Dear Deb:
The women I am working with have no legal work history, but I was told I must write resumes for them. As a former businesswoman, I know the resumes are ineffective – I wouldn’t hire them! Any ideas?

Good job! At least you are thinking like an employer and can see that the resumes don’t sell – this  should always be our litmus test for any marketing strategy. Remember, the purpose of a resume (or any written marketing piece in the job search) is to get an interview. Additionally, a great resume will build your client’s self-esteem. So far it sounds as if your resumes are doing neither — you must break out of the traditional mind-set, because you are working with non-traditional clients. Here are some ideas for finding marketable skills which prove their abilities and for accounting for some of their time in the past..

Look for skills and experience gained as a volunteer, such as caring for a sick parent, helping at their child’s school, required community service assignments, work they have done around your offices, even prison work experience or other non-traditional volunteer experiences which can prove their skills. Then list them as you would paid jobs under the simple title ‘Experience’ so you are not dishonest.

Help them secure a traditional volunteer position in their Field of Fascination. A great volunteer is often offered full-time work — so teach them to be great! We have information on how to teach business culture to candidates who have never succeeded in it.

Cultivate relationships with employers who offer many entry-level positions. Let them know that most of your women have been stay-at-home moms, housewives, students or ’self-employed’ but now want to work in the workforce. Tell them that you provide training in how to be a great employee and will continue working with them even after they are employed. This will allow you to design resumes using the client’s appropriate life experience, without the employer screening them out. Then begin carefully matching and sending clients to them.

Photo by Lars Plougmann

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