Job Seeker Adds His Divorce To His Resumé With The Actual Skills He Learned That Could Get Him Hired
Maybe non-traditional skills aren't such a bad thing.
Prostock-studio / Shutterstock Creating a resumé is one of the most difficult aspects of job hunting. There’s always the question of what exactly to include, what to leave out due to limited space, and wondering what will be best received by employers.
Many people struggle with striking a balance between their professional skills and their life experience, but one man decided his personal experience with divorce was worth listing.
A job seeker included his divorce on his resumé.
The Instagram account @wonsulting, known for helping users out with job tips to find their perfect position, recently shared an interesting resumé. In addition to typical information like the person’s educational background and work as a secretary, it also listed his experience as “Natalie’s Ex-Husband.”
The description for this job sounds fairly intensive. The bullet points on the resumé included “invented new scheduling technique between our family members to break the news, in which I brought everyone together at once and just kept it real” and “developed new breathing techniques to prevent public breakdowns.”
Perhaps the most important part of the job description was “learned a valuable lesson.”
On the surface, this seems humorous, and it’s unclear whether or not it was created in jest. However, this resume does open up an important conversation about what can and should be included on resumés and what is considered relevant experience.
Although it’s not traditional to include an abundance of personal experience on a resumé, it could be beneficial.
Many people have personal experience that is relevant to their job search. For example, one person commented on the Instagram post and said, “How do we do one for being a stay-at-home mom? My tiny boss is very demanding.”
While it may not be considered an actual “job,” being a stay-at-home mom gives one countless valuable skills. From time management to patience, stay-at-home moms have plenty of experience that would actually serve them well in the professional workforce. While there may be a chance to include some of these things in a small “Skills” section, prospective employers should have every right to describe these experiences in detail as though they were part of a job.
Furthermore, creating a resumé like this is a sure way to stand out from the crowd. The job market is more contentious now than ever, with hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants often vying for the same jobs. Time Magazine reported that 52% of job seekers with a Bachelor's degree completed the interview process without receiving an offer, while only 35% with a high school diploma or lower level of education made it to the same level.
In a world where getting a job is becoming increasingly difficult, adding something a little interesting to your resumé may be a good thing. Recruiters are likely starting to feel jaded as they look at one resumé after another that have few differences between them. Seeing something like this would be both entertaining and thought-provoking.
According to The Muse, sharing activities outside of work is one way to stand out, as "non-work" experience can also provide valuable skills worth mentioning, as long as they apply to the skillset of the job you're looking to be hired for.
Ultimately, it’s important to showcase your professional side when creating a resumé. On the other hand, adding something a little extra that both shows off your personality and highlights unique skills you have picked up is a sure way to get noticed. Why not include a little bit of both?
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.