We have a sunroom that has an older metal roof. The sunroom was an addition by a previous owner and, for whatever reason, the roof of the sunroom was not replaced when the new roof was installed on the house proper. Whenever it rains really hard, our sunroom becomes a “rainroom” because the roof leaks like a sieve. We have put off having it repaired because there was always something else that needed the budget space. Now, it has become a major project involving not only a new roof but new insulation, new decking, and a new floor in the sunroom.
That roof is very much like a resume. People tend to put off having one prepared until there is a huge storm raging in their lives and they are knee-deep in unemployment flood waters. If we had had the roof repaired earlier, the unexpected rainy summer we’ve had would not have been such an issue; however, we procrastinated until it was something very urgent yet competing with other necessary expenses such as a new computer and school tuition. Every day, our writers work with people who are unemployed and knee deep in the flood waters of the job search, often for the first time in years!
Our team here at GetInterviews works really hard to throw floatation devices to those struggling to stay upright. It is very satisfying to work with a client who is overwhelmed in the job search to provide a great resume and self-marketing tools that helps him/her get back into a job quickly. We know what we do is extremely valuable — we help people avoid the storm of job loss, escape the rushing waters of unemployment, and hold a steady course when moving their careers through the eddies of a shaky economy. Our clients get jobs faster and that makes them happy, too. We really love what we do because we get the opportunity to help so many people while also doing what we do best — write!
Many of our clients are going through career changes. Some of the career changes are the result of a voluntary decision to go in a new direction, but many are the result of having an industry dissolve from under them. They have to suddenly jump from their sinking ship to a rock in the middle of the stream and they aren’t sure how to do that without drowning. How do they suddenly change directions in career?
A career change resume can be challenging, especially if the new career field is significantly different than the current one. A “reach back” career change resume — a resume that has to go back to a previous field and older experience — is also challenging. Showcasing older experience and making it relevant can seem impossible for many job seekers.
Some career-change resume “musts” include:
- Know what you want to do. A “shotgun” resume that is designed to hit anything available is not effective.
- State a clear focus in the beginning of the resume. If someone in distribution wants to target a job as a paralegal, the focus needs to be clear at the beginning so the employer doesn’t dismiss the resume out of hand.
- Show transferrable skills. Don’t make the employer try to guess at your qualifications or think “Why did this person send this resume to me?”
- Think outside the box. There are no “rules” in resumes other than to have no errors. Maybe a different organization of information will be better suited to your needs.
Are you facing a career change? Have you procrastinated in having your resume professionally prepared simply because you have “never needed one”? Let us help you!