| A job application includes information that would | | | | first, but hiring companies disliked it because it |
| not be appropriate to list on a resume such as | | | | allowed job seekers to hide gaps in employment |
| references, reasons for leaving a job, salary | | | | and it made it difficult to understand a job |
| information and mailing addresses for each | | | | seeker's career path. |
| employer, to name a few. | | | | The solution was the combination format, which |
| Resumes have been in existence for several | | | | combines the elements of the chronological and |
| decades, probably right after WWII, and were | | | | functional formats to achieve flexibility and focus. |
| certainly a lot less complicated than they are | | | | In short, it satisfied the needs of both parties. To |
| these days. They were not as much of a critical | | | | this day, the chronological resume is the most |
| part of the job search process as they are now. | | | | preferred because it is straightforward. The trick |
| Many jobs, such as blue-collar trades, nurses, and | | | | is to have it mostly chronological with elements of |
| hairstylists required a brief conversation with a | | | | the combination format to break things up and |
| supervisor or to complete a job application at the | | | | add interest. Just make sure it is well organized. |
| business location in response to a simple job ad or | | | | During the 1980's, the World Wide Web as we |
| a walk-in-off-the-street effort to explore job | | | | know it today began to take hold and exploded |
| opportunities. | | | | by the 1990's making it very easy for job |
| The fact that people went directly to the | | | | seekers and hiring companies to communicate. |
| company to complete the application meant | | | | This meant exponentially more job seekers |
| minimal competition unless the country was going | | | | applying to job ads online than ever before. No |
| through a recession and the lines for even the | | | | longer could companies pick up the phone or read |
| lowest paying jobs wrapped around the block. | | | | an email to qualify a potential candidate. |
| The 1980's changed all of that. Companies felt the | | | | Companies do not have the resources to read a |
| financial pressures of the economy and emerging | | | | general letter or email covering the basics of a |
| competition, both in the U.S. and globally reaching. | | | | job seeker's employment history. They need to |
| To survive, major companies merged with other | | | | see a resume because a resume, although |
| companies or were acquired in leverage buy-outs. | | | | creatively written and designed, is still a technical |
| When two companies merge it creates duplicate | | | | presentation of a candidate's background, breaking |
| positions down the line. It usually takes about a | | | | it down into universally recognized sections that |
| year for the newly formed company or acquiring | | | | we all have grown to know and expect. |
| company to figure out who is staying and who is | | | | These all-familiar categories include Objective (or |
| going. | | | | Title Statement / Heading), Summary of |
| When the dust settles, there ends up being a rise | | | | Qualifications (or Profile), Professional Experience |
| in unemployment and fewer job openings. Since | | | | (or Work History), Education and Computer Skills. |
| the reason companies underwent a merger or | | | | Other categories include Community Involvement, |
| acquisition is financial, restructuring their company | | | | Military Background, Internship Experience, etc., |
| and its workforce was necessary and keep costs | | | | depending on the job seeker's unique background. |
| down. | | | | This makes it a lot easier for companies to scan |
| To achieve that goal, companies began hiring | | | | through hard copies of resumes coming in over |
| candidates who were well rounded and could | | | | the fax or in the mail. In fact, so many resumes |
| perform more than one job function. That way | | | | are sent to companies on a daily basis in response |
| the company could increase productivity and | | | | to job ads (print and online) or exploring |
| reduce payroll expenses. The proverbial dedicated | | | | opportunities that companies have implemented |
| employee who stayed in the same job for thirty | | | | the use of resume scanning technology. The |
| years and retired with a gold watch became a | | | | software uses Optical Character Recognition to |
| thing of the past and more of a risk to | | | | convert hard copy to text and stores it in a |
| companies looking for candidates who could | | | | database. Then when the company has a |
| multitask. | | | | vacancy, they go to their resume database and |
| This put a lot of pressure on job seekers to | | | | search for possible candidates. |
| develop resumes that highlighted how well | | | | Embrace the resume. It is an effective way for |
| rounded they were. The chronological resumes | | | | you to showcase your skills and achievements in |
| weren't really working well to achieve that goal, | | | | a way that an email or letter could not. That said, |
| so the functional resume was designed to | | | | you need a cover letter to because a cover |
| showcase a job seeker's functional skills rather | | | | letter is not technical and will allow you to establish |
| than their chronology. | | | | a rapport with a hiring manager in a way that you |
| The functional format seemed like a great idea at | | | | could not with just a resume. |