Functional Resumes

Advantages

• Shows skills that would be hard to see in a chronological resume.
• If you have an irregular career this format will 'make more sense of things'.
• New graduates can use this format to highlight their skills rather than their experience.
• Useful when changing careers.

Disadvantages

• Some employers find the functional resume difficult to interpret and are more interested in the actual organisations you have worked for and the positions you've held. Employers need this information to determine the level of responsibility that you previously had.
• Leaving out dates and job titles can raise recruiters suspicions.

More information for those considering the functional resume

If you have had multiple jobs and, as a consequence, have a wide variety of skills, you should consider using the functional resume. If you are changing careers and are applying for a position that is completely different to your previous jobs, you should consider the functional resume.If your career history is patchy with several gaps then a functional resume will promote your skills rather than your employment history.

Those who have worked voluntarily should emphasize this by pointing it out in the detailed listing of their job history. Workers who do not wish to show the length of their employment history (e.g. because of their age) can use a functional job format.

College students may also benefit by using the functional resume. Choose your main skills and organise your extra curricular activities, voluntary work and studies around those skills.

Military personnel applying for jobs in the civilian world should also use the functional resume. Potential employers are generally interested in your transferable skills rather than your military career.

When changing careers, the skills you list need to be related to the position you're applying for. Look at tasks performed in your previous job from a different angle. If you were an air traffic controller and are applying to become an office manager, make sure to show your prospective employer that you can work under pressure and take up responsibilities. This is far more important than your aviation knowledge.

A synopsis of your work history can help show potential employers that you are not trying to hide anything by using a functional resume.

Unsure about which format to use? Try writing your resume in both formats, show your functional resume to your friends and ask them their opinion.