Different Types of Rsum and When to Use Them

Chronological rsum

Habitually used rsum format that does not always make the main target easier: TO OBTAIN
AN INTERVIEW
The academic education (including masters and seminaries) and the experience appear in inverse
chronological order, beginning by the present or last work and later the previous ones, and
finishing with the studies:
Disadvantages of this format: it shows the periods of inactivity (months, years) and/or the very
frequent changes of work. This often makes the candidate cover these spaces with irrelevant
information for the position.
It emphasizes the persons progression in work: promotion and increase of responsibilities are
reflected, which has the disadvantage of showing if a person, although very effective in his or her
work and satisfied with their role, has not ascended or taken more responsibilities.
When to use the chronological rsum
If you have a good professional experience.
If you havent had periods without work.
If you have not changed jobs much.
If you are looking for work in the same type of sector.
If you have worked in an important company and you think that this represents "a good calling
card.
Advantages:
The format is traditional and accepted by most of the selection departments.
Easy to read and understand.
It shows your job stability.
It reflects your increase of responsibilities and/or promotion.
It emphasizes the type of position and the companies in which you have worked.

It describes your roles and achievements.

Disadvantages:
It emphasizes your change of company.
It may focus too much on your age.
It may show a lack of recycling or updating training.
It reflects the gaps in work activity.

Functional rsum
The rsum functional avoids the disadvantages of the chronological rsum type and facilitates
the exhibition of abilities and achievements obtained, although the dates in the work experience
are not continuous, helping to disguise the periods of inactivity or successive similar jobs
without promotion. The functional rsum type is used when you want to highlight the
professional career or enter a totally different activity in which the type of company and/or
studies is not relevant but the abilities, capacities and type of work are.
You can use the functional rsum:
If you want to emphasize your abilities over the duration of your work experience.
If you want to return to the job market after a period of inactivity.
If there are many periods of unemployment between each job.
If you have changed jobs quite often.
If you are looking for a job in a completely different sector.
If you think that your age can be a barrier ("very young, very old").
If you have worked as a freelance / self-employed.
If you have just graduated, without experience.
If you have had military experience or volunteered.
If you have been a businessman.

Advantages
It shows the persons capacities and strengths.
It allows you to reflect the abilities and knowledge that are more relevant to the position you
want to obtain.
It eliminates the role repetition in similar positions.
Flexibility to present /display your person and achievements obtained
Useful in new technologies, Internet, telecommunications, media, publicity....
You can speak of abilities, interests, motivations, that you do not always use in your work, but
which may be useful.
Disadvantages:
It does not emphasize the names of the companies for which you have worked.
The period of time in each position is not important.
It limits the description of the position and its responsibilities.

Combined rsum
Combined rsum format mixes the previous formats (chronological rsum and functional
rsum). The rsum begins with the functional format rsum and finishes with the
chronological format rsum. The combined rsum format is more difficult to write and more
complex but it has the advantage of emphasising the experience and abilities that the candidates
have towards the new position they are applying for, as well as to reflect in a dynamic format
their experience and training.
Advantages
It shows very clearly that you know what you want to do and that you have the capabilities
necessary to carry out the position.
It includes the section "Goals Achieved".
It allows more flexibility and creativity in reflecting abilities.

It helps to obtain a particular position, something you cant achieve by leaving your rsum or
CV in a database (?) (very usual at jobsites).
Disadvantages
You need a different summary for each job that you choose. It is time-consuming.
It eliminates information on your abilities and experience that you may prefer to exclude if you
are applying for more than one position in the same company.

Personal data

- Essential: Full name, date of birth, address and telephone (landline and/or mobile) and email if
you have.
- Not necessary nor compulsory: civil status, children, age, race, religious beliefs.
- ID or passport is not necessary, but it is certain that there are companies whose computerised
database requires the introduction of and ID in order to store the rest of the data.
- Nationality and work permits: it depends on the place where you have chosen to work. If it is
Spain and you are either a Spaniard or a European Union citizen, just state your nationality.
Other nationals need to state if they have a residency or a work permit.
- Photograph: it is not necessary to send it, except at the request of the company making the
selection.