I've been feeling unemployable these days. I know better, of course. I know that I have plenty of soft and hard skills that would make any employer pleased to have me on board. And, when I've got my foot in the door at any given place in the past, they've been amazed at all the things I've been able to do.
I've seen this pattern time and time again-- I'm grudgingly given a chance in a junior position, even though (as HR or the hiring committee always emphasizes) I'm such an unusual candidate. Then my supervisors seem flabbergasted and delighted when I prove myself to be capable, smart, a quick study, organized, and hard-working. I suppose that it's simply another example of bad PR for grad schools-- why should it be a surprise that post academics are exceptionally good employees?
I suppose that I'm tired of feeling like an unconventional applicant. I'm sick of having to explain and defend and rationalize my academic training. I'm running out patience to do the necessary rhetorical gymnastics to try to show how my academic background does prepare me for a given job-- actually quite well, in fact.
In short, I'd like people to be impressed by my combination of work experience and academic credentials. If I saw that combination in another person's resume, I'd be impressed. In fact, I'd want to snap them right up. How can I get my resume in front of hiring managers who share this (apparently rare) perspective?
