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Post Info TOPIC: Updating my resume & career issues
laken1


Hermes

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Updating my resume & career issues
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After going to school, working for banks for 9 years, working my way up the corporate ladder to the high paying / high stress job, the bank that I worked for got new investors that did a complete housecleaning, including myself, about a year ago. I was about 2 months away from having to make a decision as to rather I would move to Dallas with my boyfriend or if he would move where I was. Well, although I was offered a job with another company at that time, I had just had enough & decided to move. In the meantime, I had enough savings & he makes enough money that I really didn't have to work, so I have taken a year off (we have also gotten married in that time). The theory at the time was that I was fed up with the pressure & I wanted to work part time & do something not as stressful and FUN since I was in a position that I didn't HAVE to go for the high paying job to make ends meet.

Now that you have background....I am in the process of updating my resume, but dang if you do a google "resume writing" search, it is so overwhelming. So I have several questions:

1) Have you found a site that you relied heavily on for writing your resume? I have my old one, but to be honest, I have always been a position that I have basically been offered the job but they needed a resume to complete "paperwork" so I really never put a lot of thought in it, so it really needs to be revamped.

2) I am NOT looking for a job relevant to my most recent work experience. Do I include the more "secretarily" jobs that I did on my way up too, to show my experience in these areas as well?

3) How do I explain the jump "down" to a lesser job, I feel that if I say "I just want to do something part time & don't want the stress" that it makes me sound irresponsible, which I am TOTALLY not. Can I address this in a cover letter - something to the extent of that I want to do something that I believe in with people that I like? I mean, really, how do I explain myself without sounding like "I'm trying to find my passion" kind of thing?

I guess I have always gotten jobs in the past through my networking connections, and I just feel that if they get this strange resume for a chick that was a VP making $$ for a part time assistant job (just to clarify, this is just an example, not neccessarily what i want to do), they will probably just toss it without any thought.

Also, as I am searching for something fun & that I can be happy with I have to ask you - if you were in my position, what kind of job would you look for? Just curious as I really am trying to "find my passion" and I think hearing some of your answers my spark my curiosity or at the very least, be interesting.

You can answer as many or as few of these issues as you want!

Thanks

-- Edited by laken1 at 14:44, 2005-05-18

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Who do you have to probe around here to get a Chardonnay? - Roger the Alien from American Dad
Elle


Hermes

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Have you ever considered starting your own business?  Good for passion-finding, and only as much work as you want it to be but may be a little high in the stress department.


Honestly, they will probably throw your resume out if you're applying for an assistant's position and you've previously been a VP!  And even if they didn't and you ended up with an assistant position, I doubt you'd be happy there for long.  Stress free does not equal fun/easy in my past experiences.  I would focus more on the FUN aspect:  Wait for something to come open in an area that you're interested in and stage it as more of a 'career change'.


Some other ideas:  Have you ever thought of working for a non-profit?  Volunteering (makes lots of quick contacts and often leads you to paying positions)?  Consulting? 


 



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To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment ~ {Ralph Waldo Emerson}
laken1


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Lmonet, actually, I have considered a non-profit & this really may be an option, & I have been scouring for things that have potential, but I still have to get my resume together to even start there & I really don't know how to handle the explanation part. If I would get an interview I think it would be easier to explain, but you have to get that far, which is the dilema.

And I did edit my post to explain i don't necessarily want to be an "assistant" but at the same time I think it's a good example of something I have done, am good at, and am qualified for, but I think on my resume I would look overqualified? I'm not trying to sound braggy either, but that's just what people I have already talked to have told me. They don't want you bored & leaving in 2 months. I'm stuck!!!


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Who do you have to probe around here to get a Chardonnay? - Roger the Alien from American Dad
Elle


Hermes

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I think you're right about the overqualification - even if you are willing/open to 'taking a step down', most employers are very weary of actually doing it.


As far as your resume goes, I know some other girls have PM'd their resumes to other STers for editing/suggestions, so if you would like help on that front I'm sure there are plenty of people who would offer it.  From my resume-writing experience (of which there has been quite a bit in the last couple years), I would suggest keeping it to one page (two if you count cover letter and resume, or three if your references won't fit on your main resume page), make absolutely sure there are no spelling errors (sounds stupid but it happens soooo much), keep your work experience to relevant positions you've held within the last five years (if they need a 'work history' with all previous positions held, they'll ask for it at a later time and probably on their own form).


Are your friends/contacts keeping an eye out for things that may interest you?



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To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment ~ {Ralph Waldo Emerson}
honey


Gucci

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you might consider just having different resumes. i think you could probably transition well to the non-profit sector and imo a lot of non-profits seem thrilled to have people who come from corporate backgrounds. plus it would be easier to explain the transition i.e. i feel passionately about "x" cause and am willing to take a pay cut. idealist.org is a good site to start looking. i'm no resume expert, but i'd be more than happy to offer any assistance i can if you need it.

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luckylily


Gucci

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Since it has come up a couple times and I work at a non profit, I wanted to point out that working at a non profit is still very stressful.  It is really common for people to have the perception that a non profit job will be easy, and it just isn't true.  (No one here said that, I just want to be clear.)  Non profit organizations tend to be understaffed and are often struggling to stay afloat financially.  Even big, very well funded non profits suffer from difficult fundraising and lack of resources, which makes getting your job done more challenging.  I would agree that most non profit jobs would be much less stressful that a corporate VP position.


That said, I do think the benefits of working for a non profit make it worthwhile.  You are surrounded by people who are passionate about the same issues you are.  Of course you feel really good about the work you do.  Also, because non profits salaries are about 60% of for profit salaries, the organizations do tend to go out of their way to encourage employees to balance their work and home life in a healthy manner. 


You would certainly be a great asset to any non profit.


 


 


 



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laken1


Hermes

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Luckylily - thank you for making that comment, and trust me, I was on the board of a non-profit - we had no staff so board members did all the admin & I KNOW what work it can be. Actually one of my projects was to partner with a group (non-profit) that would help us train / educate our members so we could place them on local non-profit boards in our city. I guess that's why I'm feeling good about the non-profit thing - I LOVED that project & I felt good about it - even though I didn't get one red cent from it. I know that too can be work, I want to make it clear that if I go to work at a non-profit that I am not expecting it to be "unstressful" - I just want a job that I can enjoy. I don't expect anything to be NO stress, but I was working like 12 hour days and then worrying about work at night at home, not to mention how many night events I was "required" to attend - i really don't want to have to do that again. I think it would be good to put myself in a "do good" environment to make a little $$$, get some contacts, see what happens. I think it's admirable to work for a cause you believe in - not a bunch of rich jerks that expect you to perform miracles. I think I could respect myself for doing something worthwhile!!!

If you don't mind me asking - what non-profit do you work for? You can pm me if you feel more comfortable, or you don't have to tell me at all!

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Who do you have to probe around here to get a Chardonnay? - Roger the Alien from American Dad
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