When creating your resume, it's important to consider the type of job you are applying for. If you are applying for a government job, opt for a government resume. If you are new to the job market and don't have an extensive work history yet, try a functional resume.
The way you showcase your skills and experience should vary depending on the type of resume you use. A quality resume highlights your strengths in a concise, readable way so that employers can easily find the information they need to make a decision. Remember to customize your resume for each new position you apply to!
Common Resume Types
Chronological Resume
The most common resume type, chronological resumes are recommended for most people seeking jobs and internships. Present your education and experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent experience first.
If you do not have a great deal of paid work experience, you can also include volunteer experience or leadership in community projects under the "Experience" section of a chronological resume.
Click to view common resume sections on our Resumes page:
Functional Resume
A functional resume is a good choice for people who are seeking a career change or who have gaps in their employment. Rather than focusing on work history, a functional resume focuses on transferable skills and areas of expertise. Skills are organized into clusters instead of a timeline.
You can add relevant experience from volunteer work, contract work, academic work or independent projects to build out specific skills-based sections. Create tailored sections that are relevant to the job you are applying for (e.g. "Fundraising Experience," "GIS & Mapping Projects" or "Medical Trainings")
For example, you could pull together skills gained from an internship, a class project, and a relevant job from 5 years ago, and put them together under a section called "Writing Experience."
You should still include additional paid employment on your functional resume, but if it's not as relevant to the job you're currently applying for, include it toward the bottom in a section called "additional professional experience." This strategy helps you highlight your most relevant experience first.
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Click to view functional resume samples
Government Resumes
Typically 3-5 pages long, these resumes must include a record of every required skill or experience listed in the job description, as well as supervisors names and hours worked in previous jobs and credit hours towards relevant degrees.
Tips for government resumes:
- Government resumes are typically longer than private sector resumes; the 1-2 page maximum does not apply
- Be specific in documenting how you meet every required qualification from the job posting. If "Microsoft Word" is listed as a requirement, list it on your resume. If "verbal communication skills" are required, describe work or class presentations you've given.
- Volunteering, coursework, club or community involvement, and other unpaid accomplishments can count toward hours worked or years of experience.
- List experience chronologically using a month/year format. Government employers need to calculate your years of experience, so they need clear, chronological dates.
- Include up-to-date contact information for former supervisors.
- Visit USAJobs.gov for more information on government resumes
Helpful Government Application Tips