So, I got my degree in Photography about a year ago, and I’ve been looking for any sort of job related to art. My resume was total crap (and outdated) so I’m throwing it out and typing up a new one. The problem is I have very little experience out of college. Here’s my previous work history: Call center, painter/maintenance, and various season retail jobs. I’ve done some freelance work, but I was never really employed. They were more “Hey, I’m writing a book of poems, take some pictures for me and I’ll give you $50.” I’ve seen some guides that recommend listing relevant classes you’ve taken, but I think that looks really unprofessional. Any advice from Dopers here that ever review resumes?
And what about cover letters. Most of mine just end up being “I would really like to work for you and here are some things that I’m good at,” with a bunch of BS thrown in.
What’s the best way to put it in a resume, though? It’s never the same job, sometimes it’s photography, sometimes I’m assisting. It’s never on a consistent schedule either. I might work three jobs in a month, and not do any more for a year.
There are so many web sites devoted to job search / resume writing that deal with situations like yours, for instance: JobStar Resume Guide -- Sample Resumes & Cover Letter Templates
You probably have experience that you aren’t crediting yourself with just because it wasn’t a ‘bonafide’ job. Be prepared to rewrite your resume to address the specifics of each and every job you apply for. I know a career coach who says that this should be standard practice but most people just send out the same resume to everyone.
Cover letters - make them specific. Research the company and give a couple/few examples of how you match up to their needs. It could be experience, personal skills, a shared philosophy - but you want to demonstrate that you are writing to THIS specific company/person and not sending out a massive letter campaign.
Someone else mentioned above to go the library and look though resume books until you find one that looks professional, is in line with your background. Then sanity check it if possible with a few people that work in the area/company that you want to work for.
The cover letter is your chance to say “I’ve done my homework on researching your company.” It’s where you show that you know what their company does, and how you are a good match for that. You need to target the cover letter for the company and the job you’re applying for. But still, be brief.
(If you have an “Objective” on your resume, that should match the job you’re seeking, too.)
The section in my resume is “Freelance writer/editor, 1987 (!) - present,” then underneath I bullet-point a general description of “writer,” a general description of “editor,” plus some specific projects and assignments I’ve done over the years.
Mostly to show versatility – one was an ongoing relationship with the client who became my current permanent employer, but was on there because it was a combo writing/editing thing, showing ability to put together packets of material to meet client needs; one was teemings, as exclusively online [otherwise a huge honkin’ hole in my experience]; one was writing arts reviews, since most of what I do is nonfiction, how-to, etc., and because those also are visible online.