Hey, everybody.
I'm Snead.
And coming up in this video, we will show you
six simple steps to crafting a great functional resume.
Functional resumes may be less conventional,
but they are also ideal for some candidates.
While we break down what a functional resume is,
you'll learn who should consider using one because, hey, maybe
it's you.
And then we'll get into the six easy to follow
steps to crafting a standout functional resume.
And if you stick around until the very end,
we've got a great bonus tip about what most resumes could
benefit from.
Which just could be the difference
between getting the interview or getting rejected.
So you definitely don't want to miss it.
All right, let's get started with the basics.
Exactly what is a functional resume?
Well, there is a reason functional resumes are also
known as skills-based resumes, because functional resumes
focus on your relevant abilities and expertise,
rather than on the specifics of your work history.
So yes, this is different from the more common
chronological resume, which presents your work
history in a reverse chronological order.
If you'd like a deep dive into chronological resume writing,
we've got you covered on that front too with this video
from a Indeed's career experts.
Now a functional resume will still mention your education
and work experience.
But really its main objective is to focus on your skills.
But not just any skills, relevant skills
that pertain directly to the job you're applying for.
And because they're formatted to allow employers
to be able to quickly skim through all
of those amazing skills, functional resumes
can really grab attention, which sounds pretty great, right?
Now you may still be wondering if and when someone should
use a functional resume.
So here are a few scenarios when we recommend it.
Career switch.
When you're ready for a job change,
a functional resume helps employers focus
on your transferable skills.
Recent graduation, so you may not
have a lot of professional experience,
but you do have a lot of great skills to showcase.
Gap in employment, discussing a gap in your employment history
can yes, be nerve wracking, but it
is likely to come up in an interview.
So a functional resume is really great to use in this situation
because it shows off your qualifications
rather than focusing on your employment dates.
Dissimilar job titles.
Maybe you have all the necessary experience to fit the role,
but if you've worked a number of similar jobs
or held very similar roles over the years,
it can be hard to see variety in your experience.
Again functional resumes focus on all the great skills
you've acquired instead of your specific past roles.
Matching posted job requirements.
For super specialized jobs that require a unique or advanced
skill set, a functional resume may showcase what you can do
and what unique skills you have better
than a chronological resume.
Another time when functional resumes make sense
is when you are passionate about a certain aspect of the job.
So let's say that you're an avid knitter.
Using a functional resume to highlight your knitting skills
for a customer representative job at the yarn store
just make sense.
Or maybe your mission is to help others as a fireman,
but you've just been released from the army as a combat
medic.
A functional resume may be able to help showcase
your experience saving lives.
Now before we go through the six easy steps of functional resume
writing, hit the leg button down below
if you found this video helpful so far.
And of course subscribe to our channel for new career tips
every single week.
All right, let's break down these steps.
Step one, create a resume outline and define your format.
Now you can start with a blank document
or you can choose from various resume templates on indeed.com.
Our resume builder tool allows you
to skip formatting completely.
All you have to do is respond to the prompts.
And just like that, the tool will
craft a perfectly formatted resume for you.
So be sure to check it out down in the description box below.
All right, now when it comes to formatting
your functional resume, it is important to start at the top
and work your way down, starting with your name and contact
info at the top, your summary underneath, next,
a skills section, followed by experience,
and last, education.
As you craft your functional resume,
keep it consistently straightforward and, of course,
easy to read by following this formatting criteria.
Set equal margins all around.
0.7 inches is good to start.
But you can go up to 1 inch if needed.
Choose a standard font like Times New Roman or Ariel.
Your name should be the biggest, about 16 to 18 point.
Your section title should be a little bit smaller
at about 12 to 14 points.
And you can choose to bold or underline your name and section
titles.
Finally, when filling in the rest of your resume,
use 10 to 12 point font, making sure
it's smaller than your section titles.
And again, feel free to use our resume builder
tool which allows you to skip formatting all together.
All right, now that we have the outline and format
of a functional resume down, let's
start filling out those sections.
Step 2, add your contact information at the top.
Your contact information should include your full name,
your email, your cell phone number,
and your city and state.
Pretty straightforward, right?
But definitely be sure to consider the following.
Your name on your resume should match
the name you use online to eliminate
any potential confusion.
Nicknames listed in parentheses such as James, Jim,
Smith is totally fine both on your resume and online.
Include links to your professional social media
profiles.
Now this is always a good move, especially
if you're applying for a social media job or communications
role.
Don't include your street address.
This is simply for privacy reasons.
So only list your city and state.
Pay attention to the details.
Does your email sound professional?
Is your phone number up to date?
Ask yourself all of these questions
when reviewing your resume?
It can be easy to overlook the seemingly minor details,
but double checking that everything is in order
shows your attention to detail.
Step 3, include a summary.
Let's get to know you.
Open up your resume with some context as to who you are
and why you're applying for the role.
One example of a professional summary
may sound something like, experienced US Army Combat
Medic with excellent communication,
interpersonal, and organizational skills,
experienced in critical emergency situations.
Seeking a position as a fireman in the Midwest
where I can apply my skills to improve
the lives of our community.
Now let's say that you've previously worked as a customer
service rep, but you're ready to apply your skills
to a new role in marketing.
Here's a good example of what your summary may sound like.
People-centric professional with over three years of experience
resolving complex customer inquiries.
Passionate about building strong customer relationships,
driving brand loyalty, and increasing customer engagement.
As you think about your experience and your skills,
always aim to tie it all back to the job
that you're applying for.
And pro tip here guys.
Change up your summary, so that it's unique to each job
you apply for to ensure that recruiters
will be able to grasp why you're a great fit for this role.
Step 4, create a skills section.
Your skills section further allows
employers to get to know you by showing what you're capable of.
You'll summarize your significant skills
in this section while including your main experience
and your core career goals.
Now using the veteran example, your summary of skills
may sound like compassionate and empathetic attitude
towards patients and civilians.
Great verbal communication and excellent interpersonal skills.
Strong time management and multi-tasking skills.
And when you can add data, do it because it's so important
to bulk up your skills, and to make your resume as
robust as possible.
If you have great measurable examples to include,
you can also group your skills together as shown here.
So for the first skill, service mentality,
the example reads, served four years as Airborne Combat Medic,
and promoted ahead of peers to Sergeant within three years.
Under communication, an example could be,
worked closely with 60 plus nations
as the only team of medics deployed,
Iraq for eight months.
And under professionalism, this veteran's example reads,
achieved Commandment's List in the Basic Leaders Course
top 20%.
Use the WHO method as you summarize your skills.
And WHO stands for what you did, how
you did it, and the outcome.
Using the WHO method will provide
a clear, concise summary of how you demonstrated each skill.
Step 5, include your experience.
I know what you're thinking.
Didn't you say functional resumes were all
about skills, not experience?
Aha, you've been paying attention.
Now while skills are definitely the main focus,
any experience you do have should
be included, keeping in mind that the experience should
pertain to the role that you're currently applying for.
So instead of approaching this section thinking,
all right, it's time to list every position I've ever held.
Instead, ask yourself, what work have I done
that's relevant to this role?
Your experience will always go right below your skills,
and should include the workplace name, your job title,
the dates of your employment, and a brief description
of your role and your key contributions while employed.
Now yes, there is a bit to consider here.
So let's bring it down with some examples.
Santa Paula Hospital, California 2018 to 2022.
Registered nurse.
Responsible for checking patient's vital signs
and updating patient medical records,
averaging six patients a day.
Mentored seven newly onboarded nurses
to learn departmental procedures and best practices.
Instituted a new procedure for keeping catheters safer.
Reducing catheter-based infection
by 6% within six months.
Looks good, right?
Now let's imagine that before this applicant became an RN,
they also had other relevant experience, which
means it should also be included in this section.
Here's an example.
Cruz Hospital, Texas 2016 to 2018.
Paramedic Assistant.
Responded to six to 12 calls between a 12-hour shift,
increasing our unit's overall response rate by 50%.
Checked availability and function
of emergency equipment four times a week, 12-hour shifts.
Applied principles of asepsis, infection control,
and medical ethics to 30 patients in first week
on the job.
Now if you don't have any work experience,
don't move past the section just yet.
Take some time to consider what other experience you
may have to bring to the table, like babysitting
gigs, freelance work, or even volunteer work.
As long as it's relevant to the job you're applying for,
don't hesitate to include it here.
Step 6, list your education.
If you have completed high school
or attended any post-secondary school,
you'll list the name of the institution, area of study,
and any relevant achievements and diplomas or degrees
received.
If you acquired certificates and licenses,
or if there's any coursework you want to be able to showcase
to employers, you'll include those here too.
I also recommend including the date of completion
if it is within the last three years,
and any upcoming license expiration dates
are great for employers to know too.
Now if you are currently in school working
towards your diploma or a degree,
you can still include it as part of your education.
Just add your expected dates of completion.
This may look like Green Valley State 2020
to 2024, expected graduation date.
Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management.
Forklift certified.
And while we're talking education,
check out this video right over here for even more ways
to grow in your career.
But wait, there's more.
Now if you've decided that the functional resume is
the resume for you, remember that best practices
of all resume writing still apply.
So before you get writing, here are a few pointers
to craft an incredible standout resume no matter the format.
One, keep your resume to one to two pages.
This is the standard for basically everyone,
except for those who are decades into their careers
or in academia.
Two, clear, concise headlines like skills and experience
make your resume so much easier for employers to navigate.
Three, use compelling verbs to fully describe
your impact and accomplishments, such as completed,
led, trained, modernized, or solved.
Four, include tangible, measurable outcomes
for each skill whenever possible.
And if you ever have a hard time measuring your results,
ask yourself, did I reduce risk?
Did I improve efficiency?
Did I reduce costs?
Five, proofread, and then proofread some more.
Yes, take the time to edit that resume.
You definitely want to be sure that it
addresses the skills and abilities listed in the job
description.
And proofreading is the only way you'll
be sure that there are no errors, because let's be real.
A resume with errors is a non-starter.
You worked so hard in this resume.
So let's make sure it's giving you
the best chance of getting an interview before you
hit that Submit button.
It also never hurts to get a second opinion.
Now if you found this video helpful,
please give it a life down below.
And of course, subscribe to our channel right over here.
And then be sure to hit that notification
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And for even more tips on writing a standout resume,
you've got to check out this video right here.
I'm Snead.
Thank you all so much for watching.
And I'll see you next time.