Top 10 Resume Writing Tips - Part II
As I mentioned in my previous article Top 10 Resume Writing Tips - Part I, implementing relevant keywords into your resume is extremely important as it will improve the likelihood of an employer or recruiter noticing your resume. The next resume writing tip I am going to discuss is choosing the proper resume format.
Choosing the proper resume format is essential since different resume formats will allow you to highlight your strengths or hide your individual weaknesses. While many people choose to use the reverse chronological format, this may not necessarily be the right format for you.
Before you begin writing your resume, you should become familiar with the three commonly used resume formats and consider their individual advantages or disadvantages. The three most commonly used resume formats are Reverse Chronological, Functional, and Chrono-Functional.
The Chronological format presents your work experience beginning with your most recent employment experience and works backwards to the oldest. This format is commonly used by someone who has a strong work experience relative to the position being applied for as it portrays the related work experience early in the resume.
The Functional format portrays individual skills and achievements by clusters and allows the user to highlight individual skills and achievements relative to the position being applied for. This format is commonly used by someone wishing to de-emphasize work history including gaps in employment or inconsistent work patterns but highlight their individual skills and achievements relative to the position being applied for.
The Chrono-Functional format is a combination of the Functional and Chronological resume formats and allows the user to combine features of both formats. This format is commonly used by someone who has a strong work history, skills, and achievements relative to the position being applied for.
In conclusion, I’m sure you will agree that choosing the proper resume format can have a major impact on the success of your resume. It is important to consider each of these formats prior to submitting or writing your resume. Based on your individual work history, skills, and acheivements, it is not uncommon to create a resume in each format and through trial and error determine the one which gets the best results for you.
As always if you have comments or would like to make suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me or leave your comments below.
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