A resume is one of the most important documents of your professional career. Simply put, the resume can be described as a brief document that highlights the academic qualifications, the professional experience and expertise, and any other information regarding the profession and professional life of a person. This document can be considered as your proxy in the corporate world.
The article defines the significance of a resume and provides details on different resume types and format.
Different Types of Resume formats
Not all resumes are befitting the requirements of all professions.
Here is a brief list of the types of resumes (i.e. CV – curriculum vitae), and which would be suited for what kind of professional:
1. Targeted Resumes:
A targeted resume is normally used by people who have prior knowledge of a position open in a company via their network. These resumes are tailor made to suit the job description that the company is currently looking to fill.
The targeted resume is also generally used when you are looking to work in a particular company and know that your qualifications and experience give you a chance to work in that company. Simply put, targeted resumes can be used to apply to companies which you know require people of your expertise and experience, but do not necessarily have to be created because you know of a job opening.
2. Chronological Resume:
What is a chronological resume? A chronological resume is a resume which lists down all the jobs that the professional has held in a definite timeframe. A chronological resume is best for people who have progressed in their professional life through working in different companies. A chronological resume can basically be considered as a time line of a person’s progress from one job position to its higher.
The chronological resume is best used to show the progress that a person has done either in a short span of time or in a few or several companies.
3. Functional Resume:
What is a functional resume? A functional resume is basically used by a person who has too much of experience of too little or a singular responsibility. A functional resume is basically used by a person who has held a number of job-positions in a single or very few companies. A functional resume also helps you highlight your achievements in a better understood manner if you have worked in several companies in the same position.
4. Combination Resumes:
A combination resume is actually a good combination of the chronological resume and the functional resume. The combination resume basically takes the best parts of the chronological as well as the functional resume. The combination resume makes a note of your work history, as well as giving special attention to your qualities and qualifications on a professional level.
What to put in a Resume
Here are some Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to write a good Curriculum Vitae (CV):
Format:
Several resumes are never read simply because they are not in the proper format. Make sure that you have a format that allows the recruiter to skim through all the important parts of your resume immediately, so that he or she can make an immediate decision about whether they should call you for the interview or not. The best format for a resume is the one which tells the recruiter all about the proposed employee without reading much into the resume. In fact, much of your resume depends on the type of title that you have used.
Refer to Resume Format Examples article for getting more info.
What is a cover letter for a resume? What is a resume cover letter?
The resume cover letter briefly introduces your intention and your resume to the recruiters. Refer to Samples of resume cover letters.
What is the objective in a resume?
Your resume objective (or your career objective in a resume) simply lists your career objectives, your career summary and personal competencies to certain job positions.
Refer to Resume Objectives Examples.
Keep it Simple and to the Point:
Recent surveys have shown that each resume is read for not more than twenty seconds. Therefore, it goes without saying that the resume should be eye-catching and interesting at first read. The only way a resume can be eye-catching and interesting is to have a simple document that highlights the positive points in the sharpest way possible.
What to include? Keep Something Hidden:
If recruiters would make their final decisions looking at the resumes, there would be no Human Resources department in any company that would actually have some work. However, we all know how it feels to be on a first date and without any subject to talk about. Well, if you write down everything in the resume, you would feel the same feeling all over again, simply because they have read all that was to know about you and there is no conversation piece during your interview.
Do not Warble:
Easy, Simple and concise does it. Make sure that you do not add undue information about your hobbies and even your personal life. The resume is a sacred document in which only relevant information about your professional life should exist. Of course, no resume is complete without a glimpse into the private life of the person, but the information about aspects like hobbies, likes and dislikes, should be minimal because some recruiters would just not like you mixing our professional space with your personal space.
These are the Don’ts on your resume. What you should do is to provide genuine information about yourself from all quarters, right from the educational qualifications to your professional expertise.
Furthermore, you should provide a resume that would speak about your short term as well as longer term goals, and make a highlight of your achievements in the given job.
