Recognized resume styles
As was indicated in one of our earlier posts, there are two types of resumes; one identified as a chronological resume and the other a functional resume. A chronological resume is structured by listing past employers and education in order, starting with the most recent jobs and/or achievements, and proceeding in reverse order with the previous of such listings until a reasonable number (5 recommended), or the very first event is reached. This type of resume is also – at times – referred to as a reverse chronological resume because of the order in which the listings starts and ends.
Functional resumes, on the other hand, focus on an individual’s qualifications instead of his/her career timeline, in the sense that it highlights the skills s/he possesses rather than where and when s/he acquired or utilized them. In other words, instead of listing the job applicant’s experiences and job titles, a functional resume will contain sections titled as they relate to that applicant’s skills; such as verbal and written communication, customer satisfaction and project management, among others.
Best uses of a functional resume
The functional resume style is recommended for college students seeking internships or their first jobs out of college; for job seekers with little or no professional experience, or for career changers. This resume style allows job seekers to reference their hobbies and interests in a way that apply to their career objectives only; but the listing of hobbies and interests outside of the job seeker’s career objective is not recommended as such outside listings do not promote that individual as a professional in any way.
Consider for a moment that you are a job seeker composing your resume and you would like to prepare it in the most professional way you possibly can. The important you must do to accomplish this is to keep your career objective uppermost in your mind. You want to present yourself in a best possible light to your potential employer, so the information on your resume must answer one very important question:
Why are you the best candidate for the job? And the bet way you can prepare yourself to answer this question is to maintain constant focus on your career objective while composing your resume.
Resume mistakes to be avoided
The biggest mistake some job seekers make on their resumes is including information that is not related to their professional experience. Facts pertaining to your volunteer positions, community work, interests and hobbies that disclose your race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or other personal descriptors that do not directly impact professional performance must be excluded from your resume.
Understanding that the functional resume does not require you to list names or organizations you have worked or volunteered for allows you to list any experience you have acquired at a given company or organization without potentially disclosing any demographic information.
Additionally, you should not create a separate section on your resume for hobbies and interests since this is typically seen as amateur, thereby detracting from your resume by rendering it less credible. Listing hobbies and interests as they apply to the position you are applying for should be done under specific functional sections.
Use hobbies & interests ONLY to enhance resume
For example, if you are seeking a position in graphic design, and have samples of related work that you have done as a hobby, indicate this fact on your resume or in your cover letter. In fact, any of your hobby activities that are related to the type of work you are seeking should be listed on your resume, but only such a listing will be advantageous to you
And if you’ve read books or completed seminars at the local community center that are applicable to your chosen job, make mention of them and many potential employers will welcome the opportunity to have you demonstrate those qualifications that make you a perfect candidate for the job or position they’re offering.
As a final step, have a friend review your resume, or if you are a college student, seek assistance from a career center at your school. Having another person review your resume will help uncover any items that may raise questions about your experience or education, as well as point out whether or not the inclusion of your hobbies and interests works to support your career objective. Perfecting your resume will go a long way to assure your potential employer that you are the best candidate for the s/he is offering job.