Page 23 - Marky Stein - Get a Great Job When You Don't Have a Job-McGraw-Hill (2009)

Get a Great Job When You Don’t Have a Job

I took some time out of my career to spend with my
young family. I gave birth/helped my partner give birth
to our infant son/daughter. I think that employers may
be rejecting my résumé because of this gap in employ-
ment. My family is my top priority, but now it seems like
I can’t get back into the job market. I feel angry! I feel
powerless about what to do.
Last year I did some overseas travel and practiced
my passion for photography at a community college.
I didn’t work for a year, and now it’s harder than ever
to get interviews. What can I do?
I have reasons, such as health problems, an extended wed-
ding and honeymoon, family illnesses, a painful divorce,
or a disability, for gaps in employment. I don’t want to
lie, but is there any way to cover up these gaps?
I feel that my résumé just looks dull. I haven’t done
anything that special in my life. I have nothing to brag
about. I just did my job. But I can’t get interviews. Is it
because my résumé isn’t good enough?
I have all the experience in the world. I just don’t have
the degree that’s needed for the jobs I’m applying for.
I could run circles around half of those people with
degrees, but I don’t have a piece of paper to prove it.
Am I really going to have to spend thousands of dollars
and years of my life just to get a degree? Why can’t I
get hired when I have double the experience of these
people with degrees?
Every time I’ve gotten a job, either it’s been through a
friend or I just filled out a short application. Now I’m
searching for a new job, and all those available require
that I send a résumé. Help! I have no idea how to write
a résumé.
I got fired from a job—maybe even more than once.
Can I just leave those jobs off my résumé in case they
call the employers and find out that I was terminated?
I’m really scared of a possible employer knowing about
that/those incident(s).

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