| -link"> | | | | resume to emphasize yourskills and strengths for |
| At one time or another, every employee | | | | the positions you want to pursue. Your |
| wonders what it would be like to workin a | | | | firstthought is to list your skills and minimize your |
| telecommuting situation. But, they look at their | | | | work history---thefunctional resume. This won't |
| current job andwonder how they could ever do it | | | | work as the employer will assume that |
| from home. Well, that concern is quitecorrect as | | | | you'retrying to hide something. You also don't |
| some jobs cannot be done from home. However, | | | | want to list your work experiencefirst because |
| one possiblesolution is to change careers into | | | | you won't get the job since your work history will |
| something that compliments atelecommuting | | | | not reflectanything applicable for the new career. |
| situation. | | | | You want to write a resume that mixes relevant |
| I've heard it said that changing careers is one of | | | | skills, achievements, andexperiences. Put your |
| the more stressfulsituations that a person can | | | | most valuable skills and abilities near the |
| experience. This is especially true if you'vebeen in | | | | beginningand add an objective tailored to the job |
| a position for many years. There is a way, | | | | you are trying to get. A goodoutline for a career |
| however, to ease into acareer change without | | | | change resume follows: |
| inducing any of the stress that usually | | | | * OBJECTIVE |
| accompaniesthe transition. | | | | Write the objective to match the requirements of |
| --- Baby Steps --- | | | | the job. For instance, ifyou want a job as an |
| Let's assume that you're an executive secretary | | | | "Internet Sourcer," then you could write |
| with dreams of working fromhome. However, | | | | somethinglike: "An independent self-starter seeking |
| your current position is not practical outside of | | | | a contract or freelance positionto provide |
| theoffice. You start thinking of other jobs that | | | | research and analysis skills using knowledge, a |
| you could do, but realizethat no one will hire you | | | | positiveattitude, and experience as assets for the |
| immediately because you lack the experience | | | | hiring company." |
| totake on such a position full-time. Instead of | | | | * SKILLS |
| pursuing the situation, yousimply give up your | | | | Describe up to five skills or areas of expertise |
| dreams and accept the fact that you are stuck in | | | | that you can offer. Theskills can come from |
| yourcurrent position until retirement. | | | | anywhere as long as you can prove them (e.g., a |
| Realize that you can still move forward with your | | | | degreeyou completed last year or a hobby that |
| dream of working at home,just not all at once. | | | | makes you an expert). |
| You have to take it a little at a time to | | | | * ACHIEVEMENTS |
| gainexperience and prove your abilities before you | | | | List up to five bulleted points describing positive |
| take the leap into a newcareer. Your first step is | | | | things you've donerelated your target job. For |
| to determine what you would like to do, | | | | example, you can include both paid andvolunteer |
| thatwould lend itself to telecommuting, and still | | | | work as well as hobbies or education. |
| pay handsomely. | | | | * EDUCATION/TRAINING or EXPERIENCE |
| Let's think, you're an executive secretary so your | | | | List those items that fit well with your target |
| immediate skills aretelephone, organization, | | | | career. If your educationexemplifies your skills for |
| scheduling, data entry, research, and | | | | the job, emphasize it. As for experience, listthose |
| variousword-processing and spreadsheet | | | | items in your current and past jobs that |
| applications. Consider these variousindividual skills | | | | emphasize your experiencespecifically for the job |
| and put them together in different ways to see | | | | and your new career. |
| what typeof jobs you can handle. One way to do | | | | If you're curious and want a few examples for a |
| this is to visit some of the morepopular job sites | | | | given position, download |
| like ( and | | | | Copernic ( and use their "Resume" category |
| Headhunter.net ( and type in your prominent | | | | search. |
| skillsto see what types of jobs appear. You might | | | | Search for other resumes that meet your |
| be surprised at what you cando! | | | | requirements for your position. Youmight also find |
| >From a quick search for the executive | | | | someone else with your skills and realize that they |
| secretary, I found that similar skillsare required for | | | | made itinto the career you're heading toward! |
| the following types of jobs: | | | | --- Going After the New Career --- |
| - Internet Sourcing | | | | Once your resume is complete, go back and |
| - Transcription | | | | search for those positions thatmatch your needs. |
| - Customer Support | | | | Examine their requirements and create a cover |
| - Data Entry | | | | letter thatbest describes how your attributes can |
| - Off-site Executive Administrative Assistant | | | | satisfy the needs of the company. |
| - Web Developer | | | | Don't use a form cover letter, tailor one for each |
| As you will find, there are many things that you | | | | individual position. |
| can do, however, you don'twant to jump in and | | | | When you're confident that the cover letter and |
| just do them. For now, use these career ideas | | | | resume are ready, send themto the contacts for |
| toprepare yourself. | | | | each company. |
| --- Setting up for the Change --- | | | | You'll probably have to do this a few times until |
| Once you figure out what you want to do, go | | | | someone catches on to yourskills and hires you. In |
| back to ( and Headhunter.net ( andsearch for | | | | the process, make sure that you keep track of |
| various jobs that would fit your requirements and | | | | thecompanies and their contacts that receive |
| skills. Don'tapply to any of them yet, just search | | | | your resume. Since the Web isinundated with |
| for jobs that fit your desireddirection. Once you | | | | repetition, make sure that you don't send your |
| find about a dozen or so different | | | | resume morethan once to the same company. |
| opportunities,examine them to make sure that | | | | --- What's Next? --- |
| this is something you want to do. | | | | The idea is not to give up. If your dream is to |
| Don't worry about salary as of yet since this | | | | telecommute, then you needto position yourself |
| opportunity is something youwill do "on the side" | | | | such that a telecommuting position can be yours. |
| until you get enough experience to do it full-time. | | | | Justremember that your first job will be "on the |
| Remember, the objective here is to find | | | | side" and its purpose is tohelp you gain experience |
| something that you can do to helpfine-tune your | | | | as a telecommuter in your new career. As |
| skills for your new career. Don't despair and don't | | | | youbecome proficient, update your resume and |
| getover-anxious as this career-preparing stage is | | | | go after the big job! Just makesure your resume |
| only temporary. | | | | makes it clear that you have the skills and desire |
| --- The Resume --- | | | | to beproficient in that new job. |
| Here is the tricky part. You need to rework your | | | | |