February 14, 2006

Why This Kind of Resume?

First: start from the beginning and read my resume and my introduction ("cover letter").

Martin John Yate, author and career consultant, calls this format a "functional" resume, making the following points:

1. It focuses on the professional skills one has developed over the years.
2. It is suited for mature professionals with a storehouse of expertise and jobs.
3. It is also suited for career-changers who want to focus on skills rather than credentials.

However, this is more than a skills-based resume; it is a "talent-based" resume. Authors Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton distinguish natural talents from things one can learn. "Talents are naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior... Knowledge consists of the facts and lessons learned. Skills are the steps of an activity."

In this resume, I have chosen to directly address my talents: leadership, creativity, and a natural ability to relate to a broad range of people.

As time goes on, I will add (on this website) some proof of my claims, that is, the traditional stuff one might see in resumes -- positions, projects, results, etc. But for now, my focus is on stating clearly who I am, not just what I've done.

Posted by ergo at February 14, 2006 09:45 AM
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