Resume Re-building

[Disneyphile]

So, um, I need to rebuild my entertainment resume. Only problem is that 6-year hiatus in the unrelated cube job.

Any tips on how to remedy that?

I'd rather just not include that job, but how can I do that without the gap looking bad?

[blueerica]

Oy! The story of my life!

I'm wondering, too.

What I've done thus-far is relate how my jobs there demonstrated abilities that would help me outside. Multi-tasking, creating newsletters, managing others, any sort of creative thinking stuff. The boring stuff like cleaning medical instruments and brewing coffee got left out for my marketing-oriented resume. I don't know if there was a better way to do it.

Thinking of which I have been both thinking actively and REM-ly about this topic, so I'm rather curious as to what could be done to really make my resume shiny -- from the LoT perspective, which I trust WAY more than anywhere else.

[Disneyphile]

I see what you mean about the tasks. I just shudder at putting "Wells Fargo" on an entertainment resume. Ick. Although, I did make some slideshows and other multi-media things for some of the office parties, etc. But, I don't really have anything to show for it. And, it had nothing to do with my official title.

In that case, everyone - fix our resumes, please!

LoT is one of my fave creative resources on the internet.

[Morrigoon]

Dphile: what you did had to do with computer programming though, didn't it? There must be a way to angle that, given the value of computer skills in entertainment.

[Kevy Baby]

My $0.03 is to not try to hide it. As you know, there are several ways to design a resume. Mine is chronologically based, but you may want to make yours position/experience based. That way it takes the focus off of the gap and on to what you have to provide.

A resume is not about getting you IN, it is a tool for a person who is recruiting to weed OUT.

[NirvanaMan]

Agree with Kevy. I would not go chronologically based in this scenario. Restructure the resume with your most relevant information first and then fill in after with a listing of roles that may not be directly related to your goals, just so there is no question regarding gaps of time that would lead some to believe that you were perhaps in prison or abducted by aliens or something.

Chick prison is so hot.

[Prudence]

I concur with the non-chron resume advice. A chronology's strength is in showing the amount of time you've put into related positions, thereby establishing credibility. When you don't have the time put into related positions, or that time wasn't recent, a chronology just highlights your lack of experience or lack of recent experience.

Which doesn't mean you don't include a chronology somewhere - probably at the end. In that position, it serves the purpose of showing consistent employment - that you're not a deadbeat, and that you don't spend 2 months at a job and then leave, over and over again.

If you're looking to search for examples, the term you're looking for is "functional resume."

Provided you can wait until next week (might take me that long to get sober again), I'm also happy to take a look at your resume and offer suggestions. Apparently I don't suck at resume construction. Can't get a job myself, but my resume kicks ass.

[Disneyphile]

The only one I've ever known is chronological, so I'll definitely do a search for the "functional" style. (Yes, it's been that long since I've had to put my resume together. )

[Not Afraid]

Yeah, I'm going to have to face this same issue sometime in the future.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Though, to be fair, "time=credibility" is kind of malarkey in the entertainment industry. Sure, if you've worked on a well-known show for three years as opposed to one, that's probably more respected. But gigs don't necessarily last for long in this town (due to the nature of freelance work and the short production time allowed) so they're more likely looking at which gigs you've worked on, and to whom on those gigs they are acquainted. So that producer you're working with? Hit him up for his contacts! (Tactfully, of course.)

I absolutely agree with the recommendation not to leave an unexplained gap in your resume. This kind of thing is easily explained away in a cover letter - and is the standard anyway. "Oh, I took a few weeks/months/years off for travel, real-world experience, etc."

And while the resume is important, reel is even more important - and leaning on your connections is the best way to find work in the industry (at least, that's the stereotype, but we've found it to be true in our household.)