Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 5, 1994                   TAG: 9406040002
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Camille Wright Miller
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

JOURNALS ARE GOOD TO KEEP IF YOU MUST COVER YOURSELF

A: Journals are useful if there is a problem which may involve litigation. Few people need to keep on-going work-related journals. From your description of your office it sounds as if you don't need daily records. If you decide otherwise, take great care in what you write.

Employees in situations calling for a detailed record should definitely meet with an attorney before beginning a journal. There are legal ramifications for even the most carefully kept records. Dale Burrus cautions, for example, that journals, when read by others, can be found libelous and may be grounds for litigation. Burrus, an attorney with Woods, Rogers and Hazlegrove in Roanoke, also notes that writing beyond the facts and providing characterizations or interpretation of acts may not serve an individual well in a lawsuit.

If you do keep a work-related journal, make sure that it contains only facts indicative of the problem and secure it so it cannot be read by anyone other than yourself. Documentation is important, but you need to ensure your documentation can't be used to harm you.

Q: I'm a recent college graduate who can't get a job because I have no experience. I can't get experience without a job. There doesn't seem to be any hope.

A: Many recent graduates are seeking employment with very lean resumes. You have several options, but act quickly. A summer internship after graduation is not unheard of; contact your college career office and discuss possibilities. Internships at this point in the year may be harder to find, but persistence should pay. The internship should be closely related to your career goals; use the opportunity to make as many connections as possible while interning. You may be offered a job at the end of the internship, but if not, you've made contacts and developed your resume. This will help with your job search.

If an internship is not feasible, try volunteer work for an area service. Maintain excellent work habits and go beyond requirements of the position. You'll build both a reference bank and job experience. To support yourself, you may also need a job requiring no college education, but volunteer work is an excellent way to build skills and gain experience.

Your dilemma underscores the value of planned summer experiences while one is still in college. Students with the best job opportunities upon graduation are those who begin internships and career-related summer jobs immediately after their first year of college and work in related fields subsequent summers.

Q: I stayed home to rear our children. Now, I'm ready to look for a job, but I don't even have a resume. How do I start what looks like an overwhelming process?

A: Fortunately, many of our skills transfer from one area of our life to another. Many of your home-related skills have value in the workplace. Before you develop your resume, you'll need to identify your skills, volunteer training, and leadership experiences. Since we don't always recognize our accomplishments as accomplishments, you may want to brainstorm with a friend to ensure a complete list.

After you've identified your skills, try reading The Only Guide to Job Hunting You'll Ever Need. A 1989 Poseidon Press how-to by Kathryn and Ross Petras, a sister and brother team, this paperback costs $14 and is worth twice the price.

The authors do an excellent job of providing sample resume formats and detailed explanations of what does and doesn't work and why. I've recommended this book to students, former students, and to vice-presidents who were victims of mergers. They have all found The Only Guide... to be the foundation of their career moves.

As the authors state, "The idea behind the book is simple. You can get almost any job you want-provided you know what you're doing." The reader of this guide will know exactly what to do to identify a desired job and develop a strategy for pursuing that job.