What to put on a resume

LowLite · #1 10-19-2008, 01:24 AM

Let's say you're looking for a career in your field, but the other companies you've been employed by were/are all dead end short term jobs that have nothing to do with what you want to go into. Does it hurt to put those on my resume? I'm thinking at this point I really don't have a choice, but how does that even get me an interview. I often wonder is that the reason why I haven't heard back from any employers.

33girl · #2 10-20-2008, 07:44 AM

Well, I have a dead end long term job, in a field that I'm embarrassed to be in and am trying to get out of, and the only nibbles I've gotten from my resume are from people in that field.

The usual advice here is to try doing a functional resume instead of a chronological resume, which shows what skills you used in those jobs or from school are relevant to jobs in your field. (sorry, that grammar is horrendous) However, I get the feeling that HR people hate those and think you're trying to cover up something with them.

Sorry this isn't a very helpful post, but you are not alone in your frustration.

Senusret I · #3 10-20-2008, 08:07 AM

I want to add my two cents of encouragement....

Very often, your next new job will come from a personal connection or personal introduction, and not a blind resume submission.

When you get your foot in the door that way, it's easier to explain your resume in an interview and let other things shine.

I hope it all works out for both of you.

PeppyGPhiB · #4 10-22-2008, 06:51 PM

You should not put every detail of every job on your resume, but you should account for at least the past 10 years. Think about it: if you leave off the "dead end" positions you're talking about, won't it look like you just weren't working during those gaps? Besides, most jobs give you something, some skill sets, to put on a resume, even if it's not the same field or type of position you ultimately want to be in.

BTW, if you're not getting interviews, I'd guess it probably has something to do with the formatting of your resume. I look at a lot of resumes here, and 80% of them are terrible. Not because of content, but because they have weird font, or mis-aligned bullets or text that indicates they don't know how to use Word, or they have spelling errors. Clean up your resume, the more white space the better if you're young, and I bet you'll at least get some interviews. And get an internship if you haven't already.

ASTalumna06 · #5 10-23-2008, 09:47 AM

Have you just recently graduated? Or are you a senior graduating this year? If so, I would suggest you worry less about putting down every job you’ve had in the past few years, and worry more about playing up your educational experience. Employers understand that when you’re coming out of college, there’s a good chance that your work experience is not going to be one of your strong suits when selling yourself to them. When I was attempting to get a job with my original resume, it was extremely difficult. I was barely receiving any interviews, and I struggled to figure out what I was doing wrong. As an alumna, I went to the Career Development Center on campus and asked for help. They completely re-vamped my resume and showed me what to focus on. If your work experience is doing VERY little for you, don’t make it the focus of your resume. For myself, my education, special skills, extra-curriculars and awards became the main headings. At the bottom was “Other Experience” and under it was my work experience. And I simply wrote the last two jobs I had (summer jobs in between college classes), where they were located (city, state) and my position at each company. I didn’t give any details, because if they were going to ask me to show up for an interview, it wasn’t going to be because I worked at an amusement park for a few summers. If they asked about it in the interview, I played it up for all it was worth, but I knew that it wouldn’t help me at all to spotlight it on my resume.

If you’re a little more removed from your college experience, still use education as one of your main selling points, but include a little more with your work experience, also. When discussing your jobs, don’t focus on what you did there, but instead, create a bulleted list of all the skills you gained so that employers will be paying more attention to the positives that will potentially help you in your new position. It might seem ridiculous to put down interpersonal skills if you were, say.. a cashier. But it’s better to put that down than, “I checked people out and scanned their items.” It’s a challenge because you need to fill your resume, but not put down the most ridiculous skills that will do nothing except look like you’re trying to take up blank space.

cheerfulgreek · #6 10-23-2008, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowLite

Let's say you're looking for a career in your field, but the other companies you've been employed by were/are all dead end short term jobs that have nothing to do with what you want to go into. Does it hurt to put those on my resume? I'm thinking at this point I really don't have a choice, but how does that even get me an interview. I often wonder is that the reason why I haven't heard back from any employers.

That's why you should try to get a management position with your current employer, so you can a least put down that you have management experience. I don't think pizza delivery guy (delivered pizza on time from 2008 until whatever) is going to cut it.

LowLite · #7 10-25-2008, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I want to add my two cents of encouragement....

Very often, your next new job will come from a personal connection or personal introduction, and not a blind resume submission.

When you get your foot in the door that way, it's easier to explain your resume in an interview and let other things shine.

I hope it all works out for both of you.

Yeah, this makes a lot of sense, but this is hard to do. I lost my 2nd job, or better yet, I had to leave because the two jobs conflicted. I start working at Wendy's Monday, so I'll have two jobs again. It's frustrating because right now it seems like these are the only jobs I'm able to get. We're getting ready to buy a house so I need two jobs. I guess it's who you know what what you know.

LowLite · #8 10-25-2008, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

Well, I have a dead end long term job, in a field that I'm embarrassed to be in and am trying to get out of, and the only nibbles I've gotten from my resume are from people in that field.

The usual advice here is to try doing a functional resume instead of a chronological resume, which shows what skills you used in those jobs or from school are relevant to jobs in your field. (sorry, that grammar is horrendous) However, I get the feeling that HR people hate those and think you're trying to cover up something with them.

Sorry this isn't a very helpful post, but you are not alone in your frustration.

This is exactly how I feel.

LowLite · #9 10-25-2008, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Have you just recently graduated? Or are you a senior graduating this year? .

No, I graduated 7 years ago. I'm almost 30, that's why this is so frustrating. My fiance is going on 29 and is already in her field.

cheerfulgreek · #10 10-25-2008, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowLite

I start working at Wendy's Monday.

Uhmm, you sound like a whiney, complaining loser.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowLite

I'm almost 30, .

And you flip burgers and deliver pizza?

ETA: I hope it's not too much to ask, but can I have a slice of pizza and a frosty?

ta kala · #11 10-25-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Uhmm, you sound like a whiney, complaining loser.

And you flip burgers and deliver pizza?

ETA: I hope it's not too much to ask, but can I have a slice of pizza and a frosty?

I hope you are being sarcastic, because what I have gotten from LowLite is frustration, not whining.

Sometimes good people have employment problems. I don't know LowLite's full story, but maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt before calling him a loser and mocking his job.

Senusret I · #12 10-25-2008, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ta kala

I hope you are being sarcastic, because what I have gotten from LowLite is frustration, not whining.

Sometimes good people have employment problems. I don't know LowLite's full story, but maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt before calling him a loser and mocking his job.

Some people are great at being "snarky."

Others are cheerfulgreek.

nittanyalum · #13 10-25-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Some people are great at being "snarky."

Others are cheerfulgreek.

LOL, no kidding, where did that come from?

To the OP, google "no experience resume" and read, read, read. There are a LOT of resources out there. Keep an eye on your local public library and community colleges, they may offer resume-building and/or interviewing technique classes. Do you or your girlfriend know anyone who works in HR or is she close with anyone in HR at her job? That would be a good person to run your resume by and do some practice interviewing.

And first things first, you need to lift your head up, stop being embarrassed and KNOW that you have something to offer a company. If you don't believe you're worth hiring, no employer will think so either. Good luck!

KSUViolet06 · #14 10-25-2008, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

I hope it's not too much to ask, but can I have a slice of pizza and a frosty?

Damn. Seriously?

LowLite · #15 10-26-2008, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Uhmm, you sound like a whiney, complaining loser.

And you flip burgers and deliver pizza?

ETA: I hope it's not too much to ask, but can I have a slice of pizza and a frosty?

Huh? You're the whiniest (if that is a word) most stuck up bitch on this whole message board. Yeah, I work for Wendy's and I deliver pizza. So what! Why do you have a problem with it?

And yeah, you can have a frosty, after I spit in it.