Getting Back Into the Job Market
So, you're in the job market, for the first time in a long while. Maybe you've had a stable career, and have just been laid off or had a compelling reason to quit. Maybe you've been concentrating on family or school, and are now looking to resume your career or earn some extra money. Or maybe you gave up looking for work because of the discouraging job market, and now that employment is showing some signs of recovery, you're willing to give it another try.
Regardless of your reasons for being out of the job market and coming back, here are three common misconceptions about job seekers, and how to combat them.
You're overqualified.
If you've been in school earning an advanced degree, or have held a higher-paying position than the one you are applying for, employers might think your aspirations lie somewhere else and you will quit as soon as you get the job you are qualified for. Show them they are wrong, by pointing to the other areas of your resume, other than salary and education, that make you a perfect fit. According to Quint Careers, it helps to make sure your employers know that they won't have to match your old salary in order to hire you.
You're obsolete.
Being out of the job market for awhile, or working in an industry that is slow to adapt to new technology, might invite the charge that you just won't be able to adjust to a modern workplace. Dispel this by talking to employers about your ability to learn and your desire to take on new challenges. Reading up on the company or the industry prior to the interview can't hurt either. Quint Careers says to put your newest, most cutting-edge knowledge and training up front first.
You're lazy.
This is not something that any employer should ever assume about an applicant who has been out of work for a long time, especially in this economy. However, if your resume has large gaps of time without employment, an HR manager might wonder if you spent that time eating Cheetos on the couch. Prove them wrong by talking about the projects, civic, and volunteer activities you got involved in while unable to find work, and tell them how the skills you acquired during this period of self-directed time make you an even stronger candidate for the position. According to WorkBuzz, don't focus on the past, but instead, focus on the benefits you can bring to an employer in the future.