Top 10 Resume Tips for Career Changers
Guest post by Katherine Jewell, author of New Resume, New Career
Millions of Americans have been forced into career changes by struggling industries and tough economic times. There’s a danger of appearing over-qualified, or not experienced enough, when competing for the precious few job opportunities out there. Here are the top 10 ideas successful career changers use to create resumes that are focused, sharp and hip to 21st century hiring demands.
1. Write your resume to a specific job description.
Including all your experience can be overwhelming and might make you look over-qualified. Pare down your job history achievements, including only those that are relevant to the position you are seeking.
2. Use the title of your desired job as a headline.
Choose words that describe you, or the job you are seeking, as the headline of your executive summary. A salesperson seeking a sales manager job might use “Sales Professional” as the headline. Make your self-description as close to the job title as you can, while still being factual. This replaces the out-dated idea of a job “objective.”
3. Create a Resume Billboard™ at the top of your resume.
The first three inches of your resume should be an advertisement, proving you can do the job. State 3 to 5 key career achievements, complete with results. Include a table of your career skills that match the job requirements.
4. Don’t include “survival jobs.”
If you have been working part-time to put food on the table, don’t lead with that job. Lead with the last professional job that relates to your current search. Or, consider creating a consulting entity and lead with recent freelance projects. Employers today understand a gap of 12, 18 or even 24 months in your work history.
5. Include volunteer work as if it were paid.
Make up a title for your volunteer assignment, and write achievements as if you were a paid employee. Work is work, and achievements count.
6. Shorten your work history.
A resume going back to the 1970’s will date you and could cause you to be eliminated (unlawfully) for age reasons. The rule of thumb is to include your last 10-15 years of employment. Include jobs more than 15 years in the past only if they contribute to your sales message.
7. Lead with your most relevant job experience, even if it’s not your most current.
Show a job that is relevant, with achievements that are similar to the job you’re applying for. If the work is really dated, include how many years you were in that job, instead of the dates of employment. Be sure to include a simplified year-by-year job history on page two.
8. Lose the jargon, but use the key words repeatedly.
Be sure to explain jargon that might not be understandable to a hiring manager in a different industry. Emphasize key words in your desired job and industry. You can find key words by collecting job descriptions and noticing terms that repeat.
9. Make lists.
A list of words can provide a quick read of your skills and achievements. Redundancy can be to your advantage — each use of a key word increases your chances of a compatibility match. Some possible list titles are: Core Competencies, Skills Summary, Industry Experience, and Computer Skills.
10. Make your resume easy to read.
Use boldface and larger type for emphasis. Use bulleted copy instead of sentences. Shorten all the statements to the fewest possible words. Give yourself two full pages, but no more.
Assume that your resume is going to land you a job worth $100,000 or even a million dollars in income over the life of that job. Treat it with the same work and attention you might give a million dollar investment. You are worth it.
Linked here are the Before and After resumes of a stay-at-home mom who was able to return — after 17 years — to her career position of civil engineer. Note the at-a-glance concentrated key information at the top; the groupings of experience, putting most relevant engineering experience first, despite it not being most recent; and volunteer work put on equal footing with paid work.
This is just one of the 50 career makeovers featured in New Resume New Career, by Catherine Jewell, available in book stores everywhere.
