Step 3: Choose a Resume Format — Chronological, Functional, or Combination

You can immediately capture an employer’s interest by using the best resume format: chronological, functional, or combination. If your achievements and qualifications are presented in the right format, the reader will be able to quickly identify you as a top candidate in eight seconds or less.

Here are some guidelines to help you decide which format will work best for you.

The Chronological Resume

The most traditional format is the chronological resume. This format highlights your dates, places of employment, and job titles, presenting them as headings under which your accomplishments are written.

The chronological format is most effective when at least one of the following applies:

• You wish to remain in the same field or industry.
• Your work history shows lateral or vertical career growth or an increase in job responsibility, making your job objective the next obvious step in your career path.
• Your current or most recent position is one you are proud of and enjoy.
• There are no gaps in your employment history; or if you have gaps that can be filled with “job titles” that indicate you were doing something relevant or constructive during that time.

The Functional Resume

The functional resume presents your work experience under skill headings, which gives you the freedom to prioritize your achievements by their relevance and impact rather than by chronology. The dates, names of employers, and job titles in your work history are listed very concisely in a separate section, usually at the bottom of your resume.

The functional format is most effective when at least one of the following applies:

• You are making an extreme career change such that your work history is in no way relevant to your job objective. (For example, you are a psychologist who wants to become a landscape architect.)
• You have a checkered employment history (such as difficult-to-explain gaps in employment or job hopping) that you want to downplay as much as possible.
• You are preparing to re-enter the job market after a current span of unemployment, which you prefer not to highlight on your resume.
• You need to focus on experience or skills from a much earlier time in your work history.
• Your most recent position is not impressive or relevant.

The Combination Resume

The combination resume brings together the best of the chronological and functional resume formats to highlight both your work history and your relevant skills. Using the basic chronological format to present your work history in the body of the resume, skill subheadings are used to categorize achievement statements under each job title/employer.

The combination format is most effective when at least one of the following applies:

• You are making a career change and want to highlight your transferable skills.
• You wish to advance in the field or industry in which you are currently working.
• Your job titles do not accurately describe the level of responsibility you held.
• You want to fill gaps in employment with unpaid experience that is relevant to your job objective.

Which resume format do employers prefer?

The chronological format is most preferred by employers, followed closely by the combination format. Employers tend to be suspicious of job seekers who use the functional format, fearing the applicants are making false claims about their achievements or hiding something about their past. However, if the chronological or combination resume format doesn’t work for your circumstances, the functional resume can be effective if you address the employers’ concerns. Here’s how to do that: For each achievement statement on your functional resume, state clearly where that achievement took place by referencing a job title, organization, or activity you’ve listed in your Work History or Education section. 

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