Master the Combination Resume: Examples, Template & How-To Guide

Key Takeaways About Combination Resumes

• Understand the purpose and structure of a combination resume.
• Discover when this resume style is most advantageous for your job search.
• Learn how to create your own combination resume.

If you're unsure whether to emphasize your skills or your work history, a combination resume might be the perfect solution. As a popular resume format, it effectively balances both your abilities and your professional experience, allowing you to showcase what you're capable of and how you've applied those skills in the real world.

This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of combination resumes. You'll find examples, templates, and a step-by-step guide to help you create your own impactful resume.

What is a Combination Resume?

A combination resume is a format that merges the elements of functional and reverse-chronological styles. This approach allows you to highlight both your key skills and your work history in a balanced way.

Here's a breakdown of what it incorporates from each style:

• Functional Resume: Begins with a professional summary, followed by a prominent skills section highlighting core competencies.
• Reverse-Chronological Resume: Presents a traditional work history section with jobs listed in reverse chronological order, detailing achievements under each role.

Sometimes referred to as a hybrid resume, the combination format is particularly useful if you possess a diverse skillset or varied work experiences that you want to showcase effectively.

You might consider using a combination resume if you are:

• A recent graduate or new job seeker
• Entering a new field or profession
• In a tech-focused industry or role
• Changing careers
• Re-entering the workforce
• Have employment gaps in your history

Combination Resume Structure

The combination format is structured to give equal weight to both skills and experience. Here's a typical layout:

1. Header: Name, contact information, and professional online profiles.
2. Professional Summary: A brief overview of your career.
3. Skills: A section showcasing key areas of expertise.
4. Work Experience: Your work history in reverse chronological order, highlighting accomplishments.
5. Education: Your academic background.
6. Additional Sections: Certifications, awards, volunteer work, etc.

The combination resume emphasizes both relevant skills and a progressive work history.

How to Write a Combination Resume

Crafting a compelling combination resume requires careful organization of your skills and experience. Follow these steps to create a resume that demonstrates your full professional potential:

1. Create Your Header: Place your name, contact details, and links to professional profiles at the top of the page. Ensure it's clean, professional, and easy to read. Include your LinkedIn profile and any relevant professional portfolios.

2. Write Your Professional Summary: Craft a concise statement that captures your career journey and highlights your key skills. Focus on what makes you a valuable candidate and why you're a great fit for the target role.

   Example: "Enthusiastic junior marketer with 3+ years of experience in digital campaigns and SEO. Drove a 40% increase in website traffic through data-driven strategies. Seeking to apply analytical skills in a mid-level marketing role."

3. Highlight Relevant Skills: Create a dedicated section showcasing the skills that align with the job requirements. This immediately demonstrates your expertise, balancing technical skills with transferable abilities. Prioritize skills mentioned in the job description and those most valuable to the role.

4. Detail Your Work Experience and Impact: List your previous roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on measurable achievements, impactful projects, and demonstrated skills, rather than simply listing daily tasks. Emphasize your career growth over time. Use strong action verbs and specific numbers to quantify your contributions. For each position, highlight:

   • Measurable results and metrics
   • Key skills in action
   • Relevant project outcomes
   • Problem-solving examples

   If you're a career changer, show how skills from different industries have created impact and align with the target position.

5. Add Your Education: Include your degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework. Recent graduates can expand this section to showcase academic achievements, projects, or specific courses related to the target role. Place this section higher if you're a recent graduate or if your education is directly relevant to your career goals.

6. Include Additional Value: Add volunteer work, projects, certifications, or language skills that strengthen your application. Tailor these additions to showcase experiences that further demonstrate your capabilities and suitability for the role.

Combination Resume Examples

Examining well-crafted combination resume examples can provide valuable insights into creating your own. Here are a couple to learn from:

• Frontend Developer: This example is ideal for a junior-level professional transitioning into a new role. The skills section is placed after the professional summary, followed by the work experience section. Use this example to guide you in showcasing your skills and experience effectively.
• Marketing Manager: In this example, the skills section is prioritized, and the work history is presented in reverse chronological order. Use this as a guide for emphasizing your skills.

Combination Resume Template

Here's a fill-in-the-blank template to get you started:

[Full Name]
[Contact Information]
[Target Job Title]

Professional Summary
Highly motivated and detail-oriented [title and years of experience] with a strong foundation in [key skills]. Experienced in [mention relevant work experience with impact].

Skills:
- [Relevant Skill]
- [Relevant Skill]
- [Relevant Skill]

Professional Experience
[Company], [Job Title]
[Dates of Employment]
- Achievement with impact
- Achievement with impact
- Achievement with impact

[Company], [Job Title]
[Dates of Employment]
- Achievement with impact
- Achievement with impact
- Achievement with impact

Education
[Bachelor's/Master's] in [Field of Study]
[University Name], [Year of Graduation]

Certifications
[Title] [Certifying Institution] [Dates]

Combination Resume Tips

The combination resume should tell your professional story while highlighting your key qualifications. Here's how to maximize its impact:

1. Start with Action Verbs: Begin each bullet point in your experience section with strong action verbs. For example, instead of "Responsible for managing a team," try "Led a team of 10 professionals to exceed quarterly sales targets by 13%."
2. Quantify Your Accomplishments: Whenever possible, include concrete numbers and metrics to quantify your work. For example, instead of "Improved sales," specify, "Increased sales by 25% over six months through strategic marketing campaigns."
3. Tailor Your Content: Align your resume with the job description by incorporating relevant keywords. If the job listing emphasizes "project management" and "team leadership," ensure these are reflected in your resume, such as "Spearheaded project leadership for a team of 10, delivering solutions 100% on time in a fast-paced tech startup environment."
4. Write Clearly and Concisely: Avoid industry jargon and complex sentences. Instead of "Utilized cutting-edge methodologies to engender an increase in consumer engagement," say "Applied innovative strategies to boost customer engagement by 30%."

Ultimately, a great combination resume presents a clear and engaging narrative of your career that aligns with the job you're seeking.

Create a Standout Combination Resume

The combination resume format offers unique advantages by blending your skills with your chronological experience. This approach is particularly effective for experienced professionals with specialized expertise, career changers who want to highlight transferable skills, individuals with a strong mix of skills and consistent career growth, and anyone crafting an executive resume that requires showcasing both leadership abilities and a solid track record.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the advantage of a combination resume?

The advantage of a combination resume is that it emphasizes both skills and experience, allowing you to showcase your expertise alongside real-world application. This format is especially effective for career changers or professionals with diverse skill sets.

What are combination resumes?

Combination resumes are a hybrid format that highlight both your skills and work experience. They blend elements of functional resumes, which focus on key skills, and reverse-chronological resumes, which emphasize work history, making them ideal for showcasing expertise and career growth.

When should you not use a combination resume?

You should not use a combination resume if you have minimal work experience or inconsistent employment history. In such cases, a functional or chronological format may better highlight your strengths.

What is the difference between a functional resume and a combination resume?

The difference between a functional resume and a combination resume is that functional resumes focus only on skills, while combination resumes include both skills and a detailed work history. Combination resumes provide a more balanced approach, appealing to employers seeking both expertise and career accomplishments.

Who is a combination resume for?

A combination resume is for anyone who wants to highlights skills and experience equally. It’s especially helpful for recent grads and career changers as it lets you lead with your strengths and back them up with relevant experience or education.