The last blog I posted talked about creating a standard chronological resume. Many employers prefer that format because that is the format with which they are most comfortable and familiar. If that format provides a good representation of your background, then I encourage you to use a chronological format for your resume - or at least one version of it. For many people, the chronological resume does not give them the flexibility they want in presenting various aspects of their background. If that is your situation, you may want to consider creating a functional resume.
A functional resume is one that highlights three or four of your functional skill areas that relate to your current career goal. The advantage to a functional resume is that it allows you to emphasize the skills you want to use and to downplay the job titles that you have held, and that perhaps do not directly relate to your current career objective. A true functional resume includes only a listing of former job titles and employers, without details about the responsibilities performed in each job title. Your overall responsibilities and accomplishments that relate to your current career objective would appear in your functional skill areas.
Due to the nature of the functional resume, it is often used by people who are changing careers or for job seekers who are re-entering the workforce after a period of absence.
A functional resume will still begin with your name and contact information. Whether you include a Job Objective or some other type of summary is up to you. Many people include a Skills Summary including several statements related to skills they possess and hope to use in their next job. The most significant part of writing a functional resume is in selecting the functional skill words to use as your headings. If you need a list of words to work from, that is available. Obviously, you should select functional skills that fit with your accomplishments and other strengths. Under each heading, you will list your accomplishments from your various experiences - work, volunteer, school, or family. You can include activities from non-work/non-paid activities in addition to your work history, if appropriate for your current objective.
In a true functional resume, you would provide only a basic list of your job titles, dates of employment, and names of employers. Your education and/or training and other skills, if desired, would be presented in the appropriate spaces, just as in the other resume formats. If you have a draft of a resume and you wish a meeting to review and discuss it, that can be arranged. Beyond correcting any grammatical or formatting errors, there are two primary suggestions I offer to my clients about their resume. First is that it should be something they feel comfortable with and presents quality highlights of their relevant background. Secondly, they should not spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make their resume - whatever format is selected - perfect.
There really is no such thing as a perfect resume. And even if you create one that appears "perfect" for one job, it is likely at least a little less than perfect for a different job. So start with something that is acceptable that you can give out. Then, as the need exists and time is available, you can make revisions. The goal is to get positive responses to the resumes you give out. If that is not happening, then you either need to adjust your resume and, or your approach in using it.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, grief work, coping with an empty nest and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association; recognized as a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Check out her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
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