Real life question... OMG!!!!

[tgrayfic]

Does anyone have any experience dealing with resumes and what might make an impressionable read? I have just completed the first resume I've ever needed (I have been at the same company for 17 years) and have no clue if it sounds alright. Anyone willing to glance at it and tell me if it's doable?

BTW... my work history is summed up nicely on one page. *sighs*

ETA Thank you shadownyc and g2ny!

Comments

[such-a-steph.livejournal.com]

Good Luck xxx

[tgray.livejournal.com]

Hey sweetie! I'm almost done with the next chapter... (I think). *shrugs*
And how have you been? LOL

[gaeln.livejournal.com]

tgray,
In the past thirteen years my husband has quit once, when our daughter was six months old and our condo one year old...scary times, and been laid-off twice times. Each time between full-time jobs was two years when he contracted. The thing about contracting is you have to keep your resume current and suited to each possible job situation. When I asked his advise about your situation that was the first thing he emphasized, you want to word your resume to emphasize where you want to go more so then where you've been.

If you absolutely love your job but have been laid-off would reflect differently in your resume then if you really want to do something differently and so are quiting. Also, but I'm sure you know this, potential employers scan in resumes and then search for them using key-words depending on the job they need to fill so you want to use words that reflect how you want them to find you.

Daiv, my husband, used an on-line resume writer, $150, used the advise of a couple of different head-hunters, blah blah. He probably changed his resume four to five times during this last two year lay-off. Also, he had different resumes depending on the job/contract his was interviewing for.

Twice before, contracts lead to full-time job offers so he uses head-hunters as much as online job-posting sites for companies plus, since he does inter, intra, and software design, he has a website that is his portfolio. When someone is interested in hiring him, he just directs them there.

I don't know if this helps any. I'd look at it for you, no problem, but I don't know how much help I'd be. Just remember, they don't so much care about education anymore as much as they care about experience.

Best of luck, even if you're not moving-on because you want to, it may just be for the best. Daiv would not be where he is if he hadn't been force to challenge himself by adapting to each new contract or job situation. It totally amazes me how much he's grown in ways he never could have if he were still with the company he worked for thirteen years ago.

[tgray.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. That was great advice.

I've been with the same company for 17 years. It's owned by my husband's family (where I'd met him) and I've stayed this long out of loyalty. I just think it's time to start thinking of myself and the future. The company has no benefits, (no retirement, no sick pay, impossible medical) and I'm basically working for a week to week paycheck. I feel like I've wasted almost 20 years and have gotten no where.

So, this is a scary venture. I've never done anything else and changing careers altogether is going to be hard. I have been in the eyeglass business for so long, I have no idea how to make the change.

*sighs*