GreekChat.com Forums  

Go Back   GreekChat.com Forums > General Chat Topics > Careers & Employment
Register FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

» GC Stats
Members: 329,739
Threads: 115,667
Posts: 2,205,088
Welcome to our newest member, aellajunioro603
» Online Users: 1,937
0 members and 1,937 guests
No Members online
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-07-2006, 02:16 PM
Taualumna Taualumna is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,006
Overqualified?

Has anyone been told that they're overqualified for a position? I seem to get lots of interviews, but no offers for because I'm either overqualified or not qualified enough. I have two degrees and a post-graduate certificate (and lots of volunteer work), which is apparently too much for some entry-level jobs. However, I don't have in enough for jobs at a slightly higher level. Any advice for such a situation?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-10-2006, 10:54 PM
DeltAlum DeltAlum is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Mile High America
Posts: 17,088
I was once told to "dumb down" my resume.

I didn't, so I don't know if it's good advice or not.
__________________
Fraternally,
DeltAlum
DTD
The above is the opinion of the poster which may or may not be based in known facts and does not necessarily reflect the views of Delta Tau Delta or Greek Chat -- but it might.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-11-2006, 08:37 AM
KillarneyRose KillarneyRose is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Naptown
Posts: 6,608
When I got married and moved from NYC to Virginia Beach, I thought that employers would be jumping all over one another in their rush to hire me. I am sure the other ten zillion or so Navy spouses thought the same thing when THEY moved there

After a month of sending out 150 unsolicited resumes but not one bite, I signed up with a couple of temp agencies and the people at both places suggested that I remove the fact that I have a BA from my resume and downgrade my former PR account executive position to a more "administrative" position (i.e. secretary)

Like DA, I declined to "dumb myself down". I figured it would hurt more than help in the long run and, besides, it was lying.

I gave up on the temping and got a waitressing job where I made good money. In the subsequent years, I was able to find freelance work and internal PR work without fudging my resume.

Good luck to you! I know it's frustrating.
__________________
I ♥ Delta Zeta ~ Proud Mom of an Omega Phi Alpha and a Phi Mu
"I just don't want people to go around thinking I'm the kind of person who doesn't believe in God or voted for Kerry." - Honeychile
Hail to Pitt!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-11-2006, 08:45 AM
AlphaFrog AlphaFrog is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: The Ozdust Ballroom
Posts: 14,819
Quote:
Originally Posted by KillarneyRose
After a month of sending out 150 unsolicited resumes but not one bite, I signed up with a couple of temp agencies and the people at both places suggested that I remove the fact that I have a BA from my resume and downgrade my former PR account executive position to a more "administrative" position (i.e. secretary).

That sounds like a good way of finding "A" job, any old job, making a TON less then you're worth.
__________________
Facile remedium est ubertati; sterilia nullo labore vincuntur.
I think pearls are lovely, especially when you need something to clutch. ~ AzTheta
The Real World Can't Hear You ~ GC Troll
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-11-2006, 11:30 AM
adpiucf adpiucf is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: I can't seem to keep track!
Posts: 5,803
This has happened to me twice. In the end, it all worked out: I would have been bored.
__________________
Click here for some helpful information about sorority recruitment and recommendations.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-11-2006, 12:31 PM
KSigkid KSigkid is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: New England
Posts: 9,328
Quote:
Originally Posted by adpiucf
This has happened to me twice. In the end, it all worked out: I would have been bored.
It happened to me once; I later found out that it was because the job description was very misleading; I would have hated the job itself, even though the description sounded promising.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-12-2006, 08:15 AM
alum alum is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,648
Quote:
Originally Posted by KillarneyRose
When I got married and moved from NYC to Virginia Beach, I thought that employers would be jumping all over one another in their rush to hire me. I am sure the other ten zillion or so Navy spouses thought the same thing when THEY moved there

After a month of sending out 150 unsolicited resumes but not one bite, I signed up with a couple of temp agencies and the people at both places suggested that I remove the fact that I have a BA from my resume and downgrade my former PR account executive position to a more "administrative" position (i.e. secretary)

Like DA, I declined to "dumb myself down". I figured it would hurt more than help in the long run and, besides, it was lying.

I gave up on the temping and got a waitressing job where I made good money. In the subsequent years, I was able to find freelance work and internal PR work without fudging my resume.

Good luck to you! I know it's frustrating.
I know many Army officers' wives in the same situation. Quite a few of us went back to school to get certified, get a MA/MS in our subject area so we could teach at the cc level, took the lowest GS level position just to get in the system, etc. Others opted to start their families in their early/mid 20s vs waiting until 30.
__________________
....but some are more equal than others.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-12-2006, 04:54 PM
Taualumna Taualumna is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,006
Regarding dumbing down my resume: If I took out my master's degree, people are going to wonder what I was doing between 2002 and 2004!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-12-2006, 10:00 PM
DeltAlum DeltAlum is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Mile High America
Posts: 17,088
Tell them you took an around the world trip.
__________________
Fraternally,
DeltAlum
DTD
The above is the opinion of the poster which may or may not be based in known facts and does not necessarily reflect the views of Delta Tau Delta or Greek Chat -- but it might.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-16-2006, 09:39 PM
Munchkin03 Munchkin03 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Home.
Posts: 8,261
Quote:
Originally Posted by alum
I know many Army officers' wives in the same situation. Quite a few of us went back to school to get certified, get a MA/MS in our subject area so we could teach at the cc level, took the lowest GS level position just to get in the system, etc. Others opted to start their families in their early/mid 20s vs waiting until 30.
:::yawn:::

Alum, there are plenty of NCO wives who have degrees and want careers too (shocking, isn't it?), and many are in the same situation. Women who wear their husbands' ranks make me ill.

I took a job for which I was overqualified because I really wanted to have a job right when I finished grad school. BIG MISTAKE. Huge!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 08-17-2006, 03:06 PM
blueangel blueangel is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Tippie-toeing through the tulips
Posts: 1,396
BTW-- Delt Alum... what kind of hours will you have? I would imagine mainly evening hours to cover sports?

Mine are crazy.. never the same. Sometimes I start work late at night.. sometimes the wee hours in the morning. Wonder what 9 to 5 is like??? But on the plus side, I get to enjoy the afternoon most days-- go to the pool and such.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 08-19-2006, 07:11 AM
KillarneyRose KillarneyRose is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Naptown
Posts: 6,608
Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Alum, there are plenty of NCO wives who have degrees and want careers too (shocking, isn't it?), and many are in the same situation. Women who wear their husbands' ranks make me ill.

I took a job for which I was overqualified because I really wanted to have a job right when I finished grad school. BIG MISTAKE. Huge!

I think alum was just replying to my post and she knows that my husband is an officer.

But you're right about the "taking a job you're overqualified for to get a foot in the door" thing being a huge mistake. I know some people who did that right after college and it took literally years for them to dig themselves out of that hole.
__________________
I ♥ Delta Zeta ~ Proud Mom of an Omega Phi Alpha and a Phi Mu
"I just don't want people to go around thinking I'm the kind of person who doesn't believe in God or voted for Kerry." - Honeychile
Hail to Pitt!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 08-19-2006, 09:44 PM
alum alum is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,648
KR, Thanks!

M03, You are absolutely correct. There are many military members of all ranks whose dependent spouses (don't forget sometimes the wife is the active-duty member) are overqualified for the available positions on an installation.

When I recounted my experience, I used the term officers' wives because that's who I lived amongst and knew on a personal basis. Although the boundaries are blurred a bit, the junior enlisted, the NCOs, the warrants, the company-grade officers, and the field-grade officers don't really associate with eachother on a social basis except at formal functions. The Army units to which my H has been assigned have been relatively strict in this regard.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchkin03
:::yawn:::

Alum, there are plenty of NCO wives who have degrees and want careers too (shocking, isn't it?), and many are in the same situation. Women who wear their husbands' ranks make me ill.

I took a job for which I was overqualified because I really wanted to have a job right when I finished grad school. BIG MISTAKE. Huge!
__________________
....but some are more equal than others.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:37 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.