The Long View - The ADVISOR.(business and investment advice; humor)(Brief Article)

Dear Advisor:

A few years ago, I started an Internet content company-our website was "wackywacky.com"-which was a multi-portal web engine providing lifestyle and information content in a wireless-enabled format. It was a really fast-paced, cool company-we all dressed in khakis and polo shirts, ate junk food, hung out in a cool, brightly lit environment, were all under 25-it was great. When we went public about two years ago, my stake in wackywacky.com was worth, roughly, 3 billion dollars. Now it's worth, roughly, nothing, and wackywacky.com is out of business. (Well, actually, we were never in business in the traditional sense of the word, i.e., profitmaking, etc.) My question is, what do you think a good next career move would be? I've got pretty good qualifications: When I got out of college, I became president and CEO of wackywacky.com, and a few years after that, I became chairman of wackywacky.com. Do you know of any companies looking to hire a chairman? I'm realistic, of course-I'm willing to take a step down to CEO, if necessary. What do you think?

-Wacked Out in Palo Alto

Dear Wacked:

Your question is a good one. The Advisor hears from many of its readers about beginning a job search. The key here is to list your likes and dislikes, then think about what kind of job fits that profile. For instance, you say that what you enjoyed most about your previous position was its "fast-paced" atmosphere, a "khakis and polo shirt" uniform, the "cool, brightly lit environment" with coworkers "under 25," and, of course, the copious amounts of "junk food." Well, if you add all of those things together-and throw in a paper hat-you've got a very challenging job working at McDonalds. Good luck in your new career!

Dear Advisor:

My company recently posted lower than expected earnings. Okay, much lower than expected earnings. As a result, our business expense and travel allowances have been severely curtailed. What can I expect, and how can I prepare myself for the change in policy?