Obstacle No. 1: Finding a focus

Desgrosellier has worked jobs that haven't fulfilled her career goals because she hasn't yet developed a focus. She wavers between wanting to build her photography company, Take 5, into a full-time job and treating it more as a weekend hobby that supplements her income.

• What the experts say:

Eric Schubert, owner of Express Employment Professionals in Vancouver, suggests that Desgrosellier create a five-year plan for her career.

Creating a plan can help a job-seeker find direction.

In writing a five-year plan, Schubert advises that job-seekers consider a variety of factors, including what their degree has prepared them for, the importance of a job's location and how much money they expect to make. Those factors usually help job-seekers refine expectations.

Once those questions have been answered, it's easier to set short- and long-term goals.

In fact, a series of short-term goals can add up to a long-term goal, he said.

For instance, if a job-seeker ultimately wants a position that requires five years of experience and certain skills, it then makes it easier to identify the entry level jobs that will provide the right kind of experience to attain that longer-term goal. One way to identify

the right entry-level opportunities is to ask hiring managers what specific kinds of experience they look for when filling that higher-level job.

But simply getting experience in your chosen field can open doors, Schubert said. He recommends staying with one company for at least two years, whenever possible. That gives an employer time to recognize the employee's work experience, and the company may offer an opportunity for career growth.

"If they don't, now you're marketable, more so than just with your college degree," Schubert said.

Obstacle No. 2:

Refining a job search

Desgrosellier wants to stand out to employers, but she applies for most jobs online and doesn't make face-to-face connections. Once she's applied for a position online, Desgrosellier isn't sure about the etiquette. She wonders if she should follow up with a phone call after applying or try to schedule informational interviews with her target companies.

• What the experts say:

Brian Rauscher, a career counselor at Washington State University Vancouver, suggested Desgrosellier work to set up informational interviews with potential employers first. That way she can learn more about the potential job opportunities in her chosen field and establish a personal connection with the people in her industry.

The informational interviews will enable Desgrosellier to achieve two goals: creating a clearer picture of the job market and building a network of contacts that could help her stand out among job applicants.

"Most people are happy to talk about themselves for a half hour, and that's really all you're asking them to do," he said.

When scheduling an informational interview, Rauscher recommends allotting 30 minutes. Basic questions to ask include: How did you get this job? What do you do on a daily basis? Do you know of anyone else I should talk to about this position?

But Rauscher counsels that along with general probing, the job candidate should ask specific questions that prove he or she has done their homework. He recommends learning about the company's mission, values and recent news events - usually available on a company's Web site - to provide fodder for the informational interview.

There are some ground rules for an informational interview that differ from a job interview.

Rauscher says it's best not push a résumé on someone during an informational interview, but instead offer it when asking for feedback if that opportunity arises. "You're viewing them as a mentor, and they're providing you with their expertise and opinion," Rauscher said.

As for establishing personal connections elsewhere in the process, Rauscher has several recommendations.

Job-seekers should include a line in their cover letter indicating an intent to follow up with a phone call after a certain time period - usually a week or 10 days.

After the interview, job-seekers should always deliver a handwritten thank you notes to the people with whom they met.

Rauscher also recommends mining the Web for information about the job-search ­process and a variety of careers.

WSU Vancouver's Career Services page, www.vancouver.wsu.edu/ss/career, offers career assessment tests, tips for crafting an effective résumé, sample cover letters and résumés, examples of thank you letters and a directory of local employers.

To learn more about the job market, Rauscher suggests job-seekers turn to the Occupational Outlook Handbook at www.bls.gov/oco, made available by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The online handbook is free and includes information about positions, salary ranges, qualifications and outlooks.

Obstacle No. 3: What to share in a job interview

Desgrosellier is concerned that employers will frown on the fact that she still owns her own photography company, Take 5, because it could potentially compete for her time. As a result, she is wary about highlighting Take 5 on her résumé. On the other hand, Desgrosellier believes that employers might appreciate the fact that she's started a business and through it has obtained relevant photography and Web-design experience.

• What the experts say:

Schubert of Express Employment Professionals says that Desgrosellier is right in being concerned. It "could scare employers away" and make them question how dedicated she would be to a full-time position.

He encourages Desgrosellier to describe Take 5 as a hobby or a personal interest at the bottom of her résumé. To allay any lingering fears, Schubert recommends that Desgrosellier emphasize that her Take 5 photo shoots happen only on weekends and to state that in her cover letter and résumé.

He agrees, however, that there is a benefit to bringing up in an interview the skill set she's gained running a business.

Matt Wastradowski can be reached at matt.wastradowski@columbian.com or 360-735-4559.