Teach you three common resume formats: chronological, functional and cross functional

Help you decide which resume format is best for you

Inventory the skills and qualifications you have acquired through your education and career

A carefully written, one or two page document

A resume highlights your skills, abilities,

education and work history

An advertisement to show you have the qualifications for a specific job

Chronological Functional Cross Functional

Displays a history of your employment

and education

Emphasizes your acquired skills and

competencies

Combines aspects of both the

chronological and functional resumes

You only have 3 to 6 seconds to catch the attention of a busy hiring manager

The top third of your resume is what the hiring manager will see first

Put your best skill statements in a summary section directly below your header section for all resume formats

Header Name, phone, email, address Skills Summary Top skills, qualifications Employment history Last employer is listed first Education History Institution, degree/cert, dates

John Smith

(123) 456-7899 jsmith@google.com Everett, WA

Skills and Qualifications • Exceptional leadership abilities leading a team of

ten direct reports • Top contract negotiator for company, saving

millions of dollars in cost annually • Ran $4M business while responsible for P & L • Developed hiring processes and streamlined

recruiting Employment History Branch Manager Chuck’s Staffing Everett, WA 9/03-9/13 • Directed branch operations including sales,

recruiting • Led 10 direct reposts • Trained staff in recruiting, hiring processes

Recruiter SOS Staffing Everett, WA 9/95-9/03 • Responsible for recruiting • Recruited 70 skilled trades people • Opened ten new customer accounts

Education Everett Community College 9/92-9/94 AA Business Management

John Smith

(123) 456-7899 jsmith@google.com Everett, WA

Skills and Qualifications • Exceptional leadership abilities leading a team of

ten direct reports • Top contract negotiator for company, saving

millions of dollars in cost annually • Ran $4M business while responsible for P & L • Developed hiring processes and streamlined

recruiting Professional Experience Leadership, Management, Recruitment • Led a team of ten direct reports • Managed a 4 million dollar business • Streamlined recruiting processes

Sales, Customer Service • Won thirty new accounts • Provided a high level of customer service Employment History Branch Manager Chuck’s Staffing Everett, WA 9/03-9/13 • Directed branch operations including sales,

recruiting • Led 10 direct reposts • Trained staff in recruiting, hiring processes

Education Everett Community College 9/92-9/94 AA Business Management

Header Name, phone, email, address Skills Summary Top skills, qualifications Experience & employment history Highlight experience first Education History Institution, degree/cert, dates

A cross functional resume equally divides your skills and abilities, which are listed first, followed by your employment history in reverse chronological order

This type of resume is a good choice for someone who has a long work history in addition to varied skills and abilities

Mid and upper level managers and education professionals may consider this format

Chronological Functional Cross-Functional 3 or more years work experience

Less three years work experience

Focus on skills gained on the job & in school

No gaps in employment Gaps in employment of 6 months or more

Avoids focus on gaps, shows qualifications

Stable, long-term employment

Job jumping Highlight job longevity and core competencies

Focus on duties and accomplishments with former employer/s

Multiple degrees, certificate training

Create a targeted resume for a specific job opening

Starts with more recent, then work backwards

Focus on skills attained through work/school

Highlights strengths, minimizes weaknesses

What is a “power verb”?

Why are power verbs important?

Please take 5 minutes and fill out the Power Verb Checklist

What is YOUR power verb?

One way to determine the type of format you will use to complete the “Resume Planning Sheet.” This worksheet will help you:

Inventory your skills, abilities and other

qualifications employers are looking for

Identify gaps in employment or other experience

Address any job jumping you may have done

Font: Keep it clean and simple. Best fonts to use are Calibri, Lucinda Sans, Veranda, or Times New Roman

Highlight your name by using 16-18 font and bold lettering

Font Size: 11 or 12 works best

A full mailing address can be replaced with a city & state (optional)

Use an industry appropriate design

Objectives: many resume writers skip objectives for a skills summary

Bullet your skill statements rather than write paragraphs

Begin each skill statement with a power verb

Make sure your email address is professional

Use 5 to 6 bullet points per employer in chronological formats; use 8 to 10 bullets in functional formats

Punctuation should be consistent and correct. Semicolons(;) between related phrases, commas (,) between words in a series, and periods (.) at the end of sentences

Make the cut! Spelling and grammatical errors are resume killers.

Consistency is critical: make sure you use the same tense (usually past tense) when drafting your skill statements

Use numbers and percentages to quantify past success when you can

Never use I (first person) when writing your resume

Each resume you write is a custom document

tailored specifically for the job you are trying to land

Proofread your resume several times, then have at least 2-3 other people proofread it again

Experiment. This is your first, and sometimes only, chance to earn an interview!

Questions?

Workshops in this series: ◦ Resume’s ◦ Resume Lab ◦ Career Fair Prep ◦ R.E.A.L. Resume Prep ◦ R.E.A.L. Resume Practice

Special Events ◦ Career and Internship Fair ◦ R.E.A.L. Resume Presentations