The best CV format for almost everyone is reverse chronological: your most recent role first, working backwards. It is what recruiters expect, what applicant tracking software parses most reliably, and what makes a career easy to follow in the six seconds a first pass takes.
Reverse chronological
Structure: contact details, summary, experience (newest first), education, skills.
This is the default for a reason. A recruiter can see where you are now, where you were before, and how long each step lasted, without doing any work. Screening software is built around the same assumption.
Use it when: you have a reasonably continuous work history, and your most recent role is relevant to what you are applying for. That covers most people.
Functional (skills-based)
Structure: contact details, summary, skills grouped by theme with examples, then a bare list of job titles and dates at the bottom.
The theory is that it foregrounds capability rather than chronology. The practice is that experienced recruiters have seen it used to obscure gaps and job-hopping for two decades, so it triggers exactly the scrutiny it was meant to avoid. It also parses badly: achievements sit in a skills block with no employer attached, so the software cannot tell where or when you did any of it.
Use it when: almost never. If you are considering it because of a gap, read how to explain employment gaps instead — a direct one-line explanation costs you far less than a format that signals evasion.
Combination
Structure: contact details, summary, a short skills or “core competencies” block, then full reverse chronological experience.
This is the useful middle ground. You get four to six lines at the top establishing what you can do, then a normal, verifiable history underneath. Nothing is hidden, so nothing looks hidden.
Use it when: you are changing career, returning after a break, or your transferable skills matter more than your last job title. Our career change CV guide uses this structure throughout.
Choosing quickly
| Your situation | Format |
|---|---|
| Steady progression in one field | Reverse chronological |
| Graduate or first job | Reverse chronological, education first |
| Changing industry | Combination |
| Returning after a break | Combination, with the gap explained in one line |
| Contractor or freelancer | Reverse chronological, grouped under one self-employed heading |
| Academic or research post | Academic CV, education first |
| Applying in the EU where requested | Europass |
Section order
Within any format, the rule is simple: the strongest evidence goes highest. A graduate leads with education. A developer with eight years of experience leads with experience and puts education at the bottom. A nurse whose licence is a hard requirement puts certifications above both.
What format does not fix
No layout rescues weak content. If your bullet points describe duties rather than results, changing the format changes nothing. Fix the bullet points first, then worry about structure.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best CV format in 2026?
Reverse chronological, for nearly everyone. It lists your most recent role first and is what recruiters and screening software both expect. Use something else only when you have a specific reason, such as a career change or a long gap.
Is a functional CV a bad idea?
Usually. Recruiters know it is often used to hide gaps or thin experience, so it invites the suspicion it was meant to avoid. Screening software also parses it poorly, because skills float free of the roles that produced them.
What is a combination CV?
A hybrid that opens with a skills summary and then lists roles chronologically. It works well for career changers, since it front-loads transferable skills without hiding your actual history.
Should I use a CV template with columns?
Not if the employer screens applications with software. Two-column layouts are read straight across, which scrambles your text. A single column with good typography looks professional and parses correctly.