What's the right resume format for your industry?

1 Chronological resume format

The chronological resume format is the most traditional and widely used one. It lists your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent or current job. This format is ideal for showing a clear and consistent career progression, highlighting your relevant skills and accomplishments, and demonstrating your stability and loyalty. It's also preferred by most recruiters and hiring managers, who can easily scan your resume and see your work history. However, the chronological format may not be the best choice if you have gaps in your employment, frequent job changes, or a diverse or unrelated work background. It may also draw attention to your age, which could be a disadvantage in some industries.

2 Functional resume format

The functional resume format focuses on your skills and abilities, rather than your work history. It groups your skills into categories, such as communication, leadership, or technical, and provides examples of how you used them in different contexts. This format is useful for highlighting your transferable skills, especially if you are changing careers, reentering the workforce, or have limited work experience. It can also help you showcase your achievements and potential, rather than your past employers or titles. However, the functional format may raise some red flags for recruiters and hiring managers, who may wonder why you are hiding your work history, or how your skills relate to the job. It may also be harder to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS), which scan resumes for keywords and dates.

3 Hybrid resume format

The hybrid resume format combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats. It starts with a summary of your qualifications, skills, and achievements, followed by a reverse chronological list of your work experience. This format allows you to highlight your most relevant and impressive skills and accomplishments, while also providing a clear and detailed work history. It's also flexible and adaptable, as you can customize it to fit your industry and career goals. The hybrid format is suitable for most job seekers, especially those who have a mix of skills and experience, or who want to emphasize their value proposition. However, the hybrid format may be longer and more complex than the other formats, so you need to be careful not to overload your resume with too much information or repetition.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?