A piece of paper....

[Bellyfullasnot]

I usually don't post about too much more than stuff about my kids, toys or food. So I guess this is my first "real thread". I have worked nights and weekends for the last 4 years. I make an average living for Long Island. It's a struggle but I'm able to pay a mortgage and feed a family of four. I enjoy my job, but it's just a job. The point of taking this job (a friends company) was to allow my wife the freedom of working full time or attending school while I watched the kids. Now that my kids are older I feel like I'm missing out on weekend activities like little league and family parties. When they were younger it was cool because I saw them all week. They are now school age so my time is limited. My goal was to do this job until my kids were both in school full time. Little "snot" starts kindergarten in sept.

I recently updated my resume and sent it out to the MTA/RR. I received the "confirmation e-mail" 2 weeks ago but haven't heard anything else. I am also checking the "civil service/ gov" route, but nothing jumps out at me. The more I stare at my resume the more I find it hard to believe that all my life experiences are on a single piece of paper. I'm 38 and finally want a "big boy" job. The last 20 years have consisted a wide range of jobs but all have been long time periods (the least 5 years, the longest 10) The more I stare at this piece of paper the more I get "weird". I can't call it anger, regret, or anxious. I just feel weird. What the F?

[Jujubees2]

If it makes you feel any better I was always told to keep your resume to one page any way.

[milliehatchett]

I know what you mean. It's weird when all those years and skills are summed up on a single sheet of paper.

As a hiring manager, I DO like to see a one page resume. The important thing to look at is: how well do you compress all of the skills from your various positions into bullet points that will make an employer take notice?

A resume reformat is something you might want to look into...especially if your next step is the private sector (rather than gov't).

[Drunky McBetidont]

I know what you mean. It's weird when all those years and skills are summed up on a single sheet of paper.

As a hiring manager, I DO like to see a one page resume. The important thing to look at is: how well do you compress all of the skills from your various positions into bullet points that will make an employer take notice?

A resume reformat is something you might want to look into...especially if your next step is the private sector (rather than gov't).

any good examples of formats that seem to rise above the others in your opinion?

[milliehatchett]

I have a great format example saved on my computer...

If anyone wants a copy of it (it's in Word format) pm me.

[jeffdwright2001]

I could be wrong, but I suspect that you are experiencing something more than just a weird feeling about your one page resume.

I think one of the big factors is that your kids are leaving preschool behind and stepping in to primary school.

It one of those events that gives a parent pause. It's also the sort of transition that is usually accompanied by other related ones. In this case, a potential job change.

I've found that hitting 30 and 35 (which I did last year), had far less of an impact on me than watching my boys (one just turned 2 and the other will be 4 in August) begin their transitions in to preschool.

I don't know exactly how old you are but based on what you wrote, I would say that you might also be at the stage where one begins looking back a little more often than they used to. Up until that point hits, I think many people tend to be more "in the moment". Certainly when kids first come along, things move at a very quick pace as we rush to catch up to the fact that we are now parents.

I don't have much advice, but I will say that it's ok to feel weird. The one piece of paper doesn't describe who you are or even what you have done with you life. At best, it's a snapshot or a cliff's notes version of what your job duties were. Your initial post on this thread is more indicative of who you are as a person.

And another upside is that no matter how you feel about what is behind you, it doesn't dictate what you do in the future. Nor does it forecast what your resume will look like another 10 or 20 years down the road.

[AngelAmy]

I know this is that's life and "my" forum but omg it's jeffdwright!!! I am totaly shocked and happy to see your name here..


Anyhoo...what millie said is probably the best thing for you. To show all the skills you have taken away from your short list of achievements. I haven't had that many jobs myself but when updating my resume I try to think of everything I did at one of those places and write them as a little more than they might have been.

It's hard for anyone to get a good job these days...not just the little people like us who have tiny resumes. So don't feel too bad about what you have accomplished.