1. Are the career fields similar?
2. Are the career fields diverse?

SIMILAR CAREER FIELDS

Let’s say as a Registered Nurse you’ve taught nursing students, you have served as an administrator at a nursing home, and you have worked in a hospital. Three careers, but all related. A resume in this instance can be both general (for application to many jobs) and specific (targeting one job) – it’s all in how you organize and prioritize the information.

For example, your Professional Experience can be broken down into three categories on your resume – Nursing Experience – Administrator Experience – Teaching Experience, with the appropriate employer and daily duties listed within each section (in a reverse chronological format). When applying for Nursing positions, that section would be listed first. When applying for a Teaching position, that section would be listed first.

In this way, one resume, with minor modifications, can be used for many postings.

DIVERSE CAREER FIELDS

You began your professional career in real estate sales, but then transitioned to the paralegal field, and finally chose yet another career in bookkeeping. Three very different careers that would seem to require three separate resumes, but that’s certainly not the case.

To avoid producing resume after resume for each job, and if at least some of the skills are transferable within different industries, then a functional format is best for you.

Functional formats stress professional skills, rather than employers or industries. So, instead of providing a reverse chronological resume that clearly shows you’ve been moving from career to career and back (which some employers might find troubling), a functional resume states core qualifications beneath varying subheadings.

The example given above would warrant three or more subheadings, namely:

Contract Negotiation (Real Estate)

Sales (Real Estate)

Contracts (Paralegal)

Payroll (Bookkeeping).

These subheadings can be organized in order of importance to the targeted position (eg: if Sales interests you, then you would list your Real Estate Experience first, followed by your other experience). The subheadings can also show broad experience that could very well be valued in an economy where employees are expected to wear many hats and to perform many functions.

For example, a Certified Public Accountant who works with non-profit companies and the self-employed would not write:

• Oversaw 501 (c)(3) accounts; provided 1099s to meet government regulations.

A non-accountant would be mystified when reading the above.  A better way to present the same data would be:

• Oversaw non-profit – 501 (c)(3) – accounts; provided self-employment tax forms (1099s) to relevant parties to avoid IRS related fines and penalties.

One government site – The Defense Finance and Accounting Service – suggests the following:

Using Appropriate Terminology

Use plain English. Write your resume as though you are submitting it for review by someone who has no technical understanding of the kind of work done in positions you may have previously held. Imagine that you are explaining what you have done and the skills you have used to a friend who has never worked in the same kind of jobs as you.

Describe the knowledge and skills you possess and the duties you have performed using terminology common to the general occupational field. Describe skills and experience in universally accepted terms that could be readily understood in both the public and private sectors.

Minimize the use of acronyms in your resume narrative. If you must use them, explain what they represent, what processes or systems they describe, and how you have used the knowledge, skills, or abilities associated with them.

The following examples demonstrate ways “technical goulash” can be translated into something understandable for both the Resume Builder and staffing specialists:

BAD:  Use IATS to process travel vouchers.

BETTER:  Use an automated financial system, IATS, to compute and process travel reimbursements for transportation, meals, lodging, and similar entitlements.

BAD:  Process vouchers and issue a variety of disbursements using SRD1.

BETTER:  Using knowledge of disbursing principles and procedures, examine requests for payments to individual military and civilian employees, private sector vendors, and other public agencies. Perform a quality control review to ensure that these requests are in order, assign appropriate accounting classifications, and prepare checks or electronic transfer payments. Use an automated disbursing system, SRD1, to accomplish these actions.

This straight forward, three sentence paragraph might be sufficient to describe all of the major duties performed by a disbursing clerk or technician position.

BAD:  Assist functionals in writing SCRs. Develop interfaces and serve as the POC for all EC initiatives.

BETTER:  Work with functional users of automated financial and accounting systems to help identify needed changes and to write system change requests (SCRs). Write computer programs to enable automated systems to interface and to communicate with each other. Serve as the primary contact for automated electronic commerce (EC) systems and improvements.

Descriptions of duties performed, knowledge used, and skills applied in accomplishing those duties should be simple and straightforward, descriptive, and reduced to only essential information. When finished writing a paragraph, it is helpful to stop and ask yourself the following questions:

Would a third party who is not familiar with my occupational background understand the kind of work that I do? 

Is there nonessential information (nice to have, but not helpful in meeting mandatory qualification requirements) in what I have written?

Have I omitted any unique, but relevant special experience or skills I possess that might distinguish me from other candidates if my resume reaches the desk of a selecting official?

Have I adequately described the major characteristics of my occupation or background and skills that are most common to my occupation?

1. Reverse chronological

2. Functional

3. A combination of the two

Reverse chronological

Generally speaking, hiring managers prefer that employment data is provided with the most recent job listed first, followed by the next most recent, and so on.  In that way, it’s easy to see career progression from an entry-level position to a more senior status. It’s also easy to detect gaps in dates of employment.  It’s these gaps that cause candidates to select functional formats.

Functional

Functional formats stress what skills you have, rather than where and when you used them.  These formats are best for students who have just graduated from college and have little “real-world” experience; those who have been out of the workforce for long periods because they were raising children; or job seekers who are transitioning from one career or industry to another.  However, sometimes joining a functional with a reverse chronological format makes the most sense – these are called combination resumes.

Combination

With this format, skills that are relevant to the current job search are placed in a special section by function, while the Professional History or Work Experience is presented in a standard, reverse-chronological format. This format offers the best of both worlds, and is highly popular with job seekers and hiring managers.

For more information and to see our samples: http://www.resumeedge.com/resume-writing/resumes/resume-types/index.php?nav=rc.rc

If unemployment or underemployment has given you more free time than you would normally have, take advantage of that time to make yourself more marketable in the current job scene. 

One of the best ways to increase skills that could be readily used by future employers is to freelance.  Freelancing can include anything from writing to editing to graphic design.  Anything that can be done outside of the office on your home computer is considered freelancing.  This is the perfect opportunity to bring already-refined skills into the open.  Even if the work is unpaid, having work that is published or prominently displayed for future employers in a magazine or Web site is a great way to make your work stand out from the rest of the applicant pool. In addition, the more practice you have in a certain skill area will make your expertise even better.

Another great way to sharpen skills is to obtain a certificate for a certain skill-set at a nearby community college or skill center.  Certificates range from Speed-reading to Leadership.  Not only are these classes discounted because they are in a neighborhood community college, they will also teach or sharpen your skills.  Then, you can use these certificates to obtain an advantage when applying to jobs where most people have the same type of skills at the forefront. 

The best way to sharpen skills and obtain experience that is crucial to future employment, especially in a field outside of your expertise, is to intern.  Internships are up as companies need more staff and have fewer funds.  Thus, unpaid or underpaid internships are everywhere and can be created by companies.  Therefore, if you want to go into an industry where you have little experience, this is an opportunity to obtain it.  In these types of situations, if your work is really phenomenal, there may be a position that opens up in the company during the internship.

When sharpening up skills in this economy, it is important to make your skills and talents stand out from the rest of the applicant pool.  Thus, obtaining publication, certificates or experience that others lack is the fast-track way to getting the job of your dreams.

 To request Marina for your resume or cover letter order, please select her name in the ‘select editor’ field of the online order: http://www.resumeedge.com/ or http://resumeedge.ca/

Transitioning from the military world can be a challenge, but many candidates find great success in job searches when they are able to target specific companies that search for employees with this type expertise. Most individuals coming out of the military have valuable experience in leading teams and making strategic business decisions that greatly affect the projects they have been involved in. Accentuate strong leadership backgrounds to show how you can easily move into management positions. In the corporate world, employers look for people who can work independently without lots of direction, so focusing on being a self-motivated, disciplined individual is important. Be sure to highlight the demanding work schedules that the military typically imposes. Being able to work in fast-paced environments and handle highly stressful situations typically creates an outstanding level of integrity and gives you an above average work ethic that many others don’t offer.

Emphasize communications skills by showcasing knowledge of various languages and the ability to work with individuals with varied cultural backgrounds. Highlight your computer proficiencies and technical strengths, eliminating technical jargon that simply does not apply outside of the military world unless it pertains to the job you are applying for.

Many companies specializing in defense, homeland security, and other government markets seek out experienced employees for job opportunities throughout the world, so indicate that you are able to relocate and travel. When contracts are lost, employees can be required to move as well, so being open to these situations will help a company see that you are the best selection. Defense companies search for applicants with security clearances and many times individuals aren’t even admitted to job fairs geared towards these industries without one.

Closely analyze the job advertisements you find interesting. It is so important to show how your capabilities clearly parallel their job requirements by bringing out the matching skills to indicate your expertise is what an organization is searching for. This can be achieved not only within your professionally prepared resume, but also in a cover letter. These documents should highlight the most important aspects of your career and be crafted in a concise, yet informative manner. A long document that is jam-packed with too much detail simply won’t be read in this tight market.

To conclude, candidates with military backgrounds have so much to offer commercial employers, even those who are not involved in government-related ventures. By researching potential positions and marketing your most important abilities, you will be able to utilize the best of what you have learned while serving in the military and find an exciting, rewarding career opportunity.

To request Lou for an order, please key in her last name in the select your editor section of the online order.

There is a big difference between, “Provide mission critical technical services to the battalion for the tracking of all cargo material in a combat zone” and “Direct IT services to support a 150-person operation, tracking all cargo materials in a demanding work environment.”

Job responsibilities in the military can easily translate to corporate positions; you just need to overcome the language barrier and jargon. The process of translating military jargon into civilian language is essentially the same as translating a resume from Spanish into English…it is a different language. For example, common words in military resumes include command, battalion/soldiers, and mission. These can translate into civilian terminology as supervised, team, and organizational goal. Hiring managers may not understand the significance of your experience when they read resumes with military jargon stating leadership of defensive techniques, combat readiness, weapons storage or combat zone operations.

In order to increase your marketability for a civilian job, break down your experiences and re-word the content to match the language of your target position.

The first step is to break down job duties into individual tasks to identify key strengths. To accomplish this task, read job postings, company job descriptions, and industry resumes located on job boards and industry association websites to match your experiences to civilian jobs. A great resource is the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook located online at: www.bls.gov/OCO. This site provides overviews of job positions with detailed information on the nature of the work, language used, and education needed. The second step is to go through your experience and transition your resume using civilian language found in the job postings and company descriptions. Some responsibilities could relate to equipment maintenance, international relations, budget management, team training and leadership, personnel management, and logistics management.

Accomplishments are critical to the resume whether they are for the military or corporate/civilian positions. Be sure to highlight your accomplishments in the resume and quantify the results based on impact to the organization.

In the end, one easy way to test your resume is to have a non-military person review the resume and let you know the verbiage or wording they do not understand.

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Because resumes are sent electronically or by regular mail, it’s not often that you can use your networking savvy until – or unless – you’re called in for an interview. However, by listing memberships in professional and academic societies, your resume is a silent partner in networking your skills to hiring managers who are also members of these groups. Additionally, affiliations quickly and effortlessly indicate your professional industry or academic status.

When to Emphasize Professional Affiliations

Mention membership in Professional Affiliations within the Qualifications Summary when:

1. You’ve held a leadership position within the organization (eg: President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer)

2. The organization is recognized as the leader in your specific industry (eg: AMA – American Medical Association – for a physician; SPHR for human resource professionals; The Writers Guild for authors)

3. Membership is required in your career field.

A Word About Maximizing Your Professional Affiliation Data

If you are in possession of the hiring manager’s name and background (through research on company websites), it’s a good idea to research professional membership files (eg: college alumni associations) to see if that person is affiliated with the organization to which you belong. If so, make mention of your membership in your cover letter. Networking in this manner may give you an edge in being granted an interview.

When to Emphasize Academic Affiliations

1. If you are a recent college graduate

2. If you have little to no professional experience

In the above scenarios, showcasing academic affiliations, especially honor societies, will impress upon a hiring manager your dedication to the chosen field and your potential as an employee.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. My only memberships are with the PTA and similar organizations since I’ve spent the last few years raising my children. Should I include this information on my resume?

If you held leadership positions within these organizations that would indicate to a hiring manager your potential for a management role. Even if you did not hold such a position, if you served on committees, that would indicate your teamwork capabilities and commitment to your community. This information should be included.

2. I’ve been out of college for nearly 20 years. Do I still include alumni membership information on my resume?

It never hurts to include this information as the HR professional viewing your resume may very well be an alumnus of the same school. That data, alone, may very well capture the hiring manager’s interest so that added attention is granted the information on your resume.

3. What is preferred by hiring managers – national associations or local chapters?

It would depend upon your role in each. If you are simply a member of a national association, but are president of a local chapter, the leadership position should be emphasized.

4. One of the professional associations to which I belong is fairly new and not widely recognized, should I include it on my resume?

If it enhances your candidacy, and if you provide the hiring manager with additional data regarding its importance. For example:

Member, Culinary Specialists Guild, founded in 2002 to promote the culinary profession and to provide beginning chefs with worthwhile information to master the craft.

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

In our youth-oriented culture many workers, some as young as 40, worry that their employment options diminish substantially with each passing year.

To avoid the potential for age discrimination even before you’re invited to interview, make certain that your resume showcases your unique talents and qualifications, rather than your years in the industry. This can be accomplished in three ways:

1. Use a functional format to market your unique skills and qualifications:

Unlike a reverse-chronological resume that stresses dates and employers, a functional format emphasizes what you know and what you can do, rather than how long you’ve been doing it. For example, a business analyst would have a “Career History” section with the following subheadings and bulleted information:

Financial & Business Analysis
· Performed complex analyses for system-wide negotiations, projections, and line-of-business reviews in addition to analysis of population distribution, claims/utilization, and cost.
· Identified, collected, and organized data from multiple sources for input into monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad hoc reports provided to contracting/finance departments and senior management.
· Designed and implemented database applications used in contract rate and risk management analysis as well as the identification and correction of data errors and discrepancies.

Management & Supervision
· Analyzed, interpreted, and resolved claims with authorization for payments up to $75,000.
· Directed activities of 40 claims analysts at a large project site.
· Interacted daily with enrollment, claims, utilization/quality management, and customer service to resolve provider issues.

Nowhere in the above are years specified or emphasized.

2. Exclude early positions that do not enhance your candidacy, especially if you’re in the IT field:

Modern resumes generally do not go further back into employment history than 15 years. For IT professionals, no professional history past 10 years should be included. Why? Industries change so rapidly, early skills are replaced with more current methodologies. And most employers want to know what you’ve been doing recently, not what you did when you first graduated from college.

3. Exclude dates of college graduation:

Although it’s considered unorthodox by some, excluding dates of graduation, especially if you left college in the early 70’s, will minimize the risk of age discrimination. For seasoned professionals especially, college graduation is not the hook it might be for an entry-level candidate. If what came before your educational data is stellar (i.e. career history, accomplishments, unique skills), then few hiring manages will notice or care about this omission.