Career Tips

Terrible Resume Writer In Need of Help


The following is my terrible resume that has somehow managed to work fairly well over the years. However, I know it' s terrible and needs improvement. There are things that I would like to include, yet I' m not quite sure how to go about doing it. For instance, I have had to problem solve numerous times over the years. Recently, I had to completely change the CNC programming to get sealing rings, for airplanes and nuclear facilities, to work correctly. This was done on my own, after the engineers could not even solve the problem. Just various things like that. Really, I' m in terrible need of some help. The company I' m currently employed with is moving to Mexico, so a new job is in my future. 

I was also in the Job Corps right after graduation. I completed the program in less than five months, but I couldn' t take any certifications until I had been there for at least a year. Being the impatient 17 year old I was, I didn' t stay around for the next 7 months. I hinged my choice on how ridiculous it was (to me at the time)  to waste time for another 7 months, when I was at certification level in less than 5 months. Should I include my Job Corp stint even though I didn' t get my certifications? It is experience, but it' s experience i don' t have certification on.  

Thanks and please be kind. 

I have over ten years experience setting up, running
and operating CNC machines, for which I can also do adjustments.
I can read micrometers, calipers and blue-prints.
I have 2+ years in a Supervisor position.
I have forklift experience and have been company certified in the past.
I have received training in CPR, first aid and preventing
blood born pathogens and would be willing to recertify upon request.

Work Experience

Machinist/Machine Operator, August 2004-present
Airtomic, Jeffersonville, IN

Run CNC Okuma Lathes, manual lathes, Besley, Blanchard
and other various grinders
I produce and inspect sealing rings for a variety of nuclear and aerospace applications.



CNC Router Operator, October 1999-August 2004
Fabri-Form Co., Pekin, IN

Set up, worked on and ran CNC five axis routers and thermoforming machines
Drove forklift and warehouse experience
Performed quality control inspections

Supervisor/Machine Operator, November 1996-September 1999
Ran-Paige, Sellersburg, IN

Made various aluminum parts for Army tents.
Ran CNC mills and lathes
Drove forklift
Quality Control member
Team Lead Person
Supervisor - 2 years


Laborer, October 1993-November 1996
Brinkworth Construction, New Albany, IN

Set up and poured concrete footers and foundation
walls for home construction.



Laborer, Fall 1991-October 1993
3B Barrels and Drums, New Albany, IN

Reconditioned old 55 gallon steel drums for resale.
Spray painted
Drove forklift

Education

High School Diploma, 1988, William H.Borden High School, Borden, IN

Previous CPR, first aid and blood born pathogens training
and certification. Will recertify upon request

Former volunteer firefighter with hazardous waste
training

Former Boy Scouts of America Den Leader

Well, i dont have anything much to offer, and I have just started looking for another job for the firs time in 5 years...

...but back in 2002 i went with areputable (at least seemingly) online resume writing service. I graduated college in 2001, during which time I had my resume worked on by my professors there. After not the results I was looking for, i bit the bullet, paid the $100 or so, and had it redone. They 'promise' results, and I had an interview shortly thereafter (i got the job as well).

I found that they helped mostly with appearance, but i noticed a drastic change from what my college professors let me leave their offices with. its been a long time since then, and the world (and internet) have changed substantially, so maybe all of this information is now readily available, not sure.

my point is: you cant afford to take shortcuts with your resume...take it to someone who really knows what to look for and have them help you out.

You need help, I am your man, but I haven' t the time. I will be kind. You are close to my own age.

I' m 38yrs old, grduated HS in 1987 (YAHOO!!!!!!!!)

I consider myself a very good resume artist/writter. It really isn' t that hard, people just think that.

Remember, write your resume so it provokes questions that really need an answer in the the mind of the reader(employer), don' t tell the "whole" story, just a piece of it. Get my drift?

my last bit of good advice, leave it out (the cert thing & being 17yrs dumb) that was too long ago, you at least 36 to 38yrs old, by my guess? leave it out. Only include the last 12 yrs or so. (we were all young and dumb)

Writing a resume is not easy, even for experienced writers.   You have a good place to start on your resume.  You can only go up from here 

I am giving this advice in the most kind hearted way, that I can.  You can chose to use it or leave it.

I am unfamiliar with the acronym CNC.  For job in your industry it' s probably not necessary to spell it out.  However, if your looking at changing industries I would put CNC (......the meaning in parenthesis).  Throughout the rest of the document you can use CNC.

It sounds you alluded to quite an accomplishment with the engineering thing.   Here is how to write an accomplishment statement.

  1. What was the problem?
  2. What action was taken?
  3. What were the results?

After writing down all the information in relation to the 3 items above.  Use that information to create an accomplishment statement.  I would try to use this method and create several  accomplishment statements from your recent job history, quantifying when possible.  Then take the top 3 or  use 3 of  statements that are most applicable to the job your trying to get an interview for and slip those in to the resume.  More than likely, you will have more than one version of your resume.   You  can also use these accomplishment statements in your cover letters to help highlight your expertise.

Other things which need to change....

remove the use of 1st person (I).

It' s not necessary to use the months of employ.  Just put the years.  Remove the year of high school graduation.   Unless your job requires you to be certified or you want to be certified. I wouldn' t put recertify upon request.  If you get certified, I might create a section called certifications and list those areas for which your are certified in.  Does that make sense?

I would put your volunteer work in a separate section.  If your' re not currently in the Boy Scouts as a Den Leader, I would probably leave that off.  If you have been a Den Leader w/in the past 10 - 12  years and you want it on your resume, then put the start and end date in years.  Don' t use the word former in this case...same with the fire fighter.  For the fire fighter, if it is w/in the past 10 -12 years, put the dates. Put which city/firestation you were a volunteer for.   I might create a separate section and put your HAZMAT training and the other coursework/training  you may have taken over the years.

For further assistance... I would visit your local unemployment office to see if they have any classes to offer on writing resumes.  You probably can get some help through there.  I would also visit the library and check out a couple of books on resumes.  It is always helpful to look at other examples.  The "Knock' em Dead" Book series is good on resumes and cover letters.

I hope this helps! 

Best of luck to you.  You can do this!

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