Q: “I’ve worked for several companies over the last few years. I’m not a job hopper but I am concerned that I’ll be seen that way. I’ve been told that to present myself in the best possible light I should use a functional resume and not a chronological one. Do you agree?”
A: A functional resume groups your abilities into skill clusters. A (reverse) chronological resume lists each of your positions and companies, beginning with the most recent. Individuals who have worked a variety of jobs with no obvious career objective present themselves more favorably with a functional resume. That’s the simple answer but it doesn’t solve your problem. Here’s what I mean:
Interviewers prefer reverse chronological resumes to the functional format. They want to see at a glance, the applicant’s progression of responsibility, accountability, job titles, and time in grade. Many believe that functional resumes mask frequent and hard-to-explain job changes. As a result, many applicants who submit functional resumes are passed over, or if called to interview, are quizzed on everything that would appear on a chronological resume. That line of questioning tends to put applicants on the defensive, scrambling to explain what went wrong rather than what went well. They’re unable to make their case.
The solution to your dilemma won’t be found in resume cosmetics but in developing good job search strategies. What’s your goal? Do you want to be appreciated and compensated for a job that you do well, that you enjoy doing, and that you can stay with long enough to make a difference? You can make that happen when you tell your story, in person, to those who have the power and authority to either hire you or put you in front of people who can.
It takes focused, strategic networking; finding people with whom you have much in common. They, like you, are eclectic in their habits, and enjoy variety in their professional endeavors. They’re calculated risk takers and have a bent toward the entrepreneurial. They differ from you in that they’ve been able to capitalize on their strengths and have been successful because of that. They’d be willing to talk to you because the two of you are more alike than different and they’re pleased by your recognizing their success and wanting to know more about how they made it happen.
When you find them, ask how they’ve been able to accomplish what they have. Describe what you want to achieve, the problems you’d like to solve, and the contributions you’d like to make. Frame your discussion around the strengths, interests, and abilities you have to make positive things happen. Ask for recommendations for next steps, people to connect with, and ideas for how you can tell your story.
Engage the person’s interest in you by demonstrating your interest in them. Ask for advice instead of focusing on your resume or your work history. If you make a compelling case, the networking contact will refer you to those who may be in a position to hire you or would know others who could.
Through networking you’re able to tell your story, face to face, without a resume getting in the way.
