The laborious process of finding a new job can make a person confused or uncertain about their skills and accomplishments. You may decide against applying for an advertised job even though you meet most of the criteria listed in the advertisement. You may neglect to mention achievements because they were not “good enough” for your previous employer. You may downplay your role in the company. You may not recognize that certain skills are transferrable. And you may be frightened about taking on what you see as more responsibility or a bigger challenge.
You may be self-selecting yourself out of a job you should be applying for. Take these examples:
- A job requires experience with a certain computer program. Mary has used the program but not recently. However, it will probably take her only a short time to bring her skills back to their former level. If she doesn’t mention her experience at all, she definitely won’t be asked for an interview; instead, she should list the program on her resume and start studying to refresh her skills.
- John understands and speaks Spanish but is not comfortable with calling himself “fluent.” However, foreign language skills are in such demand that he should list his language skills; he can describe them as “conversational Spanish.”
- Chris has worked in one company for a while and taken on unpaid responsibilities that were not in the original job description. She should still take credit for them. They are part of her achievements, and her future employer may value them more highly.
A strong resume will not only bolster your confidence, it will open up new avenues for your job search. Call Robin’s Resumes® today, and we’ll work together on getting you the right resume for the job you deserve.