Most recently…
…I had a client in his late 40’s who was downsized from his job of 34-years without notice and little severance pay. When he came to me for help he was nervous, afraid, and had no idea what he would do. With a home mortgage and children in the home, he expressed he did not have a high school diploma and feared he would have to go back to school to get an HSE (formerly GED). He stated he would not be able to do that from a financial perspective.
After conversation and evaluation,
coupled with his on-the-job training and 34-years of work experience I was able to use his skills as the key factor in building his resume. Together we began to research other career sectors and with great success found those job postings that required his skill set. He sent his resume to the recruiter of one and received a call from the employer leading to an interview.
The high school diploma…
…was absent from the resume and the interviewer asked my client about having one. My client explained briefly why he did not finish high school, and proceeded to explain how he had grown through the longevity of his career of 34-years due to the training he had received on the job.
When I spoke with my client, needless to say, he was hopeful but worried. Good news! He got the call for a second and yet a third interview as I encouraged him to stay positive – and he did.
Then, he got the call. He was hired!
They told him that although the company policy was such that he didn’t technically meet the qualifications, he had the skills necessary to do the job – and – they liked him! They said that they would overlook the high school diploma. He accepted the position with the promise that he would be the first person they would consider for promotion to department supervisor.
Therefore, the moral of the story is – if you don’t have a high school diploma, but you have skills, knowledge and experience with other forms of training and/or education, apply to the position anyway. There are always exceptions to the rule.
Let this story be an encouraging one for you.
Yes, you will need a strong resume and interview skills that perform. With that in your arsenal, it’s absolutely quite possible you’ll have an opportunity that you would have otherwise thought impossible.
Everything is possible!
Love and light,
