Best resume formats in 2025

Your resume is your chance to pitch yourself and tell your career story. Today, there are three resume formats that can be used to showcase yourself to recruiters–chronological resumes, functional resumes and combination resumes. 

Learn how to choose the right format based on your skills, experience and the role you’re applying for. 

Chronological resumes: highlight your work experience  

Present your career journey from your most recent job and work backwards when using a chronological resume. This traditional resume format is a great choice for those with a consistent work history, and those who want to showcase their achievements and career progression. This common format is organized and easy to scan by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) too, ensuring that your application reaches a recruiter if you’ve got the right experience.  

See it in action: chronological resume example

Tips to write chronological resumes  

• List your job role, company name and employment timeframe clearly  

• Include part-time roles, freelancing or volunteering if it aligns with the industry or job role 

• Mention your core achievements in every role with metrics to demonstrate your growth and impact 

How to know if chronological resume format is right for you 

• Review your work history: If you have a long list of job roles in the same field with no gaps, then create a chronological resume. 

• Review the job role: If you’re applying for a job role in the same field you usually work in, then confidently use a chronological resume. 

• Review your career stage: If you’re entry-level in a field, the chronological resume might not be for you as it will look sparse. Choose it if you have a lot of work experience to write about. 

Key takeaway: If you have a strong work history and want to showcase your career progression, a chronological resume may be the best choice. 

Functional resumes: highlight your skills 

Focus your skills, abilities and strengths rather than work history when using a functional resume. This popular resume format has a layout based on skill sets, so it’s ideal for those with diverse working experience in different industries and anyone wanting to hide their gaps in employment. Candidates can pitch their accomplishments in a way that is easy for recruiters to understand and appreciate, however this resume format is not always easy to scan by the ATS. 

See it in action: functional resume example

Tips to write functional resumes  

• Use an objective statement rather than a professional summary on top to express your personal career goals  

• Use skills-related keywords listed in the job application in the right context to increase your chances of selection  

• Write key achievements and process-related changes to show your impact in different businesses  

How to know if functional resume format is right for you 

• Review your work history: If you have gaps in employment or varying job roles across different industries, a functional resume is a good fit for you. 

• Review the skill requirements: If the job ad emphasizes technical and soft skills instead of a minimum of years of work experience in a field, use a functional resume.  

• Review the company culture: Review the company’s history, industry and website to understand if they would prefer a traditional resume or creative resume.  

Key takeaway : If you're changing careers or have gaps in your employment history, a functional resume may be a better fit. 

Combination resumes: spotlight both work history and skills 

A modern resume choice is the combination resume, also known as the hybrid or targeted resume format. This begins with a summary of your skills and achievements, followed by a chronological list of your work experience. The format is best suited for candidates that want to provide examples of how they used valuable skills in different roles, as they grew in their career.

See it in action: combination resume example

Tips to write combination resumes  

• Re-write any resume sections to suit the skills required in the job ad if you have them 

• List key achievements instead of your job tasks underneath the Work Experience section 

• Edit your resume to fit in one page so both skills and experience is obvious immediately 

How to know if combination resume format is right for you 

• Review space in your resume: If you have relevant skills and experience across different roles, choose a targeted resume 

• Review the job level: If the role is middle or senior level, you can leverage the flexibility of a combination resumes to showcase the skills and experience 

How to format your resume in Word 

Once you’ve picked the right resume format, use these formatting tips to ensure you pass the ATS and create a readable resume.  

• Margins: We recommend applying 1-inch margins on all sides to ensure its readable and none of your content is lost if the resume is printed out.  

• Colors: We recommend sticking to 2 dark colors, such as black and navy blue, so the headings and body text can look different, be accessible to readers as well as scannable by ATS.  

• Alignment: We recommend a traditional left alignment, so your text is ATS-friendly and looks organized. The header and body text should match for a consistent look. 

• Bullet points: We recommend bulleted lists over short paragraphs to ensure your key skills and achievements are easy to scan by ATS and recruiters who are time poor.  

• Social media and work example links: We recommend using hyperlinks instead of pasting the full website URL to save space and maintain a tidy look and feel.  

• Fonts: We recommend selecting a font that represents your personality while fitting your chosen job role and industry. While Calibri and Aptos are ATS-friendly fonts, check out the full guide to find the best font for your needs. 

How to format your name section 

• Always include your full name on top 

• Choose a sans serif font instead of an overly creative font to make it legible 

• Consider using a different color from your resume text such as navy blue 

• Add bold styling to make it memorable 

• Consider adding a short job title in a smaller font to make an impression 

• Add a photo if it’s high quality and professional—this is entirely optional 

How to format your contact section 

• Include one professional-sounding email address and a phone number with the full phone code 

• Share your portfolio, personal website or LinkedIn profile details by hyperlinking to the anchor text such as “Portfolio” or “LinkedIn” rather than pasting long links 

• Place this beside your name or below your name on the left side of the resume 

• Only add a city/location if it’s specifically asked for in the job ad otherwise it can be a security risk 

How to format your work experience and skills section  

• Share the names of the company, exact job title and dates you worked there in bold styling 

• List your job duties and key achievements in bulleted lists instead of paragraphs  

• Avoid italics for your job highlights as it is not ATS-friendly   

• Proofread to avoid any typos while using industry-specific terms 

• Use left alignment consistently for clarity 

• Avoid listing skills in tables as they are not ATS-friendly  

Need inspiration on what to write in each section? Read our helpful guide on how to write a resume.  

Ready to put your new resume format knowledge into action? Start from scratch or choose from a range of ATS-friendly resume templates in the Word resume builder.