Functional Resume Templates and Examples for 2024

Functional Resume Template Example

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When selecting a template for your functional resume, remember who you’re creating the document for: hiring managers. These busy professionals only take moments to scan over resumes, so the template you choose should make your document easy to read and navigate.

Although using multiple colors and fun graphics may look nice, avoid anything that could take away from your content. Look for minimalist designs that make your writing the focus.

How To Write a Functional Resume

The classic reverse-chronological resume is where you first begin with your work history. But the functional format is a bit different. Instead, your key skills and education take the lead. Your functional resume should include these sections:

Contact information

At the top of your resume, begin with your contact information. List your name, email, phone number, location, and LinkedIn profile link, if applicable. Provide hiring managers with all the info they need to get in touch for an interview.

Profile

Before diving into the details, give readers a brief summary of who you are as a professional. Start the first sentence with your job title and years of experience. Then, mention a few key qualifications that make you a good fit for the role. Outline what makes you uniquely qualified to perform the job.

Education and certifications

No matter the job, start with your highest level of education. List additional academic information here, such as relevant degrees or coursework. If you’ve earned any certifications pertinent to the job, include those.

Key skills

Select a few abilities most relevant to the job you’re applying for and think about what you’ve accomplished in the past as a result of these skills. Create a few bullet points under each skill and list your achievements. Use numbers like percentages, performance indicators, and monetary figures to show tangible outcomes.

Highlight both hard and soft skills

Including both technical and interpersonal skills is the best way to show you’re a well-rounded candidate. If you only discuss the hands-on side of your abilities, hiring managers can’t understand how you work with others, and vice versa. Here’s an example of different hard and soft skills to better understand how to differentiate them.

Common hard and soft skills

Resume writer’s tip: Use common action verbs

If you’re looking for a way to liven up your writing and engage readers, use action verbs. In a functional resume, the best place to use these dynamic words is in your “Relevant Skills” section as you list your accomplishments. Begin each bullet point with an action verb to help readers visualize what you achieved. Here’s a list to get you started:

Professional experience

With functional resumes, work history is usually last in a simple reverse-chronological list. There’s no need to go into detail here. Provide the job title, company, and dates of employment. Create bullet points under each experience to list your duties and achievements. How many customers did you serve? How did you work with a team?

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Within your “Relevant Skills” section, the goal is to show employers what you’ve achieved with your abilities. Quantify your skills as much as you can by using numbers like percentages, monetary figures, and other performance metrics.

Did you exceed a sales target? Did you increase customer satisfaction? Here is an example of how to do this:

Tailor your resume for each application

With each position you apply for, study the job posting before writing your resume. Note the type of language, keywords, skills, and qualifications required for the role. Then, match up your own abilities and lean into those areas.

For example, suppose you’re a nurse applying for a role requiring a critical care specialization. In that case, you would highlight your ability to provide acute patient care in high-pressure environments, managing ventilators and life support equipment. This will help hiring managers see how you align with their needs and increase your chances of getting an interview.

What if you don’t have experience?

If you’re applying for a job and don’t have any prior experience, there are several ways to make up for the lack of experience and still make a strong impression on the hiring manager. Here are some tips:

• Be honest about your lack of experience: Be upfront that you don’t have any applicable work experience. Explain why you’re interested in the role and how you plan to learn.
• Emphasize your soft skills: Consider the skills you have from your education, volunteer work, and other work experience that may apply to the position.
• Highlight your transferable skills: You may have developed skills in other jobs or activities that can be applied to the role. For example, you may have served as the editor of the school newspaper, which would illustrate your leadership skills.
• Write a strong cover letter: This can help you stand out from other applicants. Use it as an opportunity to explain why you’re interested in the role and how your skills and experience make you a good fit for the position.

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Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

A resume should be a forward-looking value proposition that showcases your most relevant accomplishments for a target role — not a rear view summary of your previous roles and responsibilities.