3 key takeaways
- Gain a clear understanding of the combination resume format
- Learn when a combination resume is most beneficial
- Discover how to write a combination resume with Teal's AI Resume Builder
If you're feeling torn between highlighting your skills and showcasing your career history, a combination resume could be the perfect fit.
A combination resume balances the best of both worlds—your skills and your work experience—allowing you to showcase what you know and how you've put it into action.
In this guide, you'll learn exactly what a combination resume is. You'll also get examples, templates, and a step-by-step walkthrough to help you build one of your own.
What is a combination resume?
A combination resume is a resume format that blends the functional and reverse-chronological resume styles, allowing you to highlight both your skills and work experience.
Here's what it pulls from chronological and functional resumes:
Functional resume: Leading with key skills after a professional summary with relevant core competencies highlighted upfront
Reverse-chronological resume: Traditional work history with jobs listed by date, the most recent being first and detailed achievements under each role
Sometimes called a hybrid resume, combination resumes are particularly useful if you have diverse skills or varied work experiences and want to showcase these things effectively.
You might want to use a combination resume if you're:
- A recent graduate or new job seeker
- New to your field or profession
- In an industry or position that focuses heavily on tech and tools
- Changing careers
- Re-entering the workforce
- Have gaps in their employment history
Combination resume format
The combination format strategically orders sections to place equal value on both skills and experience. Here's the complete structure:
- Header: Name, contact details, professional links
- Professional Resume Summary: Brief career snapshot
- Skills: Key expertise areas
- Work Experience: Work history in reverse chronological order with achievements
- Education: Academic background
- Additional Sections: Certifications, awards, volunteer work, etc.
How to write a combination resume
Creating an excellent combination resume (or hybrid resume) requires strategic organization of your skills and experience. Follow the steps below to write one that showcases your full professional value.
1. Create your header
Place your name, contact information, and professional links prominently at the top. This first impression sets the tone for your resume, so ensure it's clean, professional, and easily scannable. Include your LinkedIn profile, any relevant professional portfolios, and your target job title.
2. Write your professional summary
Write a powerful snapshot that captures your career journey and key skills. Focus on what makes you valuable to employers and why you're the right fit for the role.
Example: "Dynamic junior marketer with 3+ years in digital campaigns and SEO. Drove 40% traffic growth through data-driven strategies. Ready to leverage analytical skills in a mid-level role."
3. Highlight the most relevant skills
Much like a functional resume, now it's time for skills. Create a section prominently features relevant skills that match job requirements. This immediately showcases your expertise, balancing technical competencies with transferable skills. Focus on what's directly mentioned in the job description and those most valuable to your target role.
4. Detail your work experience and impact
List roles chronologically with measurable achievements, impactful projects, and demonstrated skills instead of daily tasks. Think: your progressive career growth over time. Use strong action verbs and specific numbers to prove your value. For each position, highlight:
- Measurable results and metrics
- Key skills in action
- Relevant project outcomes
- Problem-solving examples
If you're one of many career changers, even roles from different industries matter when you show how your skills created impact and align with a unique position.
5. Add your education
Include degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework. Recent graduates can expand this section to showcase academic achievements, projects, or specific courses aligning with target roles. Place this section higher if you're a recent graduate or your education directly relates to your career goals.
6. Include additional value where it makes sense
Add volunteer work, projects, certifications, or language skills that strengthen your application. Tailor these additions to showcase experiences that further demonstrate your capabilities and fit for the role.
Combination resume examples
A good combination resume example can be a reference to understand how to create your own resume more efficiently. Here are a few you can learn from.
Combination resume example: Frontend developer
This combination resume example is perfect for a junior-level employee looking to transition into a new role. The relevant skills are placed after the professional summary, followed by work experience.
Example combination resume: Marketing manager
In this example of a combination resume, the skills section is prioritized and work history takes on a reverse chronological format.
Combination resume template
Looking for a fill-in-the blank option? Here's a combination resume template you can use.
[Full Name]
[Contact Information]
[Target Title]
Professional Summary
Highly motivated and detail-oriented [title and years of experience] with a strong foundation in [key skills]. Experienced in [mention relevant work experience with impact].
Skills:
• [Relevant Skill]
• [Relevant Skill]
• [Relevant Skill]
Professional Experience
[Company], [Title]
[Dates of employment]
• Achievement with impact
• Achievement with impact
• Achievement with impact
[Company], [Title]
[Dates of employment]
• Achievement with impact
• Achievement with impact
• Achievement with impact
Education
[Bachelor's/Master's] in [Field of Study]
[University Name], [Expected Year of Graduation]
Certifications
[Title] [Certifying Institution]
[Dates]
Combination resume tips
The combination resume format should tell your professional story while highlighting key qualifications. Here are some tips on how to make it work harder for you:
1. Start with action verbs
Begin each bullet point in your experience section with dynamic action verbs.
For instance, instead of saying, "Responsible for managing a team," say, "Led a team of 10 professionals to surpass quarterly sales targets by 13%."
2. Quantify bullet points
Whenever possible, include concrete numbers and metrics to quantify the work you’ve done.
For example, rather than saying, "Improved sales," specify, "Increased sales by 25% over six months through strategic marketing campaigns."
3. Tailor your content to the job
Align your resume's content with the job description by incorporating relevant keywords.
If the job listing emphasizes "project management" and "team leadership," make sure these are reflected in your resume, like "Spearheaded as project lead for a team of 10 to deliver solutions 100% on time in a fast-paced tech startup environment."
4. Write clearly and concisely
Avoid industry jargon and complex sentences.
For example, instead of saying, "Utilized cutting-edge methodologies to engender an increase in consumer engagement," you could say, "Applied innovative strategies to boost customer engagement by 30%."
At the end of the day? The key to a great combination resume is to present a clear, engaging narrative of your career that aligns with the job you're applying for.
Create a standout combination resume
The combination resume offers unique advantages, blending skills with chronological experience. This hybrid approach works especially well for experienced professionals with specialized expertise, career changers highlighting transferable abilities, and those with a strong mix of skills and steady career growth.
With Teal’s AI Resume Builder, featuring an intuitive Drag-and-Drop Editor, you can easily create a combination resume. Switch layouts, reorder sections, and customize your format to match your experience—without wrestling with manual formatting or starting from scratch.
By leading with relevant skills before diving into work history, you can use Teal to give employers a complete picture of your capabilities. The key is strategic organization—making sure each section builds on the last to tell your professional story.
