NLU's Career Services

The number of Americans who have been out of a job for a year or longer has reached a record 4.4 million, roughly equal to the population of Louisiana, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report. The grim numbers may partially be attributed to the fact that employers are still openly discriminating against the unemployed--especially the longterm unemployed-- when deciding who to hire.
A surprising number of Craigslist job ads are automatically disqualifying the long-term jobless by including the stipulations, "Must be currently employed," "No unemployed candidates will be considered," or "must have been employed within the last 6 months." Other job postings specify that if an applicant is recently unemployed, he or she should include a "good reason" for his or her layoff along with a resumé.

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So how do you solve this conundrum?

The articles says that human resource representatives do not want to look for the reason why one is unemployed.  Regardless of whether this is a fair practice or not, rise to the challenge. Detail the reasons why you are unemployed in the section normally reserved for your objective. Chances are it is as simple as, "Displaced professional due to company folding as a result of bankruptcy." 

If you do not want to mar your objective, list a few words next to the name of the company in which you were employed. It may look like this:

ABC Realty (company downsized)                   January 2007-September 2009

To discuss other ways to explain your transitioning into a new position, schedule an appointment with a career counselor.