When the going gets tough, the tough lower their standards. That’s the case for Americans taking “survival jobs” solely out of financial need in an economy in the worst shape it’s been since the Great Depression.
A survival job is one that is taken for the express purpose of income when all other options have run out. A person who takes a survival job is what economists consider “underemployed.” The underemployed accept jobs for which they are overqualified, sometimes extremely so, for a salary that amounts to a fraction of their previous position’s earnings.
But these circumstances may still trouble many career-minded job seekers forced to revise their resumes. Here are five reasons why it shouldn’t.
- Respect – Employers know just as well as you do that the job market is extremely tough right now. A survival job on a resume proves to an employer that a candidate is motivated. Being ready and willing to do whatever it takes to manage the task at hand is a desirable trait for an applicant in any field.
- Opportunity – The saying goes, “When one door closes, another one opens.” Even in the dire straits the current economy finds itself, being underemployed can be a blessing in disguise for some. When the nine-to-five routine suddenly grinds to a halt, it can leave room for goals left on the back burner for years to finally come to fruition.
- Lack of stigma – Those struggling to make ends meet say pride is one of the first obstacles to go. The more people doing it, the less embarrassing it seems. Some might consider it far more shameful to refuse a job out of pride than to be seen working as a cashier anyway.
- Flexibility – The non-traditional hours that often come with these types of jobs affords a schedule that tends to be less rigid, which is ideal for the underemployed who may have to take an interview on very short notice in order to be considered.
- Income – Sometimes the best reason is the most obvious one. Something is always better than nothing. Even executives previously accustomed to six-figure salaries find themselves happy to live paycheck to paycheck as long as they’re getting one.