Resumes and a Career Path

In my opinion, having a clear career path in mind makes creating your resume an easier task than when you’re unsure of a career path. It helps you determine which jobs to apply for and what skills or interests to include on your resume. With that being said, not having a clear career path is not something that negatively affects your resume. It does, however, affect the way you create your resume.

When writing a resume, it is critical to understand who your audience is and to adapt your information to their needs/wants. You need to be sure to list skills relevant to the jobs they are hiring for, however you do not want to limit yourself to one specific job by blatantly stating it. According to Business Communications Essentials, “Some experts advise against including a career objective because it can categorize you so narrowly that you miss out on interesting opportunities…” (365). The book also states that it is important to remember that although you want to appeal to the employer’s needs, the most important thing is that your resume helps you to fulfill your own desires.

If I were in a situation where I had no particular career path in mind, my uncertainty would affect the format of my resume and the information I include. I would choose to write my resume in the chronological approach but would list my education first. With lack of personal experience, this would be the best layout for me. I would also include a variation of skills that I hold instead of only mentioning a specific area in which I excel. I would avoid being too detailed, but would make sure I’m not so broad to the point that it seems fake.