The resume
When applying to graduate school, searching for an internship, or looking for full-time employment, a superior resume is an important tool. Use these resources to guide you as you write your resume.
Resume formats
Generally, there are three formats for resumes: Chronological, functional, and combination.
The chronological style is an account of positions you’ve held, what employers you’ve worked for, and your achievements in those positions. The account is listed in reverse chronological order. This style is common among recent graduates and those searching for a new job in the same profession.
The functional style, on the other hand, places the emphasis on what you've accomplished and de-emphasizes where you did it. This allows you to organize a variety of experiences, according to specific skills. Past employers are listed on the resume, but near the bottom, indicating only the employer's name, the candidate's position title, and the dates of employment. The functional style is commonly used by those changing careers. This style allows them to demonstrate how transferable their skills are from one setting to another. It is also used by someone who is re-entering the work force after a period of absence.
The third style is the combination resume. Job seekers using this style merge the elements of each of the other styles. They will include an overview or summary of qualifications at the beginning, in which they stress their skills and characteristics appropriate for the position, but they revert to the reverse chronological style for the remainder of the document. This overview section is used to "set the scene" so that the resume is read from a particular perspective.
(This page adapted from http://www.unl.edu/careers/prepare/resume.htm.)
