WHAT IS A RESUME? The resume’s primary function is to showcase your talents and skills to an employer - clearly, convincingly and quickly. A resume is: • It is a marketing tool, it is going to market your experience, training and skills • A way to tell employers what you have accomplished in the past and what you can do for their company now • Your most important job search tool that can get you an interview, and leaves a lasting impression on a potential employer • A guide for you and the employer during an interview It is critical that you invest your time and effort into creating a resume that meets the employer’s needs and highlights your assets. You should target your resume for specific jobs, and edit and update it according to what job you’re applying for. WHY IS A RESUME SO IMPORTANT? Resumes are expected for almost all types of jobs from clerks to chief executive officers. Even with an employer’s ability to search you on the internet and look you up on social media, a resume is still an essential tool for your job search. • Resumes are needed when attending networking events, such as job fairs • Resumes serve as a guide for your interview, and help you improve it • Resumes keep you organized, making it easier to discuss your assets • The purpose is to get you an invitation to an interview THREE TYPES OF RESUMES Choosing the best resume format is extremely important because there are many factors to take into account. These include the length of your resume and your accomplishments, as well as possible shortcomings. Whichever resume format you choose, make sure to include examples of accomplishments that benefited your previous employers. Three common types of resumes are chronological, functional and combination (skills-based). Keep in mind that businesses prefer either a chronological resume or a combination resume. CHRONOLOGICAL Chronological resumes highlight consistency. This format stresses what you accomplished in each of the positions you held. A chronological resume focuses primarily on the history of your work experience and education. It also shows your progress and advancements in your career. This resume format is popular among businesses. FUNCTIONAL A functional resume focuses on your skills and experience, without including chronological time and job titles. It presents a profile of your experience based on professional strengths or groups of skills. Your work history usually follows, but in less detail than in a chronological resume. It is used most often by people with gaps in their work history, those who are changing careers and individuals with limited work experience. Employers generally do not prefer to receive functional resumes as they do not show your work history or career progress. COMBINATION A combination (or combined) resume combines the best features of the traditional chronological (where the dates are in reverse order) and functional (where skills are listed in the beginning) resumes. A combination resume can also be referred to as a skills-based resume. 2
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