Whistle-blower may have to broaden horizons

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Q. I was a whistle-blower in my old company, and I am now being blackballed in my industry. I had a substantial management job in a high profile organization. Although the wrongdoing was acknowledged, I was censured for having brought the issues to light. I know many people in the field, and I'm well-liked and respected. Since I left, I have been interviewing regularly for similar positions within the same industry, - it's all I know - and I find myself being told I'm the preferred candidate and that my offer will be coming once the references are in. I carefully vetted my references and feel I have chosen people who understand the circumstances and will support me. However, each of these opportunities has fallen through. The explanation given is that a more suitable candidate was found at the last minute. In at least one of these cases, I learned that I was not hired because the organization had discovered my whistle-blower circumstances. I would like to stay in the same field, but I have started to look at positions in other industries. Discriminating against whistle-blowers is illegal, but we all know it happens anyway. Any ideas on how to help me?

A. I am sorry for your troubles, but I believe if you had it to do again, you would do the same thing. You could not sit back and allow flagrant financial abuse happen in your company and not say anything. I am sorry that your company punished you instead of rewarding you for bringing it to light. Many companies have whistle-blower policies in place and zero tolerance for anyone who seeks retribution against the whistle-blower.

I would recommend that you implement several different strategies to find work. First, check in with your references. I know that you said that you carefully vetted all of them, but something is not right if you feel the job is yours until the company calls your references. Review with each reference what they say and how they say it. Ask them if they are comfortable supporting your job search or would they rather not be used as a reference. Really listen to their responses. If there is any hesitation, don't use them. Find another reference.

Second, less is more here. Say as little about why you left the last job as possible. Do not go into detail. Simply explain that the company was no longer a good fit for you and it was time to move on. Make sure that your references do not go into great detail as well. If the interviewer says, "tell me about yourself," plan your presentation and practice it until you can deliver it effortlessly. Again, one or two sentences about why you left the company is ample.

Third, try to identify other references. For example, customers, vendors, a nonprofit board that you might sit on, colleagues that you have done projects with, etc. The references that you are using may be too close to the situation and do not have an objective perspective.

Fourth, try to brainstorm with yourself or a professional job coach what are your strengths. Ask yourself what skills you could lift and put down in another industry and be successful. This may require a good deal of informational interviewing to determine what skills are needed in other jobs. By doing this, you are opening up your job search to other opportunities and that is a good thing for any job seeker. The wider you can spread the net, the better opportunity that you have to find work.

By reshuffling the deck and looking in other industries, I am confident that an opportunity will appear.

A. I can understand your frustration. You were hoping that some employer would be so taken with you that they schedule an appointment on the spot with you or better still, hire you for an open position right at the career fair. It's every job seeker's dream. Unfortunately, that is not how hiring happens .

But despite all its frustrations, I still cannot think of a better way for job seekers to meet and mingle with employers. At a time when resumes go into a black hole with no acknowledgment of whether they have been received, here is an opportunity to actually meet employers and learn more about how hiring is done.

One of the main reasons companies want you to send your resume electronically is that they can then send your resume electronically to hiring managers in the home office as well as other cities and towns where they operate to see if another office can use your skills. This is a good thing.

Here are some tips for making the best of your job fair experience:

Look on the website of the organization hosting the job fair and note the companies attending. Identify five or six companies you are really interested in and go to their websites and look for job openings. Visit theses company booths first, while you are fresh, and speak to them about specific openings that you believe you are qualified for. In other words, you have done the work for the human resources professional, you have made the match for them.

It is the kiss of death to a human resources professional to approach the table and say "I am really good with people. What jobs have you got for me?" Today, you must make the match. You must do the homework. Do not expect the human resources professional to have all the openings in her/his head. This is not how to help yourself. Look at the company website and search for jobs that you are qualified to do. Speak to the human resources professionals about those opportunities. You will have much better success at these fairs and with your job search if you come prepared.

Come early to the job fair when you and the employers are fresh. You want to demonstrate enthusiasm when speaking to employers and that is hard to do when you are dragging at the end of the day.

Dress appropriately and professionally. You want to put your best foot forward at these events.

Hang up your coat and walk around with a folder/portfolio/briefcase of resumes and list of employers that you are targeting.

Watch your intake of highly seasoned food the night before the job fair or before an interview for that matter. Speaking to someone who reeks of garlic is tough at 9:00 a.m.

Plan your presentation when you get your few minutes in front of an employer and practice, practice, practice. For example, "I see that you are looking for customer service reps at your company. I have five years of customer service experience in the retail industry and received an award at my last company for my outstanding customer service. I would love to interview for a customer service opportunity at your company. What would be next steps?"

Take a business card from each employer that you speak with. This will enable you to send a personal cover letter and resume electronically to the human resources professional when you get home. Do this in addition to sending it electronically according to company guidelines. Reference where you met the human resources professional and that you are following up on your conversation.

I know job fairs can be daunting but they are still a great opportunity to learn more about specific companies and meet company representatives.

Operation A.B.L.E. of Greater Boston's next job fair for workers 45 and older is Sept. 8 at the Boston Radisson from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

E-mail questions to jobdoc@globe.com or mail to Job Doc, Boston Globe, Box 55819, Boston, 02205-5819.

Joan Cirillo is the executive director of Operation A.B.L.E., a nonprofit that provides employment and training opportunities to mature workers 45 and older.