Functional Resume Examples Skills Based Templates

Functional Resume Examples Skills Based Templates Youre about to learn how to write the best functional resume that lands jobs. But first, ask yourself why youre here:Is your work history a bit chaotic? Too many employment gaps? Hopped around jobs so often that hiring managers heads will spin?At the same time, you know you have the right skills to succeed.Ill be frankunexplained gaps in employment is a red flag. And job-hopping signals commitment issues.But you can still leverage your skills to land that job. How?Enterthe functional resume.Its the most effective way to deal with your winding work history. And its easier than you think if you follow our detailed guide.This guide will show you:What is a functional resume.Who the functional resume format is best for.A functional resume template.Expert tips on writing an effective functional resume.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes?Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click.See 20+ resume templates a nd create your resume here.Sample resume made with our builderSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is nowone pagelong, notthree. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowNeed to jump to the right section youre most interested in? Use the table of contents:What is a Functional Resume?Who is the Functional Resume Format Good for?Functional Resume Samples and Why They WorkFunctional Resume Template and Writing Tips1What is a Functional Resume?A functional resumeis a resume format that highlights your skills and expertise over your work history. It's the best option for job seekers who have gaps in their professional experience. This skills based resume works for people youre targeting a job where their professional experience doesnt relate directly.Sound too good to be true, right?Heres the problem:The functional resume format is the one most recruiters hate.Why?Consider this. Statis tically speaking, recruiters spend 7 seconds scanning each resume. They dont read resumes. They skim them for whats most important.In those 7 seconds, heres what recruiters look for in particular:Your relevant qualificationsYour job titlesThe highest level of responsibility you reachedWhere and when you developed your skillsA functional resume hides what the recruiters are looking for. Worseyou lose credibility if your skills dont link to relevant job experience.Does that mean skills-based resumes are totally worthless? Well, not so fast.The point of a functional resume is to help those who dont have the relevant experience.Its not about hiding your skills, its about showing they go beyond traditional work experience.Here is what sets a functional resumeor skills-based resume formatapart:A richer resume introduction.A more in-depth skills section.And thats what matters for some jobs. To land an interview, you need to emphasize your strongest abilitiesa set of hard and soft skills.Le ts see if the functional resume can work for you.2Who is the Functional Resume Format Good For?In general, the functional resume is best when:Youre pivoting to a new industry where your experience doesnt match.Youre highlighting your specific skills needed for the targeted position.Youre lacking work experience relevant to the position youre applying for.You have many gaps in your employment history.Need some specific examples?Here are the most common types of candidates who benefit from a functional, skills-based resume:Creative typesyour portfolio is what matters most and the functional resume gives you more creative space to showcase your talent in an application.Overqualified candidateshelps to show your skills and not your job experience.Military transitioner resumesdetailed military work experience is difficult for you to show since recruiters dont come across them as often.One critical disclaimer: a functional resume wont work if you dont have any work experience whatsoever. Sound like you? Switch over to this beast of a guide written by my friend Christian: No Work Experience? Heres How to Write Your ResumeThe major positive of a functional resumeits versatile.And skills do matter a lot to recruiters.Still, functional resumes are suitable for extremely few job-seekers.Luckily, there are other common resume structures to pick from:Chronological resume works best for candidates with a linear, well-structured employment history who want to highlight work experience and key professional achievements.Combination resume is best suited for highly-experienced job-seekers: it highlights skills and links them to relevant experience.Before you make your final decision, lets compare these resume structures to see the pros and cons:Chronological ResumeFunctional ResumeCombination ResumeProsHighlights experience and achievementsEasy to scanATS scannableHighlights your skillsGood for creatives with a varied portfolioHighlights your skills and experienceMasks gaps in employment.ATS scannableConsRequires consistent formattingExposes gaps in employmentDifficult to scanConceals your experienceNon-ATS scannableOnly for highly-specialized professionalsHard to format and organizeNot convinced the functional resume is the best format for you? Take a look at our detailed guide: Resume Format: Samples and Templates for all Types of Resumes (10+)3Functional Resume Samples and Why They WorkNow you know the basics of a functional resume.You understand who its best for.Time for some funseeing a functional resume in action.Lets have a look at two functional resume samples: one catered for a creative type, the other for a public relations specialist, and see why they are so effective.And thats not allThe section ends with a blank functional resume template for you to use and fill out for your own resume.Functional Resume ExamplePublic Relations SpecialistThomas BlumenthalPublic Relations Specialist713 N. 4th St.Philadelphia, PA 19123, USA202- 555-0173thomas.j. blumenthal@gmail.comwww.thomblumenthalcreative.comlinkedin.com/in/thomblumenthal81Twitter: twitter.com/thommybloom81Resume ObjectiveResults-driven Penn graduate in Journalism and Social Communication seeking to leverage two years of internship and freelancing PR experience with Newton Software Communications Team. Experienced in producing engaging online content (see my portfolio here) and press releases for tech start-ups and local IT companies. Non-profit blogger atwww.pr-matters.wordpress.com. Interested in new digital PR solutions including automatization of customer relations and productivity increase in generating leads in international digital and traditional media outlets.Skills SummaryRESEARCHResearched and analyzed brands, industries, and markets for clients in a variety of fields.Developed and presented monthly data visualizations to highlight trends in various markets for clients.WRITINGSkilled at various types of Public Relation textspress releases, blog posts, bulletin s, emailing campaigns (outreach emails, sales emails, engagement emails).Produced up to 3,500 words of great, unique content on a daily basis.Created blog posts which had over 25,000 shares on different social media websites.Mastered several writing software programs that made writing more efficientHemingway Editor, Grammar Girl, Grammarly.SOCIAL MEDIA RELATIONSProficient at managing social media relations across all major social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Google+.Helped build brand awareness and brand marketing through data-driven social media campaigns.Understand the fundamentals of campaign management, content distribution, and community management on all social media channels.CREATIVITYDeveloped innovative, risk-taking ideas to build campaigns on.Created visually appealing, multimedia content to double down our efforts from both a writing and visual perspective.Lead productive brainstorms to bring out the best idea for our teammat es.Mastered how to capture brand voice and persona.Work ExperiencePublic Relations InternMarch 2019presentAdidas Originals, Philadelphia, PAOffice AssistantMarch 2017June 2017Ogilvy and Mather, Philadelphia, PAEducationMA in Journalism and Social CommunicationsThe University of Pennsylvania, 2012-2017Additional SkillsSoftware: MS Office Suite, Wordpress, Adobe PS, InDesignLanguagesEnglish: Native/bilingualHebrew: Native/bilingualGerman: Fully Working ProficiencySpanish: Intermediate Working ProficiencyThomas just graduated from an MA program and doesnt have much experience.His employment history isnt very rich. But hes mastered a lot of relevant skills through internships and part-time jobs. The functional resume is perfect for him.And he nailed itWhy?He focused on the skills he has and how it translates to the position. And its a conscious choice he put the skills summary above the education section.The skills section shows how Thomas offers a promise of potential and a commitment to achieving key results for the job role.Thomas knows exactly how to higlight the key hard skills on a resume. He connects his strong communication skills and problem-solving skills required for the position and exemplifies it throughout the resume.Lets take a look now at another functional resume, this time for more of a creative type that doesnt have a great deal of experience working at a company but as a freelancer:Functional Resume ExampleConcept ArtistJanice SatherConcept Artist4335 Pringle DriveChicago, IL, 60606 USA773-546-5235jsatherconcept@gmail.comwww.jsatherconcept.comlinkedin.com/in/jsatherconcept312Twitter: twitter.com/jsatherconcept312Resume ObjectivePassionate concept artist with a BA in Fine Arts from Northwestern University seeking to leverage my experience as a concept art developer with Technicolor. Experienced in developing visual guides (see my portfolio) and creating project artwork for clients publishing needs. Interested in developing and creating new conce ptual art forms for both digital and print designs to increase brand awareness for large companies and organizations in the tech and robotics industry.Skills SummaryCONCEPTUAL DESIGNCreated project defining artwork for various projects in the FMCG industry, gaming industry, and technology industry.Designed and produced characters, objects, atmospheres, and the general style to provide practical content that direct and indirect groups can capitalize on.Worked with clients to design, develop, and deliver art pieces according to their specifications.GRAPHIC DESIGNWorked regularly on the overall graphic, layout, and production of digital and online visual content.Spearheaded daily design on several projects in the technology industry.Art direct product photoshoots for print ads and marketing materials.ILLUSTRATIONCreated over 3,000 portraits in both oil, pen and ink.Developed and implemented new graphic concepts and designs for several promotional campaigns and advertisements.Collaborat ed with different creative teams to design and illustrate the publication of a series of comic books.Work ExperienceGraphic Design and IllustratorMarch 2018presentJsather Concept, Chicago, ILFreelance Conceptual ArtistMay 2012September 2017Conde Nast, Chicago, ILEducationBA in Fine ArtsNorthwestern University,2010Additional SkillsSoftware: Photoshop (CS2), Illustrator, 3DS Max, Rhino 3D, Maya, Adobe, Flash, After Effects, Dream weaver, Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe, PageMaker, PowerPointLanguagesSpanish: Intermediate Working ProficiencyWowJanice has talents.And she backs up her talents with key skills.She chose the functional resume template to highlight the different skills she has as an artist.See her use of bullet points in the skills section? Its easily scannable for any HR recruiter to glance through.The difference with the previous example is showcasing the different types of skills she hasfrom graphic design to illustration.She may not be a seasoned candidate who worked one jo b in the last several years.Buther skills show how her transition to the new role will go smoothly with all the key achievements she highlights.Ready to make yours?Use the placeholder template below to structure your own functional resume:Functional Resume Template[Your Name][Position][Address][Phone Number][Email Address][Website][LinkedIn][Twitter][Resume Objective]Skills Summary[Skill][List][List][List][List]Experience[Dates][Job Title][Company Name][City][Dates][Job Title][Company Name][City]Education[Graduation Date][School Name][Degree]Additional Skills[Skill][Skill][Skill]Languages[Language][Language]4Functional Resume Template and Writing TipsYouve seen the functional resume in action.And the functional resume template is super helpful.Butyou need a bit more detail to make each section of your functional resume shine.Look no furtherthis section breaks down each part of your functional resume.Lets start with the basic layout of sections on a functional resume:Name and Job Tit leContact Informationaddress, phone number, email, and social media accounts (if necessary)Resume Objectiveemphasize skills and achievementsSkills Summaryhighlight your skills in this section of your functional resumeWork Experiencesmaller section but can be omittedEducationhighest degree and most relevant certificatesAdditional Skillsextra to the position youre applying toLets break down each section so you know how to write a functional resume.Start With Your Name and Job TitleSeems to be the easiest part of your functional resume, right? Well, its a bit more difficult than you think.What job title should you put if youre a creative type or unemployed?Or, should it be for the position youre hoping to land?If your skills match with the position then go with a standard titleartist, copywriter, teacher.ButIf youre the one using a functional resume to switch roles or industries, dont add a job title as it could confuse the recruiter.Need more information on what job title to put on yo ur functional resume? Read our guide: 450 Job Titles that Work on a Resume Job Hunt [Current Desired!]List Your Contact InformationMake sure your contact information on a resume is up to date.Do include your mobile phone number, a LinkedIn profile on your resume, and an email address.Ensure your email looks professional.Go With a Resume ObjectiveLets downplay the gaps in your employment with a pitch-perfect resume objective.It gets your functional resume off on the right footby showing off your skills and key achievements.Include 3-4 examples of your most relevant personal achievements. Choose achievements based on the position youre applying to.Convince the recruiters youll use your skills to benefit your future employer.Need help writing your resume profile? Check out our in-depth guides: Resume Summary Examples (30+ Professional Summary Statements) and 50+ Resume Objective Examples: Career Objectives for All Jobs (+Tips).Write the Perfect Skills SummaryThis is the shining momen t for your functional resume.It should make the hiring managers brows heighten.It should convince them your skills are more important than your work history.Remember, the position youre applying to has requirements. This is the section where you prove youre capable of nailing the job role.Follow these simple steps to get the skills section right:Compile a master list of all the skills you have. Include your soft skills, hard skills, as well astechnical skills.Go to the job offer and see the skills needed for the position. Write these skills down.Compare these skills to your master list and identify the ones which overlap.Select 3-4 of these skills and list them in this section of your resume.Give evidence of each skill with 3-4 bullet points. One bullet point should quantify your skill in a relevant way.Want to know more information on how to put your skills on a resume? Read our guide:99 Key Skills for a Resume (Best List of Examples for All Types of Jobs).Describe Your Work Experi enceNow comes the hard part.How do you show relevant work experience when you have gaps in employment?Follow our tips and it shouldnt derail your application.First, think about why you were unemployed. There are many acceptable reasons for why people are unemployed.Were you a full-time student? Parent? Travel? Label your periods of unemployment and list why its the case.Maybe you took on a lot of intermittent projects but had no stable workplace. Use years instead of months to indicate your work experience on your functional resume.If you had a gap within the year, it still shows you had consistent work, with small breaks in-between.When you list work experience, be sure to list the dates, job title, and the name of the company for each position you held. Add the location of the company as well.Add Your EducationThe education section tells your employer you have value.It also factors into what skills you have on your functional resume.If youre fresh out of school or have breaks of e mployment, consider adding the following:GPARelevant courseworkMinorDeans ListHonorsStudy abroadRead up on more tips for your education section in our dedicated guide: How to Put Your Education on a Resume [Tips Examples].Detail Your Additional SkillsUse this section to add any additional skills you have apart from the ones you listed in the skills summary section.Only add skills to boost your chances. Here are some ideas:LanguagesSoftwareWordpress, SEM Rush, Adobe InDesign, MS Office SuiteCertificatesVolunteer WorkKey TakeawayAnd there you have it!Youre now ready to write a functional resume for your specific need.Dont think your imperfect work experience as a vulnerability.Think about the great skills you haveand highlight it with a pitch-perfect functional resume.Heres everything you need to know about writing a functional resume:A functional resume template is best for those who dont have traditional working experienceor have none at all.A functional resume draws the recruiters attention to your skills.A well-written functional resume must be tailored to the job youre applying for.Do you have any questions about writing a functional resume? Maybe youd like to share advice on how to get everything right? Give us a shout out in the comments below. Were always happy to help!