SHOULD YOU USE A FUNCTIONAL OR CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME?

It is always difficult, when you are looking for a new job, seeking new employment opportunities or a career change to decide what kind of resume to write.

Do I use a functional format or a chronological format?  What do I include in each one?

THE CHORONOLOGICAL RESUME    

The Chronological Resume is best if you are looking for a new job and do not want to make a significant career change or switch to a new industry.    

This format works well since it details who you worked for and what you did at each employer, and what kinds of positions you have held. In a Chronological Resume, you detail your accomplishments at each employer during your career to date.    

Include only 4 or 5 bullet points, and use as many statistical references as you can.  Numbers always impress, and they catch the eye of the hiring manager or HR professional reviewing your resume.

A website that might be helpful is  Askresume.com: 

http://askresume.com/exfunctional.html

THE FUNCTIONAL RESUME

The Functional Resume is best if you are looking to change careers or trying to find employment in a new industry.  This format is effective because it focuses the prospective employer, recruiter or human relations manager on the kinds of experience you have had during your career.

In a Functional Resume, you detail the kinds of positions and responsibilities you have had.  The list of employers you have worked for goes at the end, and is therefore minimized.