Job variety problem
I have a marketing communications background that looked pretty solid till about 1999 when I took a job with an insurance company. Since then I have been promoted from senior manager thru the ranks to AVP which sounds great BUT I have moved around a lot in the company taking jobs I thought sounded interesting. This means I worked in ebusiness (marketing communications and a special internet start-up project), IT web project management and usability, claims (more web project management and usability), training (start-up of a claims academy), global online marketing and now global HR (eHR strategy). I would really like to get back to marketing and would like to work for a pure internet company as opposed to working on internet projects within a non-internet company. Any ideas on how I can position myself for an AVP/ VP Marketing position? Or, should I scale back and try for a senior director position? I am afraid that people will have a hard time seeing me in marketing since my HR and Claims experiences are the most recent. I would like to play up my steady increases in responsibility, international experience and the fact that I have been chosen for several start-ups and special projects within my current company. However, my chronological resume just looks like a lot of job hopping (since 1999!). Thanks.
I am in a similar situation. I wear/worn a lot of hats and it is difficult for people who scan my resume to formulate a category. Here is how I helped them. I place the most significant title in relation to the job i am seeking after my summary of qualifications. This is also under the umbrella of the company it relates to. Then under that, all the other relevant titles in decreasing order. Under each title, a description/accomplishment just as relevant. I have also experimented with a skills format to my resume but haven't really tested it on the job boards. You definitely should consider breaking out of the chronological format though, as it doesnt fit people like us. Let me know if you find something that works well. I don' t see job-hopping since 1999 - you' ve been with the same company, right? You can market your movement with the company as a positive (the ability to adapt to diverse roles, ability to quickly ramp up on new skills and challenges, etc.). I have been with the same company since 1999. I like your suggestion to market my movement in a positive way. As for the senior director position this would be a step back from my current role as #### vice president (not #### TO the vice president as they say on the office!). I will emphasize the leadership and strategic skills anyway. I was concerned that I would be competing with other avps and vps who might have a more "normal" resume and that I would get passed over. But, I think now I should go for it! And, then I can change things if I am not getting the kinds of responses I hoped for.
The reply is supposed to say vice president. I guess it is showing up with the pound symbol because I abbreviated it... You have a "normal" career progression...actually you have a very impressive career history. Please don' t sell yourself short! I think it would help to create a strong Qualifications Summary that highlights your most desirable credentials and "value proposition." | |
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