Resume advice needed.

Elizabeth

December 14,2023 at 1:43PM UTC

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Resume advice needed. I have been unemployed since May. During this time, while actively seeking other employment, I have been working part-time as a 1099 contractor for a friend of mine in her bookkeeping business. My question is should this be included on my resume. If so, how should I document it? I should add, bookkeeping has nothing to do with job history or career path which is in learning and development.

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AnonymousDecember 14,2023 at 1:54PM UTC
I say include it. There should be transferable 'soft skills' and since it's been over six months you won't have that dreaded employment gap that (rightly or wrongly) can alarm prospective employers. Maybe don't highlight it since it's not relevant to your career path or previous history, but you could use it to show your adaptability, use of different software, etc.
ElizabethDecember 14,2023 at 3:57PM UTC
Thank you for your feedback. I feel the gap is hurting me.
Wurdah IqbalDecember 14,2023 at 1:58PM UTC
You can add up in your volunteer services or part time work like giving a separate heading.
ElizabethDecember 14,2023 at 3:56PM UTC
Thank you for your feedback.
Nan Burgess-WhitmanDecember 14,2023 at 2:27PM UTC
Absolutely add it. Resumes should include all professional work, related or not! It says more about you, your diversity of skills, and ambition to keep working during job search time. I would title it (her business name) your title, Consultant.
ElizabethDecember 14,2023 at 3:56PM UTC
Thank you for your feedback. It is extremely helpful.
AnonymousDecember 14,2023 at 5:41PM UTC
This is not my experience. In the past resumes have been seen as a “permanent record” that should have all the things. That is no longer best practice. A resume should work as a marketing tool directing the reader to what they should know about you, your skills and your experience. The narrative is yours to craft and control. And should speak to what is important to the reader (aka hiring manager, recruiter, etc) A resume should tell your story in a way that showcases you for the role you want next. This is assuming the OP is in the US, if not ignore my comment as my experience and knowledge are us market only.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistDecember 16,2023 at 11:13PM UTC
That is not true. First of all, it's common practice that anything over 10 or 15 years - depending on how relevant to your current job search the experience is - gets lopped off the resume.
Most hiring managers are not looking for "diversity of skills" - they are looking for a very specific skillset to solve a specific issue in their business.
Resumes should be as focused as possible. They also should not "include all professional work". No one cares that you were scooping ice cream early in your career and no one is going to hire you based on, nor do they care about what you were doing, in 1997.
AnonymousDecember 14,2023 at 3:31PM UTC
I feel you are exactly stating what I'm going through - same scenario - thank you for bringing this to the table as I too am struggling with this, I'm thinking I'm only going to bring it up during interviews just to show I'm flexible to move outside of my usual and that I haven't been just sitting about. Good luck
ElizabethDecember 14,2023 at 3:55PM UTC
That was my initial thought and what I have been doing.
However, in the last couple of months my interview requests have drastically declined and I am wondering if the extended gap of non-employment on my resume is causing this.
AnonymousDecember 15,2023 at 5:41PM UTC
I don't put an end date until they ask if I'm still there - then I say no and that I've been doing this side gig for now to help our a friend.
Felicia CabrelliDecember 14,2023 at 3:58PM UTC
As a recruiter, my viewpoint is it’s up to you. On the “pro” side it shows you hustle and are doing what it takes to stay busy. It also shows you’ve learned a new skill. One the “con” side you are right - it’s not relevant to your career path.
I’m currently in transition myself. I work two PT jobs. One is retail and one is working for a national outplacement firm revising resumes for their clients. I have not put the retail job on my resume but will put the resume job on my resume since it’s career adjacent.
if you decide to include it you can show it like your other roles and put (contract) next to the job title.
I hope that helps!
ElizabethDecember 14,2023 at 10:37PM UTC
Thank you for taking the time to answer. It definitely does help.
AnonymousDecember 14,2023 at 4:29PM UTC
You record it as a Contractor and describe the duties as closely aligned with you past work history.
Jodi PetersDecember 14,2023 at 7:12PM UTC
of course it should go on your resume
marden928December 15,2023 at 1:45PM UTC
Yes, for sure! Call yourself self-employed or list your title as contractor.
AnonymousDecember 16,2023 at 4:22AM UTC
Yes, you may want to do a functional resume and include this as other experience. Highlight what is relevant as a skill to what you aspire to achieve.