Last week’s column focused on the question of discrimination by employers against the long-term unemployed. While I expressed my doubts that any such phenomenon would be widespread, I also posed the question: What if it is? What if employers avoid hiring anyone who hasn’t worked for a year or more?
Accepting that assumption, one is led to ask both, "Why would they do that?" and "What can a job seeker do to counteract this bias?"
The answer to the first question is probably apparent: Employers want workers who can and will do the job. A person who has been away from the workplace for a year or two might raise doubts about their skills or their willingness to work.
The thornier question is one of strategy: If you are “long-term unemployed,” how will you persuade an employer to hire you? Let’s start with the question they are thinking and may (or may not) ask: What have you been doing?
Last week, I asked readers in this situation to make a timeline tracking the months since their last job. If you did, and you fit the pattern I’ve been observing, you might have a 12- or 18-month chronology showing periods of intense job search as well as weeks with very little activity. Your timeline also might show time spent on family issues, illness, travel, classes ... these are things we all do in a given year, with or without a job. Unfortunately, most are not especially impressive to an employer and won’t speak to your ability to hold a particular position.
Still, you might have something there to talk about. Look for anything that demonstrates leadership, teamwork, organization, computer savvy or any other skill an employer needs. Did you organize the community garage sale or train volunteers in your house of worship or perhaps create a website to sell your boat? Maybe you project-managed the downsizing of your parents’ home as they moved to assisted living.
Dig deep to get as many non-job-search projects in mind as possible. Why? Because one of the few “wrong” things to say is, “I’ve spent the past year job searching.” It may be honest, but it’s not strategic. The employer assumes you’ve been searching, so saying it offers no new information. Worse, it introduces the idea that no one else wants to hire you, and that this employer would be taking a risk. As I said, not strategic.
Speaking of strategy, here are eight steps to counteract the effects of a lengthy job search:
1. Pick up part-time work. Even a weekend shift at a nursing home or evenings in a call center will make a difference. While this job will provide a small income, its main purpose is to demonstrate that you are a willing worker. It also will help to rebuild work habits, even if the job is not in your career area.
2. Find contract work in your field. You need to regain traction in your profession, and the best way to do that is by tucking some related projects under your belt. Talk to all your contacts to find a short-term or even unpaid project to take on.
3. Add new skills -- but be strategic. Instead of “catching up” with everyone else, why not pass them by? In other words, find out what’s new or cutting edge in the field and add that to your repertoire, rather than taking training that everyone already has.
4. Create a work portfolio. The best portfolios include current projects, but if that’s not possible, use samples from previous projects and workplaces. Your strategy is to focus attention on your work product, and away from your bout of unemployment.
5. Get active with a professional association. You’ll build contacts, up-to-date industry knowledge and a resume entry all in one move.
6. Revise your resume. Even if you can’t demonstrate recent employment, you should be able to show recent activity. Review the list of projects from your timeline, then create a resume section called “Interim Activities.” Be sure that each brief entry highlights a key skill, such as leadership or project management.
7. Revise your job search. If you’ve been using the job boards, reconsider. You’ll be competing against candidates who may not have the disadvantage that you’re trying to overcome. Instead, turn your attention to specific companies and connect directly with department managers to inquire about working for them, on either a contract or staff basis.
8. Don’t beat yourself up. You can’t recapture time that is already gone, but you can overcome these barriers. A confident demeanor and optimistic outlook do make a difference; control what you can and the rest will follow.
Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
