by Shirley Lake

Created on: February 18, 2008   Last Updated: February 21, 2008

Advantages and Disadvantages of The Skills Resume

For the job-seeker who has a spotty record of paid employment, who has little or no history in the position being applied for, or who has been absent from the working world for a long period of time, the Skills Resume is a beautiful thing. It showcases your most job-worthy life experiences while simultaneously passing over gaps, large or small, in your working record.

Millions of people simply cannot assemble a solid resume by relying solely on a chronological report of their previous jobs. The mom who stayed at home until her children attained a particular age, the victim of an illness or injury who has been "laid-up" and out of work for several months, or the worker who was laid-off in a corporate trim-down or complete shutdown, a person who attended college for a while but did not graduate, even the youth whose misadventures ended up in jail-time, these are all people who can benefit from assembling a Skills Resume. This resume type is ideal for people interested in making a complete career change and for the student who has little previous work experience to speak of but is now applying for their first job.

Also known as a "Functional Resume," this rsum calls the prospective employer's attention to specific "skills" and accomplishments the applicant has gained through life experience or academic study. Citizens who have served, unpaid, on community boards and, for instance, environmental associations, can use what they learned through that service to build an effective Skills Resume. Recruiting and organizing techniques, public relations writing, event coordinating, and public speaking are among the many valuable abilities employers seek. Computer skills are highly valued, too, as are "people skills."

Just as the standard Chronological Resume or a C.V. follows a particular pattern, the Skills Resume is also expected to take a particular format. Briefly stated, the separate "categories" are presented in this order:

1. Personal Details (name, address, email address, telephone number)
2. Career Objective Statement
3. Professional Skills (no matter where these skills were obtained)
4. Work Experience (if any; this category is optional)
5. Community and Professional Affiliations (from P.T.A. to Watershed group)
6. Education (emphasizing skills acquired during education)
7. Awards and Recognitions (especially those relevant to the position sought)

The goal is to present your strengths and to obscure or minimize any weaknesses. Potential employers are familiar with the Skills Resume, so do not be timid about utilizing it. However, make it as fine as you can, because employers are also familiar with the fact that a Skills Resume may leave out details that might otherwise screen an applicant out. Some employers have a little distrust of them for that reason. Therefore, spend extensive time and thought in the resume's preparation, wording, and design. And, be prepared for a meticulous interview.

Other than the possibly jaded eye of the employer, the only disadvantage to this form is, many people find it to be the most difficult type of resume to "get right." Aside from these two drawbacks, a well-prepared Skills Resume is certainly the best option for some job-seekers. And, it is well within the job-hunting tradition... so don't be shy!

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