3 Resume Formats and How to Use Them

Jobstreet content team – updated on 10 March, 2022

Employers meet you first through your resume. At a glance, hirers can weigh if you have the skills, work experience, and character to fit the job requirements. To convince employers to hire you, write your resume in a way that reflects your unique selling points. To get--and keep--their attention, you must write polished resume formats that best showcase your professional skills and experience.

How do you do it? Follow these tips on how to write a resume, depending on the resume format that suits your career journey.

Chronological resume format

Tenured candidates can benefit from using the chronological resume format. With this format, they can clearly show that their career path leads to the position they are applying for. Many recruiters are keen to review this type of resume as it is easy to read.

As the term implies, a chronological resume format lists down your work experience, only in reverse: start from your most recent job.

Listing your professional experience from most to least recent, indicate the following for each job:

Your position title and the company you worked for
The dates you were employed
Your job responsibilities
Career milestones, promotions, and achievements

Make it short and sweet, but ensure that you include all the important details. Quantify your responsibilities and achievements with figures and percentages.

TIP: Since you will be listing down a lot of information, use resume keywords to draw attention to your work achievements. Some of the keywords you can use when describing your accomplishments or projects are:

Responsible for
Headed
Managed
Accomplished
Achieved

Use verbs that are relevant to the task you are talking about. This way, the recruiter will get engaged and see that you can drive good results.

Also read: Make your resume stand out with these 10 power words

Functional resume format

Using the functional resume format is advisable for fresh graduate candidates, applicants with gaps in their employment history, and those who want to switch careers. This resume format lets jobseekers showcase transferable skills and achievements suitable for the position they are applying for. Doing so shifts the focus from the work experience to soft skills which can be used in any position or industry.

To use the functional resume format, organize your work history by themes or sections that highlight skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the position you are applying for. This will make it easier for recruiters to determine if you have the right skills for the job, even if most of your work history was in a different industry.

TIP: Use keywords from the job posting to emphasize your accomplishments, soft skills, and hard skills that demonstrate your suitability for the position. This may include leadership skills, project management, and proficiency in certain computer applications.

Also read: How to Craft a Winning Career Change Resume

Combination resume format

You can get the best practices from both chronological and functional resume templates. To incorporate the two, focus on your skills and accomplishments first, then add your work experience.

This resume format might leave you with a long resume, so make time to edit and curate your content. Generally, a good resume should not exceed two pages. Remember, recruiters only have a few seconds to scan your resume. Make them count.

TIP: To clearly define the two parts of your combination resume, use bold fonts and section breaks. Use bullet points when listing your skills and keep your descriptions concise.

Ready to apply to a job where you can get the most out of your passions and skills? After revising your resume, update your profile and find #JobsThatMatter to you on JobStreet. For more practical tips, expert insights, and industry news, visit the Career Resources Hub.

At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation.

Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobStreet today.

About SEEK Asia

SEEK Asia , a combination of two leading brands JobStreet and JobsDB, is the leading job portal and Asia's preferred destination for candidates and hirers. SEEK Asia's presence span across 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. SEEK Asia is part of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed SEEK Limited Company, the world's largest job portal by market capitalisation. SEEK Asia attracts over 400 million visits a year.

About SEEK Limited

SEEK is a diverse group of companies, comprising a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK has a global presence (including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, South-East Asia, Brazil and Mexico), with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 27 per cent of global GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people's lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies by Forbes.