Resume Styles

A resume is a document that includes information about a person. It includes name, address, contact information, skills, educational information, work experience and job profile held in previous companies, and references. It is an outline of a person in a printed format for corporate use in interviews.

The interviewer gets an idea of the capability of the person, just by looking at this document. A resume with reliable information is perfect, but one needs to remember all the matters and facts mentioned in it.

The main purpose of this resume is to focus on the candidate's abilities, skills, goals, accomplishments, and experience, instead of a chronological work history. It is most suited for people who have been an intern previously. It is commonly used by those who change careers, have had gaps in their career history, or have a short job history.

It gives the interviewer an idea of your learning and background for the job. It also includes the work experience and internships that are directly related to the job that you need. The previous or current job experience that is most relevant to the job needed at present comes first. The pattern follows accordingly to the job relevance and not the dates.

In such a resume, the work history is listed in the same manner; the last or current job in your career is listed on the top, followed by the positions held previously, and it ends up with the first job in your career.

This is an appropriate style as it is preferred by recruiters and employing managers who get a clear picture of what all jobs have you had in your career. It helps the interviewer to understand the candidate in a better way. It is suitable for those who have consistent work experience of many years.

These are usually considered when recruiters or employers are looking out for a person who is strong in a specific skill. They don't pay much attention to the work history or job experience. Their main aim is to recruit a specifically skilled employee.

The focus is mainly put on the candidate's skills. It is somewhat similar to the functional format. Functional, management, operational, and technical skills of an individual are highlighted in the document.

These are a blend of functional and reverse chronological formats. They focus on a person's skills and experience in a reverse chronological format, which is very easy to understand. It is the best style that can be used in a person's resume.

This resume is exclusively targeted for the job you are applying for. It mainly focuses on the areas and skills that are strongly relevant to the job you intend to get. Drafting such a document is not an easy task and may need more concentration and time. Most of the irrelevant information of jobs held earlier are absent in this piece of document.

These are especially used in federal job requirements and positions. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA), Professional and Technical Qualifications (PTQ), and Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) are standalone documents that can be attached to or included in this document.

It is a biographical and comprehensive document of your work experiences and accomplishments and is usually of 4 - 8 pages. It is for people who have higher research degrees, published articles and are professionally recognized. Only those who are into careers that are directly related to science such as biotechnology and research should use this format.

These are used when the employer requires a candidate with creativity. People in fields like graphic arts, architecture or creative writing should use these styles. You may combine text with some graphics, pictures, colors, borders, shades, backgrounds, or fonts. However, before using these elements, one needs to get an idea regarding the firm's background.

These are documents of one page, which focus on key accomplishments, education, and work experience. However, this information is reduced to one liners. A brief description of the candidate's profile is also listed.

These are a brief outline of career achievements, industry-specific knowledge, and other qualifications and credentials.

These are the types of resumes one can use in the corporate world and make a good impression on the interviewer.