If your work history has gaps, short tenures, or a career pivot, the goal is not to hide reality. It is to present it clearly enough that the reader sees the throughline.
Default to readable over clever
A reverse-chronological resume is still the easiest format for most hiring teams to process. If your experience is uneven, a combination approach can help you foreground relevant strengths without becoming evasive.
Watch for overcorrection
Highly unusual layouts often create more suspicion, not less. If the format feels like it is working harder than the content, simplify it.
Bottom line
Choose the format that makes your relevant experience easiest to follow, not the format that promises to erase your history.