Resume organizational patterns

To make a good impression a resume needs to be organized and well-structured. The most popular resume organizational patterns are:

• chronological
• functional
• targeted

The chronological resume

The most common way to organize a resume is to use a chronological order and many recruiters prefer it. It is easy to read and analyze as the employer can quickly find answers to basic questions: where a candidate has worked, how long and what his /her responsibilities were.

The chronological resume highlights the section devoted to work experience that is placed directly after the name, address and objective. In this section a candidate lists his/her work experience, beginning with the latest occupied position and proceeding to the earliest. You should include your responsibilities and accomplishments in each position description. If you do not possess significant working experience, you should emphasize your educational background and academic credentials.

The best way to organize a chronological resume is to use a listing format with bullets. The next section should be devoted to special skills and abilities, which should be presented as personal data.

The functional resume

The objective of a functional resume is to focus attention on candidate’s areas of competence. This pattern is useful for people who are just starting their career. Thus the applicant’s work history section is described but not emphasized and includes only major points.

To describe the areas of competence, the applicant should list his/her accomplishments acquired through experience or academic qualifications in the subordinate sections. The use of action verbs and specific facts contributes to the résumé’s effectiveness.

The targeted resume

The purpose of a targeted resume is to inform the recruiter what you can do for a particular employer in a particular position. A candidate should place a listing of any abilities and skills that relate to the job, just after stating the objective. Be sure to include the listing of your achievements to provide evidence for your capabilities. Employers and educational background should be mentioned in the final section.

Candidates should organize a resume according to the plan above if they have a clear and distinctive vision of what they want to do and/or want to demonstrate their qualifications for a specific job. Thus, if your aim is a concrete position, if you clearly realize the responsibilities, and feel you can fit the required demands, the best way is to send a targeted resume.