Craft a strategic image on resume
D ear Sam: My career began when I was 17 years old, and now, as a nearly 40-yearold, I have been out of a job for more than two years.
I left two temporary jobs in 2014, unavoidably and without notice, due to my father’s health. I completed three very short-term assignments for both temporary agencies. The problem is that I left without providing notice so the agencies’ records now show a “non-hire” status. Other than this, I have a stellar work history, and I do not want these temporary assignments to overshadow my previous work ethic and future possibilities. How do I include work for these two agencies on my resume?
Also since 2014 I have been working toward a Master of Business Administration degree. I have applied for numerous jobs — mostly entry-level — to no avail. How can I create a great resume despite work gaps and possible reference concerns? — Tamela
D ear Tamela: You can simply omit your short-term (and rather unrelated) employment agency experiences. Your resume does not need to be a narrative of everything you have ever done. Instead, it should be a strategic image of what you have done that supports your candidacy for what you want to do now. So, omitting short-term roles that add little, if anything, to your candidacy is perfectly acceptable.
As for the employment gap, you have recent academic studies to include so, in essence, you have already filled the gap. Just be sure to place your education section — or some note referring to your recent pursuit of a graduate degree — on Page 1 of your resume so readers can understand why they won’t see recent employment. You may want to use the combination format rather than chronological (see my past columns for explanations of this approach, available at www.ladybug-design. com/blog) to minimize the appearance of the gap and showcase the strength of your prior experience. Doing so will also help position you for higher-level opportunities.
I am certain that, if presented appropriately, your recent stumbling blocks will not impact the success of your search.