The Three Types of Resumes

Traditionally there are three types or formats of resume: 1. Chronological- This is the most typical type. It lists your work experience in order of most recent to oldest. It is focused on experience, but does not allow for highlighting skills, as skills are listed under the job where they were performed. This format also emphasizes work history gaps, and should not be used of this is an issue for you. 2. Functional- This format places emphasis on skills, and not so much on work experiences (the jobs themselves). It is a good style for people with gaps in their work histories such as students, people returning to the workforce after an absence (like stay-at-home parents, or people returning from an extended illness), or anyone with limited experience in the field (such as recent graduates). 3. Combination- As its name says, this is a combination of chronological and functional. It affords the opportunity to use the best parts of both types, allowing skills to be highlighted yet also giving a chronological list of work experience. As with the chronological resume, this type of resume is not as effective if there are work history gaps.