First Time Job Searching in Decades

There is a mountain of advice out there for first time job seekers.  Some of it is relevant, however, not all of it applies to someone who hasn’t needed to look for a new job in decades.

Let’s say for the last ten or twenty years you have worked for the same employer.  Most likely your job description, title, responsibilities have changed over time.  Now that it is time to move on, you need to remember what you did and present yourself as clearly and professionally as possible.

What Has Stayed the Same

Some things have stayed the same.  Name, address, phone number and email address should definitely be at the top.  Okay, so you’re nervous about publishing your home address.  At the bare minimum, you need to include your City and State.  Hiring managers don’t like to start out wondering if you are local. Even bigger mistake is to leave off your phone number or email address. You want to be contacted.  Be sure you provide this information.

If you are someone in a creative or technical type role, a link to your portfolio could also be included.

Objectives

Objectives have pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur. It is rare to see a resume listing an objective.  However, a brief summary highlighting your strengths is a good way to start.  This isn’t where you say you are punctual, dependable, loyal and a hard worker. Everyone says that in one way or another.  This is where you include your true strengths, knowledge, skill set and experience in specific areas.

Work Experience or Employment History

This area has not changed.  Start with current employment first, going backward in time.  Each listing should show company name, your title and dates of employment, followed by brief sentences or bullet points outlining your main areas of responsibility and accomplishments.

Use “power words” or “action verbs” (e.g., supervised, led, managed, created, executed, developed).

If possible “quantify” your accomplishments.  Improved sales by 25%.  Increased production by 30%.  The key here is “if possible.”  In some cases, that just won’t work, but if you can actually show how much you improved things, it is beneficial.

If you have been with the same company for a long time, break the work out into different roles.  For example, if you started as an engineer and worked your way up to management, it shows growth and willingness to learn new things.

Education

What about your education? Resumes that start with education typically are recent graduates.

Assuming you’ve been working for decades, and your resume shows you have been growing, your degree is old news.  So that can go at the bottom of the resume.  Again, it should be listed in reverse chronological order. If you have been continuing your education beyond your degree, include that information as well.  Showing you are staying current with whatever technology or information for your chosen career field is a plus.

References Available Upon Request

Another sentence that is no longer in use and is assumed you have references.

Proofread and Proofread Again

It is always a good idea to proofread your resume intensely.  Ask a friend to review it for you or a trusted recruiter.  A second or third set of eyes can catch something you’ve missed.