A hybrid resume is a non-traditional resume format that’s ideally suited for a variety of job-seekers because it equally highlights your transferable skills and chronological work history.
Read on to learn what a hybrid resume is, who should use one, and how to write a hybrid resume. We’ve also included both a hybrid resume example and a fillable template to help you make your own.
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What is a hybrid resume?
A hybrid resume (also called a combination resume) is a resume format that combines the best parts of the functional resume and the chronological resume formats.
Similar to a functional resume, a hybrid resume leads with a detailed skills section. However, a hybrid resume also features a lengthy work experience section like you’d find on a chronological resume, giving you space to focus on both your transferable skills and work history equally.
Essentially, a hybrid resume provides an overview of your most valuable skills while also giving a clear outline of your professional background and achievements.
Structure of a hybrid resume
Who should use a hybrid resume?
Because hybrid resumes focus on both your skills and experience, they’re ideal for highly trained job seekers with an already established work history.
The hybrid resume allows you to focus on the various skills you gained over the course of your career while highlighting your professional history, making it a good choice for:
- Anyone writing a career change resume
- Recently discharged military veterans writing a military to civilian resume
- Job seekers with a highly specialized skillset
Additionally, because the hybrid resume allows you to detail your relevant work experience, it’s also a great choice for:
- Established candidates with lots of relevant job experience
- Individuals with multiple career tracks
Hybrid resume template
Here’s a hybrid resume template that you can copy and paste into Google Docs or Microsoft Word and fill out with your own information:
Hybrid Resume Template
1. Resume Heading
FIRST AND LAST NAME
Email | Phone | Address | Linkedin
2. Resume Summary
Skilled [industry] professional with [# of years] experience. Seeking to leverage my expertise in [relevant skills] to fill [position name] position. A dedicated worker aiming to help achieve [Company’s Name]’s goals and take on more responsibility as quickly as possible.
3. Summarization of Skills
First Skill
- Include a bulleted list of accomplishments related to this skill
- Make sure you quantify (add numbers to) these bullet points
Second Skill
- List any accomplishments or responsibilities that demonstrate this skill
- Assuming you no longer perform a task, make sure you use past tense verbs to describe the experience
- Be as specific as possible. Mention the actual names of software or tools you’ve used
4. Work Experience
Most Recent Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Year – End Year
- Include a bulleted list of key responsibilities and achievements
- Quantify your experience by adding numbers to give the hiring manager a better grasp of your experience
- Be as specific as possible. Use software, tools, or programs names
Previous Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Year – End Year
- Make sure to use the past tense of verbs if you’re no longer working for this position
- Make sure to include at least three bullet points when detailing work experience
- Use action verbs when listing your work experience, instead of phrases such as “responsible for” and “duties included”
5. Education
Degree Name / Major Degree Name / Major
University, Location | Start Date – End University, Location | Start Date – End
Hybrid resume example
Here’s a hybrid resume example you can download as a reference to guide you:
Download This Hybrid Resume Example
How to write a hybrid resume
Looking for more advice before you attempt writing a resume that follows the hybrid format? Learn how to write a hybrid resume by following the five steps below.
1. List your contact details
Similar to any other resume, you should list the following contact details:
- Your full name
- Phone number
- Email address
- Social media profile (such as LinkedIn)
Traditionally, you should also include an address on your resume. However, listing your address is optional today because most hiring is done online.
2. Include a resume introduction
You should open your hybrid resume with a convincing resume summary that quickly showcases how many years of relevant work experience you have and some of your most notable skills.
This helps you grab the attention of employers and show them why you’re the ideal person for the job.
However, if you’re changing careers, you should write a resume objective instead because an objective gives you space to elaborate on why you’re passionate about your new career path and convince employers that you’re worth taking a risk on.
3. Summarize your key skills
On a hybrid resume, your resume’s skills section is generally listed before your work experience and is structured differently than it would normally be on a traditional chronological resume.
You should organize your skills section into two or three larger skill categories, with bulleted examples of how you used these skills underneath each category (similar to how you’d structure a work experience section).
This gives employers a series of concrete examples demonstrating how you put your skills to use.
Here’s an example of a properly written hybrid resume skills section:
4. Provide a detailed work experience section
Listing your work experience on a hybrid resume is similar to a traditional resume, where you list your most recent work at the top of the section.
You’ll need to include these four work experience details for each entry:
- Organization or company name
- Dates of employment
- Job title
- Three to five bullet points outlining your key responsibilities and achievements
Additionally, similar to traditional resumes, when including achievements it’s best to use hard numbers so that the hiring manager can understand what impact you made and how you performed at your previous job.
Here’s an example of a well-written experience section on a hybrid resume:
5. Display your educational background
If you have an extensive relevant work history and a strong set of skills, the education section on your resume should be short and will only need to include the university name, dates of study, and degree title for each entry you list.
However, if you’re changing careers and your degree is directly related to the position you’re applying for, you may want to add more detail to pad out your qualifications. In this situation, consider listing these additional details about your education:
- GPA (if a 3.5 or above)
- Minor (if applicable)
- Honors (Dean’s list, etc.)
- Relevant coursework
- Extracurricular activities
