Teach you three common resume formats: chronological, functional and cross functional
Help you decide which resume format is best for you
Inventory the skills and qualifications you have acquired through your education and career
A carefully written, one or two page document
A resume highlights your skills, abilities,
education and work history
An advertisement to show you have the qualifications for a specific job
Chronological Functional Cross Functional
Displays a history of your employment
and education
Emphasizes your acquired skills and
competencies
Combines aspects of both the
chronological and functional resumes
You only have 3 to 6 seconds to catch the attention of a busy hiring manager
The top third of your resume is what the hiring manager will see first
Put your best skill statements in a summary section directly below your header section for all resume formats
Header Name, phone, email, address Skills Summary Top skills, qualifications Employment history Last employer is listed first Education History Institution, degree/cert, dates
John Smith
(123) 456-7899 [email protected] Everett, WA
Skills and Qualifications • Exceptional leadership abilities leading a team of
ten direct reports • Top contract negotiator for company, saving
millions of dollars in cost annually • Ran $4M business while responsible for P & L • Developed hiring processes and streamlined
recruiting Employment History Branch Manager Chuck’s Staffing Everett, WA 9/03-9/13 • Directed branch operations including sales,
recruiting • Led 10 direct reposts • Trained staff in recruiting, hiring processes
Recruiter SOS Staffing Everett, WA 9/95-9/03 • Responsible for recruiting • Recruited 70 skilled trades people • Opened ten new customer accounts
Education Everett Community College 9/92-9/94 AA Business Management
John Smith
(123) 456-7899 [email protected] Everett, WA
Skills and Qualifications • Exceptional leadership abilities leading a team of
ten direct reports • Top contract negotiator for company, saving
millions of dollars in cost annually • Ran $4M business while responsible for P & L • Developed hiring processes and streamlined
recruiting Professional Experience Leadership, Management, Recruitment • Led a team of ten direct reports • Managed a 4 million dollar business • Streamlined recruiting processes
Sales, Customer Service • Won thirty new accounts • Provided a high level of customer service Employment History Branch Manager Chuck’s Staffing Everett, WA 9/03-9/13 • Directed branch operations including sales,
recruiting • Led 10 direct reposts • Trained staff in recruiting, hiring processes
Education Everett Community College 9/92-9/94 AA Business Management
Header Name, phone, email, address Skills Summary Top skills, qualifications Experience & employment history Highlight experience first Education History Institution, degree/cert, dates
A cross functional resume equally divides your skills and abilities, which are listed first, followed by your employment history in reverse chronological order
This type of resume is a good choice for someone who has a long work history in addition to varied skills and abilities
Mid and upper level managers and education professionals may consider this format
Chronological Functional Cross-Functional 3 or more years work experience
Less three years work experience
Focus on skills gained on the job & in school
No gaps in employment Gaps in employment of 6 months or more
Avoids focus on gaps, shows qualifications
Stable, long-term employment
Job jumping Highlight job longevity and core competencies
Focus on duties and accomplishments with former employer/s
Multiple degrees, certificate training
Create a targeted resume for a specific job opening
Starts with more recent, then work backwards
Focus on skills attained through work/school
Highlights strengths, minimizes weaknesses
What is a “power verb”?
Why are power verbs important?
Please take 5 minutes and fill out the Power Verb Checklist
What is YOUR power verb?
One way to determine the type of format you will use to complete the “Resume Planning Sheet.” This worksheet will help you:
Inventory your skills, abilities and other
qualifications employers are looking for
Identify gaps in employment or other experience
Address any job jumping you may have done
Font: Keep it clean and simple. Best fonts to use are Calibri, Lucinda Sans, Veranda, or Times New Roman
Highlight your name by using 16-18 font and bold lettering
Font Size: 11 or 12 works best
A full mailing address can be replaced with a city & state (optional)
Use an industry appropriate design
Objectives: many resume writers skip objectives for a skills summary
Bullet your skill statements rather than write paragraphs
Begin each skill statement with a power verb
Make sure your email address is professional
Use 5 to 6 bullet points per employer in chronological formats; use 8 to 10 bullets in functional formats
Punctuation should be consistent and correct. Semicolons(;) between related phrases, commas (,) between words in a series, and periods (.) at the end of sentences
Make the cut! Spelling and grammatical errors are resume killers.
Consistency is critical: make sure you use the same tense (usually past tense) when drafting your skill statements
Use numbers and percentages to quantify past success when you can
Never use I (first person) when writing your resume
Each resume you write is a custom document
tailored specifically for the job you are trying to land
Proofread your resume several times, then have at least 2-3 other people proofread it again
Experiment. This is your first, and sometimes only, chance to earn an interview!
Questions?
Workshops in this series: ◦ Resume’s ◦ Resume Lab ◦ Career Fair Prep ◦ R.E.A.L. Resume Prep ◦ R.E.A.L. Resume Practice
Special Events ◦ Career and Internship Fair ◦ R.E.A.L. Resume Presentations