Resume Format Instructions: Functional Style

Frequently used by job seekers that are entering the labor force after a period of long separation, the functional resume format is ideal for:

• Dislocated homemakers
• Those just released from prison
• Someone that has traveled extensively across country, etc.

It is a summary of your education and work experience, which downplays dates. However, it’s worth noting that employers prefer either the chronological or combined resume over the functional.

Career Objective

Can either be one word or an entire sentence. It is a statement that tells a potential employer the type of work you are interested in. A career objective can also include the type of organization and/or geographical preference.

A career objective is optional to include on a resume. If you choose not to include an objective, then you need to be clear within your cover letter as to the type of work that you are interested in performing.

Skill Categories

Do not include less than three skill categories or more than five. You may be creative in selecting the categories that will represent your skill sets. The following are examples of skill categories:

• Operating systems
• Teaching
• Customer service
• Technical writing
• Budgeting
• Marketing research, etc.

Skill Statements

Short and concise statements that begin with an action word to describe what you did. A minimum of three skill statements is necessary to justify or support a skill category. There are basically three types of skills that are beneficial to a particular employer.

• Marketable skills: These skills are the most beneficial to a particular employer and can be transferable to any industry from food service to pharmaceutical, for example.

• Industry specific skills: These skills are beneficial only to a particular industry. For example, if you have developed experience using specialized software designed for food service, then you could not market this skill to the pharmaceutical industry.

• Soft skills: These skills describe your personality or characteristics that you have developed throughout your work history. Most of these skills must be supported by a third party and usually are not included on a resume.

Work History

Include company name, location and job title. Do not include dates of employment.

Education

Include institution name, location, degree received and graduation date. It is unnecessary to include high school education if you received a higher degree. It is also unnecessary to include institutions that you attended, but from which you did not receive a degree or certification.