Combination Resume: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

Most resume formats fall into one of two categories. There are functional resumes that emphasize your skills. These are ideal for inexperienced applicants who have developed skills through their education but have less on-the-job experience. 

There are also chronological resumes – the standard choice for experienced candidates who prefer to highlight the work they have done, and the positions they have held. Sometimes forgotten, is the third resume type – the combination resume. 

What is a Combination Resume?

A combination resume meshes chronological and functional resume formats. It emphasizes your skills, experience, and accomplishments without following the timeline of a chronological resume. 

The standard combination resume format opens with a larger header area, featuring a skills summary or qualification section. Afterward, it lists a condensed chronological work history and educational credentials.

Who Should Use a Combination Resume Format? 

Many people can benefit from using a combination resume. Those who are seeking a career change or recent graduates are especially likely to find it useful. This is because these folks tend to have:

• At least some work experience
• Hard and soft skills
• Relevant education

At the same time, because they are entering fields that are new to them, they need to find a way to balance the best elements of functional and chronological resume formats. Thus, the combination resume is a perfect option. 

That said, a combination resume can work for other professionals too. Martin Yate, an international expert in resume writing and a best-selling author, argues that candidates can get better results with a new resume layout, which includes:

• Performance Summary subhead that explains how you’ve helped past employers achieve their goals. This is where you should use the employer’s phraseology and keywords from the job description as much as possible. 

• Professional Skills section, offering an overview of your core competencies, ideally formatted as two or three columns. 

By adding the above information at the “front” you target the recruiter with the right message. First, you confirm that you can fulfill the job requirements. Secondly, you explain how you’ll do that through a combination of highlighted hard and soft skills. 

Sample Combination Resume (Word Version)

Let’s now move on from theory to practice and check several working combination resume examples. 

Download resume example (.docx)

Combination Resume Example (Text version)

Combination Resume IT Example

Recommended Combination Resume Templates

For a combination resume, you need a template with ample space in the header area to fit in your summary section. Alternatively, you can opt for a two-column resume. This works better if you’d rather have a longer work experience section and a bullet-point-styled skills section in the side column.

At Freesumes, you’ll find over a hundred absolutely free and fabulous resume templates for all popular formats. Below are our top recommended combination resume templates:  

Ready for the World template offers ample space to fit in your professional statement and qualifications overview in the accented header area, without making the document appear squished.	Focus template is a great fit for any industry, offering both ample room for describing your career history and introducing your personality in the side column.	Straight Shooter free resume template is an excellent choice if you want to have a shorter professional intro and graphically display your skills in the side column.

How to Make a Combination Resume Step-By-Step 

An effective combination resume accentuates your most marketable skills and competencies in the header and then further contextualizes these in the shorter work and education experience sections. 

Ideally, you should aim to allocate one-third of the page towards your resume summary and the remaining two-thirds for other resume sections. 

Your resume summary should be clear and concise, tailored to the job for which you are applying. Your work experience and education sections should further elaborate on how you apply the listed skills to perform your duties, drive specific work outcomes, and generate value for your employer. Lastly, emphasize any relevant certifications, training, volunteer, or extracurricular activities that make you stand out among others. 

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making a combination resume. 

Open with a Compelling Resume Summary Section 

Think of this section as a “teaser” for your resume: Advertise your most relevant competencies and some note-worthy achievements. If you’re new to the field or changing careers, you can also add a one-sentence resume objective statement to explain what type of roles you’re after, just like in the first resume sample. 

Craft a Banging Skills Section

Start with a resume outline and make a list of relevant skills that you already have. Include a good mix of role-specific competencies, technical skills, and soft skills. Don’t skim on the latter, since  97% of employers consider soft skills just as important or even more important than hard skills. 

Next, you’ll want to back up these with your work experience. For example, you may list graphic design as one of your core skills. Later in your resume, you can show that you have used that skill in the real world designing logos for small business owners.

Need some inspiration? Check our lists of recommended skills for a resume:

• Self-management skills 
• Critical-thinking skills 
• Meta skills
• Organizational skills  
• Administrative skills
• Conceptual skills  

Focus On Transferable Skills

If you’re a recent graduate or seeking a career change, you probably have some skills that will make you more productive. These are called transferable skills. 

Most soft skills fall into this category. However, depending on the job you are pursuing, you may have hard skills that are transferable as well. For example, there are several careers where having advanced MS Excel skills is considered to be a real selling point. 

Pro tip: Your combination resume has to emphasize the skills and experience the company needs. That’s why you should use the job listing itself to help you determine which skills and experience should receive the most attention.

Don’t Forget The Extras

A combination resume format allows you to include relevant awards, volunteer work, research, and even hobbies and interests that you may not normally fit in a more standard one-page resume. Don’t hesitate to share some extra interesting facts about yourself if these can help better contextualize your work experience and personality.  

That said, your resume shouldn’t look “crowded” as this affects readability. To compactly fit extra details, grab a free Google Docs resume with a two-column design or one of our recommended combination resume templates! 

Final Thoughts

Despite not having the best work experience, you can create a resume that allows hiring managers to see you as an excellent fit for the position by combining your work experience, relevant skills, and education.

You can further impress the reader by carefully curating your duties and contextualizing your skills through accomplishments. Although less traditional, combination resume packs a powerful punch!