Reliving your life when updating your resume and surviving the journey.

by Kate Bewley

Recently, I decided to temporarily take a break from my work life. Fortunately, I had the means to sustain myself for several months and a supportive spouse that knows for him to be happy, I have to be happy.

I took off two months to tend to some personal things and just recharge. I was able to spend time with family during the summer which has never been an option as adult. My dogs, Mila and Rosco, have given me several looks that indicate their initial displeasure that my days off were longer than a weekend. We have come to an understanding on that front as they now get more outdoor breaks and more time on the couch.

After two months, I came to the realization that it was time to get back to my real life and find a job. It is odd to be an adult and not working. Once we leave school, no matter the level, we have to be an adult and enter the real world. This was daunting when I was 18 and is just as daunting now as a much older adult. At the age of 18, the job search was mainly job applications filled with very little experience. Hearing that I didn't have enough experience from hiring managers was a common theme.

As I worked on updating my resume, I looked back on my life and saw so much experience. I smiled as I remembered the fun moments that happened at each position. I reveled at each accomplishment. I thought to myself "Yep, I did that." I could write several chapter books for each job. The duties from the get go and all the things that came under "duties as needed" grew exponentially because of my need to be the best at what I did. Also the need for people to know that they could count on me for labor, advice or just a good laugh was a strong driving force.

But the questions in my head kept coming. As I formatted this document that defines me to people who don't know me and people who have the potential to open the next door for my newest book, I fretted. Should this headline be larger? Should I use New Times Roman or Cambria? Will an indention be better here or bullet points? You can search for hours, days, even weeks, on the best format to write a resume and still come back more confused than before you started. If I followed all of the advice I found, I would have 183 new resumes half with objectives for a variety of positions and the other half with career summaries that included indentions, bullet points and wingdings.

Next up, were the descriptions to write for each job. How do you sum up 14+ years in one industry? Not mention, the experience that went on before those 14 years. The word sales and manage can mean so many things. For instance, was I selling products, ideas, or people? Was I managing paper, projects or numbers? Once written one way, my life on paper would be good for this job opening. When written another way it would be better for that employer. There was no legit answer I could give myself on how to write this piece of paper that could either help me or sink me for a job that I wanted. I felt frustrated. How can I paint a picture my life on two pages of paper?

I came to the realization, after many conversations with my two biggest champions, Mila and Rosco, I need help. Despite the fact that they can't verbally reply to any of my questions, they were able to give me a paw and a vigorous wag of their tails when they new I needed it. I took that to mean I needed to push through my own bull and get this document done.

With the help of a good friend, I was able to finally get it to a point that others could read it. She typed while I spoke. It seemed easier not having me in the driver seat on my own life. As she typed, I paced back and forth. I slouched in the chair across from her tossing my head from side to side as we went through this document line by line. And just like that it was done.

I was too close. For me it was personal; for my friend, it was helping a raving lunatic calm down and get the job done. I know I could have written my resume well but this document was too important for me to be flippant or too casual. I have a lot to offer a company in many different capacities, however this one document has to be able to show off more than one talent. It has to tell my story in the least amount of words and the most perfect formatting. Having a good friend understand what I needed and willing to help was the best thing that could have happened. And that is how I survived updating my resume.