Transform Your Resume

The current economy has changed the lives of everyone within the past couple of years. People who are unemployed are looking for employment in record numbers. Employees who were content this same time three years ago are now entertaining other options. Either way, no one can afford to not have an exceptional resume. One of the more popular questions that I've received emails about is simply this: "How do I change my resume to appeal to an employer when I don't have the experience"? Of course the response can vary depending on what your current employment situation is, but here are a couple of suggestions to help you get started:

1. College graduate; no experience: You can Google "college graduate resume template" and you will find examples of resumes without any work experience. Once you find an appealing template, spend some time formatting your resume so that your presentation is flawless. When you read your resume, you should be thinking, "I would hire this person, so let me contact them for an interview". If you don't feel that way when you read your information, chances are, neither does a recruiter or hiring manager. Step 2; prepare to sell yourself should you be contacted for an interview.

2. Current employee: You should always keep copies of your performance evaluations and job descriptions. Both of these documents contain information that can be used to your advantage. You can find skills, qualifications, your responsibilities, and comments from your superiors which will help you transform your resume. For example, let's say that you are a Store Manager of Wal-Mart and you have been in your role for 5 years. In your position, you need the following skills: attention to detail, organization, sales, coaching, training, recruiting, and communication. Maybe you realize that retail is no longer your passion and you want out! With the skills that you have, you can apply for a Human Resources role; you can apply for a sales position, or even an administrative job. After all, you have 5 years of experience in each skill listed and even if you wanted another leadership role, there is always the option of leadership in another industry. Step 2; create a new resume with the skills needed for the role that you desire.

(If you can't find a job description, try Google. You may very well find a site that briefly describes the role you are researching. )

I wish you well as you start to transform your resume. You might be surprised to find that you really do qualify for a different role, perhaps even in another industry.