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Resumes

Types of Resumes

Chronological Format

  • Traditional-style resume
  • Experience and education in chronological sequence, starting with most recent
  • Experience listed with job title, organization name, dates and description of job duties and responsibilities

Functional Format

  • Focuses more on skills and job competencies
  • Highlights accomplishments by function rather than work experience
  • Often suggested for individuals who are pursuing a new career, reentering the workforce, or have work gaps

Combination/Hybrid Format

  • Combines both chronological and functional resume formats
  • Focuses less on job duties and more on accomplishments
  • Experience section presented in reverse chronological order

Creative Format

  • Infographic: Experiences and information presented in a statistical and visual format
  • PowerPoint: Presenting data from resume with visual compliments
  • Portfolio/Digital Resume: often designed as a website which can link to other creative work examples you have designed
  • Video Resume: Information from your resume presented in video form
  • Remember: The creative format is applicable to some fields, but not all. Consider the organization and type of position to which you are applying before submitting a creative format resume.

Resume Preparation

Use a resume prep exercise to think about who you are, your career goals and to help you organize your skills and experiences. Below are Resume DO’s and DON’Ts:

DO

  • When possible, use metrics to quantify your experience.
  • Focus on your career accomplishments and highlights.
  • Proofread your resume for spelling and grammar and have someone else review your resume.
  • Use content that it relevant to your job search in your resume.
  • Use key words that are relevant in your industry.

DON’T

  • Include personal pronouns (I.e., I, me, we)
  • Abbreviate
  • Include personal information, characteristics, photograph

Additional Resources

  • NPRC provides 24/7 online support to work with a career coach through the Smarthinking tutoring service. You can submit a resume to be critiqued
  • ResumeBuilder