how to write a modern resume 2023

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The best resume formats for candidates in 2023.

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Man writing resume and in home office with laptop.

You find a job you like. You decide to create or update your resume and hit "apply." Weeks or months pass, and you hear nothing back from the recruiter or employer. Did you use the right resume format to get your message across, that you are the best candidate for the job? What could you have done wrong?

Not all resume formats are created equal, so it's important that you identify early on, which layout you are going to use to present your experience, qualifications, and skills in the best possible light.

We're all familiar with the standard chronological resume format—the kind where you begin with a short paragraph summarizing your key candidate highlights and then proceed to outline your relevant work experience in reverse chronological order. This is the template most commonly advocated for, as it is most widely used and favored by employers.

But what if you face the dilemma of having little to no relevant experience, or have had a long career break or multiple gaps in employment history? How do you prove that you're an exceptional candidate without reverting to your painfully odd chronological resume?

Welcome to the functional resume!

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Typing new resume on laptop

With the functional resume layout, the focus is more on your transferable skills and core competencies to meet the requirements of the role, than the conventional work experience.

Before you start writing, you need to first study out the job description and pull out the competencies listed in the "Person Specification" or similar section. Identify your transferable skills from this list, and pinpoint specific examples of experiences where you have demonstrated these qualities.

You also need to ensure that the skills listed in your functional resume are relevant, and are a decent combination of technical skills and soft skills.

As you start creating your resume, begin with your contact information, relevant portfolio links, and a professional summary.

Next, list out core skills relevant to the role—and provide a short summary for each, of where you have implemented these skills, including any success metrics or positive results as well.

Following this, list out your work experiences including employer, job title, and dates worked, without going into detail about your responsibilities. This should be listed in reverse chronological order, just as you would with a standard chronological resume.

Insert a section for your education and professional development certificates, and finally, include volunteer experience or other significant projects that are relevant.

Pros and cons of a functional resume format

Before you start creating a functional resume, here are a few points to consider:

Functional resumes are not compatible with ATS systems. This means that applicant tracking software cannot detect the key information it needs when a recruiter is scanning through your resume, due to the unconventional layout.

Therefore, if you really need to use one, be sure to send it in a way that guarantees that it is read by an actual human, for example, sending via email or a LinkedIn message.

Hiring manager and candidate reviewing resume in an office

Another important factor to consider is that most hiring managers prefer the traditional chronological layout to the functional skills-based resume. This is because it is straight-forward and easier to scan through to obtain key information about places you've worked, experiences and achievements for each, and how long you've worked for each of your employers.

Hence, although it highlights your skills, opting in for a functional resume may sometimes hurt your chances of successfully landing the job.

One way to navigate this issue is to use a combination resume, also known as a hybrid resume layout. This includes your professional summary and detailed core competencies at the top, but just not as detailed to the extent that you would see in a functional format. It then lists out previous work history in the same way a chronological resume would.

This makes for a fantastic option if you are pivoting your career and have work experience that is irrelevant, but do not wish to give the impression that you've never worked at all.

So what is the best resume layout to use?

If you're applying to roles that are directly aligned with your industry and experience, use the traditional resume format.

If you have little to no experience, or have gaps in career history, use the functional resume, but with extreme caution and care.

However, the most preferred option is to use a combination resume, which will reduce red flags for employers, be easy to scan, demonstrate consistency and a solid work background, and at the same time bridge the gap between where you are now and where you desire to be in your career.

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• How to Write a Modern Resume...

How to Write a Modern Resume in 2024

4 min read · Updated on December 19, 2023

Don't leave your resume in the past.

What is the modern resume? Or more importantly, how does the modern resume compare to the traditional resume? The differences are certainly there, and they focus primarily on telling a career narrative and keyword optimization.

While traditional resumes or CVs can vary in range or length, the typical length of a modern resume usually hovers around one to two pages. In fact, more and more recruiters actually prefer two pages over one page, even if you're an entry-level candidate. 

According to a study that involved almost 500 recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals and nearly 8,000 resumes, recruiters are 2.3 times as likely to prefer two-page resumes over one-page resumes, regardless of a candidate's job level. This means if you have enough information to go on to that second page, do so. If you don't, leave it at one page. 

If you have many years of experience, you should still cut your resume down to two pages. Recruiters spend less than 10 seconds reviewing your resume, so it's important to present a succinct document that highlights the recent — and more relevant — parts of your work history, skills, and education.

Format and style

Modern industry standards call for more comprehensive formats and narrative career storytelling. With this, it is essential to “trim the fat” off of your resume and optimize its content. 

This begins with the removal of the objective statement and references from your resume , which have been deemed outdated. These two sections of the resume have been removed to include more comprehensive content, including a career summary and an Areas of Expertise section.

First, it's imperative to insert a career summary in lieu of an objective statement at the beginning of your resume. Career summaries are two to four lines that are typically like your elevator pitch, outlining why you're qualified for the job. Next, you can elect to insert six to nine “Areas of Expertise” bullet points utilizing keywords taken from the job descriptions you've been looking at to highlight your relevant skills and improve visibility on major resume hosting sites.

After these two sections, list your latest experiences up to 15 years — going back any further will just make your resume too long and will include information recruiters aren't looking for. The idea is to get the document to two pages filled with relevant information that highlights why you're the best candidate for the job.

You also want to leave enough room for an Education and Credentials section to wrap up the resume. These are the areas where education, training, certifications, and awards are compiled and listed, serving as rudimentary qualifications in many instances.

Keyword optimization

Believe it or not, your resume needs to include relevant keywords in order to be considered for the job. As mentioned, many recruiters search for specific keywords or terms when finding their ideal candidates. Also, many companies utilize applicant tracking software to help scan through the hundreds of applications they receive for a job posting, looking for the correct terms relevant to the job. This means that if your resume isn't optimized, this system will dispose of your resume before it reaches human eyes.

By strategically implementing relevant keywords, you increase visibility in highly competitive markets and heavily populated resume hosting sites, and ensure your resume gets through to a hiring manager. These terms are a must-add to any resume and are ideal for the “Areas of Expertise” section on any resume.

Resumes have evolved to reflect the times. How does the modern resume compare to the traditional resume? The differences are certainly significant. From more career-narrative development to keyword optimization, the modern resume has distinct features that aid job seekers in competing in a globally competitive market.

Is your resume stuck in the past? Update it today with the help of one of our resume writers .

This article was originally written by Keith Fuchs .

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