Self-Preparation Before (Re)Writing a Resume

Before you start thinking about the actual content of your resume, you really need to ask yourself a number of key questions.

What is your ideal position?

Think about the perfect job. Everybody’s is different. What is it about the job you like? Working with people or not working with anybody?. Having plenty of projects or do you prefer repetitive tasks which free you mind?

What kinds of things do you like doing?

Think about your hobbies. Think about what you do at home in your sparetime that makes life worth living. Can you do it and get paid for it somewhere or in some form? It might not be quite the same, but if your job evens contains an atom of what you enjoy, you’ll find you like the job.

Think about your favorite job in the past; what was it you liked about it so much?

Was there a part-time job that you really enjoyed? Maybe the job only lasted a few months, but you really liked it. What was it about that job that made you enjoy it so much? Could you find those things in another job?

Are there gaps in your employment?

If there are, it’s not the end of the world. Are those gaps legitimate? What were you doing during that time? Can you turn your absence from the workplace into a positive virtue? For example, if you were travelling during a gap of three months or so, what did it teach you. Try to sell it as a gain, rather than as a loss.

Reasons for leaving each position?

Figure out the best way to explain why you left each position. The idea is to present your move in the best light possible. Above all, be honest. Getting caught in a lie is far worse than having to admit that you didn’t like a particular job. Remember, at some point your potential employer will contact your past employer to get their side of the story.