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Submitted by fjf on
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I'm putting together my cv in MT format and am wondering how best to present a significant career diversion I made back in 1993. Specifically: after several successful years at Procter & Gamble I moved to a position with a church, working with teenagers. During the year and a half in this position it became clear to me that I wasn't suited to a long term church career and switched to humanitiarian work which better suits my values, temperament, and skill set.

I'm stymied coming up with bulletted results for the church job as the job was relationship rather than (short term) results based. For sure there have been results in terms of life direction, in particular for a number of kids from difficult backgrounds, but I´m not sure this is something I can present in a resume.

I'd appreciate any insights on how best to present this period: whether to leave out the results section altogether (which looks rather weak), to put in some meager results related to training of volunteers and development of curricula, to add a few lines explaining why I entered this line of work and why I left it (which might appear apologetic) or any thougths you might have.

Thanks in advance,
fjf

WillDuke's picture
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If you don't have the interview series, get it. I think it would help here.

Can you say anything specific about your achievements? Would it be fair to say you "saved lives?"

The purpose of a resume is to get an interview right? I'd put something in the results section like: Saved 17 lives.

I wouldn't think you'd need to be apologetic. It sounds like you're doing similar work just without involving organized religion. Be prepared to discuss why you made that move.

I'm in the middle of "The Human Equation." One of the author's premises is that US businesses focus on short-term results to their own detriment. The relationships you worked on were for the betterment of the people you worked with and the society they live in. (That's the rest of us.) Heck, maybe change 17 to uncounted!

I don't want to put words into M&M's mouths. But apparently I'm about to. It seems to me they have said, or at least implied, that a big part of a manager's job is to take care of their directs. We're supposed to help develop people and create a safe and comfortable work environment. A good manager is compassionate and caring. We help when we can. That's humanitarian too isn't it? At least, in its purest form it ought to be.

If that's humanitarian, then conversely what you did was managerial.

vinnie2k's picture

[quote="fjf"]I'm stymied coming up with bulletted results for the church job as the job was relationship rather than (short term) results based. For sure there have been results in terms of life direction, in particular for a number of kids from difficult backgrounds, but I´m not sure this is something I can present in a resume.
[/quote]
I'd be as honest as possible about what I know/think the results of my work were.

Maybe you know of a couple of kids who turned around partly thanks to you?

James Gutherson's picture

If the job your going for is in the humanitarian field than this work is very applicable. You want to present your accomplishments.
Just like in the business world, an accomplishment only means something when it is is based on a Goal. What were your goals in the Church, and how can you show what you did to move towards those goals?

evangilf's picture

If you really didn't accomplish anything quantifiable I would probably just put down things you are proud of.

A single bullet, "Taught neglected high school students self-respect" may not be traditional, but it certainly has impact and gives you something to talk about.

But I just did my resume in the MT format for the first time as well, so I'm not the foremost expert!

rthibode's picture

Hi fjf,

I don't think you should leave out your church experience. How many young people did you work with directly? How many volunteers? How many people will use curricular materials you developed?

As for what you did with/for the youth:

supported
mentored
encouraged
taught
guided
facilitated
developed

If you can identify even one young person you had a tangible impact on, like they went back to school, quit drugs, got a job or something, then maybe you could mention that in your cover letter? That way you don't have to quantify it in the accomplishments bullets?

Curious to hear how this one turns out. Please keep us posted.

fjf's picture
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Dear MT community,

Many thanks for your very useful responses to my question regarding how to present my year and a half as church youthworker in a resume.

I've done as all the respondents suggested and included this period in my cv, indeed with some of the results I'm grateful to have been part of.

Will keep you posted, as requested, about how prospective employers respond.

Thanks again for your help and interest.

fjf