Resume formatting / wording assistance... ?
June 16, 2022 3:42 PM Subscribe
I'm applying for a Canadian Government job and the website says, "Your résumé should be in plain text format (avoid using special formatting such as tables and columns)." I have some questions about this AND some general resume questions. Please help if you can.
So I get the plain text part, but:
The application has separate pages with text boxes for name, address, etc. On the page asking for the Resume, it's just a big text box with these instructions:
"Your résumé should include your education, work experience and any other information about your volunteer or extracurricular activities."
I have a couple questions:
1. In that text box, should I include only include the info asked for in that instruction? IE, leave out any name/address information that would normally be at the top of the Resume? I assume so, but if anyone knows for sure... ? (Worried including it / not including it would result in, "Idiot!" from the reader.)
2. I have mostly worked retail, but at various places, always as manager or owner. My duties at these places is pretty much always the same, which I generally sum up as: "Duties include all aspects of running an award-winning retail business: customer service, hiring/training/scheduling staff, inventory control and merchandising, banking and budgeting, social media and advertising, etc."
2a. How is that wording? Should I rephrase it?
2b. When I type it as
Business Name, Job Title
Dates of employment
Duties
It looks kind of ridiculous in plain text as the duties are all the same and only the names/dates change. Would it be better to write something like:
"I have managed and/or owned various award-winning Toronto retail establishments over the years and my duties have included: customer service, hiring/training/scheduling staff, inventory control and merchandising, banking and budgeting, social media and advertising, etc.
Businesses were:
Store Name, Title, Dates
Store Name, Title, Dates
Store Name, Title, Dates"
2C. For the past few years, I've owned my own shop and have only been open during the summer. In the winter, I have gone to warm countries to manage vacation properties and pet/house sit. I think listing these jobs individually would look like I cannot keep a job when in fact I've been in demand. Should I treat it similar to 2b? Ie, write something like:
"During the winter months between 2016 and 2020, I lived in various countries, managing vacation properties. Duties have included customer service for guests, managing housekeeping and gardening staff, overseeing contractors for renovations, and caring for the property's plants and animals.
Property name, Country, Dates
Property name, Country, Dates
Property name, Country, Dates"
TLDR: For years I've worked retail at three places (8 years manager, 4 years owner, 6 years owner). For the final place, which I still own/run, I generally only stay open 7 months and then for 5 months manage properties around the world. How do I avoid making it look like I've had 9 jobs in 18 years when that's not really the case?
So I get the plain text part, but:
The application has separate pages with text boxes for name, address, etc. On the page asking for the Resume, it's just a big text box with these instructions:
"Your résumé should include your education, work experience and any other information about your volunteer or extracurricular activities."
I have a couple questions:
1. In that text box, should I include only include the info asked for in that instruction? IE, leave out any name/address information that would normally be at the top of the Resume? I assume so, but if anyone knows for sure... ? (Worried including it / not including it would result in, "Idiot!" from the reader.)
2. I have mostly worked retail, but at various places, always as manager or owner. My duties at these places is pretty much always the same, which I generally sum up as: "Duties include all aspects of running an award-winning retail business: customer service, hiring/training/scheduling staff, inventory control and merchandising, banking and budgeting, social media and advertising, etc."
2a. How is that wording? Should I rephrase it?
2b. When I type it as
Business Name, Job Title
Dates of employment
Duties
It looks kind of ridiculous in plain text as the duties are all the same and only the names/dates change. Would it be better to write something like:
"I have managed and/or owned various award-winning Toronto retail establishments over the years and my duties have included: customer service, hiring/training/scheduling staff, inventory control and merchandising, banking and budgeting, social media and advertising, etc.
Businesses were:
Store Name, Title, Dates
Store Name, Title, Dates
Store Name, Title, Dates"
2C. For the past few years, I've owned my own shop and have only been open during the summer. In the winter, I have gone to warm countries to manage vacation properties and pet/house sit. I think listing these jobs individually would look like I cannot keep a job when in fact I've been in demand. Should I treat it similar to 2b? Ie, write something like:
"During the winter months between 2016 and 2020, I lived in various countries, managing vacation properties. Duties have included customer service for guests, managing housekeeping and gardening staff, overseeing contractors for renovations, and caring for the property's plants and animals.
Property name, Country, Dates
Property name, Country, Dates
Property name, Country, Dates"
TLDR: For years I've worked retail at three places (8 years manager, 4 years owner, 6 years owner). For the final place, which I still own/run, I generally only stay open 7 months and then for 5 months manage properties around the world. How do I avoid making it look like I've had 9 jobs in 18 years when that's not really the case?
Response by poster: The jobs I'm applying for are pretty much customer service positions at gov't: passport office, drivers' license / health card office, etc.
posted by dobbs at 3:49 PM on June 16, 2022
posted by dobbs at 3:49 PM on June 16, 2022
Could you format it like:
Business Name
Job Title, Job Title, Job Title
Dates of employment (m & y only)
Duties
Country
Property Name, Property Name, Property Name
Dates (m & y only)
Duties
That may help to consolidate the list a bit and some finessing of dates would help build a coherent history that looks like stable employment over the whole period.
posted by dg at 4:04 PM on June 16, 2022
Business Name
Job Title, Job Title, Job Title
Dates of employment (m & y only)
Duties
Country
Property Name, Property Name, Property Name
Dates (m & y only)
Duties
That may help to consolidate the list a bit and some finessing of dates would help build a coherent history that looks like stable employment over the whole period.
posted by dg at 4:04 PM on June 16, 2022
Best answer: My answer is specific to the federal public service, because I don't know anything about provincial processes. Usually with GC Jobs, there is a separate question page in which you have to explain all the ways in which you meet the requirements of the position and your answers to those questions are much, much more important than what is on your resume.
If you only get to submit a resume, which can be the case, then make absolutely sure you look at Required qualifications on the job posting, pull out all the key words and make sure they are mentioned somewhere in your resume. Do the same for the Asset Qualifications, making sure you mention every keyword that you meet on your resume.
Do not be afraid to be repetitive on government applications. It happens -- don't leave things out of one answer because you answered them somewhere else.
If there are ways in which your experience owning and managing a business speaks directly to the job you are applying for, make sure those things are front and center in your list of duties. I wouldn't mix your primary jobs together, but if there were different things you emphasized in each position, use that as an opportunity to explain what they were. "Managed a retail store including training, scheduling and supervising a staff of up to Z people. The retail store was known for exemplary customer service and won 3 Best of City awards. Managed all aspects of running the business, including accounting, inventory, and marketing. The store had $X in annual revenues, growing to $Y during my tenure." You can say very similar things for each job, but provide the actual data for the different jobs, picking and choosing what was impressive about each one. Lean on the customer service and people management aspects of each, though, since you aren't likely to be responsible for inventory or accounting in the government where those are specialized tasks.
For your current work, I would describe yourself as owning your business and not get into the X months a year thing. You own your business and have done so for X years, these are the things you are responsible for as a business owner. That it is a seasonal business isn't terribly relevant to the question of how it speaks to your experience. You may get asked about it in an interview, should one materialize.
For the foreign experience, I might be more inclined to lump them together just so it's not so very many entries. I might go with something like this, though obviously I am making up the details:
Property Manager 2016-2020 (Seasonal, Contract)
Managed a portfolio of foreign vacation rental properties, including customer service for guests in English, French and Spanish, managing onsite staff and contractors, maintaining properties.
Winter 2016 - Mexico - 8 vacation villas with 6 staff
Winter 2017 - Argentina - 10 room boutique hotel with 12 staff
...
posted by jacquilynne at 4:14 PM on June 16, 2022 [6 favorites]
If you only get to submit a resume, which can be the case, then make absolutely sure you look at Required qualifications on the job posting, pull out all the key words and make sure they are mentioned somewhere in your resume. Do the same for the Asset Qualifications, making sure you mention every keyword that you meet on your resume.
Do not be afraid to be repetitive on government applications. It happens -- don't leave things out of one answer because you answered them somewhere else.
If there are ways in which your experience owning and managing a business speaks directly to the job you are applying for, make sure those things are front and center in your list of duties. I wouldn't mix your primary jobs together, but if there were different things you emphasized in each position, use that as an opportunity to explain what they were. "Managed a retail store including training, scheduling and supervising a staff of up to Z people. The retail store was known for exemplary customer service and won 3 Best of City awards. Managed all aspects of running the business, including accounting, inventory, and marketing. The store had $X in annual revenues, growing to $Y during my tenure." You can say very similar things for each job, but provide the actual data for the different jobs, picking and choosing what was impressive about each one. Lean on the customer service and people management aspects of each, though, since you aren't likely to be responsible for inventory or accounting in the government where those are specialized tasks.
For your current work, I would describe yourself as owning your business and not get into the X months a year thing. You own your business and have done so for X years, these are the things you are responsible for as a business owner. That it is a seasonal business isn't terribly relevant to the question of how it speaks to your experience. You may get asked about it in an interview, should one materialize.
For the foreign experience, I might be more inclined to lump them together just so it's not so very many entries. I might go with something like this, though obviously I am making up the details:
Property Manager 2016-2020 (Seasonal, Contract)
Managed a portfolio of foreign vacation rental properties, including customer service for guests in English, French and Spanish, managing onsite staff and contractors, maintaining properties.
Winter 2016 - Mexico - 8 vacation villas with 6 staff
Winter 2017 - Argentina - 10 room boutique hotel with 12 staff
...
posted by jacquilynne at 4:14 PM on June 16, 2022 [6 favorites]
jacquilynne has it pretty well covered.
I was a manager in a Crown Corporation with hiring screening pretty much the same as the govt. standard.
I agree don't blend retail jobs. In fact, the progression from manager to owner should be highlighted. I wouldn't mention the "award winning" unless you were responsible for the award. Instead focus on the store's status such as "custom tailoring" or "bespoke jewellery" etc. if that exists. As to the seasonal aspect, as an owner you own the business all year, even if you aren't working there full time.
Mention the property management for sure, as it illustrates that you are multifaceted. Toss a mention of some conflict resolution experience if you have that.
Amp up the service aspect of the property management especially the client facing duties. This differentiates your work experience from retail and adds another dimension to your skills.
Good luck.
posted by Zedcaster at 8:40 PM on June 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was a manager in a Crown Corporation with hiring screening pretty much the same as the govt. standard.
I agree don't blend retail jobs. In fact, the progression from manager to owner should be highlighted. I wouldn't mention the "award winning" unless you were responsible for the award. Instead focus on the store's status such as "custom tailoring" or "bespoke jewellery" etc. if that exists. As to the seasonal aspect, as an owner you own the business all year, even if you aren't working there full time.
Mention the property management for sure, as it illustrates that you are multifaceted. Toss a mention of some conflict resolution experience if you have that.
Amp up the service aspect of the property management especially the client facing duties. This differentiates your work experience from retail and adds another dimension to your skills.
Good luck.
posted by Zedcaster at 8:40 PM on June 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't have much advice for the resume part, but on the actual application make sure to explain everything as if you're talking to a 5 year old and use the exact same words in the application questions. For example, if it asks you whether you have significant experience managing and assessing the performance of employees in a customer service environment, use those exact words to describe your experience. Also pay close attention to the words in the question. In the example above, you would need to clearly state the evidence for the claim that you have that experience, and provide examples of both the managing and the assessing. Basically throw any desire to write succinctly or expressively out the window and bend over backwards to use the exact phrasing and answer the exact question that is being asked. You need to prove, on paper, without a doubt, that you have literally the exact qualifications listed on the application, in a way that could be seen as objective. For the person reviewing the applications it will basically be a game of matching. And note that that could be a person who has no experience in your field and only understands the literal words written in the application and not any synonyms or other ways of saying the same thing.
posted by winterportage at 1:29 PM on June 17, 2022
posted by winterportage at 1:29 PM on June 17, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by dobbs at 3:44 PM on June 16, 2022