The Job Search Juice - communicators in Washington DC ask the hard questions

"In today’s job market, is it OK to accept a role with a lower salary and less prestigious title? Are you hurting your career by doing so?"

That was the question posed to a panel of recruiters and employers at a recent Washington DC gathering of corporate communicators, organized by the Capital Communicators Group. Here’s a summary of what the experts had to say:

It’s fine as long as there are compensatory benefits – you’re learning a new skill, traveling less/more, greater opportunities for advancement.

That said, if there is a significant discrepancy between your previous pay and the new job, you should make a point to explain to the employer why you are willing to accept it. Otherwise, the hiring manager may be suspicious that you’re considering the role as a brief stepping stone on the path to something else.

Finally, be realistic about what it takes to maintain your financial well-being and your dignity. If you stray too far, you will likely regret it.

Resumes were another hot topic. Remember that writing class you took ages ago – the one that said good writing is about showing, not telling. Well, the same principle applies to your resume. Just because employers are looking for creativity, flexibility and strategic thinking doesn’t mean you can say “creative, flexible, strategic communicator” and call it a day.  Instead, articulate the outcomes of your work so that those qualities are reflected. Likewise, quantify wherever possible. Give hard numbers to back up statements like “improved” or “transformed.”

And just to make things more complicated, a word about the word strategy. One of the panelists made a great point about the competing and slightly contradictory attitude held by employers regarding strategic planning. On one hand, organizations are hungry for a candidate who “gets” strategy. On the other hand, employers can mistakenly think that if you’ve been heavily involved in strategic planning then you must have been removed from the day-to-day reality. Your head has been in the clouds.

There was a lot of nodding agreement in the room. But I would caution us as communicators to not lose ourselves in “doing.” Yes, organizations are leaner than ever. Yes, the demand for immediate results is high. But we must continue to show our leaders, colleagues and teams that communication effort without rigorous thought is a road that leads nowhere.

Melcrum is continuing its commitment to help you navigate both the tactical and strategic terrain as smoothly possible. So we're thrilled to announce we have new Black Belt dates for North America. In October 20-22, we'll be in Toronto and on November 2-4, we're in Washington DC. Find out more by visiting http://www.melcrum.com/products/training_courses/bb-international/index.html