I made a choice to quit my career a year and a half ago to move with my partner of 4 years, who is in the military, because the military moved us. Because we are not married I don’t qualify for unemployment. In the new place we moved to I have basically hit a brick wall with jobs. I have a master’s degree, over 10 years experience in my field, excellent references, and can’t even get hired for retail. I can’t pay my bills and my partner can’t afford to pay everything for both of us. I want to work and I need to work. I apply for so many jobs I loose track. In the past year and a half I have had exactly 2 interviews, both over the phone. Both seemed to go well but nothing happened. I am not even getting a chance to sell myself in person.
I have signed up for 5 different temp agencies and had no jobs offered to me. I did volunteer work hoping to get hired and it never panned out because they always end up hiring entry level people over me. I have been told I am overqualified. I have received so many “we appreciate your interest but are going with a different candidate” emails that I feel like I should just give up. All I want to do is cry.
Your words resonate with me. I know what you’re going through. It can be so infuriating when we, as jobseekers, go to the effort of putting together well thought-out applications – and in return employers will come up with ridiculous reasons for why were weren’t successful. I think the “overqualified” excuse indicates a shallowness, and lack of imagination among recruiters. My best wishes to you.