If your elderly parents are ailing, then you know there is almost nothing as logistically challenging as managing their household while also running your own. Unless, that is, you add distance to the equation – and a job search for yourself.

Job seekers with eldercare responsibilities face a number of difficult challenges. For most, it’s not so much about balancing the search itself with the family responsibilities – since it’s a relatively short-term project to find work, those logistics are not usually overwhelming. But how does one go about choosing a job that will provide enough flexibility to take mom to the doctor or help dad with his bills? There’s only so much one can do on the weekends, after all. And again, if distance is a factor, the new job is going to have to be doubly flexible.

For some people, the problem of job search comes after the hard work of eldercare has ended. They may have seen mom or dad through a final illness, having quit a job to do so. Now, several months or years later, they have a problem to solve: How to explain the gap in work, while also appearing up-to-date for the next employer?

Not surprisingly, these workers are often considering a career change. Not only has their previous profession moved on without them, but they have likely developed a new approach to life that needs to be taken into account. Some people will find they are motivated more than ever to build a career and make their mark, while others might discover a newfound drive to slow down and spend time with their families. In either case, the old profession may no longer fit the bill.

In the happiest of cases, the new career might jibe with their recent use of time, giving them something of substance to talk about in interviews. For example, candidates searching for geriatric jobs after a stint of helping their parents will have recent knowledge of the systems and services available to elderly clients. Of course, they might still need training, depending on the work itself, but the transition might seem more seamless to both the employee and the employer.

If you are currently (or expect to be) in the situation described here, know that you’re not alone. As in all job searches, focus on learning and meeting the employer’s needs and you’ll win the offer.

Maybe it’s a function of getting older and wiser, or maybe I’m just less interested in monkeying around these days, but I’m finding that being direct with people is better than beating around the bush. When someone invites me to dinner at a place I can’t stand I no longer offer excuses about my heavy workload. Instead I say, "I know you love that place but it just doesn’t do anything for me. Can I take a raincheck for another place some other time?" Maybe that sounds obvious to you, but I was raised in the Midwest and this kind of directness is akin to shouting "No way!" while sticking your fingers in your ears and wagging your tongue at someone. It just isn’t done.

Which, I imagine, is one reason so many of my clients won’t tell their bosses they’re looking for work elsewhere. Locked in our collective Midwest upbringing, many of us would do anything to avoid delivering difficult news. Of course, some people have reason to believe their bosses will be vindictive or even hasten their departure by firing them. Who wouldn’t keep news of a job change private under these circumstances?

Still, upon examination, this turns out not to be a likely outcome in most cases. Like everything else in life, the worry about what might happen is more frightening than the reality of what actually does happens when they have the difficult conversation.

But why have the conversation at all? Why not just slink around as quietly as possible, find the next job and spring the news on your boss? Disregarding how that would feel to your boss, here are five reasons you will benefit by making your search public.

1. You control the message, so your boss and co-workers don’t hear the story from someone else. And they will – no matter how secret you think your search is, it probably isn’t.

2. You can transition out of key tasks more gracefully if the boss knows why you’re holding back.

3. You can use your PTO for interviews without making up stories.

4. You can ask for leads and references from your current team.

5. You can use social networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to get the search done more efficiently.

And here’s a bonus reason: You’ll maintain better relationships with your colleagues, which will benefit you for your entire career.

I was talking with a college career counselor the other day and learned something I think will be useful to me: Tact.

She was describing a common occurrence on her exuberantly Christian campus, which was a student’s penchant for ending job search letters with a religious sentiment. In this case, the student was saying something like “In Christ’s service” where one might more frequently see “Sincerely.” In other cases, she told me, students incorporate a Bible verse into their email signatures, or otherwise declare their faith.

Her tactful response to these situations includes just the right balance of respect and common sense: “I love your values, and I want you to keep honoring them. But these are business letters and they demonstrate to the interviewers how you would handle their business correspondence. So you need to use the accepted business customs in these letters.”

Whew. I’m going to remember that. Because my first thought is to be more direct: “You’re scaring people. Stop that!” Not that being religious should frighten employers. But when they perceive that you will express your faith in their workplace or to their customers, alarms go off. Most companies can’t risk hiring someone who could offend others, no matter how unintentional the offense would be.

The exception would be organizations that specifically align themselves with a particular faith. Likewise, if you’re primarily interested in religious careers, then professing your faith in your job search correspondence may indeed be appropriate. As an example, I just finished helping a woman write her resume with a Professional Summary that incorporated the sentence, “Committed to working in organizations where a focus on education and Catholic traditions are essential parts of the mission.” She has built a career in Catholic schools and plans to continue on that path, so it makes sense to define that goal in her job search documents.

If you have doubts about when to display your faith, here’s the clearest rule I can provide: If it’s in the employer’s best interest, go ahead. If it’s only in your interest, don’t. So if you can imagine the employer wants and needs someone from a particular faith tradition, by all means make it part of your sales pitch. But if the only person served by the declaration is you, then keep the focus where it belongs: On what the employer needs that you can do for him or her.

Have you noticed how much hype there is about starting a new year? Clean slate! Fresh start! Say goodbye to all your faults and hello to the slimmer, richer, smarter you!

It would be easy to sneer at all this thinly-veiled optimism but I, for one, believe the hype and buy in with my whole heart. I WANT to be slimmer, richer and smarter. Don’t you?

Of course, I understand there’s no reason to assign these DIY projects to a particular date on the calendar. Still, January is as good a month as any to identify the things in my life I want to cut loose and those things I want more of. Unfortunately, to keep the activity from becoming one big gripe session, I’ll have to make a plan. Worse yet, if I want the plan to succeed I’ll have to actually implement it. I do find griping easier than dieting, exercising or budgeting.

Ah well. One of the chief gripes my career counseling clients have is about their current jobs. Many of the people I see are currently employed, but furiously unhappy about the situation. They’re not complaining about the fact that they have to work – although I wouldn’t be surprised if that proved to be the underlying issue for some. No, mostly they’re complaining about something at the workplace itself: The boss, the assignments, the salary, the customers, the lack of promotions…you can probably fill in the blank with your own issues.

Well, good on them. By airing these gripes with a career counselor, they are at least acting positively to solve the problem. My job is to listen, reflect back their concerns and then plant a firm boot in the seat of their pants. This last part is called building an action plan, by the way. I just think of it as a boot. Sometimes the plan involves staying put while building an escape hatch (think training and networking). And sometimes the plan involves an airlift rescue mission, also called emergency job search. Once in a while, the plan even includes an old-fashioned remedy: sucking it up and making the current situation work.

It’s your turn. If you’re sick of your job, January is as good a time as any to make a plan to deal with it. Even though griping is more fun, dealing will make you slimmer, richer and smarter. I promise.

Why, why, why do we do it? Why do we open our mouths, insert one or both feet and continue talking?

What makes us talk too much, say the wrong things and then keep talking in a desperate attempt to distract attention from whatever awful thing we just said?

More to the point, why do we do this in job interviews?

Of course, an obvious answer is that we over-talk out of nervousness. When you’re uncomfortable in a business or social setting, your default button may be set to “chatter.”

That’s a more attractive answer than the alternative, which is that some people over-talk out of a conviction that their thoughts are more interesting than anyone else’s, and they have the right – no, the obligation – to jabber on.

And then there are the poor souls who have some sort of mental health condition that sparks the endless monologues. If you fall into this category, you already know the ups and downs of medication and therapy, but at least you have the advantage of self-awareness. In an interview, when all else fails, you can say in as charming a manner as possible, “I’m a bit of a chatterer, but all you have to do is wave to get my attention.” It’s not ideal, but some managers will be able to deal with it, as long as your other work skills are up to snuff.

The same trick might work for nervous Nellies, provided they have enough insight to realize they’ve got the running-on problem. The arrogant idiots? Not so much – you can’t smile charmingly, excuse yourself for being an ass and keep on doing what you were doing.

How do you know which category you fall into? About the only good method that I’ve found is to ask a brutally honest friend for the feedback. If that personality type is in short supply in your circle, you’ll have to move on to a paid professional. Get a taped interview done by a career counselor and then watch how you answer questions like “Tell me about yourself,” which are the classic setups for motor-mouths.

Just don’t ignore the situation altogether. If you’re talking too much, you really are harming your employment opportunities and that’s just silly. After all, if the interviewer can’t get a word in edgewise, how will he or she be able to say, “You’re hired”?

Not all job hunters are unemployed or even unhappy in their chosen professions. Some, and you might be one of them, are simply interested in finding a more lucrative position.

Maybe your job today doesn’t allow you to easily make ends meet. Maybe you’d like to save up for important expenses, like college educations for your children or a summer home at the beach. Whatever your financial goals in life, if you’re interested in making more money, no matter what career field you’re in, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Tip #1: Choose a job you’re passionate about.

In order to make more money, you may have to work longer hours. If you’re passionate about your job, you likely won’t mind doing that. For some people, that means getting a “jobbie” or even starting their own business. You can also look outside the book and find a unique job. Whatever the case, passion usually leads to more money and always leads to more happiness.

Tip #2: Go back to school.

You don’t have to have a college education to get a job in every field, but if you want to advance, getting a college education (or an advanced degree if you already have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree) is the way to go. A degree in your specific field might not even be the way to go. Think about a related degree, like a business degree.

Tip #3: Treat your job like an interview.

If you want to be promoted, focus on the job you have now and consider it an interview for the job you want. Show your employer your worth today and it will be an easy decision when an advanced position comes open. People want to know that they have an employee they can trust and who will do the job, so prove that you can before you even get the position.

Making more money is possible no matter what your industry.

In this economy, every open position is extremely competitive. Did you know that a poor credit score could actually be the deciding factor between you and another candidate?

It isn’t illegal to check credit scores as part of the hiring process. Employers do have to stick to Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rules, though. The two main rules are 1) that you have give permission for an employer to look at your credit score and 2) if you’re turned down for a job because of your credit score, the employer has to show you the report. This theoretically allows you to address any problems, like mistakes on your credit report.

Why could bad credit prevent you from getting a job?

• If the job requires you to handle money, which is likely if you’re interested in jobs in retail or jobs at a casino for example, the employer might be worried that you’re in such need of money that you’ll steal from them.
• Paying bills late could mean that you’re not responsible with your money and therefore will not be responsible with your job tasks.
• People with bad credit are typically more stressed, and worrying about money could affect your work.
• If you have to go to court due to monetary problems, you could potentially miss a lot of work.
• The employer might worry that you’re only applying to the job because you need money, not because you’re passionate about the work, want to work for the company, or are even qualified. You might be lying about things just to get a job.
• If the job is entry-level or doesn’t pay well, the employer could be worried that you’ll bolt as soon as something better-paying comes along, which means they have to go through the hiring and training processes all over again.

Bad credit doesn’t necessarily mean that any of the above points are true about you. Sometimes, life just prevents you from paying bills on time or otherwise maintaining good credit. All of these things could be true, though, and if you and another candidate are equally qualified on every other level, the employer might be afraid to take a chance on you.

So what can  you do? Take steps to clean up your credit! This is a long, hard road, but ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. Contact a credit counselor today to get started managing your finances and improving your credit score so it is never an issue for employers.

These days, more and more companies are asking applicants to use email, rather than mailing a resume and cover letter.

Some employers even have online forms, so you simply fill in the boxes to apply. But what if you’re just asked to submit your application to an email address? It’s one of the most commonly asked job search questions I hear.

Unfortunately, there’s no one set standard for expressing interest via email. Some employers prefer a more traditional resume and cover letter, while others prefer a casual email expressing interest. No matter what the case, you can use the following tips to ensure that your email application is strong:

Tip #1: If there is an online form, use it.

Companies put online forms on their website for a reason – it helps them compare applications more easily and ensures that the applications go to the correct person. Even if the human resources or CEO email address is listed online, use the online form to apply. Otherwise, your email might be accidentally deleted or not forwarded to the correct person. If you don’t hear back within a week or two, send a follow-up email expressing interest to a specific person, not using the form.

Tip #2: Paste your cover letter directly into the email.

Don’t attach your cover letter and resume, then send a casual letter in the body of the email, unless this is specifically how you’re asked to apply. Your casual email might be mistaken for your cover letter or seem unprofessional. Some employers also will not open attachments as a rule, so if all they have to go on from you is a few lines of text, they may not request that you send more info in the email body. On the other hand, a more professional cover letter may convince them that they do need to contact you so they can view your resume in their preferred format.

Tip #3: Use links.

Email gives you the unique opportunity to use links, whereas you cannot effectively do so with a traditional cover letter and resume. Linking to professional networks, like your LinkedIn profile makes sense, and if you work in a field like web design, web content writing, graphic arts, etc. you can also link to an online profile or examples of your work online. See our piece about social networking in job search for some great advice.

Tip #4: Apply using a professional email.

It might have been cute to be hotbunny1997forU@gmail.com when you were in college, but that doesn’t give a very good first impression. Use a professional email, preferably your name when applying for jobs, and check your email regularly. Something else to consider is the fact that your college email address won’t be around forever. It takes some employers months to make decisions, and many colleges delete email addresses within a few months of graduation. So, if you’re a student, consider using a non-college email to apply for jobs.

I’ve been thinking about work ethic lately and what it means to different people. When I lead workshops on combating age bias, middle-aged workers almost invariably raise the subject of work ethic.

As in: We have it and younger workers don’t.

And yet, I sometimes hear young managers complain about duffers who sit around waiting for retirement. They tell me, These short-timers aren’t willing to put in the extra effort to get ahead because, frankly, they don’t care about getting ahead.

I’ve even heard work ethic described as a factor of geography. I once served a group of workers laid off from a tool manufacturer in Minnesota. Given the opportunity to work in the sister plant in the south, only one manager accepted. He returned a few weeks later, shaking his head. "I can’t manage those southerners," he said. "They have no work ethic."

Most people, when pressed, will tell me that work ethic means qualities such as reliability and going the extra mile. A person with a good work ethic will come in early or work through lunch, while someone just putting in their time will watch the clock like a hawk.

Last week I carried those thoughts into a movie theater with me, where what I saw on the screen blew away any earlier standards I might have had about what it means to work hard or go the extra mile.

You may have heard about the movie, which was titled "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work." This documentary has gotten most of its attention for the way the filmmakers captured the comedian’s rise to stardom and her well-publicized tiff with the late Johnny Carson. A lot of attention has also been paid to her plastic surgeries, which are always good for gossip.

But relatively little has been said about this one amazing fact: Joan Rivers works her tail end off. She keeps floor-to-ceiling files documenting every joke she has ever used. At 77, she plays every gig she can get, even if it means getting up at 3 a.m. to get on the plane, and she still tests new material every month at seedy New York nightclubs. She simply does not stop working, although she certainly could afford to.

Is she virtuous? Driven? Imbalanced? Your answer depends on your values, but this I know: She’s raised the bar for me when I think about work ethic.

When I first started career counseling, 25 long years ago, layoffs were still viewed as emergency procedures, to be undertaken only under the direst of circumstances.

Companies feared negative publicity for kicking people out of the workplace, not to mention the public perception that they were one step from absolute failure.

My, what a difference a decade or two can make. In truth, I started seeing the shift in attitude relatively early in my career. In most parts of the country, the late 1980s marked the first time white collar jobs were being eliminated on a wholesale basis. Prior to this, layoffs were more often used as a short-term pressure valve for factories whose orders might be down, or for seasonal construction workers. As often as not, workers in these scenarios would be brought back when business picked up, which was a good solution for all involved. Employers got to keep their well-trained workers, and employees were able to relax a bit while collecting unemployment.

When companies began cutting managers, retail clerks and administrative staff, calling the moves Reductions in Workforce (RIFs), they started on path that can't be reversed. Not only were the cuts well-received by Wall Street (because profits immediately soar if you drastically cut your expenses), but they were supported by local and state governments who scrambled to assist the newly-named "dislocated workers." To be honest, the first time my home state of Minnesota issued a "temporary" tax on employers to fund the dislocated workers fund was the first time I understood that layoffs had now become acceptable as a management practice. Not only were companies rewarded on Wall Street, but now they were being relieved of the financial burden of supporting separated workers as well. And that temporary tax? Still with us, 21 years later, and bigger than ever.

Ah, well, what's the use of complaining? As it turns out this is a game that two can play. Recently I've met with clients who are experiencing their second, third, or even fourth layoff. At this point, some are not only enduring the cuts, but inviting them through strategic manipulation of internal programs. Now, instead of fearing a bad review, they use the process to "jump in front of the bullet" of department cuts and earn themselves severance packages and state-funded training. At this stage, it's hard not to ask: Are we headed in the right direction?