Dear J.T. & Dale: I work as a transcriptionist for a large group of doctors. Three years ago they had us work from home and paid us by how much we typed rather than by the hour. We doubled our production, and they lowered our pay. Then they started sending work overseas and laid off some of us. When they discovered the work was terrible and had to be edited, they called us back. But it’s now to the point where we work very long hours to make little more than we did three years ago. If jobs were a dime a dozen, I’d have left long ago. — Gina Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: There’s been great news a new solar-energy plant is slated to be built in a nearby town. I would like to be part of the history as an employee there. I’m about to finish an MBA, but I already have an MA, and I also have a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) and can drive big trucks. How can I get an entry-level job with them? — G.K. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I worked for a bank in the mortgage department until the real estate market bottomed out and I was laid off. After five months, I took a job for $35K less than I’d been making. I stayed till I was able to find a better-paying job, and worked my way up to $70K, then was laid off last month. Now as soon as a potential employer asks what I was making, they say they are looking to pay $20K less. I try to explain it’s OK, but they believe I’ll only stay until the economy improves. While this may be true, how do I get around it? — Pat Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I haven’t been able to find a job in any of the areas I’m interested in, so I’m left to apply for jobs I don’t really want. How do I show enthusiasm and get hired for something I don’t want? I feel I’m being deceptive, and see it as having to put on an act. — Connie Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I just took a new job I truly love. However, I’m finding one drawback — everyone is really into social media. They all have Twitter accounts, and some have their own blogs. I’m more of an outdoorsy person. The problem is it’s all people talk about, so I’m having a hard time connecting on a personal level. I’m worried it will hurt my ability to develop relationships and move up. What should I do? — Chris Read the rest of this entry »

J.T.: We’re always looking for the chance to bring outside experts into our discussions. Today we get to hear from Al O’Connor, who has spent decades in recruiting and outplacement, much of that time coaching job hunters.

Dale: We sought Al’s advice on getting and giving help with job hunting. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’ve been on three separate interviews in the past month where the hiring manager asked me, “What’s your greatest weakness?” I didn’t get any of the jobs, and I think it’s because of the way I answered that question. I was completely honest and told them I have a low tolerance for ignorance and sometimes show my frustration when co-workers make stupid mistakes. Do you think I should answer this differently? — Rae Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’ve been out of work for more than 12 months. I’ve completely lost my motivation to look for a job. I don’t go out anymore because I hate running into people and having to explain I’m still unemployed. What can someone like me do to finally get a decent job? — Harris Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: What am I doing wrong? Everyone tells me to network in order to meet new contacts. I hear constantly from fellow job seekers that they’re having a lot of luck with LinkedIn. So, I reached out to more than a dozen people I thought would make good contacts, and got totally rejected. Not a single one responded to me. Here’s what I’ve been writing:

“Dear X: I’d like to connect with you and send you my resume so I could get feedback on what’s wrong with it. I’ve been searching for a job for 12 months with no luck. Will you help me?”

— Luisa Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: My company just announced a “no Facebook” policy. It states that anyone found on Facebook during work hours will be terminated. Can they do this? I don’t know if accessing it via cell phone counts, and I’m afraid to ask for fear they’ll add it to the policy. What should I do? — Kayla Read the rest of this entry »