| Resume Problem 1: Employment gaps, including lengthy | | | | Geography, Greek Literature, English, History, Music, |
| stretches of unemployment: | | | | Philosophy, etc. Just show your degree as: Bachelor of |
| Solution: Only put on your resume the years you | | | | Science, or Bachelor of Arts. If you didn't complete |
| worked at each job, not the month and the year. | | | | your degree, write the name of the college and |
| Example: 2004 to 2009, not June 2004 to January | | | | Economics Major, or whatever you majored in. That's |
| 2009. If you were laid off in January 2009, and put this | | | | it. Don't write how many credit hours you earned or |
| date on your resume, prospective employers will do | | | | how many hours you have left to graduate. |
| the math and figure out you've been out of work for | | | | Resume Problem 5: Hard-to-figure-out job title: Many |
| 17 months; however, if you just write the years, for all | | | | companies have job titles that no one outside their |
| they know you could have been laid off in December | | | | company has any idea what you do. |
| 2009...5 months ago. Tons of people have been out of | | | | Solution: It's OK to change your title to a universal title |
| work that long. And, if your resume is well written with | | | | that everyone understands. The more your title sounds |
| a good Look and Feel, companies will give you the | | | | like what you are applying for, the more likely you will |
| benefit of the doubt and likely invite you in for an | | | | be invited in for an interview. Examples: District Sales |
| interview. | | | | Manager vs Customer Sales Rep; Program Manager |
| Resume Problem 2: Avoiding Age Discrimination: | | | | vs Product Manager; Plant Manager vs Site Manager; |
| Solution: Only list the last 20 years of your work | | | | Buyer vs Materials Specialist. |
| experience. Beyond that, how relative is that | | | | Resume Problem 6: Weak resume objective |
| experience? If you worked somewhere for 20+ years, | | | | statements: Don't put a bunch of fluff at the top of |
| you won't be able to get around this. Also, do not list | | | | your resume like: |
| your college graduation dates unless you are in your | | | | Objective: Looking for a growing company in need of |
| 20's or 30's. Keep prospective employers in the dark | | | | a dynamic leader to help them exceed their goals. |
| about your age. | | | | Also, never write...20 years of experience in |
| Resume Problem 3: Too many recent job changes: | | | | purchasing... Anything that dates you is a no, no. |
| Solution: If these job changes were beyond your | | | | Solution: Resume objective statements are nothing |
| control, list in brackets beside the company a short | | | | more than the position you are targeting. If you are |
| explanation. Examples: (50% RIF), (closed plant), | | | | responding to an ad for a job posting for a Buyer in a |
| (moved to Mexico). You could also include this | | | | manufacturing setting, write: Buyer in a fast-paced |
| information in a cover letter, but putting them on your | | | | manufacturing environment. This makes it easy for |
| resume guarantees they will be read whereas many | | | | those screening your resume to quickly figure out |
| cover letters aren't read. | | | | what job you are targeting or applying for. Also, the |
| Resume Problem 4: college degree that doesn't fit job | | | | more you tailor your resume to the job description, the |
| opening...or no degree: | | | | more likely you will be interviewed...assuming, of course, |
| Solution: In this case, don't list your specific degree: | | | | your skills match the job description. |