Firstly, job seekers must understand the difference between a Resume and a CV (Curriculum Vitae).
According to the dictionary, a Resume is "a summary, as of one's employment, education, etc., used in applying for a new position." and a Curriculum Vitae (CV) is noted as "a regular or particular course of study of or pertaining to education and life."
In other words, a Resume is a personal marketing tool of highlights about your work experience, skills, and education. It is the best representation of who you are on paper, and is the recommended format when applying for jobs. Resumes are easier to read, and allow for some creative individuality which helps you separate yourself from the crowd. Conversely, the CV is more of a technical journal of your educational coursework, and entire employment history. CV’s are difficult to read, usually written in paragraph form, and inherently your highlights get lost.
There are several formats for Resumes including the “Chronological Resume” and the “Functional Resume”. The Chronological Resume is the most popular and recommended format when apply for jobs.
Below is an example of a Chronological Resume:
[Full Name]
[Mail Address, City, State, Zip Code] • [Phone #] • [Email Address]
OBJECTIVE
[This resume template section is often omitted in modern resumes, although it's tradition to include it. For general resume submissions describe your career goal briefly. When submitting your resume to apply for specific job openings, tailor your objective to closely match each job description for greater targeting. Delete this section from the resume template if you don't use it.]
SKILLS
[For general resume submissions, summarize your most important technical skills. If you're applying for a specific technical job, tailor your skills to match those required in the job description for greater targeting. Write a brief summary of your technical skills here and a list of specifics.]
• [Briefly list specific technical skills]
EXPERIENCE
[Job Title]
[Company Name, City, State]
From [Date] to [Date]
• [List main technical job responsibilities or major achievements]
[Job Title]
[Company Name, City, State]
From [Date] to [Date]
• [List main technical job responsibilities or major achievements]
EDUCATION
[Degree, Credit Hours or Diploma]
[School Name, City, State]
•[List significant awards, accomplishments or curricular activities, or your minor, work
completed toward advanced degree, etc.]
•[If your education is more important than your experience, move this section to just below
the skills section; for example, if you're fresh out of school with little career work
experience.]
[EXTRA]
[Optional extra section for what you think is important to emphasize. Examples are special training, military experience and special skills. If this section is more important than another, move it up]
REFERENCES
References available on request