When writing a resume, it is always good to take your time, think about your work experience and the kind of a job you are looking for. There are numerous types of resumes available. If you are re-entering the job market, the type and the format of your resume is quite different from the one you would construct for a fresh college graduate. It would also be different from one a person who had been working continuously would format. An individual who is charging careers would opt for a different type and format. Below is a summary of the different types of resumes a person may opt to construct.

Skills-based resume
This is the type of a resume allows the writer to group their work history by skills and not by places or dates of employment. The writer is able to highlight the most important skill they possess, starting with the most pertinent experience instead of the most recent working experience. These types of resumes are best suited for people who are re-entering the job workforce, the first timers in the workforce and do not have the relevant working experience. It is also useful for people who are changing their careers. This is because they can list the most relevant skills to the job they are applying for when they are writing the resume.

When writing the resume, ensure you write a clear objective statement that will explain how your skills relate to the job you are seeking. Ensure you include a career summary. This will explain why you are changing your career or seeking re-employment. The general format is as follows;

- Header which should include the name, address, phone numbers, email.
- Objective statement
- Career summary
- Skills grouping
- Places of employment list which should include employer names, locations and dates of employment.
- Your educational background which should include the schools name, location and your grades or score.

Chronological resumes.
This is the type of resume which you list your work and educational history chronologically. It is the most common type of a resume. You list your achievements in different positions and not what your job responsibilities entailed. When constructing these resumes, you quantify your career accomplishments and summarize any information which you think is of a less value to your job-hunting efforts. When writing this type of a resume, the format to follow is as listed below;

- Header with your name, physical address, phone numbers and email
- Statement of objectivity
- Career and skills summary
- Reverse chronological career listings which should include your employer location and name.
- Your educational background

Functional resumes
This is a type of a resume bears very close resemblance to the skills-based resume. It can be very helpful to newly qualified graduates and people seeking re-employment. For those who worked in different work places in a short period of time, a functional resume can assist in avoiding you being labeled a job-hopper. Even for those who held temporary and contract positions, a functional resume will help in highlighting the skills they gained while in these jobs. The style lets you explains how your previous work and educational background has provided you with the appropriate background for the job opportunity you are applying for. Here you list the jobs according to what you think is the most relevant one leaving the irreverent ones out. You will also list a summary of all your past employers accordingly. You should also include an objective statement in your resume.

You should format it as follows:
- Header with all your personal information
- Objective statement
- Careers and skills summary
- Career listings according to relevance to the position applied for.
- The history of all your past employment, listing your employers and the dates of employment.
- Educational history

Combination resumes

As the name suggests, this is a combination of chronological, functional, and skills formats. It marries all kinds of resumes types in one document. It is useful to new job-seekers as well as to the old workers who are in need of a new job. The format highlights your strongest credentials. It is quite helpful to people who have employment gaps because it lets them focus on what they achieved while employed. The objective statement should be included. The layout to follow is as highlighted below;

- Header with all your personal information.
- Objective statement
- All your career summary
- Skills summary
- Reverse chronological career listings
- Educational history

Video resumes
These are not very popular but as time goes by they will become the in-thing. Job listing sites such as Jobster and vault.com let job applicants to post video resumes online. Word of caution though, make sure you can use your video before you post it online. Resume videos should be well tailored and should relate to the job you are applying for. This will help in getting the attention of your prospective employers. To make the video resume, make sure you dress up appropriately, speak clearly and do not make distracting motions. Just like for the paper resumes, begin with your name, address, and email address. Next, list your educational background, qualifications which should be relevant to the job you are applying for. Don't forget to mention any special skills you may possess. End the video resume by re-stating your name, and remember to thank the watchers of your video.

There you are, these are but a few resumes types you may choose while constructing your resume. Good luck!

By Freddy Ngiam, Founder & CEO http://www.JobSupermart.com - a job portal in Singapore, Hong Kong & USA.