Proper Resume Format

We live in a world of competition. To have that competitive edge over others, ensure that your resume is perfect and a winner in impressing your potential employers. A resume is important as it helps the employers to form an opinion about you. And that would be the first impression you will create in their minds, much before you even talk about yourself. It is often said that the first impression is the last impression. Why not make it the best impression? It will eventually make you successful in getting a job of your dreams.

Resume writing may sound tedious and boring, but with a few tips will definitely help. A resume is a tool used to market your career objectives and the asset you would be to the company. The trick here is to use this tool to creep into the mindset of your potential employer or a recruiting firm, and portray your qualities and experiences.

Chronological Resume

This is the most popular template used by job-seekers. Achievements, accomplishments and experiences are written in reverse chronological order, with the recent employment first. The candidate's career development and progression are quite evident and clear. This type of format appears straightforward with no room for misrepresentation of the employment history. That's probably the reason why this resume format is also preferred by recruiters and employers.

Formatting a Chronological Resume

• Start with your address and contact information
• Write your career objective below your contact information
• The body should consist of your past experiences beginning with the last job employment first
• List the names of the companies you have worked for, the period of employment, your job profile, your core responsibilities and your accomplishments
• Include your educational qualifications

Functional Resume

An individual's acquired skills are focused in this type of resume format. The total work experience gained hardly matters. This kind of resume format is appropriate for people switching career paths or entering the job market for the first time.

Formatting a Functional Resume

• Begin with your address and contact information
• A very small career objective should be mentioned after the contact details
• Emphasize on your skill sets, knowledge and accomplishments
• Include your educational qualifications

Combination Resume

The name itself suggests that this is a combination of chronological and functional resume formats. In this format, the skills you possess are mentioned first, and then the employment history with experiences are listed. This is the best one to highlight your skills, experiences and achievements.

Formatting a Combination Resume

• Begin with your address and contact details
• Mention your career objective after the contact details
• Body of the resume template should comprise the list of employments in the reverse chronological order
• Highlight your acquired skills, learnings, accomplishments and achievements
• Furnish the details of your educational qualifications

Irrespective of the format chosen, what's imperative is the information you provide in the resume. Your contacts details and your educational qualifications are essential in any resume format. Ensure that there are no spelling and grammatical mistakes. To make the resume look pleasant and not cluttered with loads of information, you can use bullets wherever possible. Make the resume style simple, yet elegant. Your prospective employer should find it easy to read.

A resume is a mere tool to sell your values and skills, the real art lies in how well you market yourself. It is necessary to invest a good amount of time while writing. Take care that you do not misrepresent your skills and experiences. It may help you get the job, but it will eventually backfire.