| Format | Chronologial | Functional | Combination |
|---|
| Characteristic | - Presents info in reverse order, most recent experience first.
- Offers concise picture of you as a potential employee
| - Focuses on specific Strengths and skills important to employers
| - All the flexibility and strength of the functional and chronologicl combined
|
|---|
| Advantage | - Easy to write
- Emphasizes steady employment record
- Format is familiar
| - Brief and well-structured
- Focus on skills not history
- De-emphasizes a spotty work history
| - Shows off a strong employment record with upwad mobility
- Showcases relevant skills and abilities and supportive employment record
|
|---|
| Disadvantage | - Calls attention to employment gaps
- Skills are difficult to spot unless they are listed in the most recent job
| - No detailed work history
- Content may appear to lack depth
| - Work history is often on the second page and employer may not read that far
|
|---|
| Use | - To emphasize past career growth and development
- When continuing in the same career
- When the name of former employer may be significant to prospective employer
| - When entering the job market or when re-entering after a long absence
- When work experience has been varied to unrelated
- When changing careers
- When primarily consulting or doing freelance work
| - When shorter functional format would be too sketchy
- To offer a complete picture of abilities and work history
|
|---|
| Don't Use if | - There are gaps in your work history
- Calling attention to your age could be a problem
- You have changed jobs often
- Entering job market for first time or after a long absence
| - Want to emphasize growth or development
- Responsibilities and functions in recent jobs were limited
| - Experience is limited
- There are wide gaps in work history
|
|---|
