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Free Sample Resumes
Susan Ireland has made these sample resumes available to help you see how you might prepare your resume.
Each sample has an article explaining the fictional job seeker's problem, resolved by the resume.
Sample Resumes:
The challenges faced by these job seekers is explained in the article that accompanies the resume, and should help understanding of the particular challenges each job seeker faced. Each sample resume illustrates how to resolve several issues that the job seeker had.
Read the explanation of the situation the resume is addressing before you look at the resume.
Typical Resume - No Special Situation
Average Joe Job Seeker: This "regular guy" has been working for several years and is looking for a non-management job in his current field. Learn more about how he stands out without changing who he is. The resume: "Average Joe" Resume (new window/tab will open)
Special Situation: Entering or Re-entering the Job Market
- A Mom Returning to Work: This job seeker faced two big challenges - handling the employment gap when she was home taking care of her family and also changing the direction of her career when she returned to the workforce. Learn more about how she managed each challenge. The resume: Mom Returning to Work (new window/tab will open)
- A VERY Untraditional Career: After graduating from college, this older job seeker spent 7 years meditating in India. When he returned to the USA, he earned an MBA in marketing. See how he handles that untraditional background. (To see how he managed his job change when he first returned from India, see the Extreme Career Change example below.) The resume: A Traditional Resume for a VERY Untraditonal Career (new window/tab will open)
- College Student: Graduating next May, this student is getting a jump start on her post-graduation job search. Read how she combined her experience, both on the job and off, to impress potential employers. The resume: College Student Resume (new window/tab will open)
- New Grad: This new accounting grad wants to follow up on experience she gained during an internship. Read the issues this job seeker faced and how she handled education.The resume: New Grad Resume (new window/tab will open)
Special Situation: Unemployed Job Seekers
- Older, Laid-Off Worker: Appropriately presenting all the experience that an older job seeker brings to an employer can be challenging. Read how this job seeker resolved three tough issues. The resume: Older, Laid-Off Worker Resume (new window/tab will open)
- Laid-Off Project Manager: After several years experience and two years with his last employer, this job seeker faced an unexpected job search after being laid off. Learn how the laid off challenges were managed. The resume: Laid-Off Project Manager Resume (new window/tab will open)
- Just Fired: A job search after you've been fired can be difficult. Read how this experienced manager handled being fired. The resume: Just Fired Resume (new window/tab will open)
- Unemployed with a Chronic Illness: This job seeker faces two challenges, a chronic illness (MS) and being currently unemployed. Learn how she handles both her chronic ilness and being unemployed. The resume: Job Seeker with Chronic Illness Resume (new window/tab will open)
Other Special Situations:
- Older Job Seeker Looks Younger: This older job seeker competes with much younger job seekers in a "young field." Learn how he made himself look younger to compete successfully. The resume: Older Job Seeker Looks Younger Resume (new window/tab will open)
- Job Seeker with Gaps in Employment: This job seeker used her volunteer work to disguise her gaps in employment. Learn more about how she handled employment gaps. The resume: Handling Employment Gaps Resume (new window/tab will open)
- Extreme Career Change: This resume is the functional resume used by the job seeker with the very untraditional career (above) in 1999 when he first returned to the USA and looked for a job. See how the functional resume, circa 1999, manages to aid this extreme career change. The resume: Functional Resume for an Extreme Career Change (new window/tab will open)
- Highlighting Education: In some fields education is very important to employers, so the job seeker needs to emphasize that aspect of his background. Learn how this management consultant emphasized his education several ways to highlight his qualifications. The resume: Highlighting Education Resume (new window/tab will open)
- Non-Profit Executive with No Degree: This successful senior manager did not finish her college degree and is now seeking an executive director postion, typically requiring a degree. Learn how she managed the missing degree plus an employment gap. The resume: Non-Profit Executive with No Degree Resume (new window/tab will open)
About this author:
Susan Ireland is the author of four job search books including The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume, now in its 5th edition. For more information about writing your resume, read Susan's books or visit Susan's Website SusanIreland.com. For immediate help with your resume and cover letter, check out Susan's Ready Made Resumes and Cover Letters, an online resume builder to help job seekers quickly create an effective resume. Follow Susan on Twitter @SusanIreland, visit her on Facebook, and interact with her on the LinkedIn's JOBS Group (Job Openings, Job Leads and Job Connections!) in her ** Let's Talk Resumes ** featured discussion.