Resume Functional Format

The functional form is useful when:

Usm.gif (850 bytes) Your work experience and career goals do not match.
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Usm.gif (850 bytes) Your previous work experience and current job requirements do not match. With a functional resume you can emphasize other relevant strengths that you have.
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Usm.gif (850 bytes) You have gaps in your employment history.  However, employers usually know that an applicant is trying to disguise employment gaps, thus your attempt may be unsuccessful.
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Generally employers dislike this format because they assume you have something to hide.

How is a functional resume different from a chronological resume?

Most parts of a functional resume are similar to those in the chronological resume except for work experience and accomplishments. In a functional resume experiences are divided into general areas of skill. The experience, qualifications, and accomplishments related to each skill are listed in these separate skill sections.

To determine skill areas, think of skills that you wish to highlight and those that the employer is seeking. Under each skill category you should list four or five of your most impressive accomplishments or abilities. Depending on the position you may wish highlight anywhere from two to five skills.

Example

Here is an example of one person who is applying for a technical-oriented position:

Programming Skills

Three years experience as Oracle DBA.
Developed and maintained 20 projects running on VM/CMS and MVS mainframe platform, coded in COBOL.

Network Administration Skills

Three years experience as Network Administrator.
Exceeded hard deadlines to set up company network of forty-five computers.
Able to work without direction and identify areas to improve efficiency.

Note: Use acronyms only if you're sure the employer will understand them.

Education