40+ Midlife Careers

A resume changes in the 40's. A mature career of 20 years or more takes on a different appearance than earlier versions. Please also see companion site: www.midlife careers.com

The challenge is to make important points about your experience, capture career history relevant to your career destination, set-out the unique qualities to bring you to this next career step — all done within a limitation of space.

Resumes vary depending on your new focus:

	New career interest within your industry
	Advancement within your own industry
	Total career change to a new industry

Resumes vary depending on your present situation:

	Mergers / layoffs / downsizing/ rightsizing
	Outside special recruitment
	Visibility for new markets

Resume approach:

	Market your skill-sets
	Discover and market your talents
	Condense information to inform and spark interest
	Outsource on the Internet  or with Direct Mail Campaigns, E-mail, Fax Campaigns to recruiters, venture capitalists, or present yourself to  companies of your interest either through direct mail or a cut and paste of your resume onto a corporate web site.

A Professional Resume Presentation

	Sets out your unique qualities to trigger a response
	Makes the first impression.
	Becomes your first professional tool in negotiating salary.
	AND DON'T FORGET THE INTERVIEW ---- PLEASE SEE WWW.MIDLIFECAREERS.COM/COACHING.HTML

What a resume isn't: It is not a documentation of responsibilities and tasks, but rather a resume is a snapshot of your life's work.

What a resume is: A professional resume presents condensed word sketches that leave the recruiter or employer wanting to buy!

Sell your passion, competency, knowledge, skills — Yes, in that order.

Internet Marketing

Over 90% of the job market is now on the Internet. The design of resumes today are driven by the Internet

— Whether you are marketing locally or nationally:

	Cut and paste your resume to corporate sites and job-search sites
	E-mail recruiters
	E-mail companies

	E-mail venture capitalist firms
	Place your resume at the best distribution sites
	Place your resume at preferred executive-level recruitment sites.

Reason for Change — Specific to 40-50 job seekers include:

	Professional advancement of the 40's. I'm breaking in to to tell you about Mark Idlewine's Progression: Significant new career strides are made in the 40's and sometimes professional advancement is closer to early 50's. October 2005 is a month that I'm hearing success stories from my clients. Here is one from Mark: Mark came to me in late 90's and was dissatisfied about his career - he was a hair stylist. We wrote the first resume. He began selling hair products. We wrote the second resume He worked for SBC inhouse. We wrote the third resume He wanted to make more money. We wrote the forth resume. He successfully reached 6 figures working in new home sales. And today he called to say he has just received his Real Estate License. This is a progression from mid-30's to 42 -- and still continuing to professionally advance....   The more professional your presentation, the better the opportunities. • Create a professional image. You cannot afford to cut and paste someone else's version onto your resume. Taking time to really do it right by understanding your strengths and making a plan of action. • A professional resume is the first professional tool for salary negotiation • Advancing in the direction you want needs your utmost attention. Large corporations hire image consultants to redo "the look" of a potential leader on the rise. This is my advice to you too.
	Especially for women. Women who have chosen to stay at home with families find more time - plus an itch to return to the job market as their children reach teenage years. But how to regroup with a big work history gap? • Lead with a functional-style resume that sets out your skills. Next set out your background in a Career History category. Don't forget about the many volunteer assignments you have filled! Look seriously at what you love to do. What makes you lose a little sense of time. Because in this category lies a talent-base ready to open and blossom • A topnotch cover letter that shows enthusiasm and energy to spark interest of the employer. Say you can make a difference, because you can. • Your unique personality, talents, and accomplishments must show up to get get your foot back in the door. Tap into the richness of your life. Taking time to add a brief period of coaching before developing the resume, may generate a quality work-life balance rather than just a pay check. I offer objective and subjective evaluation and coaching based on discovery that could be invaluable to your process. I received this note Oct 2005 from a women who changed careers, returned to college, and following this gap was seeking a teaching position. Since teachers just don't change positions often to leave room for teachers trying to get hired, I consider this to be a hard change to master. Here is what she did and has to say about it: ******** I just wanted to let you know that I found a job due to the resume that you wrote for me. I was a stay-at-home mom for four years who was trying to return to teaching. I am currently working at IPS Frederick Douglass Middle School #19. I am teaching language arts to middle school students. Thank you. Just wanted to let you know, Cindy Bubenzer ********
	U-turns are made in midlife careers Maybe you missed your bulls-eye first time around as you veered too far to the right or left of your job target. How do you turn that around and go after a life's dream? • Take time to explore and develop and action plan before writing the resume. • Make your u-turn at the top of the resume. Begin the resume with strengths to bring to a new market. This may require some introspection on your part or use of coaching prior to writing the resume to understand what you can bring to new markets or areas of interest. Write an informed and enthusiastic cover letter - again maintain the focus on what you can bring to a transition. Be the first to present obstacles and overcome any objects to change. • Target markets going directly to companies, networking, using the Internet to do your homework on each company that you pursue. If you are using recruiters, they must be very clear on strengths and talents that will make you a unique candidate or they will simply pass you by for a tried and true industry prospect.
	Pink slips happen in the 40's. With mergers, acquisitions, today's concentration on the bottom line, and the tendency to disregard loyal employee performance, means - BE READY. If you hear the rumor mills broadcasting change in the air - get in the ready-mode for presenting your skills to companies, recruiters. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE SHOE FALLS. A professional resume puts you in the driver's seat Take time, make the investment, it is your future. To begin the process after the fact, puts you at a decided disadvantage. I see many going through job loss at no fault of their own. I also see many re-emerger with a new job they really like better. And oddly enough, I consistently see across-the-board better pay with a new company. What you need? • Coaching to help you sort out and give you a plan of action • Resume and Cover Letter that gives you a great image • Plan of action to steer the course

Testimonials

From a

***** E-mail - Testimonial Feb 20 2007
- Hi Mary Anne:Thanks for your help with the resume. I had two good job offers, both 6 figure offers, and a couple of others that could have done in a pinch. I have been working in Plainfield as the Director of Operations for a terrific company since January 1st.
Thanks again,Brian Haehl--Indianapolis, IN.

***** E-mail - Testimonial Oct 29, 2005 - I was in competition with 50 applicants, and was one-of-10 called in for interview. Without our interview coaching session, I would never have made it. But guess what? I have a wonderful management-track job with Charter I Bank. Kevin Gower, Indianapolis, IN.

E-Mail sent Feb 14, 2004 - Thanks again for all your help. I did gain the confidence I needed from your Interview Training, and I
couldn't have done that without you. I will keep you updated. H. Kasperit

E-mail sent June 2004 - Mary Ann, Your help was invaluable. Put me back in the driver's seat. Whatever way this company goes I'm ready and am really looking at all of this change in acquisition, as a unique opportunity. I would never be looking around, but already, I'm aware that I am underpaid and underutilized. Have had two offers since I began to work with recruiters. Again, thanks. Bob M. Seattle, Washington

E-mail Sent May 9, 2003 -

Hello Mary Ann, Here's an update on my job hunt, since you revised my resume and cover letter this past winter

After submitting my new resume to a host of companies, both local and outside Indiana, I was able to interview with Roche Diagnostics, T2 Systems, Adobe Systems, Thomson Multimedia, BioSentinel, and America Online.

Several executive recruiters also commented that my new resume was awesome and they remarked that the profile section was very unique and quite useful. Even my collegiate son liked it and successfully used the profile approach in his resume for summer work.

Just last week I received an attractive offer, with a great relocation package, from America Online and I decided to accept the position as their new Director of Competitive Intelligence. It's bittersweet having to depart Indianapolis after 18 years, but my family is excited about soon moving to the Northern Virginia area.

Thanks again for all your help and support. You are welcome to use my comments in any of your marketing efforts.

Steve G. Kukla - Indianapolis

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Just want you to know that I had a response in 5 days after my resume went out and have just signed a contract for selling paramedical supplies with a new territory in Chicago. Janis Hubble Aug 2003

The recruiters who contacted me commented that the resume and cover letter were very well done. I have no doubt that the quality of the resume and cover letter resulted in the large number of phone calls I received. I view your service not only as a resume writing service, but a service that provides additional suggestions, ideas, that clearly help in the job search.
Client 2000— S. Nichols - Sales Engineer - age: 43

Pricing:

Resumes: This service is committed to writing a professional resume involving unnecessary effort and expense. Prices are based on $110 an hour and depending on length and complexity of the document range from $385 - $880. Cover Letters are $220 -- if written with resume $150

Other:

Coaching Sessions: $125 per hour. (1- hour session @ $125) ( 2-hour Assessment and coaching session $285) 3 (1-hour sessions- $330; 5(1-hour sessions-$550.

Direct E-mail Campaigns are by quote, begin at $220.

Customized placement – $45 per placement.

Also see Resume Services.

 

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Mary Ann Finch Vandivier – all rights reserved
Resumewriter@resumecounselor.com
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