Your Resume Needs a New Look. Here Are 3 Winning Formats

Why Your Old Chronological Resume Won't Cut It

Most people have a reverse-chronological resume. It lists your work experience from most to least recent and is perfect for showing a clear, upward progression in a single field.

But when you're changing careers, that format can actually work against you. It highlights your experience in a field you’re trying to leave and can make you look unqualified for the one you want to enter. A hiring manager might take one look, see irrelevant job titles, and move your application to the "no" pile without a second thought.

To make a successful career change, you need to tell a new story—one that focuses on your transferable skills and future potential, not just your past duties.

The 3 Best Resume Formats for a Career Pivot

Choosing the right format is about controlling the narrative. You want a recruiter to see your value for the new role, not the old one. Here are the three best templates to help you do just that.

1. The Functional (Skills-Based) Resume

The functional resume breaks all the traditional rules, and for a major career change, that can be a good thing. It pushes your work history to the very bottom and leads with a detailed section showcasing your skills, grouped by theme (e.g., "Project Management," "Content Creation," "Client Relations").

What it looks like:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary / Objective
• Detailed Skills Summary (The main event)
• Work History (Just titles, companies, and dates)
• Education

Who should use it?

This format is ideal for those making a significant leap into a completely different industry, for people returning to the workforce after a long gap, or for anyone whose work history doesn't neatly align with the target job. It forces the reader to focus on what you can do, not where you've been.

2. The Combination (Hybrid) Resume

Meet the goldilocks of career change resumes. The combination format is the most widely recommended and versatile option, blending the best of the functional and chronological worlds.

It opens with a strong summary and a robust skills section, just like a functional resume. But it follows that with a more traditional (though often condensed) work history section that provides context for where you developed those skills. This approach shows recruiters you have both the necessary abilities and real-world professional experience.

What it looks like:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Key Skills / Areas of Expertise
• Professional Experience (with achievements)
• Education

Who should use it?

This is the go-to choice for most career changers. It allows you to highlight your transferable skills while still presenting a coherent career history. It strikes the perfect balance, demonstrating both your potential and your past accomplishments. While it’s a powerful format, crafting that perfect skills summary can be tricky. Using a dedicated builder can help you organize your thoughts and ensure your resume is polished and professional.

3. The Creative Resume

A creative resume ditches the standard black-and-white Word document in favor of a visually engaging design. It might incorporate colors, icons, graphs, or a unique layout to showcase personality and design skills. Think infographic, not a traditional document.

What it looks like:

Completely variable, but often includes a portfolio link, skill-level bars, and a headshot.

Who should use it?

This format should be used with extreme caution and only in specific industries. Graphic designers, UX/UI specialists, brand strategists, or architects can benefit from a resume that doubles as a portfolio piece.

A crucial warning: Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan resumes before a human ever sees them. These systems can't read complex graphics, columns, or unusual fonts, which means your beautifully designed creative resume might be automatically rejected. If you go this route, always have a plain-text version ready.

Final Thoughts: Tell Your Best Story

Making a career change is a bold move, and your resume needs to be just as bold. By ditching the old chronological format and choosing one that highlights your strengths and future potential, you’re not just applying for a job—you’re making a compelling case for your next chapter.

Pick the format that tells your story best, focus on your transferable skills, and tailor it for every single application. Now go build that resume and land the career you deserve.