Preparation of the Chronological Resume

The chronological resume presents the information in somewhat more detailed form than does the basic resume. It is favored by office workers, white-collar assistants, sales personnel and service employees. It is also useful for those in the skilled crafts and similar occupations, including semiskilled blue-collar workers.

The occupational inventory for this type of resume usually records experience in chronological order, fol lowing the details of education and job descriptions. If you have held many jobs, be careful not to waste valuable space by listing and describing work that is in no way related to the job you are now seeking.

In that section of the resume where you list previous jobs, you start with the last job and follow back in succession to your first job. The following is suggested as a possible arrangement for the chronological resume:

1. Name and address.
   
   
2. Personal Data.
   
   
3. Work record: Start each entry with the number of years you were on the job, the title of the position, if any, and the names and ad dresses of the companies. If you have any particular accomplishments that relate to the jobs held, then describe them as best you can to supplement the entry.
   
   
4. Give the kind of training and experience you acquired, and above all try to emphasize the type of work you prefer.
   
   
5. Refer to your memberships in the community and in the trade, and to whether you are a union man.
   
   
6. Explain about the salary you expect in relation to the job, and state if you are willing to negotiate a new salary.
   
   
7. List references.
   

The chronological resume is justly favored because it is so easy to prepare. Nevertheless, some employers recognize its limitations with regard to special skills or special types of experience an applicant may have. Therefore, in using the chronological resume, be sure to take special care in describing your jobs and your special skills.

Occupational Inventory for a Chronological Resume

NAME AND ADDRESS

Begin preparing your resume by writing down your name, address and telephone number,

OCCUPATIONAL OBJECTIVE

The objective is a short description of your occupational goal. Include only the salient points of the position you desire.

WORK RECORD

List your former positions and give as much information as possible about each previous job and length of experience in the fields that you mention. Put all information you have in writing; later you can extract pertinent material for your resume.

Do not fool yourself about your skills. You may be tempted to try, but you must be honest with yourself. Start by listing jobs that you can do well, such as auditor, bookkeeper, statistician. If you are a graduate of a business administration course, you are probably equipped to hold a position in an accounting department or in a statistical division.

But you should not mention work just because it sounds interesting unless it is an activity that you want to explore and for which you have the proper educational background and personal aptitude.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Under the entry Education, list all the training you have had, name all the institutions where you have studied and give the dates of attendance. This record must be clear, because many firms like to have a full chronological description of your education and dates of attendance at each institution. Show all courses taken, whether they are single subjects or part of a complete program of study.

SERVICE

If you have served in the armed forces of the United States, you should mention this fact, to show how you have spent your time in the past.

SALARY

Specify your salary range. On a separate piece of paper, list your salary history to submit on request. (But there are disadvantages as well as advantages to including this information; use your judgment.)

REFERENCES

Submit on request. Collect letters of recommendation from past employers to have available when requested. Make duplicates so that you will not have to part with the originals.