If your resume strategy was to jot down all of your experience (accompanied by each company and relevant date of employment) and hope for the best, you will probably be met with disappointing results. In situations of limited experience this standard method of approach will most likely be screened out as it fails to demonstrate what you are offering that is relevant to the role and that will add value to the organization.
For far greater resume impact, recognize the key areas and tasks associated with a position to understand what the recruiter/potential employer is looking for, and identify transferable skills garnered from previous experience or life lessons so that you can demonstrate your ability to meet the needs of the organization.
Relevant experience and transferable skills do not have to be demonstrated only through paid employment, but can also be achieved through:
- voluntary work experience;
- internships;
- special academic projects and assignments;
- participation on Committees and Boards;
- work placements;
- own business or consultancy;
- family business operations;
- short term secondments/higher duty assignments;
- studies / education;
- professional development courses;
- and the list goes on.
Firstly, develop a list of important skills and abilities required to perform this task well and note these on a chart. Secondly, think about the areas throughout your career or life experiences where you can demonstrate both similar experience and achievements and then jot these down in a column next to the list of crucial job skills. Note: use the above examples to prompt your transferable skills self-assessment task.
Once you have generated your list it is crucial to consider the formatting and layout of your resume in order to highlight these skills in the best possible way. Our previous article 'Selecting the right resume format' (Sept 2004) provides detailed information on the most commonly used resume presentations, which we will review, as choosing the correct presentation strategy is vital in situations of limited experience.
Reverse Chronological:
This is the most common resume format that many job seekers are using today, and a format that is widely accepted by both employers and recruiters. This style portrays an historical timeline of your experience in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent position through to the first position held. Using a reverse chronological resume in a situation of limited experience would be disastrous, as it does not match transferable skills, experience and achievements to the position or organization's requirements.
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