Resume Sample: Unemployed with Chronic Illness

Sandi Peterson (not her real name) is an Internet Marketing Professional looking for a job in online marketing management.

While browsing a company website she found a job post that seems a perfect fit for her.

Notice how Sandi customizes her resume for this specific opportunity.

The Details About This Resume Sample

Since Sandi is applying for a specific opportunity with this resume, she has customized it to make it clear that she is qualified for this job.

Matching the Resume to the Opportunity

Here’s a list of requirements and preferences for the Marketing Management job:

  • At least 5 years experience in marketing management
  • Able to supervise creative teams
  • Work in conjunction with sales team
  • Internet marketing and product launch experience
  • Social media marketing experience a plus
  • MBA preferred

Keywords used in the job post:

  • Online marketing
  • Product launch
  • Management
  • MBA
  • Creative teams
  • Internet marketing
  • Supervise teams
  • Social media marketing

With this information in hand, Sandi targeted her resume by including all the keywords from the job post and writing about her relevant achievements.

Notice how she highlighted her pending MBA by placing the Education section near the top of the page (even though she’s not a recent grad) and listing her thesis in Social Media Marketing Strategies for Profit and Nonprofit Organizations.

What’s NOT on Sandi’s Resume

Sandi’s resume is completely honest but doesn’t scream “I am out of work!” It’s not obvious that she is unemployed.

That is achieved by putting the relevant keywords in the Leadership Acumen and Areas of Expertise sections. She also includes her education on the front page of the resume.

This means her employment history is not at the top of the page. In fact, her employment history doesn’t appear until the 2nd page of the resume.

She is hoping that her skills and achievements will pull in the reader before they realize that she is unemployed.

However, unemployment is not Sandi’s biggest obstacle. Sandi has Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic disease that sometimes makes full-time work in an office environment challenging.

When the time comes, she will have a discussion with her potential employer about how she can manage a full workload and what accommodations her disability requires. Until then, there’s no need to mention it on her resume.

The Bottom Line:

Many people with chronic illnesses are able to work from virtual locations, as well as on-site. Finding a career that can be done from a virtual location when your illness may keep you from getting out to an office, will help people with these types of situations to stay actively employed.

  The Resume Samples for Sandi:  

More About Beating Unemployment:


Erin KennedyAbout the author…

Erin Kennedy is a Master Career Director (MCD), Certified Master Resume Writer (MCRW), Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), and Certified Empowerment & Motivational Coach (CEMC). She has been helping clients since 1999. Erin is also the President of Professional Resume Services, Inc.. Visit her website and connect with Erin on LinkedIn and Twitter.
More about this author


Don't forget to share this article with friends!