Page 71 - Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Resume

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Chapter 4 ➤ Chronologically Speaking

Getting Labeled

One quick glance at the next chronological resume told a hiring manager that Gina had a
strong foothold in retail business. Her work history headings screamed sales, and her bullet
statements pointed to visual merchandising. Gina’s chronological resume made the
employer’s decision to call her for an interview a no-brainer!
If, like Gina, the job titles in your work history reflect what you want to do in your next
job, the chronological resume is a great way to get labeled as a qualified candidate. A quick
scan of your job titles and related bullet points (which are highlighted in the chronological
format) will reveal that you want to continue in the same line of work.

Bonus Check

To develop a dynamite resume strategy, team up with a friend, fellow job hunter, coun-
selor, or professional resume writer. You need to talk to someone who can ask you ques-
tions about your work history and be objective.

Background Check

Jonathan Turner’s resume (following) presented his strong back-
ground in executive management, leaving no question that he
was qualified to take his expertise to a similar position in an
Italian firm. Although the small print rang of wonderful achieve-
ments, it was the work-history headings that immediately in- Career Casualty
formed the employer that Jonathan was well worth considering
for the job. There is a mistaken impression
among job seekers that the
When your job titles support your job objective especially well,
chronological format is old-
use the chronological resume. You may also want to highlight the
fashioned and should not be
titles by putting them in bold print.
used. Don’t fall for this faulty
thinking! The chronological
Conservative Line format is still the most widely
accepted type of resume and
Because the railroad industry is rather conservative, Roger Smythe should be used if its criteria fits
chose the chronological format for his resume (following). your career goals.
Although he had never held a management position (as he was
requesting in his job-objective statement), the subheadings under
his Professional Experience section clearly reflect that he’s an
intelligent man with a love of the rail industry. The employer saw that Roger’s seven-year
career in the field was a suitable foundation for a promotion into management.

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