There are three common resume formats: chronological, functional and combination. It is important to consider each style and which is going to most effectively correspond with what you are looking to achieve. So, before putting pen to paper or hitting the keyboard answer these questions.

What are you applying for?
Who is your audience?
What experience and achievements will best sell this experience?

When you know the answer to these questions, consider which of the three main CV formats is most appropriate for your application.

Chronological resume or CV

The chronological format is one whose format focuses on your work experience with the most recent first. This is the most common and the most favored by employers and HR because f its ease to read. The focus is on what work you have done and when you did it. It helps to highlight career logic and the progressions you have made.

This style is best utilized when you are looking to stay in a similar field of work, if you are seeking a promotion or wish to highlight your achievements. This style generally suits someone early in their career or those highly experienced in their career as it demonstrates a solid history block and emphasizes career progression.

Functional/skills based resume or CV

A functional style focuses on skills, qualifications and experiences relevant to the application being made. It groups skills gained throughout your career together.

This style is beneficial in highlighting particular strengths or skills you have or wish to further develop. It suits those with a multitude of skills and experiences across different jobs rather than those who have specialized. This is also an effective style if you are looking to change career path or explain gaps or career breaks.

Combination resumes or CV

The third commonly used style is as a combination resume. As the title suggests, this is a combines both the chronological and functional style.

Firstly, this style lists key skills and achievements then it details your relevant work experience in chronological order.

Effectively your experience supports the skills you choose to highlight. This style will ensure your application is highly relevant, you are re-iterating key skills and key work experience.

If you feel this is the most appropriate style, be sure to keep it concise, 3-5 pages depending on your career stage and maintain a “theme”. The biggest trap to this style is including too much detail which will unfortunately dilute the strength of your document.

Always ensure you get feedback on your resume or CV, your reader will be able to give you feedback objectively. This may be the difference between securing an interview and not.