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Changing my wording from "doer" to "achiever"

Tia R. on July 8, 2020

Resume Building and Writing

1. My career has been a hodgepodge of different jobs/industries: Mainly customer service, hospitality and administrative work. 2. Though I have I strong skills, my resume portrays me as a “doer” and not an “achiever.” 3. I’d like to transition to something new but I’m not 100% certain of what that is, nor have I ever known. This last bit is more of a networking question but I really think it can be minimized when I feel confident in what I have acheived: I'm fantastic communicator and LOVE meeting and speaking with new people in an interpersonal setting. Yet, when someone asks me about my career I’m a deer caught in headlights. I freeze because I don’t know how to sell that which I view as not great achievements.

1 Comment

Nicole Franklin, MPH

Nicole Franklin, MPH

Jul 20, 2020

Cancer and Careers Staff Comment:

Hi Tia,


Thanks for writing to us. It sounds like you have an amazing breadth of professional experience and skills to offer, along with great energy and enthusiasm. You have outlined some key things to consider as you’re figuring out your next steps. I will say that feeling uncomfortable talking to people about your abilities and achievements is not an uncommon feeling, but something you can work on so that it starts to feel more natural. It a lot of it comes down to feeling confident about what you can bring to the table as an employee, which I’m sure is a lot!


 A little more detail would help us make sure we offer you the best advice. We’ve pulled together the following questions to get us started:



  • Have you made a list of things you enjoy doing? That would make you want to get up every day? (That can help lead to figuring out what kind of work would be satisfying)



  • Are you currently in treatment, or pre/post treatment? (This is valuable information since it could help determine how you approach your job search and the interview process)

  • Are you open to volunteering or interning to expose yourself to different kinds of jobs/industries?

  • Is your LinkedIn profile up-to-date?


In the meantime, I would recommend reviewing the following resources: 





We look forward to hearing back from you!


Kind regards,


Nicole Franklin, MPH


Senior Manager of Programs


Cancer and Careers

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