CAROL KLEIMAN Sexual bias is possible in promotion

Q. My wife was told by her boss to apply for the position of district manager. In addition to her regular duties, she began to work longer hours getting two new hires up to speed. And then she was told that someone else got the job. She is upset, and management isn't giving any explanations. Does it matter that all the district managers, including the new one, are men?
A. It might matter a lot. She may be a victim of discrimination. If she wants to pursue this, she should talk to an employment lawyer. No wonder she's upset!
Q. Recently, after a long series of interviews, I was selected for a very good job. But then the offer was withdrawn because they found that seven years ago I had been fined because my dog got out of the yard. I had truly forgotten it, but it technically was a misdemeanor and the job offer was withdrawn. Why do hiring officers do things like that?
A. Because they can. I'm sure they feel very smug that they did the right thing when you did not give them the full disclosure of all of your sins.
Q. I applied for a position at my company that had been open for several months. I didn't get it, although I was the most qualified and showed the most interest. When I asked why, they danced around it for a while and finally said my current boss didn't want to let me go -- hiring and then training someone to take my place would be difficult and annoying. What can I do?
A. It's extremely unfair not to promote you just because you are doing so well in your present job, yet it is a very common practice among supervisors with little management training. It is also short-sighted and a sure way to lose very good workers. Here's what you can do: Since you can't get ahead, you might want to get out.
Q. I was laid off from my job in software two years ago. In the interim, I've handled family emergencies and did volunteer and consulting work. How do I present my credentials to a prospective employer who might think I'm the poster child for the terminally unemployed? Unfortunately, I also fear my age, 59, is going to be a major factor.
A. Age should not be mentioned, and you, too, should forget it. Present yourself as the professional you are, without any apologies or any personal details.
Q. It's rumored that sometime next year a number of people will be retiring at my company. At the same time, the lease on our building runs out. Does this add up to the possibility that the company plans to relocate? I'm worried about it.
A. It may be coincidental that these two major events are happening at the same time. However, the only way to find out is to ask your manager what's in the works. But don't look worried.
Q. Do you find some people make careers out of job hunting every two or three years -- or does everybody ultimately settle down?
A. People do have shorter tenures, some by choice, but most because of downsizing and technological changes that make their jobs obsolete. Getting gold watches is decreasing too.
Q. I'm in a predicament with my new job: The people I work for are not pleasant, and there's not enough work to keep me occupied. Also, the position is not exactly as it was presented in the interview. I plan to quit and want to know how to give notice. I am having a bit of the "guilts" because of the time it took to train me, and I don't like to be a quitter. But I can't stay in this type of environment much longer.
A. It's apparent you have to leave, so just give a regular two weeks' notice in a professional way -- without apology or comment. And dump those "guilts."
XCarol Kleiman, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, 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 ckleiman@tribune.com.