As long as you are well equipped to successfully handle the job you desire, it is your responsibility to get an interview by selling your strengths and minimizing any job-getting handicaps of which you are aware. If you are fortunate to be invited in for an interview, there will be ample opportunity to clarify any questionable information the company deems necessary.
Whatever your job-getting handicap, you can minimize its impact in the resume and in the letter of application by emphasizing the following five points:
- the physical neatness, attractiveness, and appeal of the resume;
- the clarity, simplicity, and directness of information presentation;
- self-confidence and positive language used;
- more active campaigning;
- stronger narrative in the nutshell summary and application letter to impress the employer with knowledge of the firm's strengths, accomplishments, and needs. This shows maturity, awareness, perceptiveness, and potential-several positive attributes prized by those charged with the identification and placement of qualified personnel.
In addition to the five points just mentioned, here are several excellent techniques to help you deal effectively with any of the following eleven job-getting handicaps in your written job communications:
1. Insufficient full-time work experience in the field.
- Get more full-time experience in the field to build credentials; then reapply.
- Sell your educational achievements harder.
- Sell your part-time, volunteer, military, and other experiences.
- Demonstrate your maturity, awareness, and knowledge of the firm and job.
- Use a functional resume format to emphasize capability.
- Consider enclosing samples or reviews of your work.
2. Work Experience in Different Fields
- Slant the work experience you have to the field you're seeking.
- Demonstrate knowledge of and desire for this type of job.
- Get experience or indicate desire to get experience and training in the field.
- Sell your educational achievements harder.
- Use a functional resume format to emphasize capability.
3. Too Little Formal Education
- Sell work experience and job-related accomplishments.
- Sell the education you do possess, such as part-time, non-degreed, non-certificate, military, and company training and education.
- Indicate desire to pursue continuing education programs for personal development.
4. Formal Education in Different Fields
- Get more in-field education; then reapply.
- Sell your experience.
- Slant the educational achievements you have for the job you want.
- Show knowledge of and desire for company and job.
- Indicate desire to pursue specialized education.
5. Liberal Arts Education That Is Too General
- Get specialized education and/or experience in field; then reapply.
- Demonstrate knowledge of and desire for work in field,
- Sell full-time experience.
- Sell part-time experience.
6. Too Many Unrelated Jobs
- Sell capability in a functional resume format.
- De-emphasize different jobs and dates of employment.
- Don't defend or dramatize your job-hopping in resume or letter.
7. Work Experience Record. This may have been caused by institutionalization and rehabilitation or other events that could be better handled during the interview.
- Use year (2016)-instead of month and year (January 2016] as time frame for experience record with a gap shorter than one year.
- Omit time frames if gap in record is more than one year. Instead, give period of employment (two years).
- Use functional resume format.
- Don't discuss your time gap until you've been offered the interview.
8. Too Old
- Do not mention age in resume or letter of application or give indications through dates of schooling.
- Use functional resume to sell capability.
9. Getting Fired: Don't mention it.
10. Low Salary History: Don't mention it.
11. Disability: don't mention it if you are capable on the job. It is your ability to overcome, not your disability, that counts, and that is what you should sell.
