A Tip for Moms, Retirees, or Any Reluctant Job Seeker
September 22, 2009 (3:44PM) by Julie O'Malley, CPRW
Thanks to the flippin' recession, there are two groups of job seekers: Those who really want to be working (but aren't), and those who don’t want to be working (but have to). This latter group, the reluctant job seekers, includes parents (mostly women) who left the workforce to raise their families but are now being forced to return for financial reasons, and retirees who worked and saved all their lives, only to have their investments shrivel by 25% or more.
Here they are, with battered egos, rusty interview skills, and outdated resumes, trying to play the part of the shiny job candidate who rises above the crowd.
Nobody ever said life was fair.
 If you consider yourself a reluctant job seeker, your best move might be to invest in a professional resume writer. Why? Because once you've grown accustomed to speaking of your career in terms of what you "used to be," it can be next-to-impossible to switch your mindset back to the present, let alone clarify your future value to an employer.
That's where a pro can help. Professional resume writers know how to present your work history, volunteer roles, skills, and strengths in a way that appeals to today's employers. They can review your old resume, ask you questions, and help pull a strong personal value proposition out of your unique collection of experience and qualifications.
Full disclosure: Pongo offers a professional resume writing service, but I'd be advising this regardless. Honest!
Of course, professionals cost money, and you could be looking at anywhere from about $100 to several hundred dollars, so it's not an option for everyone. However, if you're like most people in this particular boat, you've already been stewing about this for months, knowing you need a resume because you need an income, but you're paralyzed to make a move. If you can manage the investment, it's almost guaranteed to pay for itself in time saved before you finally get a paycheck.
If you do decide to go for it, be sure you get someone who's certified by the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW) and/or the National Resume Writers' Association (NRWA).
The added bonus of going through the professional resume writing process is that it gives you a new way to look at yourself and see in writing all the value you still have to offer.
What do you think? Is a professionally written resume a realistic option for cash-strapped job seekers? If you've ever been a reluctant job seeker, how did you manage the transition back into the workplace? Please leave a comment.
RELATED LINKS
4 Visions of the Post-Recession Workforce
The One Thing You Need to Re-Enter the Workforce
Preparing for Re-Entry: Overcoming Obstacles in the Workforce
Survival Tips for Moms Returning to Work
I have been trying for weeks now to compose my resume and can't seem to figure it out. I came across your website and this blog article and it was just what I was looking for. I am a stay - at - home mom looking to get back in the workforce now. I have been home for 14 years now. I have a B.S. in Business Administration Marketing and wanting to go back part time. I have been volunteering at my children's schools so I thought about Substitute teaching. I have also thought about working for a temp. service. I really need help with a resume and cover letter. Not sure how to begin. What type of resume should I start with?
Hi Lisa, I'd start your resume with something like this:
OBJECTIVE: To contribute value to an organization by applying a solid education in Business Administration Marketing; X years of experience in the X field [your work background]; strong X, Y, and Z skills [insert skills you've used in work, home, or volunteer roles]; and a desire to learn and grow with the business.
Be sure your Objective talks about what you have to offer them, not what you want out of a job. (Note: Objectives are generally obsolete these days -- Summaries of Qualifications are usually the way to go -- but for someone reentering the workforce, it can be the better way to go.)
Next, I'd use the heading EXPERIENCE, and put in both your volunteer roles and your work roles. Not getting paid doesn't mean you didn't do the work! You've probably got experience in event planning, fundraising, scheduling, publicity, sales, and so on. Don't be modest and don't minimize your abilities.
Next, I'd call a temp agency, maybe one that specifically places marketing people (if that's what you want to get back to), and simply explain your situation and ask what they'll need and how the process works.
Best of luck!
Julie
I also find myself in this situation.... I had a really fun job i loved in a call center providing customer service for a retail catalog. I was let go in 05 and have worked odd temp jobs here and there but nothing steady due to life changing situations... divorce, a sad moment of being homeless, then a very complicated and dangerous pregnancy and now I am raising my 2 year old, i find myself NEEDING to go to work to help support my son but am just panic stricken when I think of trying to sell myself to a potential employer. What can I offer that's better than someone just recently laid off also looking for work?
The thought of hiring someone to write my resume for me is awesome, but like a lot, my finances are severely strained and limited and it's also hard to create a resume when in my heart, I'd rather be home raising my son, instead of paying someone else to do it.
Any advice??
I'm still working on my resume (and my confidence). After Julie did a blog on being a homemaker for 18-years and needing to re-enter the work force, I took many of her ideas and suggestions (with a lot of tweeking of course), but I'm still stumped on how to present my relevant work history or experience. Do I list these jobs first in chronological order and then the other jobs? Or do I go chronological completely, inserting the other jobs in order but with very little description?
Paying for a professional resume right now is not feasible (although it would have been finished long ago). My daughter is in her junior year of college and we are carrying the brunt of the tuition (one of the reasons I need to go back to work and yes, she is working too!), but if a smaller fee for a "Resume Critique" was offered, I would probably jump on that!
Dmay, JobFox.com offers a FREE resume critique. Of course, they want you to pay for their resume-writing service, but I found the critique to be honest, direct and have a quick turnaround time.
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