Overeducated & Underemployed

Your current situation is not your final destination. Feeling overeducated yet underemployed doesn’t have to be a life sentence. Following these steps can help get you one step closer to breaking the cycle of underemployment.

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Understand Your Worth

• Research the job titles and salaries that align with your education, skill set and interests
• Analyze job postings to understand what employers are looking in comparison to your skills
• Do informational interviews with people in your field

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Rebrand Yourself

• Update the job titles on your resume to match the experience you want, versus the experience you have
• Update your LinkedIn profile to match the level you aspire to be
• Work on building your confidence with positive affirmations and regular self care
• Carry yourself as though you have already beaten underemployment

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Negotiate a Promotion at your Current Employer

If you’re at a company you love, don’t be so quick to look outside your organization for your next role.

Start by negotiating a promotion at your current employer. Your request for a promotion should be strategic, well-timed, and supported by data.

Create a game plan before presenting your request and prepare for both a positive and negative response.

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Join a Leadership Rotational Program

Leadership development and rotational programs offer you training across business areas within a company.

Companies use these types of programs to hire interns or post-graduates and train them through rotational programs or structured learning programs.

The goal is to recruit and develop leaders for their organization. These programs are a great way to beat underemployment by having a clear path to leadership roles.

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Upgrade Your Network

If you’re underemployed and everyone around you is too - it’s time to upgrade your network.

The type of people you’ll need to have in your network to beat underemployment are the ones that can expose you to the “hidden job market.”

The hidden job market is a term that describes job opportunities that aren’t publicly listed on job boards or advertised through recruiters.

Having a high-value network can help you tap into the hidden job market.

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Consider a Career Switch

Perhaps there aren’t many opportunities for growth in your industry. If that’s the case, consider switching careers.

A career change can create new opportunities for you to overcome underemployment.

First, think of all the skills you’ve gained in your current field. Now ask yourself, what other careers could this experience transfer to?

Make a list of them. Then research the requirements to break into that space at the level you deserve.

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Create an Opportunity

If you’re struggling to land the opportunities you deserve, then create one!

Take being underemployed as a sign that there’s something better for you.

There are many ways to put your talents to use without a permanent, direct-hire job. You can offer your expertise as a freelancer, contractor, or consultant.

As you gain momentum, you can launch your own business or agency.

Don’t let your talents go to waste. There’s someone out there searching for exactly what you have to offer - AND willing to pay you for it!

Grace joined Precision Recruiting Solutions Group? in 2022. She began her career as an HR Intern for Victorian Finance, then spent time as a Learning and Development Assistant with Levin Furniture. She graduated from Robert Morris University with a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences while minoring in Human Resource Management. When she is away from work you can find her reading and crocheting as she spends time with her Australian Cattle Dog named Pico. Grace and her fiancé, Brendan, can also be found exploring downtown Pittsburgh, and trying new restaurants.