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If you have a bunch of random work experience, it can be challenging to make it feel cohesive in your LinkedIn profile or resume. So, how do you connect the dots? (More importantly, how can you make sure an employer can connect the dots?)
Step #1: Ask yourself, “Why did I choose to do this?”
Sit down and think about why you chose to venture in this direction. What inspired you do it? What drove you to do it?
Once you identify these things, it’s easier for you to group experiences together into categories.
Step #2: Brand your experiences.
Look for a way to brand those grouped experiences on your resume. For example, instead of having an “Additional Experience” section, have a “Human Development Experience” section. This will make it easy for the employer to comprehend.
(And, if there’s a section you come up with that’s in the industry you’re pursuing, you should consider moving that section higher on the resume.)
Also consider changing the phraseology in a way that makes your skills appear more transferable to the industry you’re looking to work in.
Step #3: Let an objective eye look it over.
Before you submit your resume, find someone who can objectively look at it and make sure it makes sense to them. Does it connect the dots? Does it feel cohesive?
Warning: Do NOT ask a family member or spouse to review your resume. They might not give you the honest answer you need to improve your resume. You need someone who will be TRULY objective in their response.
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