vallierojas: I just can't find work

Problems at work? Need advice? Our agony uncle ? and readers ? have the answers

How can I explain my career regression and get a job interview?

After working my way up the career ranks I joined a household name company as marketing director. I maintain the company went in for grand titles, as I was only in charge of a graduate trainee during the latter part of my time there. Similarly titled colleagues were in the same position.

I was made redundant after a couple of years, but immediately offered a job in a much smaller company. I know they increased the seniority of the job to match my experience, so I was not bothered that the title was just manager ? this was a much more accurate description of what I was doing. After being made redundant yet again after two years (as with the previous occasion due to cost cutting) I went travelling and stepped out of the working world for three years.

I have now moved from the south-east to somewhere more rural, where appropriate level marketing jobs are rarer. To get back into the working world I accepted a much more junior job. After nearly a year of repetitive and underpaid working weeks, I am now looking for something more challenging. However, my CV shows what looks like a bizarre job progression and then regression: from marketing assistant to executive, up to manager and director, then down to manager again and now officer. While I am confident I will be able to explain this face-to-face in an interview, it is getting an interview that worries me owing to how my apparent career "regression" may be viewed.

Jeremy says

As I try to put myself in the shoes of a prospective employer I find myself more perplexed by your three-year "holiday" from the working world than by your apparent career regression.

The first thing you need to do is re-construct your CV by making a clear distinction between your various job titles and their respective responsibilities. So rather than headlining that you went from being a marketing director to being a manager (which could confuse anyone) state clearly that you went from being responsible for just one graduate trainee in the earlier job to more serious responsibilities (although with a seemingly lesser title) in the next. Most employers are fully aware of job title inflation and will readily understand.

Your bigger hurdle, it seems to me, is going to be that three-year absence from the job market. All you tell me is that you "went travelling" I think it's going to be extremely important for you, first, to give reasons for that initial decision; and second, to highlight any part of your three-year odyssey that makes you, at least to some employers, a more interesting candidate.

I'm not suggesting you cheat or exaggerate; I just feel sure you must have enjoyed certain experiences ? made certain contacts, obtained certain insights, learned certain lessons ? that when applied to real work could make you a more valuable employee. Take great care with this aspect of your CV. If you don't convincingly plug this gap, it will be seen by many potential employers as evidence of a lack of seriousness. It's a long time to absent yourself from paid work if you've got nothing of value to show for it.

Your need to re-enter the working world ? and your move from the south-east can convincingly explain your acceptance of your present lowly position ? but you're right to feel a sense of urgency. You can't afford to stay there long. Redirect your frustration into determination, make the best legitimate case for yourself and your experience, avoid fudge and apology ? and go for it.

Readers say

? What you might call "career regression" doesn't need to appear that way. (And if you clarify in your covering letter the reasons why you took your most recent job you'll be answering that question for the employer.)

Have a skills-based CV (where the headings of your skills match the skills-set required in the job description). Under each, give at least one concrete example of how you deployed that skill, or an "achievement" (quantifying your impact where possible).

Or you could start with a careers highlights section, where you choose the most relevant achievements from your entire working history.

In both cases, follow with a detailed employment section ? preferably in reverse chronological order if all your jobs have been roughly similar roles. Start each entry with a brief paragraph detailing the scope of your role, type of company, your budget/staff responsibility, etc to put the job into context. JobGoddess

? Have you considered retraining to teach marketing or general business studies? Or becoming self-employed as a consultant ? perhaps to small businesses or civil organisations? Could you use your knowledge to build a web-based business? Another option would be to take everything you know about marketing and apply it to a personal dream, such as launching a rock choir or saving your part of the world from gigantic power pylons. If you want "something much more challenging", now could be the right time to strike out on your own. Mudmaid

I'm applying for 10 jobs a day and still no one will have me

I am looking for any type of work at the moment, and finding it a struggle ? I suspect I am perceived to be overqualified as I have a postgraduate degree. I have done several internships, all of which involved administrative tasks, but I have never had a formal administrator position. Despite applying for roughly 10 jobs a day, I haven't had a single response for admin work.

I also did bar/cafe work during the summer holidays when I was a student, but that was four years ago, so I am not having any luck in hospitality either. Also, although I've made a CV specifically for bars and cafes, I have had to mention my qualifications in order to show what I have been doing. I have carpeted my town's bars and cafes handing out CVs.

Jeremy says

One of the more common errors when looking for jobs is to believe that the more wide-ranging you are ? the more general you claim your aptitudes to be ? the more likely you are to attract at least somebody's interest. That can happen, of course; but it's often more effective to present yourself as of specific interest to just a few.

It's certainly true that a lot of employers would think twice before filling an unexceptional position with someone with a postgraduate degree. A bit of inverted snobbery probably comes into it; the feeling that such a person might have exaggerated ideas of their own importance and not get on with the rest of the team: almost certainly unfair but the damage is done.

I wish I knew more about that degree of yours. It must have had some specialist element to it ? and that's what I believe you should now concentrate on. The very fact that you're applying for 10 jobs a day must mean that you're not discriminating much.

Try looking at yourself as dispassionately as possible; and work out ? in experience, qualifications, personal attributes, personal enthusiasms ? just what defines you. And only then start to think of possible job opportunities ? and just how best your particular combination of personality and ability could prove of real value to particular employers.

Once you've done that you'll have a much better idea not only of how best to structure your applications, but also who best to send them to.

Readers say

? There is nothing more off-putting to a prospective recruiter than the raw and unfettered message that you would do or consider anything. It's instant bottom-of-the-pile stuff. Take a deep breath and think about what you want to do. What other skills you have aside from administrative, PC skills, customer service and the ability to communicate well?

Imagine going to a date and being that easily pleased! Everyone needs a bit more chatting up and to be made to feel special. Even employers or their agents. ExBrightonBelle

? Revisit your CV. Remove any trace of the desperation I can feel in the letter; the phrase "will take any job" is an instant turn off. Phrase your degrees in terms of marketable skills learned rather than specific knowledge acquired, unless it is a degree you need for the job. Make your work experience sound fancy ? be liberal with what you did. Don't lie or go over the top, but don't be afraid of making what was in fact soul-destroying drudgery sound a bit more flamboyant. Again, focus on marketable skills and achievements rather than the specifics. UndyingCincinnatus

? You'd be surprised how many companies that you temp for will offer you a full-time role if you're good. I do a lot of admin temping, as I'm building a separate career in the arts, and I get at least one offer a year of a full-time job the company is willing to create for me. But if I applied for something they might well not hire me because, on paper, my job history looks odd. Find a good temp agency, particularly one that tests all your skills properly. PurpleGiraffe

For Jeremy Bullmore's advice on a work issue, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@guardian.co.uk. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.

Read next week's problems on the Work blog from Monday and post your advice ? we'll run the best of it alongside Jeremy's in next Saturday's column.

Jeremy Bullmore