How To Get the Right CV Style?

Creating a professional CV is crucial to ensuring your job search goes well. While the content of your CV and cover letter are important, your CV format or style is equally critical. In fact, your CV format determines not only how attractive your CV will look to hiring managers, but it will also help your CV pass through applicant tracking system (ATS) scans. Many companies now use ATS to process the bulk of job applications before recruiters step in, so it’s important that your CV is ATS-friendly.

The three major CV styles in use are:

• Chronological (also known as the reverse-chronological) CV format
• Functional CV format
• Combination (also known as hybrid) CV format

This article will discuss each of these CV formats as well as their strengths and weaknesses and which job seekers are most likely to achieve their desired career progression by using them.

These CV formats are considered to be traditional CV styles in many ways because they tend to be quite simple and clean-cut in appearance. Nonetheless, these formats can be used with modern CV layouts and infographic styles if you work in a creative industry that benefits from displays of graphic design skills. These formats primarily determine the placement of individual sections (e.g., skills, work history) on your CV, and which sections receive more detail.

1. Chronological

The reverse-chronological CV style is the most common CV format. This style prioritizes the work history section and presents job titles in reverse chronological order, meaning the current or most recent position job seekers have held is listed first. This format features a CV summary and puts less focus on the skills and education sections than on the work history section, making it best for job seekers with many years of experience. This format is less beneficial for people who have a short or spotty work history.

2. Functional

The functional CV format is also called the skills-based format because it showcases the skills section. This format is especially popular with recent graduates seeking entry-level work and job seekers who either have limited work experience or who are seeking a career change. The main strength of this format is the way in which it draws attention to practical skills and professional certifications, turning focus away from limited work experience. The drawback of this CV style is that it’s not the best format for people who want to highlight a good amount of work experience.

3. Combination

As the name implies, a combination CV format takes the best elements from both reverse-chronological and functional CVs to create a CV that balances the skills section and work history section. These CVs tend to have balanced skills and work experience sections as well as a small education section, giving job seekers the best of both worlds. The downside is that it prevents you from really focusing on a specific area, giving a broad but slightly shallower picture of your skills and experience to a recruiter.

As you can see, each CV format has its own appeal. Which format appeals more than the others can depend on where you are in your career. There is generally no format that is best or worst in a general sense, but you should be aware that the chronological CV is often preferred in traditional fields of employment, e.g., law or medicine, and may make it easier to get a new job in these fields. If you want more cv writing tips, check CVHelp’s blog for advice and support.

If you have yet to decide on the best CV format for you, there are a few things you should consider. Choose a format that you feel will be best not only for the job you want to apply for, but also showcases your strengths and unique selling points. There are many CV examples and CV templates you can browse through to get inspiration for your own CV if you are undecided. If you need further help deciding on the best CV style, consider the following factors:

1. How much work experience you have

If you have many years of experience in an industry at varying levels and in many different positions, you should emphasize this. Unless you’re in a very creative industry where CV design elements can act as supporting evidence, a highly traditional CV will suit you well.

2. Your most recent job

The job description attached to your most recent job title isn’t the most important part of your CV, but it may impact how an applicant tracking system ranks your CV (especially if you are undergoing a career change). If your most recent job isn’t the best fit for the one you are trying to land, you should opt for a combination format, which stresses previous jobs with transferable skills rather than just laundry-listing all your previous jobs.

3. How many relevant skills you have

Whether it is robust or only just starting to develop, your professional skill set is one of the most important assets you have in a job search. If your practical skills far outweigh your work experience a functional format that prioritizes the skills section will be better for you.

If you consider these points before you decide on the best CV style for you and start writing, you will have a much better chance of creating your perfect CV and landing that new job you have been looking for.