The Unemployment Line Looking for the perfect fit

by Cynthia Baxter

Overqualified? Underqualified? Aaaargh!

When business growth was high and unemployment rates low, the job-hunter had the upper hand. But those good old days are nowhere in sight.

The sad thing is I’m no more likely to be hired for an early-career position than I am for the role of CEO. With 17 years of experience, clearly, I’m overqualified for the former; and I’ll readily admit that I’m underqualified for the latter. Surely there’s a place for me somewhere in between — a position with a level of responsibility more suitable for my experience. But where the heck is it?

I have steadily sought work for a little more than a year now. I’m ready for a challenge and certainly eager to take the next step. On the days when I felt most optimistic, I submitted my resume for senior-level leadership positions, but never for anything I didn’t believe I could handle. I have applied for the roles of executive director, vice president, senior director and have landed interviews for some of them. But others have led to nothing — not even a return phone call when I attempt to follow up.

Then there are days when I am less hopeful. On those days, I feel blah and tend to apply for positions for which I know I’m overqualified. Of course, I’m no more likely to receive a return call in those instances. Even though the hiring process for most of the jobs for which I apply seems to be quite lengthy, I’ve seen some occasions when I was very quickly ruled out. I recall applying for a particular position last summer in response to an ad seeking someone with two to five years’ experience. I applied anyway. Not only did I receive a quick “No,” but the following day I saw that the ad had been revised to read, “… no more than 2-5 years’ experience.” Apparently, I wasn’t the only overqualified applicant.

Even some job postings appear to describe a position for which I am well qualified — or so I think — and still, nothing. So what if I’ve served several healthcare organizations in a professional-service setting? No direct clinical experience? No, thank you. So what if I’ve counseled automotive and motorsports dealers as their agency account executive? No “client-side” experience? No, thank you.

Why are so many employers “nitpicking”? Because they can. And I can’t say I blame them. In this employers’ market — or “buyer’s market,” according to one of my recent interviewers — businesses generally do not have to make concessions when seeking their ideal job candidates. When they are flooded with resumes and find themselves, in many instances, with several perfectly qualified applicants, they have no reason to settle.

I call myself a “marketing mutt” — a professional who’s built a diverse portfolio. Though some days I kick myself for not having highly specialized experience in specific fields, more often than not, I remain optimistic that some Indianapolis-area organization is looking for a mutt like me.