Unit 1: Introduction to the Résumé
In this unit, we discuss the function and purpose of a professional résumé. We explore three traditional résumé formats: a conventional résumé, functional or skills-based résumé, and chronological résumé. We also look at examples of CVs to help you present your credentials to potential employers in the academic world or other positions that require a different type of résumé called a curriculum vitae (CV). You will notice that the type of résumé you choose depends largely on what you want to market about yourself and who your audience is.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- explain the purpose of a professional résumé;
- describe the format and function of a chronological résumé;
- describe the format and function of a functional résumé; and
- distinguish between a résumé and a curriculum vitae, or CV.
1.1: The Purpose of a Résumé
Whether you are employed or seeking employment, a résumé is a critical document that should reflect where you have been and where you want to go. An effective résumé is "an objective summary of your skills and achievements, secondly a subtly clever argument that you are worth hiring, and finally a reflection of your individuality".
A recurring theme in this course is that your résumé is not a historical document, but a marketing tool. Picture yourself as a product and the potential employer as the consumer. What type of "packaging" works best to get you into an interview? This course will help you conduct a successful job search.
Read this chapter to learn about several types of résumés and see samples of each. Pay attention to the difference between a curriculum vitae (CV) and a conventional résumé. You will also benefit from a list of common action words you can use to describe your job experience. One tip in this article that may not get the attention it deserves is about proofreading your résumé. Does your résumé have a consistent, appropriate format? Are there errors or typos? Read your résumé and cover letter for content because the spell check function on your computer does not guarantee accuracy!
This article explains the purpose and the goals of a résumé and describes seven things your résumé can do for you. Your interviewer’s first impression of you is not when you speak on the phone or in person. Rather, your résumé and cover letter represent you as a good fit for the company and position, or not well-suited as an interview prospect. Your résumé should impress a potential employer with your abilities, past accomplishments, and potential contributions as an employee.
1.2: Types of Résumés
In this section, we examine two different résumé styles: chronological and functional. If you have not been in the job market for several years, you may notice some significant changes in writing effective résumés using traditional formats.
For example, the power of the summary section in the chronological format is to use your accomplishments to explain how you can benefit the potential employer. However, you may need to use another type of format to present your qualifications to convince your reader to bring you in for an interview.
If you have a sporadic work history, are just entering the workforce, are overqualified for the position, or are older in years and concerned about age discrimination, your challenge is to write about your accomplishments and how your skills are transferable to the position for which you are applying. A functional résumé format may suit this situation well.
In this article, we learn that a chronological résumé is the most popular résumé format because most online job search sites prefer it. The author describes the résumé components and advises us that times have changed. Today, few job candidates use the objective line. Much of the power of your résumé comes from your summary statement, which briefly describes your skills, talents, and successes. The challenge of writing an impressive chronological résumé is not the format, but the "quality of the writing and the use of engaging text".
Here the author gives advice for what to include in each component of a chronological résumé. Click on the links for more information on each topic. Again, your challenge is not the format, but how you are able to convince an employer that you fulfill the overall requirements of the position and deserve an interview.
Use a functional résumé format to package your skills, talents, and abilities in a way that showcases your strengths as required for a specific type of job. The information you plug into a chronological format regarding your education and experience may not reflect the type of job you are now seeking. The objective section of a functional résumé should have a narrow focus: tell the reader how your various skills and accomplishments make you a competitive candidate. Read this article to learn more about this type of résumé.
In this article, we learn that one of the most challenging aspects of a functional résumé format is deciding what information to include and where to present it. Should you minimize your work history, or even omit it completely? How can you present your background in a way that convinces your reader that your skills are transferable? This article gives several examples of functional résumés, but keep in mind that your story is unique. You need to decide which aspects of your background are your most powerful selling points for your stated job objective.
Read this chapter to learn more about functional résumé and curriculum vitae (CV) formats. It offers several categories for the functional format, such as communication, teamwork, and leadership, which you can use to emphasize your skills and accomplishments in an impactful way. If you are applying for an academic or research-oriented position, you may want to use a CV format, which is considerably longer than a traditional résumé and includes published material and conference information.
Read this article to learn why a functional résumé may be best if you are just out of school, have been a stay-at-home parent, or will only discuss your volunteer work during an interview. You can use this type of format to present your functions, skills, training, and volunteer work in an effective way. A well-thought-out functional résumé can cure the challenge of having too much or too little experience for the job for which you are applying.
1.3: What is a CV?
Many use the terms curriculum vitae (CV) and résumé interchangeably, but there are distinct differences between these two documents. Academics, higher-level executives, and employers based outside the United States tend to use the CV format because it allows them to present more details about their work history and accomplishments. While you should limit a traditional résumé to one or two pages, a CV may run six to eight pages.
Read this article to learn about the curricula vitae (CV) format. Contrary to a resume, a CV is more lengthy and is updated frequently with recent projects, publications, etc. Although there is no one standard way to present your credentials in a CV, this article describes the various components and offers formatting advice. If you are not sure whether to present a résumé or CV when applying for a particular position, ask the agency or employer what they prefer.
Unit 1 Assessment
- Receive a grade
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.