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Nelson Education > Higher Education > Managing Human Resources, Fifth Canadian Edition > Student Resources > Career Counsel > Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Employee Selection

Résumé Preparation

The Chronological Résumé

The Functional Résumé

The Achievement Résumé

 

Résumé Preparation

A résumé is a document that sets forth your knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) in two to four pages. This exercise will help you to construct three types of résumés and to determine the best one to send to a prospective employer. The three types are the chronological résumé, the functional résumé, and the achievement résumé.


The Chronological Résumé

The chronological résumé requires you to list your educational and work history by time. This format should be used when you are applying for a job that relates directly to your education and experience. For example, if the advertisement asks for a university degree, five years' operational experience, and two years' management experience, your résumé should outline these qualifications in the same order. An example of the chronological-format résumé is presented below.

Name
Address
Phone/fax/e-mail numbers
Education:   Highest attainment first
List all awards and honours
Work History:   Start with most recent
Group by employer and date, e.g.,
Northern Industries
(1998 to present)
Indicate all contract work
List summer employment only if it is recent and/or directly related to the position
Training Courses:   List all relevant training courses (e.g., a one-week supervisory course or a two-day conflict management workshop)
Additional Skills:   List all software programs you can use
List all languages in which you are fluent (if you are able only to read in another language, indicate this)
Other:   List all volunteer activities, if relevant (e.g., co-chairing a fundraiser at your school or coaching a junior soccer team are indicative of certain skills or interests)




The Functional Résumé

The functional résumé is useful when you lack experience in an occupation or industry and therefore need to market the generic skills that will enable you to do the job, and learn quickly. The format involves expressing your work, volunteer, and training experience in terms of skills. Books such as What Colour Is Your Parachute? and guidance counselors can help you to identify your skills. An example of the functional résumé format is presented below.

                                                   Name
                                                   Address
                                                   Phone/fax/e-mail numbers
        Sales:   Sold various products for three years at retail store
(part-time)
Door-to-door sales for the local school fundraiser
        Communication:   Member of the debating team at school
Prepared brochure for school fundraiser
Influenced retail customers to increase purchases
Data-base, graphic, and word-processing skills
        Work
        Experience:		   Prairie Marketing, Data Entry, contract, 2003
The Bay, Sales Associate, part-time, 1997-2002
Camp Lac du Nord, Counsellor, summers, 1995, 1996
        Languages:   English, French, read Spanish
        Education:   B.A., University of Manitoba




The Achievement Résumé

Some employers prefer to know what you have accomplished, not just where you have spent time. The achievement résumé is similar to the functional resume but much more powerful. In it you list your contributions to the organizations in which you have worked or volunteered. Try to restate the items you listed in the functional résumé in terms of achievements/outcomes. For example:

Sales:   Achieved within my division the highest sales figures for three months
Placed in the top quartile for door-to-door sales
Communications:   Won three out of five debating competitions
Database skills rated "excellent" by my supervisor


Résumé Writing Do's and Don'ts

  • Don't include personal information such as age, country of origin, etc.
  • Don't use passive voice, as in "was asked to design a brochure."
  • Do proofread—a typo can kill.
  • Do include a cover letter highlighting how your skills match the job requirements and/or how you can contribute to the organization.

 

Student Resources

•		 Test Yourself

•		 Chapter Web Links

•		 Interactive Exercises

•		 Chapter 16

•		 Student PowerPoint slides

•		 Online Learning Guide

•		 Career Counsel

•		 In the News

•		 Study Resources

•		 HR Consulting Firms

•		 Organizations and Associations

•		 Statutes and Requlations

•		 Comprehensive Cases

•		 Glossary

•		 BizFlix Sample

•		 About the Book


Instructor Resources