Career Handbook
9th Edition
Resume Writing
A resume is an important communication tool in the job search process. It is a concisely written summary of your personal, educational, and work experience intended to:
- Introduce you to a prospective employer.
- Organize the relevant facts about you in a written presentation.
- Focus attention on your qualifications and accomplishments and demonstrate why you are an attractive candidate for the position being sought.
- Obtain an interview.
There are a number of ways you might write your resume, all depending upon who you are, what you have to offer, and what kind of position you are seeking. The three types of resume formats most frequently used are:
- Chronological resume
- lists your education, experience, and other relevant information in reverse chronological order.
- Functional resume
- focuses on a summary of the functions you have performed (merchandising, counseling, etc.) and plays down dates of work history. The functional resume often is used by people without experience directly related to their current objectives, people with several career changes and people re-entering the job market.
- Combination resume
- uses elements of both the chronological and functional resumes.
Resumes may vary in content as well as form, appearance, style, and layout. It is important to remember that a resume is a personally written document that allows for some individual creativity. It should present a positive image to the potential employer. Highlight your strengths by positioning the most important information related to your objective first and devoting the most space to it.
