Types of Résumés
There are multiple formats used to present information on a résumé, and each format has its own strengths and weaknesses. Choose a format that best highlights your past experiences and relates them to the job to which you are applying.
Chronological résumés (PDF) list all prior professional experiences in reverse chronological order. This is the most traditional type of résumé, and it highlights a progressive record of work experience. Chronological résumés are best for job seekers who have significant experience in the field where they are seeking a job. This format can be less effective if you are changing careers, have little work experience or need to draw a connection between an experience and a job that may seem unrelated. Chronological résumés can also cause an older but highly relevant experience to get buried at the end due to its format.
Modified chronological résumés (PDF) utilize a format that can highlight the strengths of graduate students. In this format, experiences are grouped based on their function (technical experience, research experience, leadership experience, administrative experience, etc.), and are listed in reverse chronological order within these categories. The categories can then be prioritized based on what types of experiences are most important to a particular job. It can permit the emphasis of a less recent but highly relevant experience at the top of a résumé, unlike the strict chronological résumé. Also, the category titles may help the reader contextualize an experience that may at first seem irrelevant. The only real problem associated with this format is that it is sometimes difficult for the job seeker to categorize past experiences.
Functional résumés (PDF) group the descriptions for several different experiences by skills used (such as communication skills, leadership skills, organizational skills, management skills, etc.) and the actual job titles and dates of the experiences are listed at the top or bottom of the résumé. This type of résumé is most useful for job changers and those with little experience because it emphasizes transferable skills and abilities, and minimizes gaps in employment. However, employers often don't like this format, as the relationship between an experience and a skill a can be lost.
Combination résumés (PDF) combine the strengths of the chronological and functional résumés by listing one's past experiences chronologically but classifying the descriptions used within these experiences by sets of skills (leadership skills, analytical skills, communication skills, technical skills, etc.). This format is excellent for job seekers with one to three extensive experiences that used multiple skills. It can successfully highlight connections between experiences that don't appear relevant to a particular job, and it often helps graduate students underscore the relevance of teaching and research assistantships, and the transferable skills they require. As with the modified chronological résumé, the only real problem with this format is that it is sometimes difficult to classify the skills used within a particular experience.
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