You may be well aware of the challenges of the corporate world and job market. With the consequence of Covid-19 pandemic, the recession is looming over our heads. There have been way too many layoffs and finding a job and having job security is difficult even for those with extensive and impressive professional experience and accomplishments.
There are various formats for professional resumes. Depending on your profile, you can choose the one that is suitable for you. Let's dive in.
Resume Formats
Resume formats are the outlines of your resume. It gives the resume the much needed structure which makes the information be neatly described and easy to comprehend.
The best formats help you showcase your profile's details in a professional manner.
📌 There are various resume formats:
- Functional
- Reverse-chronological
- Combination
Job seekers should choose the format after taking into consideration what all they need to include in their resume, what level of professional they are, which industry their profession belongs to, what is the hiring manager/employer like and what they might expect.
Every format has a different outline, sections and way of writing. Let's explore them.👇
Functional
📌 A functional resume is the format that has these sections:
- Contact information
- Profile summary
- Skills summary
- Experience
- Education
- Additional skills
In the functional resume template, there is a contact information section that has the name, contact number and email address of the job seeker.
In the profile summary, the candidate will talk about the highlights and key accomplishments of their experience and education along with skills.
The skills summary section is where the key skills will be mentioned. And there will be work experience or accomplishments or such details mentioned along with the skills to back them up.
The experience section will be brief and have details of the employer, job title and the period of time the candidate worked there.
The education section will have the details of the candidate's education. There will be a mention of the education institute, the name of the degree and the year of graduation.
The functional format may also have an additional skills section. Here, the skills will be mentioned but there will be no additional information to back them up. It will be a brief mention of skills or a list of additional skills.
Reverse-chronological
📌 Reverse-chronological resume template will have these sections:
- Contact information
- Profile summary
- Experience
- Education
- Skills
- Extra
The reverse chronological resume is quite common and you may have seen them before.
The contact information will usually be in the header of the resume. It will have the candidate's name, contact number and email address.
The profile summary will be key achievements and skills along with any relevant highlight worthy details from education, experience and skills information.
In reverse chronological resume format, the experience section is quite important. It has all the details of past work experience. The work history is described in-depth and emphasized.
The order in which the experiences are described is reverse-chronological. The latest experience is written first and then the candidate walks back towards their first job. The job with which they started their career comes last.
The education section mentions the name of the education institute and degree name. Sometimes few details of coursework and relevant accomplishments are also mentioned.
The skills section mentions the skills, usually in list form. There are no details or information presented as proof of the skill in the skills section.
There may be extra sections for any other relevant information. Such sections may be for language proficiency, hobbies and interests, awards, volunteer work, freelance work history and more relevant aspects of a candidate's profile.
What is the combination resume template?
The combination resume templates are exactly what it sounds like. They are the combination of functional and reverse-chronological formats. The sections are similar but slightly different. However, the small difference in outline makes a significant difference in the presentation of the profile.
📌 The combination resumes have these sections:
- Contact information
- Profile summary
- Skills summary
- Experience
- Education
- Additional skills
- Extra
Combination resume templates basically help you focus on the skills and experience at the same time. You can focus on them and put emphasis on them equally.
The combination resume should be written carefully and with proper knowledge of the format otherwise you might end up creating a chaotic and messy resume that will be difficult to comprehend.
Combination resumes are a bit tricky and need time and knowledge to be invested in them.
Combination resume template will usually have one-page. Most recruiters prefer one page resumes. However, for a seasoned professional with multiple relevant and important experience and other information, the resume can extend beyond one page.
Your work history's relevance, your skills' relevance can also decide the length of your resume. You need to know which details are to be included and which details should be left out of your resume.
To have an outstanding resume, you should research the company you are applying to along with, the role, job responsibilities, industry and other companies in the industry. This research will help you understand what all is expected by the recruiter from an exceptional resume through which candidates get hired easily.
Who should use a combination resume template?
The combination resume templates are not ideal for everyone. Every format is suitable for various types of job seekers.
The functional resume format is suitable for the candidates who do not have significant work experience and need to emphasize and highlight their skills.
Job seekers who are seasoned professionals and have significant work experience, should go for a reverse-chronological resume template.
The combination resume templates are suitable for professionals who are looking to change their career field. Senior level professionals might find it suitable too. Combination resume templates are suitable for those who have diverse yet relevant employment history.
Combination resumes are utilized by these professionals because it helps them describe their work experience in an appropriate manner. It also helps them highlight the transferable skills in detail.
Changing jobs is sometimes frowned upon however there are a number of good reasons to do so. During and after the Covid-19 pandemic many professionals changed careers for better compensation or because of their interest change or other reasons.
For some people, it is not a linear journey when it comes to career. Sometimes, you explore multiple areas before finding what works for you and that is absolutely acceptable.
"The road to success, for 99% of people, isn’t a jump. It’s a steady incline from one successful project to the next."-Lee Morris
How to use a combination resume template?
After considering all options and your profile, if you pick a combination resume template, you need a guide on how to write the combination resume.
Choosing a format and knowing its outline may help you write the resume but it may not be the best resume. You need to understand how to write each section and how to present the information.
Contact information
The combination resume format has the contact information section on top. This section may have your professional headshot in formal attire however it is not mandatory. Next will be mentioned your contact number and email address.
Make sure your number is written properly with + sign, parenthesis () and spaces along with area code. The email address should be professional and formal. It should not have any words that are not your name or unnecessary digits.
Profile Summary
The profile summary should be written in bullet points no more than 3 to 5. Begin with your total years of experience and a little background. Follow up with the key accomplishments and key skills.
Try to quantify as much as you can with numbers. Reflect how you have achieved results for the employer and made a difference with your contribution.
At last mention your future goal of contributing with your skills and knowledge acquired through experiences. Showcase your eagerness to find a suitable opportunity.
Additional Skills
In additional skills, you can simply list the skills that are relevant (not necessarily key skills) and do not need details. Keep it brief- perhaps in a list form.
These skills are additional, there will be another section for key skills that are important and need to be backed by more information.
Skills Summary
Combination resume is usually used by professionals who are looking for a career change. These professionals need to show the skills that they had and leveraged in their past job experiences- AND can be transferred to the new role.
The skills in a combination resume should be transferable so they hold the weight for new roles. Transferable skills can be useful to convince the hiring manager of your competency.
You should mention the skill. Follow up with the details from your past experiences- that can back these skills up and work like evidence.
Throughout the resume, try to write all the details in bullet points.
Experience
The experience section is described in reverse-chronological order. You should begin with the mention of your job title, employer's full name and the period of time for which you worked there.
The details should be mentioned in bullet points. You should describe the accomplishments and key skills. Along with that, you can highlight some of the responsibilities you had and performed well with.
Focus on how you contributed and helped the employer succeed rather than talking about the usual responsibilities at length.
Education
Your education should be mentioned briefly. Note the name of your education institute and full name of your degree. You can also mention the location of the education institute.
You should keep the education section brief and avoid any unnecessary details.
Extra Tips
🎁 Apart from the sections, some of the important tips you need to follow are:
- Keywords
- Language
- Cover letter
Keywords
To beat the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), your resume should have the relevant keywords. Hiring managers use ATS to scan and shortlist the resumes and the ATS only shortlists the resumes that have relevant keywords.
When you are writing your resume, you should ensure that these relevant keywords are included throughout the resume.
Without keywords, your resume is likely to be rejected regardless of your skills, knowledge, experiences and overall qualifications.
Language
There are simple rules that should be followed while writing a professional resume.
- Never use pronouns in sentences
- Always use third person
- Always write in past tense
- Use action words as much as possible
These rules make the resume professional. When you follow these rules the language and tone of the resume becomes professional and formal which is what the hiring managers expect in a professional and appropriate resume.
Cover letter
Cover letters are not always mandatory but they help you make an impression. Most job descriptions might not demand cover letters and many hiring managers do not expect the resumes to have cover letters enclosed.
However, if you write a cover letter, it can make a significant difference. Cover letters are your chance to directly address the hiring manager.
In the cover letter, you should mention your contact details, address the hiring manager and then describe your experience, skills and knowledge. You can also pitch how you are capable and competent for the role you are applying for. You can also describe your journey and your inspiration.
Cover letters are a lot of letters so the body will look like a letter with your gratitude and name at last. Cover letters are also your chance to include more keywords while talking about important details of your profile.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the combination resume templates are a bit tricky however very useful for professionals who are looking for a job change.
You can use this article as your guide and checklist for the combination resume. We also have resume examples and templates that you should check out. Make sure your resume template is personalized according to your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
I'm a fresher, should I use the combination resume templates?
As a fresher, you are unlikely to have significant experience and you are beginning your career rather than changing it. Combination resume templates are not suitable for candidates such as yourself. You may want to go for a functional format.
I was a content writer for 3 years and now I want to become a social media specialist. Is this a suitable format for someone like me?
Yes. Your career area is somewhat overlapping as a content writer and social media specialist and you are changing the roles. You must have transferable skills and relevant experience. To describe them, combination resume templates are perfect for you.
How long should my combination resume be?
Your resume should be of one page only. If you have more information, you can extend upto two pages.
