Resume Writing - Choosing the Right.docx

ResumeWriting-ChoosingtheRightResumeWriting-ChoosingtheRightFormatPuttingtogetheraresumeisveryseriousbusiness.Oftenitisthefirstimpressionyouwillmakeonaprospectiveemployer.Hopefully,afterlookingoveryourresume,theemployerwillgrantyoutheopportunitytomakeasecondimpression.Ifwelookatthejobsearchasamarketingcampaign,aswasdiscussedinthearticle,PersonalMarketingStrategy,wecanthenlookattheresumeasaprintadvertisementoramarketingbrochure.Ifyoutakealookthroughamagazineyouwillseemanyads.Trytofindonethattellsyoutobuyaproductbecausethecompanyneedstoincreaseitsprofits.Youwillbehardpressedtofindsuchabeast.Theadsyouseetellyouwhatthemanufacturer'sproductcandoforyou—makeyoursmilebright,yourhairshiny,orsimplymakeyourlifebetter.Whenputtingtogetheryourresume,evaluatetheneedsoftheemployerandthendeterminehowyoucanfillthoseneeds.Ifyouhaveaccesstoacomputer(whichyoudoifyouarereadingthisarticle)andaqualityprinter,youcandesignatargetedresumeforeveryjobforwhichyouapply.Ifyouhavetomassproduceyourresume,youwillhavetodoalittleguessworktocomeupwithonethatwillimpresseveryone.ChoosingaResumeFormatNextyoumustdeterminewhattypeofresumeformattouse.Therearethreebasictypes:chronological,functional,andacombinationofthetwo.Thefollowingsectionswillexplainwhateachofthesetypesareandwhentochooseonetypeoveranother.ChronologicalResumeThechronologicalresumeisprobablytheonewithwhichmostpeoplearefamiliar.Onit,workexperienceislistedinreversechronologicalorder(mostrecentjobfirst).Theperiodoftimeduringwhichyouwereemployedislistedfirst,followedbythenameoftheemployerandthentheemployer'slocation.Adescriptionforeachjobisalsoincluded.Followingworkhistoryisasectiononeducation.Ifyouaretryingtoshowcareergrowth,achronologicalresumemaybethewaytogo.Ifyourmostrecentjobisstoremanager,whiletheonebeforethatisdepartmentmanager,andtheonebeforethatissalesclerk,youcanshowahistoryofpromotion.However,ifyourworkhistoryhasbeenspottyorifithasbeenstagnantyoushouldn'tuseachronologicalresume.Ifyouarechangingcareers,achronologicalresumeisnotfo