by Deborah S. Hildebrand

Created on: September 22, 2009

The term format can be confusing when it comes to resumes. It generally refers to how a resume flows and in which order each of the sections of the job seeker's life are laid out. Do you use a headline instead of an objective? Should you include your education at the beginning before you work experience or at the end after it? How many pages should your resume be? However, in a broader sense, the term format may also speak to the style of a resume. In this case there are two basic styles: chronological and functional.

From a recruiting standpoint, chronological resumes are more widely accepted because if done correctly the information just seems easier to follow. In addition, many resume writers and recruiters consider functional resumes as more dys-functional in design and equate their use with candidates who are being deceptive.

However, having said that, the true purpose behind any resume is for a candidate to present her background, experience and skills in such a manner as to interest the recruiter further and ultimately nab an invitation for an interview.

That being said, job seekers who are trying to market unrelated work experience because they are changing careers or have yet to have a real opportunity to gain the experience they need, may find that utilizing a functional resume format is better than a chronological one.

Differences in Chronological and Functional Resumes

Traditional chronological resumes do exactly what their name indicates; they lay out work history, responsibilities, and accomplishments in date order, by employer, from most recent experience to the oldest. Some job seekers use a reverse chronological resume, oldest to most recent experience, though this is not recommended. Either way, they are in chronological order.

Functional resumes, on the other hand, emphasize specific skills over job duties and employment dates by laying out responsibilities and accomplishments according to functional areas such as communication, project management, and leadership. Which functional areas a job seeker chooses is incumbent on their own personal strengths as well as those that are most applicable to the job they seek. Actual work history dates, employers, job titles is then listed separately like a laundry list.

Identifying Best Professional Qualities

Probably the most challenging part of developing a functional resume is determining the best qualities to highlight. For this, job seekers need to consider two things.

First,

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