top of page
Writer's pictureRaizanwal Nimal

Ultimate Guide to Top Resume Formats

The first thing hiring managers notice about you is your resume. And no, we're not talking about what it contains. We're talking about the format of your resume.


In order to make a lasting impression in front of the hiring managers, you have to elegantly format your resume with a sophisticated formatting style.


In this blog, we'll cover:

● Standard resume formats

● Who are they suitable for

● Their structure and formatting tips

● Pros and cons



SKILL-BASED/FUNCTIONAL RESUME

Ideal work experience: 0 - 3 years


For: A. Professionals at creative jobs

B. Freelancers with an upstanding portfolio

C. Military veterans transitioning to civilian jobs

D. Ex-CEOs or High-level Executives who don't want to seem overqualified.


Structure: 1. Contact information

2. Resume objective

3. Skills Summary

4. Additional skills

5. Work Experience

6. Academic qualifications


Formatting tips: 1. For the resume objective section: briefly explain your motive for pursuing a career. Mention your most important skills. You can also provide a link to your online portfolio, blog, or personal website.

2. For the skills summary section: Write about 4 - 5 skills most relevant to the job you're applying for. Don't just list your skills, write about how and when you applied your skills. Point out software that you're proficient in. Wherever possible, quantify or use numbers. Use bulletins or paragraphs.


Pros: 1. Makes up for the lack of required work experience and highlights skills.

2. It is a creative format, which is suitable for non-traditional industries.

3. This type of resume format can also be used by military veterans.


Cons: 1. Most hiring managers dislike this format since it's not easy to skim through quickly.

2. It gives the impression that you're trying to hide something.

3. It is highly likely to fail the Applicant Tracking Software ( ATS ) resume test.


REVERSE-CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME

Ideal work experience: 10 or more years


For: Professional with a lot of work experience


Structure: 1. Contact information

2. Resume summary or Resume objective

3. Work experience

4. Academic qualifications

5. Skills

6. Additional resume information


Formatting tips: 1. For the work experience section: Start with your recent job and end with the earliest. With every list entry, mention your position, name of the company and the dates you worked there. Within each entry, mention at least 5 achievements. Use action words and quantify data wherever possible. Add a " key achievement " section to highlight your most important skill.


2. Mold the resume according to the job you're applying for. By listing the most relevant skills and achievements first.


Pros: 1. Can easily go through the ATS resume test.

2. It highlights your career's peak.

3. Recruiters know this format well, so it's easy for them to go through it.


Cons: 1. You'd have to make efforts to grab the recruiters attention.

2. Large gaps in work history can be easily noticed.

3. Not ideal for individuals who are frequent career switchers.


COMBINATION/HYBRID RESUME

Ideal work experience: 3 - 10 years


For: Highly specialized professionals or very experienced senior candidates


Structure: 1. Contact information

2. Skills summary

3. Additional skills

4. Work experience

5. Academic qualifications


Formatting tips: 1. Skill summary is the focal point of this resume.

2. In the skill summary section: List the most relevant skills needed for the job you're applying for.

3. Provide examples of achievements and professional experience. Use bulletins if possible.


Pros: 1. Combines the features of Functional and Reverse-chronological resumes.

2. This format exhibits your most relevant skills with credible testimonials.

3. Can also be used by individuals having large gaps in their work history. Since the work experience compensates for that.


Cons: 1. Suitable only for individuals who have lots of work experience and are applying for a specific job post.

2. One of the hardest resume formats to create.



Need help with making your resume? Reach out to our career experts at Success Route Consulting.

9 views1 comment

1 Comment


vanka1967
Oct 22, 2023

Everything is right. But you know, the resume may be a little different. I work in the field of video editing and my resume is my portfolio consisting of my works. I do all my work in Mac screen recorder Many, but not all, like my work because you will not please everyone, but I advise everyone who is interested in this area to try. If you manage to figure it out, then you will always be a well-off person.

Like
bottom of page