Hello FGB,

Anonymous

April 2,2022 at 2:29AM UTC

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Hello FGB,

I have been actively seeking employment and am getting concerned at the amount of time it is taking to land anything. I am taking some wonderful advice I have found here for updating / refreshing my resume - I recently realized that anything from the last decade can probably come off and that will lead me to focus on my last job that ended mid pandemic. I have been working as a language instructor/ tutor and retail but I will not put the latter on my resume since many recruiters I am working with do not target retail work (I wouldn’t add it for lack of relevance to the resume).. that said I am so worried any potential employer will think I haven’t been doing anything! Not underemployed by choice but am wondering how long before I look like a risk rather than an interesting candidate and what skills should I target or look into to stay skill ready / current? Th into so much..

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AnonymousApril 2,2022 at 3:39PM UTC
It honestly depends on the sector you want to work in. I hire in education. Retail whilst studying is fine- it shows work ethic. You need to get back into your preferred field as soon as you can. Maybe some related volunteering?
Sabrina CortesApril 5,2022 at 7:47PM UTC
I'm a professional Resume Writer and would recommend tailoring your resume to each job that you apply for. This greatly increases your chances of passing the applicant tracking systems (ATS) scanning process and gets your resume into the hands of a Recruiter and Hiring Manager. So this is one of the top things you can do for your job search!
You're correct that resumes cover the last 10 years of employment, which includes certifications that you received within 5 years (or if they are ongoing, you can list them). Have you received any awards or other career accomplishments during your career? You can list these too to hep you stand out. If your retail jobs were within the last 10 years, you can mention them but, don't list your responsibilities. This will show your work history.
Regarding your employment gap, up to 12 months is acceptable and reasonable. So, if you fall within that timeframe, you're ok.
I hope this was helpful!
I offer free resume reviews and I'd love to give you some additional tips. In case you're interested feel free to email me at sabrina@writewithsabrina.com. You can also take a look at my profile on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinacortes-writewithsabrina/) if you'd like.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, ok?
Best of luck to you!