combination resume 2021

Do You Need a Combination Resume? Here's How to Know (and How to Write One)

Your resume is one of the most important things a potential employer uses to determine whether you’ll move forward to the next phase of the hiring process. That’s a lot of weight on one document that should almost always be a single page long. So you want to be certain your resume makes it abundantly clear why you’d be a fantastic pick for the job.

But what if listing out your work history doesn’t really tell the right story about you as a candidate, or any coherent story at all? You’re not doomed. Maybe you just need to consider using a combination resume to ensure that you stand out—and get through that first hoop to interview for the role.

What Exactly Is a Combination Resume (or Hybrid Resume)?

You can’t really understand what a combination resume is without first being familiar with the two other resume formats it melds together.

You’re probably familiar with the chronological resume —sometimes referred to more accurately as a reverse chronological resume—because it’s the one job seekers use (and the one recruiters see) most often. Your professional experience is the star of this type of resume, which lists your roles from the most recent going back in time with details below each entry and perhaps a brief skills section toward the bottom of the page.

The functional resume , also known as a skills-based resume, takes a different approach. Here, the meatiest part of the document is a detailed summary of your areas of expertise, laying out your key skills relevant to the role with supporting evidence. You might still list your professional experience, but briefly and less prominently, likely putting it lower down on the page and including for each job only your title, the company name, its location, and the dates.

A combination resume, also referred to as a hybrid resume, does exactly what its name suggests, finding a middle ground by combining aspects of both the chronological and functional resumes. It includes a section focused on your relevant skills near the top of the page followed by a section that runs through your relevant work history in some detail. In this case, your skills and work history are billed as co-stars with relatively equal footing.

“It gives you a chance to show chronology and evolution, but also a chance to pinpoint skills you want to point out,” says Muse career coach Neely Raffellini , founder of the 9 to 5 Project. Look, it says, I can do this job, and here’s why.

Who Should Use a Combination Resume?

A combination resume “allows the recruiter, like me, to pay very close attention to skill sets first. What do they think they’re really good at?” says recruiter Steven Davis , a Muse career coach. And, more specifically, how do the ways in which they excel make them a great choice for this particular role?

So this format might be a good choice for anyone who feels a chronological list of their past jobs doesn’t immediately highlight those abilities or tell the right story in a straightforward way, such as:

• Career changers: Whether you’re making a small pivot or taking a bigger leap, the job you want is different from the ones you’ve had in the past. A recruiter or hiring manager might not have an easy time picking out the reasons you’re a great fit from your work history. Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping they’ll notice the third bullet under this job and the second bullet under that one and put them together to see that you have obviously transferable skills, you can do the work for them. In a combination resume they’ll still be able to see where you’ve worked and get a sense for what you did and where, but you’re also helping making it super clear how it all adds up.
• Veterans: As a service member, you’ve gained invaluable experience and a slew of skills. But civilian jobs don’t always match military roles one-to-one. If you’re transitioning from the military into the civilian workforce, you can help show a recruiter or hiring manager how your previous experience is actually great preparation to take on the role you’re applying for by pulling out the relevant skills and expertise and putting it front and center. “For example, if somebody is [an officer] in the military managing a team of soldiers, they could be considered to be a project manager in a company,” Davis says. If you opt for a combination resume, you could list project management as a key skill and demonstrate how you made use of it in your previous roles.
• Recent graduates: If you’re only one job removed from school and don’t have a whole lot of traditional work experience to list in a chronological work history section, you might want to emphasize the skills you’ve developed and honed not only at work, but also through volunteering, school leadership roles, internships, and more.
• Candidates with a lot of experience or multi-track job histories: Let’s say you have the opposite problem. You’re well into your career and have oodles of experience taking on different responsibilities over the years. Maybe you’ve even had a somewhat varied career that’s more of a winding path or one that has multiple prongs. If you’re worried that someone attempting to wade through all that will get lost or confused, give them a hand by pointing them to exactly the right spots.
• Folks with big gaps in their employment: If you’ve been out of the workforce for some time for whatever reason—dealing with a health issue, for example, or caring for a child or parent—you might decide to go with a combination resume so that the long-ago date of your most recent employment isn’t the first thing on your resume.

Are There Any Downsides to a Combination Resume?

Any time you’re using a less common format, you take the risk of standing out, and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing really depends on the specific person reading your resume.

The biggest risk: Some recruiters have the perception that candidates who use functional or combination resumes are trying to hide something, Smith and Raffellini both say.

Because its format is so different, a functional resume also has the problem of being “harder to read and harder to contextualize the work and really understand what your experience has been,” Smith says. But that’s less of a problem with a combination resume, which also includes robust details about your work experience, making it less likely to confuse or turn off a recruiter.

And here’s the truth: “If people haven’t been getting results,” Raffellini says, they “don’t have anything to lose from trying another format.”

What Goes Into a Combination Resume and in What Order?

The prospect of creating a new resume can be intimidating, and a whole new format may feel like too much. But remember that most of the substance is the same. In essence, you’re just taking a lot of the same material and presenting it in a new way.

A combination resume includes the following components (many of which should look familiar even if you’ve only ever used a chronological resume):

• Name and contact information: Your resume header at the top of the page should be prominent, so anyone reading can easily remember who you are, know how to get in touch with you, and click through to your portfolio, social media profiles, and/or any other important links.
• Summary (optional): The resume summary —a brief statement that sums up who you are (professionally) and what you have to offer—is not a must. However, it can be particularly effective for career changers or professionals with years of experience who want to tell readers a concise story about what they bring to the table for this particular role.
• Relevant/key skills: The first half of the main show in a combination resume, this is where you list your key skills that are relevant to the role you’re applying for. See below for a few different possible approaches to this section.
• Work history: The second act in a combination resume is a list of your past roles, with responsibilities and accomplishments listed below each one. If you have a great deal of experience, you may want to consider trimming this list down to the most relevant entries and labeling it “Relevant Work Experience” or “[Field/Type of Role You’re Applying For] Experience.”
• Education: In your education section, you’d list any degrees you have in reverse chronological order (similar to the way you would in a typical chronological resume).
• Additional skills, volunteer experience, awards, interests, or other sections as needed: You can create one or more additional sections that are relevant to you and the role you’re applying for. For example, you might want to list out additional skills that didn’t make it into the top section or include volunteer experience, awards, interests or hobbies, etc.

How Do You Create the Skills Part of a Combination Resume?

As with any aspect of your application, you want to make sure to tailor your combination resume to the role you’re applying for. You can start off by taking a look through several job descriptions for the type of job you want and identifying which skills and areas of expertise they all seem to mention. While you obviously want to list skills you actually have on your resume, this process can help you narrow down exactly which ones to highlight for which jobs.

According to Davis, the requirements and responsibilities sections of a job description can be particularly helpful for understanding which skills are critical. “We’re living in an electronic qualification stage here in getting interviews or not,” he says, emphasizing that an applicant tracking system will be programmed to look for certain keywords. “The more that keywords in job descriptions are mentioned in resumes, the better the chances are that someone will receive an interview.” So it’s worth tweaking your resume even further to match each specific job description before you hit submit.

In terms of actually putting down those skills on your combination resume, there are a few possible approaches. Depending on which you use, your skills section might be relatively short, or it might be pretty meaty, maybe even as long as what you might find in a functional resume. There’s no one correct format here—grow or shrink the relative space you give your skills and work experience depending on what makes the most sense for you and the role you’re applying for.

The first approach is to just include keyword skills without further elaboration, either all grouped together or split into categories. It might look like this:

Tech Stack JavaScript • Node • CSS3 • HTML5 • Jest • Webpack • ESLint • Git • Jira

Practices Mentorship • Test Driven Development • Agile • Documentation • Continuous Delivery

Muse career coach and HR executive Angela Smith likes to opt for a table consisting of three columns and two or three rows with a skill in each cell (in just a word or two) because it’s “really eye catching and gives the reader a lot of info in a really digestible format.” It might look like this:

Alternatively, you can make a list of bullet points, one for each skill with a few words of description. It might look like this:

• Account Management: Maintained and cultivated relationships with 45–50 clients.
• Training and Leadership: Onboarded all mid-market account managers and led training sessions that allowed 95% of hires to reach or exceed 90-day goals.
• Public Speaking: Won regional Toastmasters competition two years in a row and placed third in a statewide contest.

Or this (which you could format as two columns of three bullet points each):

• Meeting aggressive deadlines
• Closing long, complex sales cycles
• Strategic consultative sales approach
• Strategic planning, forecasting, and KPIs
• Training, learning, and development
• Stong writing/copywriting skills

And if you really want to get into the nitty gritty of two or three top-level skills, you can create a separate heading for each one with a handful of bullets below it to relay responsibilities and accomplishments that demonstrate your expertise. In this case, Raffellini recommends trying to keep the number of bullets below each relatively uniform and phrasing them much as you would under your work experience by starting with an action verb . It might look like this:

Front-End Web Development

• Wrote responsive designs for 10 websites, reducing load times by 80%.
• Implemented style guides and coding standards across sites.
• Created HTML email templates that improved click-through rates by 28%.

People Management and Mentorship:

• Managed a team of seven entry- and mid-level engineers, both in-office and remote.
• Oversaw project completion, beating delivery schedules in 12% of cases.
• Mentored early career engineers, helping two of them earn promotions.

What Does a Combination Resume Look Like?

All sound good in theory? Great. But what in the world does a combination resume actually look like when you put all the pieces together? Here’s an example of a hypothetical applicant with a decade and a half of engineering experience looking to highlight recent experience and skills for a senior front-end engineering role:

Download an Example Combination Resume

Combination Resume Guide [w/ Templates & Examples]

Are you in the middle of a career change?

Or maybe you’re a senior professional with a diverse set of skills?

Whichever the case may be, the combination resume might be the right one for you!

This hybrid resume allows you to highlight both your work experience AND skills in a single resume, making your professional background shine!

So, want to learn more?

• What a combination resume is & when to use it
• How to create a hybrid resume that really stands out
• How to write must-have sections for any combination resume

Let’s get started!

What’s a Combination Resume

So, what is a combination resume exactly and what does it combine?

Essentially, a combination resume , aka a hybrid resume , combines 2 traditional resume formats .

It’s a mix of the reverse-chronological resume and the functional resume format.

As in, it places equal emphasis both on your skills and work experience.

The format offers 2 main advantages:

• It allows you to present a quick overview of your actual employment history and the areas that are transferable.
• While at the same time, showing the HR manager your top skills and qualifications.

Keep in mind, though, unless you’re in a very specific situation, the combination resume might not be the right resume format for you. What do we mean? 

Read on to find out.

When to Use a Combination Resume

The combination resume is pretty rare.

Most job-seekers worldwide tend to use a reverse-chronological format (and for a good reason). It’s pretty much the standard: HR managers are used to it, it’s straightforward and easy to make.

The combination resume format is very situational. You shouldn’t use it unless you:

• Are going through a career change.
• Have some employment gaps in your work history.
• Are a senior-level candidate, with a diverse range of skills and experiences.

In case you fit the bill for one of these 3 cases, though, here’s how to create a combination resume.

What to Put on a Combination Resume

When creating a combination resume, a proper layout is your best friend.

Typically, you’ll want to cover the following resume sections :

• Contact Information
• Resume Summary
• Work Experience or Areas of Strengths
• Skills Summary
• Additional Skills

Now, we’ll walk you through each of these sections, and teach you how to write them.

Starting with -

Add Contact Information the Right Way

Let’s start with the basics.

If the HR manager is interested in interviewing you, they’ll want to know how to reach you.

In the contact information section you include:

• First name, last name.
• Phone number - Make sure you include your country code if you’re applying outside your country.
• Email address - Your email should be professional. Ideally, something like [FirstName][LastName]@gmail.com
• Location - Are you located in the area? Open to relocation? Or maybe you’re looking for a relocation sponsor? Make sure it’s clear.
• Title - Your professional title goes here. Either your current job or the one you’re applying for word-for-word. If you’re switching careers, you could also do something like “Aspiring [Desired Job Title]”

Once done, make sure you double-check everything, slowly and carefully, for any typos. 

We’d recommend reading everything out loud just in case. You’re not going to go far if the recruiter can’t get in touch with you because of a typo in your email.

Got the basics down? Good!

Now, let’s move onto the resume summary .

Grab the Recruiter’s Attention With a Resume Summary

A resume summary is a 2 - 5 sentence summary of your professional background.

You should look at the resume summary as an introduction to your resume.

It’s the first thing the recruiter sees on your resume, and if you fail to catch their attention, they’re not going to read the rest of it.

So, how do you write a good resume summary?

You mention things like:

• Career highlights
• Qualifications
• Top achievements
• Relevant skills

Here’s an example to better understand what that might look like.

• “IT project manager with a proven track record of working with agile and waterfall methodologies. Managed teams of 5+ people on software development projects over the last 4 years. Decent understanding of JavaScript, React, and Python.”

PS - Need more inspiration for writing a strong resume summary? Check out our how-to guide with 40+ resume summary examples .

Use Your Work Experience to Show Off Relevant Skills

The next section in your combination resume is the work experience.

The work experience section is where you get to really sell yourself and brag about your past achievements.

List out your work history in a reverse-chronological order (starting from the most recent and ending with the oldest), and mention the standard things like:

• Job title and position
• Company name, location - If the company isn’t famous, you can describe what they do in 1-2 sentences. And you should always mention the location too.
• Period of employment - The standard format is mm/yyyy - mm/yyyy.
• Achievements or responsibilities - With achievements, you should list any specific changes you made happen (think in terms of numbers and data). Though, if that’s not possible because of the nature of the job (e.g. cashier), you can just stick to responsibilities.

Sounds simple enough, right?

A couple of other things you should keep in mind when writing a work experience entry:

• When possible, focus on achievements instead of responsibilities. 
• Back up your experiences with numbers and data.
• Tailor your experience to the job you’re applying for.

Now, here’s what a work experience entry looks like in practice:

Web Developer

Company X, Denmark, Copenhagen, 05/2018 - Present

• Full-stack developer, responsible for web applications and creative cloud engineering. Led a team of 5+ junior developers, using different methodologies.
• Optimized old check-out page, based on core UX principles, which increased customer purchases by 20%.
• On average, prototyped up to 20+ different product features per year.

Here’s what’s done right:

• Information is relevant, and straight to the point.
• It’s backed up by data and numbers.
• It lists achievements over daily responsibilities.

Now, compare that to -

Company X, Denmark, Copenhagen, 05/2016 - 07/2019

• Collaborated with project managers and provided updates.
• Designed website and mobile apps, while providing exceptional user experience.
• Worked with other developers in a team.

That’s extremely vague, right?

It doesn’t really say anything, or HOW the person actually did their job.

Now, imagine you’re the HR manager and you get to pick between these 2 candidates.

Which one would you pick?

• Going through a career change? You might want to use your work experience section to highlight your transferable skills.
• This way, you’re showing how your seemingly irrelevant work experience gave you the skills you need to do the new job right.

Show You’re the Right Person With the Skills Summary Section

The skills summary section is what differentiates the combination resume from the reverse-chronological one.

This is where you show your know-how for the job and that you have the right skills for it.

This section is especially useful for career changers, as it allows you to focus more on your skills (as opposed to work experience).

So, how do you write a skills summary section?

You start by listing all the required skills for the job you’re applying for.

For example:

• SEO, Content Writing, Growth Hacking
• Graphic Design

Then, underneath each skill listing, you describe how you’ve used this skill in the past.

Combination Resume Skills Summary Example

• Started personal blog for reviewing electronics and latest tech gadgets. Grew email list from 0 to 500+. Ranked in top 5 Google searches for “best dash cameras for Uber”, and “best front and rear dash cams”.
• Gained over 1,500+ visits from Quora from answering questions daily.
• Reached out to fellow bloggers in the field and got 30+ backlinks to my blog for answering frequently asked questions.
• Used WordPress theme to design website, know basic HTML/CSS.
• Designed infographic using Adobe Illustrator which gained over 500+ tweets / retweets.
• Used Ahrefs to perform site audit, and fix underperforming blog posts by doing a better keyword search.
• Familiar with the basics of Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

Not bad, right?

But what if you’re not switching careers, do you still include the skills summary section?

In that case, you’re using a skills summary section to show your vast range of skills and know-how (that your experience section can’t cover).

If you’re an experienced candidate, your main skills probably don’t stop there.

And that brings us to the next section of your combination resume.

Additional Skills for a Combination Resume

Remember how in the previous section (skills summary), we mentioned the must-have skills?

Well, this is where you list everything you left out.

Now, all you have to do is scan a job ad you want to apply for, look for all the essential skills that you didn’t mention in the skills summary section, and mention them in this section.

Let’s take a look at an example...

Combination Resume Skills Example

Let’s assume that the job is looking for a designer who has:

• Proficiency in UX software (Sketch, InVision, Photoshop XD, etc.).
• Basic understanding of HTML, CSS.
• Strong problem-solving, project management and organizational skills.
• Good communication skills and is a team player.

Now, all you’d have to do is mention those requirements in your skills section, like so:

• HTML and CSS.
• UX / UI software (Sketch, InVision, Photoshop XD, Figma).
• Verbal and written communication.
• Teamwork and time management.

Wondering what other skills are essential for your job? Check out our full guide of 150+ must-have skills for any resume .

Now that you know how to get the skill section right, let’s move on to the next section - education .

Write an Education Section That Stands Out

Your education section comes last on a combination resume, but luckily, it’s fairly straightforward.

The section is pretty much a requirement for any resume.

Here’s what you include in your education section:

• Type of degree - e.g. MSc in Economics and Business Administration
• Educational institution name - The University of Chicago
• Years attended - 09/2017 - 06/2019 
• Program location (optional) - Chicago, Illinois
• GPA (optional, only if noteworthy) - 3.87
• Relevant courses (optional) - Project Management Principles and Practices
• Exchange program (or any other noteworthy achievements) - Exchange program in Washington, D.C.

Here’s what the full listing might look like for a combination resume :

Now, what if your degree isn’t relevant to the job you’re applying for, as it might be if you’re switching careers?

Do you still list it?

As long as you have an actual degree, it still says a lot about your passion and commitment to education.

In some cases, you can even show off some transferable skills with your degree.

Let’s take a look at another example and say you’re applying for a graphic design job , with a B.A. in Communication :

B.A. in Communications

University X, 10/2013 - 06/2017

• Excelled in visual communication and digital media classes.
• Designed posters for university events and social media content.

Key Takeaways

To recap, a combination resume is a type of resume format that places equal emphasis on your skills and work experience.

To make sure your hybrid resume is exceptional, here’s what you should keep in mind:

• Make sure you cover all the necessary sections for a combo resume: contact information , resume summary , skills summary , additional skills , and education .
• When listing your qualifications, focus on only what’s relevant .
• Finally, end with your education . Even if your degree isn't relevant to the job, you should still include it to show your passion for learning.

Done with your resume and looking for extra career advice? Be sure to check out our career blog for more actionable advice and insights.

Discover More Resume Templates

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• Creative Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates
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• High School Resume Templates

Recommended reading:

• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job in 2024
• 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers [Complete List]
• What Are The Most Common Mistakes In A Resume In 2024? [Examples]

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Combination Resumes: How (and When) to Use Them + Examples

3 key takeaways

• A clear understanding of this resume format and how it differs from other resume types
• What scenarios a combination resume is most beneficial in (and how it can improve your job application)
• Tips and guidance for creating your combination resume with Teal's AI Resume Builder

When you're job searching, you need to present your skills and experiences in a way that stands out to potential employers. 

For many, especially those with employment gaps or diverse professional backgrounds, the solution is learning how to use a combination resume.

This unique resume format blends the best of chronological and functional resumes, offering a versatile approach to showcasing your career journey.

Combination resumes are especially useful for those looking to transition between industries, re-enter the workforce, or highlight a broad skill set. And with the right combination resume templates or examples, you can effectively bridge the gap between your past experiences and future ambitions.

What is a combination resume?

A combination resume incorporates elements of both functional resumes and reverse-chronological resumes . It allows you to showcase your relevant skills and your work history in a balanced way. 

This format typically starts with a clear professional summary, then highlights your hard skills, followed by a reverse-chronological listing of your work experience.

Combination resumes are particularly useful if you have diverse skills or varied work experiences and want to showcase these elements effectively. It's ideal for those making a career change, re-entering the workforce, or who have gaps in their employment history. 

By emphasizing your skills upfront, you can draw attention to what you can do rather than when you did it. For job seekers looking to emphasize both their skills and experience, the combination resume template is an excellent choice.

How does a combination resume compare with other formats

While the chronological resume focuses primarily on work history and the functional resume emphasizes skills, the combination resume strikes a balance between the two. This hybrid resume approach offers the flexibility to highlight the aspects of your professional profile that are most relevant to the job title you're applying for.

That’s what makes it a strong option compared to other resume formats . 

It's important to remember that a combination resume still maintains a chronological order in its work history section. It's not just about listing skills but also about demonstrating how these skills have been applied throughout your career.

For recent graduates, this format can highlight educational experiences, while for those pivoting careers, it can focus on relevant projects or volunteer work that aligns with the new role.

How to format a combination resume

A combination resume, as its name implies, combines elements of both chronological and functional resumes. This format allows you to highlight your most relevant skills and experiences while providing a clear timeline of your work history.

Key sections of a combination resume

• Header : This includes your name, contact information, and, optionally, links to your professional online presence (like LinkedIn).
• Professional Summary : A brief, impactful section encapsulating your career highlights and key skills.
• "Skills" section : A list or bullet points showcasing your most relevant skills. Remember, this section should be tailored to the specific job you're applying for.
• Professional experience : Focus on accomplishments, impact, and how you used your skills for each role rather than just duties. Keep in mind every job should be relevant to the role you're applying for.
• Education : Your educational background, often listed in reverse chronological order.
• Additional sections : Depending on your experience, this can include certifications, awards, volunteer work, or personal projects.

The beauty of a combination resume lies in its flexibility. 

Typically, after the header and professional summary, the skills summary comes next, immediately showcasing your most relevant abilities. The professional experience follows, providing context and proof of your skills. 

Education and additional sections come at the end, supporting the overall narrative of your resume.

That said, there’s a slight difference in format depending on the context. 

Combination resumes for recent graduates

The combination resume format particularly benefits recent graduates lacking extensive work experience.

Instead, they can substitute their educational experience, including relevant projects and courses, in a prominent position.

This approach allows them to highlight their potential and the skills they've acquired through their education, which are relevant to the job they're applying for. The format would still maintain a reverse chronological order, ensuring it is easy to read and professionally structured.

Combination resumes for a career pivot 

For individuals making a career pivot, the combination resume format provided above allows them to emphasize transferable skills and relevant projects or volunteer work. These elements can replace or complement the traditional work experience section. 

This approach helps in showcasing how their skills and experiences, even from different fields, are applicable to the new role they are targeting. Again, maintaining a chronological format ensures clarity and structure, which is essential for any professional resume.

In both cases—for recent graduates and career changers—a combination resume serves its purpose well, balancing the skills and experiences relevant to the new role while maintaining a clear, chronological format.

How to write a combination resume

Here’s a detailed guide to writing each section of your combination resume.

As the first impression, your header should clearly display your name, contact information, and any professional links like LinkedIn. 

Make sure it’s easily visible at the top of your resume. A professional-looking header sets the tone for the rest of the document.

2. Professional summary

This is where you craft your elevator pitch. The goal is to summarize your career journey and highlight skills that transfer well to the new role. 

Make it engaging, concise, and focused on why you’re a great fit for this career shift.

Here’s an example of a professional summary for Sarah, a junior marketer looking to enter a mid-level role:

Dynamic junior marketer with 3+ years of experience specializing in digital campaigns, SEO, and social media strategies. Proven ability to boost web traffic and conversion rates through innovative and data-driven approaches. Seeking to leverage creative problem-solving and market analysis skills in a challenging mid-level marketing role.

Pro-tip: Try Teal's Resume Summary Generator to write tailored, position-specific summaries in a matter of seconds.

3. Skills summary

List hard skills like tools or programs that are directly relevant to your new career.

In a combination resume, this part immediately showcases your most relevant capabilities and will ideally be a balance of hard and soft skills relevant to the job description. 

4. Professional experience

Start with your most relevant job roles, even if they aren't in the new career field. Focus on achievements and demonstrate how you used transferable skills to have an impact.

If you’re feeling stuck on how to write your professional experiences, use the Problem-Action-Result (PAR) method to articulate your past contributions.

You can also rely on Teal’s built-in AI to help you draft your resume’s content: 

Just be sure to manually check that the information is accurate when you review your resume. 

5. Education

Include all relevant degrees, certifications, and coursework. 

If you’re a recent graduate or have less professional experience in the new field, this section would be used in place of “Professional Experience.” It can also be expanded to showcase academic achievements, projects, or relevant courses that align with your new career path.

6. Additional sections

This is your space to include anything else that strengthens your application. Consider adding sections for volunteer work, projects, languages, or other certifications. Tailor this part of the resume to showcase experiences and achievements that further demonstrate your suitability for the career change.

Remember, the key to a successful combination resume for a career change lies in how well you customize these sections to showcase your transition into a new career effectively. 

Writing a combination resume with Teal

If you’re just getting started, crafting the perfect combination resume can feel overwhelming, especially when balancing so many elements of your professional journey. 

But Teal’s Drag-and-Drop Editor transforms this challenge into a seamless and intuitive process. You can effortlessly rearrange sections to suit your unique story, ensuring that your skills, experience, and accomplishments are presented in the most impactful way. 

Whether you're a career changer, a seasoned professional with diverse experiences, or someone bridging employment gaps, Teal allows you to create a resume that highlights your strongest assets. Then, you can modify your resume layout to your liking. 

Plus, Teal recognizes the importance of a resume that can be scanned by applicant tracking systems (ATS). 

Teal helps you craft resumes and cover letters that incorporate keywords directly from job descriptions. You can write them from scratch, use the Assistant, or generate them with the help of Teal’s built-in AI. 

From there, you can polish everything to ensure your combination resume is as strong as it is genuine. 

Tips for writing compelling resume content

An impactful combination resume not only showcases your qualifications but also tells a compelling story of your professional journey. With the right approach, your resume can capture the essence of your career and present you as an ideal candidate for the job. 

Here are some essential tips to help you create content that stands out, aligns with the job requirements, and effectively communicates your value.

1. Start with action verbs: Begin each bullet point in your experience section with dynamic action verbs. 

For instance, instead of saying, "Responsible for managing a team," say, "Led a team of 10 professionals to surpass quarterly sales targets by 13%."

2. Quantify bullet points: Whenever possible, include concrete numbers and metrics to quantify the work you’ve done. 

For example, rather than saying "Improved sales," specify with, "Increased sales by 25% over six months through strategic marketing campaigns."

3. Tailor content to the job: Align your resume's content with the job description by incorporating relevant keywords.

 If the job listing emphasizes "project management" and "team leadership," ensure these terms are reflected in your resume, like "Spearheaded a project team to deliver on-time solutions in a fast-paced tech environment."

4. Write clearly and concisely: Avoid industry jargon and complex sentences. 

For example, instead of saying, "Utilized cutting-edge methodologies to engender an increase in consumer engagement," you could say, "Applied innovative strategies to boost customer engagement by 30%."

At the end of the day, the key to an effective combination resume is to present a clear, engaging narrative of your career that aligns with the job you're applying for. 

Writing a combination resume for career change

Changing careers can be challenging. You’ve already climbed the ladder in one field, and now you’re starting all over at the bottom wrung. 

Plus, you need to quickly and concisely explain the transition to hiring managers so they don’t assume you’re a flight risk. 

Here are a few tips for writing a combination resume specifically for a career change. 

1. Highlight transferable skills

When transitioning to a new career field, it's essential to showcase skills from your previous roles that are relevant to your new path. Focus on transferable skills that can be applied in various contexts. 

For instance, if you’re moving from a teaching role to a corporate training position, skills like public speaking, curriculum development, and audience engagement are highly relevant. 

List these skills in a dedicated section and use specific examples in your work history to demonstrate how you've applied them effectively. 

2. Emphasize relevant experience

Your past roles may have more in common with your new field than you think. Scrutinize your work history to identify projects, tasks, or responsibilities that have a direct correlation with the role you’re targeting.

For each job you list, focus on aspects that align with your new career. For example, if you’re moving into project management, highlight your experience coordinating tasks, managing teams, or overseeing project timelines.

Even roles in different industries can provide relevant experience, such as managing a project or leading a team.

3. Use the professional summary wisely

Your professional summary is the first thing employers will read, so it's your chance to make a strong impression. This is where you can express your career change intention and why you are a suitable candidate. 

Write a compelling summary that combines your passion for the new field with your proven skills. 

For example, “Passionate about transitioning into digital marketing, leveraging extensive experience in content creation and audience engagement gained from a successful journalism career.”

4. Include your education and continued learning efforts

Highlighting your education and any ongoing learning efforts is crucial, especially if they are relevant to your new career path. This shows employers your commitment to the field. 

List any recent courses, workshops, or certifications at the top of your education section. For instance, if you’re moving into IT, including certifications like CompTIA or Cisco CCNA can be highly beneficial.

5. Include projects or volunteer work

Non-professional experiences can be just as valuable as paid roles, particularly when they're relevant to the field you're entering. 

Include any freelance projects, internships, or volunteer work that’s related to your new career. 

For example, if you’re aiming for a career in graphic design, include freelance design projects or volunteer work where you created promotional materials for events. Detail these experiences just like you would a job, focusing on what you achieved and learned.

Using Teal’s AI Resume Builder

Teal’s AI Resume Builder simplifies the process of writing a combination resume. It provides guidance and suggestions for each section, ensuring your content is optimized and impactful. With Teal, you can:

• Use AI-driven suggestions to enhance your professional summary and skills summary.
• Tailor your resume to each job application, with Teal highlighting the skills and experiences most relevant to the role.
• Format your resume with ease, thanks to Teal’s user-friendly interface.

Writing a combination resume with Teal is not only easier but also more effective.

Combination resume examples

A good combination resume example can be a great reference to understand how to create your own resume more efficiently. Here are a few examples you can learn from.

Frontend Developer

This combination resume example is perfect for a junior-level employee looking to transition into a new role. The relevant skills are placed after the professional summary, followed by her work experience. 

However, because her professional experience is limited, this example provides more information about internships and volunteer projects.

Marketing Manager

Here we have Max, a marketing manager with a more extensive work history. The skills section is still prioritized, but his working history takes on a reverse chronological format. 

Crafting your combination resume 

Navigating the creation of a combination resume isn't just about assembling parts of your professional history; it's about strategically highlighting your diverse skills and experiences to capture the heart of your career journey. 

A combination resume is your chance to paint a compelling picture of your professional landscape—from your multifaceted skills to the chronological narrative of your work history. It elegantly bridges the gap between showcasing a rich skill set and a robust employment history. 

Whether you're navigating employment gaps, embarking on a career change, or a recent graduate, this format adapts to your unique story, ensuring that your application resonates with potential employers.

Teal’s Drag-and-Drop Editor simplifies this process, allowing you to effortlessly blend sections, customize layouts, and build the combination resume that best represents you. 

I you're ready to elevate your job application, bring your unique professional story to life with Teal. Sign up today , explore the power of the combination resume with Teal’s innovative tools, and step into your next career chapter with confidence. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary advantage of using a combination resume over other resume formats, how can i decide if a combination resume is the right choice for my job application, can a combination resume be used for entry-level positions, or is it only suitable for experienced professionals.

Nathan Thompson

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Combination Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

• Resume Examples

How To Write a Combination Resume

• Resume Text Examples

Unless you’re changing careers or have long work gaps , use the combination (or hybrid) format for your resume. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the functional format’s profile section and the chronological format’s experience section. Below you’ll find tips on using this structure effectively so your resume gets you interviews for your next job.

• Entry-level
• Senior-level

1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your combination qualifications

In a brief paragraph or bulleted list at the top of your resume, catch hiring managers’ attention by giving the three to five main reasons you can excel in your target job. These may come from your work experience, but they could just as well come from another part of your background, such as your education or language skills.

The point of this section is to focus employers’ attention on details about you that matter most to their hiring needs, regardless of when or where they occurred. (Note, most job seekers find it easier to write their profile last.)

Profile Example

Teacher Assistant with an extensive background helping engage children of all ages. Focused on working with students to explore new topics and achieve personal learning goals. Skilled in Blackboard online learning, SMART technology, and use of mobile devices and apps for lower-elementary learners, particularly in reading comprehension. Adapt readily to new work challenges and conditions.

2. Add your combination experience with compelling examples

Below your profile section, outline your recent work experience . For each job, brainstorm your various duties and achievements on a separate document or sheet of paper. Then, identify and copy the most relevant details into your resume. Following this method, the amount of information on each job will roughly correspond with how relevant the job is to your current goals.

The point of this section is to give examples of your success in the type of work you’re now after. But on a combination resume, it also serves to put your profile section in context and make your overall resume easy to follow. When you give basic details on your work history, you let hiring managers quickly see you have the minimum years of experience they’re looking for.

Professional Experience Example

NKN Corporation , San Francisco, CA | September 2015 to Present

Diversity Manager (November 2017 to Present)

• Coordinate diversity and inclusion initiatives for a large, complex organization with presence in 7 countries
• Drive cultural awareness campaigns to promote understanding and cooperation among a geographically dispersed workforce
• Introduced a more flexible enterprise-wide policy governing staff holidays and WFH preferences. Measure boosted staff morale, enhanced manager-employee relations, and helped company place in the city’s “Best 50 Places to Work” in 2019
• Grew department by recruiting and onboarding five new team members
• Member of leadership team that repositioned HR as a strategic partner to the wider enterprise

3. Include combination-related education and certifications

Consider adding a key skills section right below the profile on your combination resume. This section lets you expand on your profile points and further focus your resume on the ways you’d contribute to your target job. Like the profile, it helps you answer the hiring manager’s question: “What do you have for the role I’m trying to fill?”

Naturally, the terms you include will depend on your circumstances, but below is a list of common ones to help you brainstorm:

How To Pick the Best Combination Resume Template

For most job seekers, a clear and straightforward resume template is best. Opt for a layout that lets the hiring manager quickly review your best career details. Select a traditional resume font , and avoid any template with a colorful or elaborate design. Also, ensure the template complies with applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by employers to screen resumes.

Combination Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Jonathan Mundus (123) 456-7890 [email protected] 123 Main Street, Fort Drum, NY 13602

Highly organized Paralegal with recent experience in personal injury law. Committed to helping firms build and maintain positive attorney-client relations.

• Client Service & Communications
• Legal File Digitization
• Legal Research Best Practices
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Team Collaboration
• Time Management
• Trial Document Preparation
• Writing, Editing & Proofreading

Professional Experience

Paralegal, Jenkins Law Firm, Watertown, NY | June 2022 to Present

• Draft pleadings, witness lists, and trial motions
• Assist with research for personal injury lawsuits
• Manage case files and documents
• Digitize physical documents in the electronic filing system
• Earned top marks on formal review for efficiency coordinating communication between attorneys and clients

Legal Intern, Clearwater Law Firm, Liverpool, NY | January 2022 to May 2022

• Drafted motions, subpoenas, and complaints
• Transcribed interviews between attorneys and clients
• Praised for thorough, accurate legal research

Associate of Paralegal Studies, Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, NY | 2022

• Won a writing competition for essay detailing how criminal records laws affect offenders and society

Amar Singh 123 Santa Maria, San Francisco, CA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

Strategic Diversity Manager with 7+ years of advancement and experience at large corporations. Equally effective in a leadership or hands-on role. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions.

• Business Change Leadership
• Cultural Awareness Campaigns
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
• Employee Engagement
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
• Executive Consulting
• Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS)
• Human Resources (HR) Administration
• Policy Development & Interpretation
• Project & Program Management
• Regulatory Compliance
• Staff Recruiting
• Stakeholder Relations Management
• Talent Retention
• Targeted Resource Allocation
• Team Leadership & Motivation
• Work Culture Improvement
• Workforce Planning & Scheduling

Human Resources Associate (September 2015 to November 2017)

• Gained strong foundation in recruiting and employee relations principles

Education & Credential

Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Professional in Human Resources (PHR), HRCI

Affiliation

Member, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Mary Hornblower (555) 987-6543 | [email protected] | Scranton, PA 18504 | www.linkedin.com/example

• Blackboard Learn
• Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
• Large Classroom Management
• Online Learning Tools
• Special Education
• Student Assessment
• Teacher Support & Collaboration

Special Education Teacher’s Assistant, State Elementary School, Scranton, PA | September 2019 to Present [Well-regarded local elementary school with 300 students]

• Independently supervise groups of students during dismissal times and recreation
• Work with reading groups to help students build literacy skills and confidence

Highlights :

• Developed and delivered monthly social skills lessons helping students learn to share, make friends, and collaborate
• Engaged one-on-one with students with learning difficulties, resulting in 10% higher overall test scores and a better pass rate

Preschool Teacher’s Assistant, ABC Child Care, Scranton, PA | January 2016 to August 2019

• Supported a classroom of up to 15 preschoolers
• Helped primary teacher develop lessons and materials to support kindergarten readiness

Childcare Provider, 123 Daycare, Scranton, PA | August 2013 to December 2015

• Provided after-school care to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing
• Oversaw healthy snacks and exercise activities for children aged 5-10
• Assisted students with homework as needed

Associate Degree Early Childhood Education, Lackawanna College, Scranton, PA | 2013

Certifications

Credential of Competency for Special Education Paraeducators in Pennsylvania CPR and First Aid

Frequently Asked Questions: Combination Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for combination resumes -.

The following list can help you find a good mix of action verbs for your resume’s profile and experience sections:

How do you align your combination resume with a job posting? -

First, look closely at the job post text and highlight words that are repeated, emphasized, or otherwise seem important. Compare these highlighted phrases to the language you’re using in your resume, particularly the profile and key skills sections. Then seek ways to align your resume language with the job post while not copying phrases or misstating your background.

For example, say the company seeks someone collaborative. Emphasize that part of your experience in your profile with a line like “Thrive in collaborative work settings” or in your key skills section with a term like “cross-team collaboration.” Or say the company has many non-English speaking customers. Highlight your foreign language skills both in your profile and as a separate section farther down the document.

Also, consider adding brief descriptions of the places you’ve worked in [brackets] right next to or below the company name. Company descriptions let you show any similarities between your past employers and the one who posted the job. For example, maybe you’ve worked for companies of a similar size or industry. Or you might have worked at organizations with a similar mission or leadership philosophy. By adding these details to your descriptions, you can make your resume more relevant to the job opening at hand.

Why is the combination format effective? -

By fusing key sections of the functional and chronological formats, a combination resume lets you present yourself more clearly and strategically. With the experience section, you can outline your recent work history – essential information for most employers. In the profile section, you can display your career highlights at the top, whether they’re from that work history or another part of your background. This format lets you give hiring managers the best view of your experience and relevant strengths, so they can make an informed decision to call you for an interview.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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Combination Resume: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

Most resume formats fall into one of two categories. There are functional resumes that emphasize your skills. These are ideal for inexperienced applicants who have developed skills through their education but have less on-the-job experience. 

There are also chronological resumes – the standard choice for experienced candidates who prefer to highlight the work they have done, and the positions they have held. Sometimes forgotten, is the third resume type – the combination resume. 

What is a Combination Resume?

A combination resume meshes chronological and functional resume formats. It emphasizes your skills, experience, and accomplishments without following the timeline of a chronological resume. 

The standard combination resume format opens with a larger header area , featuring a skills summary or qualification section. Afterward, it lists a condensed chronological work history and educational credentials.

Who Should Use a Combination Resume Format? 

Many people can benefit from using a combination resume. Those who are seeking a career change or recent graduates are especially likely to find it useful. This is because these folks tend to have:

• At least some work experience
• Hard and soft skills
• Relevant education

At the same time, because they are entering fields that are new to them, they need to find a way to balance the best elements of functional and chronological resume formats . Thus, the combination resume is a perfect option. 

That said, a combination resume can work for other professionals too. Martin Yate , an international expert in resume writing and a best-selling author, argues that candidates can get better results with a new resume layout , which includes:

• Performance Summary subhead that explains how you’ve helped past employers achieve their goals. This is where you should use the employer’s phraseology and keywords from the job description as much as possible. 
• Professional Skills section, offering an overview of your core competencies, ideally formatted as two or three columns. 

By adding the above information at the “front” you target the recruiter with the right message. First, you confirm that you can fulfill the job requirements. Secondly, you explain how you’ll do that through a combination of highlighted hard and soft skills. 

Sample Combination Resume (Word Version)

Let’s now move on from theory to practice and check several working combination resume examples. 

Download resume example (.docx)

Combination Resume Example (Text version)

Creative, self-starting design professional with 4 years of experience in website and UX design seeking to enter the field of digital marketing.

• Design Tech Stack: Adobe Studio, Sketch, Adobe Experience Design, Webflow, Shopify, WordPress, HTML5, JavaScript, and Python.
• Marketing Skills: UX copywriting, social media marketing, content marketing, infographic design.
• Marketing Tools: Google Analytics,  Buffer, HootSuite, Clout, Curata, BuzzSumo, Ahrefs.
• Other Relevant Skills: Skype, MS Office, Google Docs, Customer Service, Verbal And Written Communication Skills, Leadership, and Negotiation.

Work History

Smith And Smith Digital Marketing Intern July 2019 – Present

Duties: Completed an internship under the VP of the social media marketing team. Created visual content for Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook. Worked with professional bloggers and content creators to add visual elements to content. Used analytics tools to measure customer engagement. Communicated digital marketing concepts to customers.

Crystal Design Group UX Designer/Web Developer May 2015 – June 2019

Duties: Developed and tested apps, websites, and landing pages for small and medium-sized businesses. Worked directly with clients to gather requirements, and modified web products as customer needs changed. Specialized in developing sites for ecommerce stores using Shopify and other platforms.

Educational History

University of North Texas July 2012 – May 2016 BA Graphic Communications And Digital Media Minor: Business Management GPA: 3.65

Accomplishments and Awards: Dean’s List, Student Council Representative, Member of Creative Students Association, Recipient of The Graphic Communications Society Gold Standard Plaque, Graphic Design Society of North America scholarship Recipient.

Additional Awards And Experience

ASPCA Volunteer Leader 2016 Boys LaCrosse Coach U1 – U8 Karate Instructor Volunteer Regional Director, Art Across America Initiative for Disadvantaged Youth

Combination Resume IT Example

Chelsea Westacott iOS mobile app developer  Objective C & Swift

Product-minded engineer, experienced in developing, testing, and debugging native iOS applications for financial, gaming, and ecommerce companies. Familiar with MVVM & MVC architectures and optimization of iOS memory concurrency to ensure high application performance. 

Technical Skills: 

• Swift and iOS frameworks (Core Data, Core Animation, Grand Central Dispatch) 
• iOS Tools and packages: Xcode IDE, Fastlane, Swift Package Manager, CocoaPods
• Mobile app testing and debugging: Appium, Kobiton
• API programming: RESTful API integrations. 
• Agile and RAD software development methodologies 

People Skills 

• Proven track record of successful cross-functional collaboration 
• Experience in mentoring junior software engineers 
• High attention to detail in code reviews 
• Practical experience with Scrum and feature prioritization 

Work Experience 

Senior iOS App Developer  Santa Fe Dev Studios  Dec 2021-present 

Collaborate with product team and customers on requirements gathering and clarification for new ecommerce applications. Develop advanced iOS mobile features to support AR shopping, in-app commerce live streams, and visual search. Defined, created, and improved a database of automated test cases, thanks to which the number of app crash incidents in production decreased by 35%. 

iOS App Developer  Digital Bank  April 2019-Nov 2021

Helped ship the MVP of a digital banking app and later supported a feature maturation strategy. Successfully implemented features for KYC, personal finance management, and P2P payments. Improved app load time by 25% through efficient code refactoring and optimized API management, resulting in a better UX and a 20% increase in daily user engagement. 

The University of California  Sep 2016 – May 2019 BS in Computer Science  Minor: Product Management 

Professional Certifications 

• Apple Certified iOS Developer (ACID), issued July 2019. 
• Udacity iOS Developer Nanodegree, completed in Aug 2020 

Recommended Combination Resume Templates

For a combination resume, you need a template with ample space in the header area to fit in your summary section. Alternatively, you can opt for a two-column resume. This works better if you’d rather have a longer work experience section and a bullet-point-styled skills section in the side column.

At Freesumes, you’ll find over a hundred absolutely free and fabulous resume templates for all popular formats. Below are our top recommended combination resume templates:  

How to Make a Combination Resume Step-By-Step 

An effective combination resume accentuates your most marketable skills and competencies in the header and then further contextualizes these in the shorter work and education experience sections. 

Ideally, you should aim to allocate one-third of the page towards your resume summary and the remaining two-thirds for other resume sections . 

Your resume summary should be clear and concise, tailored to the job for which you are applying. Your work experience and education sections should further elaborate on how you apply the listed skills to perform your duties, drive specific work outcomes, and generate value for your employer. Lastly, emphasize any relevant certifications, training, volunteer, or extracurricular activities that make you stand out among others. 

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making a combination resume. 

Open with a Compelling Resume Summary Section 

Think of this section as a “teaser” for your resume: Advertise your most relevant competencies and some note-worthy achievements. If you’re new to the field or changing careers, you can also add a one-sentence resume objective statement to explain what type of roles you’re after, just like in the first resume sample. 

Craft a Banging Skills Section

Start with a resume outline and make a list of relevant skills that you already have. Include a good mix of role-specific competencies, technical skills, and soft skills. Don’t skim on the latter, since  97% of employers consider soft skills just as important or even more important than hard skills. 

Next, you’ll want to back up these with your work experience. For example, you may list graphic design as one of your core skills. Later in your resume, you can show that you have used that skill in the real world designing logos for small business owners.

Need some inspiration? Check our lists of recommended skills for a resume:

• Self-management skills 
• Critical-thinking skills 
• Meta skills
• Organizational skills  
• Administrative skills
• Conceptual skills  

Focus On Transferable Skills

If you’re a recent graduate or seeking a career change, you probably have some skills that will make you more productive. These are called transferable skills . 

Most soft skills fall into this category. However, depending on the job you are pursuing, you may have hard skills that are transferable as well. For example, there are several careers where having advanced MS Excel skills is considered to be a real selling point. 

Pro tip : Your combination resume has to emphasize the skills and experience the company needs. That’s why you should use the job listing itself to help you determine which skills and experience should receive the most attention.

Don’t Forget The Extras

A combination resume format allows you to include relevant awards, volunteer work, research , and even hobbies and interests that you may not normally fit in a more standard one-page resume. Don’t hesitate to share some extra interesting facts about yourself if these can help better contextualize your work experience and personality.  

That said, your resume shouldn’t look “crowded” as this affects readability. To compactly fit extra details, grab a free Google Docs resume with a two-column design or one of our recommended combination resume templates! 

Final Thoughts

Despite not having the best work experience, you can create a resume that allows hiring managers to see you as an excellent fit for the position by combining your work experience, relevant skills, and education.

You can further impress the reader by carefully curating your duties and contextualizing your skills through accomplishments. Although less traditional, combination resume packs a powerful punch! 

Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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Combination Resume Templates

Use a combination resume template in case you’re switching career fields and you want to focus on your transferable skills. To start, simply select your favorite-looking resume design below, and replace the info with your own.

Combination resume template. The right column has a color accent for maximum contrast and focus. Perfect for experienced candidates changing career fields.

Double-Column

Hybrid resume template. Our most-used template with a hybrid take. Great fit for an early start after a career switch.

Combo resume template. A more compact design allows for adding extra content to make it a truly personalized resume.

We love our Modern resume template, so here's a second iteration of it. We combine the best of both chronological and functional resumes, making it suitable for a wide range of careers and experience levels.

Innovative resume template. A hybrid design that incorporates innovative features and visually appealing elements, making it suitable for creative professionals in industries such as design, tech, and advertising. Fitting for mid- to senior-level professionals.

Comprehensive resume template. A hybrid design that provides a comprehensive overview of your skills, experience, and career history, making it a great choice for a wide range of professionals.

In This Guide:

What is a combination resume, when to use a combination resume format, tips for building the best combination resume, combination resume template pros and cons.

A combination resume format or hybrid resume template is a combination between the reverse-chronological resume and the functional resume format. It is designed for highly-trained jobseekers with previous work experience because it places equal emphasis on both your skills and work experience.

This format presents your job history overview in reverse chronological order and gives detailed information about your transferable skills and qualifications.

The combination resume is not for everyone. Most hiring managers are expecting candidates to present chronological resumes.

You can use a combination resume format in specific situations.

In case you are a senior-level candidate with various skills and experiences , or you are going through a career change.

If you want to create the best resume for your dream job, you can always count on Enhancv resume builder .

A combination resume formatting contains a detailed skill section that groups all your skills into categories to emphasize your abilities and achievements, in addition to this section, this resume formatting includes your work history experience.

People who seek a career change use the combination resume format. It is allowing them to emphasize certain skills from their past jobs to make their application more attractive to recruiters. And at the same time, they can give more detailed examples of those skills in the work experience section.

Most recruiters are looking to see a highlight of your top career achievements and relevant job experience in your resume’s work experience section. That's why hybrid resume formatting is more used than functional resumes.

It is a preferable resume format for those who have developed a strong set of skills and have experience utilizing those skills and want to show them on their resume. Most likely, these candidates are applying for seniority-level jobs and have a long work history for presenting on their resumes.

You can use the hybrid resume format to apply to all kinds of companies and jobs. However, keep in mind to adjust the design depending on your position and the type of company. You can take advantage of using the modern design when you are applying to more creative and innovative companies, and keep your resume with a clear and more traditional look when the job is for a more conservative field or company.

Now that you have an idea of the definition of what is and when to use combination resume format , here is a structure of how to write it:

A well-written and designed combination resume can be a powerful tool for promoting a professional image and getting a job interview. The design of your resume can make it easy to read and highlight the two main sections – your skills and work experience.

If you are applying for a creative position or in a company with a more innovative field, you can use a modern design - with graphics and different icons to make it more distinctive.

However, if your field is more conservative, it is advisable to use more business–traditional design. No matter which design you will choose, your resume has to have a clear separation and formatting between each section.

The most important about choosing a font is to be easy to read. You can use more traditional ones like Times New Roman and Helvetica or Arial and Calibri, which are considered to have a more modern look. On our templates, we use the Lato, which has all the best features that a font can offer and it's just as ATS-friendly as Arial.

If you are applying for a more traditional company and position, you should probably use only black and white for your resume. Meaning white is for the background, and black is for the text.

High contrast between the background and the letters makes reading easy. That’s why this is one of the preferable color combinations.

However, you can add a dash of color here and there to make a recruiter’s experience more pleasurable. Pick a well-contrasting color for fonts and subheadings to increase readability. Choose from blue, dark red, or green color palette .

Number of pages

If you are an entry-level candidate, your combined resume most likely will be one page long . Most recruiters prefer one page, but if you are a senior-level candidate and have a diverse range of experience and skills, your resume will be two pages .

• Hybrid resume templates are focused at the same time on your skills and work experiences.
• A combination resume format is a good choice for senior-level professionals.
• The combined resume is suitable for candidates with diverse employment histories and transferable skills.
• The combination resume format can be confusing for the recruiters if not well organized.
• For some recruiters, combined resumes can de-emphasize the candidate’s job tasks and responsibilities.
• The hybrid resume templates require more effort and creativity to prepare.

Frequently asked questions about combination resume templates

When should you not use a combination resume, which format do most employers prefer for resumes, what should your resume look like in 2023.

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How to Write a Combination Resume (With Examples)

What Is a Combination Resume?

What to include in a combination resume, how to write a combination resume, combination resume example, more resume examples.

Soren Hald / Getty Images

Your resume is an important sales tool. Used the right way, a resume can show a prospective employer your most relevant skills, experience, and qualifications. The first step is to choose the best resume format for the situation.

For many people, a chronological resume will not be the best choice. Perhaps your career path has taken a few zigs and zags. Maybe your most impressive skills would wind up buried toward the bottom of the page where busy hiring managers might not see them. A functional resume format would be a better choice in this case—unless employers request a work history as well.

A combination resume lets you highlight the qualifications that will make the best impression on recruiters and employers, while still including your work history.

Here’s how.

A  combination resume  lists your skills and experience first and your chronological work history next. A combination resume is ideal for people who want to emphasize their skills, but also include their work history, which many employers want to see.

This resume format also gives you some flexibility. You can include an objective or  resume summary , which will give you an opportunity to make your pitch, as well as a list of skills and qualifications that will show you’re qualified for the job.

Combination resumes are particularly useful for candidates who are hoping to  change careers  or those who have  gaps in their work history .

A combination resume typically has two sections:

• A list of skills, qualifications, certifications, etc.
• A work history, most often in reverse chronological format with the most recent experience first.

To use this resume format to best advantage, keep the following in mind:

Match your qualifications to the job posting.  Pay special attention to resume  keywords  that the  employer uses in the job description . You should include as many of these skills and qualifications as possible in your resume and cover letter. This will help ensure that your resume makes it past the  applicant tracking system , which will filter out resumes that appear to be from unqualified candidates.

Highlight transferable skills.  If you’re changing careers, it’s especially important to call attention to any  transferable skills  that will help you succeed in this new role. Keep in mind that employers seek  soft skills  such as creative thinking and time management, as well as hard skills related to the requirements of the job.

Begin with sample resumes. Resume examples and templates  can help you organize your experience and ensure that your document is formatted professionally. Just remember to customize your resume for each role. Hiring managers want to see that you’re a good fit for this specific job, not just for any job in your field.

Proofread your resume and other documents before sending.  Edit, proofread, and review your resume and other application materials. Make sure everything is perfect before sending your application to the hiring manager.

This is an example of a combination resume. Download the combination resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Combination Resume Example (Text Version)

Jose Applicant 5555 Jackson Street Oakland, CA 94603 (555) 123-4567 jose.applicant@email.com

CAREER OBJECTIVE

Results-oriented, high-energy, hands-on professional, with a successful record of accomplishments in the blood banking, training, and communication transmission industries. Seeks position in phlebotomy related to training, quality assurance, or customer service.

PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• NCTI and ABM certifications.
• Facilitated educational projects over the past two years for Northern California blood centers, an FDA-regulated manufacturing environment, as pertaining to cGMP, CFR's, CA state and American Association of Blood Bank (AABB) regulations.
• Provided daily operational review/quality control of education accountability as it relates to imposed government regulatory requirements in a medical environment.
• Assisted other team members in venipunctures, donor reaction care, and providing licensed staffing an extension in their duties by managing the blood services regulations documentation (BSDs) while assigned to the self-contained bloodmobile unit (SCU).
• Successfully supervised contract support for six AT&T Broadband systems located in the Bay Area. Provided customer intervention/resolution, training in telephony and customer care, manpower scheduling, quality control, payroll, and special projects/plant extensions and evaluations to ensure proper end-of-line and demarcation signal.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Acting Education Manager , American Red Cross, Oakland, CA: 2020-present
• Education Coordinator , American Red Cross, Oakland, CA: 2017-2020
• Phlebotomist , American Red Cross, Oakland, CA: 2014-2017
• Cable Television CATV Supervisor , Core Communication Inc, Sunnyvale, CA: 2010-2014
• CATV System Technician , TCI Cablevision Inc, Fremont, CA: 2008-2010

Associate of Arts in Administration of Justice San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Review another combination resume sample and more professionally written resume examples with templates you can download.

CareerOneStop. “ Different Formats Can Highlight Either Your Work History or Your Skills .” Accessed Sept. 8, 2021.

• Career Advice
• Resumes and CVs

How to Write a Combination Resume

When a position requires both qualifications as well as practical experience, this format is a good choice. Because the combination resume lists skills, experience, achievements, and qualifications, it provides greater freedom, meaning you can be more selective about what you choose to include or not, and also what you decide to highlight.

When Should You Use a Combination Resume?

How to write a combination resume:.

Regardless of the type of resume format you choose, there are basic guidelines you'll need to follow. For the best results, read through our step-by-step guide on how to write a combination resume.

Create a combination resume.

List your name and contact details first..

Always use a professional email address and a reliable contact number, and include your LinkedIn profile or any links to websites relevant to your work.

Add a career summary.

Include a career summary or resume objective beneath your contact details. A Career Summary may be better suited to the Combination Resume, as this format is for those with extensive experience.

Showcase your skills.

Start by listing your most important skills. Include both hard and soft skills, limiting the section to between five and ten points.

Include your education history.

Include your education history, starting with the most recently obtained qualifications . Include any degrees, diplomas, or certificates that are relevant to the position you are applying for. Also provide details on any accomplishments or contributions you've made while completing your qualifications.

Highlight your career milstones.

Lastly, include any awards or achievements that you would like to highlight in a separate section right at the bottom of your resume.

Tips for Writing a Combination Resume:

• Be extra selective when deciding what to include in your Combination Resume. Don't get carried away and cram all your work experience, qualifications, and skills onto one page. Include only the aspects of your career you believe the hiring manager would be most interested in.
• Choose a font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Helvetica. Use only black and font size 10 to 12. You may bold the headings.
• Do not use color or fancy graphics and be mindful to remove them if you are using resume builder .
• Do not include false information on your resume.
• Use Grammarly to pick up mistakes, but also get someone else to read over your final resume before you submit it.
• Before sending your resume off, read our article on how to email your resume to the hiring manager .

Combination Resume Template

Start applying for jobs today using our combination resume template.

Combination Resume Template:

[Your Full Name] [Your current job title, if applicable] [Your contact number] | [Your professional email address] | [Your LinkedIn profile/website]

Career Summary or Resume Objective [Write your career summary or resume objective. A career summary is an overview of all your skills and work experience and is best used by experienced candidates. Resume objectives emphasize what you want to achieve in your career and may be used by new graduates or those transferring to a different career.]

Skills [Bulleted list of all your key skills, relevant to the position you are applying for. Limit the list to between 5 and 10 skills. Include both hard skills (skills that can be learned and measured) and soft skills (individual characteristics that are learned through experience and interaction with others)]

Experience (Include the most current position first) [Date of employment with year/month – year/month] [Position Title] [Company Name and location] [Include 2-4 bullet points with all your responsibilities and accomplishments]

[Date of employment with year/month – year/month] [Position Title] [Company Name and location] [Include 2-4 bullet points with all your responsibilities and accomplishments]

Education [Name of the educational institution | Location (year started – year ended)] [Name of degree as well as majors/another relevant certificate] [Any special achievements or awards obtained]

[Name of the educational institution | Location (year started – year ended)] [Name of degree as well as majors/another relevant certificate] [Any special achievements or awards obtained]

Awards or Achievements [List any awards or achievements, with their dates in brackets]

Additional Resources:

• Google Docs Resume Template .
• Action Verbs for Resumes .
• Skills to Put on a Resume .
• How to Write a Functional Resume .
• How to Write a Chronological Resume .
• How to Write a Targeted Resume .

What is a combination resume format?

A combination resume format combines aspects of the chronological resume and the functional resume. It is best suited to experienced job applicants. In order, it includes personal contact information, a career summary statement or resume objective, skills, experience, education, and awards or achievements.

When should you use a combination resume format?

If you have considerable work experience and you've received awards or made significant contributions you'd like to share with your prospective employer, this resume format would be suitable for you.

What are the advantages of a combination resume?

A combination resume allows you to decide which sections you wish to emphasize. Because so much is covered in this resume, you get to decide what you want to include. A combination resume is a good place to showcase your achievements and awards.

How do you combine work experience on a resume?

If you've worked multiple positions for the same employer, you can group all those jobs under the employer's name on your resume. Similarly, if you have worked for multiple employers under the same job title, you can group all the work experience under one title. Just make sure your experience section is uncluttered and that it reads clearly.

Related Articles:

Cv vs. resume, how to write a chronological cv, resume genius, resumecompanion.

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• What is a combination resume?

Before we dive into that, we have to understand what is a resume format.

The resume format is the backbone of the resume, around which you outline your sections.

Before writing your resume, ensure that you choose the resume template according to your target profile & industry requisite. There is a different template for modern and basic resume writing.

There are 3 standard ways of writing a resume. The following shall give you an effective idea of what these formats are and how and why to choose the combination resume. By the end of the article, you will know how to write a professional combination resume for your work profile.

Here's what you will learn from this blog:

• Who should use a combination resume?
• When to use a combination resume
• How do you write a combination resume?
• Structure of combination resume

Also, check out Hiration's online resume builder to make your resume in under 5 minutes. You'll find pre-filled templates and infinite designs on our resume builder - making a resume has never been this easy!

Types of Resume Format

There are three different types of resumes that are accepted within the industry. These resume formats are:

Reverse Chronological Resume Format

In the Reverse Chronological Resume Layout , you begin with information from the most recent work or education profile and trace back to the beginning of your education. You must enlist your major achievements and responsibilities along with the timeline.

The resume template follows the following order:

• Contact information
• Resume summary or resume objective
• Work experience
• Additional Sections

Also Read: How to compose a professional resume objective?

Functional Resume Format

In the Functional Resume Layout , a separate section is created in which all significant points are grouped under relevant skills. The professional experiences are listed without many details of the responsibilities or achievements. This format is recommended for people with gaps in their employment history or for ones who have often changed their jobs or industries.

• Resume objective
• Skills Summary
• Additional Skills
• Work Experience

You may find examples of functional resume templates for a better understanding of how you can proceed with writing your resume.

Combination Resume Format

The Combination Resume Layout is a combination of the reverse chronological resume format and the functional resume format. It showcases the skills and achievements of any candidate with detailed evidence from their professional experience. Alongside it highlights their work profile from the most recent to the initial stages in the industry. The points on this format of the resume are grouped based on the skills highlighted.

There are two ways of making a combination resume:

Grouping Inside Professional Experience

This format is similar to the reverse chronological resume format. The point of difference is in the professional experience section, where the points are grouped by the skills that they represent.

Here is an example of this type of combination resume format:

By Grouping in the Summary of Skills Section

This format lists all your achievements and significant career highlights to create a separate section of the "Summary of Skills". These points are grouped under several key skills, like in a functional resume format. This type of combination resume format replaces the summary to create a powerful snapshot of your career which is highly targeted for the job you are going to apply for.

Here are some combination resume examples:

Also Read: The best resume format in 2022

The following table will discuss the differences between the three templates

Combination Resume: What is it?

The combination resume is one of the three types of resume formats commonly used.

A combination resume is usually organized into two parts or pages.

The first part of the combination resume is in the functional format, which highlights skills and accomplishments.

The second part of the combination resume is in reverse chronological order that highlights work history.

Both the parts of the resume can be used interchangeably depending on the type of combination resume you are making. This format uses the best aspects of both the chronological resume and functional resume. While the chronological part focuses on the candidate's work experience, the functional part focuses on the skills. A combination resume, therefore, focuses on both the work history and skills to capture the recruiter’s attention.

• Combination resume formats appeal to recruiters for senior executive positions that require highly-specialized skills. These skills can be easily identified. This format also confirms that the candidate has the required work experience.
• Combination resumes are useful for job seekers with a significant amount of work experience and commendable skills and accomplishments.
• Combination resumes are suitable for job seekers who want to change careers. Since they highlight both your skills and any reputed companies you may have worked with, they can showcase transferable skills and emphasize outstanding employment history.
• In case a candidate has worked for the same company or has held the same position for a long time too, a combination resume is useful in highlighting the candidate’s skills and achievements for other job posts.

Disadvantages

• Combination resumes can be longer than other resume formats and can exceed the ideal length of 1 or 2 pages depending on your experience.
• Repetition of values may be predominant in the combination resume template.
• Career changes or employment gaps are visible in a combination resume template under the work history section.

Combination resumes: Who Should Use It?

As the combination resume templates highlights skills over experiences, it is particularly useful for people who are attempting to enter a new industry. It is also preferable when changing careers since many skills can be transferred between industries. Therefore, highlighting these skills is important for people looking to switch fields or industries.

The combination format is the best option for candidates with many experiences. The hybrid resume template represents your skills instantly. Therefore, in case you are applying for a job that requires technical skills or relevant certifications, a combination resume is your best option.

Since the style of a combination resume focuses on both the skills and the abilities of the applicant, it is best for those applying for positions that require a good possession of technical skills and expertise. Using a combination format is the best way to showcase all your abilities to the recruiter without giving the impression of hiding any information.

Combination resumes are ideal for applicants who already have a lot of experience in the same field or even in different fields.

Since a combination resume template can prioritize relevant skills over prior work experience, depending on the type of combination you choose, they are also suitable for candidates who are looking to try an industry to which they had previously not catered. Your transferable skills play a major role in your career change.

Some important transferable skills include:

• Personal Motivation
• Organizational and Time Management
• Adaptability
• Multitasking
• Decision-making
• Time management
• Prioritizing
• Problem Solving
• Written and Verbal Communication

Many candidates benefit from using a combination resume due to the career summary. This section pinpoints the candidate's top credentials so employers can seek their best abilities.

Despite the combination resume samples focusing more on skills, it leaves space to provide details of your work experience. Add impressive sets of accomplishments and job duties to make the combination resume your perfect choice.

To categorize the people for whom the combination resumes best benefits, read the list below:

• Students, new graduates, and entry-level candidates to emphasize their skills rather than their short employment history.
• Candidates with a steady, consistent employment history to add a qualifications summary that pinpoints the top credentials for the job.
• Candidates shifting careers to showcase required transferable skill sets. However, in case you are making a radical career change, use a functional resume template.
• Candidates reentering the industry after a significant gap in employment history. Here, the combination resume format takes the emphasis off the fact that you have not worked for a while.
• Older workers with extensive employment history need who need to showcase their strongest credentials. The summary section best highlights this.

Also Read: What skills to put on a resume?

Combination Resume: When to Use it?

The Combination resume format prioritizes skills over work experience. Therefore, this resume is useful for candidates who are trying to change industry or careers because many skills can be transferred between industries. The combination resume template highlights these skill sets to benefit the candidates.

Despite the combination template highlighting relevant skills, it allows the incorporation of strong features from your specific work history. So, if your past job history is impressive and you are looking to change your career, the combo resume format is just what you need.

So is a combination resume good?

The combination resume format is considered an ideal marketing layout because it first highlights skills and accomplishments, then gives the hiring company, or recruiter, a sense of security by providing an account of work history.

Combination resumes highlight recent job experiences which might be relevant to the position being pursued. They also allow easy perusal through the applicant's career progression.

Another aspect of the combination resume format is its flexibility. Since you have different options to create it, feel free to move the elements around. But try to make sure the recruiter can focus on the most relevant information.

For example, in case you have relevant experiences in a field even though it is old, you can include it in the skills section at the beginning of the resume. This can even describe your experiences and the corresponding responsibilities you have performed. You can include your dates of employment later in the resume, with a chronological list of positions held.

However, if the writer has a gap in their career history or an impeding career progression, then it is highlighted in the combination resumes.

When Should You Avoid Using a Combinational Resume?

Unless you are looking for a change in career or industry, avoid using the combination format resume.

Professionals at the senior level should also refrain from using the hybrid resume format.

Combination Resume: How to Write it

Although the combination resume templates highlight skills, it features heavy specifics of your work history. If your past responsibilities are impressive and you are only looking for a change in the industry, the combination resume style might serve you best.

While a chronological resume format emphasizes the work experience and duties of each position, the combination resume format underlines your skills while doing the same. However, to avoid unnecessary repetition, do not list your skills separately and then list them again in the employment history section.

In the combination resume, the flexibility of the structure of the document works to the advantage of the applicant. You should ideally lead with a career summary or a qualifications summary or a skills summary. This section emphasizes your strongest credentials. Your key qualifications at the beginning of your resume appeal to the recruiters to read the rest of your resume.

Incorporate your job objective, key skills, areas of expertise, accomplishment highlights, and related training into the summary section. Quantify your statements with relevant examples, if possible.

They follow with a reverse chronological employment history. Keeping your resume in the chronological format appeals to most recruiters, as it is the standard mode of presentation.

However, by including a career summary, you will essentially have lesser room for your work history. Therefore, you must be concise and straight with your experience section.

Maintain the focus on the accomplishments more than on the responsibilities. Avoid adding unnecessary information which is unrelated to your career goal.

Additional sections on your combination resume can include an education section, training and certification section, references, languages, and additional information.

Also Read: How to write a resume that can help you land a job?

Tips for Writing a Combination Resume

• First, look at your professional achievements and skills, and hobbies to get an idea of how it fits your profile within the combination resume structure.
• Reduce all the irrelevant information and make a list of your achievements, skills, job profiles, and other performance data to include in the combination resume. They should stand out to a recruiter for the specific vacancy that interests you.
• Fill out your combination resume template with these details. You can also use the online resume builder for professional resume-building experience.
• Both the summary and the work experience sections in your combination resume should include short quantifiable examples of how you have implemented your skills to prove yourself as an asset to your previous organization.
• Mention relevant awards and scholarships, internships, projects, courses, etc. in your qualifications summary to demonstrate your strengths. Use action words and keywords from the job description to present additional information.

Consider reviewing the following questions to help write a combination resume:

• Have you written a combination resume before?
• Have you ever come across challenges when writing a hybrid resume?
• When do you think a combination resume can be more effective than a reverse chronological resume?

Combination Resume: The Structure

Use the flexibility of the combination resume to your advantage. You can try moving sections around to see what best appeals to the recruiter. You can integrate your experiences into the chronological list of past employment. This makes your resume more traditional, while the emphasis provided in the skills section keeps the focus on function. The combination resume template works best in tweaking results.

The combination resume employs a mix of the two styles of resumes. Therefore, it is very important to consider the combination resume format.

It begins with a summary of the qualifications, includes education and skills section, and also a work history list. Not only does the work history focus on citing the most relevant positions, but also on detailing achievements and responsibilities from those roles.

You may try experimenting with the different layouts that can emphasize your strongest qualities on Hiration's online resume builder .

Combination Resume Key Sections

• Personal Information

Any application needs your basic information. Include your name and contact information - available phone number and professional email address, followed by your home address (city and state).

You may even include your LinkedIn URL, but do not redirect the recruiter to an empty profile.

Your name should ideally be the largest text on the page between 20-24 pt font size. The rest of your font may correspond to the font style and size of the rest of the page.

• Professional Profile or Qualifications Summary

Begin with a professional profile or qualifications summary to emphasize your skills. Both introductions introduce your necessary skill set. However, they do it in slightly different ways.

Your qualifications summary displays your achievements that correspond to your skills. Therefore, they testify and validate your skills as opposed to the professional profile where you address the skills you gained in your previous work.

A combination resume should begin by emphasizing the transferable skills of an applicant. The best way to do this is to start with a professional profile or qualifications summary.

A professional profile showcases your skills in your previous positions or projects. A qualifications summary emphasizes your achievements corresponding to those skills.

While both introductions have the same mission, the qualifications summary might be more effective in highlighting both skills and accomplishments in a combination resume.

In a combination resume template format, your skills section is placed above your professional experience. Since a combination resume is usually used by applicants in mid/senior-level job profiles, your skills section holds equivalent weight to your work history section.

Group similar skills together for clarity and try to quantify them (e.g., Heightened sales by 10% in two months by using enhanced communication skills).

Although the skills section part of your combination resume is the trickiest, it is also very important. If you have a master list of skills but do not know how to list the relevant ones, reach out to us or read our article on the resume skills section in a 2022 resume template.

In a combination format, the skills section may come before the professional experience section. Keep this section organized by grouping similar skills together. Also, quantify your skills where relevant.

• Work History and Experience

Your professional experience section looks the same in every format. Many combination resumes contain the error of listing the most basic responsibilities of a job under each position. Your points should be accomplishment oriented and communicate your responsibilities.

For example, if you were a computer programmer, avoid writing "used to program computer software". Instead, discuss the software you designed and to what degree of quality. If you have been acknowledged for your work, mention that too.

The main objective of the work experience section in your combination resumes, or in any resume, is to provide detailed and relevant points to describe your professional experience.

Avoid unconnected job duties and focus on accomplishments. Again, quantify your case and prove your qualification to the recruiter. If you are looking to maximize your professional experience, you may use our online resume builder .

The combination resume format does not especially highlight the education section. While education achievements are necessary for freshers, the combination resume is most effective for senior candidates with a long work history.

However, it is still necessary that you mention your degree or educational certificate. If you have achieved any prominent academic success, include that too.

In a combination resume, the education section can be quite brief. Since the combination resume template is mostly used by senior professionals, it is considered that you are already well into your career and that your resume should focus on your work experience.

Also Read: What details to add to your resume sections?

Key Takeaways

A combination resume is a great way for an experienced professional to make sure the recruiters pay attention to your relevant skills.

Quantify your skills and link them to relevant examples of professional achievements, awards, or certifications.

Try to tailor your summary and your skills according to the job description. However, do not show off your skillset. Your resume should not only show off your career achievements but also meet your job requisites.

While you are listing your work experience, briefly explain your responsibilities and highlight your achievements. You may repeat some of the information from the skills summary to make your resume consistent and convincing.

The Combination Resume layout is ideal for candidates who have work experience yet wish to make use of their current knowledge and skills in a new role, industry, or sector.

In a combination resume for career changers, they can identify their transferable skills and suitably organize them to provide the potential employer with a guide to the type of worker they are so they can assess how they will perform in the new role.

The combination resume format essentially employs the following pattern:

The combination resume format provides a brief work history, skills, and examples of relevant experiences. Since students or freshers in the industry require a heavier focus on education, awards, and often soft skills than technical abilities, it is not the most preferred resume format for them.

The combination resume structure includes a Qualifications Summary which is similar to the functional resume format. It describes your abilities or achievements in under 5 points in a key skill category. Quantify your examples wherever possible.

Exemplify and quantify specific use of your skills to improve the credibility and relevance of your key abilities.

The combination resume structure employs bullet points under each job title similar to the reverse chronological resume layout. These points depict the responsibilities and objectives accomplished in each profile.

Visit Hiration's career platform , which has 24/7 chat support to get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

You can also write to us at [email protected] for any queries.

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Combination Resume Templates

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