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« What's Keeping Me Up at Night During This Job Search? | Main | Top 6 Things Missing in Life Due to My Job Search Bubble Existence »

July 07, 2009

The Top 5 Worst Pieces of Advice Given to Me During My Job Search

So while I am conquering my anxieties with positive action steps in my job hunt, I've received some rather amusing bits of advice. I've managed to always graciously smile and say thank you outwardly, while inwardly wondering what is occurring in people's minds as they share these bits of advice.

 

#1: Take the Summer Off

 

So my top piece of bad advice received still has to be "take the summer off." Somehow this suggestion of taking a 3-month hiatus from job seeking doesn't suggest that the well-meaning friend really understands my position in life. While it would be a dream to take the time off, having to be 100% financially responsible for my young sons, Owen and Evan, makes it clearly not an option. Then I get the funny look as if I had been reckless in the first place by having my children. Somehow that was even less of an option, and unbeknownst to many, I pushed off motherhood as long as I possibly could -- until I was secure in my professional life. HA! Lesson learned: There is never a perfect time in life to have children from a "settled" professional standpoint. Moreover, the job market looked very robust several years ago. The tides have changed, and this summer is not the time-off one for me as I am using my savings.

 

#2: Stick to a One-Page Resume

 

Another bit of advice after a somewhat helpful review of my resume was to shorten it to one page. This piece of input really had me flummoxed. Having had a logical and progressive 20-year work-life, suddenly squishing it all down to one page seemed to be a disservice to any firm considering employing me for my seasoned expertise. I promptly went out to 5 more (actively employed) friends and double-checked my resume style and approach by using two pages. I was reassured over and over that my experiences deserved two pages, and I had creatively already shortened it with special mentions. Additionally, I had received great guidance with rationale explained in writing up my resume by using Monster's Resume Writing Service.

 

#3: Become a Nurse

 

The third bit of slightly off-the-mark advice was to consider training as an RN or LPN. While nursing is a great skill and a very much in-demand profession, it would take about two years or more (and personal funding) to become licensed or registered. On one side, having the technical degree would simplify some of the requirements, but many of the basic courses would have to be taken at night (while working in some fashion during the day), further complicating the child-care coverage. Of course, anything is doable, although this avenue seems laden with lots of undesirable trade-offs (make less money, spend more time away from the kiddies). There is the possibility of finding at least some scholarship monies for the coursework, but that doesn't begin to cover living expenses.

 

#4: What About Teaching?

 

Along those same lines, someone suggested I revisit my educational background and augment it with teaching credentials (again self-funded). Already possessing a technical degree does lend itself to being quite employable -- once the additional teaching credentials are in place. Here again is a dilemma of having to go an additional 6 months without a revenue stream as student teaching is a key requirement. The other rub is that a starting teacher's salary is about 66% less than the bottom end of my current profession’s salary range. It would take 7 years or so to perhaps be on par again. The one obvious benefit of a teaching career would be having summers off.

 

#5: Forget Working Altogether

  

And my last or least favorite bit of advice received while I’ve been searching for a new professional home: Just drop out of the job market altogether and be a professional mother to my sons. Clearly this advice is an extension of #1 (Take the Summer Off), and my family's financial support considerations are unchanged from the first paragraph. However, this bit of advice would indeed work out for me if I suddenly won the lottery. As the New York Lotto tagline goes, "Hey, you never know."

 

How have you dealt with or reconciled unusual bits of advice during your job seeking? What’s the worst advice you’ve been given?

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Posted by Jane Allerton on July 7, 2009 at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBack (0)

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Unfortunately, I have to disagree with you on your 1 page resume assessment. I've had discussions with a wide array of career advisers and the general consensus is if it's more than one page, it's great that you've got so much experience but ... a Hr person is unlike to read all that. The typical hr person looks at your resume for 30 seconds. If in that 30 seconds they can not get everything they need, chances are pretty slim that you'll get the call in for an interview. Instead, you should keep the long version saved on your computer, and individually tailor it for specific jobs, listing only the most relevant experiences for each. Your cover letter is a great place to mention one or perhaps two things that didn't make it on the one page resume, if you really feel it necessary, but the interview is really the proper place to assert your experience. Your resume is not in place of an interview; it's to give the hiring manager just enough of a taste to catch their interesting and convince them there is MORE THEY SHOULD WANT TO KNOW. If you tell them everything, why should they call you in?

Posted by: Melissa | Jul 7, 2009 12:37:45 PM

Along the same lines as becoming a nurse/teacher is the suggestion that you do something else that has nothing to do with your chosen career field, only because it's more in demand. I hate it when people think that if you haven't found a job after x amount of months, that it's somehow not possible to find a job in that area so you just give up and look elsewhere. This advice usually comes from people who have never been unemployed and/or haven't been job hunting in the last 30 years.

Posted by: Sara | Jul 7, 2009 12:47:17 PM

I've had the same advice. I don't understand people, especially considering you have a family to look after. I'm sending my best wishes to you in your job hunt!

Posted by: Job Huntress | Jul 7, 2009 1:56:33 PM

This is about number one.

My mother is a teacher. She sees students all the time that take the summer off and even the next semester. You can definitely tell the ones who have taken the summer and/or the semester off versus the ones who don't via their performance.

While this is somewhat different, it is the same principal. If you take too much time off you become sluggish and rusty. If you must take some time off I would recommend that you do so in small increments. That way you can still have the same performance without going through a dry spell.

Posted by: Max Whitson | Jul 7, 2009 11:09:09 PM

1 page CV/Resume is not the way forward, unless you are in your first couple of years in business. Lazy HR people who can't be arsed to read onto the 2nd page are the reason companies don't always get the right person.

It's true that people will usually only look at the last two serious roles you have done but there is a definite need for further information allowing people to see your career development.

2 pages - possibly 3 depending on your experience/age.

If someone in your HR team can't read 2 pages in 30 seconds then I suggest you let them go.

Posted by: HARRY | Jul 8, 2009 10:12:59 AM


I too have to agree that the one page resume is a must. If you have a situation where someone will be specifically reviewing your resume (like you got a callback) then you can send something longer, but for first impressions/foots in the door, I always recco a one page resume.

Regards,
Will at virtualjobcoach.com

Posted by: Will at Virtualjobcoach | Jul 8, 2009 10:49:44 AM

Sara,
BRAVO! I love your article. I've heard the complete variation too - having been dropped while on maternity leave (amicably and tragically - it was the home building business), doing an ongoing search and finally starting a business.

A few more gems:
Become a teacher (likewise)
I've been told to become a school teacher - a profession, despite a love of kids, at the complete other end of the spectrum for me. And respectfully for the profession, I don't think just anyone can be a school teacher. But I can't think of a role I would loathe more. That said - helping school boards modernize would be interesting.

Start a homecare/daycare business
errrr... and now to totally end my career... (don't get me wrong.. I love my kids)

Look for a job while taking care of kids.
This may be a reality but I resent it when it is presented like this is easy to do and that a couple hours at night will suffice.

Operate your business while taking care of the kids.
see above.

1 page resume - got that one too. My resume is 2 pages with power packed page 1 for those who only gleam. Adding a summary of major accomplishmts on page 1. When you are interviewing for mid to exec roles, after the hr person, the execs doing the interview DO read past page 1.

I also use blogs/website & social networking sites to add a lot more depth to the profile anyways.

Best of luck to you - thanks for the good read.
Laurie
@ldillonschalk

Posted by: Laurie | Jul 8, 2009 12:59:23 PM

This is a great article. I've been given similar advice to what you have heard. Everyone now recommends becoming a "traveling" nurse as they command higher incomes than resident nurses. Another suggestion was for me to become a respiratory therapist. In essence, anything in the medical industry is a hot button for people. People are so quick to make career suggestions, but they never really try to advise me to really understand my work values, energy level, goals, etc. Everyone wants tips, tidbits, and a quick answer. Sometimes good things take time.

However, the absolute worst piece of advice came from an insurance agent. He recommended that I become an agent because of the potential income and promotions. Even that suggestion was okay, but the kicker was that he told me that I should quit my full-time job at a stable employer and just "jump in" and make 100 cold calls per day for the first 6 months. I'm okay with pursuing new opportunities, but this person knew me (maybe) the better part of 30 minutes and already offered suggestions for my life’s career path.

Take all advice with a grain of salt, figure out what career/position works for you as a person, and create a plan to make it happen. Don't let anyone knock you off your path.

Regarding resumes, I’ve heard differing opinions on the number of pages. In my opinion (and based on feedback from numerous recruiters, colleagues, and professionals), a short professional bio at the beginning of the resume is key to meet that “30 second” time limit that many HR professionals focus on. However, the additional information is intended for the “real” hiring manager (not necessarily the HR representative). It doesn’t seem logical to have a one pager for 20 or more years of professional experience. With the large pool of candidates that are looking for work, more extensive resumes can provide good information/data that could get you an in-person interview with the hiring manager.

If the resume is neat, professional, error free, white space so the eye doesn’t get overwhelmed, reasonable margins, succinct verbiage, accomplishments (with tangible data), job specific keywords, and a professional bio at the top for the 30 second readers, that should be enough.

Most of all, no matter how awesome the resume is, if you’re not out and about marketing yourself & your accomplishments, it won’t make a lot of difference as great resumes are a dime a dozen. It’s amazing who gets selected for positions simply because of whom they know.

There are many groups on www.meetup.com for networking. In my local meetup group, there is a large mix of professionals ranging from engineers to Ivy League professors to teachers. Also, networking within professional organizations is another way to make reputable contacts.


Thanks again for this article.

Regards,


D. Robinson
www.careercougar.com

Posted by: Daphne Robinson | Jul 8, 2009 10:41:56 PM

does anyone read comments anymore?

Posted by: scott | Jul 16, 2009 6:18:10 PM

Hi Max: very interesting insight from your mom's teaching experiences. She's right about anyone's skills (whether study skills or the job seeking variety) becoming clunky if you spend too much time focused on rest and relaxation or otherwise. It does seem that most individuals become less honed in on their original goals if they are distracted for a longer period of time on secondary targets. These secondary areas then slowly become a likely replacement for the initial task at hand. You are right, Max, that short breathers in the form of a few days off from the job search can be helpful in revitalizing and re-energizing your efforts in the long cycles of job hunting.

Posted by: jane allerton | Jul 20, 2009 10:35:58 PM

I think it is a good article, although I still believe a resume should be only of one page.

Posted by: Lineesh | Jul 22, 2009 6:37:12 AM

This wasn't advice, this crap told you to quit. A 2-3 page resume is very appropriate, you are already taking the summer off ( it's called " no job ", if you wanted to be a teacher or nurse, you would not entered the I.T. world to begin with and last, if you had enough money to retire, you'd quit. Most out-of-work candidates have skill sets that everyone else has and have been laid off mostly from large firms. There are literally thousands of I.T. jobs in this country if you have leading edge software / programming skills or are an extremely skilled manager. The resumes sent to me are 10-15 years of experience with the same company, doing absolutely nothing but collecting a paycheck for the last 5 years of employment. How to stand out ? Make sure you have something to stand out with or learn how to ask " Do you want fries with that ? " in 3 different languages.........

Posted by: El Kabong | Jul 22, 2009 10:36:39 AM

20 years ago, a one-page resume was the norm, and only Albert Einstein rated two pages. Times have changed. Page one should contain summary statement and accomplishments, along with most recent employment info; page two is a continuation of your career, along with accomplishments at the prior position or two. When I sent out my initial one-pager, I was told repeatedly that it didn't say enough about me, by both recruiters and HR folks.

Posted by: Mike D | Jul 22, 2009 11:38:58 AM

Remember that nowadays the first reader is a computer, and it WILL read all of your resume. The next reader is a search program, and if it's not in the resume the computer read, you can't be found.

Keeping anything of value 'back' for the interview means you're less likely to get to the interview. It's possible to put too much detail in the resume, but achievements are always appropriate -- let it take you up over the 1-page mark.

Set your goals, then write a resume that introduces you to your goals on its own. If you can achieve that in a single page, fine. But it's more likely you'll need more.

Posted by: Phill | Jul 22, 2009 1:13:35 PM

I find the suggestions that a seasoned technical professional should become a nurse, teacher, or stay-at-home mom just plain insulting. IMO, this kind of advice only comes from sexist old men who think you JUST CAN'T get a job in your field... you're a woman after all! My father gave me the same stupid advice while I was out of work last year, only instead of nurse, he said "can't you be someone's SECRETARY?" I kindly informed him that I program in 7+ languages, hold a degree in Physics and a career history in IT consulting, including some awards and nice accomplishments... why the hell would I change fields? Any male readers here ever get advice to be a nurse, teacher, or secretary? Honestly?

Posted by: Jamie | Jul 22, 2009 1:35:07 PM

Again - another disagreement about the one page resume. I ran an HR/Recruiting office and found that I was much more impressed when the candidate supplied all the professional and educational information necessary for me to decide whether or not to pursue. If all this information is only displayed on one page then it tells me that person does not have a lot of experience. It all depends on whether a company is looking for a new grad or an entry level employee. Anything above that level the candidate should show what they've accomplished.

Posted by: Di | Jul 22, 2009 2:15:25 PM

Even college grads might have a two page resume. I've worked with many students that have a substantial amount of outside class experience. This can include student activities, membership/officer of student clubs, significant volunteer work, study abroad and perhaps more than one internship. As long as the content is well written and it's easy on the eyes then it could work.

However, just sending out resumes has a 95% failure rate. The key is networking and only after good rapport has been established should one ask for feedback on their resume.

David Helfand
Coordinator of Career Counseling
Northeastern Illinos University
Chicago, IL
Author of "Career Change"

Posted by: David Helfand | Jul 22, 2009 4:24:58 PM

Along the lines giving up a career path for selling insurance, any "business opportunity" that preys upon the unemployed with "job fairs" that are really multi-level marketing (sell crap to your friends!) or "become an independent financial advisor" recruitments are about the worst advice I've been given. What's worse is that sometimes these are the only people giving you the time of day, and when it's the only call you've had for weeks, well, you stop thinking critically (why didn't they mention what the job actually is? why didn't they tell me where their office is? -- it's in their car!).

Posted by: maubs | Jul 22, 2009 7:56:38 PM

I too have heard all of the same advice above, and decided to experiment quite a bit on the job search.

First, I have about 20 different resume versions/styles. Contrary to most of the advice I received, here is what has worked for me.

There are 3 main industries leading in hiring: Healthcare, Government, and Education.

I have 20+yrs of experience across 3 well known organizations and held numerous high profile roles at these companies.

I created the usual 2 page chronological resume as this is the first time in my life that I've not been employed. It showed career progression, Challenge/Action/Results format showing capital and expense reductions, revenue generation, etc. All the usual variables $, %, people led, etc.

The response rate was awful (though all my executive level working colleagues like it best).

Here's the reality. You either bypass HR by going directly to the hiring managers, insiders, etc. or you'll have to create something specifically for HR.

I created a 1 page resume covering 20+yrs experience. No C/A/R, no specifics, etc. I had 2 interviews this week alone.

At the interview, I leave behind the 2page resume. HR won't read it, but the hiring manager will.

Healthcare, Government, and Education don't care about results!

HR doesn't either! Most don't look at that information. They look for keywords related to the job. Project Manager? They look for PMP; Business Professional? They look for MBA. IT? They look for the specific function or EE.

Now, that being said, the hiring manager will care a great deal about your results, but you'll never get there without bypassing HR or going through them (with the 1pg resume).

What's on my 1 page? A brief summary of qualifications, (8) 1 line bullets (key value points), professional experience (just company, job title and dates), and education & credentials / certifications.

Remember, HR is in place to fill any number of slots from IT/Engineering to Finance/Legal, business execs etc. They can't be experts in all these areas, they just have superficial cursory knowledge.

And the ATS systems they use are worthless. The match has to be 100% so take the posting and regurgitate it right back at the system - if they ask for PMP, but you've been a successful project manager for 10+yrs, HR won't let you through and neither will the ATS, so type in PMP candidate. Match the keyword! You'll get the call and you'll have an opportunity to sell yourself to the hiring manager.

A colleague, after 2yrs of unemployment, just landed a position this same way. He matched 85-90% of the job, but he understood how the ATS system works, so he cut/past the exact job spec and shot up to the top of the list, got called within 48hrs and when he interviewed, he "clarified", that it was the only way to have HR put him in contact with the hiring manager to explain his experience.

Posted by: Roy | Jul 23, 2009 3:08:40 AM

My former employer suggested to me after I lost my job right before Xmas that I enjoy the holidays with my family. While the angry person in me wanted to tell her that was probably the least productive thing that I could be doing, especially inbetween unemployment benefits, I smiled back at her and said, "Well, I'm expecting it's going to be hard finding a job right now." She got a look on her face, and I think she got the message that she said the wrong thing...

And while I have been considering alternative careers, and shadowing friends at their work to see if their work would be something that I'd even enjoy, everything has its ups and downs.

Thanks for the helpful article, and best of luck to all of us who are in this situation.

Posted by: Lurker | Jul 23, 2009 9:04:45 AM

As an HR Manager for many years, let me give you a little insight on the number of pages your resume should be. 1 or 2, depending on your experience. While it is true that an HR person might average 30 seconds per resume, it doesn't mean only 30 seconds on every resume. Write your summary in the top third of page one and really make it shine. This is enough to make any worthwhile HR professional read the rest of the resume. That 30 second average comes in because so many folks apply for jobs that they are not qualified for. If you cannot meet 3/4 of the requirements on a job posting, save the keystrokes and don't apply.

Posted by: Kandy Ryalls | Jul 23, 2009 9:48:53 AM

I didn't read through all the comments, so I may be stepping back into the same river.

If you have post-baccalaureate degrees, and worked as manager or administrator for your company, another option is to prepare a Curricula Vitae. This kind of document is often 5 or more pages long. It is not written for (excuse me if I sound condescending) "ordinary" work, but for positions that require highly trained professionals. I am a pastor without a congregation (I often call my self a "sheepless shepherd"; I like the alliteration. I am looking for a position that does require advanced degrees, and carries with it more than ordinary responsibilities.

So...... the length of your resume can be influenced by your career goals.

I hope this helps.

HR directors, set me straight if I am wrong.

Dale

Posted by: Dale Kleimola | Jul 23, 2009 2:19:19 PM

I suppose the worst advice I have been while searching for meaningful employment was to seek a “little” job. You know the kind where your innate talents and years of experience are totally wasted. Personally I think you should have your dream job in mind and keep trying for it. Don’t give up on what you really want and settle for something that will never make you feel happy or fulfilled.

Posted by: Robbyn | Jul 24, 2009 1:36:01 PM

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