How do I decide the best resume format for me?

When you are seeking to upgrade your resume, it is tempting to use resumes of your friends or work associates as the model. The problem is that you are different from your friends and their job search is different, especially if that resume is more than three or four years old.

The key in this question is the words “for me.” Your resume has to work for you and it has to reflect current resume writing strategies and standards.

What factors influence resume formats?

• Industries differ by how conservative the field is and the resulting creativity. You can, in general, be much more creative than 20 years ago but you would still create a very different resume for someone in more conservative fields like law or accounting or even banking than you would for someone who was in a creative field like graphic design, marketing, or even sales.
• Your own personality. This can be a hard place to judge because your personality may be more flamboyant than your field allows. Your resume should match the type of dress acceptable in the office, not out on the town.

I once had a private wealth manager who told me her fashion sense verged on the flamboyant but yet she knew her resume had to reflect her business suits.

• Certain fields need certain content. I find that people in management levels in banking and accounting as well as sales fields benefit by a community leadership section because their ability to network and be involved in community roles will benefit their new company.
• Graphs and charts compliment certain fields. In management and sales, showing results by including a quickly read graph will help your resume stand out.