Resume Format Instructions: Combined Style


Frequently used by job seekers with three or more years of experience, this format combines a chronological and functional resume style using skill categories to represent areas of experience in which skill sets were developed.

Here, you combine your work history into one big treasure box, for example, then emphasize those skills that best represent or support your skill categories.

Career Objective

Can either be one word or an entire sentence. It is a statement that tells a potential employer the type of work you are interested in. A career objective can also include the type of organization and/or geographical preference.

A career objective is optional to include on a resume. If you choose not to include a career objective, then you need to be clear within your cover letter as to the type of work that you are interested in performing.

Skill Categories

Do not include less than three skill categories or more than five. You may be creative in deciding the categories to use that will represent your skill sets. The following are examples of skill categories:

• Analytical
• Computer and troubleshooting
• Counseling
• Customer relations
• Sales experience
• Leadership abilities
• Project coordination
• Research experience, etc.

Skill Statements

Use short and concise statements that begin with an action word. A minimum of three skill statements is necessary to justify or support a skill category. There are basically three types of skills that are beneficial to a particular employer:

• Marketable skills: These skills are the most beneficial to a particular employer and can be transferable to any industry from food service to pharmaceutical, for example.

• Industry specific skills: These skills are beneficial only to a particular industry. For example, if you have developed experience using specialized software designed for food service, then you could not market this skill to the pharmaceutical industry.

• Soft skills: These skills describe your personality or characteristics that you have developed throughout your work history. Most of these skills must be supported by a third party and usually are not included on a resume.

Work History

Include company name, location, job title and dates of employment.

Education

Include institution name, location, degree received and graduation date. It is unnecessary to include high school education if you received a higher degree. It is also unnecessary to include institutions that you attended, but did not receive a degree or certification from.

Tips

• Use heavy-bonded, conservative-colored paper (ivory, light blue, light gray, or cream).

• Eliminate grammatical and spelling errors.

• Incorporate measurable results whenever possible. Employers like to see numbers on a resume.

• Be honest and never misrepresent yourself.

• Use section headings and bullets so hiring officials can easily scan the resume.

• Make sure you list correct personal information and if your telephone number changes, inform any potential employers of that change.

• Be consistent. If you choose to center the section headings then continue to do the same throughout the resume. Do not have some section headings centered and others blocked on the left-hand side of the page.