Stand out with an attractive resume – Text resume, which provides a comprehensive picture of you professionally and differentiate your profile from the crowd. This resume can be used for job search, professional networking, business development, and personal brand management. Our expert understands the profile, discuss it in detail, and select the best way to represent your career with balanced typography. We place the right content at the right place giving it a structured and presentable look. But before proceeding further we should understand the difference between  Resume,CV and biodata.

Resumes, CV and Biodata are very similar in nature and are used to present personal-professional information about a person. They are usually used in job applications, academic applications, and similar documentation. The primary differences between the three are:

• Biodata is a very short document with basic factual information only while resume and CV present the same information in more details. Curriculum Vitaes contain very detailed information while resumes have brief descriptions only.
• Biodata formats are single page while resume formats can extend to two pages and CV formats can be even longer due to the details presented. However, it is not recommended to have a CV longer than 3-pages unless you are highly experienced.
• Biodata is used widely and may be required for documentation other than jobs or academic. Resumes and CVs are mainly used for job applications and academic applications or similar professional use.
• Biodata follows the format of a functional resume while CVs can be made with either combination resume or chronological resume.

A resume is a summarized document which represents a job seeker’s professional background and skills for a prospective employer. To build an attractive resume, you need to find out the best resume format. Resume format plays a vital role while creating a job-winning resume. You should be well-versed about the kind of resume format that suits your current situation. Here we have explained in detail which type of format suits you and what points to keep in mind while building an impressive resume.

Essential Tips to Keep In Mind for a Professional Resume Format

Formatting and layout hold a lot of value in the resume building because the first impression is the last. If the resume format is clean and concise, then the employer can look at your resume with no trouble. Also, your resume aims to express the journey of your professional life. So, here are some of the ultimate tips that will help you out to build an impressive resume.

• Single page:We recommend keeping your resume length short. Avoid writing long, 2-3 pages resume when not necessary. No one is free and interested in reading the long journey of your professional life.
• Break resume into sections:Always divide your resume into proper sections like contact information, skills, summary, work experience.
• Create header:Create a header for the contact information section.
• Keep it concise:Using lengthy statements and paragraphs can make it look odd and annoying. So, keep it straight to the point statements.
• Consistent font-size:Avoid changing your font size. It can look disorganized. Also, keep it 10,11or 12pts size. These sizes are preferable.
• Use simple and readable fonts:Times New Roman, Arial are some simple and recommended fonts for writing a resume.
• Give margins:Give a neat and complete look to your resume by giving it a margin of 0.5 inches to 1 inch.
• Use bullet points:Describe your past job responsibilities in bullet points.
• Add space:You should add space before and after each section.
• Eliminate the word “I” -Eliminate your “I” from your CV. Other than this, you should avoid other including commonly used words in your resume such as hardworking, team player, etc.
• Avoid making grammatical and spelling errors:The resume errors like grammatical and spelling irritate anybody reading it. Grammatical mistakes can change the whole meaning of a sentence. It can give an employer the wrong ideas about you. So be careful and avoid making grammatical errors.
• It is recommended that the resume should always be saved as a PDF file because it keeps the content intact. Also, abide by the rules. If the recruiter mentions the other file format such as DOC, DOCX then save as that file only. Don’t save your resume as a graphics file like JPG, JPEG, PNG, and WEBP, etc.

These were the tips to always have in mind while formatting a resume. But have you heard about an ATS friendly resume? If No then don’t worry because we have your back. Keep reading it to find out about ATS-friendly resume.

What Is An ATS Friendly Resume?

The applicant tracking system (ATS) scan, sort or rank the resume for recruiters who receive hundreds of job applications. It eases their job and selects the resume on behalf of them, which matches their current openings. Now in this digital era, many reputed companies use this system to ease the selection process of job applications. This software quickly sorts the application, which matches their opening position requirements.

What Points To Keep In Mind While Formatting An ATS Friendly Resume?

• Include the keywords used in job postings: You should use the same set of keywords used in the job posting so that it increases the probability of matching the job opening. This practice should be carefully undertaken because it should make sense and represent you.
• Avoid using graphics: Many ATS software are not eligible to scan and process the graphics. So, it is recommended to use a minimum graphics in your resume.
• Keep it simple: Use simple formats like the chronological or hybrid format for building an ATS friendly resume. Use bullet points to highlight your accomplishments. The simple and easy design is preferable.
• Choose the correct file format: It is preferable to use PDF file format unless the other format is specified.

Why Use an ATS Compliant Resume Format?

• Many companies have started using an Applicant tracking system to make their work easy.
• The system needs to parse your data to make it searchable and visible to the recruiter.
• If the system does not parse your resume the hiring manager would never be able to come across your resume even if you are qualified for the position.

Types of Resume Formats

There are three types of formats of resume preferred and recommended by most of the recruiters. These are chronological resume format, functional resume format, and combination resume format.

CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME FORMAT

This format is the most common and simple one. In this resume format, one can get a quick overview of everything they want to know. This format gives the most weightage to work experience section which is mentioned before skills and education. The recruiter prefers this format because it has a simple and neat layout because he/she can get a quick idea about your experience and skills

What Sections To Include In A Chronological Resume Format?

• Contact Information
• Professional Title
• Resume Summary
• Work Experience
• Skills
• Education
• Additional Sections

As work experience is the main part of chronological resume format, here we are describing how to write it:

• Initially, write about your current job or most recent job followed by second last, third last, and so on.
• Include your position, company name, work period dates (e.g. Jan 2016 – Feb 2018 or Feb 2018 – Present, for current job) in each job entry.
• Describe your job responsibilities and achievements (only important ones) in 4-5 bullet points under each job entry.
• You can also use action verbs. For example, write “analyzed” instead of “responsible for analyzing”.
• Always quantify (in numbers, percentage) your achievements when its possible because quantity attracts eyeballs.

Advantages

• It gives a concise look at your work history.
• You can easily find out the progression of a career.
• Also, it will pass the application tracking software resume test for sure.
• Best to convert into a detailed CV

Disadvantages

• It is not good for fresher candidates or who are into changing careers.
• Not preferable for candidates who have no standard progression in their career.
• An employment gap can be easily visible in this format.

FUNCTIONAL RESUME FORMAT (SKILL-BASED)

This format allows a candidate to put his/her best foot forward. The functional resume format emphasizes the skills more than work-experience. This format is the exact opposite of the chronological format. Here the job role-related skills, qualifications are listed first, and the work-experience is written below without elaborating it much.

What Sections To Include In A Functional Resume Format?

• Contact Information
• Resume Summary
• Professional Title
• Skills
• Extra Skills
• Work-Experience
• Education

As skill section the key part of this resume format. Let’s know how it would be written:

• Firstly mention the main skills you are mastered in, like technical skills - In this section, you can specify the skills related to the job position. For example, for digital marketing job you can mention: Web Analytics, Competitor Analysis, Social Media Optimization, Paid Campaigning, Writing, etc.
• You can’t just mention skills but also you can describe what you have achieved by applying those skills (in paragraph or bullets).
• Link to online portfolio (if available)

Advantages

• It focuses on your accomplishments rather than work-experience.
• This is the best resume format for candidates who are into changing careers and freshers.
• The finest way of highlighting your skills and qualifications.

Disadvantages

• It is not recommended by recruiters as it is the opposite of chronological format.
• Some employers may think that you have used this format for hiding your shortcomings in your work experience.
• This format is not ATS friendly.

HYBRID/COMBINATION RESUME FORMAT

As the name says it all, it is the combination of the above two mentioned formats namely chronological resume format and functional resume format. This format emphasizes skills and experience equally. You can say that it is the blend of characteristics of both formats. This format is less confusing as compared to Functional format, and it also highlights the candidate’s strength.

What Sections To Include In A Combination/Hybrid Resume Format?

• Contact Information
• Summary Section: In this section, you can express your strengths, achievements, and accomplishments that can help build a positive picture of you. This section plays an extremely important role in this format. Make sure you convey your positives and strength in the most excellent way possible.
• Skills - Add your skills related to the job opening and other skills too, to make an impression.
• Professional Experience
• Education

Advantages

• It focuses on your accomplishments rather than work-experience.
• This is the best resume format for candidates who are into changing careers and freshers.
• The finest way of highlighting your skills and qualifications.

Disadvantages

• It is not recommended by recruiters as it is the opposite of chronological format.
• Some employers may think that you have used this format for hiding your shortcomings in your work experience.
• This format is not ATS friendly.

• How to Select the Best Resume Format for Yourself
• Every format has its pros and cons and it is difficult to find out which format works best for you. But you don’t need to worry about choosing the correct one as we are here to guide you and suggest the right for you. So, let’s hop to the conclusion of choosing the correct resume format.

Chronological Resume Format Recommended For:

• This format is suggested for the candidates who have solid work experience and have continuous growth in their career. As this resume format focuses on work experience, it should be only chosen by the well-experienced candidates. For example Software Engineers, Customer Service Representative, Sales Manager can use this format.

Functional Resume Format Recommended For:

• This format is suggested for the ones who are into changing careers. It is also best suited for the job hunters who have a gap in their work-experience or have limited work experience. For example, an Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse, people in the field of data entry, and Secretary/Assistant can use this resume format.
• Hybrid/Combination Resume Format Recommended For:
• This one works for the ones who have transferable skills and with diverse working history and freelancers who have little professional experience. Also, recommended for making career changes. For example, the Food inspector, Hairstylist, and Yoga instructor can use this format.
• developers have used interactive flash files, and so on. Here are a few samples to take inspiration from.

How to choose a resume format?

There are various kinds of resume formats that can be used. You can also develop your customized format from scratch. The format should provide the required information strategically and clearly. Also, based on various factors like experience, skills, industry, etc, you can choose between a chronological resume format, a functional resume format, or a combination resume format.

• A chronological resume is used when you have been working in the same industry and you are applying for another job within the same space.
• A functional resume is used if you are a new graduate and have very less or no work experience.
• A combination resume is used when if you have skills developed outside your area of expertise, have career gaps or changing profession.

What makes a resume good and attractive?

• A resume is considered good if it looks neat, simple, well-managed, and is easy to read and skim through without missing important information. Simple text fonts in a maximum of two colors and three sizes are the basic requirements. Distributing information in shorter points, giving proper headings, aligning text on the left margin and other best practices make the resume look good and attractive. Composing simpler sentences, using appropriate vocabulary, highlighting or underlining important phrases, and similar practices with content will make it readable and legible. You can also use some creativity with these but keep it limited and uncompromising on its utility.