Chronological Resume
A chronological resume is one that focuses more on your career path or jobs history rather than skills and qualifications. The previous employers are listed one after the other in reverse order (newest to oldest) along with the duties, tasks or achievements in related to each entry. Your experience is highlighted through your history rather than through skills summery. Following is an example of chorological resume:
Candidate Name
Job Title
Objective
To find a suitable position as desired job title
Experience:
> 2005-2011 Last Company (job title)
1) First task or duty
2) Second Task or Duty
3) Third Task or Duty
> 2001-2005 First Company (job title)
1) First task or duty
2) Second Task or Duty
3) Third Duty
Functional Resume
A functional resume is one that focuses more on qualifications, abilities and achievements rather than how and when they were acquired. The list of previous employers is still there but the exact duties in each position are not elaborated. A functional resume basically highlights the qualifications of a person by explicitly listing them under the skills and qualifications section ahead of previous employers. Achievements in each position are not listed because they will be available in the skills section. Below is an example:
Candidate Name
Job Title
Objective
To find a suitable position as desired job title
Qualifications and achievements:
1) First achievement/ qualification / skill
2) Second achievement/ qualification / skill
3) First achievement/ qualification / skill
4) First achievement/ qualification / skill
5) First achievement/ qualification / skill
Experience:
> 2005-2011 Last Company (Job Title)
> 2001-2005 Second Company (Job Title)
> 1998 � 2000 First Company (Job Title)
When to use each:
Use functional resume if your skills or education outclass your work history, you are a fresh graduate, you job history is not impressive or there is gap somewhere in your career path, otherwise use chorological. Even if you have a fantastic history, functional may still work for you. Our own recommendation is to use a mixture of both. List you skills and achievements and still provide a detailed work history.