Web design, a new career interest

Q:  I am interested in a new field.  I have an undergraduate degree in history but I have recently developed an interest in web design.  My work experience has been in office management and now community relations for a large non-profit.  Do you recommend that I return to school and earn another undergraduate degree in web design?  I would need to continue working and return to school part-time at nights and it would take me quite a long time. Are there alternatives?

A: Returning to college and earning a second undergraduate degree is a significant financial commitment unless you have a very generous employer who offers a liberal tuition aid program.  Further, your tuition reimbursement program must be willing to support your new career interests in web design. which would be unusual.  Most tuition aid programs only support courses or programs which are job-related to your current career interests.

An alternative would be to pursue a web design certificate, which would be a shorter program targeted to those who have already earned an undergraduate degree but who may want to pursue a career in web design.  Some of these programs are six or maybe ten courses in length and less expensive than a second undergraduate degree.  It would be unusual for your employer to assist you financially with such a program unless they hope to train you for such a position and then retain you in a web master role.  In short, the financial investment may be yours.

Some, or all, of these course may be available online.  Before enrolling in such a program, ensure that the program is an accredited program.  It would also be wise to contact the advising office of the college or university to ensure that they program offered would meet your needs and you are able to meet the program requirements as well as the financial requirements.

There are several options available in Massachusetts.  One program that is highly regarded is the Certificate Program in Website Design and Development at The University of Massachusetts Lowell.  Visit http://www.umassonline.net/degrees/online-certificate-website-design-development for more information.   Bunker Hill Community Hill Community College also offers a Web Development Certificate Program –  http://www.bhcc.mass.edu/programsofstudy/programs/webdevelopmentcertificateprogram//. Finally, another option is available through Harvard Extension School.  For more information about the Web Technologies Certificate visit https://www.extension.harvard.edu/academics/professional-graduate-certificates/web-technologies-certificate.  Harvard’s program is a bit more extensive because it is a graduate certificate program so 23 courses are required.

The job outlook for web designers is promising.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 27% growth in this job category.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

What to expect from an exit interview

Q: I have just given my notice after working for seven years at my current company. I was told that I should schedule an exit interview with corporate HR. I have never participated in an exit interview. What does this typically entail? If I share concerns about my manager, do they remain confidential (staying only with HR) or are they shared with others? I may need him as a reference one day in the future.

A: Congratulations on a giving your current company a good run of time! Seven years is an admirable length of service in most industries.

Most companies conduct exit interviews with employees leaving the company for a variety of reasons. One reason is that they want you to understand how your resignation will affect your pay and benefits. Some companies also want to solicit your feedback on the role, work environment and supervision received.

Sometimes your final paycheck may not look like your regular paycheck. If you are owed vacation time or paid time off (PTO), you should understand how and when that will be paid out. Or you may owe your employer vacation or PTO that you used but did not earn.

When will your benefits will end? Will your medical benefits continue through the end of the month or on your last active day of employment? What about your 401k, life insurance, disability, tuition aid, or other benefits?

Access to computer systems, your building, your office may be discussed. Company keys, laptops, corporate credit cards may also be collected.

You will likely be asked some questions about your work environment, your role, your workload and your supervisor. It is up to you what to share and what not to share. Before sharing any controversial information, I would strongly advise asking who receives the results of your exit interview. It is important for you to know this before you begin sharing. You raise a valid point. Each company has their own process for sharing this information. Some companies share general themes with each manager. Some employers share very specific information with the thought that the employee is gone and the risk for any backlash is minimal. Ask before you share.

Some of the questions that you may be asked:
•Would you recommend ABC company to a friend as a place to work?

• Do you feel like you had the tools and resources to do a good job here?

• How would you describe the culture of your department? our company?

• Do you feel like your goals were aligned with the company goals?

• Did your role match your expectations?

• Was the workload reasonable?

• Were you treated fairly and reasonably? Were others?

• Why did you begin looking for a new job?

• Is there anything that I should have asked that I didn’t ask?

• Is there anything that you would like to share that we didn’t talk about?

Finally, a good HR representative will leave you with a business card in case there are any additional concerns which surface after the exit interview. You may also want to ask how reference calls are handled by your company.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

What do James Taylor and job hunting have to do with one another?

Q: I have applied and applied to one company. I have tried to submit a resume through a position posted online through an industry-specific website. I have submitted a resume through a posting on Linkedin. I have emailed my resume to their general careers site. I have not heard a peep back from a recruiter or a hiring manager. I feel like it gets stuck in a black hole. All I receive back is an automated response with a message that says something like “Thanks. We will call you if we are interested.” How do I get through to this company? I have a friend who works there. Do I contact my friend?

A: It seems what you are doing is not effective. You have applied several ways electronically with limited success. As James Taylor says (or sings), “You’ve Got A Friend” so let’s use your friend. Call your friend. Maybe this posting represents an old role that is already filled. Maybe the company is fishing for additional candidates but they have already filled the position with an internal candidate. Maybe they are looking at candidates but have been overwhelmed by the number of candidates who have applied. Maybe you are not qualified. Any of these might be an option. Your friend may be able to share some insight and have some inside information on the role. Your friend may also be willing to say yes to a request like the following: “I am really interested in pursuing opportunities at ABC Co. They are investing millions in XYZ therapies, an area of great interest to me. Do you think you might be willing to walk my resume down to one of the recruiters who handles the hiring for those areas? Or the hiring managers? Or both? If my resume came hand-delivered from you, that might make all the difference in the world.” Even if the role is filled, this might be a smart tactic. If the company is of great interest to you and is in hiring mode, there may be other opportunities soon becoming available.

When an employee takes the time to hand-deliver a resume to a recruiter or hiring manager, that action sometimes makes a difference. It can differentiate your resume from the hundreds streaming in electronically. The hiring manager may still want a copy electronically, but yours is now different because it was hand-delivered by an employee.

Friends matter. Good luck. Strong professional connections make a difference.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Thank you mom!

Q: Last week I was interviewed for a role which wasn’t really for me.  The interviewer was wonderful though and spent an hour with me.  She was patient, kind and generous with her time.  Is it worth sending a thank-you note?  I can’t ever see myself working in the job, but maybe some day I could see myself working at that company.  Maybe.

A: My mother was right in so many ways. When she made me and my siblings shovel snow for our elderly neighbors and refuse any money they offered to pay us. I remember being ticked off at the time but now I get it. When she made us take in a neighbor’s Boston Globe if they were away on vacation. She told us it was being a good neighbor. When she made us write thank-you notes for gifts that perhaps were not to our liking. She explained a thank-you note showed that we were grateful for the gesture, and it was not just about the gift.

Write the note. This person gave you a generous gift – her time! So many of us are running 1000 miles per hour and struggle with focusing on the person in front of us. She gave you that gift of her time and her attention. This woman focused on you for that hour. Many of our doctors don’t even do that in 2016! She will never get that time back. She could have used that for other tasks like email, online shopping or a pedicure. She didn’t. She focused on you!

Show that you respected and valued her time.  Thank her.  Your actions will be memorable to her.  I remember those that thanked me for my time.  I remember those that didn’t too.

Writing a thank-you note has become a lost art.  I am glad I was taught by my mother early.  It has stuck with me many years later.  My mother was right.  Again.  Thank you mom for the valuable lesson!

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.