Unemployed + Resume. How to handle it in an awesome way?
polycounter lvl 17
Maybe a useless thread but what exactly do you write in your resume if you don't have a job? Nothing? Something?
For example linkedin. My current position is no position since I'm unemployed. Do I just write "unemployed" or leave it empty? Leaving it empty will of course give my resume a hole in it which is usually frowned upon but unemployed sounds pretty sucky aswell.
Sure I could always write Freelance but that's bending it a bit since I haven't had any official jobs yet.
So what's the best thing to write you think? I'm leaning towards "Freelance / Portfolio" right now. Although that feels pretty iffy aswell. Guess it's the best option though...
For example linkedin. My current position is no position since I'm unemployed. Do I just write "unemployed" or leave it empty? Leaving it empty will of course give my resume a hole in it which is usually frowned upon but unemployed sounds pretty sucky aswell.
Sure I could always write Freelance but that's bending it a bit since I haven't had any official jobs yet.
So what's the best thing to write you think? I'm leaning towards "Freelance / Portfolio" right now. Although that feels pretty iffy aswell. Guess it's the best option though...
Replies
Unemployed gives me an impression of being unproductive, even though that usually isn't the case.
I guess I just don't like the term being tossed around unless you're seriously considering that as a career path and - if you are - go balls out and make your portfolio geared towards clients.
I think it would sound far worse in in interview to say "I put freelance down instead of unemployed because I think it sounds better, but I didn't actually do any freelance work." Than to just be honest and tell them your situation.
This is a crazy industry, and almost everyone has been laid off or out of work and one point or another. Unless you have a huge gap, most people will understand.
Looking for work at a Boston area game developer
Computer Games industry January 2010 – Present (4 months)
Actively looking for a Senior or Lead Artist position in the Boston area. Contact me!
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ericchadwick
When asked about the time, I say I'm learning more tools & better workflow (Maya, ZBrush, etc.). Also that I'm not accepting the first opening that comes my way, rather I'm looking for the right fit. Which is totally true. I usually stay longer in one place, so I'm careful about what I take.
It's suggestive that you should have a job at all times. While most of us freelancers or startups know that is not the case.
Just don't write anything, if people ask you just say you've been taking a break
if your talkin purely for linkedIn, then thats something different cause it actually has a slot for current position. and for that, ya, go with eric's suggestion.
but i see no reason why you would have to mention unemployment on your resume. especially in this economy, employers know people are out of work, and really, if you`re applying for a job, its pretty much expected.
That-
Seriously, some people take vacations or stints away from work. I really see no reason to write anything if that's what you've been doing. If your portfolio is up to snuff, who cares?
I know many many people who do this and has worked out well for them, no one in our industry, still in the tech industry but you get the idea. Lots of them applied for positions that fit them to a T but since they had "Loooking for work" or unemployed on there resume they never got a response, put up the fake company on there resume and got call backs that week.
Obviously Eric's is the best but this is always another option for those who want it.
After all, being unemployed is a great motivation to really make an effort to get employed, and if your portfolio looks promising and you don't come off as a total asshole in your cover letter, you'll probably get an interview.
What I have heard one of them grumble over a bit, though, is how some people with no experience at all, on communities like these, put stuff like "Character Artist", or "Environment Artist" in their employment status and/or signatures. It seems more honest (and less.. fucktardedly, I guess..?) to maybe add "Aspiring" in front of that title.
Really? I don't really see what the difference is. You are basically just stating your profession. The only complaints I have ever heard were when people didn't put environment artist prominently onresume/website/signature. Unless you're talking about faking the current job status on the resume by putting it in the employment category and putting dates behind it, but I would think that would be pretty obvious when there is no company to back it up.
Though I guess "Artist" is a bit more of a sketchy area, but it is a job title.