3 main resume types

When you're writing your resume, you need to present the information in a way that best showcases your qualifications and helps the employer notice what you have to offer. What is a resume format? A resume's "format" is based on the headings you use such as Professional Summary, Experience, and Education ; the order in which they appear; and the dates of employment for each position. Each format serves a particular purpose. Contrary to its name, a chronological resume actually lists your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your current or most recent position and going back through each position you've held for the past 10 or 15 years or beyond that, if applicable.

Types of Resumes

There are three basic resume formats: chronological, functional, and a combination or hybrid. When most people think of resumes, they think of the chronological resume. The chronological format is designed to highlight the progression and growth of a professional life. For the job hunter, this format is the easiest to write.

Most employers prefer the chronological resume type. For the employer, this format is the easiest to follow and read. Some employers will have only ever seen this type of resume, and may be a little thrown off by a different format. However, the chronological format can deemphasize skills and personal strengths. Because it is focused on past jobs, it can make changing careers or employment tracks more difficult. The chronological format emphasizes time and dates, which can be a big disadvantage for anyone with short-term employment or employment gaps.

This can be a particular drawback for anyone who has had to take time away from working due to illness or disability. The functional resume focuses on skills and accomplishments, and deemphasizes dates and times. This format can be useful for people with short-term employment or employment gaps, as it emphasizes what you can do, not when you did it. The functional format also deemphasizes the type of work, which can be useful for people who want to list unpaid work experience, such as internships, job shadowing, or volunteering.

Also, this resume is considered the most useful for people who are changing or starting careers. The functional format is useful for emphasizing transferable skills. Imagine that David Copperfield decided to quit performing and become a human resources HR manager. However, the functional format deemphasizes the specifics of where the work experience was gained. If you are applying for a job and have experience with an employer in the same field, or have had the same job title as the new position, the functional format will make that less obvious.

This format is more difficult to write than the chronological, as it takes much more thought about how to best discuss your career and accomplishments. Also, some employers are not used to the functional format, and may find it more difficult to follow or read. Some employers may assume a functional resume is an attempt to hide something, and reject it outright. The combination resume uses elements from both the chronological format and the functional format.

This type of resume highlights what you can do, while still providing the chronological work history most employers are used to seeing. This format is the most difficult to write, and requires careful formatting and a great deal of editing.

If you are combining information from a chronological resume and a functional resume, you can easily end up with too much information, and have to spend time considering what to leave out. But for those who put in the effort, the payoff can be well worth it. To make the different resume formats easy to understand, we have provided some free resume samples in PDF and Word doc format. Feel free to use these as templates when you write your own resume.

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The four standard types of resumes include 1) chronological, 2) functional, 3) combination, or 4) targeted. Below are definitions of each type and recommendations. The 3 Types of Resumes. For many career professionals, writing a great resume will involve several stages. There's the original planning.

Resumes tend to be very important, and essential, when an applicant appears for a job interview, or applies for a particular post. It is imperative that the required information ought to be presented in the correct manner, which can help the employer to correctly evaluate the applicant. More often, candidates having the required work experience and the right type of qualifications fail to qualify for the interview just because their resumes do not include the required information, or the resume is not properly drafted. Such candidates may be deserving, and may build a successful career given a chance. Eventually it all sums up to one thing — how you have prepared your resume.

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How much are you worth to employers? One key element that comes into play is how you present information in your resume. Resume format refers not to the design or look of your resume but to how you organize and emphasize your information.

What are the Three Main Resume Types?

Dedicated to helping job seekers find work during the pandemic. Click here to read more. Use action verbs and numbers to describe your accomplishments i. In a functional resume , organize your skills into categories for easy scanning i. One good rule of thumb is to find and use keywords from the job description. It also presents transferable skills that would prove useful across different jobs or career fields.

Resume Formats to Land the Job You Want

Dedicated to helping job seekers find work during the pandemic. Click here to read more. Not all resume types are the same. Resume formats affect the way hiring managers view your job candidacy. Typically, recruiters spend no more than six seconds reviewing your resume - so it must be easy to scan. In addition, well over half of all major employers utilize applicant tracking systems, which require the use of specific keywords. This page will guide you through the 3 main resume formats: functional, chronological and hybrid. When you are ready, try our easy-to-format resume templates in our resume builder. This page will review the 3 main resume formats: chronological, functional and combination format and other must-know resume formatting tips. This is the most widely used resume format in the world and the one hiring managers, HR and recruiters will be most familiar with.

For many career professionals, writing a great resume will involve several stages. Each step is important, but the order in which you approach them can greatly increase your efficiency and the quality of your final product.

There are several basic types of resumes you can use to apply for job openings. You can choose to write a chronological, functional, combination, or a targeted resume.

What are the Different Types of Resume Formats?

There are three basic resume formats: chronological, functional, and a combination or hybrid. When most people think of resumes, they think of the chronological resume. The chronological format is designed to highlight the progression and growth of a professional life. For the job hunter, this format is the easiest to write. Most employers prefer the chronological resume type. For the employer, this format is the easiest to follow and read. Some employers will have only ever seen this type of resume, and may be a little thrown off by a different format. However, the chronological format can deemphasize skills and personal strengths. Because it is focused on past jobs, it can make changing careers or employment tracks more difficult. The chronological format emphasizes time and dates, which can be a big disadvantage for anyone with short-term employment or employment gaps. This can be a particular drawback for anyone who has had to take time away from working due to illness or disability. The functional resume focuses on skills and accomplishments, and deemphasizes dates and times.

Resumes are like advertisements. Depending on the type of job you are applying to, different resume formats may apply. The four standard types of resumes include 1 chronological, 2 functional, 3 combination, or 4 targeted. Below are definitions of each type and recommendations on which format works best. Chronological: What is it - Chronological resumes are the most commonly used format. They list work history in chronological order, starting with your most recent job down to your earliest. This resume is preferred by most employers because it provides a quick snapshot of work history, with most recent positions up front. This type of resume de-emphasizes the dates in which you have worked. Employment history is secondary, and is listed under the details of your skills.