Seven Resume Strategies for the Long-Term Unemployed
Large gaps in a resume can be embarrassing – you know the person reading it will notice this and will probably find it negative. How do you get ahead of their opinion to substantiate your position? Here are some tips on what you can do when there are large gaps in your resume.
This post was originally published on Fast Company .
While indicators of economic recovery, such as declining unemployment rates, are often spotted, they do not tell the whole story.
For many long-term unemployed, the job search becomes darker the longer they are unemployed. A September 2014 Brookings Institution report found that people who are long-term unemployed (defined as unemployed for six months or more) are 20-40% less likely to get a job within one to two years in the future. …
But as the economy adds more jobs, that means more job opportunities. If you have been away from work for more than six months, you should make some changes to your resume to improve your chances.
Explain the lack of work in advance
“Instead of trying to hide a big gap in your resume , explain it,” says veteran HR Daniel Quillen, author of The Perfect Resume . In your resume or cover letter, mention the fact that you had a big employment gap and give it context. This is especially helpful if you left your job to look after your children, or if you were part of a big layoff.
“It’s important because it helps me understand that he or she was not fired because of the performance. If they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or they were one of the last, then they were the first. , this knowledge helps me to erase this gap as a problem, ”says Quillen.
Create your work
If you’ve been out of work for a while, start a small business, ”suggests management consultant John Paul Engel, founder of Knowledge Capital Consulting. Determine which of your skills and experience can be sold to others and sell yourself for hiring. For example, you might be doing consulting or sales as an independent contractor.
“You have to be honest about your work, but that can help bridge the gap and generate some income,” he says.
Skip chronological format
Traditional resume formats that present your experience based on the chronological order of your posts can shed white light on spaces. Quillen offers a hybrid resume that does away with clumsy goal statements, but instead offers a preliminary resume for the job you’re looking for, with some bullet points that highlight key strengths and accomplishments.
“You can have nine or 10 points that really summarize who you are and what your strengths are – I’m a HR professional and want to do X, Y and Z, and these are my strengths – so it will take about – the top third of the resume and then the rest in chronological order, ”he suggests.
Focus on the results you’ve achieved
Engel says you should scrutinize your resume for opportunities to “eliminate the risk of hiring you.” Each segment of your resume should be about the results you have achieved for your employer. Too many resumes focus on the tasks that were your responsibility, he says, rather than what you actually completed. To stand out, focus on the results you get.
Show me how you were in the know
List contract, temporary, or even volunteer work to show that you are still active in the work environment. Plus, use your free time to hone your skills, learn new technologies, or gain industry certification and put it on your resume – even if your efforts aren’t complete yet, suggests career coach and resume writer Cheryl Palmer. …
“Certificates have become very common in many areas. Being able to show that you’ve recently completed training in your field can definitely be a plus. This demonstrates that you stay in the know, ”says Palmer.
Create your resume for each job
Gone are the days when the resume was universal. Setting up your resume is as easy as highlighting sections and changing them, he said, but few people create customized resumes for the job they’re pursuing. If you are going to work in sales, think about this company and this particular position and highlight the most important areas of your past experience, perhaps reordering the list items or presentation skills to make you the most ideal candidate you can be, he says. Caveat: Having multiple revisions and making changes means you need to constantly revise your resume. Quillen adds that grammatical and typos can be removed fairly quickly.
Send it to everyone you know – within reason
“When you have a good resume, send it to everyone you know who can pass it on,” says Quillen. You might think that everyone knows what you do, or that you don’t work, but often you don’t, or they might not think about recommending you, he adds. Later, if the contact finds interest, you can submit an updated, customized resume. But tell about yourself by handing out your resume. Quillen says you never know where you can get a great job.
7 resume strategies for the long-term unemployed | Fast Company