June 12, 2010

Don't let the 'unemployed' stigma hold you back

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In an ongoing crisis, such as this country's appalling unemployment rate, some job seekers begin to see bad news around every corner. When a weeks-long job search starts to be measured in months and years, it's easy to let fear run rampant in your mind about conspiracies and the like.

Take the recent flap on some blogs and news reports about companies that are posting want ads explicitly stating that no unemployed people will be considered for new positions. In the echo chamber of the Internet, this story has rattled around from a few anecdotes to a full-blown, alleged "trend."

After looking at the issue a bit more closely, it becomes apparent that most of these hand-wringing stories cite just two postings on a recruiting Web site called The People Place, which listed a Quality Engineer job in Angleton, Texas, and another ad for Sony Ericsson, which said it would be looking for 180 new positions to fill in suburban Atlanta. Both of these postings stated that the hiring managers would not consider interviewing anyone who is currently unemployed for any reason.

While this kind of screening is not always commonly stated, it is hardly a new practice. When some HR departments get inundated with responses, they sometimes resort to these kinds of borderline-arbitrary tactics to simply cut down the pile. But this is not always a wise move.

In a refreshingly level-headed blog post by Suzanne Lucas (a.k.a. the "Evil HR Lady" on BNet.com), she pointed out the folly of companies that limit themselves to looking for employed individuals. Most of the people who have been laid off in the last couple of years, she pointed out, are perfectly qualified but are merely victims of a poor economy that has severely cut back their previous employers' products and services. Ignoring this huge pool of talent is just plain stupid.

"Any smart company will be willing to look at people who are currently unemployed," Lucas wrote. "There are advantages to hiring unemployed people. No lengthy delay for a start date. No non-competes to worry about. No fears of counter offers from the current employer."

There's no way around the hard fact that it's easier for people to look for work when they already have a job; one of the many awful things about being unemployed is that you have to compete on an uneven playing field. But don't believe the conspiracy theorists who see a few outlying molehills and turn them into a mountain of fear.

This issue of resume screening serves as yet another reminder of why it's so important to go beyond the application process and build your work contacts through networking. If all you're doing is sending out resumes and tailoring them to get past theses HR screens, you're only doing half of the work necessary.

To get a job in this market, you have to go to industry events, stay in touch with your peers, investigate companies you want to work for and get to know who the hiring managers are. Because if you get the ear of the person who is making the hiring decision and you can impress him or her with your ability, no silly "employment" requirement will ever keep them from turning you down.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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networking, resumes, unemployment

1 Comments

Todd on June 17, 2010 9:40 PM | Reply

I find these practices abhorrent. In a time when the economy is hanging on to a thread it's a sad reflection of our humanity as a people when we signs like that.

My colleagues and I recently did something about. We created www.ibovo.com where entrepreneurs create new startup and then seek business partners with skills to join for salary or equity. Employed? Unemployed? Doesn't matter - you just need to think big and have a great workethic.

Ibovo is about not settling. it's about putting you in the drivers seat to make real meaninful choices.

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