The Hybrid Resume is like Dating "The One"

The hybrid resume is like dating “The One.” Do you believe in love at first sight? Remember the first time you met “The One?” In the first 10-15 seconds, you may have had a physiological reaction and seen your future flash before you. You start sentences, he finishes them; you stare just a little too long; you both like jazz; and he takes you on romantic excursions: stargazing, dancing in the street, on a carriage ride in New York City, and to an aquarium after hours where tropical fish serenade you. He is everything you are seeking; he was made for you!

An employer is going to take no more than 10-15 seconds to browse your resume to identify whether or not you may be “The One” for the position; therefore, you have 10-15 seconds to serenade the attention of your employer of choice. The hybrid resume is tailored to the employer; it is made specifically for one company; it is to be a match made in heaven. In your documentation you are going to tell the employer everything they ever dreamed in finding an ideal applicant including your relevant skills, achievements, and dates of your history. The nice thing about a hybrid resume is that it harmonizes relevant skills, achievements, and history, just like “The One” blends friendship with fervor.

Just about anyone can use a hybrid resume in their job search: older workers, career changers, individuals with a solid work history, students, and entry-level job seekers. Here is the disadvantage however: If you are a job-hopper or have gaps in your employment history, the hybrid resume will highlight these unfavourable circumstances and you may want to consider a functional resume instead. The key to identifying whether or not to employ a hybrid resume in your job search is to ask yourself, Do I have at least 80% of the qualifications required for the job and company I am targeting? and Do I have dates to incorporate in my documentation? If you answered yes to both of these questions, I encourage you to utilize a hybrid resume in your job search. If done correctly, the employer will quickly determine that you may be “The One.”

Happy Job Shopping!

The Chronological Resume is like a Date with an Old Friend

The chronological resume is like going on a date with a long-time friend who is traditional by nature. This is the guy who pulls out the chair for you and lays his jacket over puddles so your Monolos won’t get wet; whose history and secrets you know well; he is familiar to you and comfortable to be around. You’ve participated in his life journey and watched his progression. He is transparent and most of your questions have already been answered.

The chronological resume is traditional and familiar to hiring manager; most prefer this format. It is the chronological format most job seekers employ and the format most hiring managers are conditioned to read. The chronological resume typically includes concrete content such as dates of employment, education, achievements, and professional development listed in reverse chronological order (meaning latest to earliest).

The chronological resume is employed if the job seeker has a steady, consistent, and progressive work history as it demonstrates growth in an industry. If you have had a variety of jobs in a short period of time, perhaps a functional or hybrid resume ought to be considered due to an anticipated employer’s perception of disloyalty or boredom.

A chronological resume is typically safe just like continuing with the relationship of your long-time friend. If you are seeking a relationship, ahem, resume that is even more comprehensive and offers everything desired, check out my next blog post on “The One.”

The Functional Resume is like a Mysterious Date

The next three blog posts are a series about different resume styles and their pros and cons. The different resume styles that I will discuss include the following: functional, chronological, and hybrid. To wet your whistle, the functional resume is like going on a date with a mysterious guy, the chronological resume is like going on a date with an old friend, and the hybrid resume is like going on a date with The One! Today, I will begin with the functional.

I made the analogy that the functional resume is like going on a mysterious date because it is intriguing and tempting (and may even look scintillating) but leaves room for significant questions. The functional resume highlights your skills, knowledge, and accomplishments and how they relate to the job for which you are applying. When an employer first sees a functional resume, however, they are often suspicious that the candidate is trying to hide something as typically dates are left off this resume style. On the contrary, the most positive aspect of employing a functional resume in your job search is that you are able to create a key word rich document; a key word rich resume is often times your ticket to the next step: The interview.

If you have a sporadic work history, have worked in a variety of industries, are a new graduate (high school or university), or are over qualified for the position, you may want to employ a functional resume in your job search. Thus, minimizing the fact that work experience, consistency, or progression may be lacking. Therefore, you can leave the explanations and elaborations for the second date…I mean, interview.

A great example of a functional resume can be found in this link: http://bit.ly/oTadzy


Happy job shopping!