Skills-Based Resume Templates and Examples for 2024

Skills-Based Resume Template Example

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A skills-based resume, also known as a functional resume, is a lesser-used format that emphasizes skill sets rather than your job history. This format is best reserved for certain situations, such as career changes or large gaps in employment. Perhaps you spent several years in law enforcement and now want to become a teacher. Or maybe you ran a freelance business, took time off to raise children, and want to enter a new field.

Unlike the standard resume format that details your jobs in reverse chronological order, a skills-based resume groups your accomplishments under skill headings while leaving employment details minimal. Review our list of tips and an example of a skills-based resume to see if it’s a good fit.

How To Write a Skills-Based Resume

Writing a skills-based resume is slightly different from the more common reverse chronological resume. With this format, you’ll be sharing examples of how you’ve applied each of your key skills, followed by a quick list of past employers. It focuses on your professional accomplishments but is packaged a bit differently.

A skills-based resume typically includes these sections:

• Contact information
• Profile
• Key skills
• Professional experience
• Education and certifications

Contact information

Start your resume with your current contact information, including your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile and/or website.

Profile

Right below your contact information, capture a hiring manager’s attention with a two to three-sentence profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments and the contributions you offer. Focus on what makes you a valuable asset and use key phrases from the job postings you’re targeting.

Key skills

When you’re creating a skills-based or functional resume, the skills are at the forefront. Instead of listing your skills in a simple bulleted list, you’ll add “skill sections” that go into detail about each of your major skill sets. For example, your section headers might be “technical skills,” “managerial skills,” or “sales,” and you’ll include bulleted examples beneath each.

Common hard and soft skill sections for skills-based resume

Resume writer’s tip: Use common action verbs

In your skills-based resume, be strategic about word choice to effectively communicate the value your capabilities have brought to the organizations you’ve worked with. Action verbs that are impactful and can describe your accomplishments well can help you stand out as a candidate. The right words can also bring a sense of energy and excitement to your resume. Some strong action verbs to consider include:

• Diagnosed
• Executed
• Implemented
• Performed
• Spearheaded
• Supervised
• Trained

Professional experience

The professional experience section of a skills-based resume is just a simple list of past employment. Include your job title, employer name, and dates of employment.

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Whenever possible, sharing data points that quantify your workplace contributions is more powerful than simply listing job duties.

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

It’s important to align your resume for each job posting of interest. One way to achieve this is by using some of the same target keywords mentioned in the job description. This strategy can help you stand out from other candidates by making you seem like a strong fit.

Resume writer’s tip: How to select the best resume format

When you’re using a skills-based format, the best resume template is concise and well-organized. Because you are already using a non-traditional resume setup, keep the look clean and professional with clear section headers.

What if you don’t have experience?

If you are just entering the workforce and don’t have a lot of experience, a skills-based resume might not be the best approach for you. But whichever format you choose, include internships, volunteer work, academic projects, and side gigs in lieu of traditional employment.

• Academic awards
• Certifications
• Clinical rotations
• Education
• Related health care jobs
• Skills
• Volunteer experience

Education and certifications

List your educational degrees and certificates, especially those that pertain to the field you’re interested in. Include the title of the credential you earned, the name of the institution, and the date of completion. If you’ve completed any recent continuing education courses or training, especially if you’re changing careers, include those as well.

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Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.