The functional resume is the resume of choice for those who are switching careers or have been absent from the workforce for an extended period of time. It highlights your skills and capabilities as they relate directly to the position sought.
General Tips
don’t lie about your work history: just organize it so that your skills are the central focus
this style of resume works well for new graduates because it can highlight school-related experience
functional resumes work well for people in the military seeking to move to civilian jobs
be creative in what you list: list your volunteer experience and major school projects
if you are using a functional resume, your employment section is much shorter, often just a few lines to give your prospective employer the gist of your background while still highlighting your skills
choose creative headings for your professional skills: entrepreneurial, sales, communications, multiculturalism, leadership, organizational, professional presentations etc.
choose skill headings that you will need for the job to which you are applying. perhaps include these in your objective.
if your degree is not the focus of your job, consider placing education behind professional skills.
you can also include rubrics from the a chronological resume if they will highlight your suitability for a job, such as Training, Professional Affiliations, etc; this template only includes Awards as an example
organize your resume so that the most important items come first
The functional resume is the resume of choice for those who are switching careers or have been absent from the workforce for an extended period of time. It highlights your skills and capabilities as they relate directly to the position sought.