Resume Outline - Functional Format
The functional resume format highlights your specific skills while downplaying your work history. This format is useful for recent graduates, people with gaps in their work history, and applicants who are transitioning to a new industry. Recruiters usually don't prefer this format, since it does not provide a chronological list of your qualifications. This resume includes the following:
Your full name
Your address: In the interest of maintaining privacy, you may choose not to include your mailing address (particularly when posting a resume to a website).
Your contact phone number: It is a good idea to include your cell phone number. Do not include your work number if you don't wish to be contacted there.
Your email address: Use an email name and address that sound professional.
Job Objective
A brief statement explaining the type of position/role you are looking for.
Summary of Strengths (optional)
A concise statement describing you, your strongest skills, experience and your strengths.
Computer Skills
If relevant, you may want to highlight your computer skills up front.
Experience Related to Job Objective or Transferable Skills
List your transferable skills that are relevant to the position you are pursuing. Back up your transferable skills by describing how you successfully used the skills in another career field or other experience.
Professional Experience
- Start with your present or most recent employer
- List all employment (concentrating on the experience that is relevant to the position you are currently seeking and your latest relevant experience)
- Give the company name, location and brief description (e.g., third largest air conditioning company in the world)
- List your title (if you held more than one position with the same company, list each one separately) and dates of employment
- Repeat for each position
Education
If you are a recent graduate, or if your education is more relevant to the job than your work experience, place this section above the professional experience section. If not, leave it in this order.
- Name and location of trade or technical school, college or university
- Certificate, diploma or degree
- Graduation date or expected date of graduation if you are still attending
- For soon-to-graduate students and recent graduates, it is recommended that you list your major courses
Honours and awards
- List any awards or distinctions you have received, such as dean's list or scholarships
Skills and Training
- Any relevant skills not listed under professional experience
- All relevant courses/workshops/seminars
- All relevant computer skills, e.g., Microsoft Word, CAD, etc.
- Foreign languages
Citizenship
- Optional -- depending on the job for which you are applying
Memberships
- List professional licenses, memberships and associations
