The purpose of a résumé is twofold:
- A résumé provides an overview of your skills, experience, and education as they relate to your career objective, and
- A résumé is a marketing tool that conveys your “personal brand.”
All of us want our résumés to stand out from the stack. However, the best way to create an eye-catching résumé is not through gimmicks or flash, but rather through substance and customization.
Formats: Chronological, Functional, and Hybrid Résumés
Work histories come in a variety of forms; so do résumés. Although career experts enjoy debating which style is the best, ultimately you must consider which fits your current situation. Which style will allow you to best package your work history, and convey your unique qualifications?
The chronological résumé is a traditional format whose principal section is the “Employment Experience” section. In the chronological résumé’s “Employment Experience” section, jobs are listed in reverse chronological order, and achievements/skills are detailed underneath each position.
In contrast, a functional (skills) résumé, features a well-developed “Skills & Achievements” section, in which skills are organized into categories. The functional résumé still includes an “Employment Experience” section, but it is streamlined to include only the basic information about each position held.
A hybrid (or combination) résumé includes a well-developed “Skills & Achievements” section that highlights the candidate’s most important and relevant skills, but it also includes select bullets under each job in the “Employment Experience” section.
The following pages contain examples of chronological, functional (skills), and hybrid résumé formats.
Example of the Chronological Format
TINA SPARKLES
123 Address | City, State 01234
10.1234.5678 | me@gmail.com
E D U C A T I O N
AAS: Portland Community College 2010 | Sign Language Interpreting
BA: University of Colorado, Boulder 2007 | Psychology
Certifications: Certificate of Interpretation, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf | Certificate of Transliteration, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
E X P E R I E N C E
Staff Sign Language Interpreter | St. Joseph’s, Boulder CO | September 2014 – present
Provide Sign Language Interpreting to approximately 15 Deaf adults with pervasive mental illnesses in a Partial Hospitalization setting. Provide interpreting for staff meetings, therapeutic groups, psychiatry sessions, and medication monitoring.
Educational Sign Language Interpreter | Boulder High, Boulder CO | August 2011 – June 2014
Provided Sign Language Interpreting for Deaf and Hard of Hearing High School students in day-to-day activities including academic classes, assemblies, after-school clubs, varsity sports, class trips, and more.
Interpreter Intern | Portland Community College, Portland OR | January 2010 – June 2010
Provided Sign Language Interpreting services for one deaf college student for all of her day-to-day activities including academic classes, after-school clubs, advising sessions, and more.
Customer Service | Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center, Clackamas OR | 2008 – 2010
Provided members with information pertaining to benefits, enrollment, and coverage. Assisted members with benefits-related questions and concerns, resolving problems and supporting members with special needs.
ACTIVITIES
Volunteer | Denver Homeless Family Solutions | January 2016 – present
Prepare and serve meals, collect and sort donations, overnight host.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
National Association of the Deaf
Highlights of the Chronological Style:
- Lists both work and education in reverse chronological order (starting with the most recent positions/schools and working backward)
- Lists job achievements and skills under each position
- Presents experience under headings by job title, company, location, and dates of employment
- Allows employers to easily determine work performed at each company
Example of the Functional Format
| Downtown,
Portland, Oregon 97035 |
Anonymous
Personal Résumé |
| M 971.123.4567
anonymous@pcc.edu
|
Graphic Design major with about 10 years full-service agency experience, from creative marketing material design to print management and coordination with a wide range of clients. A passionate and dedicated designer, capable of handling a large workload and tight deadlines. Working toward B.A degree in Graphic Design. |
| EXPERIENCE | |
| Print Management | Managed 5000 copies MTT company calendar printing process, from finalizing artwork to output file check, paper stock selection, color proofing, print finishing, and delivery deadline coordination. |
| Event Management | Designed and organized a company anniversary cocktail event for a new client – INSTINET Hong Kong, receiving positive feedback from client’s guest and resulting in 3years event management contract with Pink Tiger Media. |
| Editorial Design with Collaborative | Designed and collaborated with Prince of Wales Island International School on production of 16pp program book, received positive feedback from every division of the school and resulted in more business to Priority Resources design team. |
| EDUCATION | |
| Portland State University
Portland Community College Equator Academy of Art |
B.A Degree Graphic Design – Expected enrollment 2018
Associate Transfer Degree – 2016-present Diploma in Graphic and Multimedia Design – 2004-2006 |
| EMPLOYMENT | |
| Senior Graphic Designer 2013 – 2015 |
Priority Resources – Penang, Malaysia Editorial design, Web interface design, vendor coordination |
| Jr. Art Director 2012-2013 |
Pink Tiger Media – Penang, Malaysia Team management, Event management, Marketing campaign, Visual communication, vendor coordination |
| Graphic Designer 2006-2011 |
Moonlight Media & Design – Penang, Malaysia Exhibition design, Branding & Identity design, Print design, Product branding, Typography, Event management |
| Trainee Graphic Designer 2006 |
Dolphin Printing – Penang, Malaysia Print production, Packaging, Customer service |
| ADDITIONAL | |
| Honors | Awarded $3,000 tuition scholarships from Portland State University (2017-2018) |
| Languages | English, Bahasa Malay, Chinese: Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkian, Hakka |
A functional format resume
Highlights of the Functional Format:
- Focuses on skills and experience, rather than on chronological work history
- Groups functions or skills under categories
- Describes responsibilities, accomplishments, and quantifiable achievements under categories in the skills section
- Typically opens with a brief summary/profile detailing strengths (one-three sentences)
- Demonstrates how you match the requirements of your potential job by including relevant achievements and accomplishments
Example of the Hybrid format–the best of both!
What makes this a hybrid resume? You see descriptive details in the Skills and Abilities section and a detailed work chronology.
Anthony Swift
1234 Happy Lane, Hillsboro, Oregon 97006 · anthony.swift@gmail.com · 971-555-1212
Summary
Electrical engineering major with experience in testing, analyzing and developing digital systems. Strong written communication skills and experience working with diverse cultural backgrounds.
Skills and Abilities
Technical Skills
- Designed and built a pulse and breathing monitor which required over 40 hours of troubleshooting. Involved circuit design and building, and circuit analysis. Required a good knowledge of reading electrical component schematics and basic programming with an Arduino.
- Proficient in Windows, Mac, Office Suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access.
Organization and Professional Development Skills
- Coordinated finals study sessions with staff of ten math instructors and more than 100 students in attendance.
- Organized and planned community clean-up events while delegating tasks to a team of 15 students.
- Planned S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) panel consisting of six professionals from various industries, providing students the opportunity to learn about different career paths.
Instruction Skills
- Managed foreign teacher organization, communications, and hiring. Introduced innovative teaching methods to staff and created exciting classroom environments for Chinese students.
- Maintained communications between management and foreign staff using Mandarin Chinese while ensuring high teaching standards were maintained. Trained new foreign teachers as well as oversaw three education centers to verify quality of teaching.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Oregon Tech, (2016 – 2019)
Associates of Science Degree, Portland Community College, GPA: 3.8 President’s list – 7 quarters (2013-2016)
Chinese Language, Beijing Language University, Beijing, China (2009-2010)
Work Experience
Math Tutor, Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon (2014 – 2016)
Gave special instruction to students to help simplify difficult math concepts and walk students through critical thinking process to solve difficult problems. Instructed students working on advanced mathematics courses.
Math Club President, Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon (2014 – 2016)
Organized finals study sessions for the college with over 100 students attending each session. Facilitated events with panels of working professionals giving students access to vital information about pursuing specific majors. Hosted weekly study sessions to help struggling students successfully pass math exams.
Data Entry Specialist, Seamless Systems, Portland, Oregon (2013 – 2014)
Maintained national database of legal documentation with extensive use of Microsoft Access.
Head Foreign Teacher and Trainer, KidsCan!, Beijing, China (2010 – 2012)
Worked with Chinese investors and management to create a training curriculum for the Hubei Province region. Instructed foreign teachers and developed fun team-building activities that created strong bonds between the staff. Mediated between foreign and Chinese staff when language barriers were present.
Hybrid Resume
There are many reasons to choose one format over another. In brief, the chronological résumé serves candidates with a long/uninterrupted work history, in fields where the company worked for is of paramount importance. On the other hand, the functional résumé serves candidates who are transitioning between fields, candidates shifting from a military to a civilian career, or candidates who have gained skills in a variety of different settings (workplace, academic, volunteer). The hybrid resume offers the best of both worlds.
Learn in this video (5:12) how to confidently choose which résumé style will best compliment the intended goal. This video discusses the benefit of the hybrid résumé, while also discussing the pros and cons of functional and chronological résumés.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufUo4qnEw7k
Résumé Conventions
If you do not want your résumé to receive negative attention, be sure to follow the content and style conventions of the résumé genre. (Standing out in a crowd can be a good thing, but not if you are standing out for the wrong reasons!)
Adhere to the following conventions:
- no complete sentences, unless in the professional profile section of a résumé (and even then, you risk wasting a lot of space. Fragments that begin with action verbs are fine!)
- no use of “I”–we know the résumé is about YOU, so don’t waste words/lines by referring to yourself over and over…
- no high school entries if you’ve been in college for two or more years or have lots of work experience
- no large blocks of text (dense paragraphs)
- use consistent formatting and spacing
- include dates for specific jobs, educational degrees, and honors/awards/volunteer activities
- include details that clearly show what you did/learned/accomplished
- keep your résumé to a single page, unless you’ve more than 10 yrs of relevant experience
- include information in conventional categories, such as Highlights of Qualifications, Professional Profile, Education, Work Experience, Relevant Skills, Volunteer Experience, Awards & Recognitions, Certifications, etc.
Using BAQQR to Compose Bullet Statements
Description is of utmost importance on a résumé, and showing what makes you unique in your experiences can only be accomplished through clear details!
Use the BAQQR method to improve your bullet statements:
- B—Bullet
- A—Action Verb
- Q—Quantifier: financial #, percentage, etc. (25 employees; $100k budget; increased sales by 15%)
- Q—Qualifier: the who, what, when, where, how (assisted the Vice President of Sales; created a training manual; inventory daily; met with clients locally abroad; designed with Photoshop)
- R—Result: what was gained/accomplished? (boosted sales; improved relationships; increase repeat customers; beautify existing grounds)
See the difference, here:
- Too general/generic: Maintained records.
- Uses BAQQR: Organized AR/AP records weekly using QuickBooks, maintaining a 2-month reconciliation period for all accounts.
You can write your bullet points so that you come across as the typical, cardboard cut-out of an Accountant, Customer Service Rep, or Restaurant Server, or you can paint a clear picture of who you are, what you’ve done, how you’ve done it, and what you’ve accomplished.
Above, the second sentence used BAQQR, but not all bullet statements need to use all three of the last details (Quantifier, Qualifier and Result). Only use these elements when they add pertinent information to your statements. For example, the following bullet statement does not need a result.
- Planned annual workshops and training events for K12 educators, handling all logistics from site bookings and marketing to material prep and follow-up surveys
Content about résumé styles on this page from Technical Writing by Allison Gross, Annemarie Hamlin, Billy Merck, Chris Rubio, Jodi Naas, Megan Savage, and Michele DeSilva is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Content about BAQQR and résumé conventions on this page is written by Baye Herald for Technical Communication Across the Professions and informed by strategies suggested by Johnson & Wales University’s Career Center. Content on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
