Career Development

Q: I have worked for many companies and have been told repeatedly that company rules won't allow them to give out references. I have gone to two temp agencies, and they had to drop me from jobs because I had only one reference. What is one to do to get around this problem?

When it comes to displaying feelings at work, you have to be careful. There's passionate -- and there's emotionally unstable.

Finding a job in a recession is tough, let alone one that suits your background and interests. But a strong fit is important. Chances are you won't be happy if, say, you're an introvert and vegetarian working as a sales rep for a foie gras purveyor.

If you have avoided social-networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook with the excuse that they are the domain of desperate job hunters or attention-seeking teenagers, it's time to reconsider.

Vault will be the indispensable provider of information and solutions for professionals and students who are pursuing and managing high-potential careers. We will achieve this goal by delivering the timely and actionable insider information and advice that allows them to define and achieve personal success at every stage of their careers. Based on our knowledge of professionals and students, and our relationship with them, Vault will be a vital partner for companies seeking engagement with this valuable audience.

DENNIS PALUMBO, a Los Angeles-based psychotherapist who treats many artists and other creative types, says his patients previously tended to talk about problems like writer's block, procrastination and fear of rejection.

Longtime runner Ray Gobis posted a 3:09 at the Boston Marathon in April-his personal best. The cause wasn't a new training technique or the perfect weather. It was because Mr. Gobis got laid off.

Mentors can be essential, especially for people making career transformations. But unfortunately, a lot of mentor relationships fall apart after a few months because there is no formal structure to support them.

In this market, many job candidates are desperate for an offer -- any offer. But even if you are new to an industry or have been unemployed for a while, is it smart to blindly accept the first number that an employer throws out? I don't think so.

The federal suits highlight the legal issues sparked by the proliferation of personal technology as well as the blurring of work and free time.

A short but succinct article about the lack of courtesy that employers show in todays job market. Lately I have been seeing a lot of #3, and #4, but I think that the number one complaint I hear lately is #5. I understand that many companies are hiring in bulk, but it seems that no company is doing the follow up 'I'm sorry' phone call or even e-mail.

I am not your typical "geek" CIO. I have 35 years in banking, including 12-plus years from the business side as well as 20-plus years from the technology and operations side. I have asked about a promotion to COO, but I never really get an answer. I have no mentors and feel very isolated.

For the most part, tomorrow's bachelor's-level majors will look very much like those offered by colleges today. But in interviews with The Chronicle, academic experts, business analysts, and economic forecasters helped identify five emerging areas of study.

According to lore, the academic terms "major" and "minor" first appeared in 1877, in a Johns Hopkins University course catalog. By the middle of the 20th century, the specialized major had become standard practice at almost every American college. Sophomore year: Agonized conversations with parents, and then the declaration of a major. Junior and senior years: Upper-level course work. Graduation day: A diploma that certified your skills in psychology, or physics, or, as the old joke goes, underwater basket weaving.

Some companies are offering career counseling to customers who've lost jobs during the recession, hoping to help old friends and win additional loyalty when the economy recovers.

I'm always reading career-advice articles about coping with a bad boss or firing someone in the most appropriate way. But what about ending a work relationship with a person who's not your manager or your employee? How do you know when this is the right solution -- and how can you extricate yourself with your dignity intact?

Q: I worked in the health-care industry for 15 years as a geriatric nursing assistant, but I recently decided that my career wasn't paying the bills and went back to school for a B.A. in organizational management and communication. The problem is, I have never worked in an office setting and I'm not sure how to go about learning etiquette, how to speak appropriately, etc. I thought that once I got a degree, everything would be self-explanatory, but it really isn't. Can you help?

As the $787 billion federal stimulus package was being deliberated by Congress in February, the White House estimated that the act would increase employment by 3.5 million jobs, including 24,000 combined in New Hampshire and Wyoming. So far, though, those states say the stimulus has added fewer than 1,000 jobs.