Dumbing down my life

I have always been a "jack of all trades…master of none" kind of a guy when it came to my work ethic and to the jobs that I have had. Along with that, I have had the opportunities to further my career by taking advantage of some educational opportunities that have been presented to me. I am proud to say that I have earned my Bachelor's degree, as well as my MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management, and several professional designations. Now that I am in the process of looking for a new job, it is becoming crystal clear that employers are scared of people that have applied themselves in life. Then a friend of mine suggested "dumbing down" my resume, referring to leaving information off of my resume. In essence, I would be hiding things that I have done in my life that I am proud of and want potential employers to know that I have applied myself in life and that I am the best candidate for the position for which I am applying to.

Now I am pretty sure I am not the only victim of this but the question begs to be asked…why?!

It infuriates me that I would have to even consider "dumbing down" my resume. That would mean discounting all those nights studying when my family was off doing something…. Studying for exams or preparing final presentations in economics, finance, my personal favorite (sarcastic) - Statistics. I traded working in a sweat box, listening to people bitch and moan about their lives in an effort to gain my sympathy, all for the opportunity to do something better with my life when I had reached the end of the road. But the opportunity wasn't there or the rules constantly changed to make that opportunity unavailable to me.

So what is the deal? Why are employers so scared? They hold all the cards. Do they not want their businesses to get better? To become more profitable?

I do not consider myself a genius by any stretch of the imagination. I do think I am smarter than the average bear. It is just that I committed the time in my life into something I believed in. I pushed myself…to better myself…in an effort to be a better provider for my family. I am not a threat. I do not claim to know everything. This does not mean that I have not been called a "smart ass" or a "know-it-all" a time or two in my life. People have nothing to fear from me. What they would have in me is someone who is dependable, great team leader or partner, and a quick learner.

So what is the problem? All I am asking for is a chance.