a functional résumé would be best for you when: course hero

by Karlie Bednar 3 min read

What makes a good functional resume?

A functional résumé could be best for you when: a. your education or experience is scant. b. you have progressed up a clearly defined career ladder. c. your work history is consistent and has no gaps. d. you have little or no transferable skills.

What is the difference between a functional and chronological resume?

A functional resume summarizes abilities gleaned from all sources, including employment, training and hobbies. It highlights the past of jobs. It highlights the past of jobs. As the applicant focus on what the business should do rather than the scant career history of the candidate, the functional design of the resume or summary fits well for the new college graduates.

What is the difference between a resume and a functional layout?

Jan 29, 2018 · A functional or combination résumé has a number of advantages. It stresses your skills so employers can see at a glance what you can do for them. It is also good for a person—like you—who doesn't have extensive employment history in his or her chosen field.

Is a functional resume a red flag?

Jan 29, 2018 · Education In a functional or combination résumé, skills and capabilities are emphasized, and work experience and education are de-emphasized. With this in mind, which way of presenting your education works best for you? YOU CHOSE OPTION 1 Education 6/2009-present Accounting Columbia College, Chicago, Illinois Key courses: Tax Prep and Tax Law …

Why do you need a functional resume?

Functional resumes enable you to be a little more creative with your work history and allow for some flexibility in the skills you choose to highlight.

Why do you need a skills based resume?

If you’ve collected an array of transferable skills throughout your work experience but have never used them in the context of a single role, a skills-based resume might allow you to demonstrate how your unique abilities will translate into the next act of your career. When you don’t have a lot of actual work experience.

What should a resume showcase?

When done right, your resume should showcase your most relevant experience as it relates to the role for which you’re applying. The goal, of course, is to help a hiring manager understand how your unique set of skills lines up with their needs—and that you’re the ideal person for the job. No sweat, right?

Who is Jaclyn Westlake?

Jaclyn Westlake worked as an agency recruiter and an HR manager in the startup, tech, and finance space for nearly 10 years before branching out into resume writing, freelance recruiting, and career advising.

What is functional layout?

Like any other resume, a functional layout features your name and contact information at the top and lists your technical skills, interests, and education toward the bottom (unless you’re a recent graduate—in that case it may be closer to the top). The difference is that the body of a functional resume highlights your most important skills—such as ...

Can a recruiter scan a resume?

They don’t want to be forced to scour your resume for relevant details—your resume should, ideally, be very easy to scan. And because functional resumes aren’t terribly common, a recruiter might have a harder time making sense of an alternative format. (Instead, you might consider using a combination resume .)

What is functional resume?

What is a Functional Resume? A functional resume is a resume format that focuses on your professional skills rather than each job you held and when you held it. The biggest difference between a functional resume and a standard chronological resume is that a functional resume groups your experience under skill categories instead of job titles.

What is a resume summary?

A resume summary provides hiring managers an insight into your professional background. It allows you to list 2-3 examples of your most relevant achievements and responsibilities at the top of your resume, either in a bulleted list or paragraph format. Here’s an example of a strong resume summary in paragraph format:

Why do you use bullet points on a resume?

Under each skill category, bullet points are used to highlight examples of your skills, and those examples can come from both work and life experiences. Emphasizing your skills rather than your career progression, the functional resume format is great for career changers, job seekers with employment gaps, and people with highly developed skill sets.

What should be included in education section of resume?

Unless the education section of your resume directly relates to the job you’re applying for, only include the name of your university or organization, the city and state, the degree you received, and your GPA (if it’s above 3.5).

Should I use a functional resume?

Yes, you should use a functional resume in the following three situations: You have long periods of unemployment. You’re switching to a new industry. In particular, you’re leaving the industry where you’ve built up most of your work experience.