Write Functional Resumes: Tips for Writing a Resume

Write Functional Resumes: Tips for Writing a Resume

Learn about making a resume relevant to each job application.

True or False: When writing a resume, you should highlight all of your qualifications and accomplishments, list your previous employers starting with the most recent and working backwards, and arrange the resume in such a way that it can be used for multiple job applications in a variety of fields. If you answered False, good!

The key to writing a successful resume is to tailor it to fit the type of position you are applying for, not to generalize it so you can just make twenty copies and scatter them all over office supply stores, accounting firms, and zoos (what? People work at the zoo...). What's the best way to create a job-specific resume? I'm so glad you asked, and I'll give you a few easy steps that will answer that question and give you the tools you need to make your resume shine.

Here's how to write a functional resume:

1. The first step to developing a clear, concise, and creative resume is to start with a good template. A carpenter doesn't build a house without a blueprint—at least, a good carpenter doesn't—and you should have a blueprint as well. As discussed in "How to Download Resume Templates," many websites offer good advice and examples to make your resume stand out from the pack.
2. A site I highly recommend investigating is www.microsoft.com. Yes, you can download games, but you can also download, for FREE, an almost endless number of resume templates in various categories. You can check out basic resume outlines, as well as job-specific and situation-specific examples (such as resumes for a career change, entry-level, or executive positions). You can even find examples and templates for cover letters, references, and recommendations.
3. When deciding on a functional resume template, consider these questions:
   • For what type of position are you applying (an executive spot in an office or the lead role in a professional theatre production)?
   • To what type of company are you submitting your resume (a small, conservative law office or a hip, newly formed advertising firm)?

   The answers to these questions will help you determine whether to present your resume in a traditional, no-nonsense fashion or in a more contemporary design. Some companies prefer a simple, one-page resume; others want to see your creativity and personality expressed more in your design.

4. Once you have decided on a template style that fits the job type, use it to format your resume by plugging your information into the fields. Use bold print, italics, underlining, and capital letters when appropriate to give depth to the pages and to highlight company names and job titles.
5. Next, make sure that when listing your qualifications or achievements, you use descriptive, action words. Citing something like "Employee of the Month for four months" might not stand out as well as "Successfully achieved Employee of the Month status for four months." Both sentences give the same information, but the second is a bit more animated and shows a sense of pride in the accomplishment.
6. For each previous job, highlight three or four duties performed that connect to the position you are currently applying for, and try to accent different responsibilities with each job. For example, if you were in charge of inventory control at three different companies, it is probably not necessary to list this exact role for every company. Instead, you may want to adjust the wording or focus on a specific duty within inventory control that you were particularly knowledgeable about.
7. Lastly, and above all else, use spell-check! If your computer lacks this function, ask someone else to act as your grammar and spelling checker and read over your resume for mistakes or unclear phrases. This is one of the most crucial resume-writing tips. If you do have a spell-check option, use it! The one thing that will frustrate a potential employer and keep you from the top of the list is a resume with simple errors. Using "it's" instead of "its," or "recieve" instead of "receive," gives the impression that you did not spend time perfecting your resume, and thus might not spend time perfecting your job with the company.

These tips will help you get started. Keep your resume simple and concise; one to two pages is standard and plenty long enough (though applying for a specific job that requires an extended list of abilities and achievements may require more).

Remember, an employer will read many resumes besides yours, and they certainly won't read yours if it is four single-spaced, overly descriptive pages long! Your resume is sure to stand out if it is expertly displayed, creatively written, flawlessly organized, and written with perfect grammar and a sense of style. Good luck making your resume!