Types of curriculum vitae, advantages and disadvantages

There are several basic types of curriculums that can be used to request job offers. We can choose to write a Chronological, functional, combined or even a non -traditional curriculum, In any case, it is important to know how to make a curriculum vitae.

Of course, each type of curriculum is useful for different purposes. Therefore, the time to decide what kind of Curriculum vitae Use, we must think to who is directed as well as our personal circumstances of the moment.

Here are more information about each type of curriculum, including what should be put on each and when to use it.

Content

• Curriculum Vitae chronological
  • How to structure a chronological CV?
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages
• Functional or thematic curriculum vitae
  • How to structure a functional CV?
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages
• Combined or mixed curriculum vitae
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages
• Non -traditional curriculum

Curriculum Vitae chronological

This type of curriculum is the most common and the most used to request employment in most companies. To make a chronological resume we must start by making a list of our work history, placing the most recent experience in the first place. Next we will list our other works in reverse chronological order.

Generally, contracting companies prefer this type of resume, because it is easy to see quite quickly and easily the work we have done and how long we have been in them.

This type of curriculum vitae works well for employment applicants with a more or less solid work story. If someone starting their career and has no experience, or if you are going to change your job orientation for some reason, then a different type of curriculum vitae could be considered.

How to structure a chronological CV?

A chronological CV uses the following structure:

• Personal data (name and contact data) and photography
• Work history in reverse chronological order, unless the studies have recently ended and very little work experience is taken, in which case, it is better to start explaining the type of education and qualifications
• Regulated studies (university titles, degrees, professional training, masters, etc.)
• Other information: driving card, availability to travel, languages, other formations, etc.
• Interests

Chronological CV example

Advantages

This type of curriculum is particularly useful for work candidates who focus within the same professional line or industry, since it will demonstrate their professional progression in that field.

Disadvantages

If we do not have enough experience for requested employment, a chronological CV will make it more evident.

If we want to change the direction of our career, a chronological CV may not be so relevant to a recruiter, since you will be more interested in knowing our personal skills than the detail of an experience in a certain sector that is not yours.

Functional or thematic curriculum vitae

A functional curriculum vitae focuses on our skills and experiences, instead of its chronological work history. Distribute information on topics. Provides rapid knowledge of our training and experience in a certain area. It focuses on our abilities and skills more than our work experience or training.  It does not follow a chronological progression, thus allowing to select our strengths, highlighting our skills and achievements, and omitting or blurring unwanted.

A functional curriculum vitae can include if you want a concise list of our work history at the bottom of the resume.

This type of curriculums are the most used by people who are changing career or who have lagoons in their job history.

It is also useful for people who are new in a type of work or have limited work experience. By highlighting your skills rather than your work history, you can emphasize to what extent you are qualified for work.

How to structure a functional CV?

A functional CV usually begins with a personal profile that highlights personal achievements, skills and qualities. Then it is followed by a succession of sections, each related to a different skill or capacity. These must be included in decreasing order of importance. Instead of focusing on a particular job, we must describe our experience in its entirety. Since no specific function is detailed, we can include any skill or experience acquired in volunteer or unpaid works.

Example functional CV

Advantages

If we have changed jobs often or our experience is a combination of scattered and unrelated jobs positions, a functional CV will help us emphasize what we can offer to the contracting company instead of our professional progression.

If we are going to change the specialty, a functional CV will help the recruiter to receive all our transferable skills.

If we have a more mature age, a functional CV will focus the spotlight away from our age.

Disadvantages

If we have a lot of experience in a certain job, we can have difficulty highlighting our achievements in a specific section.

Most employers do not like this type of CV, since they prefer to clearly see what the candidate has asked and usually ask questions about whether the candidate is trying to hide something.

A functional CV will not allow us to highlight the progression of a consistent career. If we want to convey this aspect, it is better to adopt a chronological format.

Combined or mixed curriculum vitae

A combined curriculum vitae is a mixture between a chronological curriculum and a functional curriculum. In the upper part of this type of curriculum we will make a list of our capacities and qualifications. Below we will include a chronological work history. However, The work history will not be the focus of attention of this type of curriculum, and usually does not occupy much space.

With this type of curriculum vitae we can highlight the most relevant skills for the work we are requesting while we provide our chronological work history. Most employers want to see our chronological work history, although this is not especially extensive.

A combined CV follows so much the chronological and functional format, which makes the CV a little longer than normal. However, it does offer the best of both types of CV and the use is becoming a more popular structure.

Mixed CV example

Advantages

This type of curriculum helps us highlight our best option for the work we want to access, while giving the employer all the information you want.

It is the perfect format if we have a good career development with many achievements.

It allows us to sell our strengths, as well as our experience.

Disadvantages

It is longer than a functional or chronological CV, which can deter some employers.

It is not suitable for those jobs that require little experience or personal achievements.

It is not suitable for those with many different types of employment.

Non -traditional curriculum

A non -traditional curriculum is a unique version of its resume in which We can include photographs, videos, graphics, images and other visual elements. It may be that it is an online curriculum vitae like a video or a resume in the form of infographic. It could also be a curriculum that is included on a social media website.

Non -traditional curriculums are ideal for people with eminently creative work fields, who want to demonstrate their ability to create visually attractive designs or make web pages, for example. It can be a good way for a candidate to stand out among the multitude of professions such as design, web design, journalism and many more.

You can consult and download more curriculum templates here.

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