Types of Resumes & Who Should Use Them

Not sure what type of resume is right for you? No matter how much experience you have or what kind of job you want, there’s a type of resume to fit your needs.

Below we outline each type of resume, so you can choose the best one for your job application. In addition to the main resume formats, there also introduce several nontraditional resume types to consider.

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1. Chronological resume

A chronological resume is a resume type that focuses heavily on your work history. Its key feature is that it lists your work history in order of when you held each position (in chronological order), with your most recent job listed at the top of the section.

The chronological resume structure is the most common type of resume, and is considered the standard for most industries.

The two advantages of a chronological resume are:

1. It lets the hiring manager easily see how you’ve progressed in your career
2. It puts your most relevant work experience at the top, where it’ll be seen first by recruiters and employers

Who Should Use It

If you’ve got a straightforward employment history without gaps and a long record of accomplishments and skills in the industry you’re applying to, it’s usually best to write a resume that follows the chronological resume layout.

Chronological resume example

Here’s what a reverse-chronological resume looks like:

2. Functional resume

Also called a skills-based resume, a functional resume is a type of resume designed to focus on your relevant professional skills rather than your chronological work history.

The defining feature of a functional resume is its expanded “Relevant Skills” section, which takes up the majority of your resume and replaces a detailed work experience section.

Additionally, the “Relevant Skills” section of a functional resume groups your experience under skill categories instead of job titles. Under each category, bullet points are used to highlight examples of your accomplishments or other ways you’ve put your skills to work.

Who Should Use It

A functional resume will likely suit you if you’re:

1. Changing industries
2. Someone with sizeable gaps in your work history

Functional resume example

Here’s what a functional resume should look like:

3. Combination resume

A combination resume mixes the most useful elements of the chronological and functional resume types.

It focuses on your skills, as a functional resume does, but also provides ample space for you to detail your work history — usually in chronological order.

Who Should Use It

Compared with the other types of resumes, a combination resume is a good choice if you have any of the following to showcase:

• Technical skills you’ve developed over a long, specialized career
• Transferable skills, with full details of your work history

Combination resume example

Here’s what a combination resume looks like:

Alternative resume types

There are a variety of different types of resumes that are less commonly used or are designed for a specific purpose.

Here are some other less commonly used resume types:

Targeted resume

A targeted resume is a resume that’s tailored to address the specific needs of each company you apply to. You can structure it as either a functional, combination, or chronological resume — the key difference is that you specifically target each detail to the role you’re applying for

To write an effective targeted resume, read through the job posting and look for any notable skills, job duties, keywords, or requirements that apply to you. Then, adjust your resume to highlight your most relevant skills and experience.

Infographic resume

An infographic resume incorporates graphics and other visual elements to present your professional details in a unique, attention-grabbing style.

Here’s an example of what an infographic resume type looks like:

If you’re an aspiring graphic designer, using an infographic resume can be a good way to showcase your graphic design skills and demonstrate them at the same time.

However, be careful: Many companies consider creative types of resumes like this to be unprofessional. So, only use an infographic resume if you’re writing a graphic design resume or applying for a role at a company that encourages creativity. Otherwise, it will leave a negative impression on employers.

Federal resume

A federal resume template is used to apply to positions within the US federal government.

Federal resumes differ from traditional resumes in a number of ways:

Firstly, they’re much longer, typically running somewhere between two and six pages, and include a highly detailed experience section.

Additionally, federal resumes contain a variety of information specific to jobs in the public sector, such as your GS grade, security clearance, and citizenship information.

Here’s a federal resume example, written by a low-level employee:

Nontraditional resume

There are many other types of resumes that can be categorized as nontraditional.

We’ve already mentioned infographic resumes, but there are other types too. Most are modern takes on the traditional resume, including:

• video resumes
• online portfolios
• personal websites

You should use a non-traditional resume if you’re applying for a job that requires the same skills used in making the resume. For example, a video resume can help you showcase your video editing skills.

However, you should still use a traditional resume as your main application document, unless the job posting specifically asks for something else. Attach your non-traditional resume type as something extra for the hiring manager to check out.

Mini resume

This type of resume can be anything from a business card–sized handout featuring a brief version of your resume introduction, to a notepad paper–sized resume.

If you’re looking for a new job and are attending networking events or industry conferences, take a mini resume with you. Unlike a job fair, you wouldn’t necessarily be looking for jobs at these types of events, so it doesn’t make sense to bring full-size printouts of your resume.

Here’s an example of a printable mini resume that can fit on a business card: