Resume Types | Cazenovia College

Resume Types

There are a couple of different types of resumes to be used when applying for positions. Deciding which one to use depends on your history and experience.
Please note: Employers prefer chronological resume formats. They are easy to read and lists information as it happens chronologically.

Chronological Resume - Recommended
A chronological resume is the most common type of resume. It lists your work experience in reverse chronological order. Your most recent work experience is listed first, then the one prior to that and so on.

Combination Resume – Recommended
As the name implies a combination resume format combines the functional and chronological resume formats. A combination resume format may allow you to be very specific when applying for positions. In a combination resume, work, education and other activities are listed in reverse chronological order, but within each work experience the information is listed in categories. An applicant who has had a position with varied responsibilities can list the tasks by category rather than a long list of non-related tasks and responsibilities. Group your tasks and create categories to help your accomplishments stand out.

Functional Resume – Not Recommended
A functional resume organizes your work experience by job function rather than by chronological order. This type of resume emphasizes your skills, abilities and areas of expertise rather than your career history. For instance, a functional resume could be divided into headings as Supervisory Experience, Accounting Experience, Direct Services Experience or Technology Experience. The Career History or Work Experience is listed after the skill categories to show the progression of your career and work history. Please note that some employers find this type of resume confusing as it is difficult to determine where the applicant has performed certain tasks as information from all positions tends to be listed under a designated category and are from the applicant’s entire work history.