Effective resume format

I'm a great believer in using multiple resumes. This applies to all job candidates but especially technical ones. You can't mold your resumes to every jobs you go after, but it pays to have different resumes for different categories of jobs. There is no such thing as a one-resume-suits-all-jobs philosophy. Within the categories you might have to tweak a resume so it's targeted to a specific job. It sounds like a lot of work, but I promise it will pay off. I also encourage you to be creative when writing your resume. Don't hesitate to break from the conventional mold if you can sell yourself efficiently. The idea is to stand out so recruiters notice you. Being different is a step in the right direction.

I am currently reviewing a large number of resumes for a couple of positions, so have seen many different styles. I have found that a mix of the two you have decribed to be the most effective in showing me what candidates can bring to my organization.

Providing a summary of skills and accomplishments first is effective in showing a potential employer what you can offer. But I've found that it is often times difficult to gauge an applicants actual experience from this summary followed by employment dates.

I suggest detailing the employer(s) that each of your skills/accomplishments apply to within the summary. This will allow a reviewer to quickly see what you can offer and also show the relative timeline in which your skills and accomplishments have developed.

I agree that multiple resumes can be an effective strategy. If you are trying to land a consulting job the chronology is of little significance. For a full time position ir is more important.

I used to reject resumes that showed a lot of job hopping. Who wants to train someone who is not going to stay? But in the past 5 years I have seen a lot of short durations. Many of my friends have had the misfortune of multiple layoffs, sometimes more than one in a given year. If you can explain the hops in this way most employers will aprreciate the realities of the job market and move on to your skills. Being laid off used to be a stigma. I think that thos is no longer the case. Often it hints at someone who will take chances and went to work for a startup that failed.

Recruiters have told us that the traditional resume may give them the job history and basic info they're looking for, but it won't set you apart.

Put summary sections on top - those are the 1st filters recruiters & HR use.

Focus on specific accomplishments - "Responsible for daily call center operations" doesn't say anything. "Managed a 50-person call center with +50K calls daily" is more specific and more accurate.

The purpose of a resume is to get you to the interview, NOT to get you the job. They'll see a million of them. Make yours concise, readable, and clear and you'll make it to the short stack.

I have two resumes. One is Accomplishments oriented, the other is technical skills oriented. If looking for management or leadership positions, I use the Accomplishments resume. If questions arise about technical experience, I offer to sent the technical resume. I give recruiters both and let them decide which will get me the interview. Then, I attach acover letter to every resume I direct to an employer. The cover letter can pinpoint skills or experiences that are directly pertinent to the job you are applying for.
The goal is to get the interview. Short well formatted, easily readable, bullet points and indenting help improve readability, simple fonts. The cover letter should be very confident with a "You gotta be nuts not to talk to me before you hire anyone for this position" attitude. The resume shouldnt' have so much detail as to give it all away, but enough to let them know what you've done.
The accomplishment or technical experience summary at the beginning of a resume followed by the jobs is a format I don't like. As a hiring manager, you want to know what the context was (company size and industry), how long and how in-depth a skill or accomplishment was experienced. If you see a skill that you need in the job to be filled, you want to know those three things next.

I have always used a traditional format for my resume. I think they get across everything you're trying to let a potential employer know about you. However I also maintain several versions of my resume - reinforcing different strengths for differentpositions. I find that useful, along w/a cover letter. The cover letter is the first part of presentation: saying what you're going to say, saying it, & summarizing what you said (that's the interview: )

I've had recruiters and HR people tell me that chronology is important. A "functional" resume immediately puts them on the alert that the applicant is "trying to hide something, maybe an unemployment gap."

Use the qualifications summary at the beginning of the resume to summarize functional strengths.

I've found that a funcitonal resume works really well. Focusing on your skill sets as opposed to job titles and companies can lead to unexpected opportunities.

I know this may be a bit obvious, but it always amazes me how many job hopefuls actually ignore what you say in your advertisement. I think you should have at least 2 resumes emphaisising your different skill areas but be prepared to tailor them further if the advertisement calls for it. By this I mean:- analyse the wording of the advertisement to determine the key areas/skills they are actually looking for and then use those very same words in your covering letter and your CV. By doing thisyou are saying to them :- I know and understand what you want (analysis) and am able to respond to that directly. Don't give them a whole heap of detail they're not after eg if they ask for experience in specification detailing, don't give them your lastest blurb on how well you coded an application. Stick to what they are looking for and emphasise it in both your covering letter and your CV. Do provide other details but tone them down. This way you are concise and are relating directly to what they are looking for. And Yes, you do come with bonus other skills that they may find handy!

Why should you have multiple formats, when you should be applying for the same positions?

When it comes to tech careers, no one feels good about taking a position as a desktop tech or phone agent if you're a hardware & printer guy, or a Network Admin, just to collect a paycheck.

Live life responsibly, don't live out of your budget (u should have one), and by all means, move forward with your career, not backward. relocate if necessary. This is not ideal, but if you take a step back, how long will it take you to get back to where you were, or move up beyond that?

I have one resume, outlining my skills first, and my experiences second. This should be efficient in getting you across. Apply for positions you are uniquely qualified for, not strecthing and reaching for. You won't get the interview anyway. Ne efficient and direct. Get the interview, and nail it.

If I were a recruiter, which I am not, then I would think, "finally here is someone who feels they don't have to use the same format that the other ten thousand applicants are using!" I like your idea, stay with it.

Whenever you are applying for a job it is important to taylor your resume specifically to that position. If your applying for a position as a web page engineer the company does not need to know in your resume that you worked as a plumber! Don't include information that detracts from the position your applying for. You do want to include as much relevant information as possible though. Read carefully through the advertisement for buzzwords and key phrases and use these within your cover letter. I do not mean that you should use the exact phrase but you should be able to paraphrase effectively.

When using the same cover letter and resume for different positions you are unable to maximize your strengths!

It sometimes helps to speak with peers and coworkers and ask them what they believe your strengths are! Also ask them about your weaknesses so that you know which areas you need to improve on.