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just me · New User Joined: 12 Sep 2008 Posts: 5 Career Advice: +0/-0

I've never had to write a resume before, but a few job prospects require one and I have some questions.

First off, from 2000-2005 I was self employed. One job was as a babysitter for 2 friends in desperate need of affordable childcare. The other was a small eBay business. I never had to file tax returns or anything, so how would I include these on a resume? How do I provide proof of my employment other than references from my two friends?

Secondly, from 1998 to present time I have been a full time caregiver for a family member. It's obviously not something I get paid for, but it's hard work nonetheless. Do I include this on my resume as well? If so, how do I go about it?

And lastly, at my most recent job (which I just got discharged from), I had been promoted twice within the 2 1/2 years I worked there. Do I include that in the resume as well? If so, how?

One more question I have is just about references and letters of letters of recognition/appraisal. I have some people who will write the letters for me so I was just wondering would I be able to photocopy the original and give the copies to my interviewer? Or do these people need to write multiple copies for me to hand out?

just me · New User Joined: 12 Sep 2008 Posts: 5 Career Advice: +0/-0

Ok how's this? I only used my most recent work experiences. Please feel free to critique as you see fit.

(personal info omitted)

Objective
Part-time sales associate position with a growth-oriented company that offers challenging responsibilities and the potential for advancement.

Skills
Proficient in operating a POS register
Excellence in customer service
Stocking shelves
Keeping sales floor clean, tidy and easy to navigate through
Strong team player

Employment History
Kmart
Office Lead, Jan. 2008 - Sept. 2008
Responsible for cash office operations, keying invoices for payment, ordering supplies, mailing/faxing store documents, customer service/running a register, maintaining a clean and friendly work environment.

Kmart
Acting Receiving Manager, Sept. 2006 - Jan. 2008
Responsible for unloading warehouse trucks, processing deliveries and checking for package accuracy, keeping stock room clean and organized, making bales and disposing of trash.

Kmart
Stocker/Receiving Associate/Pantry Associate/Fashions Associate, Feb. 2006 - Sept. 2006
Responsible for stocking shelves, keeping shelves/sales floor clean and maintaining inventory accuracy. Assisted customers in search of merchandise, did layouts, kept fashions department organized. Unloaded warehouse trucks and helped maintain stockroom cleanliness and organization.

Education
Winter Park High School Graduate 1998

References
Available upon request

Pauloz · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:16 am Post subject:

justme

Let's take your second post as the raw material. That's OK, but needs some work.

We've found that resumes work best when targeted. Depending on the job,
suggest:

Skills
Proficient in operating a POS register
Excellence in customer service
Stock management
Managerial skills (retail environment)
Administration
Cash handling
Strong team player

You'll find you have other skills, too, which is why I've included "Administration", although you could probably add quite a bit to that.

Employment History

You've got a strong range of skills in retail, including actual management, (acting manager or not, you were there long enough, then got promoted) and practical stock handling. Those are very useful skills in retail. So is cash handling, where people need to know they can trust their employees.

(Actually, if you've done reconciliations or other bank related work, include that, too, very useful.)

Concentrate on the job skills, like handling orders, deliveries, the value adding stuff.

Stocking shelves has been changed to stock management protect your organizational image. Anyone can stack a shelf, but hardly anyone can organize one.

Leave out the garbage and stockroom cleaning, and anything that sounds like you're the cleaner. That's actually counterproductive, although anyone who knows the business would know it also means you were practically babysitting the stockroom and the office.

Unfortunately, mentioning things like that clashes with your higher level experience, and devalues it.

Promotions: Work that into your cover letter and your interview. This works along the line that "I was in this job, for years, and got promoted, but was discharged because...." Employers need to see the logical progression.

References: Never send your originals anywhere. Copies only.

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