In April I read an article from the Sunday, April 19, 2009 Washington Post by Michelle Singletary entitled "Landing a job When Your Resume's Too Good for It". I will address this topic in greater detail in the future article, but I felt compelled to provide comment on this specific article given the content and timing.
We are in the middle of and witnessing a job market that most of us have never witnessed before and hopefully will never see again...good luck with that one, right? 
. Anyways, one of the main recurring themes is the phenomenon of highly educated, highly paid people losing their jobs, having difficulty finding another job at equal pay or finding another job quickly or even not finding a job at all, regardless of pay. It is commonly believed that having a degree and/or advanced degree was some sort of "insurance" against unemployment...after all, we have been taught that investing in yourself i.e. education/training, is one of the best ways to ensure steady work for a secure financial future. Apparently, someone forgot to leave a post it note on the computer terminal of the Economy reminding them of this.
Now we have not only blue collar workers, but also HCE's (Highly Compensated Employees) losing their job and looking for any job that they come across. Does anyone want to take a serious pay-cut, of course not, but that is exactly what these HCE's are willing to do. Do I agree with this approach? In these tough economic days? Yes I do...that said, it really depends on your situation. If you have been diligent and secured an Emergency Fund then you might not feel the pressure to take any job. On the other hand, if you do not have an emergency fund then you will be tempted to take anything in order to pay the bills. Even a little bit of money coming in, is better than nothing, just don't forget your main job...which is to find another job.
Michelle Singletary's article addresses those people that are willing to take that large paycut only to find the door closed due to a resume/experience that makes them "overqualified" in the eyes of the hiring manager. As the article correctly states, employers will not hire if they feel the employee will leave as soon as a better offer comes along...your's truly has done this . I question if the chances of this happening is any greater than a person who is not so "overqualified". Anyone can leave a job at anytime for any reason, including finding greener pastures. Employees leave and stay at companies for many more reasons that money...it would behoove those companies that estue "overqualified" people to rethink their practices and maybe take advantage of the situation to snag a very high high-quality employee in a down economy. They could then convert that employee to a more appropriate position within the organization in the future.
I digress, this article is not about criticizing companies hiring practices but rather to assist those overqualified job-seekers so they have a better chance at getting that job. The article provides some suggestions for those stuck in this situation, I agree with 3 out of 4...my commentary follows each point:
- Simplify your resume- I do agree with this tactic. When writing a resume, it is perfectly acceptable to leave off certain information. Everyone does this for every resume. You don't use the same resume for every job you apply for since every job is different, so you remove what is not relevant. Same tactic is applied in this situation. if you have an advanced degree or previous experience that screams above and beyond, leave it off. Basically, you are scaling back your resume and downplaying your experience and accomplishments.
- Beat the manager to the punch- I agree with this one. if you are fortunate enough to get an interview then all hope is not lost. This means they might consider an "overqualified" candidate...why else would they call you in for an interview? Acknowledge up front that while you appear to be overqualified, you are willing to work in lower position and that your goal is to work for their company. Basically, you are telling them you are willing to work for less to get your foot in the door. Hiring managers interview all the time and can "read" people very well, so You have to be convincing and really mean it when you state your case. Think enthusiasm for the job, the company and express as an opportunity for change.
- Address the pay issue- This one I do NOT agree with. Michelle Singletary suggests you should be up front on working for less money than what you are used to...only do this if they start talking money. Do not bring this up yourself right away...if they brought you in for an interview then they are considering you, which means the money conversation may or may not come up, depending on how convincing you are about working in a lower position. Let them bring money conversation into play. You may come off as desperate if you try and be upfront with too many things all at once.
- Watch the attitude while job hunting- Oh yes, agree big-time. During the high-flying years of the dotcom era, I interviewed people with attitude about themselves and what they wanted to do. I never say this is acceptable during any job phase but especially not now when the economy is so bad and the hiring manager is reviewing hundreds of resumes for the job. No one has time for someone who will look down on the job. Either you want the job or not...if you can't jump into the job and company with both feet then don't apply.
The big picture goal is to survive this economy until things turn-around. So whatever you need to do to survive, you do it. Even if you have no intention in staying with this company. Taking that lower paying, lower position job just might keep you from disastrous financial ruin.
