How to Make a Resume in the Functional Style

Learning how to make a resume using the functional style of resume is fairly easy. The major difference between a chronological and functional resume is that the chronological resume is used for someone who has considerable work experience in one field.

Whereas, the functional resume highlights the skill sets that you can bring to an employer. If you are considering a change of careers from one field to another, or if you are a new graduate then using a functional style resume is acceptable.

The functional resume ignores so much the reverse-chronological order of listings that a chronological resume creates. It instead has in the main body, three to four measurable skill sets that you have acquired through job training, education, or life skills. These skill sets also relate to the field for which you are applying.

An example of these skill sets would be when you volunteered on that humanitarian mission to feed hungry children in Africa.

1. You obviously learned how to organize a team in the most efficient manner under extremely stressful conditions.
   
2. You may have learned how to network effectively with various levels of government.
3. You also learned a great deal about international laws by transporting food and supplies to a ravaged part of the world.

These are three very important skill sets that will make an invaluable impression on an employer. Just use your own style, originality, and personality when elaborating on these skills. Show the employer how these skills will transfer to the position for which you are applying. They need to know without a doubt that you are the answer to the problems they are facing with hiring a new associate.

The areas to consider when learning how to make a resume in the functional style will include the Objective, Summary of Qualifications, Relevant Skills, Employment History, Education, and References.

However, you will want to group three of four skill sets together as the main body of your resume and take the focus off the Employment section. This way if you have either gaps in your employment or in your last job you had poor performance, you can put more emphasis on a position you held where you had exceptional performance.

Use these tips when learning how to make your functional resume and you will be well on your way to getting that job. Click here if you want to discover the secrets of how to make a resume.