Unemployed, should I take a job that doesn’t advance my career?

The pay is the same as your last position and you can work from home. Sounds like a win-win to me. In a year or whenever things get better with the economy (hopefully), you can apply for something more ambitious and in line with advancing your career goals.

@jca Yeah, it sounds like a win-win I guess if you put it that way. I just hope it doesn’t set me back advancing in my career…

@chelle21689 Just remember a LOT of people are going through similar experiences this year, so it’s honestly one of the best times to make a big change and you can blame Covid. It’s really not any kind of personal reflection on your choices this year, in my opinion.

Being employed does more for your resume than waiting for a “career advancement” position. Employers don’t want to hire someone that has been waiting for the perfect job.

Thank you everyone!

^^ I’m with them too if that helps,

Take the job. Insurance is very important right now. It could be years before your perfect job becomes available.

I agree with all the advice above. “Advancing” our careers is a luxury only after you can pay your bills and be insured. Plus, moving up the ladder is not always a straight line.

Thanks again! I’ll put my best foot forward with this interview.

I know someone who made employment decisions on the basis of career path, turning down opportunities that wouldn’t look good on his very professional resume.

He thought that would take him toward his future goals. Instead he ended up unemployed for nearly six years, eventually gave up his rigid expectations, and then got laid off or fired from three blue-collar jobs in a row.

In the same situation myself, back when, I took what I could get. Unemployment was high and opportunities were few. I gave those jobs my best effort—and learned a few job and workplace skills that stood by me later on. I had no stretch of unemployment during that time apart from a couple of ten-day breaks that I gave myself. I don’t think it ever hurt my professional standing to keep working to the best of my ability in whatever position I held.

 
In the HR field in particular, you can make good use of our experience in a variety of jobs. No doubt you expect to be working with people at all levels, from executives to custodians. The broader your ranger of understanding of the workplace, the better equipped you will be to assist, advise, and administer policy, don’t you think?

^^ Editing window closed while I took a phone call, and so I couldn’t correct typos. Sorry.
*your
*range

I say go for it. Surely something better will come along eventually. This virus crap can’t last forever. Just my own two cents.

You gotta do whatever puts food on the table and a roof over your head. Besides, you might find something you like better and what pays more. Primarily, you gotta take care of #1, yourself. You can always switch again later…

@Jeruba You took a phone call? Was your answering machine broken?? I let my machine answer ALL my calls.

I’d argue that just about any position will teach you new skills and lessons that will improve your career if you have the right attitude.

Appreciate it all!

@kritiper You still have an answering machine? I haven’t had one of those since the 1900’s.

I still have an answering machine.

@chyna: Does your phone company have voicemail service as part of your phone? I think people’s surprise is that most phone companies offer that now.

@jca2 Yes, but I never set it up. I just use the one that came with my phone.