Resume Formats - Chronological
Resume,
Functional Resume, and Combination Resume
Resume formats can basically be divided into 3 types. The resume
format you select
will depend on how you wish to present your qualifications to
prospective employers.
Since each individual possesses a unique set of
talents, skills, abilities, experience, and training, there is no one format
that best suits everyone. However, it is essential to choose the appropriate
resume format suited to your individual circumstances.
Resume Format 1 - Chronological
Resume
In Chronological Resume Format, you identify information in reverse
chronological order, with your most recent experience listed first.
Chronological Resume Format is the easiest to prepare and seem to be the most
popular style used. Chronological Resume Format is very effective if most of
your work experience directly relates to your job objectives. Many job
seekers with limited experience also find Chronological Resume Format suitable.
This resume format is preferred among conventional or conservative
employers. Chronological resume is the traditional resume format.
Something to keep in mind with this format, however, is that it will not
stand out from other resumes. It works best for individuals who have
progressed in titles and responsibility in one position, have refrained
from job-hopping, having worked in one field and are seeking another
position in that same area, or have a good work history.
Samples of Chronological Resume
Resume Format 2 - Functional
Resume
Resume format written in the functional form places emphasis on
career-related experiences (i.e. work experiences, class projects, etc.) which
best support your job objectives. The main objective of this resume
format is to highlight the scope of experiences and accomplishments by
function without mentioning the company or companies concern. In the functional resume
format, additional jobs
are listed in another section, placing less emphasis on these unrelated
experiences.
Functional resume works well for individuals with
limited education, significant employment gaps, lack of work experience,
or who are applying for a position in a field that doesn't match their
career experience. Therefore, this is a good resume format for recent
graduates and career changers.
Samples for Functional Resume
Resume Format 3 - Combination
Resume
A combination/creative resume is simply one that combines elements from
the other resume formats already described. For example, you may choose
to add a skills category to a chronological resume or focus more on your
activities section to emphasize these experiences over less related work
experiences. Feel free to combine elements in any of the resume samples
to create a resume that fits your needs.
The combination resume is a contemporary resume style. It uses both
the functional and chronological formats and combines them to give a
useful hybrid of the two. The two formats may be combined in various
ways that allow you to tailor the style to specific employers. If you
know that an employer is conservative or conventional, you would want to
use more of a chronological format and highlight fewer skills. For
instance, a 75-25% mix of the two other forms. If you need to downplay
irrelevant work experience, gaps in employment, etc. and you know that
the employer is not particularly conservative, you may want to use a
50-50 mix or even a 75% functional and 25% chronological format. By
using this format, you are utilizing the advantages of both of the other
resume formats.
Samples of Combination Resume
