Easier to get a job when you have one?
I lost my job a couple of years ago due to a mass layoff and returned to college to earn another degree. I graduated in November and have been applying for jobs since. I work in IT and am trying to transition into an entry level role in a different area of IT than the one I was laid off from. The role I'm trying to transition into is very specialized and different from the area I formerly worked in. I've obtained two years worth of hands on professional training specific to the role I want to transition into and picked up a certification in that area as well. However, I'm still finding it difficult to actually find employment in the new role. Recently someone told me that I should apply for jobs in my old role just so that I can show a current employer on my resume because hiring managers aren't favorable to unemployed people. Is this true? Will taking a job in my old job role make me more favorable/attractive to employers while I'm trying to transition into the job I really want? This is my first time ever being laid off. Is there a stigma towards people who are unemployed in the eyes of hiring managers?
Joanna Giordano
HBO HR experience. Resume/Job & Health coach.
353
02/06/20 at 11:51PM UTC
Great input!^ Keep your eye on the prize! (unless you need that job financially of course). You can adjust your resume in various ways to have something current on your resume, so no need to take an entire job just to apply to another job if that is your sole concern.
The short answer is "yes, sometimes" there is stigma. It does beg a question. It depends on the person reviewing your profile. More old fashioned hiring managers and recruiters may be biased against unemployed people, but after 2008, you can imagine that plenty of great people ended up unemployed. Some for very long periods! Many people in HR had to change adjust their impressions. HOWEVER!-- Know your rights on whether an employer may legally ask about your unemployment status. In the past few years, new laws were passed in some areas to help longterm unemployed people avoid such stigma.
Anonymous
02/07/20 at 12:14AM UTC
Thank you for your reply. Can you share some things I can put on my resume to make it appear more current? I have a chronological resume and added my two years of college in work experience section just so there isn't such a huge gap in dates since my last job but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not. I'm okay financially for a while. I also think I should wait for the job I really want. I will check my state's rules on what sort of questions can be asked regarding unemployment! That's very useful information I was aware of.
Jennifer ReyRecruiting Manager + Working Mom
117
02/06/20 at 9:04PM UTC
It's better to wait and work towards the job you want than to take a job just you want to fill your resume. What if you take a job and then in two weeks get another offer? Hiring Managers are more cautious to hire people who are quick to leave jobs versus someone unemployed. Just be prepared to speak to why you are unemployed and why you are waiting to find the right role!
Anonymous
02/07/20 at 12:16AM UTC
I didn't even think about possibly needing to leave a new job on short notice. Thanks so much for that input. I also think I should wait for the right role! Thank you for sharing.
