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Resumes for Tradespeople

Feb 13 2022

One thing has become glaringly apparent as a result of the pandemic and aftermath: we need more tradespeople.

Many tradespeople are independent contractors, including electricians, plumbers, roofers, mechanics, and builders. Research by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and others states that between 7 and 9 percent of the entire workforce consists of independent contractors; 77 percent of tradespeople confirm that the labor shortage is getting worse.

While independence has some benefits, such as control over operations, it also has major drawbacks, such as lack of benefits. The sense of control might not be as real as it seems, with demanding clients and uncertainty about payments. For those reasons, many tradespeople end up working for others: for example, a plumber may work for a large plumbing and heating company, electricians or mechanics might work for businesses that need full-time tradespeople on staff, and multiple tradespeople might work for a company that manages facilities.

The resumes for an apprentice, journeyman, foreman, master, and manager will differ, but they do have common characteristics. If you decide to apply for a position as an employee, your resume should show that you have:

Required training and certifications, including enrollment in a trade school
Experience, whether as an apprentice, independent contractor, employee, or volunteer
Knowledge of safety measures, local and industry codes, and regulations that apply to your work
Knowledge of tools and equipment used in your work
The ability to solve problems
The ability to handle the physical demands of the work, which may include lifting, bending, and withstanding heat and close spaces.

Those who work in the trades know that remote work is not an option when seeking employment. Therefore, you may need to be vaccinated against COVID, both for your own safety and the safety of those you work with and for. You may want to add your vaccination status to your resume.

Robin’s Resumes® is ready to help tradespeople at every stage of their employment journey with resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and job transition coaching.

Not Your Father’s Job Market

Jun 19 2016

In honor of Father’s Day, let us discuss a few ways that resumes and the job market have changed since 1966, 50 years ago.

For example, switching jobs is now an indication of flexibility and dedication to getting ahead, though it was once considered a symptom of disloyalty or poor performance. You still want to establish a career for at least a year or two before looking elsewhere. But job changes are expected.

In your father’s day, any lengthy unemployment meant you were unemployable. It is still better to hunt for a new job while you are employed. However, most employers are fine with a period of unemployment if you maintain your skills by consulting, volunteering or returning to school.

Social media has created more ways to reach out to potential employers than ever before. If you are job hunting, make sure you are online at LinkedIn and other professional sites. Also make sure that your personal social media (Facebook, Twitter) sounds professional and shows you at your best. In your father’s day, you could disparage a former employer or fellow employee to trusted friends and know your employer would never hear about it. Now anything you—or those trusted friends—post on social media is known to the world.

Job titles are more fluid now than in your father’s day. Individuals may go from Vice President in a national company to CEO of a local company and back to Vice President in an international company while still gaining in prestige and pay. Before deciding against a job on the basis of a title, look for a match with your skills and education and consider the experience you will gain.

Demographics have changed. According to the U.S. Census, women represented 14.8% of the workforce in 1966 but now represent well over 40%. The workforce consists more and more of individuals of different religions, national origins, abilities, ages, and races. Tolerance and respect are not only morally correct; they are mandated by law.

Whether these changes are good or bad is irrelevant—they are facts of life. Your resume should reflect your flexibility, pride in your career, understanding of social media, skills, education, accomplishments, and ability to work with a diverse team. Robin’s Resumes® can help.

Employment Trends That Impact Your Resume

May 31 2015

A company that specializes in helping virtual teams work effectively recently reported on the latest employment trends, including an increase in freelancing and part-time work, multigenerational workplaces and work across borders and time zones. What effect do these trends have on your resume?

First, freelancing and part-time work—or multiple consulting jobs—are no longer seen as panicky attempts to fill an employment gap. They are valid alternative career paths. So if you do find yourself unemployed, give freelancing, consulting or part-time jobs a chance. They may develop into a full-time job or create opportunities for networking; they may keep you up to date in your field and may add to the range of skills and accomplishments you can showcase in your resume.

Second, multigenerational workplaces mean that your future boss and co-workers may be 20 years younger than you are, the same age or considerably older. The multigenerational workplace at its best takes advantage of everyone’s perspectives and talents, whether they grew up with computers or with typewriters, with cell phones or with party lines. A resume that shows your ability to work effectively with a wide range of people will increase your appeal to recruiters and hiring managers.

Third, your resume should include information about languages you speak (in addition to English) and travels you have taken on behalf of work. Your experience with telecommuting is also important as companies develop more geographically dispersed workforces.

A fourth trend that did not appear in the report is in hiring practices. These days you have to assume that companies are looking for and checking up on candidates on online social and professional sites. Therefore, you must pay attention to the character you are broadcasting online, especially at personal and social sites like Facebook. Moreover, the professional information you post should match the information in your resume. Your online participation shows that you are technologically savvy; I hope you are savvy enough to make sure your participation aids rather than hinders your job search.

At Robin’s Resumes®, I keep up with the latest employment trends and hiring practices and use my knowledge to benefit clients just like you. Contact me today.

The Too Fussy Resume

Feb 02 2014

As much as I advocate resumes that are detailed, targeted, and professionally formatted, sometimes I find myself cautioning job seekers against resumes that are too detailed, too targeted, and overdesigned.

One mistake is to give equal detail to jobs that are directly relate to your career goals and those that have no relation at all. For example, with the recent ups and downs in the job market, some people have temporarily taken positions out of their main field of interest. To return to their preferred field, they may want a resume that contains a “Career Highlights” or “Major Achievements” section before the job history. They may also want to minimize detail on their current job and give more space (and weight) to more relevant jobs.

Another mistake is to state in your resume, cover letter or email that you are seeking employment in a company of a certain size or with a certain structure (family business, multinational, great work/life balance). You never want to close the door completely on an opportunity. For example, a job seeker looking to work in a small company may find that a very large company is structured into business units that feel like individual small companies. Further, the more conditions you list right on your resume, the more companies will consider you a potentially difficult employee—someone they do not want to deal with.

Finally, it is a mistake to format a resume with multiple typefaces, colored fonts, columns, and illustrations. Such resumes are often rejected by automated resume screen systems, which cannot handle complicated formats. They are also rejected by human hiring managers and recruiters who don’t have the time to work their way through imaginative layouts to find the information they want.

For resumes that hit the right note all the way through, contact Robin’s Resumes® today.

Resume Advice for 50+ Applicants: Part 2

Nov 03 2013

If you are over 50 and looking for employment, you need to beware of these resume gaffs:

Using outdated terminology or misusing current terminology, especially when writing about computer or leadership skills.
Worrying too much about gaps that may have occurred while you took care of children, an aging parent or a sick spouse or simply decided to explore other opportunities.
Sacrificing information about highly valuable earlier experience in an attempt to hide your age.
Relying on an old-fashioned one-size-fits-all resume that does not emphasize the specific skills featured in the job posting or advertisement.
Letting fear stop you from engaging in social media, such as LinkedIn.
Being unprepared for an interview by someone younger than you who may ask (inappropriately, but not illegally) about your age; AARP recommends responding to age-related questions with “How do you see my age affecting my ability to perform the job?”

At Robin’s Resumes® we know how to present your lifetime accomplishments, skills, education and experience in a way that tells hiring managers and recruiters, “Here is a highly qualified candidate.” Contact us today.