The importance of knowing how to write a functional resume in these economic times cannot be overstated. One of the most important facts to remember before starting your resume is that the look of the resume is now as important, if not more important, than the actual contents within it. Employers are having to delve through more resumes than ever, so it is important that your resume quickly attracts attention, but in a professional, organized manner.
When it comes to the appearance of your resume, you want the employer to be able to scan through it quickly and efficiently. If you accomplish this, the employer very well may mentally attach those attributes to you personally, which can work in your favor if there are multiple candidates. The main thing to remember here is that no matter how great and impressive your background, if no one picks up your resume, no one will see it.
In regards to functionality, remember that the resume is to be functional for the reader, not you. So, while you may be outgoing and fun, now is not the time to show your eccentric side. Use clean spaces to separate each line, generous margins, clean and clear font type, be sure the document appears balanced, and make sure it is all very organized. Organizational skills are important to businesses, and you want the potential employer to recognize that they are important to you, too.
In regards to the content of the resume, before all else, check for errors. Once again, you may have quite an impressive work history, but if your resume has typos, it will inevitably end up in the toss pile. Also, make the content honest, and do not add self-congratulations. If your list your job duties and they impress your potential employer, let that person be the one to congratulate you.
Another important factor to your resume is the elements you decide to include into it. When deciding what to include, use a minimalist approach, and definitely leave it out if it does not help. Contact information, job objective, educational background, employment history, and references are all common elements that employers will look for. If your educational background is null and void, leave it out. Get the interview, and then worry about it. At least you have your foot in the door.
Finally, one of the most important factors to your resume is length. Condense the information to two pages or less, if at all possible. Do not decrease the font size to do this; simply be more choosy about what goes in. Remember, the resume gets you to the interview, you will have the opportunity to expand on it at that point. You can also use the cover letter to do this in a mild manner, as well. Having a functional resume is just the key to get you in.
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