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Founder of Career Women in Seattle says "The perfect job is out there, it just takes more time and effort to find it." (AP Photo/file)

Is aiming too low killing your job search?

August 25, 2010 @ 5:18 am (Updated: 1:53 pm - 3/28/11 )

By URSULA REUTIN
KIRO Radio

Are you still looking for work? Maybe it's because you're overqualified and aiming too low in your job search.

Samantha Jones of Seattle found that out the hard way. "I took a restaurant job out of desperation and I was miserable within months," she said.

Jones is now looking for a position in Human Resources and says she won't make the same mistake and settle for less.

"It's a common mistake for people who are newly unemployed," said Lisa Quast, the founder of Career Woman Inc., a Seattle based consulting firm.

She says it's more important to take a breather and figure out what you really want to do and what direction you want to go before you apply for your next job.

"You want to maintain a sense of calm and confidence about your abilities so you can find that job that you'll be passionate about doing," Quast said.

She say you raise all sorts of flags if you apply for a job that is clearly beneath your skills set.

"The manager will figure out that you'll be bored within a few months, or even worse, they may fear for their own jobs and worry that you'll outshine them," Quast said.

She also points out that more of the higher level, executive positions are not advertised. So it's even more critical to spend time researching and networking so you can increase your chance of moving on to a better job.

Bottom line, Quast says, you need to be patient and don't sell yourself short.

"The perfect job is out there, it just takes more time and effort to find it," she said.

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Comments (3)


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  • Goody wrote...
    Oh susanna, don't you cry for me!
    August 25, 2010 6:02 am
    I come from alabama with a banjo on my knee!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Goody wrote...
    Mommy's money
    August 25, 2010 6:03 am
    need to last for mommy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wonderfullone wrote...
    What really hurts the job hunt
    August 25, 2010 6:36 am
    Is fewer and fewer jobs.

    Whether you have a degree to pay off, or not, your opportunity for face time with an employer is literally non-existent.

    Plus, I have seen human resource departments 'round-file' perfectly good applications just on the basis of degree types or salary histories.

    My advice?

    Throw the crooks choking out businesses in this state out of office, now.

    In addition, bring this greeny movement to a full stop, whether through legislation or court cases, before we loose all of our important industrial base.

    Good luck. for the record, they are hiring in China

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }