Feeling insecure or anxious about explaining your career track & how it relates to your current job search is more common than you think, but also also a lot easier to do than realized. I remember early on after graduating college, I’d go on interviews in fear because my background didn’t quite match what was outlined specifically in the job description. I’d sold myself short before even arriving despite the fact that I’d gotten as far as the interview. I was already a step ahead, which was based on the resume I’d submitted, which alone should have been a tell that securing anything further was based on the in person portion.
Most hiring managers were interested in the more valuable take aways from previous positions & how I could then clearly & effectively explain to them my plan to apply the new knowledge & skills to the new position given the opportunity. Understanding this & using this approach ultimately became my way of obtaining opportunities that weren’t necessarily the most consistent with the last.
Whether you’ve made several career changes, haven’t had the best luck with finding opportunities within your desired career field or took time off for personal reasons & are preparing to hop back in the job market, what is taken from these experiences & how well you can be prove the experiences from each can still be of value to a new employer is what matters the most. The worst thing you can do is overthink these enough to the point of self sabotage. Keep it simple & prepare a narrative thats an extension of your resume. One you’d want the hiring manager to be left with rather than allowing them to form a perspective far from what’s in writing.
Well before receiving the opportunity to interview, take audit. Review your updated resume & go through each job, listing or highlighting the most valuable skills from your time in those positions. This way, when you receive a call to set up an interview, you’ll have this information & technique in place to help prepare for this anticipated question. Being able to control the narrative in a more positive way will leave you feeling satisfied & fulfilled about your conversation with the person interviewing you, instead of a feeling of regret for not taking ownership of your choices or accepting the roles you may have had to take to sustain.
Most hiring managers understand the job market isn’t always favorable. However its still important to showcase skills learned from anywhere & also be able to explain how you’ve been able to keep up to date with industry information & statistics or how you’ve been investing in staying knowledgeable about changes that happen within your desired field, despite the unfortunate lack of opportunities that found you.
Something that helped me during my search for work in my field I learned was staying connected with those who were & also the latest trends or changes happening. They may not have effected me or the job position directly, however it served a purpose in interviews. I was able to have a conversation based on what may have been effecting others or their organization, & also provide my personal views & maybe even touch on possible ideas for solutions.
Take the extra step by providing a short 1-2 sentence explanation regarding the gap(s). You can got into a little more detail in a Cover Letter if you feel the need. If you experienced an illness or injury that caused the gap, I suggest including this information to ensure you’re not overlooked for consideration.
Its not always guaranteed that your career aspirations will line up the way you expect them to. My experiences have taught me that I should be proud of the skills I was required to learn based on the job held at the time & not be embarrassed about the lack of opportunity or time off. The differentiation I’ve had in my career has actually made me a more versatile candidate in most cases that has brought a different perspective to most of the organizations I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I’ve been able to bring more innovative ideas that weren’t necessarily on their radar as a way to solve internal problems as a result of those experiences.
Resume Tips to Remember
- Be Honest – The worse thing you can do is purposely exclude information from your resume. Any gaps that aren’t explained will likely come up in question during the hiring process. Being dishonest will have a negative effect on your chances of being considered. If you spent time in positions that didn’t necessarily line up with the job your applied for, be prepared to explain your journey & don’t be afraid to acknowledge the transferrable knowledge & how it will benefit you in your new role.
- Narrate Your Story with Value – Prove to the hiring manager that despite your time away from work or spent in jobs that do not exactly relate, you were still able to obtain some achievements during this time that may still be of value to this new opportunity. Showcase in your opening summary a compelling description that will easily win them over.
- Promise to Deliver – Use the skills summary section of your resume to set the tone for your work ethic. Explain what you’ll be delivering if given the opportunity in enough detail to win them over despite any gaps or lack of direct experience.