There are different resume types for different job positions you are applying to. You must have heard about resume formats like the functional resume, chronological resume and combination resume among others. It is important to tailor the job resume to a specific employer's requirements to enhance your chances of landing jobs. If you are seeking a career change or have one or more gaps in your work history, you need to write a functional resume. A functional resume is different from a traditional resume in the way that it emphasizes skills and achievements in order of importance.

 

Functional Resume vs. Chronological Resume
As mentioned above, there are different formats for writing a resume. The functional resume is also created in a different way, as compared to a traditional chronological resume. It lists the jobseeker's areas of expertise and skill sets up front instead of mentioning the past job history. Since you are either a career changer or have gap in work history, it would be wise to market your talents and skills to the employer. Therefore, there is no chronological history of your previous jobs in a functional resume. The point is to attract the employer's attention by marketing your skill sets to them rather than presenting a work history which has lengthy gaps.

 

A functional resume is the right format to be used by candidates who are seeking a career change. That's why this resume type also highlights transferable skills, which are not specific to a specific job position.

 

Given below are some important tips on how to write a functional resume.

 

Step #1. First and foremost, you need to make sure whether a functional resume is the right type to be used in your case. The resume format will fit in with your requirements if you are changing careers or have interruptions in your work. This resume type will emphasize your skills and deemphasize your chronological history of work.

 

Step #2. The second important step is to brainstorm putting together all your skills, achievements and abilities. While at this stage of writing the resume, list all the skills and accomplishment that you can think of. You can include volunteering experience, on the job training, academic qualification, computer skills, language skills etc.

 

Step #3. Once you have accumulated all the information to include in the qualifications summary section, it is time to organize and edit it. Which of your talents make you most saleable to the employer? Is it your impressive academic qualification or computer skills? Do you have several years of experience of doing something associated with your job? Organize the information in order of importance rather than in order of occurrence.

 

Step #4. The next important step is to arrange the different sections of your resume. Since you are writing a functional resume, you need to arrange it by category and not by time. You can have sections like ‘Computer Skills', ‘Education', ‘Experience' etc. For each skill and talent, you can create a section on the resume. Just remember to list them in order of importance. Jobseekers are also advised to start each line of each section with an active verb to add punch to your writing and create a consistent tone.

 

Don't forget to list some of your most important achievements. Did you achieve something which is larger than your job description? Did you help someone get rid of a specific problem associated with your work? List all these accomplishments to make your functional resume perfectly written.

 

Step #5. A brief summary would go at the beginning of the functional resume. It should be a condensed version rather than being a well worn objective. It should actually give the hiring manager the idea whether your resume is actually worth reading.

 

Step #6. A brief chronology of your past work history should be included at the end of the functional resume. This will be written in the form of one-line descriptions where dates are optional. Jobseekers can only include the job title, company name and the work location.

Job resumes are meant to play a crucial role. To write a perfect resume, candidates need to tailor it to the industry requirements. And the best resume is that which presents you as a solution provider to an employer's problems. If you can prove yourself worth solving the employer's problems, they will hire you immediately. However, candidates make a lot of mistakes while writing a resume. To craft a perfect resume, you need to be aware of the mistakes that you can make while making it. Avoiding resume mistakes will definitely increase your chances of getting hired by employers.

 

Given below are 10 resume mistakes that jobseekers need to avoid -

 

1. No Relevancy to Employer's Requirements
Jobseekers need to conduct an in-depth research to know the actual requirements of the industry where they intend to apply for a job. A ‘SWOT' analysis, in this regard, will help candidates a lot. You can conduct researches on the whereabouts of at least two biggest competitors of the employer you are applying to. You need to figure out the challenges that a specific industry might face. If you are successful at identifying those challenges, you can accordingly list associated achievements and skill sets to present yourself as a solution provider. Therefore, always remember not to make the mistake of disregarding the employer's requirements in your resume.

 

2. Not Valuing the Employer's Time
Do not make the mistake of assuming that the employers know everything that you are communicating. The best resume is that which shows your usable talents and skill sets to the employer within 20 seconds. Therefore, try to make your resume as much readable as possible without wasting a lot of time for the employer to know your skills.

 

3. Lack of Direction
One of the biggest resume mistakes that jobseekers can make is not having direction or focus. Through the resume, you are required to sell your talents and skills. So, you are the product while employers are your customers. To successfully, market yourself and make yourself saleable you need to match the product with customer requirements. So, plan out the content of the resume strategically and stay focused to attract the employers' attention immediately.

 

4. Not Showing Your Industry-specific Experience
The best resume must answer the employer's question: "What can you do for me?" To add relevancy to your resume, you need to perform some research regarding the job functions. To get successfully hired, your resume must show your knowledge about the target industry. Even the word you use to display your talents and skills should be relevant to the industry you are applying to.

 

5. Not Weaving a Succinct Narrative
To make your resume well-rewritten, you need to weave a narrative which is coherent and logical. If there is a lack of progression in your job functions, it will lose the interest of employers. All the essential elements of a resume including relevant skills, industry related experience and capability to handle multiple situations must be present in a logical order. Put yourself in the shoes of the busy hiring manager and then effectively order all the essentials, keeping the most important information at the top of the resume.

 

6. Lack of Crucial Details or Achievements
One of the biggest mistakes that jobseekers make in their resume is not including substantive content. Remember, an employer will always want to know what you have achieved rather than the things you have been doing in the recent past. Do not make the mistake of excessively using words like ‘managed' or ‘responsible'. To capture the employer's interest, include your accomplishments which may also include extracurricular activities.

 

7. Not Making it Easily Digestible (or Readable)
Another mistake that jobseekers need to avoid is not making the resume easily readable. Long paragraphs and sentences are a complete no-no for writing a perfect resume. The achievements and job functions should be clearly isolated from one another. Avoid the use of industry jargons, so that employers can easily read your resume in a couple of seconds. Making a resume is really an art. And if you lack the art of telling it, you are never going to make yourself saleable to the employer. An easily readable resume will bear relevancy, increasing your chances of getting hired.

 

8. Outdated Layout of Content & Design
Do not make the mistake of using an out-of-date design layout for your resume. While applying for a job, you definitely want to set your resume apart from other candidates'. It is advisable not to include links to your Facebook page, Youtube page or a link to your personal website. However, you can definitely provide a link to your online portfolio through your job resume. Therefore, while you select the design and content layout of your resume, select it wisely.

 

9. Misrepresentation of Information
Do not fabricate your credentials or misrepresent information on your resume. This will only put your credibility at risk. Do not try to overstate your job history or accomplishments. Employers conduct online researches for resume verification. Telling lies or exaggerating in your resume would be one of the worst mistakes you can make.

 

10. Selecting the Same Resume Type for All Opportunities
While making a resume, it is never like ‘one size fits all'. There are different types of resume including functional resume, chronological resume, targeted resume, combination resume, mini resume etc. Each of these types is made to suit specific opportunities. To increase your chances of obtaining quality interviews, you need to select the correct resume type rather than using the one-size-fits all job resume.

You must have heard about resume writing and resume distribution services. You can also find hundreds of resume examples on the Internet. But, have you ever tried to learn to make a resume or write a resume yourself? A well written resume should be able to sell you to employers. But what exactly is a well written or created resume? In this article, we are going to discuss about making resumes that immediately attract the attention of employers and makes you stand apart from the crowd in today's fiercely competitive job market. Find out how to make a resume which does not only land you interviews but lands you new jobs as well.

 

From a mere blank page to a well crafted resume, it is but a long process which requires research, thought ands careful consideration. The employer is the buyer, you are the product and the resume that you are going to make is the initial advert which is needed to sell you to the employer. While making a well crafted resume, some guidelines need to be followed.

 

Formatting the resume to make it attract attention and readable
The format of a resume plays a vital role in making it attractive and saleable. This does not, in any way, mean that it should have snazzy graphics and large blocks of text. Both the appearance and the content of the resume are equally important. While you create a resume, you should go for a format which is well laid out, simple but attractive and makes the resume readable to the employer or the reader. The essential formatting elements of a well made and well created resume include bulleted lists, wide borders and white space. Information which is most critical should be written or presented in the top third of the first page. Do not make your resume longer than two pages. In fact, the resume format should encourage the reader to go through the content of the resume.

 

Writing the profile section
In this section of the resume, you are not going to put your picture. But it needs to be no less than a picture of your skill sets and experiences. The position of the profile is right below the name and the contact details in the resume. The section needs to be snapshot of your relevant job experiences and skills. Keep this section fairly concise and to the point. Profiles in resumes can be created every time you apply for a specific job. Make your profile in such a way that it encourages the employer to read further.

 

Awards & achievements
It is a section created to showcase your achievements in the last job. Other can also have a similar profile like yours. Therefore, it is the awards and achievement section in your resume that will actually make a difference. In this section, you have the opportunity to write what you achieved and how you made a difference. The employer is looking for candidates who have delivered and can deliver further.

 

Making the career history section
While you get to write a saleable resume, you also need to focus on the career history section. In this section, you give in-depth information about your recent past career and jobs. Begin by writing the most recent jobs, duties and responsibilities and then work backwards. Do not forget to mention the name of the employer, job title and the job start and finish dates.

 

Education/ Qualifications
Did you think that you needed to include each single examination that you passed in this section? Well, if you are really young and starting your career, details may be required. But when you have earned a degree, you do not need to list all the earlier examinations that you passed up to the age of 18.

 

Personal Details & Interests/ Hobbies
Though a personal details section is not necessarily required nowadays, you can make a personal details section at the end of the resume. Relevant hobbies and interests can also be included depending on the job you are applying for. If there are hobbies and interests that showcase your leadership and team player skills, they can definitely make a difference.

 

Check, Re-check & Cross-check
So, you have finished writing the resume. Check out whether you have actually made your resume saleable to the employer. Have a look at the language you have used. Make necessary corrections if the language does not seem to be appropriate. Check for spellings and grammatical errors. After you cross-checked the resume many times, have some else to have a look and scrutinize the resume. Get their feedbacks, analyze and make the required corrections.

 

If you are able to follow all the above mentioned guidelines, you can always make a resume that turns you into a hot selling product. Remember, writing a resume is no less than an art. A well crafted resume does not only land you interviews but jobs as well.