Is Career Suicide What We are Resorting to in This Economy?
As of this writing, the unemployment rate is hovering steadily at around 10.2% according to the Labor Department’s latest figures. That’s the bad news. The good news is that fewer companies are having lay-offs, so things are looking better in general. For many unemployed workers, however, who are still without work after many months because no one seems to be hiring, they are taking just about anything that will come their way. In a new report on CNN Money’s web site, they report that there are around 9.3 million workers who are under-employed, or working in a position that is a step down from what they are qualified to do.
In the employment screening field, we see this happening more as well. From the general manager who is now working as a supervisor to the lawyer who has applied for a customer service manager position, more people are avoiding their pickiness and are sticking it out with a job that they are overqualified for. Though many folks are content with this for the time being, there are some valid concerns for both employers and employees who fall into this dangerous territory.
Career Suicide is Killing Our Workforce
First, the idea of “career suicide” is an extreme term to use, but it is truly what is going on in the workforce right now for over 9 million people. They have been forced to take a “survival job” in order to pay their bills, avoid getting in over their heads in debt, and to keep their homes. These are tough times for workers who take this mentality.
Not only will they feel unchallenged due to rote duties and fewer responsibilities than they performed in their career’s early days, but they will now have that entry on their resume. Even if they decided to go the route of resume falsification in order to elevate their title and appear consistent, an employment screening would easily uncover the truth. Many employers know how hard times are, but the odds of getting a resume past HR’s screening phase with an off entry like that is difficult to do.
Career Suicide Affects Companies as Well
For companies that hire workers who are over qualified, they will spend more money to fill those positions than any other openings in the company. This is because workers who are overqualified will spend company dollars in recruitment, hiring, and training costs only to have the workers leave for “greener pastures” as soon as an opportunity arises. Going through the resume falsification checking and employment screening process every time can be tedious and costly when done repeatedly for the same positions.
How to Avoid Career Suicide
The answer for workers is to use the new extended unemployment benefits that have just been signed in by President Obama. An additional sum has been awarded to people who are still unemployed after their first run of benefits has run out. Rather than committing resume falsification and fearing the employment screening process, job seekers should use these additional unemployment benefits and wait until they find something as close to their qualifications as possible.
For employers, choosing people who may be overqualified, but have worked in the position they are applying for within the last 5 years is a good idea. These are workers who have excellent skill sets and haven’t been out of the applied-for position for many years. These are employees who will likely work well in a position that is slightly under their capabilities, but who will stick around and work their way up in the ranks and give you an excellent return on your investment.
