A good resume will capture the attention of a hiring manager or recruiter and will showcase your skills in the best possible light. It will help you stand out from other applicants and get you that important first interview. There are four types of resumes and three common ways to format it. A professional resume writing service can help you determine which type and format best suits your needs. They will ensure that your resume is formatted in a way that employers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) look for when scanning resumes.
The three most common resume formats are functional, chronological, and a combination of both. To decide which format works best for the job you are looking for, consider your professional history and the job you are going after. A professional resume writing service can guide you by asking a series of simple questions.
Chronological Resume
A chronological resume lists your work experiences and achievements in reverse-chronological order, meaning from the current or most recent one and going back in order. This type of resume is good for anyone that has consistent employment with an advancing career. It is most often used by people who are looking for a new job in the same field as the majority of their work experience. A professional resume writing service, like the Resume Writing Group, will help ensure that all of the necessary information is included in your resume.
Functional Resume
If you are looking for a career change or have gaps in your employment history, a functional resume is a better format. This type of resume will focus more on skills than work experience. A professional resume writing service is highly valuable for this type of resume since they can help you to highlight skills across a number of industries and make your achievements stand out. As an example, a functional resume might begin with a summary of qualifications and then have a list of skills and examples of using those skills. The idea is to de-emphasizes gaps in your work history or the desire to make a significant career change.
Combination Resume
A combination resume is a blend of the two resume formats mentioned above. Meaning that it is both a reverse-chronological resume and a functional resume, and it puts equal emphasis on skills and work experience. In this type of resume, your top qualifications are presented in detail, there is emphasis on your skills, and you can include related training and non-professional activities.
Figuring out which resume format works best for you and getting started with writing a resume or updating your old one can seem like a daunting task. The pressure of landing a new job or strong desire to change careers can feel overwhelming. This is especially true if you are putting together your experiences and looking for your first job or looking for a job after you have lost one. The good news is that there are professional resume writing services, like the Resume Writing Group, that have writers with a lot of experience, can give you the guidance that you need, and help you land that dream job.