How to Capitalize on Years of Experience

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How to Capitalize on Years of Experience

How to Capitalize on Years of Experience
You've been in the workforce for many years now—10, 15, 20 or more. You are a steady, reliable employee with years of experience and you know you have what it takes to impress a new employer. So where do you start now that you're ready to look for a new job? How do you present—and capitalize on—your years of job experience in a way that will get employers excited about your potential and call you in for an interview? Here's how you can make your substantial job experience work for you.


Staying on Top
"The first thing I would advise anyone launching a job search is to make sure you've done your research and know the players in the field," says Ron Herzog, President, FPC. "You have to keep up-to-date with your profession and industry. You have to be out there all the time knowing what's going on."

This advice applies to anyone in the workforce, but especially to those who have been in the workforce for several years. After all, it's natural to get complacent after doing something for many years and not feel the need to keep abreast of new developments. But this could sabotage your job search, and possibly, your career. If you don't know who's who or what's what in your field, then how can you know about the companies you want to work for, or even what companies or opportunities exist?

Knowledge is power, and you can get it in many ways. Cultivating and maintaining professional relationships, attending industry functions and networking can not only help increase your visibility but also provide you with crucial information that'll help you in your job search. You may hear about a new software program that is changing the way your industry does business, or someone may point you toward a job opening you didn't know about.

Knowing as much as you can about the companies you want to work for—and their key players—is another form of knowledge you can't do without. In this information age, there's really no excuse for going into an interview without any information about the company you're interviewing with. Many companies have their own websites that usually list their executive officers. A company's website typically includes its mission statement, a copy of its latest annual report, press releases and so forth. This is a trove of valuable information—all free!—and all yours for the picking.

Another way to gain relevant knowledge is to add to your formal education. Consider becoming certified or attending training classes in your field or the field you want to be in. In this high-tech environment that we live in today, obsolete computer skills will automatically disqualify a person from many job openings. Many companies encourage—and will reimburse—their employees to take courses related to what they're doing. And remember, continuing your education can make you more marketable and increase your networking opportunities. It also sends a positive message to hiring companies. "It's saying as a potential hire that you have energy, you want to learn, you're keeping up-to-date with what's going on and you're not stagnant in your career," comments Herzog.

The point to all this? As Herzog points out, "By staying on top of your field, researching the companies you want to work for and knowing about the products they have and the people within those companies, you are presenting yourself intelligently and will likely create a great impression." Yes, this can take a lot of work. But if you've been working for many years now, you may already be doing some of these things without realizing it. And if you haven't, start now.


The Resume: Still Important After All These Years
It may have been a while since you last updated your resume. If you haven't given it much thought, you may be surprised by the different kinds of resumes (functional, chronological, etc.) out there and what you should include on them. Most companies' and recruiters' first knowledge of a job candidate is through that person's resume, so while times have changed, the vital role that a resume plays in a job search hasn't (for resume basics, see "Writing an Effective Resume").

The three most common types of resume are:

the chronological (your most recent position and accomplishments are listed first, followed by the next most recent and so forth)
the functional (your experience is grouped under skills—e.g., "Management and Supervision," or your experience is divided between "Recent Relevant    Experience" and "Prior Experience")
the chrono-functional (a hybrid of the two above)

"For people with a lot of experience, I would typically recommend the functional resume," says Herzog. "It really gives the person the opportunity to include his or her relevant work experience first, which is what companies are looking for."

The word "relevant" is key. Someone who has been in the workforce for many years will probably have a very long resume. But keep in mind that many hiring managers and recruiters won't read a resume that exceeds two pages. So recapping in numbing detail everything you've ever done since you began working 20 years ago may not work in your favor. All the person who's reading your resume wants to know is do you have relevant experience for the job in question. Notes Herzog, "Your resume should focus on what you have done in your background that could accomplish what a specific company is looking for. Your resume really needs to be tailored toward each job you're applying for." (For more tips on how to keep your resume on course, see "When One Size Does Not Fit All: Why You Should Tailor Your Resume.")

Herzog suggests including the following three major headers on your functional resume: Recent Relevant Experience, Prior Experience and Education and Training. "Under Recent Relevant Experience, list your relevant accomplishments from the last 10-15 years that are related to the job you're seeking—not every responsibility you've had," says Herzog. "Under Prior Experience, list your titles, the companies you've worked for and some brief bullet points on what you did."

Under Education and Training, "include your education first followed by your relevant training experience, such as any certification or software training or training classes you've taken that show you've kept yourself current," Herzog recommends. "Education is very important to hiring companies and they look out for that."


Branding Your Experience
Branding has been around for as long as companies have been advertising their products. To brand is to create an expectation in the mind of buyer based on your "promise" to them of what they will get when they choose your brand. From a job candidate's perspective, it's figuring out what your promises are to a potential employer and then presenting the package (your education, experience, etc.) to a potential employer that show you can deliver on that promise.

The resume is an invaluable branding tool for job hunters. "Branding is important when you're crafting your resume because it's giving you the opportunity to sell your accomplishments," says Herzog. A resume gives you the chance to list your relevant achievements, education and training, and other notable accomplishments such as articles published, speeches made, awards, honors and testimonials received—the totality of your career story and brand, which includes more than just your on-the-job experience (just make sure that everything you list is relevant to the position in question). Ultimately, your resume should show a progression of titles and responsibilities—all that you've accomplished, the promises you've lived up to and the continuing potential that you bring to a company.

You may also consider putting all the information on your resume online to create a virtual resume and portfolio so people can easily see the value of your brand. In addition to what's on your resume, your online portfolio can go into more details on your accomplishments and provide samples of works, articles or speeches you've done. If your works are featured on another website, provide the link to that website (just make sure it's current and takes readers to where they should go).

Your career is a nonstop development of the brand that is you. As your career evolves, so too will your brand and what you can bring to the table. After all, the skills and experiences you had 10 years ago are different versus what they are now. Nurture and strengthen your brand not only by showcasing its achievements but also by taking steps to make your brand stronger. For example, if you're weak in an area, how can you make up for it? Are there classes you can take? Can you ask for assignments at work that will provide the hands-on experience you're lacking?

The Final Word: How FPC Can Help
It's natural to be uncertain of the steps to take if you've been working for many years and have only begun looking for a new job. When you work with an FPC recruiter, you and your recruiter will review your years of experience and engage in frank discussions on what in your background is relevant to the position you want to apply for, and what isn't. In other words, an FPC recruiter will help you to focus on the experiences you have that matter to a hiring company, providing you a better chance of landing that job. Because FPC recruiters have longstanding relationships with their corporate clients, they have intimate knowledge about the companies you're interested in, what they are looking for and the people and players within those companies you should know. Your FPC recruiter will share all this valuable information with you, helping you to better sharpen your goals, brand, and ultimately, getting the job you desire.

Source: http://www.fpcnational.com/index.php/career-tips/managing-careers/8-managing-careers/50-how-to-capitalize-on-years-of-experience