but they are offering me a higher salary.

This is obviously attractive for any professional.  Do you think it is too early for me to switch from one company to another?  And, if I do take the offer, will it create a bad impression on my resume?
I am confused.  Should I accept the offer or wait for at least one year? What if I don’t get another chance like this in the future?
What do you advise?
 
Dear!
It is necessary to understand the psychopathology of job hopping.  By psychopathology I don’t mean that you are psychotic because you are changing your job, what I mean is how we as a society perceive the act of job hopping.  Are job hoppers considered to be good or bad?
In the earlier days, job hopping was considered bad.  Job hoppers reeked of disloyalty and unreliability and recruiters didn’t even give such dubious applicants a chance for an interview.  But over the past few years, job hopping has begun to lose this stigma.  Don’t take me wrong, it’s now more professionally acceptable if and only if it is accompanied with a successful track record of performance delivery.
Being a recruiter myself, it’s funny to see the extent at which the psychopathology of job hopping has changed.  If a candidate has been with one company for more than five years (and in a similar capacity) then the first thought that enters my mind is, “what is wrong with him?” I have realized that now the acceptable tenure is defined as anywhere between one and five years with a single company.  Any more or less can put your career in jeopardy.
At the moment I advise you to go ahead and hop! Just make sure this new job spans for several years on your resume.  If you feel this new job will provide you the growth and challenge to make you stick around for some time, then don’t worry, this one hop won’t hurt your career.
Good luck!
Workplace Sanity
 
Q-2
Dear workplace sanity,
I work in the textile wholesale market and have my own business of packing (folding) since 1986.  My business has not been running since the last three years due to several influences on the market from the changes in regional circumstances.
I have my own well-furnished office at M.A. Jinnah Road, am computer literate and have a B.Com degree from Karachi University.  But now I want to change my line of work and pursue a desk-job working with computers, either for another employer or for4 myself.
Should I go for a job at the age of 41 with no practical work experience, or go for self-employment, since I have all the resou4rces for a personal business like an office, staff, and investment? My first choice is a personal business. Please suggest what I should do, step by step.
Career Changer
 
Dear Career Changer,
It happens like something out of a science fiction novel.   There you are at work, calmly and expertly doing something you have done for years.  And then, proof! In the blink of an eye, you realize something’s changed.  
Jobs change, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly, in response to the inexorable beat of the economy and technology drums, individual jobs and even entire fields appear and disappear, like magic.  While technology is often behind the changes, jobs also change as the population changes.  People get older.  People become more educated (or less educated).  And in response, careers transform themselves.
Maybe you are a newspaper journalist who suddenly finds your job has morphed into providing content for a website.  Or maybe you are in textile packing and over time you realize that ---you need to fill in this blank.
I suggest you stick to what you are already comfortable with and good at. Stay within the textile industry, but look for ways to capitalize on your years of industry experience in combination with technology.  Look into e-commerce, like a textile brokerage portal; it would combine your experience with computers and be the desk-job business you seem to be looking for.
Good luck!
Workplace Sanity
 
Q-3
Dear Workplace Sanity,
I am 39 years old, have done my MBA, both regular and executive in Finance and Accountant and am currently working for a bank in the accounts Department as an Assistant Operations Manager.
My problem is that my bank is promoting very young people instead of those with talent and credibility.  I have been attached to this bank for 13 years now due to my deep commitment to his organization; however, the new management does not consider people like me to be experienced and responsible, instead they feel we are “old” assets.
As I am a qualified person, I think I am very capable, but in this new environment where fresh people are being hired, it is becoming difficult to convince management.  Now it has become a matter of survival.  
Kindly advise what I should do: switch to another job; start my own business, for example, open a sore; or pursue teaching for which I have a passion.  
I shall be very thankful if you help me out of my depressed mood.
Regards,
Feeling insecure
 
Dear felling insecure
I feel proud of you.  Why, you ask. Because you recognise that a problem exists.  However, I am also disappointed because you are running away from the actual problem.  These new hires are the kick in the pants you need to wake up to reality. They have the competencies you are lacking, and instead of identifying and developing these competencies in yourself, you are taking the easy way out and are considering switching you job.
The problem, “Mr. I am qualified and capable” is that your competencies no longer match the requirements of your organization.  You probably are a great person, with several degrees, and 13 years of “experience” to boot, but you have become dispensable.  Meaning, you know very well that your organization will do just fine without you.
You should not be the one depressed and fearful of losing your job; your company should be concerned about not losing a valuable employee like you! Create your own value and importance in the eyes of your organization.  Make yourself indispensable by finding out what your organization values in an employee (take a closer look at the new hires) and develop your skills accordingly.
If this sounds too difficult a task to do, then run.  Run away to a job more suited to your competencies.
Good luck!
Workplace Sanity
 
Q-4
DEAR WORKPLACE SANITY
The saying goes “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”  But how can one make oneself tough in front of a female boss who doesn’t seem to compromise on anything?
I have been working as a trainee at a chartered accountancy firm for the past couple of years.  Our boss, in-charge for a particular client, is a wicked female who neither understands the reality herself, nor allows us to do so.  Being a chartered accountant, she must realize that flexibility is a part of real life.
Now how to tackle her has become a billion dollar question amongst us colleagues.  I don’t understand if she does this on purpose, or on an order from upper management.  Anyways, we, the subordinates, suffer the most.  Apart from this, her other claim to fame is her ability to lie with utmost authority.  
The guys, apart from getting angry within ourselves, can’t do much as she is the only female in our department! That’s another feather in her cap.
Required urgent help before the going gets extremely tough.
Tackling a witch
 
Dear Tackler
If you can’t relate to women in he workplace, the how will you handle women in your personal life? The art of handling females can be very useful, and here’s the secret to doing it: manage women the same way you manage men.
Surprised? Well, don’t be because no matter how you take this debate, the main point is that there is no use in evaluating a boss solely on gender.  There are good and bad in both varieties.
If you and your male co-workers are convinced that you are in the “right” then use the same logic to convince your boss.  If you are unable to convince her, then perhaps your logic is flawed and not your boss’ understanding of it.  After all, communication is not just sending out a message, that’s only 50% of it.  The4 other 50% is ensuring your message has been understood.
In the business world, proficiency in your field, and not your gender, is what excels you in your career.  If you can’t work with women, then please realize that you are just limiting and hurting yourself.  Don’t judge a book by its cover; don’t judge a boss by gender.  In fact, don’t judge at all! Simply do your best and constantly strive to improve yourself!
Good luck!
Workplace Sanity
 
Q-5
DEAR WORKPLACE SANITY
I am a big fan of your articles in Dawn and they have been instrumental in my career development.  I am 27 years old, working as an engineer in an oil and gas consulting company.
My problem, I believe, is a very common one in most offices. There are a few newly appointed your girls in our company who are quite attractive and bold.  The way they look and behave around us is very seductive and I don’t know if it is intentional or not, but it is making me and my colleagues crazy and it is affecting our working relationship.
Please tell me what we should do? How are we supposed to work in such an environment?
We are very confused and depressed.  Help us.
Complexed
 
Dear Complexed,
Sounds to me like some hormones are going berserk in your workplace!
If your female colleagues are dressing inappropriately for your workplace environment, then your manager should be the one to address this issue.  Every workplace would benefit from a clearly defined dress code, elaborating what is appropriate for both males and females. If you workplace doesn’t have a dress code, suggest it to our manager of your HR department.
I am presuming that since your manger ha not noticed anything wrong; the actual problem may not be the dress or conduct co your fe3male colleagues. The problem seems to be lying in the eye of the beholder.
He, that’s YOU,! Take a close look at your own beliefs and values.  Do you believe that if a female colleague smiles at you while taking that it means she is interested in your personally and not just professionally?
Do your see where these questions are leading to?
You may not be the r4eason why female colleagues are bold, confident and like to dress well. Perhaps they are simply being professionals, and you are misreading their actions.  
Good luck!
Workplace Sanity
 
Q-6
Dear workplace Sanity,
I have been a Chartered Accountant since 2002.  My last assignment was as Chief Financial Officer with a locally listed company, but I left the job in October 2007 in order to search for a job in the UAE.
Unfortunately, I could not get a suitable offer, even though I searched for a job quite actively.  I spent almost two months in the UAE as this was the basic reason for resigning from my last job.
What I would like to know is how do I answer questions regarding this gap in my professional career to prospective employers?  Also, what should I have done instead of resigning and then hunting for a job? Is there a more appropriate way to go abut it?
 
 
Dear Jobless CA,
Real dumb,
I’m sorry to say it, but I just can’t believe that you are a Chartered Accountant.  When you were resigning, didn’t the basic equation of, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” even cross your mind?
What happened is you failed to do your homework.  When considering a career transition, always test the market and lie up a few offers before resigning from a secure, paying job.  Even take advantage of any accumulated leave you have earned and use the time off to go full force into your job search.  But by no means should you ever quit a job before you have lined up another one.
Don’t fret though.  You are amongst the lucky ones because of your career field.  Chartered Accountants are worth their weight in gold nowadays and you should be able t find a job soon.  The only thing holding you back will be your own lack of confidence.  Often when someone has been jobless for some time, the stress and anxiety creeps into their communication style, especially their body language, and tarnishes the image they project job interviews.  They tend to come across as needy and desperate, and no one wants to hire someone who is insecure.
Get over your mistake. If you have learned something from this experience then it was it was worth it.  Don’t hide or lie about what you did.  Honestly narrate your situation to interviewers and emphasis the lesson you have hopefully learned from this experience, which is: “A bird in the hand is worth tow in the bush.”
 
 Q-7
Dear workplace sanity,
I am a Dow Graduate as well as being a MBA from the College of Business Management (CBM) and am currently working as a senior brand manager in multinational pharmaceutical company.  My total work experience is 4.5 years out of which I have worked almost two years in sales management.
Recently, I applied to the British Highly Skilled Migrant Program and got approved.  According to the research I have conducted there are opportunities in the UK within my line of work but it takes at least four to six months there before one gets a job of choice.  That means I will have to resign from my current job, go there and search for a job.  I have recently been married and my wife is also planning to accompany me and work there.  We have family there where we can live during the interim period.  
I am quite confident that with my experience and contacts if I have to come back to Pakistan I will be able to get a similar job easily.  What do you suggest? Should I take this opportunity? Please reply urgently as I need to take this decision at the earliest!
Regards
Confused Doc
 
Dear Confused Doc,
Actually, you are not “confused.” You are scared.
You have done all your homework.  You have thought out all possible worst case scenarios.  But, darn it, you are SCARED to take a risk!
The way I see your situation is that you seem to be a high IQ-type person, very analytical, one who likes to look into all the facts and details before making a decision, but on the other hand, you are low in EQ, or Emotional Intelligence.
EQ is a different kind of smart.  The ability to solve algebraic equations may be a function of person’s IQ, but the ability to deal with everyday job stresses, shifting priorities, difficult co-workers, and the uncertainties of life is a function of EQ.
My advice is to relax and go for the opportunity.  It is ok to want to control every aspect of your life and to be absolutely sure of every decision’s outcome, but every now and then you just need to enjoy taking a “calculated” risk.  Risk and uncertainty are what I call the “masala” of life.  Without them, life would be comparable to a tasteless meal.
Enjoy the uncertainty, take the risk!
Workplace sanity