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Capitol Hill, D.C.: Is there an age at which it's considered too late to establish a new career?

Mary Ellen Slayter: Despite the youth focus of this column and chat, nope, I don't think so. The only caveat I can think of is that if you're going to have to borrow heavily to do back to school, make sure that that fits with your retirement plans. Otherwise go for it!

Washington, D.C.: What can I do to switch careers entirely.. Should I pursue another degree or would my work experience be sufficient if I have the necessary skill sets ... I am a quick study.

I have a master's degree.

Mary Ellen Slayter: Depends on the fields you're trying to switch between; it's hard to say without knowing the particulars. Make some contacts in the field you would rather work in, and find out what avenues they recommend. A degree sometimes helps. It's not the only way, though. I've seen people easily make the switch by taking one or two classes and joining the appropriate professional organization. In other cases, they've done it by way of solid networking and a great cover letter.

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Insanity-ville: I feel like I'm going to scream! I have a tentative job offer from a company. I have a salary, title, and start date.

What I don't have is a written offer, and every time I speak with them, there are more and more hoops to jump through. Send references. OK, fine. Send a timeline of where you worked when, and why you left. You already know that, but fine. Answer more questions. Why do we have this discrepancy? I have spent the last week on the phone with these people explaining myself over and over.

I feel enormously frustrated, and the constant questioning and re-questioning makes me feel like they're doubting my integrity. It's been a long time since I've done a job search, so is this normal? And at what point can I just say, "Look, you wanna hire me or not? Can we just get on with it?" I've got bills to pay, and I need to give notice at my current job!

Mary Ellen Slayter: Normal, normal, normal.

And so is your reaction to all of it.

So deep breath. It will all come together.

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Odenton, Md.: Hi Mary Ellen,

I'm writing on behalf of my wife, who recently interviewed with a potential new employer. She met in August with executives on two separate occasions, received positive feedback and was told she was in the running. She was also told that the company was early in the hiring process, so she knew to be patient. But it has now been more than 5 weeks since she has heard anything from the company. My wife has written three short, polite e-mails to one of the execs she spoke with, simply inquiring about whether she was still under consideration and to reiterate her interest in the job. But she's received not one word in reply. We both understand from experience that the hiring process can take a long time for a variety of reasons, but we find the lack of any communication at all to be unprofessional. Would you agree?

Mary Ellen Slayter: I think she should assume she isn't in the running anymore, for whatever reason. And yeah, I agree it's unprofessional to not at least send a form e-mail if you've rejected someone after the interview phase.

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Washington, D.C.: What do employers think of continuing education classes for a certificate program versus a master's degree?

Mary Ellen Slayter: Depends on the employer, the program and the school. They can sometimes be a great alternative to a full-fledged formal degree program. And cheaper too!

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D.C.: I am currently working at a university to defer costs of graduate school. My work is not directly related to my degree and the pay is moderate ($38,000). Another opportunity within my office opened up for more pay and responsibility. I turned down the job because I wanted to focus on school. Was this a bad career/financial move?

Mary Ellen Slayter: It sounds like you know what your long-term goal is, and that job wouldn't have furthered it.

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Alexandria, Va.: I have been out of college and in the workforce for about five years. During this time I obtained my master's degree and have also had five jobs, some lasting as long as a year and a half and other lasting as long as eight months. I am a research analyst. My problem is I cannot find a job that keeps me active. I go into job interviews asking about the workload and they always say that it is substantial. Then once I get into the job (two or three months) I find myself bored. Can you tell me if I am just in the wrong field? OR Are employers just telling me what I want to hear?

Mary Ellen Slayter: If it's happening at EVERY job, and only 2-3 months in, it might be you. Well, your expectations, at least. There's this lull that hits once you've gotten over the initial settling-in phase at many professional jobs that often takes a while to shake. You haven't been there long enough to get any of the really big projects, you don't *really* know everyone yet. So much of work is about establishing relationships with people. That takes time. That kind of trust is what generates promotions and meatier, more time-consuming projects.

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Washington, D.C.: I recently left my job on Capitol Hill to stay Homewith my child. I have now been approached to do some consulting for an organization I had minor dealings with before. Having never been in a consulting environment before, do you have any suggestions on resources for helping me set up a consulting agreement, standard billing practices, hourly rate, etc.? Thanks.

Mary Ellen Slayter: Chatters?

At minimum, I'd look at what you were making before, account for your higher taxes and the cost of your benefits (including vacation), and a little profit margin.

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22309: I'm applying for jobs after being out of the market for a while, and Insanity-ville's question surprised me. I didn't realize there is a lot of back-and-forth to come after you get an offer. Could you walk through what usually happens after you get a draft offer?

Mary Ellen Slayter: Not all places do this, but many large employers do. The offer is tentative, and contingent on references and a background check. They might have much of this information from your resume already, but not always.

It's not exactly a back-and-forth. Just an effort to round out the paperwork. It's often handled by HR, rather than your future boss.

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Wash., D.C.: For a young professional, how important is it to show longevity in a position? For instance, if you have a resume that has a couple different positions with a year in each of them, is that looked at negatively? How much should that weigh on a decision on whether to stick it out at a job or move on? Also, I've read that a resume should only be one page long, but never have heard the reason for it. Can you please explain?

Mary Ellen Slayter: A year at a job is fine when you're in your twenties. Expect to be asked why you left each job and what you're looking for at your next one.

Resumes should generally be one page because hiring managers don't have time to read anything longer. If you send a second page, it probably won't even be glanced at.

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Washington, D.C.: I graduated from college in May 2005 and have been working as an analyst for a consulting firm in D.C. since then. My current job doesn't give me the "do-gooder" satisfaction I feel I need to truly be fulfilled as an individual. I am thinking about pursuing a job in the non-profit sector but am hesitant because of my lack of experience as well as a desire to eventually return to get an MBA. Since I am young and new to the workforce, what would you advise me to do? Continue working in the private sector to gain more "business-like" experience? I would love any feedback. Thank you!

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Mary Ellen Slayter: Keep working, whether in the private of nonprofit sector. Save the MBA for the day you know exactly why you need it, and ideally can get your employer to pay for it.

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Fairfax, Va.: I have been stuck in an entry-level position for the last two years. I have applied for many positions within the organization and have been turned down several times. I have been applying to places outside of my organization as well, but so far no hits. I am getting frustrated and don't know what to do.

Mary Ellen Slayter: Two years is not a terribly long time to be in an entry-level job. Have you asked your boss directly what you need to do to be promoted?

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Mary Ellen Slayter: Thanks for all the great questions and comments! See y'all next month.

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