WHAT KIND OF RESUME IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

There are many opinions about what a candidate’s resume should look like. In truth, it all depends on the individual and what kind of message he (or she) wants to convey to a prospective employer.

• Do you want the employer to know more about who you worked for and when?
• Do you want the employer to know more about your skills and experience?

Is it more important that a prospective employer know what skills and experience you have?

This is true if you are looking to change industries, or if you are applying for a job that is a different function than what you have done before. One example of this would be an engineer who wants to change from production to sales/ marketing. What about your engineering experience is applicable to sales and marketing? This is a more important question to ask in this case than describing what companies you worked for and when.

In this case a functional resume would be appropriate. Your chronology is not left out, but it occupies a smaller part of your resume than a detailed description of your skills and accomplishments.

Are you applying for a job with a company in the same industry as your current or former employer? In this case, it would more important that the prospective employer know who you have worked for, and in what capacity. This is because the employer will find value in your having worked for a competitor or a company in the same or similar industry. This is a significant indicator of success.

Also, some companies only what to hire people who have worked in their industry, or a related industry.

If this is the case, then a chronological resume is the best.

This is the most common kind of resume used by candidates looking for a job. There are a number of on-line sites to find examples and templates for various kinds of resumes. One you might try is: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/ct101448941033.aspx . 

There are certainly others you might find, but do your research and decide what form will work best for you.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me now in an e-mail (email address is on this page).