Laid off and now I am about to accept a job not aligned with my career path while this market lets up, anyone else?

Anonymous

February 25,2024 at 1:47PM UTC

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Laid off and now I am about to accept a job not aligned with my career path while this market lets up, anyone else?

The market as we know is tough. Very competitive. I am running out of funds and I need a job. I have a little girl and a whole house to take care of, so I need to keep the show going. My most recent title has been, SaaS Manager. Loved it, because it paid well and I got to work from home and spend time with my baby. Now, I am laid off and can’t get a job to save my life. I get interviews, make it to the last rounds, and no offer. It’s rough! 6 months down and well….nothing. I finally decided to step back and get an executive assistant role (no shade to EA’s, it’s a respectable profession). I got a verbal offer and pretty much getting this role. I expect an official offer coming my way soon, I am grateful but I am taken a salary cut, position step back and going onsite. I will be continuing my search, in the meantime but I am worried about the gap and deciding wether or not to add this job on my resume to fill that gap, I am just lost and wonder if anyone had any advise on how to navigate this ?

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Alexis GladstoneFebruary 25,2024 at 2:00PM UTC
In today's economy a gap on your resume after a layoff is common, and to have a 6+ month gap is not the red flag that it used to be. You can talk about how you spent the time not only focused on your job search keeping up with the latest things industry trends, etc.
Whether you add the EA job to your resume may depend on how long it takes you to land a role that gets you back on your career path. Once you start the EA job, you can create a 2nd resume that lists it and as you apply, make a decision on which you want to use.
AnonymousFebruary 25,2024 at 3:36PM UTC
I’ve experienced this in a poor economy. It was a temporary solution to needing funds to take a step-back role, but it blossomed into a career. When you have talents that are needed and you utilize them it opens you to more opportunities. If it’s a great company and growth is possible it may turn out better than you had hoped in time.
AnonymousFebruary 25,2024 at 9:06PM UTC
You are doing the best you can. Employers are making people jump through hoops and the whole job search process can feel like fraternity or sorority hazing that never ends. Some money is better than none and yes, definitely add the job to the resume so you don't have a gap that needs to be explained away.
AnonymousFebruary 26,2024 at 2:28PM UTC
Employers are not hiring capable seasoned recruiters to assist with hiring good candidates. They pay no experienced people to screen resumes and applicants and they screen more out than in. Employers don’t get it, they don’t know how hiring should work and then complain they cant find good employees. It’s exhausting to witness as a recruiter of 30 years
AnonymousFebruary 28,2024 at 7:15PM UTC
I 100% agree that there is a variety of expertise out there. I've met some very competent seasoned recruiters and then there are these new recruiters... some are actually really good and have potential, others on the more young side are just not trained well enough and I wonder how they can get in and I can't LOL I am like it must be that they can pay them less because they sound incredibly untapped, scripted, and unable to navigate the conversation properly. Killing me here.
AnonymousFebruary 27,2024 at 7:23PM UTC
Don't think about what to do when you leave that role. For now don't update your LI profile and when and if the situation presents itself down the road you can decide how to communicate the need to cover life expenses and to take a role to support your family when the market was tough. Glad you found something for now to tide you over, who knows you might find other things internally there that will provide more opportunity and upside. Good luck.