New job search & selling current skills

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Nicolette Dean

Cashier at Ace Hardware

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New job search & selling current skills

I was recently fired from my job over a genuine misunderstanding and am feeling at a loss on what to do now. I worked there too long to exclude it from my resume, how is that gap going to look to new potential employers? I don't know how I am going to explain this. I'm so worried my lack of impressive experience and references are really going to make it difficult for me to find a new job. I want to take on a better position than my past but find difficulty in selling my under-qualified skill set to a potential employer. How do you gain experience when it seems so few places are willing to accept your current lack of experience? How do you convince someone you are capable of doing the job when you don't actually have any experience to refer back to? I know I am capable of much more than my past roles but I do need someone willing to train me as I have only held entry level retail/customer service positions though I am no longer interested in this work. I'm looking into job training and counseling services, going back to school, anything I can to get into better work. Do you have any helpful advice? How did you convince an employer to hire you for a new role you have not taken on before? Do you have any links that helped you in selling your skills to potential employers? Maybe you found a good career counseling service? I need all the help.

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over 7 years ago

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Erin McRae M.B.A, SPHR

Asst. Director of Business Development

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 As an HR manager, I can tell you one of the biggest red flags for me when reviewing a resume is a gap in employment. Not leave the job off. You aren’t under any obligation to tell a potential employer that you were fired from a job. If asked about why you are no longer with the company, just say that you are looking to grow with a new company, learn new skills, and branch out professionally.... judging from you post, that’s the truth, you’re just omitting information that may not paint you in the best light. If a potential new employer decides to call your old employer as a reference, legally, your old employer can’t disclose why you are no longer with the company, they can only say whether or not you are rehirable. 

 You said that you worked in customer service and sales; there are many skills that you developed doing that that will translate into other fields. You just have to look at the job descriptions for the positions you are wanting to apply for and think about the skills you have that would fulfill those requirements. Make sure that you always send a cover letter with your CV and highlight how you are the right person for the job you are applying.... even if you are an out of the box candidate. Many, many, many recruiters want to hire out of the box employees. It has been my experience that many times, the person who is a little different is better for the job because they approach it from a different perspective and work even harder to prove themselves. 

 Do you have any educational experience? Most colleges offer professional development services for free. They will help with your CV and cover letter, help you practice for interviews, and even give you input on interview attire. If that isn’t a resource avaliable to you, try your local unemployment office, they offer the same services for free.

Delisa Hall

Behavioral Therapist at Delta T Group

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Volunteer once a week! Also call the edd or google OJT( on the job training). Try glass door.com for receptionist position and look into furthering computer skills( Microsoft classes etc)... Capella university is an online school.

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