Returning to work after hiatus - Advice? (Pittsburgh: relocate, jobs)

[pitt_transplant]

I have a few unfinished degrees and am just wishing to return to work. I have management experience and wish to return to retail. I havent worked in the past 5 years as my s.o. was paying the bills and I was trying a few schools and dealing with joint injury recovery.

Not working for this long is an embarassment to me. S.o. says "its different for girls"...I dont feel that it is...But there is that real people mindset here in Pittsburgh. One of the things i liked about the city. I feel like a kid at the first day of school! LOL

One blemish on my work record is I was flagged for a non-rehire at a place that shall remain nameless. Reason - personal relationship with co-worker.
I wanted to transfer at the time but the manager had a personal problem with me. (found out later he had a history mental health issues/sub abuse)
The person is now my fiance so it wasnt a fling for fun situation. I ended up just quiting that place and going to school.

The last job on my resume the place has closed since then. The nutso boss place is still open but they have transfered that boss since then. Also there was another boss there that was more professional and sane. I do not know if she/he is still with the company.

Now i am wondering how to handle this as I had a flawless work record until the nutso boss. In my past experience I usually get hired on the spot and am promoted to a supervisor's position within a year or less. (just trying to give a reflection of my in person presentation/work ethic)

Should i apply for a lower position and work my way up? Or just go for mngmt?
How would you present the past problem with dipping the pen in the company ink so to speak?


Sorry if this is a bit off topic but i am just finding this board feels like the Pittsburgh mindset.

I am trying to figure out whats best as i am not a spring chicken anymore. But not mature enough to just not worry and do it. LOL

AND

Its stressful to think about working again. Even if it is just a silly little job in retail. My references for work places are over 7 years old. With proper presentation and years of retail experience do they even check?

The long and the short of it...
What would you do?

[pitt_transplant]

16 lookey-loos and no advice?



comeahhhhhhhhn. it doesnt have to be great advice...

just opinions etc.

[guylocke]

Should i apply for a lower position and work my way up? Or just go for mngmt?

I would go for management. If you've been in this business longer than a decade and have an impressive resume, one little blip is not going to destroy you. Honesty may be your best bet. Retail is very strong in Pittsburgh right now and places need good help, trust me. I don't think you'll have to look very long for a position.

If you want, I can call my boyfriend and ask his advice. He's also been in retail for a few years and has quickly climbed the corporate ladder. A few months ago he was relocated to NYC to co-operate the launch of his companies new flagship store in Manhattan. He's been in hiring and management for several years and did much of the hiring at his new store. He may have some advice.

[Katiana]

Honesty is the best bet, but you have to know how to say it. "Philosophical differences", even "personality clash", something like that sounds better than "the boss was a jerk", "didn't listen to my side", etc. I'm sure you know that, but just a reminder. Since that boss is gone, that employer may not give you a bad reference anyway. Most places just give the dates you worked somewhere any more, to avoid lawsuits. They may not even note they had said "will not rehire". I had a similar experience once; it did not hurt me, though I was sure it would. Surely you have some professional references outside of those two most recent jobs. If it has been a long time, they may not even be too concerned about that. A friend of mine gave me as a reference for an engineering job, they called me, I said some good things and told them I could not give a professional reference (when they asked), and she got hired. This did not happen in Pittsburgh, but I think those things are pretty much the same everywhere.

[jhprentiss]

If I were you I'd start off going for management. If that doesn't work out, set your sights a little lower, but you may as well start off there if you have the skills.

[Pghtebbie]

What about other people you worked with that have now moved on? List them as references as "colleagues". For the jobs that I have had that may not give me a glowing reference, I list another person at the company. If they ask why you didn't list the manager, simply state that they no longer work for said company.

My husband also had some gaps in employment, in that case I listed years of work instead of months; ie. 2004-2005, instead of Feb 2004, know what I mean? Because this is retail, which doesn't change much year to year, I don't think a lapse in employment really matters so much. I am in science- so a year or two of not working means I would have missed learning the newest technology. And I agree with the PP- be honest. They can tell when you are lying....

I also list "Professional" references, as a pp said. Not necessarily someone I worked with, but list their name, and their TITLE...ie. John Smith, corporate blahblahblah. Anyone you know with a nice, important sounding title (business owner, etc). They will be able to tell a perspective job about your personality, your work ethic, etc. even if you didn't work for them. For instance my brother is a plumber's apprentice, and on his resume I listed a few family friends that own their own businesses in the construction field. People who have known my brother for years, but he doesn't necessarily work for them. Besides it looking good, these people know how to give a good reference.

Most importantly, Call these people beforehand and let them know you are job hunting-they will be better prepared to take that call!

HTH!

[pitt_transplant]

Thanks guys!

The perfectionist in me being overly paranoid.

One of the things that is def. in my favor is a person I trained for supervisors position at the old work place is at a new retail business as head mngt of a store location.
So I do think that will be a good thing...Now I only have to try to find his number in the piles of important info boxes due to just moving.

dig*dig*dig

Its nice to know that retail needs people now too.


Thinking positive!
Thanks again. You guys are great!