Charles Ferree ⋅ Charleston , SC Boeing ⋅ 6 years experience

Andrew
Thank you for your service. I would suggest keeping your resume functional. Managers and HR folks will look at Resume's for a very brief amount of time. If they have to do alot of reading to get to the meat and potatoes of your resume, they are likely to move on to the next one. You need to make yours stand out and scream "I am the one you want".
Functional resume's (with bullet statements specifically geared towards the skills and qualifications that they are looking for) stand a better chance

Jamie Doud ⋅ Houston , TX JRD Consulting; (Prior): Easton Sports ⋅ 20 years experience

Hi Andrew, thanks for you many years service to our country, my Father was in the USAF.

I've been in HR/recruiting for 20+ years (Director/VP level of large global organizations).

I agree with the advice above concerning LinkedIn, get a profile up and going ASAP, and make sure the information matches what is in your resume.

I like the chronological resume, and here is why: You can do a double column bullet point list of your key skills, experience, abilities, etc. at the very top of your resume. Then list your work experience next, starting with the most recent experience and going back from there (no gaps, or explain why there are gaps: recruiters don't like gaps in work experience). Recruiters want to see what you've been doing in the last 1-3 years first, to see if it is current/relevant to the job they posted. Also, most interviews nowadays are done over the phone first, and it gives both the recruiter and you a choronological/systematic way to discuss your experience, and skills, etc. Otherwise everything is all over the place, and valuable time is wasted (you ususally only get 30 minutes if you are lucky on the phone).

And don't be afraid to have a "two-page" resume if you have 15 years or more of experience with more than 2-3 jobs. You don't want to try and "cram" everything into one page, and leave gaps, and not explain yourself properly. Most companies use computer systems to "mine" for particular "buzz" words that explain your experience, skills, educational/certification achievement, etc. The computer system then "greenlights" the resumes that match their criteria, and place into a "review bucket" for the recruiter to review (so one page resumes are only relevant for people with minimal experience, and for recruiters who read all the resumes themselves without a computer system to help "weed" out the others).

Make sure to have a generic one page, concise cover letter, that you modify each time to the specific recruiter/company you are applying to. Most employers won't even review you resume without a cover letter.

That's it, good luck with all.

Gregg Thompson ⋅ Louisville , KY UPS ⋅ 32 years experience

Ditto on the LinkedIn account as well as the Functional for your case!!! Gregg

Craig Bush ⋅ Boston , MA IBM ⋅ 11 years experience

I'm a hiring manager at my consulting company. I see thousands of resumes. Most, if not all, resumes are in reverse chronological order.

However, there are methods to highlight specific functional expertise. Message me if you're interested.

Cliff Balzer ⋅ New Port Richey , FL JPMorgan Chase ⋅ 40 years experience

Andrew,
Thank You for your service.

I have always used a chronological resume and it has served me well - my experiences include manufacturing, banking, consulting, software, and retailing.

What I have done is select those accomplishments from my resume and used them to build a profile at the top of the resume. These bullet points are closely aligned with each of the key elements of the job description. In changing careers all those times, I found that relevant accomplishments got me the in-person interview. The focus then shifted to my abilities and personal style.

My experience on the resume had sub-headings: Banking, Consulting, Software, Retailing with the employers and jobs listed. One of my profile bullets was highlighting my experience in these industries to illustrate my flexibility and that I was quick learner and contributor. "Quick-learner and flexible individual with contributions in the banking, consulting, software and retailing industries."

If the employer requires a cover letter, this is another opportunity to select your key accomplishments that fit the job description. You can also tell them, very briefly, in the letter why you are a good fit.

Am sure you know that most jobs are filled via referrals and networking and I expect you are doing this. You should have a 2-minute drill ready so you can tell people about your credentials and why you are interested in their field. Practice your drill with objective friends to get it polished. You may need a drill for each field you are considering.

-Cliff

Joe Paschall ⋅ Madison , AL nLogic, LLC ⋅ 26 years experience

Functional is the best format for someone trying to transition into an new area. I used Functional when I transitioned, and have since gravitated back to Chronological now that I have relevant experience in my field.

Phil C. ⋅ Fort Worth , TX ⋅ 3 years experience

I would take Charles' advice. What you can do is get a linkedin account and do the best you can to set it up in a chronological manor and then put the URL to it on your resume. In fact, I wouldn't suggest submitting a resume without a linkedin account, ever. You want to get the HR people and hiring managers interested in you and this is a good way to do it.