Resume makeover pays dividends: Help employers visualize you — and pay you! — as a full contributor in your new role
In her “pink slip lemonade” story, guest blogger Pamme Boutselis mentioned how her experience as a volunteer worked in conjunction with paid work experience to enable her to make the shift to her new career. Pamme’s experience echoes my own. At age 30, as part of my first career transition (from engineering to marketing, post-MBA), I signed on to be probably the oldest intern ever to work at The Monster Board — way back before it was Monster.com!
Prior to making my shift, I had anticipated I’d have to take a pay cut to make such a dramatic jump. Much to my amazement, I ended up getting offered more post-transition, for a job for which I didn’t have a ton of direct experience. OK, the MBA probably didn’t hurt, but I also believe the internship played a part in helping my prospective employer see me as a card-carrying member of my target profession.
The lesson: Don’t overlook, downplay, or genericize volunteer work you may have done. If you gained valuable experience that contributes to your readiness for your new career, make it easier for employers to figure that out, and compensate you accordingly. Check out this article from fellow Clark alum and career marketing architect Abby Locke for tips on how to do just that.
Another example of this strategy in action appeared in the Boston Globe right after this was posted. Check it out: http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/08/03/volunteering_your_way_to_a_new_job/