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Find resources to get started with your resume writing. Learn how to write a resume like a guru.
What is the best resume format?
It depends on the individual situation. Yet, most recruiters consider the classic reverse-chronological resume format the best resume format. As it can effectively support you to present your resume, so the employer gets an overall sense of your professional trajectory.
It is not the only option, though (see functional and hybrid resume format sections below).
What is a traditional or classic resume?
it is the reverse chronological resume. Here, you list your work history from the recent to the earliest.
The Classic Resume Main Features
- Contact information at the top
- Experience section in reverse order
- Highlights the professional summary
- Other relevant sections as required
Example reverse-chronological resume
What is a functional resume?
Also called a Competency-Based resume.
It focuses on competencies or skills. The competencies can be work-based or behaviour-based.
When to use a functional resume
- When changing careers [example: programming to teaching math]
- To downplay employment gaps
- When you had many unrelated roles in the past [eclectic career] including non-traditional work experience.
- When you have little or no work experience
The content of a functional resume is the same as a traditional one (reverse chronological resume). The difference is in the structure.
– A traditional resume highlights jobs and the duration of each.
– A functional resume emphasises critical skills.
With a functional resume, the recruiter can immediately determine if your highlighted skills align with the position you are applying for.
Functional Resume Main Features
- Profile summary comes first
- Lists the job’s key requirements as transferable skills (people-skills, personal skills, and system-oriented skills)
- Includes short notes about each skill
- Other relevant sections as required
Example functional resume.
What is a hybrid or combination resume format?
It is a resume with a balance of skills and work progression.
It blends the best elements of chronological and functional resumes. Use a combination resume format to draw attention to your skills, experiences, and competencies which the potential employer wants to see.
Use it to downplay any experiences you may not want to highlight without hiding them.
When to use a hybrid resume
- You have less than five years of work experience
- You are re-entering the workforce
- You are changing careers
- You are trying for a promotion
When NOT to use a hybrid resume
- You have employment gaps
- You have been job-hopping
A hybrid/combination resume won’t downplay employment gaps or multiple unrelated jobs as well as a functional resume format.
Main Features
- The Key Skills section comes first
- The Work Experience section comes next
- Other concise relevant sections as required
Example hybrid/combination resumes
What are the differences between a CV and a resume?
These terms are used interchangeably in most countries and there are no hard-and-fast rules governing them.
The acronym CV, curriculum vitae, is a Latin phrase that means “course of life” It is the summary of all your qualifications, skills, and experience that you want to share with your future employer. A resume does this as well.
Even in the number of pages: both can be single page, and two or more pages.
In the context of a CV, and for certain situations where you have many years of experience, work history is much longer than a resume. The same goes for academic qualifications. You will list the history of your qualifications in a CV, so it can generally be longer than a resume.
Should I create a CV or resume?
It will depend on the position. You can create a CV or resume using any of our 40 templates.
What is the best resume format?
- Select the resume template(s) right for you and note the key sections you’ll like to include. e.g.,
- personal information
- summary
- skills
- work experience
- education
- interests
- certifications
- software skills
- languages skills
- honours & awards
- Note the keywords of your targeted role. You can use our free resume scanner
- Fill in your details on our resume builder app
- Write your summary (as prose or bullet points)
- Complete the other sections
- Proofread your resume
- Forward your draft to our resume expert writers to take a second look
- Tailor your resume to each application
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Browse any of our 16 resume articles for your specific resume writing needs.
How to quantify achievements
- Begin with an action verb or power word. They drive home your (bullet) points with precision.
100 RESUME ACTION VERBS
- accelerated
- accomplished
- achieved
- acquired
- activated
- administered
- advanced
- advised
- advocated
- aligned
- amplified
- analysed
- arbitrated
- architected
- assembled
- assessed
- attained
- audited
- authored
- awarded
- boosted
- briefed
- built
- challenged
- championed
- collaborated
- conceived
- conceptualised
- constructed
- created
- critiqued
- cultivated
- customised
- debugged
- decreased
- deducted
- defined
- delivered
- demonstrated
- designed
- developed
- devised
- directed
- drove
- elevated
- engaged
- engineered
- escalated
- exceeded
- executed
- expanded
- facilitated
- formulated
- founded
- fuelled
- generated
- helmed
- implemented
- improved
- influenced
- initiated
- introduced
- launched
- leveraged
- lifted
- lobbied
- lowered
- managed
- mapped
- maximised
- measured
- mentored
- monitored
- navigated
- operated
- orchestrated
- piloted
- pioneered
- positioned
- prioritised
- rallied
- reduced
- rescued
- resolved
- restored
- retained
- reversed
- revitalised
- secured
- simplified
- skyrocketed
- steered
- streamlined
- strengthened
- surpassed
- transformed
- turned around
- upgraded
- validated
- verified
- Use result-oriented transitioning words to describe the outcomes you achieved.
Examples
- resulting in
- as evident in (shown by or proved / proven by / annotated in / verified through)
- leading to
Here are some good CV or resume bullet points showing achievements:
- Helped the research cohorts realise over £65,000 in grants. Skilfully guided 12 technologists and technicians to finish all projects promptly, resulting in grant renewal year-on-year.
- Strong leadership skillsand experience overseeing research colleagues collaborate across 4 projects, resulting in 28 4-star journal publications and £112,000 in research grants.
How to write achievements (no quantifiable metrics)
You don’t always need numbers to show achievements in your resume bullet points.
Examples
- Created a customer call structure and training program, providing the training to all the call centre staff which improved customer satisfaction and speed of incident resolution.
- Reconciled critical relationship with the key clients by designating committed analysts to their projects—resulted in bid approval.
Can I change (or upgrade) my package?
Yes. Go to your dashboard – click on “Upgrade” – choose your new bundle.
What happens to my resume or CV when my subscription expires?
Your resumes or CVs are always available in your profile dashboard. You can still access your account and download your resumes or other saved documents.
But you can’t make any new changes/edits.
Reactivate your account to edit and unlock new features.
As a user, you can still access document many months after subscription expires
So, you only need login details to access your documents forever.
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Resume File Type
The .docx, PDF, and TXT file formats are the best for your resume, especially if you're uploading it to companies' portals. Some file types can cause errors in Applicant Tracking System; for example, avoid JPEG, PNG, GIF, and SVG file formats.
