The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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Do You Think of Yourself As Underemployed?

Do You Think of Yourself As Underemployed?

Underemployment is worse than unemployment for some depending on their other life choices and whether they feel trapped. Others will use it as an advantage because it gives them the space to hone their craft or sharpen their career tools.

There are are a few who will position themselves as a big fish in a small pond. I didn’t consider that in recent years and having written about it before, it’s important because it’s choice. All of the above are choices.

Many people choose underemployment to prepare for the future and take a job that is not stressful or demanding and for which they’re overqualified. It could be a competitive advantage if they buy time while going to school, get training, or need more time to prepare for a new career or venture.

Other people may have their confidence shot and take an underemployment to prepare for the future and take a job that is not stressful or demanding and for which they’re overqualified. It could be a competitive advantage if they buy some time while going to school, get some training, or need more time to prepare for a job that is not their chosen career for a short period. Sometimes, people get stuck in those careers because they are still trying to gain their confidence, and their mojo, salary, benefits, and coworkers cannot help them move forward. Mostly, it hurts their salary because they are not earning what they can, and it could be a little degrading because they’re underachieving.

Here are a few signs of underemployment. The following can keep you in employment captivity and ultimately affect your finances and the long term:

1. You’re caught in complacency

You become very complacent about where and how long you’ve worked, and you take more pride than that instead of learning what’s new in the marketplace and how that will translate to your future advancement and earnings. The cost of career development could be stifling, but the return on investment can be well worth it, especially if it’s far above where you are underemployed.

2. You covet and grow jealous of the career moves your peers made.

Seeing your peers move up and move forward with their careers ahead of you is a thing. You become envious of their new salary, promotion, and status. Meanwhile, you become disgusted with yourself and see it more as missed opportunities without knowing what opportunities are available for you and your future.

3. You’re easily distracted by personal obstacles

If you listen to yourself, you’re full of excuses and apathy. You think more about how arduous Your journey has been so far rather than the prize at the end, which is to create more impact on the work you love or used to love. Meanwhile, your obstacles may cost you thousands of dollars daily or weekly.

4. You’re scared of rejection.

You’re afraid of what others may think of you if you don’t get to where you want to go the first time. Today’s job search is full of trials and errors: what you did right, what you did wrong, and what to leave and what to leave out. If you are rejected, I cloud your vision and judgment about your life.

5. Uncertainty becomes a showstopper

We’re in the days where anyone can Google or YouTube what they need to know or at least where they can find more answers. Sure, confidence has much to do with it, and you may feel a lack of confidence now. Negotiating your worth is hard if you’re unsure of your market value and worth.

Some stigmatize underemployed as being lazy, unambitious, and problematic. Very few fit this description, and an argument to be made is many chose it as a way to transition to something bigger. People chose bridge jobs all of the time with plans to prepare for something bigger at the right time.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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How To Really Stop Underemployment From Stealing Your Soul

How To Really Stop Underemployment From Stealing Your Soul

How To Really Stop Underemployment From Stealing Your Soul by Mark Anthony Dyson

Underemployment sucks in a few ways. As family and friends remind you the gratefulness you ought to have a job, you feel enslaved. Sometimes, it’s torture. Other times, it’s depressing. There is no shortlist for the range of emotions you feel from day-to-day. It’s frustrating, hurtful, and downright depressing.

You used to laugh, find fun in doing extra work and fostered meaningful relationships. Now you feel like an outsider. Perhaps your peers moved up or moved on, and you’re here.

Did you take this position as a bridge job? Did it have the schedule for you to be home more with your family? Did it provide some insight into future career goals? Whatever your reason you are over it now, aren’t you?

Most of you just know you need to move on. Perhaps you can’t identify what it is you feel or why? I got you.

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Here are three signs you’re underemployed and what you can do to ease the pain:

Any bit of enthusiasm for this job has dissipated

Depressed? Maybe not, but you are not happy and finding fault and shortcomings in the real things. If people are initiating lunches, casual conversations, and after work sets less could be a sign of your lack of positivity.

TIP: Start being intentional in finding and speaking positively about people who have stood out accomplishments either business or personal. You don’t have to be the cheerleader, but try being the noticer. Not only it could change your outlook on the job, but possibly bring you positive visibility.

It is as stressful as anticipated divorce

You want to leave now, but the job search is slow for your desired industry. You have bills to pay, and it’s tough to make it through the day. Some days you just want to quit. What’s worse– you can care less about what anyone associated with that job thinks about you.

TIP: Leave work at work. Leave the problems at work. Don’t try to overcompensate for uncompleted work not done during regular hours unless you’ve committed it to a deadline.

You’re always thinking of ways to escape

You can’t stop checking the schedule daily published a month ago. Are you thinking of ways and reasons to call off? It’s stress. It’s boredom. You have the “Cheshire Grin” just like the cat from Alice and Wonderland. You call off of work with no regard for the consequences.

TIP: Time off has its proper place, but it tips off your employer you’re unhappy and looking for a job. Even worse, you are unavailable for critical assignments and projects. In most cases, you want to leave on your terms.

Are you a loyalist to everything including friends, relatives, former girlfriends/boyfriends, former teachers, and neighbors. With employers in 2017, you can’t be sentimental.

It’s time to start looking for a meaning transition to a fulfilling career. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.

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And believe me, you’ll set yourself up for a lifetime full of regrets.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development.

Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!"

You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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5 Ways to Avoid the Stormy Winters of Underemployment

5 Ways to Avoid the Stormy Winters of Underemployment

Underemployment is an epidemic in America, even in 2023. For many workers today, it feels like a punishment to receive such low pay after all the money and time poured into their educations. I don’t even think “underemployment” was a word in nineteen-eighty-whenever-that-was. Now, you’re handed an umbrella too small to cover your body from the snowstorm. It’s useless.

I had my period of underemployment, and though it was partially my fault, no one told me how much damage it would do to my self-esteem. I used to tell my friends I wasn’t working instead of telling the truth. It was easier. But I was so young then and didn’t know better.

One PayScale survey showed 46 percent of respondents believed they were underemployed. Of those respondents, 76 percent said they felt underemployed because they were not using their education or training. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not measure underemployment because of “the difficulty of developing an objective set of criteria,” it is safe to say that underemployment is a severe social challenge harming our economy.

With all of the sexy talk of having two jobs either for survival or to pay the mortgage off, not everyone positioned themselves the way they hoped. For many, it’s not their fault.

Read Three Signs Underemployment Has Stole Your Soul
If you see the dark clouds of underemployment gathering around you, it’s time to find shelter.

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Underemployment doesn’t have to last – especially if you’re open to change:

1. Come Out From the Rain of Complacency

When it rains, most think, “sleep, television, or Netflix and chill.” When you’re underemployed, it’s like rain on your career – and under the covers, you go. Going to work merely to exist without looking ahead toward thriving paves the way to becoming underemployed.

So-called “professional development” is often too comfortable. People are happy with the training but never face the application afterward. People who thrive in their careers step outside their comfort zones to develop skills and find new jobs.

2. Find Shelter From the Storms of Personal Difficulties

Personal tragedies and difficulties can obscure your focus. The strongest among us can buckle under the pressure of work, depression, or losing a loved one. Even coping with people who get undeserved promotions ahead of us can be difficult.

We can all be resilient – even when faced with emotional challenges that seem larger than they are. Friends are there if you let them be. I let them in, and it motivated me to reach higher. You may have to allow friends to help where they can.

3. Install Snow Tires to Plow Through the Blizzards of Rejection

The sting of rejection is the start of healing and progress. Too many build narratives around our emotions instead of gaining perspective on what they mean. Rejection can cloud your vision, but you don’t have to feel hopeless for long. Knowing why you’re getting rejected is the beginning of a new career perspective.

I felt a double whammy when I was underemployed because it happened the same summer my girl broke off our relationship. The rejection became my incentive, and the sting eventually subsided.
It helps to feel useful immediately after being rejected. If you lack skills, volunteer work can help you develop those skills. Five to ten hours a week of honing a craft can help you achieve great things. Joining volunteer boards is a significant plus in gaining expertise and adding credibility to your brand. Blogging is still a compelling and relevant way to add credibility to your brand while finding the right opportunity.

Listen to Underemployment Trends: Your MBA or JD alone is not Enough

 

4. Career Development Can Ward Off Dark Clouds on the Horizon

If you wait too long, you will lose steam and find yourself behind on your journey. Training is like dog years: People who leverage new learning opportunities can do what takes seven years in one year for those who ignore development.

Part of critical thinking is anticipating what could go right or wrong. It’s a learning process, but once you can see the storms coming, you can reconfigure your actions.

You can’t close your eyes and hope for the best. It takes a little more critical thinking in today’s job market

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5. Prepare for Cloudy Days 

Relying solely on job boards can be discouraging and counterproductive. You can be proud of repeatedly clicking the “submit” button, but the wait is terrible. Even job leads from your network aren’t always the most reliable. The uncertainty of trying to advance in your career can be unbearable.

You don’t need to only prepare professionally for the job search. You also need to prepare mentally for the periods when your career seems to be slumping.

Sometimes, nothing will happen. It may feel like your actions are futile. There are little things you can do to make a difference. Can you add more career highlights to your LinkedIn profile? Are there career books you can read? Can you serve a family member or spouse? Is there someone you can help with a lead, referral, or recommendation?

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For some people, underemployment is something they do to themselves. If they’re satisfied with that, it’s okay. Just as some people love walking in the rain, others would prefer to accept positions that give them peace of mind, no work to take home, and, perhaps, the chance to do something they enjoy.

But not everyone does. If you’re one of those people, start taking these five steps today to avoid the dark storm of underemployment.

This article was originally published on Recruiter.com!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development.

Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!"

You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.