Rogers Resume Blog

This is a question that I am often asked by visitors to my site and it is a very interesting one for a number of reasons. There are both pros and cons to using someone else’s resume on which to base your own.

Let’s start with the dangers of using a resume template written by someone else…

The biggest problem with using a sample layout is that you may not understand what the original creator had in mind when they first wrote the resume. e.g they may be focusing on their specific strengths which may be entirely different to yours.

How do you know if the writer knew what he was talking about … perhaps it was a very poorly written resume with absolutely no chance of getting the job-seeker an interview!

Did you know that there are a number of different styles / types of resume layouts. You cannot say that one format is better than another … each has it’s own merits and will work very well if used under the correct circumstances. The main point to remember is that each individual is unique and their resume should reflect this fact.

In this article I will be briefly commenting on the resumes for ten topical jobs. The first one is the barmans resume which is written in the chronological format. Another popular occupation that uses this style is the executive chefs resume.

A good example of the functional resume format is the construction engineers resume. This would also include builders, plumbers, electricians etc.

Another important consideration is that every job you apply for is different, even if the job description / title is exactly the same. Think about it for a moment … the hiring manager has his or hers own specific requirements and problems to solve. If you are not aware of these requirements, there is very little chance that your resume will provide the responses that the recruiter is looking for. Do you think the requirements for an armed services resume has anything in common with a medical students resume? Well, actually there is… they are both best suited to using the functional presentation style, but other than that, they are completely different and meet entirely different objectives. Take a look at the storemans resume example for an excellent illustration of the benefits of using the functional layout.

You may well ask … how do I know what the hiring manager is specifically looking for?

Well, there are a number of ways in which you can find this out. The easiest and obvious way is to carefully study the job advertisement. If these ads are well written (and they usually are) you will discover that they contain a mine of useful information. Sometimes the clues are hidden in the detail but if you look hard enough you will find the skills, qualifications and experience that the hiring company is looking for.

I suggest that you take a look at both the personnel managers resume example and the sample mortgage brokers resume which both use the chronological layout style.

I have concentrated mainly on the chronological style and to a lesser extent the functional layout in this article. In a future article I will discuss the third type of format, which is the combination style.

You will have noticed that I like to use lots of resume examples to illustrate the features of the various resume writing styles. I will finish off by recommending you take a look at the procurement managers resume and the veterinary resume. Both of these are good examples of chronological template.

For more detailed information on this subject, visit my resume example home page.

I look forward to presenting more helpful information to assist you in landing your ideal job.