Types of Resumes: When to Use What

• Oct 01, 2022
• 5 min read

We’ve told you that resumes are a passport.
We’ve told you that resumes are a ticket to success. 

It seems pointless, cliched at this point, for you to hear it over and over again, especially if you’re in the middle of a life-changing job application phase. But here’s the thing about cliches. They’re too true to be ignored. 

By now, you probably know how to write a resume, at least on a generalized level. But the best ones are always written meticulously, and with care for the job profile that you want to hold.

Here’s a guide for the diverse types of resumes that exist, and which one you should pick for the best one for you. 

Traditional Types

1. (Reverse) Chronological Resumes 

Although you might have heard the adage of putting the most relevant information first, in a resume, this is not the case with a chronological resume. 

This type of resume is primarily used to track the trajectory of an applicant’s career from its start.  It is used to track vertical growth within the same field. This is the kind of resume you should opt for if your professional goal to advance in your field as much as you can. 

In a chronological resume, work experience is the most component. In order to showcase the growth and credibility that you have, list your qualifications backward – with your highest qualification at the top. If you have a long career, it is generally advised that you list down the last 10 to 15 years of your career. 

This kind of resume is not advised for those with a gap in their career. On the other hand, if you have a perfectly valid reason to fill in the gap, then go ahead and make a chronological resume anyway – if that’s ideal for you. After all, the workplace is becoming more and more flexible, right?

2. Functional Resumes

The focus of this type of resume is the roster of skills and specializations that you have or have acquired over the years. In the previous types, your skills are more or less derivative of your work history, but a functional resume gives you a more direct way to showcase your skills.

You’re likely to want to use a functional resume in the following scenarios:

• If you are looking for a career change, then you can highlight the skills you have so far, and how you can adapt them to your new field.
• If you are aiming to get a job in a field that you have taken a gap or a sabbatical from. A chronological resume would have put you in a disadvantageous position, but in a functional resume, you can prove your credibility by proving that you do, in fact, have the relevant skills.
• If you have a variety of skills that will be useful in the workplace. This is also a great way to highlight your versatility and growth, as a person.

3. Combination Resumes

Well, it goes without saying that this is the best of both worlds.

As the name suggests, this is a combination (but, of course!) of the aforementioned types of resumes. There are obvious advantages to a resume that has the best features of chronological as well as functional resumes. If you are someone with a long and accomplished career, then you have the luxury of showcasing your repertoire of accomplishments. In the same document, you can list your skillset and your career trajectory.

If you are attempting to make a combination resume, do make sure that you don’t clutter the document. Write in short and concise bullet points (preferably with key phrases, rather than complete sentences) and neatly demarcate each section. To avoid any further complications, keep it as simple as possible.

Non-traditional Types

1. Online Resumes

It’s the age of the internet…so make yourself a LinkedIn profile!

These days online resumes are gaining a lot of popularity because they are easier to maintain and access. Having a consistent public profile also gives you excellent opportunities to network with all sorts of peoples in your field. Alternatively, you can also create your resume on a personalized website or webpage.

The fun thing about a LinkedIn profile or any online profile is that it is a lot easier for you to update it whenever required.

2. Infographic Resumes

This is a useful type of resume to have if you’re in a career that has a great emphasis on visual aesthetics, such as art, design, and photography. An infographic resume clubbed with an online portfolio is sure to do wonders for your career!

In addition to listing out your qualifications, this is also an optimum chance for you to actually provide samples of your aesthetic inclincations. So get creative: make graphs, tables, charts…go all out!

3. Social Media as Resumes

We’ve already told you how LinkedIn is a powerful demonstration of your career. One can think similarly of Facebook, Twitter or a personalized blog/site as well. People always fear the Internet for its ability to make our records permanent. So why not use it for good?

In an online resume, you can add to your claims by actually provide detailed samples of projects and organizations that you have been a part of. It is yet another platform for you to showcase the versatility of your skills and accomplishments.

Whether online or offline, traditional or non-traditional, plain or colourful, we hope you’re well prepared now to write a top-notch and unique resume that is representative of all the potential you have!

(On the other hand, if a curriculum vitae is what you’re looking for, you should also consider going here.)

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Chetna

Chetna is a child of the internet. A writer and aspiring educator, she loves exploring digital media to create resources that are informative and engaging. Away from the writing desk, she enjoys cinema, coffee, and old books.