Reverse
Chronological vs. Functional Resumes
by ResumeEdge.com
- The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service
In modern resumes, information about skills and experience can be listed using three distinct formats:
- Reverse chronological
- Functional
- A combination of the two
Reverse chronological
Generally
speaking, hiring managers prefer that employment data is provided with the
most recent job listed first, followed by the next most recent, and so on.
In that way, it�s easy to see career progression from an entry-level
position to a more senior status. It�s also easy to detect gaps in dates of
employment. These gaps lead some candidates to
use a functional format instead.
Functional
Functional
formats stress what skills you have, rather than where and when you used them.
These formats are best for students who have just graduated from
college and have little �real-world� experience, those who have been out
of the workforce for long periods because they were raising children, and job
seekers who are transitioning from one career or industry to another.
However, sometimes combining a functional format with a reverse chronological
format makes the most sense. These are called combination resumes.
Combination
With
this format, skills that are relevant to the current job search are placed in
a special section by function, while the Professional History or Work
Experience is presented in a standard, reverse-chronological format. This
format offers the best of both worlds, and is highly popular with modern job seekers
and hiring managers.
Samples
Reverse
Chronological � Sample One
Reverse
Chronological � Sample Two
Reverse
Chronological � Sample Three
Functional
� Sample One
Functional
� Sample Two
Functional
� Sample Three
Combination
� Sample Two
Combination
� Sample Three