I am in need of updating my resume and would like to make a career shift at this time. A brief explanation of my work and education is in order to bring you up to point of my questions. I graduated with a BS degree in 1984. I worked for company A as a salesman for 3 years. I went to work as a salesman for company B. I worked for 3 years for company B, untill a slump in the business sector I was in caused me to evaluate my priorities and interests. I then returned to school as a post graduate student, not seeking a post graduate degree, but taking 300 and 400 level classes in chemistry and biology. I did this to fulfill prerequisites so I might be sucessful on the Medical College Aptitude Test and ultimately be accepted into a medical school. I worked nights as a custodian and went to school during the day. I kept this schedual for 2-1/2 years. I was nearly burned out when company A called my and asked if I would go back to work for them, but I was stubborn and held out for another year telling them I was not interested, while I continued on with my educational plans, and goals. In a weak moment however I succumed to their temptation of a decent paying sales job, thinking I would still apply to medical schools the following spring. I did not realize how burned out I was with my work and school schedual. I had no desire to make an application to medical school when the time came. It was enjoyable working and having weekends free for leisure. I would like to get into medical supply, medical equipment or pharmaceutical sales. I would enjoy the scientific and technical aspect of the work. I presently sell industrial equipment for pumping, metering, and inventory control of petroleum products. It's greasy and dirty, but it pays well. ******Now the questions.************* I would like to emphasis my post graduate science education more than my BS in economics on my resume so that it would be more noticable. However, I do not have a degree in either chemistry or biology. My sales experience in the oil equipment industry is extensive. How do I best bridge the two diverse experiences and intersts into an attrative package on a resume for a medical oriented company? Questions about format. Most resumes have a format of something like Objective Employment History Education My delema is this.. I have had several potential employers ask me to explain my lapses in employment, since my resume shows sales job dates and no job appears during the 2-1/2 years I spent in school. I have not included in my resume that I scrubed toilets at night so I could go to school in the day time. I just doesn't seem professional. Yet, if you format a resume in a traditional way when a prospective employer sees a 2-1/2 year lapse in employment my guess is they toss that resume in the round file before they read on to see what you did for that period of time in the Education section of your resume. Do you have a sugestions to overcome this? Also, Is there one particular standard resume format that is preferred this year, as opposed to what I might have done 7 years ago. Thanks for the forum. |