Gone are the days when you can simply put your career goals and skills together on a page and call it a resume. Nowadays, employers are always on the lookout for something better in candidates. But if you don’t know what it is, things might get difficult for you in landing your dream job. Companies are now looking forward to seeing how you have put those skills to use and practical examples of how it helped you get out of challenging situations.

Hence, our focus is on using the insights such as career aims and key skills to craft your resume because companies focus on skill – based hiring. They believe proven skills instead of your gained credentials. Instead of basing your resume on your career objectives and what you have learnt in your school and college(s), we have categorised resumes in 3 types to help you understand what you need better according to your experience.

Takeaway: Highlight your skills and how you have put them to use.

How To Pick The Right Resume For You

Types Of Resumes You Should Know About

Chronological Resumes

Chronological resumes are those in which you list out your experiences and credentials in a reverse chronological manner (i.e. starting from your recent one to back in time). These resumes are good for times when you are looking for career advancement and your recent experience is a good alignment with the job position you are applying for. This type of resume is currently popular and easy to read through by hiring managers, recruiters and ATS (applicant tracking systems).

Functional Resumes

Though it is not as popular as chronological resumes, functional resumes are those in which you organise your work experiences based on skills instead of timeline. This type of resume is a modern approach on resume writing and companies usually do not optimise ATS to  interpret this type of format. However, this is a good answer to when you are looking to switch fields in your career as it showcases your transferable skills.

Combinational Resumes

This type is a good change from both types of resumes given above as it pulls the elements from both formats to create something that is unique to your personality. This resume is best when used for a career start, job change and when you are applying for roles that require you to be creative. It works with an ATS and highlights your skills earned outside a regular job environment.

How To Determine The Right Type Of Resume For You

If everything from above feels good to you and you cannot choose just one, we have something to cut through the confusion. To choose the right type for you, here’s what you need to do.

• List out all the job skills you have which aligns with the position you are applying for.
• Next to each skill, write at least 1 example where you have used that skill to achieve good results.
• Prioritise examples where you have put them to use in a work environment, then use a mix of examples from personal projects, educational pursuits, professional groups, volunteer work, etc.
• Consider everything you have put together just now to find out what resume will work best for you.

Good luck!