I was skipping through some headlines while I was online today and – since I am in the job hunt – one caught my eye. It was titled “10 Things HR Won’t Tell  You About Your Resume.” Most of the time, these are pretty generic lists but I figured, why not? Maybe there will be a tip that will be helpful.

When I got to number 1 on the list, I got offended. A woman by the name of Cynthia Shapiro, a former HR exec and author, had this to say: “Once you’re unemployed more than six months, you’re considered pretty much unemployable. We assume that other people have already passed you over, so we don’t want anything to do with you.”

Wow.

I have to wonder how many great people Ms. Shapiro and her minions overlooked because of this narrow-minded, elitist and – frankly – unfounded view?

There could be a number of reasons someone took more than six months to find a job. The economy stinks, for starters. Maybe they took some time off to go to school and get an MBA or other degree. Maybe they have a limited geographical area or cannot relocate. Maybe they’re in a specialized field that doesn’t have a lot of openings.

In Ms. Shapiro’s defense, I’m sure there are some people who do fall into the category of “unemployable,” but to paint everyone with that broad brush is unfair and unprofessional.

I am beyond six months in my job hunt. Should I give up? Clearly by Ms. Shapiro’s standards I’m no good for anything. But she’s wrong. I have a great skill set and a lot to offer a company when the right opportunity comes up.

I will find another job, but I can guarantee you one thing:

There’s no way I’m working for Ms. Shapiro.