What type of resume is most effective for you? This decision will really depend a lot on how you want to present yourself, whether you have any job gaps, what industry you're in and other things.
Bear in mind that the majority of executives nationwide prefer the chronological resume. This type of resume is the simplest to understand and present. Technically, it is just a simple time based format, beginning with your current position and working backwards.
The reason why employers generally love this format is because it helps to show that the candidate has held increasingly more responsible positions. Employers start from the beginning and work forward.
However, in all of the thousands of resumes that I've seen, it's rare to find a candidate these days who has continued to "progress" without work gaps or functional responsibility?
Why is this true? In the US market, especially during periods of stagnation, as we are in today, job layoffs and outsourcing are commonplace. The prevailing assumption is that those who have been laid off were the bottom 10% – 20%. This is an incorrect assumption.
Sometimes companies lay off as a result of "redundant" jobs based on merging with another company. Layoffs also occur during recessionary period in areas that are not "revenue" producing, for example marketing or customer service.
These gaps, then, are not necessarily a reflection of your ability or your worth. You should stay resolute in that fact. But, there are ways to present you in the best light to get you to an interview, which is ultimately your goal. That is the time when you can really show yourself in your best light.
Now, back to the resume format. A chronological format is best if you've been in the same industry or field for several years. If you've changed jobs in different industries, this type of format may actually hinder your chances of getting to the interview. It may generally not show a progression of increasing responsibility. It could also hamper your ability to get back into your original career.
For example, if you're an IT professional, but you took some time off, say, to go into real estate, this could be a distraction to a potential employer. I did this very thing in 2002. I was a VP in a well known high tech company, but was laid off from that position.
You may recall that this was during a period of the dot-com blow up. For a while I considered looking for another job, but ultimately, the pull of real estate grabbed my interest and I started my own real estate company.
I have now been self-employed for almost six years. If I decided that I wanted to get back into high tech, what are my choices? If I use a chronological resume, I'd have a couple of major hurdles to overcome. Remember the eight second rule. The employer would scan my resume and see real estate. TRASH. Just like that. It often doesn't matter that I had 20 years of high experience before that.
Secondly, six years is a lifetime outside of IT. Technology itself changes at least every year, sometimes even 6 months. Potential employers would cringe at that gap in employment. My only option, at this point, would be to consider another format for my resume. However, some employers will insist on a chronological resume.
We'll discuss other formats in our next article.
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