Your Resume Format
What is the best resume format
for you? A professional resume writer gives advice on formatting
your resume for best effect.
Choosing a resume format is one of
the things many people
struggle with when they create a resume. And it's tough to know
where to start. After all, no one teaches you how to write a resume
and there
are no hard and fast rules for resume formats.
There are 3 main
resume formats you need to know about ...
Resume Format #1: The
Chronological Resume
A chronological resume details your work history
in chronological
order, starting
with the most recent position and working
backwards. You show job title, company name, dates, give a brief
outline of job responsibilities, and then describe any accomplishments
in bullet point format.
The problem with this resume format is
that it doesn't allow the job seeker to position him or herself
very well, because
the very first thing the reader sees is the job title and company
name. Therefore, there is a tendency for hiring managers to focus
on whether you have held the exact same job title as they are
advertising.
Resume Format #2: The Functional Resume
A functional
resume is sometimes used when a person doesn't benefit
from showing their work history in strictly chronological
order. Perhaps there are long gaps in work history, or the experience
doesn't relate to the position sought. In this case, some job
seekers create resumes that stress skills rather than positions
held. They
detail accomplishments under headers such as "Sales" or "Administration" rather
than under the position title. Often a brief summary of positions
held comes at the very end of such a resume.
The problem with
this resume format is that it doesn't fool experienced recruiters
and HR executives who know that the functional
resume is usually used to hide something. For more information, read
my article on The Functional
Resume.
Resume Format #3:
The Hybrid Resume
I'm going to show my bias here because I love
this
resume format! All our resume
samples are
hybrid resumes.
The hybrid resume gives the best of both
possible worlds because it presents work history in chronological
order
AFTER a strong introduction that allows you to highlight
your skills
and key selling points.
To create a hybrid resume, start
with an introduction that shows employers exactly what
you bring
to the table, then detail
your work chronology, focusing mainly on your accomplishments.
(If you need help with your resume, sign up for my free
resume writing course now. You'll get instant access and
we'll never spam you or share your email address).
Resume Format - Design Considerations
Most
people overlook design when creating their resume
but it's vitally important to the impression you make.
Good design
means people find the information they're looking
for easily and quickly and dramatically increases your
chances of
being interviewed.
Good design means neat, with
lots of white space
and
a font that's easy to read. Use selective formatting
such as bolding and italics to highlight key
information.
Check
the resume
samples for more ideas.
If you would like
resume templates and set-by-step resume
writing instructions,
take a look
at my book, The
Complete Guide to Resume Writing.
It comes with 20 Microsoft Word templates,
so that
you don't
have to
worry about formatting
your
resume - you can just type over what's there.
In Summary
In my opinion, the best resume format is the hybrid resume, because
it allows you to effectively position yourself while still showing
a straightforward accounting of your work history in chronological
format. But no matter what structure you decide upon, good design
is key because that can be the deciding factor between your
resume being read, or ignored.
To get more tips like these, and learn how to completely
transform your resume, sign up for my free
resume writing course. We promise never to send sales spam.
Louise Fletcher is the President of Blue
Sky Resumes, and author of the eBook, The
Complete Guide to Resume Writing. Louise is also Managing Editor
and Co-founder of the preeminent careers blog, Career Hub. She
is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and many of her resumes
have been published in the JIST "Expert Resumes" series.
She has contributed to many online publications including About.com,
Monster.com, The Ladders, and Net Temps.
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