Deborah sent me an email today and asked, “I’m having such a hard time finding a job because I’m moving to Dallas from Florida. Employers won’t give me the time of day when they see I’m in Florida. Help!”

This is a common dilemma, and if you’re relocating, you need to make sure your resume shows your intention to move. Yes, it’s always more difficult to find an out-of-town position, especially if your career field is saturated. Indicate your relocation preferences (such as “available to relocate” or “relocating to Dallas”) in parentheses next to your current address in your header. This is because hiring managers may glance at your header to see where you live, and indicating that you’re open to relocate might help you get an out-of-town interview.

Your cover letter can reiterate your interest in relocating. To make your application more inviting, mention that you will be handling all relocation expenses.

Here’s an article that might help: Rev Up Your Resume to Relocate

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A salary history is a document that contains your earnings history, but consider the consequences before providing your salary information. Employers often use this information to weed out candidates or to see how “cheap” they can get an employee. Your ability to negotiate a salary offer down the line might be compromised if you state your actual history.

If you decide to submit this information, create a separate sheet called “Confidential Salary History.” An easy way to set up this form is to open your resume and cut all sections except for employment history (keep your header with your name and contact info). Then, snip the job descriptions from the employment section, leaving just the employer name, location, your job title, and dates. You can then add your salary (usually ending salary) below each employer. Be sure to include total compensation (bonuses, stock options, tips, etc.).

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Michael P. is ready to modernize his resume. He writes, “I’ve been using the same resume style for the past 10 years - a chronological style. Are there any new resume formats I should use?”

My response: Much has changed in ten years - today’s resumes are aggressively written personal marketing tools, strategically positioning candidates to be chosen for interviews. For the most impact, your resume should be driven by accomplishments instead of job descriptions. Your resume should also have an abundance of industry keywords, as many companies are storing resumes electronically and you need keywords to get found in an applicant search.

Instead of a strictly chronological resume, consider creating a combination resume that incorporates a Qualifications Summary. Your summary describes your top credentials and entices hiring managers to learn more about you. Feel free to email me if you have additional questions on how to modernize your resume.

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Brenda asks, “I’ve just completed my marketing degree but have no experience in the field. I do have prior experience as a systems engineer. How can I present myself to potential companies?”

Great question! From what you’ve mentioned, your degree will be your primary selling point. So place “Education” before experience, and write about academic achievements, special projects, internships, marketing courses, and anything else that shows your solid academic foundation.

When describing your tech experience, think about the business benefit of your work, rather than getting bogged down describing technical details. As a systems engineer, did you solve any challenging problems that increased employee efficiency, enhanced productivity, saved time, saved money, etc?

It’s important to show your transferable skills when making a career change. Conduct research on your desired job target, learning the skills and credentials that employers find desirable in entry-level marketing professionals. You will find that you possess a number of skills or credentials that translate to your new goal. Your transferable skills will form the cornerstone of your resume, and you will need to downplay unrelated experience.

To draw attention to your main qualifications for your new goal, add a “Career Summary” section to your resume and indicate your key qualifications for your career change. It will also be important for your resume to have a clear career goal, otherwise you might be pegged as a systems analyst.

You can see examples of career change resumes in my book The Career Change Resume, or feel free to email me again if you have additional questions.

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