Anyone care to share their thoughts or pointers for the creation of
a resume/bio for someone that has been basically self employed for over 25 years?
TIA
Eric
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The toughest part is realizing your worth when you have spent 25 years selling yourself short.
Eric, people who are self-employed normally have trouble putting to paper a resume of accomplishments.
I would start by analysing the wants or needs of the perspective employer and then try to put together a lists of projects that would support that need or want. A list of testimonials at the end of your offering is a nice touch.
Treat it like any project that you have quoted. Know your market and fill it.
Sorry I can't be more help, it's a tough one.
Gabe
The toughest part is realizing your worth when you have spent 25 years selling yourself short.
What; have you been following me around?
I'll save it for another thread, but I have not done well being in busness for myself.
Projects completed very well to high standards, satisfied clients all around, just not good money.
I'll say no more at this point.
Thanks,
EricIt's Never Too Late
To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
satisfied clients all around
There you go..............nothing like a barrel full of satisfied customers to back up your claims of ability and dedication.
A resume is a relevant collection of works that will entice a perspective employer into giving you a chance. It's not a stock portfolio or a net worth document.
So the last 25 years haven't given you the nest egg or lifestyle that you always dreamed about.......consider it your education.......now it's time to collect.
Build your resume on a foundation of work experiences that the employer can relate to. There must be some jobs that you have done that this guy or company can identify with. A common sub, supplier or client.
Good luck
Gabe
^It's Never Too Late
To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
Eric,
Sent you an E-Mail but I got a returned notice. Let me know if you got it.
That's interesting. I clicked on the link to my email addy and it tried to send an email to [email protected]. Apparently it is for some reason picking up the last word of my signature.
Drop the been and try again, it should work. I'll look in my spam in the meantime. And just for giggles, I don't embarrass easily and can take an honest answer to an honest question, so don't hesitate to post something here that you think might humiliate me.
By the way, I've sent you a couple of mails a while back concerning a thread in the taver that you never recieved. So much fir this technology, eh?
EricIt's Never Too Late
To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
I used to write/update my resume annually when I was on the nuclear contractor circuit. The key is to amplify your strengths; regardless of your financial successes. Things like: Owner/operator of multi-employee business, strength in scheduling (always a plus for any business), establising and overseeing budgets, stuff like that. Any formal education beyond high school, including trade schools, unions, and licenses should also be mentioned.
Be forewarned, however, up until 5-6 years ago, an efficient resume was comprised of only one sheet, though I bent the rules and wrote mine to two, with the second containing only one paragraph of education and licenses.
There are books on the subject, even software.
You're not planning on bailing on us, I hope?
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
You're not planning on bailing on us, I hope?
Aw shucks...............nah, I'm addicted big time.
I think I may be done with the selling myself to the HO. It's a combination of I don't really care for it, and people don't want to pay me what I'm worth cause there's a guy down the street who'll do it for $25.00 an hour.
So, I'm exploring my options. I can't charge enough to purchase bennies is a big reason, hopefully I can land a position where they are included, or the job will have some other perc that will make buying those bennies a possibility.
I'm not surprised at all that white males have not much interest in the trades. It's pretty much a joke what we make as an industry.
Don't get me wrong, there are people making money, probably a lot more who think they are. the one that are are business men, their labor force though is still behind a good standard of living in most cases.
But that's just my opinion.
Thanks for asking though!
EricIt's Never Too Late To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
Good luck searching, hope you find something agreeable.
There are times when I agonize over the decision to continue in this profession; heaven knows it is not the money. I think the major coin is found in larger operations, where multiple crews are bringing in the cash while you (owner/whatever) bring in the clients. This is the problem I have with such a scenario; I love doing the actual work, solving the problems that remodeling invariably presents.
I left the nuclear industry because I had become a manager of operators, but no longer did what I enjoyed, which was operating.
I won't make the same mistake again. I won't die wealthy, but I will die happy.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
I won't die wealthy, but I will die happy
We will meet again brother, on the other side.
EricIt's Never Too Late To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
Eric,
Just wondering, are you looking to stay in the trade, or are you looking at a whole different career
It seems like every 3 or 4 years I decide to get out of this business and the trade completely. But when I look at different career options, there always seems to be something I dislike even more than the low pay/no bennies/etc of this stuff.
The thing is, whatever drives me to seek a career change, is usually set off by a personal weakness of mine. That character trait needs to be worked on whether I change jobs or not.
Just my $.02
Bowz
Hey!
You should know that I have printed out the emails we've exchanged and they sit on my desk for ready review and reminder. Not a day goes by that I don't recall one certain passage of something you wrote me, but I ain't tellin ya which one!
Right now I'm staying, what the hell else am I gonna do? I am finding work at this point, less so with H/O's and a bit more with a couple of contractors but it is not steady as the weeks go.
While I am not set or perhaps even fully decided on what it is I am looking for, I wish to at least be prepared as I am ready, or perhaps have begun to open the door to at least explore new opportunities.
Benefits would be really nice, or at least a wage that would enable me to afford them.
I have some great talents, some weakness' too, but then who doesn't? My talents will never be rightfully compensated if I store them in a vacuum bottle which is pretty much what I have been doing for quite a while.
Phew, uh; what was the question??
I am also looking into taking some classes to certify onReal Estate Apprasial.
Know anything about that??
Good to here from you!
EricIt's Never Too Late To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
but I ain't tellin ya which one!
Oh sure, now I'll spend the rest of my life wondering!!!!!!
As far as real estate appraisal goes, I don't know too much about it. But my thoughts would not be positive, for a couple of reasons.
When we have had RE appraisals done, the appraiser was always someone refered to us by a bank or real estate person. So that appraiser needed to be networking, and selling himself, etc. in order to get that referal. So if you become one, are you going to be able to ramp up your networking and selling skills to promote yourself? If you can do that, why not do it now for your existing business?
Those last 2 questions are what caused me to stay in this business the last time I wanted to get out.
The second reason is this: Bankers and RE people are profesionals at dealing with money. We are not. That is not a position I am comfortable with at all. I'd rather deal with HOs who are not skilled money people.
Gotta run, but I'll get back to ya.
Bowz
Hey Eric,
My experience, as well as my observation of others, is that often you need a thrid party to evaluate your resume and see where you're selling yourself short. Show it to friends and coworkers that know you and ideally something about the work you do and don't be afraid to let them tell you to blow your own horn a bit more than you likely have.
PaulB
I left construction years ago for a job as manager of a retail furniture store. The store was a chain, a brand-new outlet in the Antelope Valley. I managed the tenant improvement as site superintendent, and the district manager offered me the job. Any raises were dependent on the suceess of the store. It was in my contract, my pay was to be a percentage of retail sales.
The store did extremely well. Way better than anyone thought it would. In less than a year, my pay was due to double, from 33k/yr to 60k. A week away from my raise, the district manager fired me on my day off!. Didn't even have b*lls to confront me to my face, the coward.
No reason given. But I suspect it may have had something to do with office politics and a certain personality clash I had with the district manager over his alcohol problem.
So I'm back in construction. I'm charging more - and meeting a lot of resistance - in a community with a strong bootleg economy. But I'm staying pretty busy with an ad in the local yellow pages and one in the local PennySaver. I've been checking out the guerilla marketing website as suggested here, and the graphics design website also posted here, taking notes and and working on getting my advertising/branding in gear for a serious attempt to make it work this time.
I wish you the best success in whatever endeavor you end up pursuing!View Image
I've been checking out the guerilla marketing website as suggested here, and the graphics design website also posted here,
Do you have links or url's to those site?
Thanks for the good words.
EricIt's Never Too Late To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
http://www.designoutpost.com
and
http://www.gmarketing.com
Edited 8/13/2005 4:35 pm ET by Huck
Thanks so much!
EricIt's Never Too Late To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
Eric - In reply to your original question, the best way to do a resume is to break it down by years/time periods, then identify who you did work for and most importantly, what you did. As was said by others, focus on what you did, use active words and stay away from the negatives. So, you could put down that you operated all phases of a residential construction firm, including personnel management, financial operations, material selection, prepared construction documents, handled government approvals, negotiation, etc. Use some general terms, they can make it sound pretty good.
I'm in a similar position - leaving one field (law) to go back into construction/real estate. The most important thing that you need to ask yourself is what makes you happy. It's not going to make your life any better if you jump to another job or profession for the benefits or $$$ but you don't enjoy what you do. I've been wrestling with that monster for a long time.
Feel free, if you so desire, to contact me privately or publically. I've got a decent command of the language and have helped a couple people write resumes in the past. Good luck.
Don (Formerly Hammerlaw)
Bowz:
Very insiteful introspection on your last post. Hit too close to home if you know what I mean.
Thanks