What Is a Functional Resume?

Job searching is a complicated process. Now toss in several resume format options. Which one is the best to use? Let’s look at a functional resume, which emphasizes a job seeker’s skills over work experience. Two career coaches share their thoughts on functional resumes and the purpose the format serves.?

By Mariah Flores

As a job seeker, your resume is basically an ad you share with prospective employers to represent your employment history, skills, education and more.?

It’s most likely the first impression you’ll make on a potential employer, hiring manager or recruiter , so it’s extremely important to ensure that impression is polished and accurate. When creating a resume that will propel you to the next step in the job search process , you need to be strategic.

“Everything in a resume is strategic,” said resume writer and career consultant Heidi Scott Giusto in a recent #GetHired piece . “It's a strategic marketing document, not an archive of information … I want to design it in a way where the reader’s eye goes where I want it to go while still keeping with conventions.”

As you’re being strategic, explore different resume formats . Some formats may be better suited for certain candidates, companies or industries, given that each has its own purpose and function.?

Basic types of resumes include reverse-chronological, functional, combination (also known as “hybrid”) and targeted. Each one has its pros and cons, along with proponents and critics. Let’s focus on the functional resume, one that some job seekers steer away from or may not even be familiar with.?

I spoke with two sought-after career coaches to discuss what exactly a functional resume is and if it’s the best fit for you as a job seeker.

Defining a Functional Resume

You might be scratching your head, wondering “What is a functional resume?” And you’re probably not alone.?

Stacy Valancy, MBA, CPRW , career coach, resume writer and company founder of Next Level Career Coach, LLC says that a functional resume is “one that focuses more on skills versus professional work experiences. It is typically broken down by themes or types of experience. Then, the work experience is broken down at the bottom of the document.”

In addition to helping emphasize and capture skills over work experience, functional resumes were “spawned by resume writers to help job seekers communicate employment gaps or support recent graduates with little to no consistent experience,” says Jenny Logullo, a career coach for creatives and founder of Workplace Worth Academy .

“The intent behind functional resumes is to highlight core competencies, which differs from chronological resumes that provide insight into timelines and job titles.”

When To Use Functional Resumes

If you’re in the midst of a career pivot , just graduated or have a major employment gap , the functional resume format may be useful to you.?

Logullo agrees, “A functional resume is often deployed for recent graduates, job seekers seeking to switch career paths, or those with significant employment gaps. Instead of honing in on job titles and dates which may be lacking or inconsistent, you’re steering the reader to focus on specific skills that would make you successful in a role you're targeting.”?

If you do decide to use a functional resume, Logullo breaks down the main components you need to add as a job seeker:?

• Skills
• Education
• Summary
• Certifications
• Contact information
• Professional achievements

Please note: I have listed the functional resume section in no particular order. You can find an example of a functional resume here . It’s also a good idea to include a brief chronological work history section at the bottom of your functional resume.

Pros and Cons of a Functional Resume

Now with more employers using some form of applicant tracking systems (ATS) — databases that hold candidate resumes — a functional resume may not be the most ATS-friendly . You may miss out on the chance (or space) to highlight certain keywords or complement the job description.

For job search and career strategist Jenny Foss , the hybrid resume better serves the ATS and human reviewer. This resume format highlights a job seeker’s skills and achievements (functional) foremost, then leads into work experience (chronological).?

“For the human reviewer, again, it makes [resumes] easy for them to see right up front, the things that you think they're going to be looking for or care the most about as pertains to you as a professional. And in terms of the ATS, it's able to read and scan that format style with ease.”

Check out her LinkedIn Learning course “Optimize Your Resume for Applicant Tracking Systems ” for a more in-depth look at the ATS.

Reverse-chronological resumes are also a better option for the large majority of job seekers and are preferred by both Valancy and Logullo. Neither encourages functional resumes for job seekers.

For Logullo, a reverse-chronological resume, even if you have little to no experience, promotes transparency. It helps recruiters meet you where you are with your career. She recommends keeping a functional resume for internal use, helping job seekers “internalize their core transformations gathered from their studies, volunteer work, side hustles, or short-term projects.”

“This internal document approach can help candidates recognize what they have to offer and how those skills are transferable.”

Valancy notes that functional resumes really aren’t the preferred method anymore. She encourages job seekers to use a traditional resume with a reverse-chronological format.

“The goal is to highlight your transferable skills , knowledge, and experience,” says Valancy. “If you don’t have a lot of experience, you can leverage other sections on the document, such as relevant projects, leadership and involvement, or volunteer experience.”

Other reasons to steer clear of functional resumes altogether can be found below, courtesy of both career experts:

• It’s a format that isn’t approved by many hiring managers or recruiters.?
• Many ATS cannot properly process functional resumes, because they aren’t broken down by the most common section titles.
• A human reader (or hiring manager) doesn’t have the time to sift through the document to find out if there might be a good fit.?
• Hiring managers/recruiters might see a functional resume as a red flag, like you’re trying to hide something.
• Functional resumes tend to omit company names, job titles, and critical dates, creating confusion or skepticism.

When in doubt, remember that sometimes the best way to create an effective resume is to keep it simple.

Top Takeaways?

Functional resumes may seem like a favorable option for those with career gaps or recent graduates, but in reality they can raise more red flags than green.?

• A functional resume focuses on a job seeker’s skills, rather than work experience.
• Functional resumes are not preferred by many recruiters and hiring managers.
• If you do use a functional resume, be aware that it may not be ATS -friendly.?
• Functional resumes can be a great personal tool.?