Best Resume Format 2023

Why do we care about the best resume format in 2023? You wouldn’t wear ill-fitting clothing to a meeting with a potential employer. A potential employer would see it and probably decide against interviewing you. A professional resume structure, likewise, ought to present your job history in the best possible light. This article will examine the finest resume format so that you may better understand which style “fits” your experience. 

March 2, 2024 by Kazu Fujimoto

What is a Resume Format?

The word “resume format” might be misleading since it can mean different things depending on the source.
The way components are presented, the manner of writing the job history section, and the focus placed on certain sections actively contribute to what we recognize as a resume format. Some resume formats place more emphasis on the abilities section than others, while others highlight your employment history.

Best Resume Formats

The good news is that when it comes to selecting a format for your resume, your options have already been condensed down to three primary types:

• Reverse chronological
• Functional
• Combination

Check out: What is the best resume format?

Reverse Chronological Format

The arrangement known as reverse chronological order has been the standard format for a great number of years. There is a very good explanation for why it is the case. In more conventional fields, where advancement through the ranks is the norm, a chronological presentation of work experience is still preferred. The finest resume examples will all highlight this type of reasoning.

The word reverse comes from the fact that you’ll start with your current or most recent employer and go back through the prior decade to include all relevant job history. Keep in mind that the chronological format can quickly draw the hiring manager’s attention to any gaps in your employment history, even if you don’t include everything you’ve done in that timeframe).

Check out if you even should be using resume bullet points.

Key points

• If your employment history is your strongest point, list it in reverse chronological order.
• Don’t use a chronological arrangement for the sake of convention if it doesn’t seem to fit your story.

Example

Presenting an example of a reverse-chronologically formatted job experience section for a digital marketer’s resume:

Digital Marketing Manager

Wonderful Agency Inc. 

06/2017 – Present 

• During the previous three quarters, we reduced the number of meetings by 24% by adopting a new reporting and presentation structure for sales, customer interaction, and Google Ads.
• Bid Strategy in Google Ads and Bing Ads was updated and tracked, leading to a 3.2% improvement in CTR within the first month.
• Reduced customer retention by 25% in just two months after a UX redesign of the website. 
• After doing keyword research for the purpose of revising the online store’s product pages, we were able to boost the number of organic keywords ranking in the Top 100 by 5,600 and those ranking in the Top 10 by 315 in terms of search volume. 

Digital Marketing Specialist 

Company X  

02/2015 – 05/2017 

• Increased conversion rates by an average of 20% for chosen customers after working with a copywriter and designer to implement changes to landing pages depending on search intent. 
• Managed Google Ads accounts for enterprise clients in a one-on-one setting. 
• Oversaw monthly advertising budget of $40,000. 
• Reached an average ROAS of 200% across all advertising accounts. 

Functional Resume Format

The functional CV is ideal for positions where relevant abilities are prioritized over work experience. This resume layout allows you to showcase your relevant work history up front under a section labeled “Experience.” 

In contrast to the chronological resume style, which emphasizes past achievements, the functional resume format highlights your current set of transferable talents and areas of expertise. A functional resume is preferable to a chronological resume because it can be tailored to fit a wider range of employment requirements. 

Benefiting from displaying their skills without having to categorically classify them under past roles, which may be too many or repetitious, is a boon for skilled craftsmen, freelancers, gig workers, students, and even new graduates.

Key points

• If your abilities are the most relevant to the position you are applying for, you should use a functional resume structure.
• If you desire to increase your chances of being hired but lack experience in a job that typically requires a chronological resume, create a functional one instead.

Example

Here is an example of a functional resume format fill out for a journalism position.

Resume Objective

Graduate of journalism who is eager to work for The Daily Prophet and has a lot of drive and ambition. For six months, I was an intern at Who Magazine, where I learned the ins and outs of conducting research, confirming facts, and conducting interviews. Enthusiastic blogger at the Bogus Blog Site, where she has almost 2,000 followers. 

Skills Summary

Research & Fact checking

• Being able to search for something methodically using different mediums like books, internet directories, and social media to find what you need. 
• Vigilant in ensuring the veracity of all published information and claims. 

Interviewing

• Complete familiarity with the journalistic codes and norms necessary for conducting professional and respectful interviews. 
• Able to establish a meaningful rapport with interviewers, resulting in in-depth, informative discussions. 

Writing

• Be an expert in writing news stories, features, columns, and reviews for a newspaper or magazine.
• Have graduated and, since then, have written over 15 articles in various periodicals. 

Combination Resume Format

The combined format, also known as the combination format, is an ideal synthesis of the chronological and functional presentation styles. The job market typically requires candidates to use a hybrid resume format. 

A freelancer who is applying for full-time employment, for instance, may wish to highlight their most impressive talents up front, followed by an Employment History section that highlights their success in similar settings. Professionals often write resumes using a hybrid format, while still labeling them as reverse chronological.

For many jobs, putting your strongest qualifications up front is a good strategy. In most cases, you can still include your two most recent positions in your work history on the first page of your resume. The candidate may highlight their qualifications up front while still providing the career history information that is required by many more traditional employers. 

If you possess the kind of experience that would appear most favorable on a functional resume but have concerns about its acceptance in the job market, choosing a mixed resume is the recommended approach.

Key points

• If you are looking to stand out from the crowd, emphasize your most valuable skills, or switch careers, a combined resume is the way to go.
• Put the recruiting manager off by concealing the information they are looking for.

Example

An example of a skills summary from a hybrid CV for a program director position is as follows: 

Interpersonal Skills

• Initiated formal and informal coaching and mentoring for 50+ team members on developing the project charter, planning resources, using best practices in project management, and delivering the desired results. 
• Developed suitable project tools and procedures by coordinating input from many functional/technical directors, managers, and core teams. 

Budget Management 

• Directed the rollout of a multiyear, multimillion-dollar research system software upgrade that benefited workers across the firm. 
• Financial and statistical data analysis led to a 12% decrease in operating expenses.
• Strategically oversaw the project execution teams to guarantee timely and cost-effective project completion, saving the business $250,000. 

Project Management

• Supported approximately 60K end-users in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia by providing strategic guidance, leadership, and project control on a portfolio of multimillion-dollar application projects.
• We boosted efficiency in the IT department by 90% after making improvements to project management and communication.
• Maintain constant communication with twenty or more project teams, stakeholders, and sponsors regarding the project’s status, including budget estimation, scheduling, and resource planning.

Tips to Choose the Best Resume Format

Using a resume builder? Here are our top 5 advice for selecting a format and completing your resume.

• You should pick a resume format that complements the voice and brand of your potential company.
• When in doubt, stick with the tried-and-true rather than trying anything out of the ordinary.
• To avoid overwhelming the reader with information, make sure your template has an appropriate amount of white space-to-text ratio.
• You should pick a resume format that highlights your most relevant work experience and skills.
• You may experiment with different layouts and rearrange the parts to get the ideal one for your resume.

Check out: How Many Bullet Points Per Job On A Resume

Conclusion

To be noticed in a highly competitive employment market like 2023’s, individuals must actively choose the ideal resume format. This article delves into the top resume formats of 2023, offering helpful advice for writing a winning application. Job seekers can improve their chances of being hired and moving up the corporate ladder by using the recommended strategies and using the modern resume style.