recent first. It is not recommended for the job seeker who has a spotty work record or has been out of the workforce for some time. It also might not be appropriate for someone who is seeking to make a significant change in his or her career. Educational experience lists the school and the degree information. Students should place educational experience first, as that is the most recent activity.
The functional resume emphasizes qualifications and skills, rather than the order in which they were obtained. Emphasizing qualifications will likely catch the attention of the employer and mitigate a spotty work record.
A combination resume utilizes characteristics of both the chronological and the functional resume and combines them into one. A combination resume highlights skills that are related to the job being sought and deemphasizes either a limited or a spotty work history.
Certain kinds of information are expected in all resumes. How you present the information can vary as pointed out in the box on Resume Formats. A caution is to never fudge information in your resume. There are many ways an employer can verify information—especially in this online world.
It is generally accepted that there are six parts to a resume. You may find that other books you research on resumes have these items in different orders and by different names. These six parts are:
Contact information
Career summary or objective
Experience
Education
Skills
Awards, professional memberships, and certifications
Other information that the prospective employee feels important can also be added. The order that this information is presented relates to the resume format you choose.
Contact Information
This is simply your full name, mailing address, phone numbers, and e‐mail address. This is most often located at the top of the page regardless of the rest of the format. Never put your Social Security number on the resume!
Do not use a work phone number or e‐mail address. And do not allow perspective employers to contact you at work. Your boss will not be pleased to discover that you are using company time to look for another job. This has been cause for termination by some employers.
You can also include your personal web address and social media links that are business oriented—not personal focused.
Career Objective or Summary
Students will want to include a career objective statement. In a few words, talk about what type of position you want, rather than accomplishments. For example, “Energetic recent graduate seeking employment with a creative residential design firm that also includes opportunities to design assisted‐living facilities.” Do not be too narrow in this statement as that may eliminate you from consideration for a variety of positions.
Professionals will use a career summary statement (some call this a professional summary) rather than objective. Of course, for someone wishing to change job directions, both may be necessary. In a few brief sentences, this statement provides a snap shot about accomplishments. You might also include a brief sentence about how you can bring value to the new firm. A career summary for an experienced interior designer might read, “Senior project manager with 11 years experience in hospitality design. Project manager for over $2,500,000 worth of projects in last 3 years. Experienced in all aspects of the design process.”
Education
It is recommended that students and recent graduates place this to follow the career objective. A professional locates this information after the work experience section.
Begin first with the highest degree you have earned. Include the name of the institution and its location: the kind of degree earned, grade point average if it is high, and major and minor. You don't need to list the year of the degree as that can give a “tell” as to how old you are.
Professionals should include professional continuing education units (CEUs) and any other formal educational training in this section. You can list your school and degree if you wish. Don't list all the CEU's you have taken; you can provide a supplemental list if you want.
Work Experience
This section lists the name and location of the company, the years worked for each, and the titles of the positions held. It is important to focus on what you have accomplished at past jobs and how that relates to the job you want. Keep in mind that truth is vital.
Do not just list job responsibilities. Use quantifiable information when possible. One or more brief narrative statements about skills developed and/or accomplishments in each position are useful information.
Professionals need to list projects for which they have been responsible. The organization of this information varies with the job objective. It is not necessary to list every single project on which you have worked. A few major projects especially if they relate to the type of job you now seek are sufficient. A supplement can be provided if the employer asks for this.
Skills
This section can be placed after the objective or experience section. Use bullets to indicate what you can do and have knowledge of. Your skills should correlate to information in job posting or other information about the position you are applying. Language skills are important to note as well as such things as studying abroad.
This is an important place to use key words (discussed below). If the employer is using scanning software, key words will be picked up and you might go into the call back pile rather than reject pile.
Other Information
This is where you can bullet other pertinent information that is not previously listed. Students can list relevant course work, honors and awards, volunteer work, to name a few. Avoid anything related to religious affiliation, political references, or any controversial membership or activities.
Professional accomplishments can also be included in this section. Include information on certifications, licensing, and awards. Involvement in professional associations should be listed with the proper acronym.
Avoid adding personal information such as marital status, names of children, service records, height, weight, and health conditions. This provides information that the employer cannot legally ask and can discriminate against you. There would be nothing you could do, since you volunteered the information.
Finally, applicants ask what they should do about references. They should not be part of the resume. Yes, the employer is likely to ask about them. You can provide a supplemental page that lists references. Be sure that you have the permission of the person you have listed before including it in your list. Most employers will use the work and education history as the starting point for your references.
Many employers no longer give a reference—good or bad—for a former employee. This extends, in some cases, to student interns as well. Employers
