Down Grading a resume?

[JohnBaden]

I have been told that I should no longer expect to carry on my career as is. Instead I am told if I want to work I should look for positions that are part-time, and/or low brow (my term. My resume covers over 20 years experience and work in 15 different countries.
My question is that my resume of course covers my career and professional qualifications. This resume is no use for the types of employment I am now looking for.
How does one go about downgrading a resume? Hide levels of experience, miss out qualifications and so on. I really have little idea how to move forward with this. What do you all think?

[KarenR]

I am in the same predicament.

I've worked over 25 years as a corporate controller.
Now I can barely balance my own checkbook.

I've applied for SSDI because I certainly cannot work full-time anymore, and absolutely not at the career I've had. But I still want to be "useful" somehow, to someone, somewhere for a minimum amount of time and $'s, just to keep my brain busy!

I'm just not sure how to adjust my resume. I get the "you're over-qualified" line a lot.

I'll be curious to hear what others have done.

[jazzgirl]

What kind of employment are you in market for, John?

[LZMOM]

The 2 of you are talking about my biggest fear! and I am just a midlevel system functional coordinator!! Best of luck to both of you!

Peace,
LZmom

[GardeningMSer]

"How to" of down grading a resume

John,

I want to wish you luck finding a job, I know that prior to my layoff and start of retirement I wondered how I would cope not working. Turns out I love not working, and wonder how I managed to get through 40+ years of 50+ hour weeks. I think it has a lot to do with two kids now in their 30s.

I haven't hired anyone in a while, but I did send my resume out last year because I was unemployed and searching for a job was required.

I was told that the way one hide's one age and salary requirements is by sending out a functional resume rather than the job by job history.

In my case I would have put down

data communications programmer - TCP/IP
C/C++ programming
Java
Web Design
SQL

BS MIT, MS MIT -note the lack of the year the degree was received

Salary: Open

rather than a job by job listing showing that I've been working since dinosaurs went extinct.

I also would have left out experience not apropos to the posting, even though it might mean each application required editing my base resume.

Since many companies now use computers to search for keywords, this approach allows you to match keywords in the job posting and might cause HR to send your resume to hiring managers.

Hope this helps - good luck.

G
happily retired & receiving SSDI

[Coriander]

I just dug up my resume and realized I would need to dumb it down. I cannot work in engineering anymore and probably should stress the support aspect of previous jobs.

Apparently, now I need to work in a self paced low stress environment. I now need clear written instructions and frequent rest breaks to refocus. Frankly naps help a lot too. I also cannot stand for long periods of time or walk far. I laughed and laughed to myself at it. MS has changed everything.

The functional approach sounds good. I wish you the best of luck in the job hunt. Keywords are essential to even get your resume looked at and a steamlined approach may be appreciated.

[mollybrown]

What was it all for...

Posters,
Please excuse the long post. I am new to the site & this forum (and to posting on any site of this nature), but John's topic of what to do about his resume is pertinent to my situation and question. I feel, however, (or need?) to explain my situation first. I have actually been dx w/MS by 4 different doctors over 20 years, but there was always an issue b/c my Brain MRI & CSF were negative. VEP , other tests (2 cases confirmed ON) & clinical exam always test positive.

After an 18 month exacerbation 8 years ago,where I had to leave my stressful IT job, I recovered enough that I could manage the lingering fatigue, occasional blurred vision, limp, pain, etc. STupidly, I decided to return to school and earned a JD & a Masters, commuting 4 hours every day for 4 years. It was tough, due to recurrent cognitive issues, but I got through it. That was in 2007. I worked sporadically due to symptoms. Due to my own denial and what I considered a 'suspect' diagnosis due to lack of Brain MRI evidence, I hadn't seen a doctor for several years and was on no treatment.

Last November new symptoms appeared and all others intensified and I had to go to the emergency room, as I didn't have a doctor familiar with my case. I sought out an MS expert who did full body MRI & CSF. DX = "progressive, degenerative, demylinating disease of spinal cord, consistent with MS, as well as Syringomyelia caused by a syrinx (6mm wide-too small to operate) , with 'odd' spine lesion." At first he told me that it was PPMS and there was no treatment.

Yesterday he told me it may be SPMS, but still no treatment b/c my case is 'complicated' and he needs to see one more lesion on MRI before he can treat. Told me to reschedule all MRIs for January. In the meantime, I have student loans equaling a mortgage, not to mention severe financial issues due to my lack of salary. I now walk with a cane, the fatigue is overwhelming, and I can no longer see well enough at night to drive safely at night.

Again, I am so sorry for the long history, but here is my question: I need a job that I can manage part-time. Law is no longer an option, as my cognitive issues coupled with lack of experience make it impossible for me to find something manageable locally for me (w/o night driving).
From your collective expertise and experience, can I simply recreate my resume and remove the JD and Bar admission info? Would this constitute 'lying' on the application if it is later found out? I have scores of rejections based on being "over-qualified" or "too inexperienced in my field."

I am not a spring chicken, either--approaching 50.
Thank you so much. I am so sorry for the length of the post.
-Mollybrown...but sinking

[pennstater]

I think the functional approach is a good one. The other option would be to list employer and years, but omit the job title. Then emphasize some of the skills you used that would be transferrable to current positions. You may need to generalize some of the skills you used - so if you negotiated international contracts you could indicate that you are client oriented with a detail focus, flexible, adaptible etc....

Another avenue to check out are career sites - some give advice directed towards career changers. Due to the economy, there have also been a lot of articles geared towards taking entry level positions when you are experienced. While some may not be relevant, some of it could resonate.

I wish you the best of luck.

[dstreett57]

I have been told that I should no longer expect to carry on my career as is. Instead I am told if I want to work I should look for positions that are part-time, and/or low brow (my term.

If you can no longer work your current job you should look into your current employer's Long Term disability plan. Going out on such a plan does not mean you cannot work another job. Disability payments are often awarded if you can no longer work you current job. And Insurance companies will often provide assistance to help you keep working at another job, because that may limit the amount of benefits they need to pay you.

From all that work, I bet you have contacts. Ever thought about doing consulting?

[quietposter]

I read resumes all day. I would say you need to look at what you can do and emphasize that in your resumes. Trying to be unspecific or vague won't get you in the door. It will only make the one reviewing the resumes what you're hiding and they'll pass on you.

If you're looking for part time, stick with your current resume and go for it. People who are looking for someone part time would love to see a good strong skill set to hire. I would also clearly state in your cover letter or email that you are looking only for part time work. You don't need to say why, but it will tell them that you are serious and not someone who is just trying to find any job to fill a gap. .

[LZMOM]

I am laughing at you all as I am a functional worker! We are needed to transate what the techys say to laymans terms! I have been out on FMLA since Nov and my office is going nuts.

Not only do they not understand the techys, they dont know how to make what the techys say work for the users!

Thats where I as a funtional come in. The problem is, I am working on sick leave!

So how do I go part time???