Career Coach: Dress Code; Getting out of IT

Dear Career Coach:
My employer, a medical-device manufacturer, just instituted a business-casual dress code that banishes jeans at work--even for IT! What gives?
Blue Jean Baby

Dear Baby:

Your employer's new dress code reflects a trend away from the ultra-informal work environment of the dot-com era. More than 70 percent of executives responding to a study recently conducted by research firm Wirthlin Worldwide said they believe professionally clad workers are more productive than those who dress less formally. In fact, when asked what they'd most like to change about worker attire, the No. 1 response was: "No jeans."

Unless you were clever enough to negotiate a "jeans clause" in your employment contract, dressing casually at work is a privilege, not a right. You can't go wrong following the maxim, "Dress for the job you want." Watch those managers you respect and model your attire after theirs.

Dear Career Coach:

I've been a programmer for 15 years, but I no longer feel fulfilled by my work. I'm thinking of going into teaching--specifically, middle school math.

I know I'd take a pay cut, but the shorter hours would be a worthwhile trade-off. What are the first steps I should take?
The Thrill is Gone

Dear Thrill:

While I hate to see the industry lose a talented programmer, I applaud you for considering this move. Tomorrow's IT professionals need a strong base in math and science, and math teachers are in short supply nationwide, according to Johnny Lott, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (www.nctm.org).The No Child Left Behind Act mandates that by the end of the 2005-2006 school year all teachers in core academic areas be "highly qualified." The intent of this law, Lott says, is to encourage teachers to obtain master's degrees in their primary subject areas, but a fair amount of discretion is left to the states, many of which have more flexible requirements for math teachers. Pennsylvania, for example, mandates that math teachers have a bachelor's degree and pass a rigorous certification test.

The American Association for Employment in Education site is a good place to start your research. Here you'll find a database of teaching jobs and a list of state certification requirements.

You may also want to volunteer to assist a math teacher at your local middle school, Lott suggests, to be sure you'd be comfortable in front of a class. And don't take offense if the school requests a background check, he adds. Security is paramount at schools these days.

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