Should I dumb down my CV?

avantra

Yes you should DD your resume!
Employers are spoiled for choice in a recession and will take only the person who will tick all the boxes.
It is important to drop what is not relevant to a specific job and stick to it at an interview.
What most employer don't get is that once the (and if) the economy will pick up they will be left with exactly the same problem, people will look for something better.

The nature of the job market in a recession is that people don't really 'shop around' for jobs (unless there is a shortage in their field) but takes what ever is offered to them first. And this is why when the economy expand they will be the first one to have Jobsite/Monster etc' on their screen.

When experienced professional people with transferable set of skills are on offer, employers should be smart and realised that been 'overqualified' is hardly a real criteria. For example in the mini recession of 2002 in the IT industry many employers ended up taking young ambitious professionals willing to take anything just to jump the boat when things picked up in 2004.

l sample from my own history: The company I use to work for back than(PCT) hired 12 people (a mix of young and old) most of the older workforce is still there while 5 out of 7 younger (but better presented) workers all but left.

Experienced pros that been around the mill before don't tend to jump ships that quickly - you can google these statistics if you must.

It never stopped to amaze me how so many employers take the wrong end of the stick in a low job market and have such short memory. It's exactly the best time to get the 'real' long term committed under their pay check. I know you will say that these seekers will need to be pay more due to their experience etc' but most are mature enough to know that during the downturn it is not unreasonable to accept a lower salary.

Well it will come to bite them later on.:o