October 27, 2005 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Q. I am a female, 50-year-old, executive-level fund raiser who took time off to raise my two children. I have been back in the job market for nine months, have found a career coach, and am willing to relocate, but have a recurring problem: I get the interview, but not the job. This was not the problem when I was on the fast track, early in my career. Any advice?
A. You don’t mention how many years you took off to raise your children, notes Barbara J. Roberts, dean of institutional advancement at Marymount College, in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. If it has been quite a while, the unfortunate reality is that you may simply have to accept a lower-than-executive-level post if you wish to re-enter the job market as a fund raiser, she says.
“While you have the professional credentials to re-enter the fund-raising field — clearly the reason you are able to nab interviews — you and I both know that best practices in our profession change over time,” she says. “Have you attended workshops, seminars, and extension programs that have enabled you to stay abreast of developments in fund raising?”
If not, says Ms. Roberts, consider enrolling in a few classes to get yourself up to speed. This will signal to potential employers that you have remained committed to the fund-raising profession, even during your stint as a stay-at-home mom, she says.
Another obstacle in your job search may be your attitude, says Ms. Roberts. Over the years, she has met many people who aspire to return to work after some time away, and, she says, they generally have fallen into two camps: (a) those who indicate that they are flexible and can work both independently and as part of a team and, (b) those who strike what she calls the “I’ve been there done that” attitude, whose approach to collaboration she describes as, “I have years of experience doing that, so let me tell you how to fix such-and-such situation.”
“I can tell you that I have had far greater success with the former than the latter,” says Ms. Roberts. “A little humility goes a long way with me and other potential employers.”
It is, of course, also possible that you have been a victim of age discrimination. If you suspect this may be the case, consult a previous Chronicle article on fighting age discrimination.
