Sabah Jobspot Tips

23 IMPORTANT INTERVIEW TIPS

2008-05-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

1. Arrive a little early.
If you arrive about fifteen minutes before the scheduled interview time, you will have time to collect your thoughts, wipe the perspiration from your hands, and scan the lobby for current company information. You will also show your interviewer that you value his or her time.

2. Do your homework.
Know the interviewer's name and how to pronounce it (including proper title: Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.). Know the company's major products or services, the organization of the company (divisions, parent company, etc.), current business news about the company and the company's major customers and competitors. You can learn most or all of this information from the company's website, annual report or company literature.

3. Bring a Spare Copy of Your Resume in a Briefcase or Folder.
This demonstrates that you are prepared. It also gives the interviewer something to take notes on.

4. Expect to Spend Some Time Developing Rapport.
Personal chemistry is a main ingredient in the hiring process. Try to relax and become comfortable with the interviewer.

5. Watch Your Non-Verbal Communication.
Maintain an open body posture and appropriate eye contact. Seat yourself at a reasonable distance from the other person. Smile.

6. Don't Be Embarrassed by Nervousness.
Interviewers are human, and they often become nervous, too. In fact, nervousness is a good sign - it shows that you are taking the interview seriously. Avoid nervous mannerisms such as tapping your fingers, feet, playing with pens, etc.

7. Body language is powerful!
Good eye contact, a warm, natural smile and a firm handshake can help you overcome nervousness, develop a personal rapport and present a confident image.

8. Don't Play Comedian or Try to Entertain the Interviewer.
It is important to be personable, but do not overdo it.

9. Don't Exaggerate or Lie.
You might be tempted to embellish your achievements in the interview, but it will come back to haunt you on the job!

10. Follow the Interviewer's Lead.
Don't try to take over the interview. Stick to the main subject at hand, but do not dwell too long on one point. It is better to deal with many questions rather than just one or two in-depth questions, unless that's where the interviewer leads you.

11. Be Prepared For Personal Questions, Even Some Inappropriate Ones.
Anticipate how you will handle personal questions without blowing your cool. Some interviewers may not be aware of what they can and cannot legally ask you. Be sure you understand the question. It is okay to ask for clarification.

12. Emphasize the Positive.
Be frank and honest, but never apologize for lack of experience or weaknesses. You can be self-confident without being overconfident or flippant. If you are new to the job market, your lack of experience has one very positive feature: you do not have to "unlearn" bad habits or different practices learned from previous employers. Many employers like the idea that you can be taught their individual company procedures without needing to get rid of other training first.

13. Wait for an Offer to Bring Up Salary.
Let the interviewer bring up this subject. Often salary and benefits are not discussed at all on the first interview. Even though everyone knows that salary is important, you do not want to give the impression that it is the only consideration. If it is, you can be easily lured away be a competitor offering a slightly higher salary. The interviewer needs to see that you are interested in the other aspects of the job like the potential for growth, learning or the challenge of the position.

14. Don't be Afraid to Think Before You Speak.
Use silence and intentional pause to your advantage. Time is occasionally needed to think and to reflect. The interviewer will respect you for taking a questions seriously enough to give it a moment or two of consideration before answering.

15. Emphasize What You Can Do For The Organization.
This means emphasizing your transferable skills. However, be careful not to reveal trade secrets from a previous employer. Employers are concerned most with what you can do for them. Focus on your ability to tackle new situations, your communication skills, interpersonal abilities, analytical thinking talents, and other skills developed while in college or in previous positions.

16. Don't give "Prepared Answers".
Most employers know a these stock answers when they hear them. This is a good reason to use interview question / answer guide as just that - guides. If your answers are not personalized to your situation, they will sound forced and unnatural. You might be surprised to learn how often interviewers hear the phrase, "I really like working with people." The phrase is used so often that it has lost it's meaning!

17. NEVER Speak Badly about a Former Employer. If there were problems with previous experiences, try to put your answers in the positive rather than the negative. If you slight a former employer, the interviewer may assume that you will someday do the same to him or her.

18. Watch Your Grammar and Your Manners.
Employers are interested in candidates who can express themselves properly. Even if you have to slow down to correct yourself -- do it! Use slang expressions very sparingly. If your knowledge of rules of etiquette are rusty, take a "refresher course" from a knowledgeable friend.

19. Be Prepared to Ask Questions.
Almost all interviewers will ask if you have any questions. You should have some ready and should have at least one that is related to the conversation you have just completed. This demonstrates that you are both prepared and interested. Your questions should be related to details about the company and should be based on the information you learned from the homework you have done (see Tip #2). You should not ask questions like "How long to I have to wait before I can take a vacation?" Save those what's-in-it-for-me questions for later.

20. Use Telephone Interviews.
If you are applying for jobs in places in other states, you can suggest a short telephone interview. Even a preliminary telephone interview can help you assess whether or not it would be worth your time and expense to travel for a personal interview.

21. Don't Expect an Immediate Job Offer.
Offers usually follow the interview, a few weeks later. If you are offered the position on the spot, it is appropriate for you to ask for one or two days to think about the offer before responding.

22. Be Careful With the Closing.
Do not linger. End quickly and courteously. Thank your interviewer for the interview. Smile.

23. Be Yourself!
You do not want to get hired on the basis of something you are not. You want to be hired for who you are!

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Sample Interview Questions

2008-05-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

Sample Interview Questions: How will you answer?
Your career may depend on it...

* Tell me about yourself... (Your answer should contain much more about your job skills than your personal life.) Talk about the growth of your career, what you learned from previous employment or even things like how your volunteer worked help you develop your organizational, time management and leadership skills.

* What are your strengths? (If you really enjoy new challenges and tackle them in an organized manner, this would be a useful strength in almost any situation.) You can talk about your ability to find unique solutions to problems. Be prepared with some concrete examples, since that may be the follow-up question.

* What are your weaknesses? (A "good" weakness might be that you have trouble leaving the office behind when you go home in the evenings.) This is a very difficult question that is not asked often, but it's one you should prepare for anyway. If you talk about your temper, your tendency to gossip or the fact that you're lazy, you may as well pack up and go home right then. If you mention a weakness such as your lack of patience with people who don't do their share of the work, you should also mention that you keep this impatience to yourself and try very hard not to express it toward others.

* Do you have any questions about our company? (If you have paid attention during the interview and if you have done your homework, this would be a good time to ask for more details about some aspect of the company's organizational structure or products. It would not be a good time to ask about your first raise. You could also ask questions about the community, their training program or details about the work environment.)

* Where do you expect your career to be in 10 years? (Be careful here. You do not want to give the impression that you're simply using this company as a stepping stone to another career. Think of a related managerial position within the company that would interest you.) There is a story about a young accountant who was asked this question by a CPA firm during an interview. The young accountant replied that he saw himself as the comptroller of a large corporation. In other words, "I'm just using your firm to teach me and then after you spend your resources training me, I will leave to go work for someone else." Needless to say, he was not offered a position with the CPA firm. They know that 75% of the people they hire will leave within 10 years, but they do not want to hire someone who comes in with that plan.

* What skills do you have that would benefit our company? (If your skills are not exactly those that the company may have requested, you can point out the skills you have that would be valuable to any company. Examples of these skills are: your ability to plan and execute long-term projects, your ability to organize information into usable data, your ability to research complicated issues, or your ability to work well with a team.) If your skills are not perfect for this particular company, you can mention how quickly you were able to adapt and learn in other situations. Again, be prepared with specific examples in case you are asked to elaborate.

* Why did you leave your last job? (This is not an opening to speak badly of your former employer.There is almost always a way of wording the explanation so that you do not sound like a "problem employee" and your former employer does not sound like an undesirable company.) As unfair as it may seem, there is almost no time when you should say something bad about your former employer. You can talk about the lack of potential for upward mobility, the fact that your job responsibilities changed to the point that it no longer fit into your career plan, your need to move to be closer to your aging parents, the need to reduce travel time, your need for a more challenging job, or anything else that does not get into personalities or other conflicts. If you were fired for cause, you may want to be up front about it, explain the circumstances and accept responsibility for your actions. Practice your answers to this question with someone who has interview experience. However, don't lie. If you can't say anything positive about your former employer, don't say anything. It could come back to haunt you.

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Top 10 Resume Tips

2008-05-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Issues You Need to Know to be Resume Ready Your resume is your ambassador to the work world. It functions for you 24 hours a day, opening doors to opportunities you didn't even know existed. But not all resumes are alike or are used alike today with all the electronic means available to reach your potential employer. Here are the most important issues to consider as you prepare your resume to represent you in the marketplace:

1. Write your resume in your own words. It may be challenging - especially if writing ranks among your least favored activities - but if you write your own resume and don't hand it off to someone else you'll be able to be sharp in your interview. No embarrassment not knowing what the resume expert meant when he wrote that smart phrase on your resume! If you do hire an expert to help you, work closely with that person to be sure your resume realistically reflects your abilities and your vocabulary.

2. Put your best foot forward. People remember what they see first and last, so place your least important information in the middle. Have an objective or a key word summary or both in the beginning of your resume and end your document with strong content - such as your educational background.

3. Tell war stories. Make a list of all the work or volunteer experiences you have had that support your candidacy for the job. Select the best ones and write them so that they show what Problems you've solved, Actions you've taken to do this, and the bottom line Results you've achieved. For example:

e.g). Managed the design, equipment selection, installation, and start-up of a four-aisle, man-aboard storage and order-picking system 35 feet high and 120 feet long, handling 6,000 items. Project was completed on time within the $400,000 budget.

4. Use resume etiquette. The word resume does not belong any place on the document. Never use "I" to start out a sentence. The language of your resume should be specific, clear, succinct, positive, and exciting. Make it easy for someone to contact you. Of course references are available. Don't use valuable resume real estate to say this.

5. Know what format to use. The two most commonly used and accepted resume formats are the chronological and the functional. Often elements of both are combined. A chronological resume is most widely used and preferred by recruiters and interviewers. It is good for someone with a consistent work history. A functional resume focuses attention on your accomplishments and is often used more successfully if you are trying to change careers or industries or to downplay gaps in your career.

6. Tell the truth. If you lie about your education, job experience or any other element of your work history, you will probably live to regret it. True stories abound of professionals receiving awards, only to have their careers ruined when research revealed that portions of their resumes were fabricated. On the other hand, if a job title you had does not adequately reflect the work you really did, clarify it. "Clerical Assistant" does not tell the scope of responsibilities as well as "Meeting Planning Coordinator."

7. Know your audience. Your resume and every interaction in your job search should answer the question to the employer - "Why should I hire you?" Communicate the information necessary to evaluate your ability to do the job. Use language that is appropriate to the industry or field, but be aware that extreme jargon may not speak to those who are intermediaries between you and the ultimate hiring manager.

8. Get some objective feedback. Have others who have not worked as closely with the resume as you have read it for accuracy and typographical errors before you submit it. Ask questions about whether the resume communicates what you intended. Does your resume support your claim of being qualified for the job? Does it address the requirements of a specific job description you're after? Does it need to be modified to fit the situation exactly?

9. Know your parts of speech. Action verbs are the bedrock of good writing. Use them liberally throughout your resume to communicate your accomplishments: Developed, streamlined, pioneered, implemented, produced - use your word processor's thesaurus to identify alternatives so that you don't need to repeat yourself. Key words are nouns demonstrating essential skills that are most effective for electronic formats, scanned by computers who are the first line screeners: Operations manager, project planning, data analysis. Use a KeyWord Summary at the top of your resuming, choosing the top 20 or 30 words that represent your abilities.

10.Hit the highlights. Remember that your resume is only one element of your job search strategy. It's important and needs to get you in the door, yet cover letters, email and fax communications and telephone interactions will extend the conversation and add further evidence of your ability to do the job. Be prepared to give more detail later. Think of your resume as your personal brochure.

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Top 10 Interview Tips

2008-05-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

Great interviews arise from careful groundwork. You can ace your next interview if you:

1. Enter into a state of relaxed concentration. This is the state from which great basketball players or Olympic skaters operate. You'll need to quiet the negative self chatter in your head through meditation or visualization prior to sitting down in the meeting. You'll focus on the present moment and will be less apt to experience lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt and self-condemnation.

2. Act spontaneous, but be well prepared. Be your authentic self, professional yet real. Engage in true conversation with your interviewer, resting on the preparation you did prior to coming to the meeting. Conduct several trial runs with another person simulating the interview before it actually occurs. It's the same as anticipating the questions you'll be asked on a final exam.

3. Set goals for the interview. It is your job to leave the meeting feeling secure that the interviewer knows as much as he or she possibly can about your skills, abilities, experience and achievements. If you sense there are misconceptions, clear them up before leaving. If the interviewer doesn't get around to asking you important questions, pose them yourself (diplomatically) and answer them. Don't leave the meeting without getting your own questions answered so that you have a clear idea of what you would be getting yourself into. If possible, try to get further interviews, especially with other key players.

4. Know the question behind the question. Ultimately, every question boils down to, "Why should we hire you?" Be sure you answer that completely. If there is a question about your meeting deadlines, consider whether the interviewer is probing delicately about your personal life, careful not to ask you whether your family responsibilities will interfere with your work. Find away to address fears if you sense they are present.

5. Follow up with an effective "thank you" letter. Don't write this letter lightly. It is another opportunity to market yourself. Find some areas discussed in the meeting and expand upon them in your letter. Writing a letter after a meeting is a very minimum. Standing out among the other candidates will occur if you thoughtfully consider this follow up letter as an additional interview in which you get to do all the talking. Propose useful ideas that demonstrate your added value to the team.

6. Consider the interviewer's agenda. Much is on the shoulders of the interviewer. He or she has the responsibility of hiring the right candidate. Your ability to do the job will need to be justified. "Are there additional pluses here?" "Will this person fit the culture of this organization?" These as well as other questions will be heavily on the interviewer's mind. Find ways to demonstrate your qualities above and beyond just doing the job.

7. Expect to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself." This is a pet question of prepared and even unprepared interviewers. Everything you include should answer the question, "Why should we hire you?" Carefully prepare your answer to include examples of achievements from your work life that closely match the elements of the job before you. Obviously, you'll want to know as much about the job description as you can before you respond to the question.

8. Watch those nonverbal clues. Experts estimate that words express only 30% to 35% of what people actually communicate; facial expressions and body movements and actions convey the rest. Make and keep eye contact. Walk and sit with a confident air. Lean toward an interviewer to show interest and enthusiasm. Speak with a well-modulated voice that supports appropriate excitement for the opportunity before you.

9. Be smart about money questions. Don't fall into the trap of telling the interviewer your financial expectations. You may be asking for too little or too much money and in each case ruin your chances of being offered the job. Instead, ask what salary range the job falls in. Attempt to postpone a money discussion until you have a better understanding of the scope of responsibilities of the job.

10.Don't hang out your dirty laundry. Be careful not to bare your soul and tell tales that are inappropriate or beyond the scope of the interview. State your previous experience in the most positive terms. Even if you disagreed with a former employer, express your enthusiasm for earlier situations as much as you can. Whenever you speak negatively about another person or situation in which you were directly involved, you run the risk (early in the relationship) of appearing like a troubled person who may have difficulty working with others.

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Writing a Good Resume

2008-05-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

Sort out your Resume in 10 easy steps

1. Make a first draft
Write down your current job title and list down all the things you do and are responsible for on a day to day basis. Re-read what you've written and try to prioritise your responsibilities. Think about what skills you need to do what you do. What have you done in your current role that has made you most proud? Asking yourself these questions will not only get you in a CV/resume frame of mind, it will provide you with all the information you need.

2. Choose a format
Now you've got the knowledge you need - it's time to decide how to package it. There are three standard types of CV/resume, and each has its uses. The Chronological CV/resume - This is almost an industry standard. Use it if your work history is stable and each move has seen you climb steadily up the career ladder. Not for frequent job changes or those who have had a case of the responsibility hiccups. The Functional CV/resume - For those who have experienced spates of unemployment or sporadic job jumps. This CV/resume does not list employment dates or company names, preferring skills and responsibilities.
The Prioritised CV/resume - A format for those about to undertake a career change, or whose current skills are not directly relevant to the job applied for. This CV/resume is written prioritising the work experience which is most relevant to the job you want.

3. Don't make it too long
Work to the maximum length of two-pages. No-one reads long CV/resumes; they just reach the waste bin first.

4. Or too clever
Choose your content and your words carefully. Treat your CV/resume as an outline sketch of your job history - highlight your strengths and abilities to problem solve using active verbs such as "responsible" and "achieved", which have universal appeal.

5. Type it, don't write it
Handwriting analysis may be a great fairground attraction - but potential employers will not take time to interpret your scrawl. Type your CV/resume, no fancy fonts or flourishes - this is a case of emphasising substance over style.

6. Tailor the content
Do you have friends who send you 'Round Robins' at Christmas? Cute, but admit it, you'd prefer something a bit more personal. For employers, the same applies, try a bit of tailoring, it doesn't have to be too much, but the occasional skills tweak can work wonders.

7. Exaggerators beware
So you weren't principal boy - then say so. Don't exaggerate your achievements, if your success was because of teamwork, identify it as such. It will make your claims more believable.

8. Spelling
Your skills may win you the battle - but bad typing and grammatical mistakes will lose you the war. Run the spell checker, read your CV/resume more than once or better still enroll a friend as a second pair of eyes.

9. Alert your referees
Check your referees before you use their name. It's a courtesy, and a good fail safe - they may have moved.

10. Don't mention the money
Keep your current salary to yourself for now, unless you're asked directly of course. Otherwise, if you earn too little or too much you'll have ruled yourself out before you even reach the door.

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HOW TO WRITE A BETTER RESUME

2008-05-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

OFFICE TEAM
Specialized Administrative Staffing

A good resume cannot get you a job; but a bad resume can prevent you from getting the interview - and without the interview there's no chance of getting the job.

The new rules for better resumes start with the fact that there are fewer rules. There's an opportunity for some creativity, but not for gimmicks. What works today is conservative style and a focus on a key achievements - especially those that are of particular interest to the reader.

Remember what interests an employer, for let's say an executive assistant position , may not interest the employer hiring a desktop publishing specialist. That's why it is essential that people who qualify for several different jobs (and most do) have several different resumes. All resumes should be accurate and truthful, but each should highlight different strengths as they relate to the job opening.

Better jobs have become more competitive than they were in the 70s and 80s. And they will continue to get more competitive in the 90s, as these better jobs require increased specialized skills.

Since the resume is a primary tool in finding a better job, extra time spent on its preparation is a good investment. In fact, some astute people constantly update their resumes, even though they may never use them to get another job. A reminder of your talents and accomplishments, a current resumes can provide you with clues to getting a better job in your present company or the ammunition to prove you deserve a salary increase.

We believe the best way to explain the new "rules" of resume writing is to explain what you should always do and also what you should never do.

We wish you success!

ALWAYS

• Always print your resume on standard letter size, white or ivory rag paper.
• Always have the resume professionally typed, but not typeset, with plenty of space between paragraphs, and allow for adequate margins.
• Always use conventional English. Stay away from multi-syllable words when a one or two syllable word is clearer.
• Always use short paragraphs - preferably no longer than five lines.
• Always make sure the resume and the cover letter are error-free. Proofread, and have others proofread to.
• Always rewrite a resume for a specific company. It's extra work, but may well pay off.
• Always include your significant contributions at each one of your jobs.
• Always allow the most space to the jobs that are most relevant to the job you're applying for.
• Always list your activity with professional, trade and civic associations - but only if they're appropriate.
• Always keep a permanent file of your achievements, no matter how inconsequential they may appear to be. This is the basis for a good resume, and it is also essential information to get a raise or promotion.
• Always give each of your references a copy of your resume.
• Always send a brief, customized letter with each resume.
• Always send your resume by messenger overnight mail if you're applying for a high salary level job and you're reasonably convinced you fit the job specifications.
• Always re-read your resume before interview - chances are the interviewer did just that too.

NEVER

• Never give reasons for termination or leaving a job on the resume. In almost all cases, the reader can find negative connotations to even the best reason. You're far better off explaining it in person.
• Never take more than two lines to list hobbies, sports and social activities. When in doubt, "leave them out".
• Never state "References Available On Request". It's assumed, and clutters up the resume. Other things to leave out include your social security number, your spouse's occupation and your personal philosophies.
• Never list references on the resume.
• Never use exact dates. Months and years are sufficient.
• Never include the date your resume was prepared. If your search takes longer than a few months, the resume will appear outdated.
• Never include your company phone number unless your immediate boss is aware of your departure.
• Never include your height, weight or remarks about your physical appearance or health.
• Never list your high school or grammar school if you're a college graduate.
• Never state your objectives on your resume unless the resume is targeted to that job or occupation.
• Never use professional jargon unless you're sure the resume will be read by someone who understands the buzz-words,
• Never use the so-called "action words" like sparked, accelerated, and streamlined. They're passe.
• Never provide salary information on the resume. Save it for the interview. If you are required to give that information, reveal it in the cover letter.
• Never lie.

This article was written by Robert Half, Office Team specializes in providing highest quality administrative support professionals for temporary and permanent positions.

CREATING A DAMN GOOD RESUME

2008-05-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

I. A DAMN GOOD RESUME HAS FIVE ESSENTIAL PARTS:

A. A clearly stated JOB OBJECTIVE.
B. The HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS.
C. A presentation of directly RELEVANT SKILLS and EXPERIENCE.
D. A chronological WORK HISTORY.
E. A listing of relevant EDUCATION and TRAINING.

II. GETTING STARTED

A. Work History:
- Create a "Work History Master List," keeping in mind that not everything on your "Master List" will necessarily appear on THIS version of your resume. For paid and volunteer jobs or positions, list the dates started and ended, your job title, and the name and city of the company or organization. Put these jobs in chronological order.

B. Education and Training:
- Create an "Education and Training Master List," this time including:

1.Schools you attended, with dates, degrees honors.
2.Personal study in your field (classes, workshops, and other informal ways you have learned).
3.Any other credentials or certificates.

C. Job Objective :
- Compose a clearly stated Job Objective, using a minimum number of words. Ask yourself these questions:

1.WHAT do I want to do?
2.FOR WHOM or WITH WHOM do I want to do it?
3.WHERE do I want to do it?
4.AT WHAT LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY?

D. Relevant Skills And Experience
- What you want to create - contrary to everything you've heard in the past about resumes. Is a word picture of you in your proposed new job, created out the best of your past experience? Steps include:

1.So first, get out your Job Objective and ask yourself what are the five or six major skills required for that job.
2.Get out a sheet of paper for each of those skills or special knowledge areas, and label each page.
3.Then ask yourself, "When did I use those same skills in the past?"
4.Under each of the skills listed, begin to write action-oriented "One- Liner" statements that clearly and concisely describe how you used or developed those skills in the past.
5.Then you can assemble the Relevant Skills and Experience section of your new-job resume by putting those five or six skills paragraphs together on one page.

E.The Highlights of Qualifications
- The essential message of the highlights is two-fold:

1.First, that you are QUALIFIED - you have the experience, credentials, and basic skills needed for the job.
2.Second, that you are also ESPECIALLY TALENTED (perhaps even gifted) in the areas that really matter - in other words, for THIS job you're "hot".
3.A typical group of Highlights might include :

a)How much relevant experience you have.
b)What your formal training and credentials are, if relevant.
c)One significant accomplishment, very briefly stated..
d)One or two outstanding skills or abilities.
e)A reference to your values, commitment, or philosophy if appropriate.

III. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

1.Assemble the five parts of your resume - Job Objective, Highlights, Relevant Experience, Work History, Education - and type up a draft copy.
2.Omit anything personal and unrelated to your Job Objective (age, marital status, height/weight, hobbies).
3.Omit the details of less important past jobs that create an image you don't want to take with you.
4.Keep it to one page if you can.
5.If your resume is on two pages:

a)Present your "aces" on page one (job objective, skills, accomplishments).
b)Use page two for the work history and education.
c)Be sure to write "continued" on page one, and "page two" PLUS your full name on the second page.
d)Print it on two sheets of paper, and don't staple them together (the two pages can be placed side-by-side to view the whole resume at once).

PLEASE NOTE : For a more detailed account of constructing a resume according to the above process, consult the new edition of The Damn Good Resume Guide, by Yana Parker, (Ten Speed Press, 1989). Used by permission of the author.

RESUME FORMATS

2008-05-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

The resume is a primary tool in finding a good job. When writing a resume, one should pay particular attention to its overall structure. There are several different guidelines that can help in doing this.

SELECT YOUR FORMAT

Selecting your resume format is a major strategic decision. Real and compelling differences characterize the two most common formats, which have impact on the receptivity employers have to your initiatives.

No universally "right" format is appropriate for all people. Your review of your own objective and background will be your most effective guide to selecting the best format for you.

THE CHRONOLOGICAL FORMAT

Your employment record is the primary organizing principle for this format, a job-by-job historical narrative of your work effectiveness.

Merits

This format accentuates your formal qualifications for the work you are seeking. Appropriate for directly qualified candidates with linear progression paths, it showcases the track record of clearly pertinent, often increasingly responsible experiences. Seasoned judgment in grappling with job challenges is emphasized.

Recruiters and some hiring managers are accustomed to, and often prefer, a traditional format. Many find it familiar, straightforward and easy to use when making preliminary decisions of inclusion and exclusion.

Drawbacks

For candidates who are starting or changing a career, this format emphasizes the lack of direct, in-depth experience in the targeted career area. It underscores past identity rather than future potential.

Gaps in employment, conspicuously brief or long affiliations, and time periods elapsed since certain qualifying experiences are spotlighted.

Rather than accenting accomplishments on the job, it lends itself to a somewhat dry, repetitive recitation of job responsibilities.

Criteria for Use

The chronological format is particularly effective for people with clear-cut qualifications, who are continuing or advancing in a particular career direction. It is acceptable for other, less overtly qualified people. This format can be productive if you cite relevant skills and tasks that support your objective within the job-by-job description.

THE FUNCTIONAL FORMAT

Your key skills, knowledge and related accomplishments are the primary organizing principles of this format, citing relevant examples of effectiveness as proof and prediction of your ability to contribute.

Merits

This format provides an opportunity to establish the transferability of skills and accomplishments for candidates who are starting or changing a career. Grouping these items in self-contained categories builds a case for your ability to function in a new situation. The conventional resume format dilutes or contradicts this talent.

Not limited to paid employment, you can give status to qualifying experience from every area of life. This format widens the scope of informal experiences supportive of your career objective, including special projects, internships, community service and relevant leisure pursuits. It eliminates distinctions that discount their importance.

Drawbacks

For directly qualified candidates with a linear progression path, this format challenges the standard presentation of personal strengths. Executive recruiters and other employment professionals prefer a job-by-job description to trace with clarity exactly what has been done, for whom, where and when.

Some employers assume that this format hides background information of importance.

In a purely functional resume, key time/space anchors that employers expect are not given. This information can be essential to credibility.

Criteria for Use

The functional format is particularly effective and highly recommended for people without direct experience in the area of their career objective. Since it accents skills and achievements, it is effective and often desired by people who are well established in a career.

THE COMBINATION FORMAT

The combination format recognizes the inherent drawbacks of both the chronological and functional formats used in their pure forms.

* The pure chronological resume is too mundane, a bland work autobiography. It is descriptive, but tends not to be persuasive about personal qualifications.

* The pure functional resume is too free-floating and reads like a set of assertions about abilities, unlinked to verifiable sources of confirmation.

* Whether you prefer the chronological or functional format, the most effective resume blends the best elements of each.

The Chronological-Combination Resume

This format retains the structure of a job-by-job delineation of experience and emphasizes accomplishments, the hallmark of the functional resume.

The Functional-Combination Resume

This format retains the structure of key skills, knowledge and accomplishments, incorporating a distilled EXPERIENCE section, which denotes career-related time/space anchors, the hallmark of the chronological resume.

All References to Resumes in This Guide Assume a Combination Format:

Chronological-combination resumes and functional-combination resumes will be referred to simply as chronological and functional resumes.