Whether you are looking for your first job, a new job, or you are returning to the workplace after years of child rearing, you will need a resume as you apply for work. My experience as a recruiter is that people tend to have a small panic attack at the thought of doing a new resume. There are numerous books on resume writing, and there are also different types of resumes, depending on your background and the position for which you are applying. However, in most cases, resumes that follow a simple, organized format, giving a clear view of a person’s experience and skills, are the ones a recruiter loves to review.
I will outline the two most common resume samples: the experienced-based resume, and the functional resume. Both of these resume types should meet the needs of at least 90% of the job-searching population.
The Experienced-Based Resume
This resume is generally used by individuals who have had a fairly steady work history, even though it may consist of just one job over a period of years. It is a common resume of choice for students who are graduating college or graduate school, and who may have only summer work experience and / or volunteer experience. When I was an on-campus recruiter, this type of resume enabled me to get a quick glance at the candidate’s background, education and interests. It allows the recruiter’s eye to go straight down the page and quickly pick up important information on the candidate.
In this resume, you would first list your job Objective, such as “To obtain a business management position in a major financial services company.” Then you would follow with information under the following headings: Work Experience, Major Accomplishments, Education, Awards and Honors, Affiliations, and Outside Interests. If you are relatively fresh out of school, or applying for work after you graduate, place the section on Education before the section on Work Experience, listing your education and expected graduation date. If you excel in school, list your grade point average and any school honors.
The important thing in drafting any resume is to use “action” verbs, or what I call “power” words when describing your experience and accomplishments. Recruiters look for statements that will give them an indication that the candidate takes the initiative, is a leader, and goes “above and beyond” his or her stated position to make an impact on the organization. Even when discussing volunteer positions, job candidates should mention specific accomplishments using action words. Examples of such wording include: “Initiated a new procedure…”, “Served as leader of fund raising activities,” “Introduced new hiring process which resulted in…”, “Reviewed expenses and mandated budget cuts that resulted in…”. Also make sure that how you begin your statements in the Work Experience and Accomplishment section is consistent. For example, if you start one statement with a verb, all statements should begin with a verb.
Once a recruiter sees that you are a person of action, you will likely be invited to an interview, and your accomplishments will likely be the starting point of your interview. Even if you are relatively new to the workplace, such as a recent graduate, or one who is planning to return to the workplace, you can usually find something in your volunteer experience, or church or civic activities that you can mention as accomplishments.
To see examples of experienced-based resumes, visit www.monster.com. This website has sample resumes for many different job positions.
The Functional Resume
I had experience in drafting my own functional resume five years ago when I retired from my job after 22 years, and wanted to move into a new career. I had had some volunteer experience in my new career of interest, so that became my starting off point on the resume.
The functional resume is generally used by individuals who have had a more involved work history, such as having one job for 20 years, but working in or managing several different functions. The functional resume is also used by individuals who have had experience in more than one type of field. For example, if you worked 10 years as an accountant in the health care field, and then worked 5 years in an audit department of a financial services company, and you had specific accomplishments in each career, you would have two main Experience headings on your resume. As an example, you would list as your main headings: Accountant / Health Care, and then Auditor / Financial Services, or Experience / Health Care and then Experience / Financial Services. Prior to listing your experience in each category, you would provide a Summary of your experience in both positions, listing your objective for the desired new position. This would let the recruiter know up front that you have varied experience and skills over a number of years, and that you would like to move into another position using those skills.
Once again, when listing your experience in each function, don’t forget to use those action statements that will give the recruiter an idea of your accomplishments.
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IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Whatever resume you choose to use, remember to check it over carefully for typos, grammar, and consistency. Remember to be consistent in how you start each of your statements, and pay attention to your fonts. Make sure your font is the same throughout the resume, and that you are consistent in the things that you bold, or underline, or italicize. Believe it or not, I have seen the smartest candidates who have handed in resumes that do not have this consistency.
If you have never completed a resume, it would be a good thing to show it to someone who has experience doing resumes. Even if you have done a resume in the past, it is good to review it with someone else who has had a lot of work experience and you know will critique your resume properly.
Above all, don’t fret over the resume, but give yourself time to complete one that encompasses all of the major accomplishments you want a recruiter to see. Focus on areas that you know the recruiter will want to see, and feel free to customize your resume for specific jobs, while using the same template. Good luck in your job search!
