| This chronological resume is for Eunice Grave (not her real name), a job seeker who wants to continue her career advancement to a position as director of a non-profit organization. She is highly qualified and motivated, but does not have a college degree, which could be a stumbling block. See how this issue is addressed in her resume. Sample Resume for Executive Degree-less Job Seeker (a new window will open).
About this sample resume:
This resume highlights Eurnice Grave's strong background in nonprofit management, with her most recent position serving the very population mentioned in her job objective statement. All of her jobs lead upward, reaching for her desire to be the Director of the next nonprofit she works for.
Notice how her achievement statements address a bottom line that's "softer" than those for a for-profit company. She uses numbers where possible (for example: " Managed a $245,000 budget, which included operations, public relations, and payroll expenses."), however, most of her success is based on human interactions, care, and quality of services. The reader of her resume will appreciate her attention to both her clients' needs and the administrative side of good nonprofit management.
Eunice created an "Additional relevant experience" subsection at the end of her Experience section. This allowed her to:
- Include a relevant volunteer position she held back in 1979, without mentioning dates.
- Hide a gap in employment from 1980 to 1993 when she was a full-time mom.
She did not get a college degree, however, she attended college for two years before starting a family. Rather than leaving the Education section blank, she noted her area of study at the college without listing dates. Had Eunice put dates for her college experience (1977-1979), she would have highlighted the fact that she didn't complete her degree program. Also, dates would have pointed out the gap in employment between her time in school and the earliest job listed in her Experience section.
Without going into detail, her Education section tells the employer:
- She achieved her high school diploma.
- She has college-level coursework under her belt.
Bottom Line:
By emphasizing her strengths and de-emphasizing her deficits, Eunice was able to successfully compete in her job market.
© Copyright Susan Ireland, 2003-10. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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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, a downloadable product to help job seekers quickly create an effective resume. Follow Susan on Twitter @SusanIreland, visit her JobLounge blog, 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.
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