Combination Resume Format Examples & Writing Guide

What is a combination resume?

A combination Resume is a hybrid between the functional format resume and the chronological resume. It features a work history section where you can list out your work experience and accomplishments, as well as a relevant skills section for you to use bullet points to list your skills.

A combination resume usually follows this structure:

• Contact information
• Resume summary or resume objective
• Good skills for resume
• Work history
• Education

The middle ground that a combination resume format provides is perfect for job seekers with three to eight years of experience – in other words, if you aren’t an entry-level candidate but you’re not a senior-level professional either. This resume format is also ideal for people changing careers with transferable skills; meaning that your previous work experience gave you the skills necessary to work in another industry.

Why should I use a combination resume?

You should use a combination Resume format because:

• You’re a mid-level professional seeking growth in your career or searching for the same job in another company.
• You’re changing careers and have transferable skills and work experience that may apply to the new job.
• The employment gaps you have don’t exceed six months and you can fill out the work history section without leaving blanks in your career.
• It highlights skills you have that fit the job description as well as giving examples of how you’ve used these skills in previous work, you can create a professional resume that focuses on your strengths.

Combination resume vs. chronological and functional resumes

Here’s a quick guide to understand the difference between the combination resume, chronological resume and functional resume format.

Combination resume format: writing tips

Now that you know what a combination Resume is and why you might use one, let’s go over how it works. These are the five major sections on a combination resume:

1. Header

   The first section is the header with your contact information. Typically, this will include your name, phone number, email address and LinkedIn profile, if applicable. The header will state your name in a larger font than the other elements so that everyone knows who your resume belongs to even at a glance.

2. Resume summary or resume objective

   Next, you’ll want to write your resume summary or resume objective.

   A professional summary statement explains to the recruiter or hiring manager who you are and gives an overview of some of your most relevant skills and achievements. It’s ideal for people with more than three years of experience who want to continue growing in their careers. For example:

   Detail-oriented editor with five years of experience. Proficient in AP stylebook, Microsoft Word and Google Drive. Able to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines, revise materials in books, newspapers and websites and make suggestions based on company guidelines.

   A resume objective also tells the potential employer a summary of your skills and experience but unlike the resume summary, its objective is to inform the recruiter of your goals for employment. So if you’re changing careers, you would use a resume to tell the recruiter about the job you’re seeking. For example:

   Creative writer with four years of experience in the publishing industry seeking a position as an editor. Knowledgeable in AP stylebook, Chicago Manual of Style and best writing practices for fantasy genre. Able to provide industry insight, make suggestions based on genre and guide authors through the editing process.

3. Skills list

   The next section is the skills section. Here is where you’ll list all your key skills, focusing especially on hard skills, soft skills and technical skills. This section uses bullet points, and for a combination resume, you’ll typically have a fair number of skills (often up to eight to 10). For example:

   • Attention to detail
   • Research
   • Strategic planning
   • Time management
   • Excellent communication skills
   • Good judgment
   • Microsoft Office
   • G Suite
   • SEO

4. Work History

   Next, you’ll list your job history in reverse-chronological order, with the most recent job first. Internships, volunteer jobs and other similar types of experience can go here if they’re relevant to the job. Use the work experience section to show how you used your top skills in previous jobs.

   For example, if you’re applying for an administrative position, give examples of important responsibilities or achievements that show how you’ve used great communication skills, or demonstrate that you have professional experience working with office processes.

   Here’s a sample of how to write an entry in the work history section of your resume. Remember to include the company name, dates of employment and location.

   Freelance Writer / June 2020 – Current
   The Young Herald, Portland, OR

   • Write opinion columns and over 50 book reviews exploring author narratives, major themes and characters.
   • Edit and proofread articles for proper grammar and spelling, following company guidelines and stylebook.
   • Make weekly suggestions and brainstorm ideas for engaging and unique pieces.

5. Education

   The last section of your combination resume will be your education. This is where you’ll put your college education and any certifications you’ve gone through training for. Only list your high school experience if you don’t have any college experience. If you’re listing where you went to college and the degree you earned, you don’t need to list your high school and GPA.

   Bachelor of Arts: English Literature
   May 2018
   Oregon University, Portland, OR

   If you’re not sure how these sections look together, just take a look at the combination resume example featured on this page.

Combination resume templates

ResumeHelp has numerous resume templates you can use to write a combination resume. Our Resume Builder guides you through the process of creating a professional resume in minutes.

You can also refer to our hundreds of Resume examples for different jobs and industries to help you get started. You’ll find plenty of combination resume samples in our library.