A recent article in CNNMoney.com reported the shocking, yet growing trend among employers trying to fill open positions. It seems that being unemployed is a disadvantage if not a deal breaker when applying for job. For those that have been out of a job for awhile, the longer a person is unemployed, the more difficult it is to even be considered. A few companies even included a phrase in their job postings stating that unemployed individuals need not apply.
The truth is, it is usually easier to get a job if you already have one. No need to explain gaps in employment, reasons you left a seemingly good job, or why you were let go. There is less desperation when you’re still getting a paycheck and are not being pressured by you, your family or bill collectors to just find something. Employers are skeptical of the long-term (more than six months) unemployed individual’s ability to readjust to a regular work schedule and environment after spending weeks and months at home. Six months or more out of a highly technical field can mean a longer learning curve, and companies may not be willing to spend the money and time to retrain when they can hire someone who is currently proficient.
If you’ve been highly compensated in a professional or management position, it’s difficult to settle for something less or even be considered for a lower-level job. Being unemployed is bad enough, but a resume that screams “overqualified” is that much worse. Here are some tips on getting back in the running, no matter what your situation.
1. Become a consultant. Self-employment shows initiative and use of skills, plus a measure of risk-taking. Many companies have been caught by the last couple of downturns and are now filling talent gaps with consultants or contractors hired on a project basis. Your 20 years experience in an industry or discipline may make you an expert and employable as an independent consultant. You can market your services AND continue a job search with current employment on your resume.
2. Volunteer your expertise. Many non-profits are struggling, and would welcome your experience to fill in the gaps. This will give you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability and value to their leadership and Board members who may have connections to “hidden jobs” in the community. Volunteer work can be added to a resume as well, showing employers you are creatively utilizing your skills within the community. While not technically “employed,” you show you are actively engaged in your profession until your next employment opportunity.
3. Reinvent yourself. No one said that you have to find a job just like the one you left or for the same amount of money. Some people who lose a job are secretly relieved to be “set free” from a boring, dead end job. Many successful people changed course or started over, and that’s still an option. Making beds as a hotel housekeeper may not be your utmost career goal, but it can be the starting point for a new career in hospitality. The same qualities and work ethic that got you to the top will help you rise in the ranks in a new profession. Start building a resume focused on your new career goals.
Do you have any other tips? I would love to hear them in the comments.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for BusinessWorkForce.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at businessworkforceblog.com and view additional job postings on Nexxt.
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