Free Sample Resume

Don’t feel limited by the formats I’ve described in this category. You might find one that’s a perfect fit. You might need to massage one to make it suit you. Or you might get a flash of inspiration and create something completely new and different. Whatever you choose, put your own unique signature on it. Again, it doesn’t matter what you label it. If it works, it’s right.

The table that follows summarizes the different résumé formats, along with their points and pitfalls.

A targeted résumé addresses the employer’s need for a specific skill or skills. To consider this format, you must first know what skill(s) the company needs, which necessitates some research on your part. When your sleuthing is done, you then focus the résumé content to include experience and accomplishments that are relevant to the targeted skill or skills.

A Targeted Format Helped Jillian

Jillian, a talented project manager in the telecommunications industry, effectively used a targeted format to catalog her project-management skills (see Résumé below). She also avoided the major pitfall of this format: appearing single-dimensional. She did it by listing a broad range of projects she had managed (database design, application development, computer operations). If you use this format, look for angles in your experience that will give the reader clues to broader skills. Then be prepared to elaborate on them in an interview.

Point

Quickly demonstrates to the employer that you are a perfect match for the position you have targeted.

Pitfalls

• Beware the snare of appearing single-dimensional. Many companies appreciate generalist skills (as opposed to specialist skills), especially small- to medium-sized companies where you’re often expected to wear many hats.
• By eliminating broad-based, value-added skills, you may appear less qualified in comparison with other candidates.

Here’s another twist on the chronological format. It lists job experience in chronological “groupings” rather than in a strict, reverse-chronological list. Use this format when you don’t want to list your most recent experience first.

A Reordered Chronological Format Helped John

In analyzing John Freeman’s format, you will note that he had 10 years of experience in retail, followed by 10 years in real estate. To help with his transition back to retail, his résumé lists this older experience first under the heading “Retail Sales and Management” and the more recent experience second under the heading “Additional Sales Experience.” Compare the Before  and After (see Résumé below) examples.

Here’s how to create a reordered chronological format. Look back over your work history, bracket common jobs, and assign an industry or professional label (such as retail, real estate, or sales) to each of those clusters. Now arrange those categorical labels with the most relevant experience first, regardless of the dates.

Points

• A great tool for individuals with solid work histories who want to pursue opportunities that relate to older, more dated experience.
• Positions your buried treasure at the focal center of the page.

Pitfalls

• Think carefully before using this format. There must be some semblance of order and logic to it, or you’ll confuse the reader.
• If your employment history doesn’t nicely fit into two or three groupings with a solid number of years of experience for each, you will probably be better off with a functional format.

Also called a vertical or columnar format, the newsletter format follows a two- or three-column layout (four columns generally look too busy). Visual distinction is the hallmark of a newsletter format. Accordingly, it is most appropriate for professions that appeal to the senses (television, advertising, graphic design). It can also be used for disciplines such as sales and customer service. Be cautious about using this format if you’re in a very conservative field or pursuing management positions.

The content can be written in either traditional business style or newspaper style. Résumé earlier (Steve Horstman Resume) illustrates the newspaper style. Layout is a matter of mastering the column function on your word-processing program.

Some Newsletter Formats That Worked

Just a moment ago I cautioned you against using a newsletter format for management positions. Nonetheless, the following example (see Résumé below) of a two-column newsletter format worked well for this loss-prevention manager because it “buried” his current employment (in an industry unrelated to his career goal) at the bottom left of the page and accented his strongest selling points at the visual center of the page (his position as vice president of safety management).

The résumé of Jennifer (below), a new graduate, illustrates a three-column format. Note the dotted line under category headings to help set off new sections.

Maude Marvalla’s résumé (see below) uses the double-column layout to showcase some impressive excerpts from letters of appreciation.

Point

Visually appealing. Reflects a creative mindset. Distinguishes you from the dozens/hundreds of other candidates applying for the same job.

Pitfalls

• Not well received in traditionally conservative settings (such as government, public accounting, or legal).
• Until résumé-scanning software masters the recognition of columns, this format is akin to dropping paragraphs into a food processor. Your keyword phrases may come out as alphabet soup.

The distinguishing characteristic of a linear format is its visual orientation. Drawing its name from the linear style of art, where forms and shapes are precisely defined by line, the linear résumé limits its information to a one-sentence-at-a-time presentation.

Each sentence is bulleted and is often limited to one line, two at the most. The writing style is punchy. Forget the frills and fluff-just highlight experience and accomplishments.

A Linear Format Worked for Richard

Richard earned an audience with several companies by dressing up his résumé. The Before and After versions follow (see Résumés below). Documenting specific accomplishments was key to an offer he received for a promotion and salary increase.

Points

• Delivers a hard-hitting sales presentation of your skills.
• Is quickly scanned by people or computers.
• Great for professions that have easily measured performance criteria, such as sales or production.

Pitfall

Same as for the accomplishments format. It hogs the space you might use to describe details with past employers.

You’ll also hear this format referred to as an international CV. My colleagues seem to agree that the terms “international résumé” and “international CV” are interchangeable. If you’re applying for positions in international circles, international CV expert Miriam-Rose Kohn of JEDA Enterprises (www.jedaenterprises.com) recommends following the suggestions for the traditional chronological format. Next, she suggests fleshing out the details—more is better. Then add an “illegal” section—as in answers to questions that employers are barred from asking when you apply in the United States.

Here are a few examples of this type of information:

• Marital status: Single
• Date of birth: November 14, 1957
• Place of birth: Nice, France
• Dual citizenship: U.S.A. and France
• Passport: U.S.A. and French (both currently valid)
• Health: Excellent
• Availability: Immediate; open to travel or relocation worldwide for the right opportunity Languages: French, Italian, English (fluent), German (business fluency)

Other notables:

• Currency: Specify monetary denominations, such as U.S. dollars, by writing “US$1 billion.”
• Telephone: Because you may not know what country your potential employer is calling from, do not include an international access code because it differs slightly from country to country. Instead, when residing in the United States, list only the country code (1), your area code, and telephone number. For instance, if you were targeting jobs in Europe while living state-side, your telephone number would appear as +1-707-222-3333.
• Country: Remember to add “U.S.” to your address if you’re using an address in the States.
• Education: Different countries have different protocol on detailing education. If you’re looking for jobs in Asia, employers prefer details on education as far back as grammar school.

Points

• Shows your international business savvy by using the appropriate format.
• Allows you to take advantage of the “tell more, sell more” theory. You can offer readers a lengthy, blow-by-blow narration of your track record.

Pitfalls

• Reveals personal information you might not want employers to know.
• Sets you up for discriminatory hiring practices (if you’re not of the “right” age, ethnicity, marital status, or other persuasion).

A dateless chronological format might seem like a contradiction in terms. However, there are occasions when it might behoove you to follow the traditional chronological layout but simply omit dates. You may be a new graduate who has racked up lots of related volunteer or internship experiences, possibly during short-term assignments or overlapping time periods. These short stints or concurrent dates might appear confusing and diminish the impact of the experience.

This format is also a great answer if you’re returning to your prior career after a hiatus as “my kid’s mom” (or dad!).

A Dateless Chronological Format Helped Anne

Anne, a career mom, had a solid work history before leaving the workforce (that is, the paid and tangibly rewarded workforce). Once her wee ones were in school, she wanted to return to work. A chronological format (see Résumé below) without dates was just the thing to downplay a seven-year  hiatus. It worked especially well for her because of her positions with prestigious name-brand employers like Procter & Gamble and Hershey Foods.

Points

• Perfect for individuals who have been out of the job market for a time but whose prior career path has been otherwise flawless.
• Eliminates confusion about overlapping or concurrent work assignments.
• Allows the reader to focus on the substance of your experience rather than the length of your employment.

Pitfall

May give rise to suspicions that you don’t have much experience. Counter this by including a statement in the Objective or in your cover letter that gives an idea of how long you’ve been working (for instance, “Sales position in telecommunications where my 12 years of industry experience will be of benefit”).

If you’re a member of the cerebrally elite “SAM’s” Club, you’ll need a CV, which is an abbreviation for curriculum vitae (pronounced ka-ríck-ya-lem veétie). SAM is my acronym for the scientific, academic, and medical communities that typically use CVs. Environments that demand doctoral degrees typically require a CV. Although CVs typically follow a chronological layout, I am describing CVs separately because they possess some distinct characteristics.

If you took Latin (and remember what you studied), you’ll know that curriculum vitae means “the course of one’s life.” A CV relies on the use of complete lists rather than a narrative or sentence/paragraph presentation of material. Education and a doctoral dissertation usually lead off the CV, followed by medical or academic posts, research, publications, presentations, awards, appointments, committees, and other professional activities. CVs are credentials-driven rather than accomplishments-oriented, to the point of self-effacement.

Thorough and typically tedious, these documents can run into double-digit page length, complete with addenda. One CV for a physician-who had a 30-year career as a researcher, writer, and practitioner-yielded 24 pages. If this is your case, for the sake of your reader’s ophthalmologist bills, try culling some of the older, less-important committees or professional activities (but never drop journal articles or publications). Even veteran academicians and physicians should keep it to 10 or so pages. For the sake of space, I’ve shortened the entries under each category to abbreviate the sample CV of Eloise Stanlake-Waxman to just two pages (see Résumé below). But it gives you an idea of which categories a CV normally includes.

A hybrid of the typical business résumé and the CV has evolved for those scientists, academicians, and physicians who have combined management degrees and executive responsibilities with their primary discipline. For instance, a radiologist with an MBA degree seeking a physician executive position could use an executive CV format. Beyond mere lists, the document should give credit for business outcomes resulting from your management savvy.

Just as Dr. Stravilovich did in his sample executive CV (see Résumé below), detail any of your accomplishments that reflect profit, productivity, or quality improvements.

Creative résumés defy strict definition because their form follows the originality and imagination of the creator (the writer). They’re dicey, but they can work. Sometimes.

A Creative Format Worked for a TV News Anchor

Steve Horstman, an on-camera newsman who is not afraid to stand out, used a three-column newsletter format to differentiate himself from his competition. This creative résumé helped him secure a main anchor slot in one of the top 30 U.S. markets (a strong jump from a mid-50s market). Compare his Before and After résumés (see them below).

You can also design a “theme” résumé to complement a particular company’s interests. For instance, a marketing representative applying to an amusement water park might use a long and narrow paper (card-stock weight) that folds into thirds. When opened, it displays a shadow of a waterfall (using a word-processing watermark function) on a light jade-green background. Alternative category headings can replace traditional ones: Make a Splash instead of Accomplishments, Water Chemistry instead of Experience, Pooled Resources instead of References, and so on.

Using Specialty Paper

Specialty paper is another tool you can use to display your creativity. The next four examples use unusual paper stock to complement each job seeker’s profession or industry.

Randy Bez’s Before résumé (see Résumé below) is a list-driven, “just the facts” presentation. The After version (see Résumé below) reflects his talents in the classroom and offers an inspiring “blackboard” quote, perfect for a teacher in the early elementary grades.

Sandi Stroop, an elementary educator specializing in early literacy development, uses an “ABC” paper and a font that looks like a child’s handwriting (see Résumé below). Tiny book images are used as bullets to set off key qualifications.

Finally, Sasha Berenton chose a jungle-theme paper to apply for a marketing position with a regional zoo (see Résumé below). Note the complete revision of content as well, which was needed because her Before version (see Résumé below) was intended for use in education.

Point

This is a great forum to showcase talents in a profession that calls for inventiveness—art, design, special events, promotions, and the like.

Pitfalls

• Creative résumés are difficult to pull off and should not be attempted by the imaginatively challenged (for example, novice writers and inexperienced graphic designers). Your intention is to be remembered, not embarrassed.
• Even if you are a creative genius, a traditional business format for the résumé is often preferred. Word has it from most advertising agencies that you should save the creative material for your “book” (your portfolio).
• Although the possibilities for creative résumés are endless, the professions for which they work are not.

Both chronological and functional résumés have spawned a number of variations in format, some earning their own titles, such as the accomplishments format, the targeted format, the linear format, and the keyword format. Whether these warrant distinction into separate genus, phylum, and species is debatable. Is it science or semantics?

Alterations to the genetic makeup of a chronological or functional résumé don’t necessarily make a new résumé breed.

In the final analysis, it’s not critical what you call the format or how you categorize it. If it works, it’s right. However, for clarification, I’ll give some detail on each format variation (presented alphabetically), followed by examples. Whenever possible, Before examples are included to show how the candidate’s résumé looked initially.

The Accomplishments Format

I like this name. It sounds so positive! However, don’t think that by using this format, your content will be drastically different. It will simply be arranged differently. Remember what you learned just a few paragraphs ago? Play Wheel of Fortune with me for a minute and finish the following sentence. (I’ve bought you a few vowels to get you started.)

Every business résumé should include

A ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ I ___ ___ ___ E ___ ___ ___

Hard-driving copy that shows your track record with past employers will transform your résumé from a ho-hum job description to an impressive marketing piece. When your “trophies” are placed together under a separate Accomplishments heading (instead of grouping accomplishments with the associated employer), the accomplishments format materializes. Typically, the Accomplishments section follows your Objective or Qualifications Summary. Following the Accomplishments section is an employment summary, with little or no description of your responsibilities, and dates sometimes omitted.

An Accomplishments Format Worked for McKenzie

McKenzie, a buyer for a New York–based retail chain, had a great list of accomplishments, backed by verifiable factoids. By grouping the accomplishments together and placing them at the visual center of the page, she looked unbeatable on paper. See McKenzie’s résumé on the next page.

Senior Shoe Buyer Resume

Points

• Positions your strongest selling points front-and-center.
• Unearths buried accomplishments from long ago.

Pitfalls

• Limits the space you might use to flesh out details of your past responsibilities.
• Won’t work as well if you’re short on accomplishments or in a profession that’s difficult to quantify.

The Combination Format

The most common variant of the chronological résumé is the combination résumé (sometimes referred to as a hybrid résumé). It takes this name because it combines elements of both a chronological and functional résumé.

Typically a Summary section leads off the résumé. The Summary might be quite brief, as short as two to three lines. Or it might be an introductory sentence followed by a bulleted list, as in the résumé of Helen Wolchek (see below. The Summary can also be quite extensive, such as an Executive Summary that consumes nearly three-quarters of a page in a two-page résumé.

Resume: General Management – Business Development, Customer Service, Cost Controls, Productivity

Resume: General Management

Condensing 30 Years of Experience

Finance and management executive Jonathan had an extensive background that spanned 30 years. His résumé detailed all of it-four pages worth-without zeroing in on the highlights. I’ve included just two pages of the Before picture , followed by the After picture Note how effectively the Executive Summary takes older but impressive accomplishments and positions them front and center.

Points

• Capitalizes on the strengths of both the chronological and functional formats.
• Preps the reader (through use of the introductory Summary section) to focus on what you deem most important.

Pitfalls

• None of any consequence!
• Well, maybe one. If your career is relatively young, this format might be overkill: You’ll likely find yourself repeating information in the functional section and the experience section.