How to Write an Effective Resume: Chronological vs Functional Formats & Free Templates

N.B. This article is a follow-up to:

The first step in the active job search process; see the reference: https://www.decisioncareermap.com/blog/how-to-write-a-powerful-resume-a-complete-step-by-step-guide]

The second step in the active job search process; see the reference: https://www.decisioncareermap.com/blog/how-to-write-a-powerful-resume-a-complete-step-by-step-guide]

Writing a resume is the culmination of the effort you’ve put into understanding yourself, your abilities, and your future interests. Asking someone else to write your resume is like sending them to the interview in your place. The work you’ve done so far is three-quarters of the battle; all that’s left is to select the most relevant information to create an accurate and positive portrait that will help you land the job you want.

The more your resume reflects who you are, the greater your chances of being hired by someone interested in what makes you unique. When writing your resume, tailor its presentation to the reader and keep in mind the needs, concerns, and attitudes of today’s employers. Did you know that:

For every publicly advertised position, employers typically receive over 200 resumes, which they must review to select the best candidates;
On average, business leaders spend only 20 seconds reading a resume to meet productivity demands?
Out of 1,400 resumes sent to a company’s HR department, only one will lead to a job opening;
The employer must therefore quickly find the information they are looking for, and that information must satisfy them.

To achieve this, your resume should not merely be a summary of your past. To select relevant information, ask yourself the following question for every line of your resume: Is this information truly useful to the employer?

A resume alone cannot guarantee that you will get a job. It is one of the points of contact you will have with the employer. During the interview, if there is too great a discrepancy between you and the impression you give through your resume, your employer will doubt the seriousness of your application. In other words, the image your resume conveys must match the impression you make in the interview.

The Resume Template:

The first step in writing a resume is choosing the right format… There are two ways to organize the information in a resume: chronological order or grouping experiences by job function. The choice between the two depends on your career profile and the jobs you are seeking.

The Chronological Resume:

This is the most common format today. It involves describing your professional experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job and working backward to your earliest one.

The advantages of the chronological resume:

It is the most popular format;
It is suitable for large companies, government agencies, etc.;
It’s a good choice for people who have had a steady career progression, as it allows you to quickly outline your professional journey.

Limitations:

If you’ve made a complete career change, a chronological resume fails to show how your past experience applies to your new areas of interest;
If your career path lacks consistency—that is, if you have had periods of unemployment—the chronological sequence may be disrupted;
People who have been out of the job market for several years or those seeking their first job should not choose this format;
If you have held the same job for a long time, a chronological resume will give the impression that you have not progressed professionally;
If you do not want to emphasize your most recent job too much, the chronological resume should be avoided.

In short, if you have progressed from one job to another, if your responsibilities have increased over time, and if you have accumulated achievements, a chronological resume will highlight this progression.

The Functional Resume:

If you want to emphasize the roles you have held or successfully fulfilled rather than the sequence of different jobs, the functional resume is the ideal format. Suppose you are a secretary and have worked for seven different companies over the past three years. Instead of listing your responsibilities and accomplishments chronologically for each employer, you can group your activities by function. For example: customer relations, planning, organization, administrative projects, supervision.

The advantages:

You highlight your strengths by emphasizing your accomplishments;
It downplays the chronological aspect of your career, which is useful when you have a wide range of diverse experiences;
Periods of unemployment, demotions, or overly slow career progression are obscured;
Grouping achievements by job function saves the employer the trouble of analyzing them.

Limitations:

Savvy employers know that adapting this template hides something;
It does not allow for a clear view of your career progression.

The content of a resume:

Components

Your resume must include the following information:

Your contact information: name, address, and phone numbers (home and work);
Your professional experience: employer name, job title, dates of employment, responsibilities, and achievements;
Your education and any continuing education courses you have taken;
Professional associations of which you are a member;
Your extracurricular activities;
Personal information: languages spoken and written, hobbies, and marital status (optional).

1- Your contact information:

Your name, address, and phone number must appear at the beginning of your resume. The employer should not have to search for this information;
The address and phone number must be accessible and correct so that you can be reached at any time;

2- Professional experience:

This is the most important part of the resume. If you have just completed your education, start by listing your academic background.
Your work experience should include the following information: start and end dates of employment, company name, job title, responsibilities, and achievements.

3- Education:

List the start and end years of your studies, the degree obtained, and your field of specialization. Then list the names of the educational institutions. If you have received honors, awards, or any other type of recognition, mention it;
Be precise. Use exact terms for both degree titles and the names of educational institutions. Never state that you have completed your education and earned a degree if this is not true;
If you have earned a university degree, there is no need to list your college, high school, and elementary school education;
Continuing education courses are covered in a separate section.

4- Professional development:

Professional development shows that you are committed to expanding your knowledge. Employers will be interested in courses that have helped you acquire new skills in your field.

5- Professional associations:

List the professional associations or organizations of which you are a member;
Indicate the date of membership and the type of involvement (member, president, etc.);

6- Your extracurricular activities:

If you serve on a board of directors or do volunteer work… this reflects certain skills that could prove useful in your job, as the employer realizes you go beyond your job description, which can contribute to the company’s reputation. This is also important because it highlights your interpersonal skills. However, you should take two precautions:

To avoid any bias, do not list any professional or paraprofessional activities of a political or religious nature;
Be very selective. List only activities that are truly important to you or those likely to interest the employer.

7- Personal Information:

In this section, you can include information about your age, marital status, spoken and written languages, specific skills (such as knowledge of various computer software programs), and hobbies.

- Should you include your age?

It is not mandatory, especially since it can be discriminatory. However, most employers like to know the candidates’ ages. Whether you are 20 or 50, do not mention it in your resume, whose purpose is to get you to an interview, where it will be easy to convince the employer of your skills. In a resume, it is generally advisable to include your date of birth; this will save you from having to correct your age every time.

- Marital status:

You may include this if it works in your favor. It seems that for men, being married and having a family is a sign of stability. But a woman who includes such information will not make the same impression. Perhaps she will give the impression that she will not be as available as an employee without children. If, for example, you are applying for a job that requires a lot of travel, being single can be an asset. Finally, do not mention widowhood or divorce: this information is not relevant.

- Languages spoken and written:

If you speak more than one language, it’s important to mention it. Only list languages you know well enough.

- Activities and hobbies:

This section should only include unique activities in which you are currently involved. Mention only what sets you apart from others. Sports can be an indicator of your physical fitness.

8- References:

Be aware that when you list companies where you have previously worked, some employers will want to speak not only to the people you have listed as references but also to others with whom you have had professional relationships. List only those who can speak favorably of you.

Do not date your resume, as it should be kept up to date. Likewise, do not sign it.

Order of presentation:

Remember that the employer’s attention is at its peak at the beginning of the reading. Start with the most relevant job categories. If you have dated your achievements, present them in reverse chronological order, from most recent to oldest.

The format of the resume:

The more attractive the CV’s presentation, the more easily it will be read. First impressions are always crucial. Pay close attention to syntax, grammar, and spelling. Paper quality and typography also make an impact.

The length of the resume:

Keep your resume as short as possible, but never at the expense of its content. Generally, it is advisable not to exceed two pages.

Students:

Start with your education. Describe in detail the courses you have taken, to the extent that they are relevant to the job you are seeking. How? By following the guidelines for describing professional experience.

TEMPLATES

THE CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME

Last Name and First Name: -------------------------------------------------------

Phone: ---------------------------------------------------------

Address: -------------------------------------------------------

Work experience:

Date (year - year) Company (Brief description)

------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------

Job Title: -------------------------------------------------------

Responsibilities: (List your main responsibilities briefly and precisely, point by point)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Achievements: (increased sales, implementation of …, design of …)

Use the same format for all companies you have worked for.

Previous experience: (If applicable, briefly describe in two or three sentences your early career experiences that may be relevant, or provide a brief history including dates, job titles, and company names).

Education: (List your most recent degree first. If you have a college degree, you do not need to list your elementary and secondary education.)

Date (year - year) Degree: -------------------------------------------------------

Specialization: ---------------------------------------------------------

Institution: ---------------------------------------------------------

Date (year - year) Degree: -------------------------------------------------------

Specialization: ---------------------------------------------------------

Institution: ---------------------------------------------------------

Use the same format for all the degrees you have.

Continuing Education: (If you have taken additional training courses in the last five years that have enhanced your skills, list them here).

Date (year) Course Title: -----------------------------------------------------------------

Location: -----------------------------------------------------------------

Date (year) Course Title: -----------------------------------------------------------------

Location: -----------------------------------------------------------------

Use the same format for the advanced training courses you have completed:

Professional associations:

Since (year) Title: ------------------------------------------------------

Association: ------------------------------------------------------

Since (year) Title: ------------------------------------------------------

Organization: ------------------------------------------------------

Extracurricular Activities: (List any extracurricular or after-school activities that may add to your experience.)

Date (year): ---------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

Date (year): ---------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

Personal information: (Age and marital status are not required. Please list your language skills, any other professional skills, your hobbies, or your activities and interests):

THE FUNCTIONAL RESUME

Last Name and First Name: -------------------------------------------------------

Phone: -------------------------------------------------------

Address: -------------------------------------------------------

Work experience:

Job category: -------------------------------------------------------------------

(e.g., development, planning, project management, control, supervision)

Achievements: