What Resume Format is Best for You?

Six seconds. According to Time Magazine, that’s roughly how long you have to grab a recruiter’s attention before they move on to the next resume. To position yourself as a top candidate, your resume must stand out and use the right format that perfectly showcases your skills. Here are some different resume formats to consider.

Chronological Resume 

This is generally regarded as being the most conventional format and one of the most common. It consists of a list of your work history in reverse chronological order where your most recent job is listed first. A chronological resume tends to work well if you have a solid job history and plenty of experience with little to no gaps between jobs. 

Functional Resume

Instead of going the traditional route where you focus on your job history, this involves highlighting things like your skills, accomplishments and areas of expertise. A functional resume tends to be more effective if you lack a significant work history, are just starting out in your career or have major gaps between jobs. This is all about emphasizing your unique skill set rather than your job history.

Combination Resume

As its name implies, this is a mix between a chronological and functional resume. You’ll typically find skills and qualifications at the top and a brief outline of work history at the bottom. This type of resume is effective for showing recruiters exactly what you bring to the table, while at the same time outlining previous positions that may be relevant to the one you’re applying for.

Infographic Resume

Going this route is no doubt unconventional. Although it’s not the right choice for many positions, it can work in some cases. An infographic resume revolves around making visuals the focal point instead of normal text. For instance, you may incorporate charts, graphs and other designs.

It tends to be very stylish and will definitely grab the attention of recruiters. If your industry/position are design-related, an infographic can be a viable option. To learn more, this post from The Muse points out five resources you can use to create an infographic resume.

Examining the various resume formats should help you decide which one makes the most sense for your job search. That way you can use a format that impresses recruiters and positions you as a top candidate.

Looking to jumpstart your job search? Get in touch with Encadria Staffing Solutions today.

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