Combination Resume writing is a top-notch skill and when used correctly, a powerful resume can help you land your dream jobs easily. This resume formatting is easy-to-read, and a well-organized format of resume writing that combines the best from chronological and functional resumes.
Notably, the combination resume format is great for applicants from different backgrounds or people interested in a new role or industry.
But what exactly is a Combination Resume and how does it help in real life?
What is a Combination Resume?
We will discuss the Combination Resume but let me first explain the two basic resume writing formats.
- Chronological Resume: Lists the work experience & education in reverse order.
- Functional Resume: Prioritizes skills & accomplishments over work history and education.
Now, let’s come to the Chronological Resume!
A Chronological Resume uses the best of both. It uses everything from skills to work history to educational background.
The resume looks like this in order-
- A professional summary.
- Skills section.
- Relevant qualifications.
- Work history in reverse history. (Newest first)
This format allows students to highlight their experience, achievements, and skills while showing their career growth.
Key Elements & Structure of a Combination Resume:
1.Professional Summary:
A professional summary is a short & concise pitch that highlights your expertise, accomplishments, and work experience. This part offers the officials a snapshot of your career and how you can help them.
2. Skills section:
The skill section should include all your relevant skills for the job role. Ensure you list all the required technical & interpersonal (Hard & Soft) skills suitable to the position. For example-
A marketing resume should include skills like content creation, scripting, selling, and human psychology.
3. Work Experience:
Next comes your work history! Like the chronological resume, you should list your work experience in reverse order only. This gives the employers a clear idea about your newest job role. Also, it would be great to include your accomplishments during each of your working positions.
4. Education and Certifications:
This section should include all your academic qualifications & professional courses in reverse chronological order. List your degrees, certificates, and internships here. You can also add marks, grades, and medals earned as well.
5. Optional sections:
In case, there is space left or you need to demonstrate a special section for your awards, volunteer activities, and job-specific certifications, you can include those here.
Who Should Use a Combination Resume?
Now, let’s come to the question, ‘Who Should Use a Combination Resume’.
Generally, anyone can use this and there are no strict rules about it. However, a combination resume writing format becomes essential in some cases. Here are some of the prime examples to understand the scene.
A. Career Changers
A Combination resume is useful for career change. As a professional working in a different industry, you would need to highlight your skills that are relevant to the new job position. As a career changer, you may not have sufficient experience in the field so showcasing your skills works like a charm!
For example- A marketing professional applying for UX design can include designing & interpersonal skills.
Best practices for structuring your resume effectively.
- Focus on transferable skills in the Summary and Skills sections.
- Highlight relevant projects or experiences you have done.
- Customize your resume to the job description to be the most relevant.
B. Professionals with Employment Gaps
If you have an employment gap in your professional career, then you should use a combination resume. This resume writing format emphasizes the skills first, naturally minimizing the career gap side effects.
Moreover, you can highlight the skills you learned during those gaps. Career gaps may have several reasons but a combination resume helps you highlight your strengths rather than the gaps.
Tips for framing past experiences to maintain relevance:
- Highlight any volunteer or freelance work.
- Include relevant transferable skills applicable to the position.
- Avoid making the gap too obvious.
- Focus on what you’ve accomplished during your time away.
C. Freelancers & Gig Workers
Example: A freelance writer showcases multiple clients. The writer can create a section dedicated to the skills they have developed and include a work history that showcases notable clients or projects. Specific projects, such as content for high-profile brands, should be highlighted with measurable results where possible.
For example- A freelance social media marketer can showcase their engineering degree alongside content creation, editing, and graphic designing skills.
Strategies to organize skills and projects effectively:
- Create a dedicated skills section and highlight all your relevant skills for the job.
- Use bullets to list your skills and show the results.
- Consider grouping your skills industry-wise.
D. Experienced Professionals Seeking a New Industry
An experienced professional who wants to change their industry can use a combination resume. They can highlight their transferrable skills and expertise to get the new job position easily. Also, they can highlight the required skills.
Note- A combination resume allows professionals to utilize their PAST career and accomplishments to be credible for the new job.
How to use past accomplishments for the new job position?
- Identify the core skills that fit perfectly to the new industry.
- Customise the professional summary and skills according to the new demands.
- Showcase your leadership skills and achievements to showcase adaptability, flexibility, and success.
E. Recent Graduates with Strong Skills & Internships
Since a combination resume includes everything from skills to academic qualifications, it works well for recent graduates. They can show their skills and qualifications even if their work experience is limited. They can also list internships, academic projects, and volunteer work.
How to correctly list your academic and internship experiences?
- Highlight your academics in reverse chronological order.
- Describe your skills and projects in dedicated sections.
- Highlight any relevant internships or part-time jobs.
- Focus on your knowledge and skills rather than work experiences.
When Not to Use a Combination Resume?
Combination resumes offer several advantages but it’s not always the case. There are scenarios where creating a Combination Resume might not work well!
- When you have a clear work history and consistent track record.
- If you have minimal work experience.
- When you have unrelated work experience.
- You have a history of job-hopping.
Tips for Making Your Combination Resume Stand Out:
- Keep your formatting clean.
- Use a simple layout and avoid clutter to make your resume easy to read.
- Use bullet points to highlight key elements of your resume. It can be your skills, achievements, and awards.
- Focus on results instead of the inputs. For example- Use ‘Increased organic traffic by 30%’ instead of unclear instructions.
- Customise your resume for each job application. Use keywords relevant to specific job positions every time you create a new resume. Modify your skills, academics, and experience with each new resume.
- Keep your resume to the point. No one likes to read long resumes so keep it concise and a maximum of 2 pages.
Conclusion:
So, what do you think now about combination resumes? Do you think you need one or would you like to continue with the traditional resume formats?
Before we end our blog, let’s discuss the summary of everything that we have discussed today. A combination resume writing format highlights all your skills and experience. It brings out the best in both chronological and functional resumes.
Notably, this resume writing format is an excellent choice for situations like recent graduates, career changes, employment gaps, or industry changes.
But there are certain conditions when you should not use a combination resume.
If you have a clear straightforward career and have no intention to leave your current industry.
Are you searching for resume writing services that produce excellent combination resumes according to your needs? Connect with Writrox resume writing experts today.
