"I am not getting anywhere... Can I ask my boss for advice and help?"

Dear Office-Politics,

I am in academic research clinical trials [medical]. I decided not to renew my current contract (which was for 3 years, renewed annually) with an employer and gave a few months notice to ensure that my boss could have time to find a replacement for me. I advised her the reason I was leaving was I felt I had outgrown the position responsibilities and she agreed.

Despite great qualifications, I am not getting anywhere in landing a new contract. Is it appropriate to ask my boss for some advice and help? I have worked extremely hard over the years. There are times I feel my boss may not like me very much as I have had to stand up for myself when she exhibits difficult behavior [excessive criticism and lack of support, lying or uncooperative co-workers].

I have started career networking, but what I feel is happening is I am trying to advance to project management in a field where my boss has a lot of influence. Plus, where I would like to work is an organization she interfaces with daily [I have never asked any employer for help before and this is part of the reason why I am hesitating.]

I have talked to some people within the new organization, but it appears that I can't get the right people to look at my resume and skill set. At first, I got a prompt positive response, now it seems they are telling me I need more varied experience in a field I have been in for years. It makes no sense to me. I have more than 10 years experience. The last thing I thought I needed was more experience! What I need is opportunity to advance. I don't expect to pop right into a senior position, but one in which I can begin in and advance to that level. Don't you have to start somewhere?

My question: Is it bad form to ask for her help even though I am leaving in a few weeks. My Boss is a powerful person in my field and I hope she will give me a good reference or some help.

Thanks,

Trying to Move Forward

Dear Trying to Move Forward,

Your choice of 'moniker' says a lot. You are 'Trying to Move Forward', but you are wondering if your Boss is an anchor or a springboard.

Let's focus on getting your Boss (and your work experience) to act as a springboard for you, and help you to create the better future you're dreaming of. First off, you should not be reluctant to ask for her help, but there are some important steps to take before you speak to her.

You mentioned that you have your eye on a project management job in another company. The problem is you don't know if your former Boss will be helpful in you landing the job.

My suggestion is to widen your field of vision and imagine that the whole world is your oyster. Taking this approach will increase your chances of landing the job you want. Here are 7 Steps to making it happen:

Step 1: DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Use the Internet (and job sites like Monster, or University job sites) to search out other project management jobs of the same type. Look carefully at what the job requirements are. Try to be objective in assessing where your strengths and weaknesses are. You may discover that you are missing a key piece of experience, education or perhaps industry connections. See this as an opportunity to fill in that missing blank. Think also about hiring a resume coach to help you write up your qualifications.

Step 2: WIDEN YOUR FIELD OF VISION
Let's say that your research turns up six jobs that have potential. All of a sudden your focus will have shifted. You won't be hanging your hopes on just one job, that your former Boss may, or may not, help you to get. You will now have a bigger dream of what you can accomplish. But you still don't have the job...

Step 3: WHO ARE THE INFLUENCERS?
Ask yourself what you need to do in order to land those jobs. Let's assume that you have the experience and education required (or you can get it). You may think that you need connections to land that new dream job. And you do -- but you can make the connections yourself. For each of the six jobs write down who are the key people, or academic organizations, related to that job. This is research information that you will be able to find using a search tool like Google. Look at academic papers published, conferences etc. Who are the people writing the papers? Who is speaking on the medical topic you are interested in? Your goal is to find out who is working in the same area of medical study that you are interested in. These are the 'key influencers' you want to introduce yourself to.

Step 4: LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN
You are going to launch a 'campaign' to get yourself that dream job! Write a letter to each of the 'key influencers'. (Tip: Use postal mail, not email, as an email is likely to get lost in a sea of spam.) Tell them about your desire to work in their area of medical research. Ask for their advice on getting the project management research job. Talk about your work experience. (Do not touch upon conflicts you've had with your Boss, or co-workers. That's a hurdle you'll address in a face-to-face interview.) Right now all you want to do is to get your toe in the door. I can bet that those 'key influencers' you will write to are searching every day for impassioned, bright and experienced people who can help them. You can present yourself as that person. You are ready to help them accomplish great things in medical research! (But don't mail the letters yet! You need to take Step 5, 6, and 7.)

Step 5: SHARE YOUR DREAMS WITH YOUR BOSS
Approach your former Boss. Ask for a formal meeting. Your goal in this meeting is to lay out your 'ideal' career path, your dreams, and get a great letter of recommendation from her.

I strongly suggest that you write a letter, straight from your heart, which describes your desire to do medical research in "x" area. The message you want to convey is that 'thanks to her', you are on your way to achieving your dreams.

You may stumble over that, saying you don't know if she'll help you or not. But think of it this way... You've already worked for 3 years in medical research and gained valuable experience.

So whether or not she actively helps you, she has by default given you a leg up in the industry. Your past experience speaks for itself... but it would be great if she put it in writing. (You can even suggest that you will write the letter, IF she tells you the main points. But you must get her to review the letter, approve every word, and make changes if necessary, before signing.) Once she has put her opinion of you down in writing, she will have a hard time of back-tracking in conversation with others. There have been scientific studies that show that most people don't want to be perceived as liars, so once they've stated their position in writing, they'll try to keep to it.

Step Six: FOLLOW-THROUGH AND MOVE UP
So let's go back to those other jobs, and the 'key influencers' that you were thinking of introducing yourself to. If you are able to secure a letter of recommendation from your Boss, include it with your letter to those people. In this way your Boss will be helping you to get that dream job, and she will not have had to work very hard at all. She may in fact be willing to make phone calls on your behalf (especially if she thinks that she is part of the reason for your success), but we can't count on that.

Step Seven: BE RESOURCEFUL
Let's imagine a worse-case scenario where your Boss refuses to give you a letter of support. What are your options? Think back to your academic and work career, and your network of teachers and associates. Who has helped you in the past? Who do you know who will give a testimonial (quote) on your behalf? You want people that have credibility in medical research to say things about your dedication, hard-working nature, and ability to manage projects.

This Seven Step Plan won't be accomplished in the blink of an eye. But if you stick to it, I am positive you'll connect with the people who can make your dreams a reality.

To paraphrase the famous scientist Dr. Jane Goodall, "It's amazing what you can accomplish if you never give up."

Good luck!

Franke James

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