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Resume types: Chronological, Functional, Combined

  1. Chronological — provide a reverse chronological history of past assignments and achievements; best if you have had successive assignments in the same occupational area; preferred by most Defense contractors.
  2. Functional — focus is on skills and competencies; do not provide work history; best for job seekers who are making a complete career change; most employers do not like this format.
  3. Combined — combination of the Chronological and Functional resume; provides work history in reverse chronological order coupled with key skill areas; recommended for candidates with 10 or more years work experience.

Resume Do's and Don'ts


Resume Do's Resume Dont's
Include an employer-centered objectiveUse military acronyms or abbreviations
Focus on accomplishmentsMake the resume cramped and crowded
Use action verbs and the active voiceUse the passive voice
Be direct, succinct, and expressiveMake statements you can't support
Be neat, well organized, and professionalOverstating ones qualifications
Use ample spacing and highlightingRefer to yourself as 'I'
Carefully check spelling and grammarUse lengthy sentences and descriptions
Communicate your strongest points firstLack permanent contact information
Seek outside reviews of your resumeInclude salary information
Continually refine and updateInclude extraneous information

Electronic vs conventional resumes

We consider any submission of your resume in electronic form as an electronic resume. This includes posting your resume on a companys (or 3rd party vendor's) website, as well as sending your resume as an e-mail attachment. Generally, when one submits their resume in electronic form, the following rules apply:

  • The basic components of the resume will stay the same
  • Use nouns instead of action verbs
  • Use a plain text font, such as Arial
  • Make the resume font size 12 point
  • Include a section on Keywords appropriate for your industry area
  • Left justify the text, as electronic documents are prone to losing formatting
  • Send your electronic resume to a friend to see how it comes across electronically