Most people make mistake to think that purpose of resume is to get the best job for them. It is not exactly so. Actually the main objective is to arouse interest of the prospective employers so that they can invite you for job interview. How do you create interest in the employers? Just as different people come in multiple shapes and sizes, so do the resumes. Know about the popular resume formats that are popular in the industry. Functional and chronological resumes are the most common formats used by the people, depending on their requirements. Compare the salient features of two formats before you choose one for your own need.
Chronological resume:
As the name suggests, this resume displays the entire work history with the recent job position listed at the top. The details of jobs are listed in the reverse chronological order where you write about first job experience in the last and mention details of your latest job in the first position. All the employers prefer this type of resume since they can easily find out the type of job you have already held and the exact date and time when you worked with them.
Here are the essential criteria that you should fulfill and get most use of this type of resume:
You have steady career along with experience of working in the same profession for quite sometime. Most people who have the experience of working with topnotch companies or organizations of the relevant industry prefer chronological resume.
If you have worked in senior management position in a reputed company for two to three years then you must go for this kind of resume format.
Want to secure a job in a foreign country? Or wish to re-enter work force after sometime but you seek same type of post or designation from the same industry? Certainly this resume is the best option for you. There are other scenarios that also call for this type of resume format. For example chronological resume is also perfect for the job applicant who wants to transit from military job to settle down as a responsible civilian. It is good for an applicant who has passed graduation recently but has few years of job experience.
Learn about the benefits of using this resume format that you can get from this chronological resume:
It is easy for the employers to scan the details of your resume and know about your career history just in one glance. According to recent survey chronological resume is one of the widely accepted resume formats with nearly 80 percent corporate HR professionals preferring this type of resume format at times of recruitment.
This resume format is also accepted by online recruiters. The reason is that the questionnaires of online job application cannot be entered in a chronological manner. If you have a steady work history without major gaps as well as changes of the career direction, this resume format is an option for you.
If you worked under reputable ex-employers and wish to highlight your recent achievements you must use a chronological resume. This format is universally accepted and therefore it is advisable that you must prefer this format if you wish to seek job abroad.
Functional Resumes
Take time to create a good functional resume. Unlike chronological resume, it highlights your managing, coaching and other abilities. You can effectively summarize your work history and it is generally written at the bottom of your resume. It is ideal option for people who change jobs frequently, re-enter the workforce after a prolonged period of time and wish to venture into a new career field. If you are overqualified for post that you have applied this resume is your one stop solution. A fresh graduate who also does not have appropriate experience in the chosen field can go for this resume format.
The following are the essential scenarios for which you must prefer an excellent functional resume:
When you have the requisite skills that a traditional resume cannot highlight them effectively, you should avail this functional resume. It is best for candidates who have excellent skills and do not have good work history. In this resume format, details of work are minimized and are given at bottom of the resume.
Functional resume emphasizes on what you can do and also what you have done so far. It does not offer details on the company and also the time of your work. If you are not willing to emphasize time span of experience you must avail this resume. For change of direction or field this resume is suitable for you.
In a nutshell, it comes down how you present yourself in front of your recruiter. And the resume exactly does it for you. Both chronological and functional resumes are beneficial for the customers. If you highlight your skills and experience then functional resume is your option. Chronological resume is suitable for you when you wish to display your steady work flow and also your experience to work with top company. You must get an interview and land into a job that you wish.
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