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Chronological Resume - A Blessing Or A Curse?

The chronological resume is the most commonly used resume for a reason. 

It showcases particular employment assets and makes them particularly easy for readers to spot. 

If you

• have an EXCELLENT work history
• worked in the "right" companies
• have no employment gaps
• have always worked in the same industry
• have had fairly rapid progress within the industry
• are looking to work in a very conservative field

then this is the right resume for you.

The reason for that is the design of the format.  It was designed specifically for the sort of candidate who exactly matches the criteria just mentioned.  It is designed so that a reader can quickly glance and determine

• Whether your job titles guide you into the position she is advertising
• Whether you have been in the industry long enough to gain the "right" experiences
• Whether you have had enough promotions during the years you've worked in the industry to demostrate your propensity for greatness in this field
• Whether you've been consistently gainfully employed
• Where you gained your skills, knowledge bases, abilities, and made your accomplishments 

If you are the ideal candidate and have the work history to prove it, then this is definitely the format for you. 

However, if you have blemishes on your career path, then this resume format - designed to showcase the "ideal" - will also spotlight your foibles. 

In that case, it will certainly get your resume filed - in the "round" file.

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Why the Chronological Resume
May NOT Be Your Best Choice

You want a resume to showcase YOUR assets.

If you do not have the traditionally perfect career path, as described above, then you need to seriously think about whether such a document may actually prevent you from getting the interview.

Your resume is a document where you

• tell YOUR story
• present and highlight YOUR assets and
• demonstrate why YOU are the best candidate for the job.

If your work history has come another direction, does it not make sense to use a format that will allow you to put YOUR best foot forward? After all, that is why you build a resume in the first place. You want to convince the hiring manager that YOU are the best person for the job.

If using the "obituary" format highlights weaknesses and minimizes or ignores your assets, is it really serving YOUR best interests? Me thinks not...

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When You Should NOT Use A Chronological Resume

While there are specific indicators noting who should use this format, there are also indicators of who should NEVER use this format.  In order to know how to choose, you need some situational awareness about yourself.  What follows is a list of contraindicators for using this format:

• Career Change - If you are seeking to move to another industry or another phase of an industry, you are considered a career changer.  This is a prominent contraindicator for this format.
• Employment Gaps - Your gaps will be highlighted by this format.  Choose a format that is more "user friendly" to you.
• Job Hopping - If you have had frequent employer changes, this format will highlight that fact and reduce your chances of getting an interview.
• Stagnant Career History - While each industry has it's specific time-lines for upwardly mobile employees, if you have stayed in the same position or same levels of an organization, you will be viewed with skepticism rather than admiration.  AVOID this resume format.
• Stutter-step History - If you have bounced around in several directions in your career path, and do not have a history where a reviewer would instantly recognize from job titles, exactly where to place you, this format will not be helpful.
• Age Discrimination Concerns - Forget the law - age discrimination, while patently illegal, is rampant.  If you have been out of college more than 20 years, or are over age 40, be VERY careful about how you list your work experience.  This format may NOT be your best friend, in spite of a host of assets.
• No On-The-Job Experience - This format will expose this most serious foible, and shine the brightest of lights on it.

These are the most glaring contraindications of a chronological resume.  But that is not all of the story.

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Divided Opinions About Chronological Resumes

I have searched over 1200 competing web sites in research for How-To-Make-A-Resume.org. I have found one very astonishing fact about expert opinion about whether recent graduates should use this format.

Strangely enough, I found these equally seriously credentialed industry leading experts almost equally divided in their conflicting opinions.

So, what does that mean for the recent graduate? It means the industry's best minds are divided about what you should do.

This writer tends to opine with those who recommend recent graduates AVOID this format. The reason for doing so is that the primary focus of this format is work history. If you don't have one, why use a format that focuses attention on your weakness and does not showcase YOUR best assets?

My recommendation for recent grads? Either a functional resume or a combination format. Either of these provide you more flexibility to focus on your strengths rather than put your weaknesses on center stage under the glare of the reader's spotlight.

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