Positioning You: Resume, Interviewing, and Negotiation Basics Think of yourself as a product-what truly differentiates you from other candidates? What accomplishments have you achieved, and where do you want to go in the future? Your resume and your interviews should help tell that story. Building a Strong Case for Candidacy Powerful resumes need to be complete, absolutely accurate, and professional in appearance. In a competitive marketplace, employers look for traits that distinguish one candidate from another. Start at the beginning and ask, "Does the stated objective target my employment goals well? Does it limit my options by being too specific?" The format you choose isn't just a matter of style either. In general, most resumes follow one of two styles: traditional chronological order, or functional summary. The more traditional chronological resume presents skills and accomplishments within the framework of past employers. This approach often yields the best results because it provides the most explicit description of the quality and application of skills and shows a steady, progressively advancing employment history. The summary or functional resume distills total work experience into major areas of expertise and is a good choice for those who have changed jobs frequently. If a hiring manager is interested primarily in technical or problem-solving abilities, this is probably the most productive approach. An effective resume gives an employer a good sense of your potential value by emphasizing key elements in your background and presenting qualifications in a favorable light.