Jun 25, 2008

BUSINESS MATTERS: Keep your part-time job on resume

By Mildred Culp / Daily News columnist

Dear Dr. Culp,

How do I update my resume now that I'm ready to re-enter bio/pharma? In addition to working full time, I've worked in part-time retail on commission during evenings and weekends between 18 to 25 hours per week. I didn't discuss my part-time position with my full-time employer. I was laid off in my main field March 2007. I'd prefer not to discuss the commission sales position, but my resume is missing a year of work activity. What do I do? Please advise. Ready for full-time employment.



Dear Ready,

You will be if you:

_ Remove the months from your years of employment. That way, you won't appear to have been unemployed in your field as long.

_ Mention that "upon leaving the industry, worked in an unrelated industry evenings and weekends." There's no need to explain how long. Should a question arise, refer to it briefly as "pin money" and change the subject. Indicate that you'll be dropping it when you start your new job.

_ While I know you don't want to, consider mentioning this work flat-out, without the company. It reflects what a hard worker you are, how goal-oriented you are and how you're aware that sales are significant to any company.

UPSHOT

Dear Dr. Culp,

In July 2007, I was laid off after refusing to move out of state or work from home. I started a new job October 2007. It was very easy and extremely boring. My former employer called often to tell me how badly the new person was doing. When she quit, they begged me to come back. They told me how great it was with all of the changes. Needless to say, I bought it and went back to the old job in January.

Well, things are not great and my workload has decreased. There is even talk of closing this division. Can I leave the short-term job off my resume and put that I was laid off the entire time before coming back in January?



Dear Caught,

You must be honest, but you needn't tell all.

You may omit the short job and re-employment, because neither covers the span of a year. However, if you include the re-employment, you can't state that you were unemployed during the intervening time. Just don't refer to it. If it comes up, say that you had an unchallenging short-term job and keep the conversation going.



*blogTip*

STYLIST

Janet, in the PR industry, scheduled an informational interview with Sheila, a business owner. When she arrived, the assistant showed her to Sheila's office, where Janet was asked to wait.

"I was referred by the senior vice president of a major bank, and the meeting had already been rescheduled once because she had a medical appointment," Janet says, "so I decided to wait. I couldn't look around the office very much or read the newspaper, because I didn't know when she'd arrive. Literally, I was there for an hour, twiddling my thumbs."

Then Sheila strolled in, apologizing for the fact that she'd been having her hair done. Her hair done? Are you kidding? Within the next half-hour, the two traded stories about their background. Janet started to walk out, referral in hand.

"As I left," Janet recalls, "she asked me to forgive her for keeping me waiting. 'Sheila,' I replied, 'I've already forgotten.' But I had not and cannot."

Let Janet inspire you. Despite her nightmare, she salvaged a referral from a flake, who cared more about her personal appointments than her professional image. You might even have to take charge with a high roller - especially if she's been rolling her hair as she rolls downhill.

Just think. Hair today, gone tomorrow.



E-mail your job-hunting questions to award-winning journalist Dr. Mildred Culp at culp@workwise.net. Copyright 2008 Passage Media