According to the Oxford dictionary, a curriculum vitae or resumé is a document that presents a candidate’s educational background and professional skills and is usually considered when searching for a job.
Contrary to what some people might believe, a resumé simply acquaints you with the potential employer, and its aim to land you an interview. The next step involves convincing the recruiter why you’re the perfect candidate for the job – on your own.
Here’s how you can choose between the two major kinds of resumé for your job – the functional resumé and the chronological resumé –
Chronological Resumé
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What is it?: A chronological resumé is the most common format when it comes to writing a resumé, starting with the candidate’s latest working position and moving back to their first job and educational qualifications
Thumbs Up: A chronological resumé is perfect for candidates who look forward to a steady and logical career progression in a particular field. This particular format highlights your career achievements and is generally presented in a simple and easy-to-follow structure to employers who can make quick notes on the growth in your career.
Thumbs Down: Since a chronological resumé focuses on a stable career growth in a specific niché, candidates who have recently changed fields or have returned after a long stretch of leave can find it difficult to impress their potential recruiters. As a result, employers may reject you simply looking at your change of career, so you need something that shall bring out your abilities rather than your work history.
Functional Resumé
What is it?: A functional resumé focuses on the presentation of your professional abilities and experience with minimum work history at the bottom. In most cases, employers are impressed with the focus on your achievements and this increases the chances of an interview call.
Thumbs Up: Though a functional resumé won’t be as helpful for new job-seekers, it is a helpful format for those who have some experience in different career fields or for those who have come back to work after an extended leave. In such a case, the resumé highlights what the candidate can bring to the table rather simply listing their work history – thus impressing the recruiters to a great extent.
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Thumbs Down: However, employers are smart. They understand that the particular format has been chosen to cover up the lack of experience such as company name, important dates and job positions. Sometimes, employers may even reject the resumé without reading it as it does not follow the standard format and therefore not deserving consideration.
The Best Of Both Worlds: A Combination Resumé
A combination resumé highlights your achievements while presenting a detailed history of your job and education profile. However, it can get terribly long and repetitive, so make sure that it’s edited and pruned judiciously before applying for a job.
In a world of online job-seeking, put your best foot forward when putting in a resumé. No matter which format you choose, make sure that your resumé speaks only the best of you as a potential candidate.
