The average employer only spends a few seconds looking at a resume, which means that your resume must be well written and organized, properly highlight your accomplishments, and ultimately leave a lasting impression. There’s so much to consider in resume writing so the Alumni Edit will be featuring different posts tackling resume writing.
This post will focus on three resume styles: chronological, functional, and combination. The resume example for each style is the same person but formatted differently depending on the style.
1. CHRONOLOGICAL
A reverse chronological resume presents your work experience from newest to oldest. This means your resume will begin with your most recent job/internship and end with your oldest. Job achievements and skills are listed under each position which includes a heading by job title, company, location, and dates of employment.
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Employers typically prefer this style as it’s easy to read
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Very useful for current students and recent graduates
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Shows your upward mobility with job titles and responsibilities
2. FUNCTIONAL
This resume style organizes skills and experience that you believe to be the most relevant to the job/internship you’re applying for. Unlike reverse chronological, this style doesn’t show where you learned specific skills but rather which skills will best fit the position. When using this style, choose at least 3 skills that are applicable and 3-4 bullet points that help provide evidence of your abilities.
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Useful if you have large gaps in employment history
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Helps promote a specific skill set
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Candidates use this style when making a big career change
3. COMBINATION
This style combines reverse-chronological and functional.
Functional part – Begins with a professional profile or summary of qualifications that includes skills, abilities, and achievements relevant to the job opening.
Reverse- chronological part – The introductory section is then followed by your reverse-chronological professional experience, education, and additional sections.
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Not often used among students or entry level candidates
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Candidates use this style when transferring to a different industry
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Shows that you have a mastered skill set and various experiences
