old_engineer@adelphia.net wrote: > I=E2=80=99m looking for some suggestions to help me with a > rather large dilemma. As the subject line suggested, > I have been away from engineering for the last 8=20 > years and I need to re-enter the field (specifically > embedded hardware and/or software). Although I=E2=80=99ve=20 > been keeping track of new technologies and even=20 > winning some design contests (as a hobby of course), > not having a record for the last eight years is a=20 > giant problem. Yup. It's going to be *very* tough to have someone not toss the resume on sight, whether an HR drone or the hiring manager. > I know that both HR and hiring managers > prefer chronological resumes, Yup. Don't try anything different. > and that functional > resumes without dates are typically tossed without > being read. Very likely. > Does anyone have any suggestions for the > resume format, You're not going to hide the fact that your 8 years out of date. Clearly you don't want to feature that, but don't try to lie about it either. It will be discovered in the end. > as well as hints for showing my worth (despite the long absence)? Well that's exactly the problem. You seem to be missing the point that your worth as an engineer *is* low, precisely because of the long absence. Face it, you abandoned your engineering career 8 years ago. You can't go backwards and magically fix it despite how much you think you can still do engineering. Nobody else is going to believe it. Frankly, I suspect you are significantly out of date on many fronts. Don't kid yourself that you are still current. > 1998-Present > Full time unrelated stock market investing,=20 > i.e., no boss, employees or being accountable > to anyone except myself. Don't lie, but accentuating the negative is a bad idea too. Say what you've been doing. Let the employer realize it wasn't engineering. No need to point out you were accountable to noone. > Occasional =E2=80=9Cengineering design contest entries=E2=80=9D > in the last 2 years (I couldn=E2=80=99t keep away). Spell these out specifically and give some details. > 1996-1998 > Ran small part-time (one-man) engineering=20 > business (active-x controls) =E2=80=93 sold them=20 > online and via advertisements. Again, no need to point out the one-man and part-time. > Part time unrelated stock market investing. I wouldn't even mention this. It says you weren't even committed to engineering when you were doing engineering. > if anyone has any useful ideas, > I would really appreciate hearing them. I see two ways to re-enter the engineering world: 1 - Go for an entry level position or technician just to get in the door. Of course this will come with pay commensurate to that position. If you're really really sure your still a good engineer, then this will give you a chance to prove it and move into a engineering role in that company in a year or so. 2 - Do consulting for a while thru friends and previous contacts that know you and might be willing to ignore you haven't been doing this for a long time. Make sure to pick something you can do. After a year or so and a few consulting jobs and happy customers as references, you can try floating your resume out there. The 8 year gap will still be an issue, but a lot less of one if you've done full time engineering successfully for at least a year since then. Make sure you are busy with a job when looking for full time work. Nobody wants to hire someone that nobody else wants to hire either. This is the thing too many otherwise intelligent people don't get. Never wait for the layoff to find a job. Otherwise people will wonder why you weren't good enough to be one of the people they kept, or not smart enough to know it was time to abandon ship. ****************************************************************** Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, (978) 742-9014. #1 PIC consultant in 2004 program year. http://www.embedinc.com/products -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist