One of the first things to consider before you decide which resume format you will use is the industry you are hoping to work in. Although no particular format is considered to be right or wrong certain industries have a preference for certain resume formats and care should be taken to cater to these preferences.
In this article we will take a look at the chronological format and also the functional format. Perhaps the format most people see most often is the chronological format for resumes. This format is essentially a timeline where previous work experience is listed according to when it occurred. You can use either chronological order or reverse chronological order on your resume but most people opt for reverse chronological.
For most people the chronological format will be fine. This is the one of the resume formats which gives the job seeker the opportunity to show how his career advanced. In his earliest jobs he may have worked in a subordinate role but most recently he has been in more of a managerial role.
There are some people who may want to turn to the functional format for their resume. For example, if you have held several positions in a relatively short amount of time, you may want to give the functional resume format a try as it will help you to take some of the attention off of your moving around so much and place the attention on the skills you have instead.
In general any of the resume formats can work well for you as long as you also make sure the information on your resume is well written. It certainly goes without saying that care should be taken to avoid mistakes in grammar or spelling. You should also make sure the content clearly conveys the intended message. Taking these steps is very important because the visual appeal of the format will not overshadow a poorly written resume.