Understanding The 3 Fs of Resume Writing For More Interviews & Better Job Opportunities

Finding a job at any level is a task that is challenging enough due to the constantly changing job market, the consistent influx of graduates, and now the reconstructed workforce as a result of Covid-19. As individuals battle a fast-paced, competitive applicant pool, it is important to return to the basics of crafting a well-written, efficient resume. This is why it is important to understand the 3 F’s of resume writing.

On average, employers look at resumes for six to seven seconds. There is no longer room for including profile photos, flashy and colorful headers, and text, or randomly segmented categories. Having less than ten seconds to prove qualifications for a position enforces the idea that the focus point of drafting a resume, should be to stick to the Three Fs of Resume Writing: Function, Form, and e(F)fectiveness.

Function

The main function of the resume is to efficiently describe qualifications and achievements to the targeted audience. The motivation behind sending out a resume can be for various reasons, including receiving scholarships, certifications, internships, and professional roles, but the requirement of the functionality remains the same across all scopes. Construct your resume in a straightforward manner that prioritizes accessibility to contact information, highlighted achievements, and a descriptive overview of your ability to enhance the enterprise or organizational vision.

Subsequently, keep in mind that in a workforce that has focused on prioritizing culture-building and adaptability, the secondary function of the resume is to emphasize softer professional skills. Developing a personal introduction that showcases not only expertise of the role requirements, but a dedication to the team and business development and the ability to acquire knowledge in a fast-paced environment is key to an effective resume document.

Form

Often, professionals place too much emphasis on designing a form that is creative, or “eye-catching,” only to result in a document that can be overwhelming or distracting to a hiring manager, or electronic applicant system. When described as distracting, the overall look and formatting of the document is pulling the attention away from the information that matters, qualifications and achievements. While it is important to construct an aesthetically pleasing resume, it is equally important to keep the information clean and concise, keeping in mind the ten-second time limit previously mentioned.

When deciding what and when to highlight specific information, utilize the desired career path to determine which qualifications and achievements to bring to the top of the resume. For entry-level and graduate applicants with less professional experience, it is important to emphasize the educational and internship background closer to the top of the document, versus professional and executive candidates who benefit from creating a “select achievements” segment that highlight metrics, major projects, and improvement initiatives right off the bat. Although each resume is unique to the candidate, determining formatting that heightens relevance for the desired career move is an important foundational factor.

e(F)ectiveness

The two previous categories work together to secure the final requirement, effectiveness. An effective resume has a clear purpose that communicates the desired outcome, is straightforward and easy to read and navigate, and is formatted in a way that produces a relevant flow of information. These three factors coincide to ensure the resume is selected in a pool of other qualified candidates, whether a company is utilizing an electronic method or a hiring manager to surf through the documents.

An additional area of focus should be specific wording and grammatical accuracy. Filling the document with ample amounts of keywords without producing wordiness is a delicate, but necessary balance. A useful tip is to reference the job descriptions of roles you might be interested in to pull keywords and phrases to include in your resume. Having alignment with potential job descriptions automatically provides a leg-up in the applicant pool. Lastly, once you have constructed the document, proofreading is essential to safeguarding the accuracy and credibility of your work. Don’t put all of that work into designing a well-crafted document, only to be taken out of the competition due to grammatical errors.

For all levels of professionals, ranging from entry-level to C-suite executives, resume writing can be a daunting task. The best thing to do is to reduce the pressure surrounding the task by going back to the basics and utilizing the Three Fs to produce a document that celebrates your achievements and lands you that job!

CONTACTS

Business Inquiries

Ryan Miller
Client Success Manager
Employment BOOST
ryan.miller@employmentboost.com

Press Inquiries

Kane Carpenter
Director of Marketing
Employment BOOST
kane.carpenter@employmentboost.com

A guide and continuous reference for all things relating to your online presence and how to maintain it.

Receive a comprehensive audit of your online presence and elevate your brand with a published thought leadership article and accompanying press release.

Are your upcoming interviews making you nervous? Partner with a Certified Professional Career Coach to prepare with a targeted mock interview session that emulates your real-world interviews as closely as possible.

Cut through red tape with a list of job leads curated by our in-house research team. Receive a personalized list of open roles and hiring manager contact information to improve your chances of landing an interview.

Create a tailored job search strategy with advice and job market insights from a Certified Professional Career Coach. Take on your search with confidence after discussing topics like ATS optimization and professional networking.

Sharpen your interview skills with an hour of dedicated interview preparation coaching. Work with a Certified Professional Career Coach to build an elevator pitch, practice behavioral and situational responses, and brainstorm key questions to ask your interviewer.

Add on your choice of a one-on-one coaching session with our Certified Professional Career Coach to help you best prepare for any aspect of your upcoming interview. Coaching sessions are 45 to 60 minutes in length and cover topics that are custom to your unique job searching situation.

Add on your choice of a one-on-one job search coaching session with our Certified Professional Career Coach to help you best prepare for your upcoming job search. Learn the best practices around where to put your resume for maximum visibility and how to best position your resume for the most valuable callbacks from employers.

Get a 12-month subscription ($180 value) to Careerology, the leading video content platform dedicated to helping professionals achieve their career goals.

Careerology is the professional development and career success platform for the ambitious.

Whether you’re looking for your next great job opportunity, looking to climb the ladder at your current company, and pursuing entrepreneurship by starting your own firm, our team of Career Coaches and Business Experts are here to help.

With new content released every day, Careerology is the hub for all your professional learning and success.

LinkedIn is the #1 place headhunters go to find you. With a LinkedIn Development upgrade, we will update your profile with your new resume information, keyword optimize, and assist with your photo selection and editing if needed.

Please Note: 24 and 48 Hour Resume Rush Service speeds up the time of delivery after your intake session. The sooner you schedule your intake session, the faster you will receive your documents. Rush is only available for the resume writing portion of your package and only applies to business hours.

Intake sessions take place during normal business hours Monday-Friday.

Available intake times will be highlighted post-purchase. If you cannot find a suitable time, call us immediately after your purchase.