Job Searching Training Tutorial: Objective of a Resume

One of the most important tool or resource during a job search at your disposal is the resume. A resume ultimately demonstrates your qualifications for the job position you are applying for. If making comparisons, a resume is similar to a product spec sheet, where it outlines all the qualifications and functionality of the product.

The ultimate purpose of a resume is to help applicants get a job interview, not the job position. You are advertising yourself to the hiring department and your resume should be attractive enough for the hiring manager to take action and call you in for an interview. There are three different types of resume:

• Chronological Resume: The most preferred resume by hiring departments is the chronological resume, where the applicant’s work history and employment history is listed in reverse chronological order. This type of resume format is advantageous if your most recent job experience is aligned with the job you are seeking. It’s the most favored because the progression of your career is easy to follow since the chronological resume lists jobs in a time sequence. Resume training tutorials are available for the format construction of a chronological resume.

• Functional Resume: For job applicants in search of a new career or has a gap in between employment, a functional resume would serve you better. A functional resume is more skills focused rather than where you’ve worked. Hiring managers are able to see all of the skills, accomplishments, and qualifications of the job applicant. In a functional resume, prior work history is not listed.

• Combination Resume: A mixture of the functional and chronological resume format, the combination resume allows the reader to first match your qualifications up against the job opening while giving the reader a sense of security by identifying where and when these accomplishments have been accomplished. Resume tutorials are available for the format.

Deciding on which resume format is the best for you comes down to two main factors:

• The amount, consistency, and depth of work experience you have accumulated in your career

• How well the job position you are seeking aligns with your past work experience.