Creating a Resume that Stands Out…Regardless of Your Past Experience: TOOL

Career searching requires tenacity

Creating a Resume that Stands Out…No Matter What Your Past Experience

I could say, like many others. I’ve primarily worked in the non-profit world. I’ve only ever really done donation-based work. I’m 48 years old. What do I have to offer?

When I compare myself to men who didn’t take time off to raise children, or others who didn’t spend time learning language or moving cross-culturally, I feel as though my life, to date, may not have much to show for it.

I’m not typically bothered by these things as I chose this path and loved most of it! However, when applying for a new position, when one’s self esteem is shaky, it is easy to get trapped in the limiting language of vocational success. The familiar voices of condescend sound: What have I done with my life? how much have I earned? what have I done with the time? What have I accomplished? it’s too late to start over now.

When we mine transferable skills, looking at the details of the whole of our experiences, we can begin to see that the common, everyday tasks unique to MY life have mattered. I can see clearer that God has used my life for good. And I still have a lot to offer!

Putting a resume together:

~60 minutes

1.     Find a resume template you like. There are many free ones on the web. If you’re skilled with design, create your own or use a free platform like Canva. You can also hire a one-time designer on 99designs.com or fiverr.com.

2.     Start with the transferable skills list you created (see “building your transferable skill list for resumes”)

3.     List the top 3-4 organizations most relevant to the job you’re seeking in chronological order, most recent first. The most logical way to represent this is to include the name of the organization, location and general role title. Include the years worked, as well.

4.     When listing the transferable skills, put them in the most relevant order. Combine skills if they are similar or don’t say something new.

5.     On the most looked at area of the page, the right hand side, include a picture, your contact information and any other relevant information such as degrees earned and interests. Keep it brief, but give interesting information that highlights why you are unique and worth consideration for the position you’re seeking.

6.     Finally, at the bottom, include a few relevant references. Having a few names of key people who can attest to your hard work, validates and gives credibility to what you’ve listed above, regardless of if they are ever contacted. A former employer, professor, or relevant connection. Be intentional in who you list particular to the job responding to.

You are trying to limit the information to what is most relevant in a field of work you would like to do more of. As well, you’re intent is to keep it concise and to the point. One page is still the norm, but depending on your age, up to 2 is still considered permissible. (The exception to the rule is an expressed request for publications or an added portfolio for artists and designers).

Because we want to err on the side of relevant and concise, recognize you can’t include everything. Consider making 2-3 versions of your resume, targeting different types of work.

Many hesitate if there have been a break in years if you went back to school, had children, or performed tasks that are not as important to the job you’re applying for. Be ready and willing to share what those dates, without apology. Listing other hobbies or certificates gained in the break in years or voluntary positions held in those windows, may serve as explanation enough.

There is no need to list all of your certificates, accolades, or knowledge gained. A website, a linkedIn profile, a biography or a blog are other places to link on your resume and point people to your history of work. Likely they will do the work of discovering who you are in this information age. There is no need to list everything.

Show the diversity of who you are and what you do. Don’t underestimate a simple job. One friend of mine who is an engineer, highlighted that he was a waiter in college. They said they gave him the job because they knew he would have great people and conflict management skills, historically lacking in this field. 

Now, step back, reevaluate, don’t be too hard on yourself, ask for feedback, share this fine piece of hard work with others in a similar field. And ultimately be proud of yourself for all that you have done in your life!

Learning the Transferable Skills Language for Resume Building

Transferable Skills

In the book What Color is Your Parachute, Career Coach, Richard Bolles talks about 3 ways of discussing what you’re good at. This list is broken down into good with people, good with things, good with ideas. It is important to note that those categories are further broken down.

People – Individuals or groups

Things – the body, materials, objects, equipment, buildings, animals

Ideas – Information, data or ideas

What’s important to know about the way that Bolles talks about these categories is that the more specific we can get, the better we highlight our unique fingerprint on the world. What you’re ultimately exploring is an understanding of your transferable skills in the form of verbs that describe what you do best. To get at these, we.ask what, how and who questions. “What questions” will answer the things you do, the “who questions” answer the people you do it with and the “how questions” will inform if you use ideas, objects, people, etc.  

What do you do everyday?

Who is impacted when you do it?

How do you interact with your world?

What is accomplished when you engage?

Who benefits when you deliver a service?

How do you get the job done?

“What you’re ultimately exploring is an understanding of your transferable skills in the form of verbs that describe what you do best.”

Skill verbiage list (transferable skills broken down into 3 categories: Things, Ideas & Information or People.)

When you picture your past, were you working alone, with individuals or with a group? Were you working with ideas or things?

Process (45 min - 1.5 hours)

Step 1: Think about jobs that you have had in the past. They may be voluntary positions or full-time paid positions. Specifically think about ones that you enjoyed. There is no use creating a resume of all the jobs you hated, only to end up in the same type of work again. Many make this mistake in career searching.

Step 2: As you think about past jobs that brought you life, answer the following by circling from the list below or writing the words on a separate piece of paper…I am good at and enjoy working with:_____________

1)    Things -

a)     Skills with the body > using my hands, using my body, having agility, speed

b)    skills with materials & objects > crafting, sewing, weaving, cutting, carving, molding, shaping, sculpting, painting, restoring, cleaning, preparing, making, producing, cooking, maintaining, repairing,  

c)     skills with equipment > Assembling, operating, controlling, maintaining, repairing

d)    skills with building > constructing, reconstructing, modeling, or remodeling

e)    skills with growing things > growing a garden, caring for animals,

2)    Ideas & Information –

a)    Creating, Compiling, searching, researching, gathering information, observing, synthesizing, analyzing, organizing, prioritizing, planning, evaluating, memorizing, managing, managing, studying, imagining, inventing, designing

3)    People -

a)     Individuals > taking instructions, serving, helping, communicating in person, in writing, instructing, teaching, training, advising, coaching, counseling, mentoring, empowering, diagnosing, treating, referring, connecting, evaluating, assessing, persuading, selling, recruiting, representing, interpreting, intuiting

b)    Groups or Organizations > leading, guiding, speaking, writing, teaching, training, designing events, persuading, consulting, giving advice, connecting, establishing, negotiating, resolving conflict, hearing all sides, considering, contemplating, reading a room

Note: If this list is not comprehensive enough, consult a thesaurus to gain better words that describe you. You might also do a quick internet search on “functional transferable skills”

What you should end up with is a list of verbs and actions which begin to create the next step towards looking at lengthy job descriptions and help begin to create your resume.

If you’re struggling to come up with a list, consider doing the following. 1. Take a self-assessment inventory like strengths finder or a personality test like the Myers-Briggs. 2. Ask a trusted friend, relative or a coach for honest feedback. 3. Consider going for a walk or doodling to take your mind off of this and let your brain do the work from the bottom up (right brain) rather than the left, logical, linear top down brain.

If at all possible let this list-finding grow. It can be incredibly enjoyable in the career search process to remember times in your past that were life-giving. Lean into this and allow yourself to dream a little in the process.

Build Your Resume: Mining Your Transferable Skills TOOL

Your story is unique!

Building Your Transferable Skill List for Resumes

I’ve heard it many times before…

“What would I have to offer if I didn’t do this work that I’ve always done.”

“I’ve been in ____field, doing ____type of work, for the last 10, 20, or 40 years. I can’t start over at this point.”

Hearing “I have nothing to offer” is a limiting belief that stirs emotions deep inside of me. It calls forth the exhorter in me and reminds me of the passion to catalyze others creativity and unique calling in the world.

Without even knowing you, I am certain that you have a lot to give! You have a unique fingerprint in the world. Your life matters and what you do matters!   

Finding the right people, the right organization or the right team that value you, is your ultimate mission. Acknowledging the limiting beliefs that keep you from living into your fulfillment is a necessary part of vocational discernment.

If I could sit down with each person that I hear a similar sentiment from, I would do two things: First I’d listen to their life, their passions and their talents. And secondly I’d ask, who or what was impacted because of what they’ve done? I would want to affirm that they matter and that what they have done is important.  

When we’re in the trenches of our own stories, often feeling overwhelmed in the midst of transition, and lacking affirmation it is easy to forget where we’ve come from. Perspective is the number one thing that is needed in these times. A way to gain leverage and a new viewpoint to be able to see what is true, good, notable, praiseworthy from our lives. Perspective in these times is often found in others. That’s one of the primary roles I play with people.  

For just one hour, I challenge you to set aside the notion that “I have nothing to offer the world, if I’m not doing x”.

Whether a pastor, a mom, a non-profit worker, we all have many skills that we have done in the past, in a specific way for a unique purpose.

Here’s the formula:

Learned, applied and enjoyed skill +

Environment (Specific way = people, things, ideas & information) +

Quantity of time/Unique purpose (verb + object + adjective) =

Transferable Skill

In writing a resume we want you to draw on your experience to create your future.  Identifying these skills that you had that are able to be transferred into a new role in the future, regardless of the organization, is the goal.

While you don’t want to exaggerate or minimize the work you’ve done, this is your chance to highlight the unique skillset that you have. These transferable skills lists will give a future employer an opportunity to better understand what you have to bring to a new company. This process will also serve as an exercise in self awareness highlighting for you the contributions you have made thus far as well as start to point you in the direction of what you want to do more of.

Mining your Transferable Skills

~60 minutes

Goal: Let your history speak new life into your future. Mine the value of previously-held roles to determine transferable skills for a resume and future job.

Part I – Mind Mapping Skills

1.     Consider the last 10 years of your life. Brainstorm the jobs you’ve had and roles you filled during this duration.*

2.     In the center of each circle, list the job titles you’ve had. (i.e. waitress, teacher, pastor, writer, mom)

3.     Starting with your favorite role, brainstorm which skills you had to use within that role. See skill verbiage list below. Ask yourself this one question: What are the verbs, the actions that you performed this week?

4.     Creating lines from each circle, consider all the work that you did in that particular role. Using action words, break down the list of jobs (i.e. execute, serve, deliver, administer, create).

5.     Go back and cross out action verbs you disliked and circle words you liked and desire to do more of. (i.e. execute, serve, deliver, administer, create).

6.     Continue to expand on the role you enjoyed most. Using a thesaurus or a brainstorm of words (see below), let the action words represent you best. (i.e. teaching = adapted, advised, coordinated, communicated, developed, evaluated, guided, informed, instructed, persuaded, etc.). The more descriptive you can be the more user friendly words you’ll have for the next steps.

* If you were without work or in a role that was unfulfilling, consider a longer period of time than stated above.

Congratulations, you have just completed the first stage of understanding your transferable skill set for resume building

Part II – Environment = Who or What was impacted?

While identifying our skill set is challenging, moreso than that is the ability to recognize how and where to use this treasure chest of unique-to-me gifts.

The next step in understanding your transferable skills is to ask, who or what was impacted?

Go back over the skills that you enjoyed and create new lines branching from those skills and add THE OBJECT of the skill. (i.e. Children, cross-cultural workers, animals, a completed book, a clean closet, a fixed car).

What we’re looking for is not a single item or time that you performed a skill. We’re searching for the list that makes you stand out in a crowd. Consdier what you did many times, in an extraordinary way, with incredible results.

I.e. I made ice cream (Kindof neat but not that unusual). I made ice cream every weekend for 2 years for 100 people. (That’s a lot of time and a lot of mouths but I want more details!) I created 25 new flavors of ice cream over the course of 2 years for more than 100 people. (That’s impressive and not something I’ve ever done!). Bonus: List your top three hot sellers!

Part III – Quantity/Unique Purpose

Finally, how often or how many times did you do x skill? We’re looking for the quantifiable results of what you have done.  What change took place? What value was gained in the world because of your contribution?

Examples:

*Organized fundraising events for 5 non-profits over 10 years, raising over 1 million dollars in donations.

*Educated 3500 university students in East Africa, during the course of 12 years on issues of social injustice towards women

*Coached over 1000 people to complete their sabbatical over the course of 10 years
*Assessed vocational fit utilizing mid-career assessment tools I co-created
*Hosted over 300 global workers in our home for a total of 30000 hours of rest and recooperation

Which of these stand out to you? What questions would you ask if you were the interviewer?

A few things to consider:

Don’t get caught up in the minute details of numbers of for example, how often or how many. Go with the information that you know or the most accurate understanding of how you functioned in a given role. Most important is what you did and secondarily is how you did it. Keep the information accurate and be willing to give a reference for several of these transferable skills. Someone who can validate your experience.  

Note: If you’re over 40 you should have a long list to chose from. They may not all be in the same line of work. They may not make sense in light of what you might want to do. 

I recall a story of a friend of mine who graduated college with a degree in Engineering. He and I had worked as servers at a local restaurant together. When he went to interview for engineering jobs, they were incredibly impressed that he had relational skills gained from the service industry. Inevitably he got the job. Maybe in part by his engineering experience, but I would guess because he included other transferable skills such as conflict resolution learned during his years of service outside of engineering.

Note: If you’re under 40, you may have to expand on some of the details further or consider the same role and different angles based on the type of work you’re looking to fill.

Top tip!: When you’re creating a resume, you will want to choose from your longer list the skills that are relevant from your past that you want to transfer to a new role. This may seem counter-intuitive to the way resumes were written in the past, because it is. Hiring committees and HR departments are looking for you to shine and stand out apart from the stack of other applicants. The approach of using transferable skills will allow them to converse with you on a relatable basis. Trust me, you will stand out.

10 Best Creative (vs. Common) Interview Questions

10 best creative interview questions

We are all likely familiar with a courteous question like “how are you” when really the time doesn’t allow for an authentic answer. Similarly when you consider how much time you’ll spend working in your career, the idea of really getting to know you would benefit the employer and you alike. Why not dive deeper and ask creative and effective questions vs. common familiar ones?

The idea behind preparing to answer creative questions (compared to common interview questions) is that the interviewer is able to better understand your character, personality, and agility. Anyone can prepare for the standard questions with rote answers likened to cramming for a test. What does this tell your future employer about the uniqueness of you - that you test well!

More and more employees are implementing a creative approach with a desire to really get to know how you’re different, qualified and a team player.

Consider too, interviewing is not limited to words alone. Outside the interview room, tasks may be included in this process such as asking you to do something under pressure or riding in a car with you during rush hour to see how you cope under pressure. The holistic approach to interviewing should not be overlooked and has become more common in today’s career search.

The reason for this blog, is to engage around the creative side of a job interview. The more prepared you are for the unexpected: showing up agile, willing to be flexible, with a sense of humor when things go wrong and be open to correction, the more attractive you are to your potential future employer.

Aren’t these the soft skills you’ve worked hard to embody? Ultimately this is the goal interviewers are getting at with these questions above and beyond any “right” or “wrong” answer you could cram for. They want to see that you are not only qualified to do the work, but truly the best candidate for the long term.

So do yourself a favor and grab a friend and a coffee and ask them to ask you the following creative questions.

Below are a list of common interview questions compared to creative alternatives. Prepare for both and see how you show up more prepared than your peers. Bottom line: Be prepared, honest, flexible, and concise.

Common Interview Questions: 

1)    Tell me something about yourself.

2)    What did you like about your last job?

3)    Why did you leave your last job?

4)    What can you bring to this company/organization/team?

5)    What specific skills do you have for this type of work?

6)    What is your greatest strength?

7)    Tell me about your work history?

8)    What would your employers say about your past work experience?

9)    In what way do you feel you can make the biggest contribution to this company?

10) What five words describe you best?

11) Do you consider yourself a team player?

12) What motivates you?

13) Describe your working style?

14) What is your biggest accomplishment?

15) Anything else we should know about your work history?

16) Who is your role model, and why?

Examples of Creative interview Questions:

1)    If you could live anywhere, where would you live? This question indirectly asks about your lifestyle and hobbies. Hidden within it, are the questions: Do you like to travel? Would you want to relocate? Do you plan to be in this area long?

2)    If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life what would it be? Better than, “tell me more about yourself?”, this question gets at your interests and openness not to mention cultural awareness and greater worldview as well as outside the box thinking.

There is a joke in our home that I asked this question of my family, to which my husband Jeff answered Kale! If I could only eat one type of food for the rest of my life, I say Asian! His response, was, “Wait a minute I thought you said type of food not region of the world!.” My understanding of the question included an interpretation different from his but it didn’t seem wrong! Comical now, I think it would be way more fun to eat my choice for the rest of my life! As you can see, the interpretation of even a simple question like this can spur on creative answers igniting a more playful spirit from even the beginning of our interaction.

3)    What was the last gift you gave to someone?   The question is getting at how generous, kind, thoughtful you are Do you have a good memory! Are you intentional? Relational? Caring?

4)    What is an unpopular opinion you hold? Persuasiveness or uniqueness? You decide. I love this question because it grants permission and space for differences. We can hold unpopular opinions and be open to disagreement in this workspace. It also gives space for contradiction in the simplest of ways from a disliked movie to a deeper political stance. I’d probably err on the side of something slightly shallow in the first round and see where things go from there. (i.e. I think the STAR WARS series is over-rated or I am a rare person who really doesn’t like ice cream! (not true of me, just an example).

5)    What is the last best movie (book, article) you read? What this question is asking, is are you well-informed, a life-long learner, interesting and/or insightful. Be prepared to talk about something of interest to the listener and not just to you. It may or may not relate to the work you do, however, relatable is better than obscure, strange or confusing.

6)    What advice would you give your former boss? Delicate, yes. But simultaneously insightful into your relationship with past employers or supervisors. As well, notable what traits you value and need in your working world. A question like this gives you the opportunity to manage up. Saying something like, “I would tell my former boss that I work well autonomously and then collaboratively. I need space to ideate but also brainstorm with others. I am a ambivert, extroverted/introverted thinker and thrive in that type of environment.” Keeping it about you and not them, highlights your self-awareness and keeps you from speaking poorly or going down a rabbit hole about the former org or relationship.

7)    If you were an animal what animal would you be? Without asking are you a people person, you can learn a lot about someone from this question. Your answer can speak to traits you share in common with a familiar creature without having to state, I’m funny, fun, loving, isolating, high maintenance, etc! As well, it tells me if you are an animal-loving personal which may or may not be relatable.

8)    What do you do to rejuvenate? Or describe an ideal Saturday? Again, this question may be asking about hobbies or it may be asking about boundaries of work. What does your work-life balance look like and how are you caring for yourself. Do we share similar values on the idea of rest?

9)    What does your ideal working environment look like? Whether or not an organization can accommodate your ideal working needs, if this question was asked, I would jump at the opportunity to say I work really well collaborating with others and then going back to my work alone. Basically stating, can I work remotely without micro-management and with or without people?

10) Which year of your life would you like to relive? This question allows you to highlight something others may never ask you about. I love this question as it basically states, “tell me more about yourself! What brings you life and why?” 

Bonus: What’s one thing about you that people don’t ask but that you’d like others to know?

Preparing for an interview with these types of questions in mind gives you the leg up! As you can imagine it also gives you the opportunity to prepare not only for your vocation, but also the relationships that will make up your work environment. A good interview allows your potential future employer to see your unique attributes and learn more about you both inside of work and outside. Don’t be shy about your accomplishments, likes and dislikes. Let your unique self shine! Be concise and don’t forget that you can also ask intelligent and thoughtful questions in return.

Many forget that they are also “courting” the organization when they step into an interview. Ask yourself, Do you like what you see? Is the person friendly? Does the organization resonate with your values? Is there room for you to grow here?

You are entitled to ask the interviewer questions as well. “What are you looking for most in this position? How might I stand out from others you’ve spoken to? Why did the previous person leave?” Being proactive and assertively asking to better understand the individual and the company will likely to several things. 1. It speaks to your courage and leadership 2. It shows you care and are active in your pursuit 3. It will give a dopamine hit to the interviewee and ultimately set you apart as memorable.

Be bold and have fun with this process. If you let it, the experience of interviewing can be a process of gained self discovery; a gift to yourself and others in a season of transition.

For further reflection:

Which question would you like to answer? Have you been in an interview like this that allowed your best attributes to shine?

Leadership Perspective on Sabbatical

Shark tank the tv show is commonly referenced in our home. Not because we watch it regularly but because there are a couple of self-proclaimed ideators in my home that find it intriguing to spark conversation starting with, “Would this *insert crazy idea* fly on shark tank? 
 
As we discuss, we offer our fake money and investment options, saying something like “I’d give you 5 million for a 50% investment and unlimited quality time with your mom! The counter-offer is often, I’ll take the 5 million and leave the rest! (Thank you teenagers!)

Amidst the banter we may pull up a show or two and probe into the real world of what is working and not. Recently I was drawn into an older episode that included a proposition for a very intriguing power nap studio!

The idea included sleep pods, a studio pop-up shop and a relaxing ambient, atmosphere resembling a massage room. Coming to a city near you!**

In reality we all need more creativity and productivity in our daily life. And even a brief nap such as 15-20 minutes, we know provides greater brain clarity, a mental boost and overall body refreshment.

While the idea of napping for refreshment is not a new concept, the creativity that may be sparked and necessary, encouraged in the form of an intentional rest outside the floor of your office or a reclined position in your car or nodding off at your desk, is more necessary now than ever.  
 
I’m a big fan of power naps and the way they refresh my whole being. My response as I continued watching was one of immediate welcome and desire to endorse, if I could have.
 
But instead, the shared general sentiment of the sharks, their response surprised me. It sounded like this… “No one has time to leave their job for naps nor do we want to encourage it and for that reason I’m out!”*
 
While much research has shown the benefits, the overarching value is that work takes precedence over self-care! Productivity trumps care despite the desire and lip service given to prioritize the greatest assets of any company – the people. 
 
Although ministry leaders don’t say it as directly as the sharks, the sentiment is not that different from corporate America - We can’t afford to rest and neither can you! 
 
Just last week I had a conversation with an executive director of member care discussing why leaders need a sabbatical. He was authentically questioning the efficacy. Why isn’t vacation enough? How burned out do they need to be? When do we say yes? How do you cover positions and who pays for this?

““No one has time to leave their job for naps nor do we want to encourage it and for that reason I’m out!”*”

— Shark from Shark Tank

As sabbatical coaches we frequently hear this "man over machine" mindset but the form and approach to see the value lived out, lacks. People are still denied space and time because the leadership isn’t certain of the value, doesn’t understand how the job will get done, is afraid of an employee leaving or hasn’t been in a similar position. That all makes sense. These are common reactions across ministry, non-profit, and corporate America.

If you’re a leader positioned to champion this type of care, what are your responses? How do you posture yourself to listen for these words – stuck, discontent, exhausted, unsettled and poor fit - amidst those you serve? What might a follow-up conversation look like when you hear these words?

A sabbatical policy in our mind is meant to be created from a developmental perspective. People are the best resource of any company, and shouldn’t be treated as machines. Giving space and time such as a long pause in the form of a sabbatical to listen to their heart, their head and their body will likely keep them from burning out and leaving altogether. Organizations often feel like they need to have all the answers or a policy in place in order to grant a sabbatical and to that we say, give it a try with a few and see what works for your organization and personnel.

Consider a few leadership best practices to sabbatical:

1. Be open to what the employee needs for their own physical, mental and spiritual growth even if you don’t understand. Let them decide and tell you what they need. If we want healthy leaders, we ultimately want to create an environment where these healthy leaders know what they need and ask for it.

2. Help them find third-party resources and accountability that understand sabbaticals and how to structure one. You as the leader will have a different agenda than an objective outsider.

3. Take a company-wide approach to care. When everyone catches the vision for a sabbatical culture the whole culture wins. How can every employee consider where sabbatical might fit on their developmental track? And consider for others how they might chip in to cover for when people take time off?

4. What can you as an organization say no to in order to live out this value? Not every fundraiser is necessary. Not every service is needed. What can be released for a time?

5. Consider sending the employees you hear say the above words, a sabbatical readiness survey. This serves as a way of saying I see you and there are resources available.
     

You don't have to have all the answers, a policy or even the ability to grant a sabbatical. Let's keep the conversation open so leaders remain healthy and have access to the resources they require. Sleep pods or not, let’s demonstrate the powerful value of rest over productivity in creative and effective ways. 
 
Bonus: Listen here for a sabbatical conversation from a google employee.

Questions for further conversation: Let me ask you. What is your theology of rest? And where did it come from?

*As of July 2023 napping pods or minute sleep stations are located in at least 21 aiports in the world including DFW, DXB, IAD, DEL, ATL, MUC, JFK, MEX, AUH, PHL, HEL, LGW, CLT, IST, SVO, NRT, YYZ, TLL, BGY,  (find one next time you fly!)