Dear J.T. & Dale: Today, I read two “employment trends” reports from two different online sites. One claims jobs are on the rise; the other says we are in the 11th straight month of decline. What should I believe? Are we rebounding or not? As a job seeker who has been out of work for eight months, I want to believe things are getting better, but the lack of job postings in my field tell me otherwise. How can anyone make sense of all the conflicting reports? — Troy Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I had an interview two weeks ago for a city recreation position. I was told I was overqualified but “in the running,” with a dozen more applicants to interview. She called today and offered me the job (woo hoo!), but at $23,000, which is the lower side of the pay range. Is it bad business to counter offer at $24,000? — Kim Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I have a friend who was terminated after 17 years for allegedly scratching the back of a fellow employee (through his clothes). I don’t have the details. If someone is terminated under a cloud, how should he or she deal with the inevitable “Why did you leave your former job?” — Henry Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I am 55 years old and I’ve been working for a construction company for 25 years. The recession has hit us hard, and I don’t think the company can survive. I’ve been thinking, “Where do I go from here?” I don’t think I want to work in the industry any longer, but I haven’t even thought about looking for a job, or doing a resume, for 25 years. — Craig Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: Does a “temporary” job hurt your career? I am currently unemployed and need to pay the bills until I find a permanent job. My concern is I will be committing career suicide if I take something temporary. I know a few individuals who hold doctorates in engineering who used to work for large Fortune 200 companies and who were laid off and took jobs like driving a bus or stocking shelves. They think they have been unable to get a job in their professions because of these temporary jobs. — Pat Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I worked at a large health insurance company for 10 years, until I got terminated for receiving an e-mail from a co-worker. The e-mail got hung up on the server, and by the time the problem was fixed, the company had terminated the person who sent the e-mail and everyone he had sent it to. I had no idea what was in it, and still don’t. Is there a correct way to state why I was let go? Is there a more professional term than “terminated” or “fired”? — Christy Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I served in the military for more than 20 years before retiring. I’ve been looking for a corporate job and feel like a fish out of water. I’ve talked to some fellow ex-military who are working corporate positions and are miserable. They are finding it hard to respect the people they work with. That scares me. Any suggestions? — Craig Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I have been a server at the same restaurant for three years. In this time, my boss Jack [names changed] has been having an affair with Candy, who was in a relationship with my husband’s friend Kyle. There were rumors about this affair, and Jack’s wife filed for divorce. Then Kyle and Candy’s relationship went sour and he kicked her out of the house. I ran into my husband’s friend Kyle a couple of days ago, and he asked me how long I’d known about Jack and Candy’s relationship. I said for a couple of months. I did not know that Kyle was tricking me into confirming that these rumors were true. My question is, Can I be fired for this? I mainly answered a question. I really am nervous about the safety of my job. — Tammi Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I still want to become a doctor. Specifically, one who spends most of my time helping out in disasters. I let myself be swayed off that path 30 years ago. I’m a manager in a technical field and have a smallish 401(k). I’m healthy, with a long-lived family, so I’m likely to live and work till 90. If I start tomorrow, I’d be a shiny new doctor at age 60. Crazy, huh? The hard thing is figuring out how to go about it. The college counselor is telling me the same thing they say to kids. How do I get rock-solid advice? — Jessica Read the rest of this entry »

Dear J.T. & Dale: I enrolled in college with the goal of becoming a physical therapist. After my freshman year, I signed up for the Navy. But after an extended trip to Mexico, I decided I was too young to dedicate all those years of service. I started an office job, but being cooped up in a cubicle eight hours a day was driving me crazy! I tried my hand at eBay auctions but went into debt. Now I have a good job and am also going to school to be an architect. But I can’t stop imagining how happy and fulfilled I would be as a physical therapist. If I change my major again, it will be like wasting two years of study. I’m 25, and my peers have solid careers while I’m still trying to finish school. — Simon Read the rest of this entry »