Hi Tory -
I had a well paying administrative job in a business environment for eight years. Although I was doing well in my position, I was bored and frustrated because I was not using my creative talents. I decided to leave to pursue something different and more fulfilling. For the last 15 months I have been a "mystery shopper" evaluating customer service for banks and Real Estate companies. Although the mystery shopping industry isn't always taken seriously, I found that it was much more challenging to do well and a valuable service to the establishments I reviewed. It required good writing skills and detailed observations of customer service and it doesn't get the respect it deserves for all the work it requires. I worked hard and received positive feedback for my writing skills and attention to detail for the many reports I submitted. While I wasn't making any money, it was an interesting experience and a nice break from the corporate world. I am now ready for a career change and back in the job market. Because I haven't had to update my resume in many years, I'm struggling with the format and the 15 month gap which may appear flakey and hinder my chances. I thought about using the term "field evaluate for business establishments", which is a title sometimes used in that industry. Do you have any suggestions on how to present this on my resume? Thanks for your help. Ellen