It’s functional resume time.
Anyone with a tired, boring resume or who is simply looking for new ways to present it should consider creating a functional resume. These functional resumes can help increase attention, share experience, and position you for a role.
We spoke with expert recruitment professionals to learn more about the benefits of a functional resume— and brought you the best advice we can.
A functional resume, also known as a skills-based resume, is a type of resume format that emphasizes an individual’s skills and abilities over their chronological work history.
Unlike the traditional chronological resume, which lists work experience in reverse chronological order, a functional resume focuses on the job seeker’s skills and qualifications.
Background Overview of Functional Resumes
Although the functional resume format has existed for many years, it has gained popularity recently due to the changing nature of work and the increasing importance of transferable skills.
This type of resume is particularly useful for individuals with gaps in their employment history, who are changing careers, or who have a diverse range of experiences that don’t neatly fit into a single job category.
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When Should Functional Resumes Be Used?
Functional resumes should be used when:
- You are changing careers: If you are transitioning into a new field, a functional resume allows you to highlight the skills that are relevant to the new job, even if you gained them in a different industry.
- You have gaps in your employment history: If you have periods of unemployment, a functional resume can help to de-emphasize these gaps.
- You have a diverse range of experiences: If you have worked in a variety of roles or industries, a functional resume can help you consolidate your experiences and present them coherently.
Features and Benefits of Functional Resumes
- Emphasizes Skills: Functional resumes allow you to showcase your skills and abilities rather than your job titles. This can be beneficial if your previous roles don’t directly align with the job you’re applying for.
- Highlights Transferable Skills: This format highlights skills that can be applied across different roles and industries.
- Flexible Format: Functional resumes can be easily tailored to each job application, allowing you to highlight the skills that are most relevant to the job at hand.
- De-emphasizes Employment Gaps: Functional resumes can help minimize the impact of employment gaps by focusing on skills rather than chronological work history.
- Showcases Career Progression: Even if your career path has not been linear, a functional resume can help to show how your skills have developed over time.
- Highlights Achievements: This format allows you to highlight your most significant achievements, regardless of when or where they occurred.
- Ideal for Career Changers: Functional resumes are perfect for individuals transitioning into a new career field.
- Useful for Recent Graduates: Recent graduates who lack extensive work experience can use a functional resume to highlight their academic achievements, internships, and relevant skills.
Sample Functional Resume
Name: John Doe
Contact Information: [email protected] | (123) 456-7890
Skills and Qualifications
Project Management: Led a team of five to complete a six-month project on time and under budget.
Communication: Presented quarterly reports to a team of 20+ individuals, improving department understanding and collaboration.
Leadership: Supervised a team of 10 sales associates, increasing overall sales by 15%.
Work Experience
Project Manager, XYZ Company, 2020-Present
Sales Associate, ABC Company, 2018-2020
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration, University of XYZ, 2018
Limitations of Functional Resumes
While functional resumes have many benefits, they also have some limitations:
- Not Always Accepted: Some employers prefer the traditional chronological format and may be suspicious of functional resumes.
- Can Be Confusing: If not well-organized, functional resumes can be confusing for hiring managers to read.
- Lack of Detail: Because functional resumes focus on skills rather than jobs, they can sometimes lack detail about your work history and achievements.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a functional resume can be a powerful tool for showcasing your skills and abilities, particularly if you are changing careers, have gaps in your employment history, or have diverse experiences.
However, it’s important to remember that not all employers prefer this format, so it’s crucial to tailor your resume to each job application.
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With 30+ years of training experience, I founded Oak Innovation (oakinnovation.com) in 1995. I help busy training professionals and business managers deliver better training courses in less time by giving them instant access to editable training course material. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from University College Cork. I hold qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. Clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.
