There’s No Such Thing as a “One Size Fits All” Resume!
There are certain types of resume that will suit certain types of job applications. It is not a case of one size fits all as you may have to change your resume 5 times for 5 different jobs. The key is to know what the person reading your resume wants to read and this may be different for each position you apply for. Checking the job ad carefully before you create your resume and cover letter is a good start.
It’s a bit like sitting an exam where you know what the examiner wants to read and so you get it down on the paper with the minimum of fuss! This is not to say you include any false information as that gets no one anywhere, but there’s an art to presenting information in such a way that it gets the most impact.
Here are 8 different styles of resumes from our sample resume section:
Functional Resume:
A Functional resume, also known as a “Skills” resume, concentrates on what you do well and the work and roles that match your skill set rather than the specific employers that you have worked for – and it lists them right at the beginning where they have most impact. You can use this type of resume when you need to highlight how your particular skills are suited for a position that is advertised. The reader can see clearly how you’re able to help them, rather than having to read through the entire resume to find out.
For one reason or another, it’s sometimes best to downplay the name of a competing company that you’ve previously worked for and shift the emphasis on to what you’re good at and how you are more than qualified for the role. That’s why a functional resume is often favorable to a chronological resume.
Chronological Resume:
This is a resume that concentrates on your previous work history in date order, with the current or most recent employer listed first. It concentrates on your work experience, listing that first at the top of the resume after your personal details, and more emphasis is placed upon this than on your specific skills.
This resume structure is probably most used for employees that are staying in the same profession and line of work, for example in very conservative fields like the legal or accounting professions. It may also be useful when you have previously worked for a very respected company in the field.
Hybrid Resume:
Also called the “Combo” resume, this type of resume is common because it combines the best of both features of your professional life, but care must be taken not to make it too lengthy or repetitious.
In fact, many resumes combine the two features above and strike a good balance between them, if there are no specific reasons to highlight or downplay either feature.
In the interests of brevity and keeping the resume below 2 pages, it’s usually necessary to have a shortened “Skills and Accomplishments” section followed by a shortened Work history, on a hybrid resume.
Executive Resume:
Executives shooting for high-profile positions usually have an extensive work history that needs to be summarized but with enough detail so that the potential employer can see all the qualifications and experience that they will bring to the role.
Find the perfect balance – around two pages is usually right for most executives. With these resumes it’s important to be succinct with your history but also to focus on the results you delivered, without stretching the truth.
Plain Text Resume:
Every job applicant should have a version of their resume that is formatted and easily viewable in plain text format so that it can be pasted into the main body of an email rather than as an attachment. This allows you to quickly address any “firewall blocking” issues there may be in mailing your resume as an attachment to a prospective employer.
Targeted Resume:
Strictly speaking, all resumes should be targeted resumes as every one should be tailored to the particular job in question.
A good targeted resume specifically highlights the experience and skills you have that qualify you for the job that you are applying for and there are very few occasions when it DOESN’T make sense to do this.
The small amount of extra effort this requires is well worth the effort and is more likely to get your application to the top of the interview heap.
Mini Resume:
It’s a great idea for job applicants to make a long and short version of their resume; higher profile executive positions often need a longer version that has more detail about exact natures of roles, experience and achievements. Still, around two pages should be enough for most people.
Summarizing this into a one-page resume is a good idea so that you have a type of career or professional synopsis at hand if requested too.
Resume for Contractors:
With contractor resumes it’s often less important to concentrate on your personality and what you bring as a person to the company as you will only be there for a set period of time and will usually be working on a specific task, a little separately from the main culture of the company.
Keeping the information factual and to the point, detailing all professional and technical qualifications that meet the job specification, is the key to a good contractor resume. Don’t list information that is irrelevant to the job specification (for example your career objectives or your personal interests) if you want your resume to end up on the top of the pile instead of the bottom of the bin.
