Looking for work with a 'thin' resume? How to make

Looking for work with a 'thin' resume? How to make the most of your employment history

Everyone knows these are tough times to be job searching. Even people with an impressive and extensive employment history may spend months landing a job, only to find they must accept less pay than provided by their last job.

For people who haven't been in the workforce long, or for those with a spotty career track, these conditions can present a dismal outlook. For you folks with a 'thin' resume, we've got some suggestions on how to make the most of your employment history and get prospective employers to take a second look at your resume and call you for an interview.

First off, in order to successfully compete for jobs in any field, you must have a resume. Just walking in and asking for an employment application to fill out won't do. Number one, the standard job application doesn't give you enough of an opportunity to let the employer know about all of your strengths and skills. Secondly, if your handwriting isn't the best, it's difficult for the hiring manager to read. A well organized resume looks far more professional, allows you to insert relevant facts which the standard job application does not, as well as attaching a cover letter to summarize your skills and specific interest in the company.

If you're a high school grad, with only part-time jobs under your belt, and/or with gaps in your employment history, don't despair. With a little careful thinking, you can downplay your lack of experience, while building up your assets.

Remember that a few good references can make all the difference. Be sure that the people you use for references won't become annoyed if they receive multiple calls from various employers before you succeed in landing a job. If you have four people who are willing to give you a reference, try alternating two between each application so that no one individual is overloaded with calls.

Now we get to polishing up that resume and initiating your job search. Let's say that you've done a lot of babysitting during high school, volunteered at the Humane Society for a summer, but have only one 'official' credit in your employment history, as a clerk at a local mini-mart. Assuming you can get a good reference from that employer, you should target job opportunities that suit your skill set. In our example case, your major asset may be your people skills. Possible job openings might include being a bank teller, office receptionist, hotel clerk, department store or shop salesperson. Don't ignore the fast food places and gas station attendant opportunities. In all of these jobs, you'd want to key off your people skills as your selling point.

Here's where your cover letter comes in. Be sincere and professional. Use your cover letter to introduce yourself and point out why the employer would want to hire you. If you've got good grades on your transcript and/or are currently enrolled in college courses, be sure to mention this.

For a position as an office receptionist, you might try something like this: I enjoy work which requires interacting with people in a busy environment. I multitask well, with good organizational skills and attention to detail. My computer skills include (xyz). References are included on my resume, attached.

Thank you for considering me for this employment opportunity.

With such a cover letter and a nicely formatted resume, even with such a short employment history, you'll stand out from the crowd of dozens of applicants who didn't bother with a resume and cover letter, only filling out the standard application form.

So there you have a generic 'recipe' for making the most of your employment history. Good luck!