Need advice.

Anonymous

September 22,2022 at 3:06PM UTC

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Need advice. I have been in my current position with a large corporation for almost 6 years years. I have taken on so much responsibility from other managers and other departments that I have become a key employee and can do many things that no one else at my location even knows how to do! There has also been a huge amount of turnover since I started there and I have been asked to handle responsibilities that are completely out of my current job description. We have also hired a good bit of managers that either don't know how or will not do their jobs. So, I end up doing many management level tasks that I do not get credit for in any way! Mostly everything that I do, someone else gets credit for or I would refer to as scut or grunt work that is not helping my resume or career growth at all. While I am extremely valuable at my division level and none of the department managers want me to leave, I cannot get beyond that. I am at a dead end and there is no where for me to grow at my division. I am tired and generally unhappy!

Recently, I have applied to several positions and had several interviews for remote positions at the corporate level and not yet received an offer. Technically, the positions that I am applying to our mostly Finance positions and I am currently in another department. I work very closely and have many responsibilities that are considered Finance. But I do not know how to best convey the fact that I wear MANY hats in my job. Of course they do not say it, but it is almost like they do not take me seriously.

How do I (jack of all trades, master of none) best present myself in the interviews to convey all of this information without speaking negatively about my division or the people that I work with?

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LinaSeptember 22,2022 at 4:10PM UTC
Are you covering that information in your cover letter? Or adding the finance part on your resume as additional skills and experience? Find a way to put it front and center and then you can explain how you were 'helping' and earned those qualifications.
Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career CoachSeptember 22,2022 at 4:14PM UTC
Focus on what you do and the TOP things that you are good at.
You dont necessarily have to give them an exhaustive list, but to really stand out I would focus on the top 3 things you are good at and have accomplished - that THEY appreciate. What are they specifically looking for? How can you show them that you are fully capable of stepping in and going that job? If they cannot picture you coming in and doing what they NEED, they'll likely try to find it in some one else.
It's all in positioning yourself so they actually *remember you* instead of going through the "doing it all" spill.
Get what I mean?
Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterSeptember 22,2022 at 4:37PM UTC
Make sure you understand the competencies required for the job (they are in the job description, either explicitly or implicitly). Then build your CARL stories around situations where you displayed that competency.
You've probably heard of STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories; I use the CARL acronym: Challenge, Action, Result, Lessons Learned.
I agree with Maegan - you don't necessarily want to present yourself as a jack of all trades - from a branding perspective, that's like Nike trying to sell us shoes that, in addition to putting on our feet, can also be used as doorsteps, dog toys, and salad bowls. Show relevance to what THEY are looking for.
AnonymousSeptember 22,2022 at 4:44PM UTC
Focus on what you can do for the position. With your background, follow the money, show how you have completed tasks and the financial aspects of the task, i.e. created a total cost of ownership model for decision making or you are the go-to person to get a financially sound project completed. show how you can view the big picture amid chaos. Why do you want to finance as your next career move, and what skills are transferable to that organization's needs and wants? Do not focus on your current department. The goal is to find a position that is right for you. Also, have you tried to document repetitive work so that someone else can do the work? Maybe have an informal lunch and learn to teach coworkers tasks you need help on. This skill can also add to your resume.
AnonymousSeptember 22,2022 at 9:26PM UTC
This has nothing to do with your current company. Reframe your thinking. You are resourceful and able to quickly see where you are needed, assess what is required to keep things moving and accept the responsibility long term so that processes and support continue to flow to key parts of the company. Because you have a unique vantage point, you connect the dots seamlessly and fill in the gaps with little direction and guidance.
As such, you have not collected the titles along the way to accurately describe all you bring to the table.
AnonymousSeptember 23,2022 at 7:01AM UTC
Customize your resume to the finance jobs that you are applying for.
If possible, describe your role generically (examples: Analyst, Associate, Manager, Vice President) rather than in terms of a non-finance specialization. Next, draft your job description to focus on your finance responsibilities.