Combination Resume Format: Examples & Templates
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AI TOOLA combination resume highlights both your skills and your work experience, blending a functional and chronological approach. Learn when to use this format and create your resume with customizable templates designed to showcase your strengths.
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FunctionalWhat Is a Combination Resume?
A combination resume (also known as a hybrid resume) merges the strengths of both chronological and functional formats by highlighting your most relevant skills and accomplishments while still providing a clear, reverse-chronological work history.
The combination resume format is ideal for candidates who want to showcase both their expertise and professional experience, such as those changing careers, re-entering the workforce, or applying for roles that value both skills and proven results.
Best format for:
- Career changers
- Varied work history
- Employment gaps
Not ideal for:
- Extensive experience
- Linear career focus
- No work experience
When to Use a Combination Resume Format
A combination resume is an effective choice for job seekers who want to highlight both their skills and their work experience. Consider using a combination resume template if any of the following circumstances apply to your career circumstances:
You are changing careers
If you are transitioning to a new industry, a combination resume allows you to emphasize transferable skills at the top while still presenting your work history. This approach helps employers see how your existing expertise applies to the new role.
You have diverse work experience
If you have held multiple short-term positions or frequently changed roles, a combination resume lets you highlight your key skills and accomplishments without drawing attention to job-hopping. This helps demonstrate a strong skill set across different roles.
You have gaps in your employment
Use a combination resume if you have employment gaps or are reentering the workforce after an extended leave. It lets you focus on skills and accomplishments, reducing the emphasis on chronological gaps while still showing relevant experience.
You are a gig worker or freelancer
If your career includes multiple freelance projects, contract roles, or gig work, a combination resume helps you emphasize your skills and accomplishments while keeping your varied experience organized by showcasing your most relevant expertise.
How to Structure a Combination Resume
Explore the essential sections of the combination resume format and learn what information to include in each one to highlight your top skills alongside your professional experience.
Professional summary
A resume summary is your first chance to introduce yourself and highlight your relevant job qualifications on your resume. Think of it like an elevator pitch, a concise and compelling statement that tells employers why you are the best person for the position.
Summary of qualifications
You can include a summary of your core qualifications at the top of your resume for additional emphasis on your skills. Highlight the qualifications most relevant to the job, such as specific technical skills, industry experience, or notable achievements.
Curated skills section
Include a list of your skills that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. Focus on a mix of hard and soft skills that demonstrate your expertise and qualifications. Organize them in a clear, easy-to-read format, such as a bulleted list or short columns.
Work experience
In the work history section, list your previous jobs in reverse-chronological order with the most recent job first. Include your job title, company name, location, and dates of employment. Under each role, highlight three to five measurable accomplishments.
Education
List your educational background in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent degree or certification. Include the school name, location, and degree earned. You can also add any certifications or advanced training related to your desired job.
Comparing the Three Resume Formats
Our collection of professional resume templates includes a variety of formats for different experience levels and scenarios. Find out which one is best for your career stage and goals.
COMBINATION RESUME FORMAT
Balances your skills and work history to showcase diverse qualifications, making it an excellent format for career changers and freelancers.
RECOMMENDED
- You’re changing to a new career path and need to highlight key skills.
- You have freelance or varied work experience that you want to showcase.
- You’re applying for a mid-level role that values diverse qualifications.
CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME FORMAT
Emphasizes skills and abilities over work history, making it an ideal format for recent graduates or job seekers with limited experience.
- You’re a recent graduate with limited professional experience to highlight.
- You have gaps in your work history and want to focus on other areas.
- You’re applying for an entry-level role that emphasizes skills over experience.
FUNCTIONAL RESUME FORMAT
Highlights your work history by listing jobs in reverse-chronological order, which is ideal for showcasing steady career growth.
- You have consistent career progression in your current industry.
- You’ve built a professional career within a single field of expertise.
- You’re applying for a role that is similar to your current position.
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FAQ
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Are your combination resume templates customizable?
Our combination resume templates are customizable, so you can adjust the design to match your style and highlight your qualifications in a way that best represents your career.
The layouts are fully editable, letting you change fonts, colors, spacing, and section order. You can also add or remove sections to tailor your resume to each job application.
Leverage pre-written and AI-powered content suggestions, or write your own descriptions to showcase accomplishments, projects, and results.
Our templates are easy to personalize and download on any device, making it simple to create a professional, recruiter-ready combination resume.
Who should use a combination resume?
A combination resume is ideal for candidates who want to highlight both their skills and work experience. It works particularly well for career changers, freelancers, or gig workers, and those with employment gaps who want to emphasize their transferable abilities.
This format is also effective for professionals with diverse experiences or specialized skills that are highly relevant to the position they’re applying for.
Overall, the combination resume format can be a good choice for job seekers who want to showcase their skills and work experience in an easy-to-read and understandable way.
You can explore our full selection of resume templates for additional formats tailored to different career paths, industries, and experience levels.
How is a combination resume different from other formats?
Combination resumes are also called hybrid resumes because they combine aspects of the chronological resume and functional resume formats.
Combination resumes emphasize skills over work experience, like functional resumes, but like chronological resumes, they display job history prominently.
Review the combination resume examples on this page to get an idea of how a combination resume should look, and browse our library of sample resumes for more great examples.
How do you make an ATS-friendly combination resume?
To make an ATS-friendly combination resume, you need to balance strong skills-focused content with a clean, chronological work history that applicant tracking systems can easily read.
Below are tips on how to write a combination resume that performs well in ATS screening:
- Use standard section headings: Stick to familiar labels like “Skills” and “Work Experience” so ATS software can easily interpret your resume.
- Incorporate keywords from the job description: Review the posting and include relevant keywords in your resume, such as skills, tools, and qualifications.
- List your work history in clear chronological order: Even in a combination resume, include job titles, company names, locations, and dates in a straightforward format. Add measurable accomplishments under each role to give ATS programs clear, scannable information about your impact.
- Choose a simple, readable format: Use consistent spacing, left-aligned text, and easy-to-read fonts throughout your resume. A clean structure helps both ATS software and human reviewers quickly scan your qualifications.
Using standard formatting, targeted keywords, and a simple layout ensures your resume is optimized to pass automated scans and reach hiring managers. Our library of resume examples includes combination resume samples that are formatted with ATS best practices in mind.
What should I include in a combination resume skills section?
When deciding what to include in the skills section of a combination resume, it’s important to consider the job requirements and tailor your skills accordingly.
Start by identifying the key skills directly related to the job you are applying for. These can be technical, computer, interpersonal skills, or specific industry-related proficiencies.
Remember to provide specific examples or achievements demonstrating your proficiency in each skill to make your combination resume more impactful and convincing to potential employers.
What are the benefits of a combination resume?
A combination resume allows you to highlight both your skills and your work experience, giving employers a clear picture of your qualifications.
It is especially useful for career changers, professionals with diverse experience, or candidates with gaps in their employment history. Key benefits of a combination resume include:
- Showcasing your most relevant skills first, so employers immediately see your expertise.
- Demonstrating career progression by including a clear chronological work history.
- Highlighting measurable accomplishments, making your contributions concrete.
- Offering flexibility for different industries, roles, and experience levels.
Overall, a combination resume helps you present a balanced view of your skills and experience, making it easier for hiring managers to quickly understand your value.
