Working on the road résumés
Résumés for Working on the Road
by Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
What sort of résumé do you need for working on the road? If you are applying for seasonal worker positions you will likely be applying for positions where you do not have direct experience in that type of job. That is not to say you aren’t qualified; you haven’t held a position with that title in that type of industry. You will probably want to modify your old résumé to work for these new types of positions. One page is maximum. For a couple you can each have a one-page résumé. Your résumé will not need to be as extensive as it might applying for, say, a professional position. Always check spelling and grammar carefully. A sloppy résumé gives a bad impression to a prospective employers. Ideally, your résumé should be p[repared in a word processor and then modified to match the positions you are applying for. You can update and modify your résumé as necessary, then print out a fresh copy. If you have it professionally done, then leave your objective rather general and store your copies where they won’t get dirty or wrinkled.
Résumé categories
Categories you often see on résumés, usually in capital letters and bolded, are:
- Objective
- Work Experience
- Skills (or Computer Skills)
- Education
- Foreign Languages
- References
Choose the categories that match the position and your background. For most jobs on the road, I recommend omitting "Education" unless it directly correlates to the job at hand. Having a Master’s degree in Science is not relevant to working as a cashier in a retail establishment and might make the employer wonder whether or not you’d be happy doing such work. Other categories like Foreign Languages would be appropriate if you could be dealing with customers speaking this language in this position; otherwise omit it.
Start with your objective
You should begin with your objective or type of position desired. Customize it to fit the position advertised.
- "Work as a maintenance man, using skills from a variety of trades."
- "Work as cashier or sales staff in a retail establishment."
For a couple seeking a position together: "Couple seeks assistant manager position at an RV park or campground."
Chronological v. functional résumés
There are two types of résumés. One is the chronological résumé, the other is a functional résumé. The chronological résumé lists your work experience, going back at least ten years. It is used when your work experience matches the position you are seeking. For example, you would like to work in the office at an RV park and you have held two or three such positions since hitting the road. After your objective, you would list your "work experience."
If, however, your work experience does not match the type of position you are seeking, a functional résumé can showcase your abilities to your advantage. Some examples where a functional résumé would be better:
- You are seeking a maintenance position but have never held one. You have done the upkeep on your house, added a room on, plus done all the repairs. You helped your neighbor build his garage.
- You have no experience working in a campground office, but you have worked in customer service. You are familiar with computers and get along with people.
In a functional résumé, the category "Skills" would follow your objective. List your skills in a bullet list or use the skills needed for the position as your categories or headings, such as "communication skills" or "maintenance skills" and describe how you have used these skills. Perhaps you used this skill in your hobby or in a community activity. That experience is valid and will be considered, but a chronological résumé will not point this out as effectively. To pick out logical categories, use your knowledge of the job or the job description. (Note: you might want to list your skills after your work experience in a chronological résumé as well.)
Remarks and references
Remarks or Interests is a category for hobbies, community activities or skills that relate to the job but don’t fit anywhere else, or show your character. The fact you were a member of the Kiwanis Club for ten years probably implies to an employer that you like people, and you are community and service oriented.
Usually there is not room to list references on a one-page résumé. However, if you do have room, under references list three references and contact information. You can state "References available upon request." Be ready with your list if you make this statement. And be sure to ask permission of each reference. Employers have told me about occasions when they called to check and the reference couldn’t remember who the applicant was!
Cover letter
Your cover letter, which accompanies your résumé, is very important and should specifically address each ad you are responding to. It should state you are interested in that company and job. It should briefly describe how you are qualified for that particular position, and finally how you can be reached. Type or word process it if possible, or neatly hand write, if necessary.
Remember, both the résumé and cover letter are opportunities to sell yourself to a prospective employer. Read the advertisement or job description carefully and think about what that employer with that type of business would want in an employee. Then tailor your résumé and cover letter to fit.
Look at a functional résumé.