Types of Resumes- Know Which One Will Work Best For You

There are four key types of resumes namely reverse chronological, target, functional and combined. The resume type, one chooses, depends on the job and circumstances. It is vital to consider your career goals and present situation before settling on a particular resume type. With these considerations, any of these four resumes can work to your advantage.

Chronological Resume

The chronological resume is considered the most conventional form of representation on paper. Since the focus is on experience, this resume is preferable for those who stay in the same profession, but have changed jobs.

Characteristics of Chronological Resume

• Lays emphasis on continuous employment
• Considers short-lived employment stints
• Arranges information in descending order(most recent first)

Requirements of a Chronological Resume

In this type of resume;

• It is extremely valuable to have selective wording, so as to save the employer from much interpretation work
• Use action verbs to describe experiences, and emphasize transferrable skills

When to Choose the Chronological Resume

It is advisable to use the chronological resume format if;

• Your recent job titles and/or employers are the sole pertinent credentials you possess.
• Any prospective employer will readily understand your recent positions and skills.
• There is a clear and logical path in your career towards the next hot job.
• There are no time gaps in your working history.

Functional Resume

This is also a popular resume format in use today. Contrary to the chronological resume, this format type, highlights the skills and accomplishments of the candidate. For those changing from one career to another, or are generalists, perhaps you need to try this one. In addition, the functional resume works so well for people with a wide range of professional skills, military officers, and students etc.

Characteristics of Functional Resume

• Emphasizes skills, accomplishments and qualifications
• Ignores chronological order
• Tells the employer what the candidate is able to do
• Focuses on skills, qualities and aptitudes that the candidate may apply in various situations
• The most suitable to circulate among your networks

When to Choose the Functional Resume

The functional resume is valuable for people who;

• Want to work in a field different from their academic background, or whose job-related experience is not direct
• Have a so general education that a gap must be bridged to match their education with job requirements
• Have immense work experience, which might be of immediate use.
• Are in self employment and own a business

Combination Resume

A combination resume is simply a blend of the functional and chronological varieties. This type is perfect for candidates with an uninterrupted job history. The advantage of this resume format is that it allows the candidate to list achievement under each job. In this arrangement, the employer is able to see whether qualifications match the job requirement.

Advantages of Combination Resume

A candidate would choose this format because;

• It is suitable for any kind of job seeker
• It highlights both experience and skills
• It allows the candidate to aim for a particular organisation or position

The main drawback of this type of resume is that it tends to be longer than the rest. This is partly because; you may need to repeat skills and accomplishments in both the “chronological” and “functional” sections.

Target Resume

This is the rare type of resume. Usually, this resume does not go beyond one page as it contains only few sections. Only the information required for a position is included in this representation. Therefore, if one is looking for different positions, he might want to have several target resumes.

It is argued that using a target resume increases the chances of landing a job. A target resume helps the candidate get noticed by the employer, thus increasing job chances. This is because; unlike the all-purpose version, a target resume is tailor-made to meet specific requirements.

A sample target resume may have these sections: Name & contacts, Profile, Abilities, Achievements, Experience and Qualifications.

When to use a target resume

You may want to use a target resume if;

• You have the skills and abilities, but lack direct job experience, as required
• you are applying for a position in an organization you are presently attached to
• You are applying for a specific job

Tips To Succeed With Resumes

Regardless of the type of resume, you opt for, there are some guidelines that might help create the best representation. Remember that the employer is looking for certain attributes and the candidate must showcase them on paper. Consequently, it is necessary for the candidate to craft the resume in such a way that it speaks the employer’s language. The importance of keywords in the resume rings in mind at this juncture.

Employers are also looking for results from their employees, so this attribute needs to be evident throughout the resume. Therefore, instead of highlighting character traits and job specifications, the candidate may want to focus on accomplishments on the job.

Craft your resume with these points in mind and it would not take you long to get that valuable call for an interview.