According to a Ladders eye-tracking study, recruiters spend an average of just 7.4 seconds scanning your resume before deciding to move on or dig deeper. In that window, formatting, structure, and the right keywords matter more than years of experience.
This guide breaks down real resume examples that are getting people hired in 2026 and shows you exactly how to build yours.
These resume examples are modeled after real resumes that have landed interviews across different industries, built using the same principles recruiters look for. But copying a template won't be enough - your resume needs to showcase relevant skills and experience that match each company's needs.
This piece shows you how to pick the right resume format and build key sections. You'll learn proper formatting practices and avoid mistakes that could cost you an interview. We'll help you become skilled at personal branding and self-promotion through your resume.
Want to create a resume that lands you interviews? Let's get started!
Resume That Actually Get You Hired in 2026
Choose the Right Resume Format
Your resume format determines how your information is organized and what gets emphasized first. The right choice depends on your career stage, work history, and target role. Here are the four main formats and when to use each one.
Resume Format Comparison 2026
| Chronological | Functional | Combination (Hybrid) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Steady career in one industry | Career changers, first-time job seekers | Mid-career pros with transferable skills |
| Structure | Work history in reverse order | Skills grouped by category | Skills section + work history |
| ATS compatibility | ✅ Excellent | ❌ Poor, often can't be parsed | ✅ Good |
| Recruiter preference | Most preferred | Viewed with skepticism | Increasingly popular |
| Shows career growth | Yes, clearly | No | Partially |
| Hides employment gaps | No | Yes, but recruiters notice | Somewhat |
| Our recommendation | Default choice for most job seekers | Avoid unless no other option | Great alternative if chronological doesn't fit |
Want to get the best format for your resume? Try our free resume builder, it picks the best format based on your experience.
Chronological: Best for experience-focused roles
The chronological resume format stands as the most traditional option employers accept in 2026. You list your work history in reverse order, starting with your current position.
This format works best if you have:
- A steady career path in one industry
- No major gaps in your work history
- Clear career growth over time
Hiring managers can quickly scan your professional experience with this layout. In 2026, the best chronological resumes go beyond listing duties, they feature achievement-focused bullet points with measurable results and keywords matched to the job description.

This chronological resume follows the reverse-chronological structure that recruiters prefer. Notice how each role leads with measurable achievements, not job duties. Create yours free →
Functional: Ideal for career changers or gaps
The functional (or skills-based) resume format puts your skills and qualifications first. Rather than listing jobs by date, you group information by skill categories and achievements.
You should think carefully before picking this format. According to Indeed, most recruiters view functional resumes with skepticism. They often think you're trying to hide job gaps, frequent job changes, or limited experience. The format also creates problems with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These systems can't read it well, which might eliminate you before a real person sees your application.
The functional format makes sense only when you can't showcase your skills through a standard chronological format. This applies to first-time job seekers or people making major career changes.

Combination: When you need to show both skills and experience
The combination (or hybrid) format has become popular in 2026. Mid-career professionals and career changers with transferable skills use it most often. It combines the best parts of chronological and functional resumes by:
- Starting with a strong skills section at the top
- Adding a traditional work history next
- Showcasing transferable skills and flexibility
- Creating balance between abilities and proven experience
People changing careers find this format helpful. It puts relevant skills first while keeping the work history that employers want. The format works well for both AI systems scanning specific skills and humans looking at career growth.

Switching industries? Our career change resume template walks you through it step by step.
ATS Compatibility: How to Make Sure Your Resume Gets Read
Over 98% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems to screen resumes. Even among smaller companies, ATS adoption is growing fast. Your resume needs to pass this automated screening before a human ever reads it. Your resume must work with ATS systems. Many qualified candidates get rejected because they use formats these systems can't process.
ATS compatibility requires you to:
- Pick chronological or combination formats (both work well)
- Stay away from functional formats (ATS systems can't read them well)
- Keep formatting simple without tables or graphics
- Use standard section headings
- Save files as .docx or text-based PDFs
Your resume needs to pass automated screening and impress human recruiters. The right format helps you create a resume that gets you interviews.
Build the Core Resume Sections
A strong resume needs well-laid-out core sections that showcase your qualifications. Each part plays a specific role in telling your professional story to potential employers.
Contact information: What to include and what to skip
Start your contact section with your full name, phone number and professional email address.

Your city and state help employers decide if you're a good fit based on tax laws and licensing requirements. Leave out your full address to stay safe. You can add your LinkedIn profile or professional website if they matter in your field. This information helps employers screen you properly.
Resume summary: How to write a strong opening
Your resume summary works like a mini elevator pitch, a two to three-sentence professional introduction highlighting your best qualifications. A good summary makes a strong opening statement that emphasizes top skills and accomplishments while matching keywords from job postings. Write your summary last to reflect your relevant skills and accomplishments better. Skip first-person references and filler words. Focus on ideas that help recruiters most. Your summary should answer: "How would you describe your professional qualifications in a few sentences?"
Here are three resume summary examples for different career stages:
Example 1 — Experienced Professional:
Results-driven marketing manager with 7+ years of experience leading cross-channel campaigns for SaaS companies. Increased qualified leads by 45% year-over-year while reducing cost per acquisition by 30%. Skilled in SEO, paid media, and marketing automation tools including HubSpot and Google Analytics.
Example 2 — Career Changer:
Former high school teacher transitioning into corporate training and instructional design. 5 years of experience creating curriculum for 200+ students, managing classroom operations, and delivering measurable academic improvements. Certified in Articulate 360 and adult learning methodologies.
Example 3 — Entry-Level / Recent Graduate:
Recent computer science graduate from UC Davis with hands-on experience building full-stack web applications during two internships. Proficient in React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL. Led a 4-person capstone team that developed an accessibility tool adopted by the university's disability resource center.
Notice how each summary leads with the strongest qualifier, includes at least one measurable result, and ends with relevant skills. Avoid generic phrases like "hard-working team player", be specific about what you bring. Build your summary with our AI writer →
Work experience: Using bullet points and metrics
Put your experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your current position. Each role needs your title, employer name, dates, and key responsibilities. Don't just list duties, focus on unique achievements you can measure. According to an analysis of 125,000+ resumes, only 26% included five or more measurable results and 36% had zero metrics whatsoever. This is your biggest opportunity to stand out. Look at time-based metrics (improved efficiency by 25%), scope contributions (managed 20+ staff), productivity improvements (reduced costs by 20%), comparative growth (increased accuracy by 35%), or stakeholder feedback (redesigned materials generating 30% increase).
❌ Weak bullet (duty-focused):
Responsible for managing the social media accounts and creating content for the marketing team.
✅ Strong bullet (achievement-focused):
Managed social media strategy across 4 platforms, growing follower base by 45% and increasing engagement rate from 1.2% to 3.8% in 6 months.
For more examples of strong work experience bullet points, we put together an entire guide.
Start each bullet with a strong action verb, include at least one number, and focus on what changed because you were there. Let our AI write your bullets →



















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