banannie

My friend Jen wrote about the fact that she doesn’t have a resume. She’s worked for the government since college and hasn’t had the need. Jen writes:

At my age and in this world, that seems shameful to me. But it’s probably not. It’s a product of circumstance.

I don’t have a resume either. I’ve got files on my mac called “resume1″ “resumetest” “functionalresume” and such, but they’re feeble attempts at best. I was out of the workforce entirely for almost eighteen years, although I was volunteering through most of that time, and teaching myself web design and other skills. My return to work has been via freelancing. No resume required.

So how do I write a resume? I suppose it would help if I knew exactly what job I’d be going after, and since I’m not really going after a job as I write this- I lack that focus. But I know (and you, potential employer, probably know) that I wasn’t in a cave for those 18 years and the skills it takes to successfully raise three boys can certainly transfer to managing adults and projects.

But not as easily to a resume.

I should have one, though. If opportunity knocks it would be nice to be able to print off or email a resume to a potential employer without panicking and throwing one together overnight. Resume writing feels like wedding planning to me- a lot of fuss over a minor detail that isn’t really what it’s all about. The wedding is to marriage as a resume is to being employed. A necessary step but not where the focus really should be. Considering the amount of “me” easily found on the web, it would probably save time for both potential employers and myself if I could, instead of offering a resume, simply say “Google me! If you like what you see, let’s talk.”

(So, potential employer, assuming that you found this post after not tossing my resume into the trash, let me show you how the skills learned from eighteen years of raising kids, volunteering, and teaching myself geeky skills can benefit you!)