The Best Resume Format in 2022

Writing a resume is hard enough without having to worry about organizing it. So let us help you format your resume to give you the best chance of landing the job you want.

What’s the best resume format for me?

For most jobseekers, the best resume format is the chronological resume format. This format focuses on your work history and career progression — the details that matter most to the majority of hiring managers.

However, there are three main resume formats used by jobseekers in 2022. Picking the format that best highlights your experience and skills on your resume (and also downplays your weaknesses) will help you get a job faster.

Use this flowchart to see which resume format you should use:

 

Next, click on the resume format you ended up with, and learn what the finished document should look like and how to write it:

• Chronological resume format (aka the standard resume format)
• Functional resume format (skills-based resume)
• Combination resume format

Here’s a quick look at the structural differences between the three main resume formats:

As you can see, the standard chronological format has more space for your work experience, the functional format has more space for skills, and the combination format balances both sections.

The 3 best resume formats in 2022

Here are the three most commonly used, HR-approved resume formats today:

1. Chronological (the standard resume format)

Here’s what a resume looks like using the standard chronological format:

Download a Chronological Resume

Most job seekers should use the chronological resume format because it’s what hiring managers expect to see.

Chronological resumes highlight your work experience, with your most recent position at the top. Hiring managers want to know where you’re at in your career, so using a standard resume format helps them quickly see how you’ve developed into your current position and lets them better evaluate your application.

Because you most likely have been moving up in your field over the years, you can use a chronological resume to highlight that progression.

Writing a chronological resume without experience

Looking to make a resume with no work experience? You can still use the chronological resume format, but instead of focusing on work experience (which you don’t have), write about your —

• volunteer work
• extracurricular activities
• relevant coursework
• internships

And you’ll need to format your work experience entries differently:

As for your job title:

You should still add a location and the dates you served in a role. However, if the experience was particularly short, you can change how you list the dates you worked there. For instance, you might want to write “December 2022” or “Winter 2021.”

Here’s an example of a compelling work experience section on a resume written by someone without any formal work experience:

Standard resume format (examples)

These resume examples show all the ways you can use a chronological format, even with very different resume designs:

2. Functional (for highlighting skills)

Download a Functional Resume

The functional resume format is a less-common alternative to the the chronological format. Functional resumes focus on your relevant job skills, so you might see it referred to as a “skills-based” resume on some websites.

Instead of outlining your work history chronologically, the functional format lets you list your strongest job skills at the top of your resume in a large skills section.

Functional resumes aren’t as common or well-accepted as standard resumes. Most hiring managers place a huge emphasis on work experience, so only use this format if your experience hurts your resume rather than strengthens it.

3. Combination (for equally emphasizing skills and experience)

Download a Combination Resume

A combination resume blends the structure of the chronological and functional resume formats.

Combination resumes:

1. Lead with a big skills section (like a functional resume)
2. End with a detailed work experience section (like a chronological resume)

If this seems like a lot of information to include, that’s the point. Combination resumes, or hybrid resumes, are best if you’ve developed many skills over your career, and have plenty of experience using those skills.

When should I not use the chronological resume format?

Unless you’re convinced your skill set is more impressive than your work history, we suggest using the chronological resume format when making your resume. However, you might consider using a combination or functional resume format if you’re:

1. moving into a new industry from one with similar skills
2. applying to a senior role like management
3. a highly experienced specialist in one area (for example, you’re an engineer or work in IT with many technical skills)

Resume formatting tips

Your resume’s content is ultimately what will get you interviews. However, minor details like your resume’s margins, line spacing, and text alignment ensure your resume is easy to read and professional. These little details are noticed by hiring managers, so it’s important that your resume formatting is perfect.

Here’s a quick checklist you can use to ensure your resume looks good before you send it off:

Resume Format FAQs

Now that you know a bit more about how to format your own resume, here are some frequently asked questions about resume formats:

What is the best resume format?

The best resume format for most job seekers is the chronological format because it’s easy to read and logically places your current (or most recent) job first, followed by older positions.

Additionally, hiring managers are most familiar with this format and will know exactly where to find the information they’re looking for in your application.

However, in some cases, a combination or functional resume format might suit you better. If you have a nontraditional work history or need to emphasize your transferable skills, consider using a functional or combination resume instead.

How many formats are there for creating a resume?

There are three main formats for a resume:

1. chronological
2. functional
3. combination

However, there are some other less common ways of formatting your resume.

For example, job seekers applying to jobs in academia may want to use an academic CV, which follows a unique format. Additionally, if you’re applying for work with the federal government, you’ll need to use a federal resume.

Are hand-written resumes still used frequently?

No, hand-written resumes aren’t still used frequently and should be avoided. With the wide availability of resume builder websites and word processing software, there’s no reason to handwrite a resume.

Handwriting your resume comes across as unprofessional and makes your resume hard to read. Even if you don’t have access to an online resume builder or a Microsoft Word subscription, there are plenty of free options (like Google Docs) for putting together an acceptable resume.

Does resume format matter?

Yes, resume format does matter. Your resume is all about advertising your most valuable qualities as a candidate. In most cases, your most valuable attributes are related to your work experience and relevant achievements, so you should use the chronological resume format.

However, if you have resume gaps or are changing careers, the right resume format may be a combination or even a functional format to help you highlight your strengths while downplaying some of your weaknesses as a candidate.

In a competitive job market, the right resume format can give you the edge you need to land an interview.

Which format do most employers prefer for resumes?

Most employers prefer the standard chronological format for resumes because they can quickly glance at it to understand your work history.

However, if you’re applying for a senior technical or leadership role, you can consider using a combination resume format so that your skills are on full display.

Why is the functional or combination resume most commonly used by teenagers?

Teenagers commonly use functional or combination format resumes because they have little work experience to list on their resumes.

However, if they’ve picked up most of their resume skills through volunteering or their extracurriculars, they should use the chronological resume format to present a timeline of their acquired skills.

Other resume format Q&As

Still unclear on resume format practices? Here are some commonly asked questions about resume formatting:

• Can I just put years on my resume?
• Is it OK not to include dates on your resume?
• Should I upload my resume as a PDF or Word Doc?
• What is the best font and size for a resume?
• How do you put your GED on your resume?
• How many years of experience should be on a resume?
• What should you name your resume file?
• What looks bad on a resume?