Career Track Live

The Washington area is a magnet for smart, ambitious young workers. Post columnist Mary Ellen Slayter writes a regular column for these professionals who are establishing their careers locally, and offers advice online as well.

The transcript follows below.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Mary Ellen Slayter: Good afternoon, everyone! I hope you're all doing well. Lots of good questions today, so let's get started...

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Mary Ellen,
When updating a resume, what is the most appropriate way to list a company that you used to work for, that has since merged with another company and has a new name? Do you just list the name of the company as it was when you were employed there (although it no longer exists) or list the new and completely unrelated name? Thanks!

Mary Ellen Slayter: I would list it by the name the company had when you were there, and in parentheses, include the current name of the company.

For instance, let's say you once worked for pre-merger Mobil, which is now ExxonMobil:

Mobil (now ExxonMobil)

A really obvious example, but you get the idea? Your goal is clarity.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Hello, just wanted to know how important and crucial is someone's driving record in terms of getting a job. I've been unofficially offered a position pending a background check. Like many, speeding is my crime (I'm not at all proud of it). While this not a driving position, and I have no other record except this, how critical is it to me getting a job. Thanks!!!

Mary Ellen Slayter: Well, it depends on the job. For most office jobs, driving record isn't going to matter, unless we're talking about DUIs or speeding offenses that are so egregious they become felonies.

However, if the job involves driving (delivery truck driver, sales that involves a lot of travel in a company car, EMT, bus driver, police officer, et al), or even the possibility of driving in a setting that involves children (such as a daycare worker), a bad driving record could hurt you. As it should.

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Arlington, Va.: Here's a challenge...
How does a 33 year old teacher, making $48K per year and a 36 year old medical student on her second career (living off of large loans) pay for a wedding in a year, a (planned) baby (w/daycare) in two years, and a needed condo/townhouse with 2 to 3 bedrooms in the D.C./Northern Virginia area in two years while paying overpriced rent now because we make too much for low-rent housing?

Mary Ellen Slayter: This sounds like more of a question for Michelle Singletary than me, but I read her faithfully enough that I might be able to channel her. WWMD? Lemme see ...

*Have a modest wedding. Skip the fancy dresses, jewelry, engraved invitations, and overpriced food that no one really likes (or remembers) anyway. Some of the best weddings I have been to have been potluck affairs in someone's backyard. You should be able to have a grand old time for under $500.

*Start saving everything you can NOW. Closely examine your expenses. Do you have cable? Are you eating out a lot? What are you spending on clothes? Books? CDs? Figure out where your money is going, and ask yourself hard questions. Are any of these conveniences worth more to you than owning your home? That's your call.

*When time comes for the baby, think secondhand for clothes, furniture, even toys. And think hard before you buy anything at all. We don't actually need half the crap retailers try to convince us that babies "require." You'll want to invest in the best car seat and stroller you can afford, but other than that you'll find plenty of ways to save.

*Realize that you don't qualify for low-income housing because you're NOT low income. $48K is a solid middle-class living, even in the D.C. area.

Start looking into the mortgage/house market now. You'd be surprised what you can buy on your income, probably for the same price as your current rent.

Keep your chin up. Those med school loans look painful now, but once graduation comes, you'll be able to pay those back no problem.

Any other suggestions, chatters?

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Salisbury, Md.: I am moving to D.C. this summer in order to attend graduate school and my boyfriend plans to move with me. He graduated with from undergrad in December and is, rather leisurely, searching for a job in our area until we move. He has very little work experience -- being that he has been in school for his entire life and has only worked menial "student" jobs during the summer. He feels rather intimidated by the job market in D.C. and will probably not be able to acquire an impressive job here in Salisbury (if there were any impressive jobs!). Since he will only be living here for six to eight more months. What sort of advice would you give to someone in his position for seeking employment both in Salisbury and then in D.C.? What would be a good way to let potential Salisbury employers know about his relocation? How lenient are most potential employers about moving from out of town (i.e., giving the new employee time to move and get settled)? Any help would be much appreciated! Thank you so much!

Mary Ellen Slayter: Your boyfriend's situation is tailor-made for temping. He should start by looking for temp work in Salisbury. If any of the national agencies have offices in both places, he should try to get in with one of them.

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Brooklyn, N.Y.: I graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering, been working for several months and don't like my job at all. I am thinking about getting a job with a government contractor or maybe temp. for a government contractor. How tough is it to get a government job? Got any tips for jobseeker like myself?

Mary Ellen Slayter: For a mechanical engineer, probably not too hard, especially if you are willing to move to the Washington area?

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Washington, D.C.: I verbally agreed to stay two years at my current job, but am getting the itch to find something that better fits my professional interests. Will I be burning bridges if I leave before then?

Mary Ellen Slayter: Well, that depends. Would you be leaving after 1 month, or 18?

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Fairfax, Va.: Hi Mary,
I'm considering becoming an independent IT contractor but I am the one that supplies my family's health care insurance. What's the best route to go for affordable, no pre-existing condition clauses insurance? Any suggestions?

Mary Ellen Slayter: Medicare?

Oh wait, only old people get that. The rest of us are SOL.

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Washington, D.C.: How does one go about asking for some leeway in leaving early on snowy days (using vacation time even)? I live in Alexandria, work in the District and it took me nearly 3 hrs to get home on Wednesday via public transportation. Any time it looks like bad weather my supervisor works from home, but I can't and management is completely unsympathetic.

Thanks!

Mary Ellen Slayter: You just ask. There's no other way around it.

You'll probably have more luck framing it in a way that shows how it benefits the company for you to work from home in bad weather. I.e. less time commuting means more time to do actual work.

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RE: Paying for it all: There are tons of resources on how to do a low budget wedding - start there. So much about a wedding is forgotten and people are very understanding (as if they need to be) when the bride and groom (not parents) are paying for the affair. My dad always told me that the cost of the wedding is inversely proportional to the duration of the marriage. Chin up!

As for the other things -- D.C. is full of free stuff to do -- no need for cable as Mary Ellen suggests. What other city boasts so many museums for free? not to mention all those great happy hour deals driven by a large college population.

As for kids and the house -- just keep living modestly and it will all work out. Life has a way of making these decisions for you.

Mary Ellen Slayter: Your dad sounds cool!

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RE: Itching to leave: 18 months... where I work is also an "at-will" employer.

Mary Ellen Slayter: You'd probably be safe to leave. It might take you six months to find the job you'd rather have. No harm in starting your search now.

The question isn't so much whether you're legally bound to stay there. It's a question of breaking promises/burning bridges. Only you know how leaving early will affect those relationships.

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First-time homeowners: First time low-middle income homebuyers receive a lot of help from the government.

There are several programs that allow you to have relatively low interest rates and put down as little as 5% of the homes worth.

Also, ask for money towards your down payment as a wedding gift instead of silly overpriced blenders.

Mary Ellen Slayter: Very good points.

Thanks!

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Mary Ellen Slayter: Thanks for all your great questions and comments today. See you in two weeks!

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