Chronological vs. Functional Resumes - Which To Choose?
It's important to choose the most appropriate resume type for your needs, and knowing which one suits you best can make all the difference. But what is the difference between a chronological and functional resume, and which should you choose?
We're here to help answer that! Read on for details on how these two types of resumes differ and when it's best to use each one. We'll look at their design, content, length, time-frame, strengths/weaknesses - everything you need to know about when choosing your resume type.
Chronological vs. Functional Resume: What is the Difference
A chronological resume shows your work history, whereas a functional resume focuses on skills and abilities. The biggest difference between these two types of resumes is the time period they include. The chronological resume lists job experiences and accomplishments from last four to five years, whereas the functional resume focuses on what you'll bring to a new job as opposed to what you've learned and done in previous roles.
Functional Resume: What It Is & Why You Should Use It
A functional resume's main focus is on your skills, knowledge and abilities, which are listed in reverse chronological order. The main advantage of the functional resume is that it highlights the value you can offer as opposed to focusing on your job history. This can be especially helpful if you have limited work history, but have learned a lot in the past and now want to show employers what you're capable of.
Chronological Resume
The chronological resume lists your work experience and career milestones at full length, so it displays your accomplishments in chronological order and may include a list of skills. This type of resume is designed for people who have extensive work experience and want to focus on applying their skills from previous roles to new ones. It's best suited to people who have a lengthy work history, or if you are changing careers.
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Functional Resume: Advantages & Disadvantages
Functional resume is particularly relevant for people with limited work experience, but who want to impress potential employers with their depth of knowledge and proven skills.
The main advantage of the functional resume is that it allows you to play up your strengths and make them more obvious than on a chronological resume, which often puts more emphasis on how long you've been doing something, as opposed to how well you've done it.
The main disadvantage of functional resume is that it can hurt your chances if you've been out of the workforce for years, and employers will be unlikely to take responsibility for the gaps in your employment history.
Another disadvantage is that if you have been working for a long time, you won't be able to use chronological resume.
Chronological Resume: Advantages & Disadvantages
Chronological resume puts more emphasis on experience and job titles, so it's unlikely to work well if you're just starting out in your career as it won't draw attention to any specific skills or abilities. This type of resume usually works best after you've proven yourself in previous jobs and want to showcase this on your CV.
The disadvantages include the fact that it gives less emphasis to your skills, which doesn't always make you stand out as much as would be ideal. Additionally, the chronological resume can backfire if you have a lengthy work history and don't have much work experience left in your portfolio.
Choosing Between Chronological and Functional Resume
If you're still unsure whether it's best to use a functional or chronological resume, consider this: a chronological resume is based on what has previously been worked on, whereas a functional resume focuses on what you can offer in the future. So if you're just getting started in your career and want to focus more on skills and knowledge that can be applied to new roles, choose a functional resume. If you're looking for a position where you'll be applying your knowledge from previous roles, a chronological resume is likely going to be better suited.
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Which Resume Type Should You Choose?
Depending on your experience, the type of job or career you're hoping to get and what will put your best foot forward, you'll need to decide on which resume type is most appropriate. For example, if you have a long work history and are confident that it's been successful throughout and has proven your work ethic and problem-solving skills, go with a functional resume. If you're hoping to resume your career once you've been out of the workforce, or are looking for your first job and don't have much experience under your belt, then a chronological one is best for you.
Obviously, it's possible to combine elements from both when creating your resume, but be sure to keep things clear and consistent with the overall message you want to send.
It's important to keep in mind when creating your resume that it is not an application form. Whether you decide to go with a chronological or functional resume does not directly affect whether you will get the job, as resumes are just one of the many ways employers find out about who you are.
When applying for a job, you are putting forward your skills, experience and attributes into a resume so that the employer can see them and decide if they're relevant to their requirements. If the skills, experience and attributes that you have listed on your resume are relevant to what the employer is looking for in a new employee, you will be more likely to get their attention. If your resume tells a different story, it is unlikely that the employer will even bother spending time going through all of it.
So get the most out of your resume by being smart about how you present yourself to potential employers. A well-written resume that's tailored to the job you're going for will help you give yourself the best chance of getting an interview, as opposed to just listing all of your experiences and hoping that they correspond with what the employer is looking for. Your resume is one of the most important parts in getting noticed by potential employers, so don't take it lightly.
One thing you need to always keep in mind when creating your resume is how much information you want to include on it.
Conclusion
Creating your resume is the first step towards getting a new job, so it's important that you spend time on it to make sure it accurately represents who you are. Don't overdo it with the details, as potential employers aren't interested in reading every single thing you have ever done in your life.