When it comes to resumes, there are so many styles that are being taught that it is hard to know which one is the “right” one to use. The truth is, there is no perfect one style fits all answer to give you. Everyone has a preference based on their own experiences. Some hiring managers are more comfortable reading a traditional style, while others prefer a more modern approach. Below are a few tips and tricks on how to successfully implement different resume styles.

Traditional Style

The most common use of a traditional style resume is listing your experience in reverse chronological order. This being your most recent job first, working backwards from there. If executed correctly, the format itself is very reader friendly, for this reason many hiring managers prefer this style. Where it can get confusing is if a candidate does not add correct dates (or leaves them out completely) and is disorganized in their overall process. The best way to implement a traditional style is to get all your facts outlined first, double check for inconsistencies or errors before starting. Keep your descriptions short and to the point, highlighting your good qualities and skills. Some even use bullet points in order to keep things to the point.

Functional Style

This style mainly focuses on skills and experience rather than a list of previous positions. Many candidates will choose this style if they have a large gap between jobs or very little hands on experience to list. The main issue that hiring managers have with this style is that many candidates do not execute it correctly. This style is very easy to make disorganized or confusing. Also, managers still want to know your previous work experience so adding it to the end with no order makes for a messy mix of information. Keep from creating a disorganized resume by adding a functional intro (Summary, list of skills and experience) followed by a list of your job experience in either chronological or reverse chronological order. This will add some organization and readability to your resume that a hiring manager will appreciate.

Choosing a resume style is an important choice when entering the job field. Whether you choose to stay traditional or move to more of a functional style, the most important thing is that you stay organized. The worst thing for a manager looking for candidates to interview is having to translate a resume.