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Home > Services & Assistance > Career Services > eSight Careers Network > Job Search & Retention > The Nuts and Bolts of Preparing Your Resume

By: Liz Seger

Summary:
When does a functional resume work best? When should you include a mission statement on your resume? How can you make your resume stand out? Check these tips -- and then share your own thoughts.

You've managed to figure out where your strengths lie, what skills you have and what types of activities you never want to do in your lifetime unless it's absolutely necessary. Now you're ready to begin writing your resume and/or curriculum vitae (CV).

In other countries, other than North America, a CV is similar to a resume. However, in North America, a CV tends to be used in fields such as education, journalism, the arts, research or engineering, where you might need to list your degrees, published work, art work or research papers. For our purposes, we'll use the terms "CV" and "resume" to mean the same thing.

Chronological and Functional Resumes

There are two types of resumes. One is chronological, and one is functional. Neither is longer than two pages maximum in length (not including your references). Today many employers receive hundreds of resumes to review, so, to gain attention, some job seekers are cutting their resumes down to one page in length. That takes some pretty tight editing. Under those circumstances, a chronological listing would probably be the one you would want to use, especially if you're a recent grad.

The chronological resume is a listing of your most recent jobs in order from the present or most recent down to past. Such a resume can also include a chronological listing of your education, certificates and diplomas (depending upon which is more eye catching).

The functional resume also presents your education and employment history, but it lists first those four or five areas in which you excel in terms of skills and interests. It shows an employer exactly the type of experience you've had (to match the qualifications the employer is seeking). Functional resumes are more useful for those who have large gaps in their work or educational histories.

Both chronological and functional resumes must also include your full name, mailing address, area code and telephone number, fax number (if you have one) and e-mail address. In North America, you should not include your age, sex, marital status, or disability on a resume. You may or may not include your social insurance/Social Security number. Each country does have its own employment standards and human rights standards, however. So, if you are applying for a job outside North America, then rely on your own country's standards.

Goal and Mission

Place your career goal after your identifying information on a resume. It should appear before your skill, education or employment history.

So you're saying, "My goal is to get the job. Why do I have to present my goal?" Well, that's true. That is your goal, but it's the same goal everyone else applying for the position is going to offer.

So how do you stand out? By tailoring your goal to the position for which you're applying in as few words as possible. Use the same phrases the prospective employer used in his ad or in his description for the job.

If a school board is looking for a special education teacher with experience in general learning disabilities and remedial education, for example, those would be the terms you would use to highlight your particular experience in both your goal section and the education/skill section. Your resume may include this:

Goal: Special Education teacher position (general learning disabilities and remedial education)

Experience: Special Education substitute teacher (general learning disabilities and remedial education) at "xyz" school in "town," "state," "zip code."

You may want to highlight "Special Education" in your goal statement by using boldface type so it catches the employer's eye. In your cover letter, also refer to the Special Education position as well as the publication date and name of the newspaper in which the employer ran the ad for the job opening.

If you haven't graduated with your degree or are in a career transition, you may want to include a mission statement instead of a goal on your resume. Briefly describe your educational aspirations. Choose phrases people have given you on your evaluations and reviews which may make you stand out.

So your mission statement might look like this:

Mission: Innovative, dedicated, compassionate, nurturing Special Education teacher with GLD and Remedial experience for "xyz" school "town," "state," "zip code."

Your immediate objective may look like this:

Objective: Achieve MA in Special Education elementary education and general learning Disabilities with specialization in Remedial Education at "xyz" University in "year."

Without over-stating your qualifications, you make your resume the one which stands out in a horde of other applications.
Other Guidelines

For awhile, it was trendy to use photographs in your resume. But consider this: a photo can work for -- and against you.

Make sure there are absolutely no typos in your resume. Spell check doesn't always do it. Have someone else check it over for you. And make sure you use the right spelling of each word.

Avoid use of eye-catching colored paper such as bright pink, yellow or green. This isn't a concert you're promoting; it's you and you want to present a professional image. A soft white or cream-colored paper, in black, navy or brown ink (for the cream-colored paper) will make your resume stand out. Spend a little more money on the paper for your resume. It will pay off in the long run.

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