The Functional Resume     The functional resume format is best suited to an individual who is changing careers and who has transferable skills and experiences. It is also an excellent tool for someone who wants to return to a previous role such as a non-management position, whereas a chronological resume would cause the potential employer to only consider this person for a management position similar to their most recent experience. Those who have had several positions within a single organization who would now like to focus on one functional area could also benefit from a functional format. In some cases, an individual who has had years of experience but little movement within an organization may find that the format dispels any concerns about motivation. This format can also help to "package" a so-called "job hopper" who has had many seemingly unrelated positions, as it rearranges employment history into sections that highlight areas of skill and accomplishment. The functional resume might be thought of as a "problem solving" format, as it gives you the opportunity to "make sense" of your work history and match up skills and accomplishments that might not be obvious to the employer in a traditional chronological format. This format may be ideal for individuals: Who have a "mixed bag" work history with no clear thread uniting the positions held. Who are new graduates or new to the workforce. Who's job titles do not clearly reflect the level of skills used. Who are making a career change. Some employers dislike functional resumes if they find it difficult to match up skills with actual job titles, level of responsibility and dates of experience. Including the company name in the "bullet" describing each accomplishment should serve to avoid any confusion and make it easier for employers to visualize your overall chronological work history and link your accomplishment statements to it. NOTE: While the objective of this format is to focus on skills accomplishment, do not omit at least a basic chronological listing of your work experience. The format is as follows: Objective Summary Skill areas with a few accomplishments each Employment History Education/continuing education Professional Affiliations Community Affiliations (if you have space available on your resume and if the affiliations might bolster your position in your search) Sample of a Functional Resume Name Address Line, City, Postal Code Tel: (000) 000-0000 PROFESSIONAL PROFILE Over six years of sales management experience, specializing in telemarketing and retail. Familiar with principles and practices of personnel management. Developed innovative programs to assist in achieving company goals. Interacts well with a wide variety of people. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Management: Supervised and advised salaried telemarketing representatives, increasing sales figures by 50% to 100%. Developed, planned, and coordinated sales promotions and contests to encourage improved performance. Directed daily activities of nine Foreign Language Specialists, fielding approximately 2100 inbound calls and initiating 1000 outbound calls on a weekly basis. Ensured translation of incoming French and Spanish materials to English for distribution to all departments and translation of materials to French and Spanish for distribution to overseas affiliates. Conducted team meetings and maintained cooperative liaison between management and staff personnel. Interviewed, hired, and trained employees; conducted performance appraisals; and initiated all appropriate personnel actions. Served as interviewer for ABC Job Fair, year. Special Projects: Representative for Corporation's Achiever's meetings to create incentives. Chairman for Outbound Telemarketing Programs for Language Specialists. Developed program which used computer-generated reports to target potential sales and to reactivate dormant accounts. Chairman of Senior Representative Recognition Banquets. Planned, negotiated, and coordinated all aspects of luncheons to recognize outstanding sales performance. Chairman of ABC Spanish Club. Initiated and organized an informal meeting group to develop Spanish language skills in interested employees from all departments. Provided company resources for positions requiring these skills. Administration: Planned weekly schedule for employees. Determined actual payroll expenditures, including sales costs, for comparison to budget projections. Analyzed stock sell-through and initiated transfers between stores. Calculated open-to-buy budget. Planned and coordinated semi-annual inventory. Checked new receipts with purchase orders to ensure delivery of correct items and quantities. Sales: Assisted DEF telephone customers by determining needs and offering custom calling features. Served both inbound and outbound member calls as a Customer Service Representative and Vacation Sales Agent. Awarded title of Senior Phone Representative for maintaining superior sales figures. EMPLOYMENT CHRONOLOGY Title Year to Year Company, City Title Year to Year Company, City Title Year to Year Company, City Title Year to Year Company, City EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL SEMINARS In Search of Excellence Top Performance Interaction Management Negotiating to Win First Line Supervision Training UNIVERSITY, City Business Major, Year to Year UNIVERSITY, City Associate in Occupational Studies, Year Major: Fashion Merchandising and Promotion Activities: Chairman of Employment Activity Committee, Chairman of Publicity and Decoration, Committee for Alumni Luncheon, Secretary of Program Committee for Fashion Show. UNIVERSITY, City, State Business Major; Art Minor, Year to Year Awards: Dean's List, Honour Scholar Activities: Spring Banquet Committee, Photographer for Campus Paper Sources: JobSmart, What Color Is your Parachute? and Career Magazine.

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