Letters, we get letters and phone calls and cries for help from job-seekers and those who who want to advance in their careers.
Q-The last time I was in the labor market-20 years ago-I was an executive secretary. Despite my long absence, there is a firm that recognizes my abilities and wants to hire me to do the same work.
But the work is not the same. Computers are everywhere and I’m scared to death. I fear I can never learn. The people interviewing me say I’ll learn in no time, but do you think it’s possible for someone like me ever to use a computer?
A-Yes, it is. It’s obvious you’re smart and exude confidence, or no one would offer you a job. One day, soon, you’ll be as addicted to the computer as the rest of us.
I confess that I, too, was terrified of the computer. In fact, I was the last in my department to learn how to use it, the last to give up my typewriter. I often gratefully describe my computer training as “being pulled, kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.” Today, I can no longer use a typewriter and do all my work on the computer, my best friend. If I learned, you can too.
But, to make sure my assessment of your problem is correct, I asked for an unemotional opinion from a computer expert, Irmgard M. Cooper, president of IMC Services Inc./IMC Automation in Chicago.
Can this re-entry worker learn the computer? “Yes, she can,” Cooper said, “because I have taken people who are used to shorthand and typewriters and trained them in computers. Anyone who can type can learn to use the computer.”
Cooper, who sells microcomputers and trains employees on them, adds this encouraging perspective: “No piece of equipment should defeat you. A computer is circuitry and metal. It’s not a human being. We should be able to control the equipment, not the reverse.”
Q-I live in Colorado and am looking for a job (having to do with) the environment. My background is in science, biology, chemistry and technical writing. Do you have any suggestions?
A-In today’s job market, you may have to look outside your home state. First, touch base with the career placement center of the college you were graduated from. It should still help you, at no charge.
Next, if you’re not already a member of the National Association of Environmental Professionals, join. It has an active job bank and lists current openings in its newsletter. You should belong to the group anyway: The impact of professional connections and networking on your career and job search cannot be underestimated. So, pay the $95 dues-cheerfully.
The association is located at 5165 MacArthur Blvd., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016. Phone: 202-966-1500.
Q-My wife and I work for the same employer. How does the Family and Medical Leave Act apply to us? Do we each get 12 weeks unpaid leave?
A-According to “Legal Report,” a newsletter published by the Society for Human Resource Management based in Alexandria, Va., “spouses employed by the same employer are limited to an aggregate (total) of 12 weeks of family leave for the birth or adoption of a child or the care of a sick parent. If the leave is requested for the care of a child or of the other spouse with a serious health condition, each spouse is entitled to 12 weeks of leave.”
Answers to questions about the 1993 federal act were given by Lawrence Z. Lorber, an attorney and a former official of the U.S. Department of Labor, and J. Robert Kirk, an employment lawyer.
Q-I need a job with health insurance benefits and decent salary. I can’t live on the minimum wage of $4.35 an hour. I’m a high school graduate with two years of college. Please don’t suggest a community college or state employment office; they’re no help.
A-I’m sure you sincerely want a job, but you’re cutting off the two sources that can help you. The job you describe is one everyone wants, but the harsh facts are that there are few good jobs that don’t require some technical training or a college degree. At least take some computer courses and then start your job hunt.
Q-I’m a freelance graphic artist with 15 years experience. I’m now looking for a full-time job. I am up-to-date on the Macintosh, work fast, conceptualize well, meet deadlines and remain calm when things get crazy. But I can’t find a job. Any suggestions?
A-According to successful graphic artists, the only thing that matters is your portfolio. Make sure you have a good, strong and representative one: It’s your ticket to success.
But full-time jobs for graphic artists are scarce. It may be hard to make the switch.
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Carol Kleiman’s columns appear in the Tribune on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday.
