On the Job Climb, Stepping Down a Rung Can Boost Your Career

In "A Move Down the Job Ladder Might Give You a Leg Up," Debra Donston-Miller explores when taking a cut in title or compensation may be the smartest thing you can do for your long-term career growth.

The harsh reality is, it's easier to get a job when you're already employed. Unemployment claims are on the rise again even as the economy shows signs of life, and the Senate on Wednesday approved a $34 billion extension to unemployment benefits. In this environment, being able to demonstrate your resourceful engagement in the workforce is more important than ever, even if it means some short-term belt-tightening.

"The key is to make 'lesser positions' sound interesting and worthwhile to future employers," Nacie Carson, a career-development specialist who focuses on career transition, told Donston-Miller. "Unemployed individuals can spend their time doing absolutely anything as long as they can explain to someone else how it gave them new skills and justify how the experience helped them grow," she said. "Employers at all levels want to see people using their time well, not just waiting for the next best thing."

Employers and job seekers alike urged candidates to be ready with positive answers to why they're pursuing a position that might be less senior. According to Cynthia E. Kazalia, placement specialist at New Directions Career Center, "Recruiters and human-resource professionals seem to understand the basic need to survive and applaud efforts to do so. I think this is, perhaps, because few families have emerged unscathed by the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

"It has served as a great equalizer between rich and poor, young and old," Kazalia said. "Quality candidates now serve morning coffee at Starbucks, then transform themselves for an afternoon interview within their field of expertise."