CHOOSING THE BEST RESUME FORMAT IN 2012: Chronological? Functional? Combination?

Author's Note: FAR TOO MANY JOB SEEKERS STILL THINK THAT CHOOSING THE RIGHT RESUME FORMAT IS ALL THERE IS TO CREATING A WINNING RESUME. NOT SO. IT IS ONLY A START AND WILL NOT GUARANTEE A SUCCESSFUL RESUME. WHY? DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SELL YOURSELF ON PAPER?  PROBABLY NOT. PLEASE GET PROFESSIONAL HELP!

Choosing the best resume format in 2012 will increase your chances of getting hired in this recession. It will highlight your strengths and hide or disguise your shortcomings or resume blemishes


IN A RECESSION, THE RIGHT OR BEST RESUME FORMAT IS CRUCIAL You cannot hope to build a winning resume using the wrong or unsuitable format.



The right or best resume format in your case will help a reader see what you're offering in the FIRST 10-15 LINES. That is your "sell" -- the reasons why you should be HIRED.
Do you really know how to do this? 95% of all job seekers will "undersell" themselves. That means your resume WON'T impress.


Your worst solution is to use a readymade RESUME TEMPLATE! They may look good to you but help you very little. Many of those templates are outdated or of very little value to you. (For example, Microsoft Wizard templates were included in Windows 98 when it was first launched in 1998!)



By using a resume template that you can find on the Internet, your resume will look like thousands of other resumes! It WON'T stand out or be noticed. Please DON'T use a cookie cutter template that looks like all the others.



Will someone else's design also showcase your unique job history and achievements? Not as well as it should. The same shortcoming or limitation applies to any preformatted resume template.



Writing your own resume is NOT like baking cookies. It is essential that you choose your resume format wisely. Your goal is to find a suitable layout that will help you highlight your own strengths and hide or disguise your own shortcomings or other resume blemishes.



Fortunately, there are several RESUME FORMATS to choose from.



The LENGTH of your resume is also a factor and we outgrow certain formats. The crucial question is how and where will you record your skills, strengths and experience in the most effective manner? How and where will you sell yourself in your resume?



Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using the best resume formats:



COMBINATION RESUME FORMAT



A modern Combination resume is a very good answer because this will combine the best features of the traditional Chronological (dates in reverse order) and Functional (skills) resumes.



This format is ideal or the right choice for a senior executive or manager who needs a stronger and better resume to compete in 2012.



This type of resume has a crucial 15-line section at the top for writing an audience-oriented Job Objective and a Summary or Profile or Qualifications Statement. There is also room for a Personal Branding Statement which I personally dislike because it often results in a boring paragraph praising you and your skills but which screeners don't feel like reading!



The Combination resume enables you to present your "CAN DO's" as well as a summary of your "HAVE DONE's" in the top half of Page One. Managers and executives will also be able to include two to three columns listing their areas of experience or expertise. This section is referred to as Core Competencies or Areas of Expertise and always impresses a reader -- even in today's recession.



TARGETED RESUME FORMAT



Nowadays, a targeted resume that addresses an employer's specific needs is the best resume format. It is always the right choice because it focuses your resume towards a specific career objective or job advertisement in a specific company, environment or industry. This is crucial in a recession.



The targeting takes place mainly in the first 15 lines.



A Tailored ("Just-for-You") resume shows the reader what a good "fit" you are for the position advertised. Such resumes will be effective in any job market. They are always the best resume formats in a recession. A tailored resume format is the right format for anyone and at any time.








CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME FORMAT



VERSUS


FUNCTIONAL RESUME FORMAT



The traditional Chronological resume (dates in reverse order) is popular but very "basic".



It does NOT allow someone with 5-20 years' experience to do justice to his or her skills, strengths, and accomplishments.



This format is limited to the facts of your Work Experience and Education. ( It's like a C.V.) Sometimes, a weak Summary or Profile is included.




Where will you write about your abilities? Where will you offer your VALUE? How will you sell yourself? Much of what a recruiter needs to know - your "sell" -- will be missing! You can't afford such a format in a tough buyer's market or recession.



It may therefore surprise you to learn that the widely used Chronological resume is actually incomplete because it is weak as a SALES / MARKETING tool. Unfortunately, this type of resume relies too heavily on selling yourself in a separate cover letter which may or may not be read. Nowadays, many cover letters do not get read as in the '80s when the cover letter was an important selling tool.



FUNCTIONAL RESUME FORMAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT IS NOT LIKED BY MOST EMPLOYERS



Should you therefore go "Functional"? Too many people rush to use the Functional format. The awful reality is that many employers do not care for it and in this recession they will actually hate it.



This resume which has a big skills section at the top (under different headings such as "Management Skills" or "Production Skills").



The skills statements are followed by one-line items setting out brief details of dates and names of employers at the bottom of the page. The resume is therefore "top heavy".



Many employers DON'T care to read a lot about your skills, abilities and achievements unless they can MATCH UP these claims with the job titles and dates to which they refer.



Most employers prefer a "normal" Chronological resume format with dates and job description



Many distrust a Functional resume because they know it is used to hide or disguise your work history. It makes them very wary and suspicious. In a recession, they will simply screen you out in seconds.



In short, choosing the best or right resume format to create an effective resume in your case is not an easy matter and you may need to seek professional resume help.



There are many factors to take into account, including the length of your resume, your accomplishments, as well as shortcomings or potential negatives or "red flag" items. All are crucial for successful job hunting in this recession.



A first-class writer deals with problems of resume design every day and has the necessary skill and expertise to find or develop the best solution for you.



ASCII (ELECTRONIC) RESUME FORMAT



OR



TEXT-BASED RESUME FORMAT



Expert resume writers will also advise you about the advantages and disadvantages of using Electronic (ASCII) resumes (in Notepad) and what can be done to make them look better.



To copy and paste a Microsoft Word document into an online box will result in a resume that looks like a dog's breakfast. There will be a major change in formatting, a loss of underlines, italics and bolds, and some types of bullet. It will need to be patiently converted into an ASCII or text-based format with a maximum of 600 characters per line.



So, please do not rely on your limited knowledge of different formats. Your resume is your most important job search tool and it will always pay you to consult a resume expert. In this recession you have little choice but to do so.



FOR FREE ADVICE, PLEASE CONTACT ME ON 1-718-436-3504.
MY FEES ARE EXTREMELY REASONABLE.


MATTGREENE@AOL.COM




COPYRIGHT, 2006-2012 BY MATTHEW GREENE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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