When trying to write a resume, one of the most common questions is about how to choose the best resume format and style for your background and situation. This presentation explains your options and shows you exactly how to choose the best resume format to showcase your qualifications in the best light. For more tips to help with your job search, resume writing, personal branding and career marketing, visit www.distinctiveweb.com or follow us at: Twitter: http://twitter.com/distinctivedocs Facebook: http://facebook.com/DistinctiveDocuments Google+: http://plus.google.com/+Distinctivewebofficial LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/michelledumas

1. Resume
Formats and
Styles:
How to Choose the Best
One in Your Situation

2. Resume formats can be confusing.
How do you select the best resume format for your needs?
The unthinkable has happened and you have been downsized from the
company where you have been employed for the past ten years. In all this
time, you haven’t touched your resume and now find that you must completely
rewrite it.
Being the intelligent person that you are, you figure that
writing it can’t be too difficult, and you sit down with
a book of samples, prepared by professional
writers, hoping that they will guide and inspire you as
you write your own.

3. As you browse your book, you slowly come to realize that each sample is in a
different format and is very personalized. There doesn’t seem to be a template
of a “typical” resume, and in fact there even appears to be many distinct
resume formats.
Maybe this isn’t as easy as you first thought…
with all these choices how will
you ever make a decision about
which style and resume format
is best for you?

4. You are correct in your recognition that each resume is personalized
and unique. The most skilled professional You are correct in your recognition that
resume writers never
each resume is personalized and
use resume templates and take great care to tailor each document that
unique. The most
they create to highlight the unique skills, qualifications, and skilled professional
resume writers never use resume
accomplishments of the individual.
templates and take great care to tailor
each document that they create to
highlight the unique skills,
qualifications, and accomplishments of
the individual.
“ In this sense, they must be
personalized, and just because
one resume utilizes a particular
heading and layout, does not
mean that the next will. “

5. However, if you read carefully, with an eye
toward format, underlying these layouts are
two distinct types of resumes written in
three distinct formats.
Deciding which is the best resume format
for you is not difficult if you understand the
advantages and disadvantages of each.

6. The following guidelines will help you make your choice.
Resume Formats – Choose Your Focus:
Step 1Targeted Resume
A targeted resume is used to focus your job search toward a
specific career objective, performed in a specific industry, and
for a specific company.
The content is written to highlight the skills, qualifications, and
experience that match the requirements of your job target.
You may want to consider writing a targeted resume when:

7.  You know the title of the
position you are interested in
and have a good idea of the
qualifications that will be
required for entry into this
position.
 You are applying in response to
an employment advertisement.
 You are applying to a specific
company.
 You have several different
specific career objectives and
want a different resume for
each one.

8. Inventory Resume
If you have only a general objective (e.g, accounting management
position but open to a number of industries) and don’t want to limit
yourself to a specific job title, an inventory resume may be your best
choice. Likewise, if you want to be able to use the same resume to
apply to a number of companies, the best resume format for you my
be the inventory style.
This type of document is designed to highlight your skills, qualifications,
and achievements in a more general manner. Understand however, that
you must have at least a general objective, for example, “a
management level position in sales.” In this case, you know that
you are interested in sales management but you are open to the industry
and company that you do this for.

9. Once you have a clear idea of your general objective you can focus the content of
your inventory resume by deciding on 4-6 key skills and abilities that you
possess, that are relevant to your general objective, and that will be of value to an
employer in this field.
The content should highlight these skills by demonstrating them through statements
of relevant accomplishments and achievements.
If you are conducting an extensive job search campaign, the inventory format is your
most efficient choice and in most cases, you are still able to target specific companies
and job openings by writing a tailored cover letter to send with your resume.
“ Also, keep in mind that if you have
more than one unrelated career
objective, you should write a separate
inventory resume for each of these.”

10. Resume Formats – Choose Your Format:
Step 2
The Chronological Resume Format
The chronological resume format is designed to
highlight progressive career growth and
advancement. It is easy to read and can be
quickly scanned for employment history. For
these reasons, it is the most accepted format
among hiring authorities. In fact, many even
prefer and/or expect it.

11. The chronological resume format is most suitable when:
 You have a steady and consistent
employment history with no major gaps in
employment and have not changed career
tracks recently.
 Your employment history has been one of
progressively responsible positions.
 Your titles have been impressive and/or you
have been recently employed at well-known
companies.
 Your major accomplishments have been
achieved in your most recent positions.
 You are seeking a career in a field where this
format is expected.

12. The Functional Resume Format
The functional resume format highlights key skills,
accomplishments, and qualifications at the top,
regardless of where they have occurred in your
career. Your employment history is de-emphasized
by placing it toward the bottom and by documenting
a simple listing rather than details of each position.
In this way, the functional format firmly places the
focus on what you have done rather than where or
when you did it.
Unfortunately, many hiring authorities don’t like this format, as it is generally believed
that the functional format is used to hide some deficiency in your career history.

13. Despite this, the functional format
can be very effective when:
Most of your achievements and
accomplishments occurred in a past position.
You have recently graduated from high school
or college.
You have been out of the job market for some
time and are trying to re-enter.
You are an older worker and want to deemphasize age.
You have held a variety of unconnected
positions.
You are changing career tracks.
You are returning to a previous line of work.

14. The Combination Resume Format
The combination resume format combines
the benefits of both the chronological and
the functional formats. By beginning with a
summary (functional format) of your most
impressive qualifications, skills, abilities,
and accomplishments, it immediately places
the emphasis where you want it. This is
followed by an employment history section,
written in the chronological format, that
supports the statements made in your
summary.

15. The combination format is well accepted by hiring authorities
and you should consider using it when:
You have a steady and progressive
employment history.
You are applying for a position for which
the chronological resume is expected but
you also want to highlight qualifications
from earlier positions.
You are writing a targeted resume and
need an effective way to match your skills
to the job requirements.

16. Resume Formats – Final Considerations:
Step 3
Now that you have chosen your style and format,
you are ready to write your content. Before you do
this, consider the following:
First, remember that even more important than the format you choose, is the
content and how it is arranged. With only 15 seconds to capture the attention of a
reader, it is essential that you arrange your content so that the most important and
impressive information is in the top third of the document. This is easily
accomplished by using a “Resume Summary” or “Qualification
Highlights” heading at the very top.

17. Second,
be certain that
your resume has a focus. An employer
must be able to look at it and immediately
discern the logical principle holding it
together. This too, is easily accomplished if
you keep your objective in mind the entire
time you write.
You may explicitly state your objective in a
separate “Objective” section or you may
prefer to state it implicitly, through the
organization and content. Either way, be
certain that you know what your focus is
and that you communicate this clearly.

18. Finally,
stay away from boring descriptions of your job responsibilities. Instead,
whenever possible, write concise statements that describe specific examples
of accomplishments and achievements. Tell employers how you will be of
value to them by describing how you have been of value to previous employers.
Examples of accomplishments to
include would be how you have
saved money, increased profits,
improved productivity, or
enhanced services. Whenever
you can, include actual dollar
figures and percentages.

19. Michelle Dumas runs of one of the longeststanding and most respected professional
résumé writing firms on the internet,
Distinctive Career Services, LLC (dba
Distinctive Documents). Since 1996,
Michelle has empowered thousands of
professionals with résumés that get results
and win jobs fast. Get insider résumé writing The Internet’s Résumé & Career Marketing
tips that you won't find anywhere else at her Specialists…Since 1996
website. Go now to www.distinctiveweb.com www.distinctiveweb.com
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