Where and to whom a job seeker plans to submit his or her document plays a major role in the type of document the individual uses. Although a U.S.-style résumé appears to be becoming more acceptable internationally than in the past, it still may not be considered satisfactory to many international employers, who would prefer the more traditional CV format. On the other hand, in the United States, it is relatively rare to see a longer, CV-style document except for special fields such as academia or scientific research.

Typically, the preferred format is what is known as reverse chronological, which lists most recent experience and works backward from there. The functional format, which categories experiences by skill area, tends to elicit a less welcoming reaction from employers, who are unable to specifically determine where applicants did what they describe, when they did it, or for how long. Many employers also believe that this format can be used by applicants to hide a variety of problems or periods of unemployment and may be viewed with suspicion for that reason.