Different Types of Resume

Preparing a prefect resume, for most of us, can be a daunting task. There are numerous types of resume depending upon the circumstances and the prospective market. There are various opinions on the type of resume and which one will suit your requirements. Everyone has a different work history, different skills set, and educational background.

There is no “one size fits all” concept when it comes to writing and sharing your resume. Amidst all these options, it is very difficult to choose the type and its formats carefully. But if you are able to choose the correct format as per your positions, half of the work is done.

So, to help you, we shall let you know some of the formats which can be used to write your resume.

Since we are all aware what a resume is and why do you need one, it is imperative to understand how many sorts of resumes can be developed?

Depending upon several views, there can be 3-4 specific categories in which a resume can be developed. Let’s see how many types of resumes are there:

1. Chronological: This is a very popular format used by many candidates. As you can understand by the name, a chronological resume focuses on the sequential history of your work. This is mostly presented in reverse chronological sequence as it starts with the recent first. This means that the resume will start with your current work and will go backward. This type of resume allows you to show your work history well.

   It works well if you have not changed jobs very frequently and could stick to 2-3 organizations maximum. This format shows your growth, your career path, and upward progression well. Since this is a conventional kind of resume, it is preferred mostly by the candidate and the recruiters. This gives a clear picture of your work history. It becomes easy for hiring a manager to understand if the resume is developed in a chronological format.

   In chronological format resume, the flow of information would start from your name and contact information, resume summary, which can also be called as profile synopsis or summary. Then comes your employment details with complete tenure, name of the organization and your designations in each organization.

   Each organization is divided into two sections - role and achievements. Then comes core skill section wherein 6 to 9 skills are enlisted which are most relevant. Post this comes your education/trainings/certifications if you have done. Then the last section is personal details in which you can state your date of birth, address and the languages that you know.

2. Functional Resume: A functional resume is mostly used when you do not want to emphasize on your work history date wise, rather you highlight your skills and areas of expertise.

   In a functional resume, your skills and competencies are given more priority. People who have switched jobs very frequently or have changed career should ideally go with this format as this does not emphasize on many organizations that you worked for. Instead this, you should highlight your key skills which you have gained while working with these organizations.

   This format is ideal if you have career gaps. Functional format is a skill based resume. Functional formats also start with your name, contact details but unlike the chronological resume, after your profile summary, there will be skills section which will have all the relevant skills which is required for the job you are applying for.

   This format de-emphasizes on your jobs switch rather the focus of recruiter will be mostly to your skills section. This particular section shows that the transferable skill which you are having will be beneficial to your potential organization.

   This format works best for those who have changed careers, or who have a gap in their career and wants to enter the professional world with a new and fresh zeal. People who are working as freelancers in several companies at the same time can also use functional resume format.

   The only disadvantage of this format is that for some recruiter, it is little confusing as sometimes it becomes difficult to connect between skills and the organizations where they have been acquired.

3. Combination Resume: This is also referred as Mixed Resumes. As the name suggests it is a good amalgamation of both the kinds explained above – Chronological and Functional formats. This format talks about your skills and experience first, and your employment history comes next.

   The combination resume these days are becoming desired and acceptable as it appropriately takes care of both the front – your work history as well as your skills. The combination format resume helps in focusing on your skills and accomplishments while providing a timeline of your work history till date.

   This format comes in handy when you have done the same kind of work in more than 2 organizations and yet you do not want the monotonous repetition of job-description. This format works well if you are going through the same kind of scenario. But make sure in combination format, the summary of your profile should be strong enough which is clearly depicting your skills and achievements in brief.

   Your resume should lead with a strong career summary. While writing experience section, you should more focus on your achievements part rather than job responsibilities and day to day duties. Avoid any redundant and unnecessary details which are not relevant to your targeted profile.

   This format is also good for those who had a career break due to any reason, and now they are planning to re-enter the job market. This will allow them to stress more upon their skill set that they can offer instead of talking about their career gaps or transitory work history.

4. Targeted Resume: It is a customized version of a resume which provides details regarding your experience and core skills in accordance with the requirements of the job for which you are applying for.

   A targeted resume essentially focuses on outlining the qualifications and proven abilities across the career to mirror the job opening, but care must be taken in ensuring that the information which is shared needs to be accurate as far as possible and not embellished. One of the major limitations of this type of resume is it is very time-consuming due to the customization element involved in it.

5. Mini Resume: Mini resume offers a snapshot or a brief summary of the key highlights of your career, core skills and qualifications/certifications which you have acquired.

   It may work well under those circumstances when a prospective employer asks for just an overview of your career accomplishments instead of a detailed description which is usually presented in a regular resume.

6. Non-Traditional Resume: This kind of a resume makes extensive use of graphics, photos, visuals, images and various impressive templates. In the contemporary scenario, visual resumes are in trend and increasingly being demanded by the recruiters. Especially for IT and various other technical positions.

There could be many other formats as well used by candidates based on their need and circumstances. But most commonly these 3 sorts of formats are the ones which are being used predominantly by job seekers. So, which one is good for you?