Hi,

 

I'm 24, and I'm attempting to find a job.  I had to leave college due to medical and financial issues.  I have held 3 jobs since I have been old enough to work.  One of them was self employment with a family business that has since dissolved due to my father having a stroke.  My first job was at Home Depot as a cashier for several summers.  When I finally left that job, it was through job abandonment.  I was getting in trouble for tardiness caused by my mother's medical issues, and I couldn't face it so I simply stopped going to work.  I know that was a horrible way to do it, but I wasn't thinking properly.  That was in the fall of 2008.  My next job was as a newspaper carrier from March 2008 - January 2012.  I was terminated due to tardiness.  What caused my tardiness was a major life event, my father having his stroke.  I was just having a hard time dealing with the pressures of being a sole caregiver (my mom has passed on and I'm an only child#.  I have learned from I these experiences and grown from them, but I have no idea how to show this on a resume or job application.  I didn't get my first job until i was 18, and prior to that and during my work history I was a primary care giver for my mother and even did home hemodialysis, in addition to being the homemaker. 

 

I feel like I have a lot to offer a future employer.  I know I'm intelligent, friendly, and a fast learner.  All of the things that caused me to have problems in my previous jobs have been resolved #mom passed on, and dad is now in a nursing home).  I just don't know how to make myself look good on a resume given my shoddy history.  I know I can win anyone over with an interview, I've been told since I was a young child that I have an amazing ability when it comes to first impressions.  I just don't know how to get them to not view my resume and immediately toss it.

 

Should I simply not put down my job experiences that ended poorly?  Are you required to show all previous forms of employment?  What happened if your previous boss is unavailable, ie my father was my boss in the home business but he is unable to speak on a phone now.  And how can I showcase my non-traditional experience?  Home hemodialysis requires quick critical decision making, constant training, and even inventory management of the supplies.  Not to mention I've been balancing budgets, paying bills, and scheduling doctor appointments for years, since I was about 14.  Surely, after talking to hundreds of Drs offices, I've clearly learned proper phone etiquette.  I'm just at a loss as to how to show employers all of my skills via the traditional "resume" format.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you for taking time to help me.

Well, I am no expert on these things but my advice is to put the newspaper carrier job on your resume (leave how you left for the interview when you can explain it) and not worry too much.  I would put your "family caretaker" under other experience if you can make it relevant to the position (like in a doctor's office, etc.). 

You do NOT have to put on he resume how the job ended! Ever! What you put on is where what and when. Use it to showcase your relevant skills and leave off all detrimentals.

That said, it could cause gaps that you will have to be prepared to address in interview. You already have the reason, jus prepare yourself to say it calmly and sell it. I was heavily involved in my parents' caregiving, which is now no longer the case. I am able to commit myself fully to this job and do not have to rush out or flex my schedule to care for them. --flex your schedule Is a businessy way of saying you didn't adhere to your work hours--

Mock up a resume and post it here, and we'll review it. Head over to interview skills board for addressing the difficulties. And if you can, as one other responder suggested, finesse your home health care into job skills--i wouldn't list it as a position, but if you do go into medical reception, you prob have terminology and patient understanding skills, right?

I agree with authorjln. Never put ANY negitive items on your resume. If someone ask well how did the job end use lay off / school etc.

Always project your image as postive self assured and someone that they want to hire.