This is a follow-up to your answer "Minimum-Experience Blues" (Nov. 22). Is there a "Maximum-Experience Blues?"
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I have close to 20 years experience in print, television and radio -- mostly radio. I have covered war, politics, the antics of Britain's royal family and interviewed dozens of important performers and
artists. On 9/11, I anchored coverage live for two hours for a
nationally distributed call-in program. The professional honors I have
earned I won't list here.
More than 14 months ago, I was laid off because of a massive budget deficit at the station I worked for.
I am still without full-time work.
Is it possible to have too much experience showing on your resume? Is
it wise to downplay what you've done in your career so far when forced
out of a job and looking for another?
Michael
Yes. It happens.
Nowadays, with buyouts targeting the most experienced and layoffs
targeting the least experienced, the middle seems like a good place to
be.
Employers typically shy away from good people with your level of
experience because they think they can get the same work -- or close
enough -- done by people with less experience who will work for less
money.
Another difficulty may be that you have become pretty specialized as a
high-end international reporter, and employers may feel they don't have
the kind of work that could interest and challenge you. They do not
want to bring someone aboard who will almost immediately be
dissatisfied.
I would not hide anything about my work experience. But I think you can
pare some back and make a stab at pitching yourself at the jobs that
lie ahead for you. You might be an attractive candidate as an
editor, director or producer. Another tack might be to try bringing
your immense broadcasting skills into another part of the industry that
now needs them. Radio networks are posting photos, newspapers are
posting webcasts and television stations are posting text. All of them
are entering realms that are relatively new to them, and some are happy
to bring experts aboard who can save them the waiting time.
Good luck. I know this must be terribly difficult.
Coming Monday: Some co-workers want to stop going to college to take full-time jobs at her newspaper. She worries that this will be bad for them in the long run.
