Resume Templates: 5 Formats That Get Interviews

There is no single best resume format. The right template depends on your experience, your work history, and the job you want. These five formats cover almost every situation, with guidance on when to use each and a text outline you can copy.

The five resume formats

Chronological

Best for: Steady work history in the same field

When to use it: Use this format when your recent jobs build directly toward the job you want. It is the format recruiters expect, and it makes your career progression easy to follow. Choose it if you have at least two years of relevant experience and no long gaps.

Text outline:

YOUR NAME
City, State | Phone | Email | LinkedIn

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: 2-3 lines on your experience and what you are targeting.

WORK EXPERIENCE (most recent first):
  Job Title, Company, City, State | Dates
  - Achievement with a number or result
  - Achievement with a number or result
  - Key responsibility

EDUCATION: Degree, School, Year

SKILLS: relevant skills, tools, certifications

Functional

Best for: Career changers and employment gaps

When to use it: Use this when your skills matter more than your job titles, for example after a career break or when switching fields. It leads with what you can do rather than where you worked. Some recruiters dislike this format, so pair it with a clear work history section.

Text outline:

YOUR NAME
Contact info

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: who you are and the role you are targeting.

SKILLS SUMMARY:
  Skill area 1: 2-3 bullet examples of results
  Skill area 2: 2-3 bullet examples of results
  Skill area 3: 2-3 bullet examples of results

WORK HISTORY (titles, companies, dates only)

EDUCATION

Combination

Best for: Experienced professionals with diverse skills

When to use it: Use this when you have strong experience and want your top skills to stand out immediately. It opens with a skills summary, then backs it up with a full work history. It runs longer than other formats, so keep it to two pages at most.

Text outline:

YOUR NAME
Contact info

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

KEY SKILLS: 6-9 skills in a compact list

WORK EXPERIENCE (most recent first, with achievement bullets)

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

Entry-Level

Best for: Students and recent graduates

When to use it: Use this when you have little or no full-time work experience. It leads with education, projects, internships, and part-time work, and keeps everything to one page. Coursework, volunteer work, and personal projects all count.

Text outline:

YOUR NAME
Contact info

EDUCATION: Degree, School, Graduation date, GPA if strong, relevant coursework

PROJECTS: 2-3 projects with what you built and the result

EXPERIENCE: internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work (with bullets)

SKILLS: tools, languages, certifications

Career-Change

Best for: Switching industries

When to use it: Use this when your past job titles do not match the job you want. It frames your experience around transferable skills and explains the change in a short summary. Show how what you did before makes you good at what is next.

Text outline:

YOUR NAME
Contact info

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: your background, why you are changing fields, and what you bring.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS: 3-4 skill areas with examples from past roles

WORK EXPERIENCE: past roles reframed around relevant skills

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: courses or certifications for the new field

Frequently asked questions

How long should my resume be?

One page for most people with under ten years of experience. Two pages is fine for senior roles with a lot of relevant history. Anything longer usually means you have not cut enough.

Should I include a photo on my resume?

In the US, UK, and Canada, no. Photos can introduce bias and many companies strip them out. In some countries a photo is standard, so follow the norms where you are applying.

Do I need a different resume for every job?

You need a tailored one, not a rewritten one. Adjust your summary and reorder bullets so the most relevant experience comes first. Small targeted changes beat starting from scratch.

What is the biggest resume mistake?

Listing duties instead of results. Saying you were responsible for customer service proves nothing; saying you resolved 40 customer issues per week with high satisfaction ratings proves you can do the job.