Resumes are no longer restricted to a chronological history with only snippets of insight into accomplishments, interests, and other activities. The rulebooks are no longer rigid. Resumes are a marketing tool. Resumes are a tool to open a door through intelligent, honest marketing or to seal a deal when a networking contact is impressed by their interactions with a candidate. However, anything other than the expected chronological resume makes employers uncomfortable. The challenge there lies on the job seeker to craft their resume to be an effective marketing tool while intriguing without turning-off potential employers.
Military Spouses often conclude that the “traditional” approach is ineffective after countless submissions and never getting a call for an interview. If you view my current LinkedIn profile, you will find that I have my achievements listed followed by a string of notable obstacles that made them exceptionally difficult to achieve:
– An array of short term and seemingly unrelated work experiences,
– Little to no previous experience in the industries she pursued,
– A lack of a nearby family support system during deployments,
– A lengthy period of non-paid work as a Stay-at-Home Parent,
– The inability to develop or commit to long-term employment,
– And continually arriving in new local areas with no established network or connections.
Sound familiar? Every single challenge on my list is caused on part by my military life and I find that most military spouses struggle with the same challenges. On a resume, my achievements may not appear to be extraordinary but they are when put in the context of my challenges. Also, these particular challenges affect my ability to appear qualified and competitive because my track record is not exactly what employers expect. Creative strategy is necessary to open doors and be competitive.
The top three most effective progressive resume strategies for military spouses are:
