I often help job candidates redesign their resumes to deal with unusual job histories. A recent candidate owned her own business for several years but was ready to re-enter the corporate world. Her business had several components. Every time she tried to describe them all, her business sounded out of control and amateurish.
She needed my help in making her resume adapt to her unique experience.
We identified three major areas of her business: she delivered services, she sold products and she advised other business owners.
When I tackled her resume, I began the description of her business in the usual way with the name of the company, its location and the dates she worked there. A short summary focused on her overall responsibilities and achievements as the president and founder of the company. But then the resume departed from what you might think of as a “traditional” format.
I created three subheadings, one each for Service Provider, Product Sales and Business Consultant. Under each subhead I listed her specific achievements in that area.
The result was a clear and organized review of her business that any recruiter could follow. As a candidate she appeared knowledgeable, innovative, flexible and in charge at all times.
If you have a problem that seems to stretch the bounds of a “traditional” resume, give me a call. I know that a resume that lands interviews is more important than any tradition.