What Format Should Your Resume Be In

Combination Resume Example And Template

Combination resumes are a mix of the chronological and functional resume formats. They provide a chronological list of ones work history, but they also have a section that focuses on different types of skills. This format shows employers both your skills and your experience. It’s a good choice if you’re changing careers or if you have a varied but steady work history.

With this type of resume, you’d start with a section to show your skills. The next section would show your job experience, followed by your education. You might also include an objective or summary at the beginning. You can or review the example below.

Juris Doctor , anticipated 2021Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland, OH

Associate of Applied Business in Paralegal-Legal Assisting, 2013Rhodes State College, Lima, OH

Certified E-Discovery Specialist , 2017

Personal Information To Include On Your Resume

Listing your contact details is a simple matter of deciding how you are most reachable and listing the appropriate information without disclosing too many personal details. The personal data on your resume should be straightforward and not involve complex information. The following list explains which elements of your personal information candidates should include and how to go about it:

• Full name: This should be the header or title of your resume, so there is no need to rewrite your name in the contact information section.
• Phone number: If you have more than one, choose the one on which you are most contactable.
• Address : This is included less and less on resumes. Although, if the job description specifies that someone local is needed, you may wish to list your address to indicate that you tick the box.

Professional online platforms and websites are also wise to include as nowadays its common to apply for a job via LinkedIn or other online platforms. Consider the following extras:

• LinkedIn URL
• Online portfolio

Design & Formatting Tips

The subject matter of your resume is ultimately what recruiters care about most. However, that doesnt mean you should slack off when it comes to design and formatting. A cluttered, visually confusing resume makes it more difficult to read, and therefore more likely that recruiters and hiring managers will cast it aside. On the other hand, a sleek, polished resume will have the opposite effect. Use these rules of thumb to ensure that your resume looks its best.

• Use an easy-to-read font of no less than 11 pt.
• Add margins of at least .7 inches.
• Make sure theres sufficient white space between sections.
• Dont go overboard with intricate design or decoration touches of color are fine, but avoid any clashing or visually busy details.
• If youre going to print out copies of your resume, invest in good paper and use a high-quality printer.
• Dont save your resume as a PDF unless the application specifically says it accepts PDF files. Some applicant tracking systems scan PDFs as if they were one big image, which fails to capture your information.
• Keep your resume to 1-2 pages max, unless youre in a field like academia or medicine and must cite papers and publications.

Want some specific examples?;You can find attractive and effective resume templates here and here.

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How To Write A Resume In 2021

For most job-seekers, a good resume is what stands between a dream job and Choice D. Get your resume right, and youll be getting replies from every other company you apply to.

If your resume game is weak, though, youll end up sitting around for weeks, maybe even months, before you even get a single response.

So youre probably wondering how you can write a resume that leads to HR managers inviting you to interviews daily.

Well, youve come to the right place!

In this guide, were going to teach you everything you need to know about how to make a resume:

How to Write a Resume – Step by step

So, lets dive right in!

+ Essential Resume Formatting Tips

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List Relevant Skills And Keywords

Resume keywords are important terms of interest that recruiters look for whether skimming a resume or searching within an applicant tracking system . The more role-specific keywordsoften hard skillsyour resume contains, the better optimized your resume is.

99 percent of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems to sort, filter, and search applicants. Some ATS, like Taleo, can automatically rank your resumes content against the job description, allowing recruiters to focus only on the best applicants. Recruiters often also search their applicant pool for important resume keywords, like customer service, accounts receivable, or Adobe Photoshop.

Where on your resume should you include important skills?

Its crucial to incorporate important skills throughout your entire resume, beginning with your headline which should, when possible, include the most relevant keyword: the job title. You can also list skills in a dedicated skills section of your resume if using the hybrid resume format.

How do you find keywords to include in your resume?

Using Dynamic Words And Quantifiable Achievements

Appropriate, thoughtful word choices in your resume can help you better present your skills and capabilities to prospective employers. With the hundreds of applications the HR deal with, some generic words have even lost their meaning already. Some words dont do enough in showing off what you can do for the company.

Choosing several action verbs can demonstrate your skills, all the while undermining the strength and effectiveness of your resume. The goal here is to deliver enough impact in a matter of seconds and to convince your reader that you are fit for the position. By using the key terms that the company uses to describe itself, you can denote that you will be capable of upholding the companys values. Furthermore, instead of tirelessly repeating the same words over and over again, remember to use a variety of terms that can best describe your skills and achievements.

Using numbers can also give recruiters a better grasp of your accomplishments. Numbers are often better indicators of impact, and they can show your results-oriented and hardworking personality. Quantifying your achievements is the best way to make a lasting impression on anyone who glances at your resume. Numbers can show that you have a legitimate achievement in your entire employment history.

Furthermore, job seekers who use numbers in their resumes see a 40% boost over the competition .

Resume writing trend takeaways:

Also Check: How Much Job History On Resume

How Are You Uploading Your Resume

Whether you’re submitting your resume through application software, posting to a job board, or emailing it, make sure to follow the employer’s directions carefully. For example, the file format an employer wants may vary based on the company’s applicant tracking system which may or may not be compatible with PDF files or Mac Pages.

Also, depending on how they are asking you to submit your resume, they may request you upload a certain file type. For example:;

• If you’re posting your resume online, the job site will specify which file type is accepted. This can range from a Word document to a PDF file , or a plain .txt, .rtf, .html, or .odt file.

• If you’re emailing your resume, the company will make clear how they want you to send it. They will probably ask for it to be sent as an email attachment, specifying whether they want it to be a Word document or PDF file. They could also request that you copy your resume directly into the email body.;

Now, if the job posting doesn’t specifically say how the company wants you to upload your resume, here are the pros and cons of each file format to help you choose the best one for your resume and how to save them accordingly.;

Spelling And Grammar Mistakes

Always proofread your resume before you send it out! This includes double checking your contact information. It wont do you any good if you have the perfect resume and employers who want to hire you if they keep calling the wrong number or emailing the wrong email. Double check! Thencheck again!

Similarly, dont forget about punctuation! According to the Cawley Career Education Center at Georgetown University, be consistent in your use of punctuation throughout the document. For instance, either use periods at the end of all your bullets or not. Great advice!

Also Check: What Is A Functional Resume Sample

Showcasing Personality And Emotional Intelligence

In a LinkedIn study, results show that about 91% of talent professionals believe that soft skills are important. Skills associated with your traits or personality are just as important as hard skills. Sixteen percent, however, believe that they are actually more important. Apart from your skills and work experience, employers also look for certain qualities and personalities that are sometimes difficult to express on a single piece of paper. Nonetheless, proper resume writing can achieve this feat.

Showing your personality and emotional intelligence through your resume assures the hiring manager that you are a person and not likely to become a robotic employee during your tenure. Some of the top qualities that employers are looking for include apt communication skills, flexibility, eagerness to learn, and the ability to work harmoniously with co-workers.

Career Builder also listed listening skills, emotional intelligence, and communication skills as some of the top qualities employers are looking for. In your resume, mentioning some unique and worthwhile hobbies that can be relevant to the job position you are seeking makes you a better candidate.

Personality & EQ in Resume Trend Takeaways

• 91% of employers believe that soft skills are important. .
• Some of the top qualities employers are looking for include listening skills, emotional intelligence, and communication skills.

Tailor Your Resume And Optimize For Applicant Tracking Systems

Its very easy these days to fire off your resume to dozens of jobs, but if youve tried this method, you may have been disappointed by your success rate. Thats because you didnt take the time to customize your resume for each individual roleand recruiters can tell.

The most impactful thing you can do to improve your chances of getting interviews is tailor your resume to each and every job. Customized resumes that align with job requirements and include keywords from the job description will stand out to recruiters who often receive hundreds of resumes for each role.

When you tailor your resume to the job, youre also optimizing for applicant tracking systems., because many ATS allow recruiters to filter and search by keyword. Want to see if your resume is well-tailored? Use Jobscan to see your match score and discover missing keywords.

Also Check: How To Get Past Resume Screening Software

When To Use A Chronological Resume

A chronological resume is a good choice for anyone whose employment history shows a consistent, advancing career path. For example, you might select a chronological resume format if youve spent the past several years in the same industry and each role youve held was more senior than the last. Its also often used by people who are applying to a position in the same or similar field to the majority of their work experience.

However, if you have multiple gaps in your employment history, youre looking to change careers or your work experience is heavily varied, you may want to consider a functional or combination resume.

The Right Resume For You

In the end, theres no one right type of resume.; The trick is that no matter which of the types of resumes you go with, you should always customize it to match the job youre applying for.

Looking for more resume advice? Our career coaching team offers resume reviews, career coaching, and interview tips to our members at a discounted rate. Learn more about our coaching services today, and how joining FlexJobs can benefit your job search.;

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The Best Resume Format Guide For 2021

By now, as a seasoned job hunter and student of The Interview Guys, you should know there are a few essentials you should have in your arsenal: business cards, a solid cover letter, your elevator pitch, and your well-formatted resume.

Hang on, havent we already gone over all this in that other article, How to Make a Resume 101?

Yesand no.

In that article we did go over how to write;a resume, but in this article, were;going to take you to the next step and focus specifically on one seemingly small but massively huge part of resume building: resume format and how to select which one is right for you in 2021.

FREE BONUS PDF CHECKLIST: Get our “Perfect Resume CHECKLIST” that gives you a handy 38-point Checklist that will let you craft the perfect resume.

Write A Brief Paragraph To Describe Each Role

This is optional. As you can see in the resume example above, its possible to go directly from job titles to bullets, without any paragraph content.;

However, if youd like, you can write a brief paragraph about what you did in the role overall. This can provide more context to the reader.

However, this paragraph should be concise, and you should never put it instead of bullets. I recommend 2-3 sentences at most. The bullets are more important and will be read more closely.

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How To Format A Resume: Ways To Outline Your Experience

No matter where you are in your job search, youve got a well-written resume that summarizes your professional accomplishments. But is your resume in the best format for your search?

There are different types of resume formats, and depending on what your job search goals are, one format might be a better choice for you than others. The FlexJobs Career Coaching team has reviewed more than 3,000 resumes, talked with human resources pros, and reviewed dozens of studies to learn what employers want to see in an applicants resume.

Were breaking down the pros and cons of each option so you can move forward in your job search with confidence! Heres what you need to know about the three types of resume formats, along with other resume formatting tips.;

Note:;

FlexJobs is a;subscription service for job seekers that features flexible and work from home jobs. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, the monthly subscription costs allow us to fully vet and verify all of the;jobs on our siteensuring that customers have a safe and positive job searching experience.;Career coaching and resume review;offerings are also available to members at a deep discount.;

Pick The Ideal Resume Layout

The hard part is over. Youve written your resume, and are feeling confident about getting that interview. Now its time to take a moment and consider your resumes design.

Depending on the industry you work in or the job you want, you may need to adjust your resume layout to fit the expectations of the hiring manager.

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Creating An Effective Resume

The short amount of time recruiters, hiring managers, and prospective employers take to review your resume is also the time your future career path gets decided. Employers take it to the next level when searching for the right candidates to fill a job position. This is why they use top applicant tracking software and other tools to get the right candidates hired. Also, this is why its essential to already have your best foot forward at the very first stage of job hunting, which is sending out several resumes.

Keeping your resume simple, using the appropriate templates, and making sure you meet all qualifications for the position are some of the most important factors in building an effective resume. In todays highly technological era, you must also consider various ATS platforms that most companies use to automatically screen your resume. There are also several freelance platforms where organizations can search a database of candidates filtered by criteria, such as skills, experience, and more.

These resume trends can help keep your ground in the globally competitive market. Indeed, building and updating your resume can cost you a lot of time and resources. However, youll soon find that it is well worth the extra effort as it means getting you next to a paycheck and achieving your career goals, despite the challenges to the job market that the pandemic brings.

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