Résumé formats

Lists your experience starting with your oldest first (chronological) or most recent first (reverse chronological) working backward indicating dates, location, and employers associated with each

Most common format

Easy to read by giving a clear summary of each individual experience

Many employers prefer this format as your experiences are clearly listed chronologically, with job titles and dates 

Easiest format for ATS to scan

Requires you to present information chronologically rather than highlighting your most relevant experience first

Calls attention to employment gaps or lack of relevant work experience

Emphasizes your skills, abilities and accomplishments rather than chronological work history

Skills and experience relevant to the target role are organized into skill areas (e.g. Communication Skills, Research Skills)

Experience bullet points included underneath each skill refer to the work context but are not connected to a specific employer or dates of employment

Emphasizes your relevant skills rather than job titles, helping to connect the dots between your experience and what the employer is looking for 

Can be time-consuming to customize if targeting to a variety of different roles

Not ATS-friendly

Not typically preferred by employers as layout can be confusing (e.g., may be difficult to connect which skills you developed in which jobs or experiences)

 A combination of the chronological and functional résumé format

Emphasizes both your career path and the skills you’ve developed

Experiences of a similar type can be grouped under customized headings of your choosing

Under each heading, experiences are listed in reverse chronological format

Flexible format allows you to organize and group relevant experiences under customized headings

Can be lengthy (e.g., more headings)

Can be repetitive particularly if you’ve had multiple experiences that are similar in nature, unless care is taken to differentiate between roles and experiences