I'm Not the Traditional Job Candidate. Is That So Bad?

We all know that it takes all kinds to make up this great world. Unfortunately, this is not always recognized in the job force where candidates are preferably similar - a strong work history, tons of education and leadership qualities.

Well, suppose you have all of the characteristics necessary to be the best in a job, but you have what are considered weaknesses because you're not a traditional job candidate. Is this so bad? If you get resume writing guidance, this isn't so bad, but if you are writing your own resume, it's important to pinpoint what are viewed as weaknesses then make them look stronger.

I Have G-A-P-S in My Work History

It's perfectly fine to spend time raising your children or take time to run your own business rather than work a job. But when it comes time to apply for a job, it gets a bit hairy because employers may think that you simply couldn't find or keep a job - not that you were in the middle of your own personal or professional projects.

To combat this, it's good to mention somewhere in your resume and cover letter that you took that time off on purpose. This way, it won't seem as though you're gaps equal laziness.

I Went to Europe Instead of College

Did you find that you needed to find yourself after high school and took a trip overseas rather than attending college? A lack of a college background could hinder your job search unless you show that you were able to find a comparable education in the meantime.

You might consider taking some continuing education classes to show you're interested in furthering your education. Also, you could mention what you were able to learn that could be applied to the position from your journey through Europe.

I've Worked, Just Not for Profit

As we all know, working in an environment that doesn't offer pay is called volunteering. Of course, there's nothing wrong with wanting to give your time to help an organization helping the world - more should do it. Unfortunately, because there are often lenient time schedules and a lack of structure in the volunteer world, many employers don't see it as work.

One way to get around this is to list all of the duties you performed as a volunteer, mention whether or not you kept a schedule and even get into how you were a leader in your role. You could have easily learned as much in your volunteer positions as you would have on a job. It's up to you, however, to show how much like a real job volunteering was.

Being a traditional job candidate doesn't always make a person a better candidate, but sometimes employers see it this way. So by making a few adjustments on your resume and allowing that non-traditional personality to shine through, you could show that being yourself is way better than being the norm - even in the workplace.