Chronological vs Functional Resume Layout

Deciding Between a Chronological and Functional Resume Layout

You have just graduated from college and are keen to enter the job market and show everyone what you have learned. You have just found a nice and decent-paying job from one of the classified ads that you have been browsing and are very eager to apply. But how do you go on writing your resume to send to this employer? You barely have all the professional experience to put in your resume.

In another circumstance, someone has had enough of his current career and wants to try his hand on another field. He searches job availabilities via the internet and found a job and career path that he likes to pursue. How does he go on setting up his resume to cater to this employer's requirement when his professional expertise is that from a different field?

A resume is something that you have to submit to an employer every time you apply for a certain position in their company. Your resume gives them an insight of who you are in terms of your skills, competencies, educational background and employment experiences. Briefly put, your resume is a summary of your experiences that are relevant to the role and the skills you acquired along the way. Your resume is your sales letter and the decision to interview you for a possible job offer depends on it.

A properly written resume normally comes in two different resume layouts or maybe a combination of both. These are a chronological resume layout or a functional resume layout. While each resume layout differs in the way information is being relayed to the employer and the way it emphasizes certain aspects of your experience, both have its distinct advantage if used properly and in the right context.

Deciding which resume layout suits your present circumstance and the way you want to present yourself to the employer is not a very difficult decision to make. Once you learn how each resume layout is structured, the task becomes easier. Let us then talk about the structure and advantages of using the two types of resume layout.

Chronological Resume Layout

If you look it up in the dictionary, chronological is described as that which is arranged according to the order of time. It is something that presents information based on a timeline and an orderly sequence of events. By the same token, we can say that a chronological resume layout is where your employment experiences and educational background are sequentially arranged in the order they were attained. In a basic chronological resume layout, this is normally done by listing out the most recent experiences first, your current job for instance. The same is true with listing your educational background. You start out with your latest educational attainment then follow it up with the one preceding that as long as it is suited to role that you are seeking. This is the reason why a chronological resume layout is often referred to as reverse chronological because it lists information in reverse.

A lot of employers are familiar with a chronological resume layout and would often prefer this type as they can immediately spot what your qualifications are depending on the past employment experiences and education you have. Presenting a prospective employer with the most recent experience you have can significantly help them in deciding whether you are suited to the position and will have the most recent knowledge in performing the duties and tasks required of the position. Whether we like it or not, employers often prefer somebody who had performed a certain role requirement just recently than someone who performed it three years down the track. They will most certainly assume that a recent performer will be more able and be better adapted to the demands of the position. This is one distinct advantage of a chronological resume layout.

In structuring this type of resume layout, proceed to write your most recent experience first and it could be the current job that you are holding now. Follow this up with another two to four employment histories if you have as much. Just remember to list the most recent first as this type of resume layout works best if done this way. You many need to put the months and years that you were doing that role to provide a distinct timeline. You don't have to put the exact date. If you have gaps in your employment history, especially one that may be a year or more long, it can easily be spotted if you use this type of resume layout. So be sure to have a very good explanation prepared when given a chance for an interview. You can also include this in your resume cover letter.

So when is it good to use a chronological resume layout? This type of resume layout is better suited and will work perfectly well for someone with a lot of relevant professional experience to speak of, someone who has been in paid employment. This is not suited for someone who just recently graduated and new to the job market.

Functional Resume Layout

For someone who had just finished completing his college degree, a functional resume layout will be better suited. If you are fresh out of school, you normally won't have all the necessary professional experiences that are a match to the role being offered. Even when you have been doing part time jobs or community works, chances are these involvements may not directly relate to the position that you want to apply to. So how do you go on with a resume layout that suits this need?

A functional resume layout is quite different from the chronological resume layout in that it emphasizes your skills and qualifications rather than your job history. As such, this type of resume layout will work perfectly for a fresh graduate. Instead of writing down all your past employment experiences (which you obviously won't have), you will be required to write down specific qualifications and competencies that are required of the role available. A good example would be if a prospective employer requires somebody with experience in customer relations. Instead of listing the positions you held, you can use this subheading in a functional resume layout and then proceed to write experiences that support your claim of this competency. Think of everything that you have been involved with when structuring a functional resume layout and address the key skills and qualifications that the employer requires. You might be involved in school projects and community activities that show your ability to manage people, flaunt it. You may use a subheading of "People Management" and elaborate on this by enumerating the projects you have been involved with where you used this skill.

Not only is a functional resume layout excellent for fresh graduates, it is also very applicable to those who are wishing for a career change and their chosen field is entirely different from the one they are currently in. They won't obviously have the relevant experience to speak but they most certainly will have some qualifications and skills that they could bring to the new role. A good example again would be on people management and customer relations. There would be other qualifications that you can bring to another industry, you just have to spend time analyzing it. One easy way to do this is to look at the advertised position and see what skills they require then focus on it. A functional resume layout will come in handy.

In closing, the decision to use which type of resume layout will still depend on you. However, knowing how each resume layout is structured and how each resume layout brings out its strengths can help make a more informed decision - something which is very important if you want to succeed in your job searching. In some instances, you might combine the advantages of both resume layout and make a resume that is a combination of the two types.