Resume Question.

[Samedy]

Alright. So I am going to be looking for a new job (because I don't like my current one).

 

Now 3 months ago, my supervisor gave me a number of nice sounding responsibilities, that would go a long way on a resume. Only problem is, I haven't been able to actually DO any of these responsibilities. The reason I haven't been able to do these responsibilities is because of poor management from the upper levels.

 

How can I put these new responsibilities on my resume. I would like to put them on my resume, because it shows I'm responsible and respected. But I can't lie about something I've never done before.

[HealingHandsWarmHeart]

i think it depends on the job functions.

 

You don't want to say that you know how to set up a server ..when you really dont.

 

If you do something like that ..then when you are either interviewed or hired and expected to know that particular function and you don't ... you'll be worse off.

 

In my opinion you should be honest, you want to present your best accurate self this way you know if you are a good match with the company... it will make your life much easier once you start working at your new job.

[DN]

You can phrase it as:

 

"Given responsibility for (whatever)"

 

That is not a lie.

[Batya33]

I would not put it on a resume - what I would say in the cover letter is something like:

 

I have been offered the opportunity to take on significantly higher responsibilities at work in a comparatively short time. As this was a recent offer, I have not yet been able to implement the various projects with which I have been entrusted. However, I look forward to continuing on this path at your company.

 

(the reason i would not put it on a resume is because any way you express it you are likely to imply you are doing these things because the expectation is that you have done what is on your resume. the minor exception is if you put something like "promoted to manager effective [and put a future date] - then you are articulating a promotion that's been offered but is not yet official]

[Hope75]

I would be leary of putting something down on your resume that you did not actually do.

 

A resume lists experience that you have and certain skills that you want to highlight and represent. Since you did not actually do these tasks, and thereforeeee do not have actual experience, it seems sort of a farce to me.

 

What if a potential employer asked you about these things?

[FortunateOne]

Batya is right, just change the bold letters to a more positive note. For example; "... I'm in the nascent stage of implementing the assigned managemant tasks on ..."

[Batya33]

Well if he says he is in the beginning stages he will be asked what that means and he won't have anything substantive to add. No one cares about whether he has simply spoken about a future date on when it will start. also I wouldn't use the term "nascent" where "beginning" is just as clear and it won't make it look like he is trying to inflate his experience. That is, unless he uses the word "nascent" in common speech.

[FortunateOne]

Well, when I interview I would ask why he was not able to implement his new resposibilities. This would go to his ability to lead in challeges with a proactive attitude that arise where a manager needs to make a confident decission. Imagine if he said his employer was negligent in training him. What would that say about his character. That's why I recomend to be positive with the verbage.

 

Also, he was promoted to these new resposibilities, thereforeeee the OP must have a clue as to what the job description is and "begin" to implement his own managment style to follow through with these new tasks. I cannot accept the logic of a promotion with out the promotee being a capable of understanding the new resposibilities that he absorved from the previous supervisor he's replacing. Unless he's the first one to fill a newly created position which goes to the compentcy of the promotee and his abilities to develop a management strategy to implement reflecting his experience in the field.

[Batya33]

I totally agree with using positive language wherever possible. I would not make the leap that he presumably is familiar with his new responsibilities just because he was promoted. Also it sounds like he wasn't able to implement because of "poor management" - he needs to be careful with that lest it sound like it was his fault and he is blaming those above him.

[CharlesF]

I would not put this on your resume since you didn't do it. Putting it on the resume makes it look like you did. Someone may start asking you about these things and then you would have to lie about it.

[confused25]

I totoally agree with the other posters that you absolutely should not put anything down that you didn't actually do. They'll usually ask you to explain in details the things you worked on, and if you have no idea of what that entails, then you'd be in trouble.

[lonely_me]

I definitely wouldn't put it on my resume, if I were you. The last thing you want is to be hired, told to do something you claimed to have done at your current job, and then have to say you don't know how. If you know how to do whatever these responsibilities involve, maybe list it on your resume as a skill?

 

As for the cover letter, that may be a safe bet, but be prepared to explain during your interview. If I were interviewing someone who had just been promoted, I'd wonder why they are looking for a new job so soon and I'd probably ask. The last thing, as an interviewer, that I'd want to hear is the person I'm interviewing start ranting about how awful management is, so I think you'd need to be prepared with a fair reason for why you are looking for a new job before being able to fulfill the responsibilities of your promotion.

 

Goodluck!