Combination Resume: Templates, Examples and Tips
A combination resume — also known as a hybrid resume — details your top work accomplishments while prominently displaying your relevant skills. It’s a great option for mid-level candidates or people changing careers. If that’s you, read on to learn more about this format, view our combination resume examples and see our tools to create the perfect hybrid resume using our Resume Builder.
What is a combination resume?
As its name suggests, the combination resume is a resume format that combines aspects of the chronological resume and the functional resume. Like the chronological format, the combination resume details your work experience, highlighting major responsibilities and achievements. Like a functional resume, it also prominently displays valuable skills.
The hybrid resume format is ideal for candidates with a couple of years of experience looking to grow in their career, people changing careers but with relevant background in their desired field and transferable skills, and job seekers with an employment gap.
What’s the difference between the combination resume and the other resume formats?
Combination resume
- Features both work history and skills.
- Presents your most relevant abilities and job accomplishments.
- Focuses on career highlights rather than details of every job you’ve had.
Chronological resume
- Ideal for candidates with extensive work experience in their field.
- Features a comprehensive overview of your work history.
- Emphasizes job experiences and career growth.
- Includes list of key skills.
- More on the chronological resume.
Functional resume
- Great for candidates with little to no experience.
- The emphasis is on skills presented under important subcategories.
- Usually uses a resume objective instead of a professional summary.
- Includes related training and nonprofessional activities.
- More on the functional resume.
Sections of a combination resume
- Professional summary
A summary statement is your first chance to sum up your most important qualifications and previous accomplishments. View it as the elevator pitch of your combination resume where you present your most relevant experience and skills to show employers why you’re the best fit for the job. - Summary of qualifications
If you can point to abilities and achievements that tie in with the job you want, use this section of your hybrid resume to give a concise rundown (usually three bullet points) of how you’ve used your top skills to achieve positive results. - Skills
Like the combination resume sample above, list your skills under major categories that fit what the job is looking for. For example, if you’re looking at a medical assistant job, you could create a “Medical Skills” category (including skills such as first aid and CPR, as well as specialized knowledge of procedures and medical equipment) and “Soft Skills” (including intangible abilities that are key to the job, such as good communication skills and a patient-focused attitude). - Work history
List your previous jobs in reverse-chronological order (current or most recent job first), including the company’s name, the dates you’ve worked there and the titles of the jobs you’ve held. Aim for three to five bullet points for each job in this section of your combination resume format that showcase your most impressive achievements and responsibilities. - Education
Feature your highest academic credential (e.g., college degree or high school diploma) in the education section of your hybrid resume, including the institution’s name and location. Add any related certifications or advanced training related to the job you want (e.g., CompTIA Network+ certification for a network engineer job).
Combination resume templates and examples
Use these combination resume examples as a foundation for your resume or visit our resume examples page for hundreds more job and industry-specific hybrid resume examples.
You can also check out our professionally designed resume templates. We have plenty of templates, including free hybrid resume templates for Word you can download and edit. Our experts have designed templates in various categories, from professional resume templates to creative, modern and more.
Combination resume example for executive assistant
Stress your organizational and administrative skills, as this hybrid resume example does, and previous experiences where you’ve collaborated effectively with others. Mention crucial soft skills such as attention to detail and time management.
Combination resume example for nursing aide
This hybrid resume template features key “soft” (or intangible) skills that show that the candidate understands the job’s interpersonal aspects and technical knowledge. The mention of a Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) credential in the education section also demonstrates that the applicant has gone the extra mile to train in the field.
Combination resume example for personal trainer
Provide details on any work you’ve undertaken involving physical fitness in your hybrid resume and feature any work where you’ve positively impacted others through mentorship and collaboration. Don’t forget to include diet and nutrition knowledge.
Combination resume example for phlebotomist
Follow the lead of this combination resume sample and feature any work you’ve had which has involved interacting with others, using health and safety protocols, and note your familiarity with medical terminology and equipment.
Combination resume example for billing and collections team leader
In addition to highlighting important skills such as Microsoft Excel and data analysis, this hybrid resume example showcases responsibilities from previous roles that slot in well with a billing and collections job, including team management, heading quality assurance programs and processing insurance payments.
Combination resume example for paralegal
Show off your organization and administrative skills and emphasize job experiences in your hybrid resume format that show the employer you’ve handled legal documents such as briefs, wills, contracts, pleadings or appeals.
Combination resume example for marketing project manager
Outline any successes you’ve had in positioning and developing products and running campaigns that improve sales, like in this combination resume template. Don’t forget key skills like strong communication, teamwork and copywriting skills.
Combination resume example for caregiver
Use your hybrid resume to provide details on work experiences you’ve had where you’ve proven yourself capable of caring and attending to others and list any specialized medical knowledge you have in your skills section.
Combination resume example for pharmacist
Similar to this combination resume sample, highlight both your client-facing skills (such as good communication abilities and commitment to excellent patient service) and your knowledge of pharmacy processes and related software.
When to use a combination resume
You have some experience and are ready to move up.
Suppose you’re a junior to mid-level job seeker with notable skills or accomplishments. In that case, the combination format can detail how you’ve already acquired important abilities and used them effectively in your career thus far.
You’re switching over from a different career field.
If you don’t have a lot of experience in your new job field, the combination format can feature transferable skills and work experiences from other jobs that show you can handle the demands of your new career.
You’re reentering the job market.
If you’re returning to employment after time off or have employment gaps in your career, a combination resume will emphasize skills and training you already have, as well as previous job experiences that match up with the new job you’re looking for.
How to write a combination resume
Target your summary to fit the job.
Make sure the skills and expertise you feature in your summary fit what the job is looking for. Before writing a hybrid resume, read through the job description, pick out keywords that spell out what the job needs and then match those keywords with your abilities. For example, if you’re applying for a retail business analyst job that lists “managing an operating budget” as a major task, you could write in your combination resume: “Accomplished analyst with experience managing budget for five retail chain stores.”
Feature the right skills in your hybrid resume.
The primary advantage of a combination resume is that it features skills and qualifications that are most relevant to the job you want. This means that even if you’ve worked at a job that doesn’t seem like a natural fit with the new position, you can highlight elements of the job that do.
For example, if you’re applying for an office manager job but don’t have previous office experience, emphasize any related skills you’ve gained in previous jobs, such as invoicing or schedule organization. Every qualification you present in your hybrid resume should answer the most critical question: why you’re the right person for the job.
Show how you put your skills into practice.
Your work history section isn’t just a place to feature accomplishments — it’s also your opportunity to show how you’ve used your best skills successfully. If you mention analytical ability as a skill in your combination resume, give an example of how you’ve used your analytical abilities to improve a company’s bottom line. Employers don’t just want to know your abilities; they want to see proof of how you’ve put your knowledge into action.
Don’t skimp on credentials and training.
Featuring additional coursework or certifications in important areas of expertise in your hybrid resume can go a long way to showing your dedication and focus on being the best in your field. For example, training as a certified supply chain professional (CSCP) will help your case in applying for a logistics job. Include these achievements in your education section or create a separate “Training and Certifications” section under your education section.
Check out our How to Write a Resume article for more resume-writing advice.
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