Joyce Richman: Try a different approach if you are overqualified
Joyce Richman: Try a different approach if you are overqualified
Q: What should you do if you’re overqualified for a job? Downplay your education? Leave out half of your experience?
A: Reframe the discussion. If you begin a relationship with half-truths, you’re not trustworthy. Instead, get real with your recruiters, networking contacts, interviewers and prospective employers. Sure, on paper you may be overqualified, but what got you there has changed. Because of that, you’re prepared to regroup and learn from what people who are junior to you can teach you. Here are a couple openers that can get the conversation going:
“I want to be part of your business, and to do that I want to prove myself. When can we talk?”
“I’ve had the title and the power. I will gladly trade both for a chance to join a new organization that’s finding its way, and help it grow and support its leadership, not compete with it.”
Q: How do you handle gaps in your résumé? For instance, what if you took time off to have kids or you were unemployed for a while?
A: If you’ve taken time away from work to have children and your intention was always to return to work, then say so. That would suggest that you’ve updated your skill sets and remained current about emerging issues and challenges in the workplace. In support of those statements, give examples of volunteer work that you’ve done and classes or training workshops you’ve attended that have enabled you to continue to practice your skills and strengths.
If you’ve been out of the job market for a while because you wanted to be a stay-at-home parent, mention the official and unofficial roles you’ve played as a parent and volunteer. Stress how those responsibilities have made you a better leader, manager, negotiator, organizer, coordinator and scheduler.
Q: How much does volunteer work count when you’re unemployed?
A: That depends on what you did and how you did it. If you were intentional and purposeful, and approached your volunteer work as a professional would approach a paid job, your volunteer work can count for a lot. If you were an inconsistent and reluctant volunteer, then that time won’t count for much.
Q: Should you put personal information in your résumé as a way of connecting to others, or is that seen as unprofessional?
A: If in doubt, leave it out. However much you might want to connect to one group, you run the risk of disconnecting from others. Your proud affiliation in one political party, ethnic group or faith-based organization might connect you to those who share your worldview but separate you from those who see the world differently. Instead, focus on your résumé objective: getting a job where you can use your strengths and make a positive difference for the company where you work.
Joyce Richman is a career coach and author of “Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job” and “Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success.” Read her blog at www.richmanresources.com and watch her latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. on WFMY News 2. Contact Richman at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com.
