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Tuesday’s Tip: Last Job Held In 2009? Don’t Let the Employer Know This

Posted by Kevin Crews - The Career Strategist on December 21, 2010 in Job Tip |
The New Year (2011) is just around the corner, and if you have been unemployed since December 2009 (or earlier), the following date range on your resume is not going to be a selling point to potential employers:
IBM - Training Manager - 2005 to 2009
This will look like you have been unemployed for 2 years (even though that may not be the case). You can make it look a little better by adding the months next to the years (but most recruiters will not do the math - they will make the easy calculation and toss your resume out). Thus, this date format will not be a selling point on your resume!
Since I believe that your resume is a creative marketing and sales document (and not a history document), I am going to suggest that you get very creative by using the following on your resume:
IBM - Training Manager
Since 2005

By listing it this way, the reader is not really aware if you are still with the company or not. I am not suggesting that you lie, but I am asking you do be a little deceptive. You know, like all the small print we see on the products we buy and the contracts we sign. Why be sneaky? Because the incompetent recruiter is going to ignore a potentially great candidate because they (or the Hiring Manager) has interpreted your lengthy sabbatical could only be for one reason; you must not be very good at your job and thus unemployable! And placing "Since 2005" on the second line does not necessarily suggest that this date is tied to your title at IBM. It could represent your bullet points that are listed below it.
I want you to have a chance at getting a call and after you have been given that chance to sell your skills to the company, then, you can reveal to them that you are not currently working and disclose more information about your background. Once they fall in love with your background and feel that you are an ideal candidate, they will NOW begin to "overlook" some of your "flaws", but if you never get invited to talk to anyone, you don't have a chance at all. At least this way, you are given an opportunity to shine.
Other options to consider would be to start your own consulting firm, mention your sabbatical, or reason for not currently being employed (ie. caring for an ill family member, etc.). If you don't somehow explain it, they are going to assume the worst!

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