Tag Archives: functional resume

Don’t Let Your Resume Freeze

Melt the ice away with these helpful blogs!

Resumes are tough. They’re only a series of words on a page, but they’re the deciding factor on whether you get in the door for a job interview. If you start to improve your resume now, you’re more likely to succeed in the new year.

Here are a few of our past blogs jam-packed with resume renovation goodness you can use this holiday season.

30 Resume Power Words and Lucky Words for Your Resume

If your only way in the door is a series of words, then every word better count, right? Specific results-driven vocabulary can enhance your resume and help employers see that you have the soft skills they’re looking for.

Resume Tips to Impress Your Interviewer

Your resume needs to be uniquely tailored for whatever job you’re applying for—it should show why you’re right for the job, not just what you’ve done in the past. If you build your resume with these tips, you’ll hit the important points recruiters look for.

Creating an Organic Resume

Since there are only so many hours in a day, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that recruiters only spend about six seconds on each resume. If you have too much fluff and not enough substance, you’ll lose your reader fast. So cut out the less important information and focus on your experiences and hard facts. Formatting is also important. If it isn’t easy to read, nobody will go through the trouble of reading it.

Sizzling Hot Resume Tips

You can turn your resume into a warm cup of job search cheer with these hot tips. Take a break from the holiday bustle and review your resume. How is your spelling and grammar? Are your job descriptions both informative and concise?

Which is Better—Chronological or Functional Resume?

Still feel like there’s something off with your resume? Not sure that you’re really getting your point across? You may want to consider a functional resume. A chronological resume is perfect for a conventional career (you’ve gone from job to job with little downtime, and everything has been in the same industry), while a functional resume allows you to showcase your soft skills and experiences, rather than a string of continuous employment.

Not sure which soft skills to highlight? Check out this video on soft skills.

We’re happy to gift you answers for the holidays—just write your questions in the comments section below!

Ask a Recruiter: How to Highlight Experience Over Tenure on Your Resume

ask_a_recruiterWhen it comes to preparing for a job search, acing interviews, and creating resumes, we know you have a lot of questions. To help answer your job search questions, our very own industry experts at Express Employment Professionals are posting their answers here on the Movin’ On Up blog.

Question: Help! I’ve been laid off from my last two jobs in the span of one year due to budget cuts, and I’m back on the job search. How should I format my resume to make my skills stand out to recruiters rather than tenure at companies?

Answer: There are two types of resumes that job seekers commonly use; chronological and functional. In your situation, I’d suggest creating a functional resume.

A functional resume will focus on your skillsets and how they might transfer to the role you are applying for, whereas a chronological resume typically lists the most recent positions that you’ve held. It’s important that you do your homework when building a functional resume.

I would suggest tailoring each functional resume you send to the specific role in which you are applying. List those skillsets that are clearly desired from the job description or were noted during a conversation with the recruiter or hiring manager. Then help draw the commonalities between their job description and your background. 

Thank you to Joe from Express for providing the above answer! The Movin’ On Up blog has featured articles on how to create and when to use functional resumes. In the changing workforce where more people are spending less time with one company, a functional resume format can help your resume stand out and keep it from heading straight to the trash can. See what a functional resume looks like.

Or if you can’t decide which resume format to use, try both!

Do you have a question about the job search, hiring, or recruiting process? Now’s your chance to have your question answered by industry professionals who find, interview, and hire people every day. Ask your question in the comments section below and check back soon to read what our experts have to say!

Ask A Recruiter: How to Document Short-Term Jobs on Your Resume

ask_a_recruiterWhen it comes to preparing for a job search, acing interviews, and creating resumes, we know you have a lot of questions. To help answer your job search questions, our very own industry experts at Express Employment Professionals are posting their answers here on the Movin’ On Up blog.

Question
In the first installment of our new series, “Ask a Recruiter,” we’re excited to feature a question from Movin’ On Up reader Amanda.

Amanda asks, “When filling out job applications, should you include short-term jobs and ones that resulted in termination? I would think it looks bad, but isn’t lying on an application frowned upon?”

Answer
It’s important to note that a resume and an application for employment are two very different things. Let’s start with the resume. A resume is your career billboard and should highlight your most significant experiences in regard to the position you’re applying for. In fact, it’s a good practice to tailor your resume for each role you’d like to pursue. The most common resume form in the job market today is the chronological resume, which lists in order the roles you’ve held during your career. If you feel you may have employment gaps on your resume, consider using a functional resume.

Functional resumes focus on your skill sets and experiences, rather than the jobs you’ve held. The functional resume is also a great choice if you’re looking to change fields. And here’s some good news – if you search the internet for functional resumes, you’ll find hundreds of examples at the click of a mouse! Express Employment Professionals has a great example of a functional resume that can help in your job search.

Now, when it comes to the application, it’s very important that you don’t lie! In many organizations, falsifying an application can be grounds for immediate dismissal. So, let’s discuss how to document gaps in employment and short assignments. Before you do anything, consider calling the office and speaking with the recruiter personally. Ask them what they need on the application and what’s necessary for the position. Many times, the recruiter can clarify how they’d like you to proceed. Usually, they will look to see what experience you have that would qualify you for the available position. Of course, no recruiter likes to be surprised by additional information you provide later in the process, so don’t hide your work history.

If a position resulted in termination, it does need to be discussed. You gained vital skills and experiences in the position that could qualify you for the role you’re seeking. To falsify or omit such experience could lead to consequences down the road. The fact is – you’re not the only person out there who has been terminated, and you won’t be the last. Being honest and open about the situation will most likely yield a better outcome than pretending it didn’t happen. Just make sure you’re ready to discuss the termination if you land an interview. Never bad mouth your previous employer, don’t place blame on others, and be ready to share what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown from the experience. Do some homework and try to get letters of recommendation or references from people you worked with at the previous job who can vouch for your character. Remember, honesty is always the best policy.

Thanks for asking, Amanda! And thank you to Joe Paquette from Express for providing the answer!

Do you have a question about the job search, hiring, or recruiting process? Now’s your chance to have your question answered by industry professionals who find, interview, and hire people every day. Ask your question in the comments section below and check back soon to read what our experts have to say!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.