Online Guide to Employment Navigation

Step 1:
Identifying Your Skills

Step 2:
Establishing a Job Objective

Step 3:
Résumé Preparation

Step 4:
Identifying and Contacting Potential Employers

Step 5:
The Cover Letter

Step 6:
Submitting Your Résumé and Cover Letter

Step 7:
Following Up on a Job Lead

Step 8:
Preparing for an Interview

Step 9:
3 Steps to a Successful Interview

Step 10:
Evaluating the Interview

Step 11:
Following Up After an Interview: the Thank You Letter

Step 12:
Negotiating and Handling Job Offers

Step 13:
Maintaining Employment

Online Guide to Employment

Step 3: Résumé Preparation

For more information, watch the video (part of the Virtual Resource Centre)

There are three types of résumé styles:

Chronological Résumés

The easiest type of résumé to prepare, this style of résumé works well for people who have a strong, consistent work history that is directly related to the job they are currently seeking. When preparing a chronological résumé, start with your most recent work experience and education and work backwards.

Advantages of Chronological Résumés:

Disadvantages of Chronological Résumés:

Functional Résumés

This type of résumé is most effective for those who have had a variety of work experience that may not directly relate to the position currently sought. A functional résumé is also an effective style for recent graduates with little or no work experience as well as those who have been away from the workforce for an extended period of time.

Functional résumés allow you to emphasize the priority positions and responsibilities that you've held. Instead of a job-by-job account of your work history, relevant skills are grouped together to form categories. Order the categories by their relevance to the position you are applying for. If you are applying for a position as a computer software specialist, your computer and technical skills would be the first thing you would want the employer to see. Head the categories by function performed and list accomplishments and skills underneath.

Advantages of Functional Résumés:

Disadvantages of Functional Résumés:

Combined Résumés

This type of résumé is effective for people with a proven track record. The combination résumé takes the best features of the chronological (work history) and functional (summary of qualifications section) résumés. A combination résumé can be very powerful as it allows you to emphasize your skills and accomplishments while providing a chronological account of your work and educational background.

Advantages of Combined Résumés:

Disadvantages of Combined Résumés:

Before creating your own résumé, you may wish to review:

For more information, watch the video (part of the Virtual Resource Centre)

 
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