Do you have a question?

Please write to dearsam@dispatch.com. Samantha Nolan is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer with a graduate degree in Marketing and Communication and owner of Ladybug Design, a full-service résumé writing firm.

For more information, call 614-570-3442 or 1-888-9-LADYBUG or visit www.ladybug-design.com.

Dear Sam: I am having trouble creating a new résumé. I've been in the medical field for most of my 41-year career, and I now wish to venture into the computer-repair industry. I have no formal training in the area but have operated my own small home-based computer-repair business. I also have read a lot of books on the subject to increase my knowledge in the field. How do I create a résumé when most of my career is in a completely unrelated field? Surely, no hiring manager cares about my medical career! Help. - Edward

Dear Edward: You have a huge head start based on the fact you have operated your own business in the field you want to enter.

First, develop a summary which showcases your knowledge of computer repair and interweaves keywords related to the jobs for which you want to apply throughout.

Next, present related experience from your own business, regardless of the fact it was home-based. It is still valid in predicting your ability to succeed in that arena. When presenting your medical background, don't present 41 years of experience. Instead select the most recent 10 to 15 years, and highlight skills you demonstrated that relate to your current objective. The key to this section is to show the hiring manager that while your career has been focused in the medical field, you developed skills that are transferable into the computer-repair industry. Whether it's your ability to communicate with diverse audiences from technical and non-technical backgrounds, independently manage workflow, or achieve project or task goals, these are all transferable into your field of choice. From your reading and practical experience in this field, you should be able to speak the language quite well, piquing the interest of the reader and hopefully securing interviews. Best of luck.

Dear Sam: If a person has been on disability for a couple of years, how would one cover that time in a résumé? My son is preparing to reenter the workforce, but we don't know how to account for the time he's been on disability. - Anonymous

Dear Anonymous: It is typically advised that you do not mention a disability on a résumé or cover letter for fear of discrimination, and in the case of your son, I likely would recommend this strategy. If you make note of the reason for his absence from the workforce, you could receive adverse reactions that he might have ongoing health issues that would take his time and focus away from the workplace.

I realize this will leave a gap on his résumé, but it likely would be handled better by presenting his experience in a combination format résumé. His accomplishments and value would be presented on page one, leaving his dates of experience to fall on page two.

If he has limited experience and does not have enough information to utilize two pages, then think about other things you can use to fill a two-year gap. Did he pursue any continuing education programs? Did he work informally or on a part-time basis? If this strategy won't work based on his inability to do anything of this nature during the past two years, then it might be best to use the résumé to showcase his value. Make no mention of the reason for the absence, but make a very brief note in the cover letter regarding the reason for the two-year gap. Do not go into tremendous detail, but convey that he waited for and received a transplant during the past two years, and after spending some time in recovery, has received full clearance to return to work. You also could mention something to convey he will not have many follow-up visits, so the employer knows the health concerns of the past will not present an attendance issue.

Lastly, let's say he wanted to work for a nonprofit that helped transplant patients or those suffering with debilitating conditions. He could use his own experience as a means to connect with those the organization served. In this case, he would want to highlight the reason for his absence more prominently. It's hard to guide you on this point because there are so many factors that could change the strategy I would recommend. Hopefully this will give you a general direction in which to go.

Dear Sam: I am looking for a professional position to work from home. I am aware that some companies list telecommuting as a benefit on their Web site, and some do not. I do not want to limit myself to companies that might offer this option after a job interview. I also understand that a résumé and cover letter should be directed at what I can do for the company, not what I want. Should I list my goal of working from home in my objective summary or in my cover letter? If not, when is it appropriate to mention this? Is it more appropriate to mention this during a telephone interview? - Janet

Dear Janet: Mention your desire to telecommute when you know the employer shares a mutual interest in you joining the organization. Presenting this demand too early might place you out of contention. There is always a possibility that an organization, who previously hadn't considered a telecommuting option, might do so upon finding a great candidate.

Dear Sam: When should I send a thank-you letter, and should I send it via e-mail or snail mail? - Tim

Dear Tim: Generally a thank-you letter should be sent on the day of or the day after an interview, typically within 24 hours. Make sure you use this opportunity not only to thank the interviewer(s) for their time but also to reiterate your value as a prospective member of their team. If there were certain elements discussed during your interview that were of particular note to the hiring manager, be sure to include these within your thank-you letter.

Whether to send via e-mail or mail is debatable. Follow what you think will be expected by the interviewer. Do they heavily rely on email? Have most of your communications thus far been through e-mail? Are they making their decision in the next few days? If yes, then email is likely the best option. But, if the process has been formal, then sending through the mail will present the best impression.