"Unemployed For Too Long? Let Me Help You."
09/23/25 Edition Stephen Says Column

Dear Stephen,
I was a regional manager for one of the major manufacturers and because of all the mergers and acquisitions in the industry, I lost my job about eighteen months ago. And boy have I been looking!

I was in leadership for four years leading up to losing my job. Right now, I’m even open to senior sales positions but I’m not getting anywhere. Here’s what I’m finding, tell me what you think, and what I’m doing wrong if I’m doing something wrong . . .

I am in a smaller market (think Philadelphia or Boston) and because of that there are very few regional manager positions located here. Therefore, I’m expanding my search to regional positions in the entire Northeast, where I would live here and manage the multi-state region. Based on my experience, I could be managing independent reps, direct employees, or a combination of the two.

While I am getting interviews, I am finding that companies want Northeast regional managers based in major markets, specifically New York. The explanation is always the same; even though the manager is covering a broad area, most of the revenue comes from the biggest city and they want the manager living there so they can be customer facing. They go on to explain that if they hire a Northeast manager already living, for instance, in New York City, that manager will then have existing relationships with dealers, design firms right where the bulk of the business is already being produced.

I get where they’re coming from, but it doesn’t help me in my situation.

It’s been more than a year, which is a long time. I’m getting very depressed and frustrated. I’m great at selling and have no issues with being in sales. When I see an opening for a salesperson, I apply, but since I’ve been a manager I look overqualified for the sales jobs, (and I have no interest in opening my own business meaning becoming an independent rep). It’s a catch-22; I’m not big enough for the big leagues, because of where I live, but I’m perceived as too big for the sales positions local to me. (I should also mention that I have a few reasons for which I cannot relocate).

How do I convince hiring managers that I’m capable of either opportunity? I just want a chance to prove myself again and get back to work.

Signed,
Caught in the Middle Market

Dear Caught,
I understand your problem and it is frustrating. This is a real problem that people go through all the time. Manufacturers who want to hire regional managers used to only care that the person lived near an airport. Nowadays, they realize that they get more value to their hire if the manager is located in one of the major revenue-producing hubs, (i.e., Charlotte, Dallas, San Francisco, LA, Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago, New York City. . . you get the idea).

When the manager lives in the biggest contributor to the territory, they can make sales calls with independent reps to dealers, design firms that are in the city. If the company has direct employees, the manager can spend more time with them. I assume you can understand why companies prefer this.

As far as your being interested in sales positions and not necessarily a leadership role – it may come down to you needing to have two different resumes and adjusting your salary requests accordingly. It’s really that simple.

You will need one resume for where your objective is to land a sales position based on your existing relationships, and a second resume for presenting yourself as a manager. There is, however, a way to craft a single resume indicating both possibilities, but to do that you need to hire a pro to help you build that. Many resumes these days go through AI screening so I would start with finding a coach with the expertise to help you make a perfect resume. Don’t forget you’re going to need a LinkedIn profile to match! Some people would argue that’s even more important these days.

I urge you to reach out to me for free advice. Depending on where you live and your geography, I am happy to share with you what I know about the pulse of that market, and how to get in front of hiring authorities on your own. If you don’t want to deal with me personally, maybe you’ve been offended by something I’ve written here in the past, call The Viscusi Group to speak with anyone on our team. Everyone here has a common goal and that is giving back to the industry we love. We know more about every job in this industry than just about anyone, and we are happy to give that information away for free. It comes back to us in spades.

To get down to brass tax, the reality is that few companies want to pay a headhunter if they don’t have to. Especially for someone who is out looking for a job -- being unemployed does not make you a bad candidate but it just means companies won’t feel like you are “fee-worthy.” Is that helpful?

So, what we will do on the phone is teach you how to get in front of that company, on your own, for free. Remember: the best jobs are never advertised, but we know where they are, and you can find out too by just asking us. We can’t always connect you, but we can tell you how to be in the right place at the right time. One of the big tips that we give people in your position is you should be uploading your resume directly to companies’ websites even when they do not have openings.

The reason for this is that you want to be in their database, especially at this time of year because people are getting fired, leaving their jobs, and if you’re already in a company’s HR database, you’re going to get the first call when they’re looking for replacements. That is, so long as your experience matches the job requirements.

Here’s the gist, everybody has a boss they can’t stand, and on the flip side of the coin, every boss has an employee they can’t stand. If the boss gets really irritated with the employee, and your resume is in your database (which is the first place they will look), and you happen have the right qualifications… You’re going to get the call. This is why you should have a great resume that is designed for today’s technology, complimented with an impressive LinkedIn page that highlights your experience. Once you have all of this and you have circulated your resume around, you should be getting interviews in no time.

I hope this helps! I look forward to receiving your resume.
My email is stephen@viscusigroup.com. Or call The Viscusi Group at (212) 979-5700.
Happy hunting!

Signed,
Stephen
 

Stephen Viscusi is the founder of www.viscusigroup.com, an executive search firm that specializes in the interior furnishings industry. Hires made through The Viscusi Group are guaranteed a one-year free replacement. Please share your story or comment on this article and send your workplace questions to stephen@viscusigroup.com. Or give us a call at (212) 979-5700 ext. 101.

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