I was interviewed a few weeks ago on an interesting topic:  are you committing career suicide by taking a job for which you are grossly overqualified.  You’ll see if you read the article on CNNMoney.com that I don’t believe it’s career suicide.  Rather, I think it’s survival.

I’ve been thinking about this issue for a while and I have a few more opinions and bits of advice:

• I agree with the article that in today’s economy and with current unemployment rates, employers will not penalize job seekers for taking a job to put food on the table.
• I’ll repeat what I said about finding a job.  Registering with a temporary help service is a great way to get your name and skills out there.  Consider taking a temporary position to get your foot in the door.  That’s how I started with Manpower 28 years ago!

And these didn’t make it into the article… 

• Be honest on your resume and when interviewing for subsequent positions.  Don’t hide anything because gaps in employment will raise a red flag.
• Actually, be more than honest.  Discuss what you learned in these jobs.  If you’ve been a cashier at McDonalds, talk about how your customer service skills have improved.  If you’ve been cleaning offices at night, be explicit about the fact that you’ve gained an appreciation for the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.  Whatever you’re doing, you’re learning something that will make you a better employee and a better person.

So don’t be shy.  Be honest.  And use your experiences during this recession to show potential employers that you’d make a superb addition to their staff.

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