KANSAS CITY, MO -
Across the nation and here in the metro area, economists say that they are seeing slow growth as the country emerges from the recession. But the job market is still very tight, and openings are so hard to come by that many people are 'dumbing down' their resumes for fear that employers might thing they have too much experience.
It sounds backwards, telling a potential employer that you aren't as experienced or accomplished as you really are, but many people who are just looking for a paycheck say that it's necessary to survive.
"He doesn't even tell people what he did because they don't get hired," said Terri, who did not want her last named used for this story. She says that her son, a former banker, is now working in fast food after a long search forced him to look far outside of his area of expertise.
"There's so many people now in all different areas trying to get a job," said Terri. "So they just don't tell people what they used to do because they want to get that job, there's all kind of competition."
Michael Levine of the Community Services League in Independence says that many times employers assume that they will have to pay more for experience.
"Even though you may be more experienced, at a certain point in your job search, you need a paycheck, so people might be removing some of their accomplishments, other degrees, to get into those entry level positions," said Levine. "You don't want to sell yourself short, but certainly your own personal preference, if you have to get a job and a paycheck right now, you do what you have to do."
Then there are students like Emily Clevenger, who have done everything right up to this point to land her first job, but now, with graduation looming, cannot find work in their chosen field.
"I did a one year internship as a nurse intern and when that one year was up I wasn't able to find a nursing related job," said Clevenger. "So I found somewhere else that would hire me just to pay the bills until May."
It sounds backwards, telling a potential employer that you aren't as experienced or accomplished as you really are, but many people who are just looking for a paycheck say that it's necessary to survive.
"He doesn't even tell people what he did because they don't get hired," said Terri, who did not want her last named used for this story. She says that her son, a former banker, is now working in fast food after a long search forced him to look far outside of his area of expertise.
"There's so many people now in all different areas trying to get a job," said Terri. "So they just don't tell people what they used to do because they want to get that job, there's all kind of competition."
Michael Levine of the Community Services League in Independence says that many times employers assume that they will have to pay more for experience.
"Even though you may be more experienced, at a certain point in your job search, you need a paycheck, so people might be removing some of their accomplishments, other degrees, to get into those entry level positions," said Levine. "You don't want to sell yourself short, but certainly your own personal preference, if you have to get a job and a paycheck right now, you do what you have to do."
Then there are students like Emily Clevenger, who have done everything right up to this point to land her first job, but now, with graduation looming, cannot find work in their chosen field.
"I did a one year internship as a nurse intern and when that one year was up I wasn't able to find a nursing related job," said Clevenger. "So I found somewhere else that would hire me just to pay the bills until May."
