Question:
I graduated from college six months ago and have been working the graveyard shift since then. I want to work days. How do I convince my boss to let me?
Answer:
Working graveyard is very disruptive to not only your lifestyle but also to
those that are close to you. It requires a great deal of discipline and
sacrifice. Not everyone is in the position to handle it and your
frustrations are very common.
What you need is the counsel of someone in your field that can provide
specific direction to either help find better ways to cope or to provide
options that can solve your problem. Often, this kind of individual is
referred to as a mentor. To read more about these relationships, check out
this article on the subject at this link
http://myjobsearch.com/articles/westover02.html.
If your industry is like many others that operate around the clock, those
day shifts are coveted and competition is fierce to obtain those positions.
This will require connections to many people and diligent research in
finding where opportunities exist.
Lack of experience may be a hurdle if there is a great deal of competition
for these positions. Sometimes certifications and service time is mandatory
before a candidate is qualified for certain positions. You need to research
the requirements in your field of expertise. If you have met the minimum
requirements you can overcome your lack of experience in comparison to other
candidates by communicating you skills effectively to a hiring manager.
This is done by using stories or specific examples to demonstrate an ability
to do the job. For example, instead of dwelling on the fact that you are six
months removed from school, you can tell of a time where you achieved
something on the job that was outstanding or of merit. Use numbers to
quantify the accomplishments.
--Kelly Stone, myjobsearch.com
