Too Many Resume Rules to Remember? Relax.

Great Post Julie!

I'll add one:

10. Somewhere between 22 and 60 you can stop stressing over that 3.6 (Or maybe 2.05) GPA - its not something usually looked at after an entry level position.

Even then usually only if its a hard science, consulting, or engineering field.

I find that the most important rule when it comes to your resume is to be honest. Don't make up a bunch of stuff to make you look good that you can't back up in an interview. During the interview, when answering a question you should always back it up with specific examples, and if you lie on your resume, you're only asking for trouble.

During the interview, my motto is to simply be relaxed and conversational. It's definitely to your advantage if you show that you are interested not only in the position and the company, but also the person who is interviewing you.

And before that interview, do your homework! Check out the company's web site and get as much info as you can about what the company does, who their clients are, and always check out the "About Us" section.

And it never hurts to show up 15 minutes early for the interview!

I need some solid advice in how to compile a resume that will assist me in covering an inconsistent work history since 2002 due to a difficult divorce.
I have been in the mortgage industry since 1985 and that alone with the ups and downs in that field as well as various gaps in employment since 2002 seem to be the culprit. If someone could help me I am desperate for suggestions and a format.

Desperately seeking advice,
Vivian R Fitzgerald

Vivian, I was in a similar circumstance to you in regards to having worked in an industry that had many ups and downs and led me to changing jobs frequently. I wanted a safer industry, if there is one. I purchased a book titled "The Career Change Resume" by Kim Isaacs and it was very helpful. If you can afford professional assistance, a professional resume writer might work for you but you can also get some of these personal services for free at the State Employment Services office. Also, don't forget to summarize your skills at the top of your resume and sell yourself first!

Thanks for your comment Vivian. Sounds like you've been through a lot, but you're ready to move into the next phase now. And that's how I think you should play this. You mention a difficult divorce, which is definitely NOT something you want to share in your cover letter or resume.

In an interview, you might explain the inconsistent period from 2002 to the present as a time when you chose to focus on family issues rather than career advancement, and as a result had a series of short-term jobs that allowed you the flexibility you needed at the time. But now you are at a point where you are capable and ready to devote your full attention to professional endeavors. Be sure to focus on how you will contribute to the company’s success, rather than how the job might help you.

Format-wise, I would start your resume with a summary of your relevant qualifications, including your extensive experience in the mortgage industry, especially any notable achievements, and a description of the strengths, skills, and personal attributes that make you a good employee. Customize this list for each employer, based on what they’re looking for. For example, customer service skills might be highly important for one position, whereas the ability to close a sale might be more relevant to another.

List your actual work experience in reverse chronological order. I would go ahead and list the dates (perhaps leaving off the months and just using the years), and emphasize any accomplishments or new skills you learned that may be relevant going forward. Be more detailed in your earlier mortgage positions, if you’re hoping to re-enter that field.

If you’re still struggling, it might be wise to invest in the services of a career coach or professional resume writer. Best of luck with your job hunt. Try to reject those feelings of desperation and replace them with the knowledge that your next job is out there already, and you’ll find it soon!

I have noticed that employers look down on temporary employment. I have been employed by several temp agencies. I have 5 to 8 years experience as an Administrative Assistant on both the permanent and temporary side. My resume shows that along with my experience as an AA on both the permanent and temporary side, I also have been temporarily employed as an Executive Administrative Assistant. At the present time, I am looking to get back into the work force as a permanent employee. My last permanent job was in 2004. Can someone please give me some advice as to how to get the interviewer to consider my experience instead of the agencies I was employed with?

Good question, Linda. Really, it should make no difference to employers whether your experience was gained in a temporary or a permanent position, as long as you have the skills and experience they need.

I’d start your resume with an impressive Summary of Qualifications that lists your extensive experience in bullet form. Describe your experience as a whole. Focus on the companies where you physically performed the work, not the staffing agencies that sent you there. For example:

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

* Highly competent administrative professional with 8 years’ experience supporting managerial and executive-level professionals [“in the healthcare, insurance, and financial industries” or if the companies are well-known, “for organizations such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Liberty Mutual, and Bank of America”]

* Known for organizational expertise, strict attention to detail, ability to streamline inefficient processes, maintain confidentiality, manage conflicting priorities, and ensure smooth operations

* Proven success in handling [name the main duties you performed as an administrative or executive assistant, such as complex calendar management, travel planning, etc.]

* Proficient in [relevant software programs]

Then, in the EXPERIENCE section of your resume, you could lump some of the temp jobs together, with the job title first, so that your recent temp jobs are seen as a 4-year block of administrative experience: "Executive and Administrative Assistant -- 2004 to Present."

I think these small changes will help the prospective employers see your impressive skills first. Show them your strengths and how you can fulfill their needs. It's not important where the skills came from.

Hello,

I have been employed in various fields over the past 5 years which have often overlapped each other. For instance working as an administrative assistant while freelancing as a graphic designer. How can I incorporate all of the skills I have gained through this into one resume? Also how do you specify changes in position within an organization?

Hi Krisztina,

You can combine the multiple skills from various pursuits in your Summary of Qualifications, as long as they are all relevant to the position you're applying for. Let's say you're going for an Administrative Assistant job. You could mention admin-type skills such as page layout or document template creation, even if you acquired those skills in a graphic design job. But if you're applying for a Graphic Design job, you probably wouldn't mention your calendar or event planning skills. Customize each one for the position.

As for how to present changes positions in one organization, you can do it two ways:

#1 Combining the titles under one company heading showing your total time with that company (but adding the dates for each position in parentheses).
#2 List them as two separate jobs.

1)
Aug. 2001 to June 2004
XYZ Company
New York, NY
Administrative Assistant (2002-2004)
Graphic Designer (2001-2002)

OR

2)
Sept. 2002 to June 2004
XYZ Company                  
New York, NY
Administrative Assistant

Aug. 2001 to Sept. 2002
XYZ Company                  
New York, NY
Graphic Designer

Hope that helps!