Resume Writing Can Only Do so Much

There are thousands of ways to boost the power of a resume and get the most advantage out of your career. Some of these methods can stretch and strain and wrangle a decent-looking career out of the messiest patchwork of jobs and responsibilities.

But with every one of these tricks comes the risk that the tactic will only raise questions and doubts in the hiring manager's mind. And more often, there's a not a lot that can be done to fix a weak job history. A resume is essentially a history of your career -- nothing more and nothing less. And so, resume-writing tricks can't do much for you in some cases.

Here are some great strategies for getting by when crafty resume-writing tactics can't help.

Fix Your Career
Yeah, this one can be a bitter pill to swallow, but the first thing you need to think of is just plain fixing your career. Doing so will make your resume 50 times easier to write and a thousand times more effective. You also won't have that feeling of sweat-soaked guilt from worrying about whether the true nature of your career will be discovered behind that carefully-crafted functional resume. So, all you job jumpers stop jumping. All you underperformers, start holding out for better jobs. And all you people with gaps in your employment, stick with one job until you have another.

Build Time With Something Steady
The best way to fix a weak employment history section on your resume is to find a good position and stay with it. Sure, that can be tough. Sometimes things are beyond your control. But do everything you can to get with a strong company, in a solid position that's related to your other jobs. Then stay there. Few other things add strength to your resume better than such a job for at least three years.

Get Promoted
Even if you don't have the greatest jobs in the greatest companies, find a way to move up. No matter what you're doing, getting a relatively rapid series of promotions adds strength and power to a resume.

Be Honest
Like I said before, you can only do so much to cover things up and put a good spin on them. So be realistic about what jobs you're going for, and use your skills and experience to their best advantage. Then keep your eyes on adding value and moving up once you're there.

Be a Specialist
The difference between a string of jobs and a "Career" is almost entirely a matter of consistency and commitment. So if, for example, you've had a couple of jobs working in warehouses, consider making that profession your specialty. Join logistics and warehousing professional organizations and become involved in their activities. Bolster that with additional training, certifications and other credentials in the field. By declaring a particular industry or profession your specialty, your resume is instantly more compelling.

Use Networking to Sell Beyond Your Resume
If your resume has a shaky, jumpy experience section, it's probably going to get quickly shot down when you send it to employers who don't otherwise know you. And that's exactly what you're up against when you reply to almost any job posting or want ad. But you can short circuit that process by emphasizing networking in your job search. That way you get to talk to influential people and sell them on your strengths before they have a chance to notice that you've had four jobs in the previous two years, or that you've been out of work since last September. Use this to your advantage. Emphasize and elaborate on your strengths while you can do so without getting into the messy details.