Struggling To Write Your Resume? Use These 27 Prompts To Supercharge Your Experience Section
Feb 23, 2024
Sitting down to write a resume seems great until you can't remember everything you've done.
When you're overwhelmed with the day-to-day of life, trying to recall every detail of your professional career is one of the hardest things to do.
Have no fear... I have the solution!
Rather than haplessly crawling through your memories, simply answer the prompts below for every job you've held and voila, you'll have the makings of a "A-Roll" for your resume and cover letter.
I'll show you how to showcase every skill, every challenge you've overcome, and every achievement you've had.
Below this intro are your directions and prompts. Grab a pen and let's start writing down how you've rocked your professional life!
Activity Directions: Collecting Your BEST Experiences For Your Resume
1. Set Aside Time: Choose a quiet moment when you can think without interruptions.
2. Organize Your Brain Dump Page: Start by listing every professional role you've held. Include your job title and company name or school district.
3. Write Freely: For each role, answer each prompt below (or as many as you can) honestly and thoroughly. Don't worry about the order or perfection; focus on getting your thoughts out.
4. Highlight Your Journey: Use these responses to build powerful resume bullets AND job interview answers that connect your teaching background to the corporate world. (I’ll show you how 😊)
EXPERIENCE PROMPTS:
...About Your Skills and Abilities:
- What technical skills do you possess (e.g., programming languages, software proficiency)?
- What soft skills do you excel in (e.g., communication, leadership, problem-solving)?
- Have you undergone any specialized training or certifications?
... About Your Accomplishments and Achievements:
- What notable projects have you completed?
- Have you received any awards or recognition for your work?
- Can you quantify any of your achievements (e.g., increased revenue by X%, reduced expenses by Y%)?
... About Your Tasks and Responsibilities:
- What were your day-to-day responsibilities in previous roles?
- Did you manage any specific processes or workflows?
- Were you responsible for training or mentoring others?
... About Your Collaboration and Teamwork:
- Which teams or departments did you collaborate with regularly?
- Have you led any cross-functional teams or initiatives?
- How did you contribute to team success and cohesion?
... About Your Problem-Solving and Innovation:
- Can you provide examples of times when you identified and solved a problem in the workplace?
- Have you introduced any new processes, technologies, or strategies to improve efficiency or effectiveness?
... About Your Leadership and Management:
- Have you held any leadership roles, formal or informal?
- How have you motivated and inspired teams to achieve their goals?
- Have you managed budgets, resources, or timelines for projects?
... About Your Adaptability and Flexibility:
- Describe instances where you had to adapt to unexpected challenges or changes in priorities.
- How do you handle ambiguity and uncertainty in the workplace?
... About Your Customer or Client Relations:
- Have you directly interacted with customers or clients? If so, how did you ensure their satisfaction?
- Did you implement any customer feedback processes or improvements based on customer feedback?
... About Your Professional Development:
- How do you stay current with industry trends and best practices?
- Have you participated in any professional development activities (e.g., conferences, workshops, courses)?
... About Your Impact and Contribution:
- What positive impact did you have on your previous employers or projects?
- How did your contributions align with the overall goals and mission of your organization?
... About Your Personal Growth and Learning:
- Reflect on instances where you stepped out of your comfort zone to learn new skills or tackle new challenges. What were those new skills or challenges and why were they important to tackle?
- How have you grown both personally and professionally throughout your career?
These 27 prompts aren't just reflections; they're your launchpad. Use them to write your professional story.
You're set to prove that your teaching background is not just relevant but a competitive edge in your next career chapter.
