Last week we covered the main building blocks for your résumé. This week we are going to look at some résumé types, or styles, you can choose from and some more do’s and don’ts.
Remember, the primary purpose for your résumé is to get you an interview. Your résumé is a promotional/marketing piece that should make people want to talk to you—about a job! It needs to be well and intentionally put together, so it is clear you are a good candidate for the job. Including some definite indications of what you will be capable of contributing in the future may be just as important as what you have already done! Promote yourself!
Check out these résumé styles from the Oregon Career Information System. It is very possible that you may want to use more than one style because each time you use your résumé, it should be constructed specifically for that particular job. For one job you may want to emphasize your educational achievements and coursework, but, for another, highlighting your skills is the most relevant approach.
Recent Graduate
- Include your most important educational accomplishments
- May include classes or projects relevant to the job you are applying for
- Also needs to include chronological work history if there is one
Chronological
- Lists work experience from most recent
- Good for people with recent related experience or no breaks in employment
- Most commonly used resume format
- Can make gaps in employment harder to explain
Functional-Skills
- Relates your skills to the employer’s specific needs
- Good for people with a broad range of experiences
- Skill statements must be more descriptive
Accomplishment
- Uses the best of chronological and functional formats
- Displays skills related to the job at the top, while also providing work history
- Connects skills, experience, and work history
Do’s
- Make sure your résumé is free of errors of any kind! One small typo is one too many.
- Have others—parents, advisor, career center, friends—review your résumé before you use it to look for errors, unclear wording and things you might have missed about yourself that should be included.
- Print it on white or cream colored paper.
- Emphasize what you bring to the job and your desire to contribute.
- Include your name and contact information.
Don’ts
- Use flashy or colorful paper.
- Include references or any reference to references.
- Use cute or elaborate type fonts.
- Include your picture unless it has been specifically asked for.
- Mistake responsibilities at a job for accomplishments.
- Overstate your background. You’ll need to verify everything you put down.
- Forget to include your name and contact information.
- Use unprofessional e-ddress.
That wraps up the résumé. Next time we’ll get you up to speed on cover letters.