Right R sum For The Job

2/20/2007

One all-purpose r sum doesn t cut it anymore. Repurpose your r sum in four ways to make sure it gets attention

There s a lot more to landing your dream job than writing and sending a r sum . But you know what? Your r sum is usually how employers meet you. And their decision to interview you or not is often made after a quick glance at this all-important document.

Here s the challenge: Most r sum s look the same, read the same and, quite frankly, are boring. Most are cookie-cutter exercises in mediocrity, even though each candidate claims to be driven, dynamic, creative, etc. But empty assertions won t land you an interview. You must prove the claims in your r sum to get an employer s attention.

Your r sum is a marketing tool, plain and simple. Is yours so powerful that it grabs the attention of hurried employers, forces them to slow down, read on and call you? A guerrilla r sum screams, Here s what s in it for you. A guerrilla writes r sum s that are relevant to a specific reader and that are always focused, never general. They are results-based, never wishy-washy.

Let s look at the four different types in detail:

Chronological r sum

This is the most commonly used format and the one many employers like, because it s easy to read. Use it if you intend to stay in your current industry, as it shows the reader exactly what you ve done and where you fit. It details your most-recent experience first, and works back. A chronological r sum highlights your job titles, places of employment and dates of tenure by presenting them as headings, in order by date, under which your achievements are listed.

Use a chronological r sum if:

Your career history shows consistent growth.

The job you seek is clearly the next logical career step.

You intend to stay in the same industry or one immediately adjacent to it.

Functional r sum

A functional resume groups your accomplishments into skill headings or functions. Examples: leadership, management, sales, marketing, new product development, administration, finance, etc. This lets you prioritize your accomplishments by how relevant they are to your target job.

Use a functional r sum if:

You re changing industries or professions and need to emphasize transferable skills.

You have a job title that does not accurately reflect the responsibility you have.

You are a student with great potential but almost no real experience and you want to demonstrate a track record of activities that would lead an employer to see your promise.

You re re-entering the job market after an absence.

Value-Based r sum

The value-based r sum is a cross between a chronological and functional r sum . It s designed to answer the one question on every single employer s mind: What can this candidate do for me?

The tone of a value-based r sum is this: I walk through walls on a regular basis. Look at all I ve done in my career. Now, imagine what I could do for you.

Use a value-based r sum if:

You have the accomplishments to back up your claims.

You can t hide the fact that you re a Type-A personality.

You want to encourage an employer to move quickly to an interview stage.

You are already a high-powered executive.

You are in a fast-paced, high-intensity occupation, like sales, law or entertainment.

Guerrilla r sum

Now, let s break some rules with a guerrilla r sum . This sparkling, one-page r sum is often directly responsible for landing a job interview. It s the best weapon in a guerrilla job-hunting arsenal. Nothing and I mean nothing beats it.

It s another hybrid, a cross between a functional and a value-based resume but on steroids. This format should only be sent to senior executives. And let me warn you, be prepared to back it up with facts and figures in the interview.

Use a guerrilla r sum if:

There is enormous competition for a limited number of jobs.

You want to test the waters before launching a comprehensive job-hunt.

You want to create a job in a company that has no openings.

You re changing industries.

The guerrilla r sum has six parts: job objective or summary, accomplishments, special skills, career history, education and a proof section. A guerrilla r sum is focused, targeting specific industries, employers and positions with the goal of increasing the number of interviews you land. This type of r sum touts your individuality by weaving your personality and professional achievements together. It also makes use of industry-specific key words that boost the odds that your r sum will make it into the hands of a hiring manager.

Sometimes, doing what everyone else does is not enough. Non-guerrilla job hunters often chase a relatively small number of jobs along with a huge crowd of applicants. Guerrilla r sum s are designed to tap into jobs that might not yet be available or that are known only to employees.

Make sure every r sum you send is aimed at the specific job an employer wants to fill. Seem like too much work? How important is your future?

Any good headhunter will pre-screen and qualify you, then ask you to write your r sum geared to the specific position. Follow their advice and write that specific, benefits-laden r sum beforehand and you ll have a tremendous advantage later.

David E. Perry is author of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and the Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters Blog.

By David Perry

CTW Features