I started my visit to Daily Kos with a diary chronicling my unemployment. I remain unemployed.
I will occasionally follow up and chronicle my journey, and this is the first of those writings. My open letter to my potential employers follows after the squiggle.
Dear Hiring Manager,
First, let me ask that you pass this letter to the overworked department manager who needs an employee like me.
My resume was in the large pile that recently moved from your inbox to the trash folder. I do not know if my resume was considered, or even read by human eyes. I realize it is likely that it was scanned and it was missing one of fifty keywords, it lacked current employment, or did not have your alma mater and was rejected without ever being seen by you. The automated rejection of potential employees has grown exponentially since the last time I was job hunting.
I just wanted to write a quick note and state the case for those forlorn resumes.
You want to hire me.
The resume is not a great medium to communicate skills that are less quantifiable. Yes, I do have eminently practical skills, and those skills that make workers productive, but are never in a job description.
I was a master at dealing with a complicated database and producing the needed reports, and quickly. I reviewed and would approve contracts. I proofread. I worked under multiple deadlines, and was able to multi-task. I have experience with several different computer programs, and even with different computer platforms.
The things that I find are far more difficult to put on a resume are the following: I'm capable of showing good judgement. I know when to question something while still working seamlessly with my coworkers. I'm able to communicate. I can simplify a complicated process to be succinct and accurate. I'm flexible. It may be partially because I worked at a small to medium sized employer, but my duties were more than those listed in my job description. I created multiple training manuals, trained new employees in, and out of, my department, I was the first line of IT support, and other small but necessary duties around the office. These things are what I did for ten years, and I can do them again tomorrow.
The simplest way to describe it; I know how to listen, think, communicate, and act.
I know what I lack. I do not have current employment. Yes, I have considered a temporary position and jobs that I, ahem, exceed the qualifications. I have submitted my resume for those positions, and yet remain among the unemployed. I do not have a strong local network. The people who I count in my network are not local, and have not worked with me in some time. I do not have an air of entitlement or attitude.
I know I am not alone. There are potentially millions of us, millions of the unemployed who can write a letter similar to mine. We have value. If given a chance, we will be productive employees that can think and not just help grow the business, but improve it as well.
I ask that we, that I, are given the chance to remove the "un" from our unemployment.
Thank you,
LostBuckeye
** A note, after the first diary, I had a couple interviews with a fortune 500 company. It went pretty good. Not quite good enough though; I remain in the ranks of the unemployed.