Resumes, CVs and More: Organizing Your Qualifications

by Todd Anten
hotjobs.yahoo.com


Salespeople have a variety of pitches they can make when selling a product. It's just a matter of deciding which pitch is the right one for that customer.

Now, think of a potential employer as a customer and yourself as the salesperson -- and the product.

In order to successfully sell yourself, you have to face a tough decision: How to advertise your qualifications in the most effective way possible. It may involve a chronological resume or a functional resume ... or perhaps no resume at all.

Here are your basic options:

Chronological Resume

"Chrono" is Greek for "time," so it's no surprise that a chronological resume is organized by your employment timeline.

Chronological resumes are the most common choice for job seekers -- and for good reason:

* They're easy to write. The organization is predetermined, so it's one less thing to stress over.

* Recruiters prefer them. A recent HotJobs survey revealed that 84 percent of recruiters prefer chronological resumes.

So unless you have a good reason, you should generally stick to the chronological resume format.

To create a chronological resume, begin with your most recent experience and work your way back. For each job, list the name of the company, your title, where the job was located, your dates of employment and a few bullet points discussing your major achievements and responsibilities.

Functional Resume

Chronological resumes are great if your career path has been sure and steady. But there are circumstances where a chronological resume may not be the best choice. For instance, maybe you have ...

* a major time gap on your resume,
* a hodgepodge of experience without an overall focus,
* or a desire to change career fields.

In these situations, a functional resume might prove more useful than a chronological one.

Functional resumes highlight your skills instead of the companies you worked for. Functional resumes also downplay time gaps and career missteps.

A functional resume generally splits your work history into two sections. In the first section, list the skills and experience you have that relate to the job you're applying for. In the second section, provide a list of the places you have worked, as well as the dates you worked there.

Recruiters tend to be wary of functional resumes, but if you suspect that a chronological resume won't get you through the door, a functional resume is a good second choice.

Curriculum Vita

When most job postings ask for a resume, the implication is that they want a chronological or functional resume -- one page long, work experience, all that jazz.

But some jobs out there -- especially in the education and research fields -- require a curriculum vita (CV).

CVs are not resumes. Commonly used among academics in the U.S., CVs are much more comprehensive than resumes. A CV lists almost every work-related accomplishment you've ever had, from papers published to presentations given to classes taught to awards won. In short, they're long. Some CVs extend over 30 pages.

CVs for non-education related fields are sometimes used in other countries. In Europe, for example, CVs are generally accepted for everyday jobs. In the U.S., however, you should never send a CV unless the job ad specifically asks for one.

Candidate Profile: The Anti-Resume

You may be surprised (and relieved) to learn that there is some movement away from evaluating job seekers only by their resumes.

Some employers, faced with a stack of resumes, are using an alternative: Candidate profiles.

Candidate profiles ask online applicants to rank themselves on job related characteristics, including the ability to manage stressful situations, creativity and problem-solving ability, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Employers use the results to find qualified candidates and reserve traditional resumes for later in the selection process.

While candidate profiles probably won't mean the death of the resume, it may take some of the pressure off having a perfect one.

As you decide which organization works best for you -- chronological resume, functional resume, curriculum vita or candidate profile -- keep in mind that employers don't hire pieces of paper. They hire people. So do your best to let the real you shine through.

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Career Opportunity

Job Fairs - create a lasting impression at job fairs

Job fairs. Speed dating for job seekers and employers! Or like a cattle market.

Most Colleges and Universities organise job fairs round about graduation time to allow students to meet new employers - it's a fairly common method of recruiting recent graduates.

Job seekers can use job fairs to find out a bit more information about employers, working life and general industry information. This is what most people use job fairs for.

However, the opportunity exists for job seekers to use the brief few minutes they have with employers to create a lasting impression (er, a "good" lasting impression!) and sell themselves, for job fairs are also an opportunity for the cream of the crop to rise to the top!


So who are those people hanging about the tables?

Employers and recruiters tend to send HR personnel along to job fairs to either weed out unsuitable candidates or pick out some young potentials from the crowd.

Unlike trade shows (which have basically the same format), job fairs aren't "staffed" by marketing people - they aren't trying to sell you anything. They are there to be sold by YOU! (the obvious exception is where you are such an attractive prospect, you get them chasing you, but let's face it - if that was the case, then you wouldn't be reading this!)

You are a salesman competing for business amongst hundreds of others. You could leave your CV with the recruiter. Would they remember you?


Dress for an interview!

Yes, job fairs are interviews and you should treat them as such.

Simply sauntering along in jeans and a t-shirt to see what's going on isn't going to get you anywhere, regardless of your skills and abilities. There are literally hundreds of other people there with the same aim as you - finding meaningful employment!

So, go along to job fairs and be prepared to make an impression!


Do your homework on the fly!

You see those glossy brochures the recruiters have strewn all over their little tables? And the posters on the walls? And the conversation the recruiter is having with the other jobseeker next to you?


This is all valuable information! And you NEED to use it to make your impression!


Find out about the company. Find out about the jobs they are offering or their graduate programme. Listen to the questions the recruiter asks other people and the information he or she gives out.


If you wander on up and ask some vague question about health plan or holidays, the recruiter is simply going to answer you and will soon be distracted by someone else. There it was. That was your chance. It's gone now.


You need to engage the recruiter - not simply hold a one sided conversation with them! At a job fair, a conversation is your best friend, because the longer you spend talking with the recruiter, the more likely they are to remember you.


At least....

The least you should leave a job fair is with some background about your industry (an idea of the types of jobs available), and some information about employers. At best you leave having made a positive impression on several employers and have a few job prospects to look forward to!



Good Luck!

Regards

Scott Boyd - Webmaster and Founder - Jobseekers Advice

Career