Friday, 27 April 2018 / Published in Job Advice

3 Ways to Update Your CV to Return to the Workforce

Sometimes, the only way you can truly appreciate being employed is if you have tried your hand starting a business. However, how do you update your CV with the experience you gained here? Is it even possible to use this experience as a stepping stone to apply for senior-level positions?

Contents hide

1 How to Update Your CV

1.1 1: Add New Skills, Internships or Work Experience

1.2 2: Opt for a functional skills CV

1.3 3: Explain Why You Left Full-Time Work Clearly

Table of Contents

The answer is that it depends how what business or freelance job you did during this time. While it is possible to return to the workforce with this experience, you need to make sure you correctly write your CV to reflect them.

That said, here are four ways by which you can update your CV to position yourself as a senior-level manager or executive:

How to Update Your CV

1: Add New Skills, Internships or Work Experience

Nothing substitutes work experience in a full-time job if you are seeking a managerial position. However, you can still update your CV by adding new skills, internships and work experience as an entrepreneur or freelancer. That way, recruiters or employers know what you have been doing in between employment positions.

2: Opt for a functional skills CV

Standard CV styles require you to list your work responsibilities and dates of employment. Replace these with details of the practical skills you gained whilst running a business or doing freelance work. Doing this shifts the emphasis towards your acquired skill sets and varied work experience rather than where you have worked.

3: Explain Why You Left Full-Time Work Clearly

Most recruiters are wary about people looking to return to full-time work with an extended “unemployment” period. However, believe it or not, recruiters and employers understand that people need career breaks. That said, make sure that you explain why you left your full-time job. This is particularly important during your initial interview for a managerial role.

Talking to a professional CV writer can help you put your work experience, both as a full-time executive or as a self-employed individual, into perspective. ExecutiveOne can help you update your CV in a manner that should help increase your chances of finding a management job.