Employers don't need to see your skeletons

Q. I've been through bankruptcy. What is your advice on how to address this issue with prospective employers.
A. Don't mention it.
Q. Our company's CEO vigorously encourages all employees to donate to a major charity -- the one he's on the board of -- preferably as an automatic deduction from paychecks. At my annual review, it was mentioned I did not contribute to the charity. Do employers look at charitable contributions when considering promotions? Should I bring my tax forms, which show many other donations I've made, to my next review?
A. It is unethical to force employees to give to the CEO's favorite charity to make him look good -- and then to count it against you if you don't. Don't bring your tax forms to work and don't give if you don't want to.
Q. My daughter is having a difficult time finding work. She is taking college classes and is focusing on retail, but she tends to be quiet and shy -- which becomes more pronounced during the interviewing process. Her lack of confidence and interviewing skills may be the reason she's not getting job offers. What do you suggest?
A. She needs one-on-one career coaching, which I'm sure her college placement center can provide. But you might want to make things easier for her by calling first and finding out what the center can do to help her.
Q. My spouse is getting very frustrated with my increased workload, long hours and unpleasant working conditions. She says I should be actively looking for another job, especially since the company is struggling to stay afloat. But even though I've looked for new positions, I have no new job to go to and do not want to burn bridges. Any suggestions?
A. Hang on to the job you have and continue to job hunt. And hang on to your spouse, too!
XCarol Kleiman is the author of "Winning the Job Game: The New Rules for Finding and Keeping the Job You Want" (Wiley, $16.95). Send e-mail to ckleimantribune.com.