I had a major problem.
I was 25 years old, wanted to be a journalist, but had never taken a journalism course. The sum total of my journalism experience was two semesters as second in command on a two-person school newspaper staff.
The thought of going back to college for four more years to get a journalism degree was sickening. I’d just finished my 19th year of school, having studied pre-law in college, then getting a master’s at a seminary.
I had no idea what to do. Then a family friend offered to help me write my resume. “Couldn’t hurt,” I thought to myself. We set up a time, and I went to his house.
The first hour or so wasn’t what I expected. He asked question after question about everything and anything I’d done that might in any way be related to writing. Along the way, he asked me to say more about most of my answers.
Then he started listing skills, accomplishments and achievements that were accurate and showed qualities that would make me a capable journalist. We put that information into my resume in a way that highlighted my strengths.
A few weeks later, I sent that resume to a newspaper, got an interview and was hired. I spent the next 23 years as a journalist, eventually working for one of the top papers in the state then serving as managing editor of a religious publication with readers all over the world.
Throughout my career, I tried to recreate that first experience in my mind every time I updated my resume. It was never quite the same.
Recently I left journalism. It was time for a new adventure. About that time I saw an ad for a program to help me write an effective resume. I knew I needed some help getting my resume up to speed, so I got the program. I was happy to discover that the resume writing process was very similar to what I experienced when I was making my first resume.
Not only did I improve my resume, I felt better about my skills and abilities. Writing an effective resume gave me confidence and helped clarify my future.
Now I help people find a path that leads to the job of their dreams. Writing effective resumes helps them take a strong step in that direction.
Stephen DeVane
P.S. Be sure to read my other articles about resumes and job hunting.