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Chronological Resume
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Types of Resumes

An interesting fact worth noting is that there are as many different types of resumes as there are applicants. No two candidates can design their resume in the same manner. Most resumes cater to individual needs and circumstances and are tailored accordingly. But we could broadly classify resumes into three categories, - chronological, functional and combination.

1. Chronological Resume

This is the more widely used format and is the traditionally preferred one. It emphasizes on the work experience which is listed in reverse order, beginning with your latest job and going back successively to your previous ones. There is a short description about the duties and responsibilities handled at every position that the applicant has worked at. This type of resume is popular with most of the employers as it is simple, easy to read and gives a fair idea about the candidate's profile with just a quick glance.

When to use the chronological resume?

This kind of resume is best suited to those who have a continuous and unbroken work history and want to use this fact as their trump card. The chronological resume can effectively highlight your strong experience, projecting you as a competent candidate who has been able to grow in professionalism and expertise after having handled several positions of responsibility. This can help the applicant get a higher designation than one in the previous job.

Advantages and disadvantages of the chronological resume

This type of resume clearly plots your employment history and depicts your progress over the years. This is exactly what most recruiters seek in a potential employee and hence can win favor with prospective employers who prefer a traditionally designed resume.

The disadvantage of such a resume is that little emphasis is put on your skills, talents and achievements. Also, chronological resumes will not work for an applicant with meager experience or long gaps between jobs or for those who plan to change their career path.

2. Functional Resumes

Functional resumes put the spotlight on your skills rather than on your work history. It begins by drawing attention to your accomplishments and skill sets and mentions your work history very briefly at the end of the document. Here, the applicant should try to match the skills with the job profile of the post applied for and must provide evidence of every skill with an associated achievement. Refrain from mentioning skills and aptitudes that you don't really possess and will not be able to prove.

When to use the functional resume?

Functional resumes would be an ideal choice for those with lesser or inconsistent work experience and also for those who have decided on a career change. It also works well for those who are returning to their careers after a long gap and would like to focus the employer's attention to their skills and aptitudes rather than their prior employment history. If the applicant's skills match well with the requisites of the job applied for, then the functional resume format would be the most appropriate.

Advantages and disadvantages of functional resume

The biggest advantage of a functional resume is that it projects your skills and achievements and can be used by those who do not possess a strong work experience. Another plus point is that you could also stress upon skills that you have honed through voluntary or honorary work despite the fact that it does not constitute paid employment.

The flip side of functional resumes is that most employers still prefer the traditional and popular format where work history is the main point of focus. They find it hard to assess and evaluate the ability of the applicant and his/her potential worth for the company.

3. Combination or Hybrid Resumes

This kind of resume is like a middle path between chronological and functional resumes. A combination resume borrows the positive points of both the types of formats to create a new third type of resume. Here, the applicant can project skills as well as draw attention to employment history. This happens to be the most widely used resume as it allows the candidates to back their prior work experience with the relevant skills and attributes, thus adding a more authentic touch to their candidature. This resume usually begins with a summary which includes a list of skills and competencies followed by a crisp and concise chronology of employment history in reverse order. The work history only need include the job titles, name of companies and dates that the candidate was employed there.

When to use the combination resume?

This kind of resume can focus the reader's attention on the skill sets that would be a perfect match with the post applied for. If the previous job titles held do not adequately describe your skills and expertise, then it would be best to use a combination resume which links the relevant skills and prior experience with those that match the position applied for.

This resume would also work well for those who desire a career change as they can mold their skill sets to suit their situation and the needs of the new career they plan to take up.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Combination resume

The biggest advantage of a combination resume is that it takes the best of both worlds and effectively blends the benefits of both chronological and functional resumes. This way the advantages of both are optimized and the drawbacks are reduced.

The disadvantage of this type of resume is that it tends to be a bit lengthier than the others and risks being repetitive. Also, a combination resume cannot be a general readymade resume that can be sent across to different companies. It would have to be tailored to suit the goals, aspirations and work culture of the company that you have applied to.

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