The format of your CV shapes the first impression a recruiter forms about your career. Choosing the right structure can highlight your strengths and downplay any gaps or transitions. The three main CV formats are chronological, functional, and combination. Each serves a different purpose, and the best choice depends on your experience level, career history, and the role you are targeting.
1. Chronological CV Format
The chronological format is the most widely used and most familiar to recruiters. It lists your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position and working backward. This format puts your career progression front and centre.
Structure
- Contact information
- Professional summary
- Work experience (reverse chronological)
- Education
- Skills
- Additional sections (certifications, languages, etc.)
Pros
- Recruiters and hiring managers are most familiar with this format, making it easy to scan
- Clearly shows career progression and growth over time
- Preferred by applicant tracking systems (ATS), which parse experience sections reliably
- Works well for candidates with a consistent employment history
Cons
- Gaps in employment are immediately visible
- Less effective for career changers whose recent experience may not align with the target role
- Can feel repetitive if you have held similar roles across multiple employers
Best For
The chronological format is ideal for job seekers with a steady career trajectory in a single field. If you have been progressing through increasingly senior roles and want to demonstrate that growth, this is your best option. It is also the safest choice when you are unsure which format to use since it is universally accepted.
2. Functional CV Format
The functional format, sometimes called a skills-based CV, organises your experience around skill categories rather than job titles and dates. Instead of listing positions chronologically, you group your accomplishments under relevant skill headings.
Structure
- Contact information
- Professional summary
- Skills sections (grouped by category, with accomplishments under each)
- Brief work history (job titles, companies, and dates only)
- Education
Pros
- Draws attention to transferable skills rather than specific job titles
- Helps minimise the appearance of employment gaps
- Useful for career changers who want to emphasise relevant skills from different industries
Cons
- Many recruiters dislike this format because it can feel like the candidate is hiding something
- ATS software often struggles to parse functional CVs correctly, which can lead to your application being filtered out
- Makes it difficult for employers to understand your actual career timeline
- Less effective when employers want to see specific company names and progression
Best For
The functional format works best for career changers moving into a new industry, candidates re-entering the workforce after a significant break, or those with a varied employment history that does not follow a linear path. However, use it with caution since many hiring professionals view it with scepticism.
3. Combination (Hybrid) CV Format
The combination format merges elements of both the chronological and functional approaches. It leads with a skills-focused section that highlights your key competencies, followed by a traditional reverse chronological work history. This gives you the best of both worlds.
Structure
- Contact information
- Professional summary
- Key skills and achievements (grouped by category)
- Work experience (reverse chronological)
- Education
- Additional sections
Pros
- Highlights your most marketable skills upfront while still providing a clear career timeline
- More ATS-friendly than a purely functional format because it includes a standard experience section
- Allows you to showcase transferable skills without raising red flags about your work history
- Flexible enough to work for most career situations
Cons
- Can run longer than one page, which may be a drawback for early-career candidates
- Requires careful organisation to avoid redundancy between the skills and experience sections
- Takes more effort to create since you need to balance two different content approaches
Best For
The combination format is an excellent choice for experienced professionals who want to lead with their strongest skills while maintaining a transparent career history. It is also well-suited for candidates applying for senior or specialised roles where both breadth of skills and depth of experience matter.
How to Choose the Right Format
Selecting a CV format should not be arbitrary. Consider these factors when making your decision.
- Career stage: Entry-level candidates usually benefit from the chronological format. Mid-career professionals may prefer the combination format to highlight accumulated skills
- Employment gaps: If you have gaps, the combination format lets you lead with skills while still being transparent about your timeline
- Career changes: Switching industries? The combination format helps you frame transferable skills prominently
- Industry norms: Conservative industries like finance and law favour chronological CVs. Creative industries may be more flexible
- ATS compatibility: When applying through online portals, chronological and combination formats are the safest bets for getting past automated screening
Formatting Best Practices for Any Format
Regardless of which structure you choose, certain formatting principles apply universally.
- Keep margins between 1.5 and 2.5 centimetres to ensure readability
- Use a font size between 10 and 12 points for body text, and 14 to 16 points for your name
- Use bold or slightly larger text for section headings to create visual hierarchy
- Stick to a single column layout for maximum ATS compatibility
- Maintain consistent date formatting throughout (e.g., "Jan 2023 - Present" or "2023 - Present")
- Use bullet points rather than dense paragraphs in your experience section
Make Your Choice and Get Started
The perfect format is the one that presents your unique qualifications most effectively. If you are still unsure, start with the chronological format. It is the most widely accepted and the most straightforward to create. As your career evolves, you can always switch to a combination format to better showcase your growing skill set.
Whichever format you choose, remember that content quality matters more than structure. A well-written chronological CV will always outperform a poorly written combination CV. Focus on clear language, measurable achievements, and relevance to the target role.