What functional summary? When is it better to use it? How can such a resume help when looking for a job? What vacancies are best not to submit a functional resume to?

Recently in the article "Types of resume: choosing the best one" we talked about different types summary. One of them is a functional resume. It is about him that I propose to talk today. A functional resume isn't as common as a chronological and hybrid resume. Moreover, he is sometimes "disliked" by personnel officers and recruiters. However, there are situations when it is best for the applicant to focus on it. Why? To answer this question, you first need to understand how a functional resume differs from the usual chronological resume.

Two big differences

The main feature of a chronological resume is the description of the candidate's experience in reverse chronological order. At first glance, it is clear what kind of work the candidate did in recent times, in which company he worked, how he gradually moved (if moving) up the career ladder.

There is also a second "side of the coin": an experienced personnel officer immediately, literally at first glance, will notice the main shortcomings of the candidate. All the breaks in the seniority are visible: it can be assumed that after being fired from company A, the candidate could not find a job for six months before he got a job at company B, and even with a demotion. It can be seen that the career of the candidate was very leisurely, with small companies alternating with larger ones. It is immediately striking that over the past year the applicant has changed jobs twice and is going to do it again ...

Does such transparency help the candidate in this case? The question can be considered rhetorical. But you have to find a job! The thought immediately comes to mind that it would be nice to somehow distract the employer's attention from your shortcomings. Submitting a resume is, of course, not difficult. But it is not the process that is important here, but the result! And here - it's time to remember about a functional resume.

Its main feature is that the skills, abilities and achievements of the candidate are not tied to a specific time and place of work. Moreover, as follows from the name of the resume, it is the functionality of the candidate that occupies a central place in it. This means that the job seeker has the opportunity to draw the employer's attention to his strengths, "catch" the attention of the personnel officer with his duties, tasks, functions and hide flaws that would be strongly visible in a chronological resume.

How does a functional resume work?

After specifying the last name and first name, the vacancy for which you are applying, as well as contact information, you need to describe your professional skills and abilities.

There are some nuances here: if you already have a lot of experience, you can't lump all your professional skills together. If you have performed many different duties, then it is better not to list them all in a row, but to focus on those that are needed specifically for this vacancy.

If you think skills from different areas will be useful, divide them into groups. For example, your professional interior design skills and experience in architectural design should be listed separately.

Typically, professional recruiters advise to include in a functional resume:

• Your professional achievements.
• Professional skills and abilities.
• Your strengths.
• Organizational skills, management experience (if any).

But does this mean that in such a resume there is no information about the organizations in which you worked? Most often, such information is still available. But it is placed below, after the description of the functions, and they try to submit it very succinctly (only the most necessary dates are indicated), so that the main "highlight" is precisely professional level candidate.

When should you use a functional resume?

Most often, it is resorted to in the following cases:

• When you want to emphasize the compliance of your knowledge, skills and professional experience with the requirements of the vacancy.
• When it is important to reflect general development professional career applicant and hide some unfortunate details, negative aspects (for example, a long break in work experience, frequent job changes). Or, for example, you have almost nothing to say about your previous job.
• A functional resume can be quite helpful if you are applying for a position that you haven’t had in your past experience. For example, you are sure that your real professional level will allow you to cope with new responsibilities, but formally you did not occupy the required position. A functional resume gives you the opportunity to focus on your skills.
• If you return to a certain field of activity after a long break. For example, in the past you have already had such an experience, and you have the necessary knowledge. But lately you have been doing something else.
• If the formal title of your positions fails to reflect your real career and professional growth.
• In addition, a functional resume can be suitable for recent graduates, retired military personnel, people with diverse work experience, professionals who want to return from freelancing to the office, and “remote workers”.

Cons of a functional resume

But everything is not so rosy, a functional resume has its drawbacks:

1. The fact that with the help of such a resume you can hide your shortcomings, not only job seekers but also employers know. To them, this format often looks like a warning. Therefore, many employers are skeptical about a functional resume. The degree of this skepticism varies widely: from a complete rejection of such a format, to a willingness to consider it - if the information seems worthy of attention. Therefore, you need to write a functional resume as best you can.
2. Some HR people react to such a resume with some annoyance, simply because it looks unusual compared to a chronological resume. Therefore, when sending out a functional resume, you need to be prepared for a lower response from employers.
3. A functional resume will not work when the company is rigid about its resume format and requires applicants to adhere to it.
4. A functional resume is not suitable for those applying for leadership positions: these candidates are expected to be as transparent and consistent as possible. Therefore, a functional resume can alienate an employer.

What conclusions can be drawn? A functional resume has its drawbacks. Therefore, it is not suitable as a single option - for all occasions. Each time you need to analyze your situation, evaluate your pros and cons as a candidate. And see if a functional resume will improve your chances, or vice versa.

But this type of resume must be remembered: in some circumstances, it can be very helpful. And, of course, do not forget that a resume is only the first stage of job search, and then you will have to convince the employer of your value already at the interview.

How to write a resume correctly. EXAMPLES

A well-written and executed resume demonstrates your professional competence and self-confidence.

When a competition is announced for any position, the employer receives a large number of resumes. The best are selected. Even if you are an exclusive specialist in a certain area, but you could not clearly reflect this in your resume or have prepared it in a hurry, alas, the chances of getting an invitation for an interview are very small.

A resume is the first impression of you. As you know, you will never have a second chance to make a first impression.

First, decide which resume style works best for you.

Chronological summary

A chronological resume is compiled on a “first come first served” basis. Lists the jobs and responsibilities you have performed. A job description in reverse chronological order will showcase your qualifications and strengths in the most favorable light.

Use a chronological resume if:

You are looking for a position in an area where you have made steady and impressive progress.

Your last job is your strongest work experience and you plan to continue to engage in this activity.

In the following cases, a chronological resume can make you look bad:

You are about to change careers and go to work in a different industry that is not related to your previous activity.

Lately, you are constantly busy looking for work and in most of the jobs that you are going to list on your resume, you have worked for no more than a year.

There are many significant periods of time in your working life when you are not working for various reasons.

Functional resume

A functional resume represents your professional skills, experience, and accomplishments. Where and in what period you worked is either silent or described in the most general terms.

You have practically nothing to say about your previous job, and you are applying for an ordinary position

You are returning to a given field of activity and field after a long break

Strictly chronological order of presentation of your experiences will work against you

You have worked in various places, but this job does not reflect your career development

So, a functional resume focuses on your work achievements and allows you to hide the "holes" in your work history.

However, it should be borne in mind that many employers treat such resumes with some suspicion. Of course, your achievements and strengths are very important for the employer, but they would like to see “a process in its development”. Therefore, a functional resume especially needs a cover letter.

Combined CV

The combined resume not only demonstrates your qualifications and achievements, but also allows you to get a clearer picture of the chronology of your work history.

A combined resume is useful if you fall into one of the following categories:

Strive to change your profession and want to emphasize your general training and qualifications, and not indicate any specific professional responsibilities that you had to deal with in previous jobs.

You didn't get through the initial screening phase with a chronological resume and want to make it more punchy.

You want to get a job that you think you could handle, but your work background has little to do with this particular job.

This type of resume will allow you to draw the reader's attention from the very beginning to your real achievements, as well as the professional skills and experience that you have to offer.

The combined type of resume is quickly gaining popularity among professional recruiters and applicants.

Now that you have decided on the type of resume, you can move on to drawing up its structure and narrative.

Do not forget that sometimes it is necessary to draw up several resumes for specific vacancies or areas of work. The effort and time spent will definitely give a result. Don't be limited to one resume option. Even if you are looking for a job in strictly one direction, you have created an excellent resume, but you cannot call your job search successful yet, try to re-design your resume.

In any case, do not stand in one place, come up with something, learn from failures. After all, finding a job is one of the hardest jobs. Prepare yourself well for this work, be patient and persistent - and you will certainly achieve success.

seminars in Almaty

So, chronological summary focuses on describing your career path (in reverse chronological order). It is better suited for those who have not changed their field of activity and developed in the same company or industry.

The structure of a chronological resume is simple

• Work experience (in reverse chronological order)

The pros of this resume are its simplicity and familiarity for recruiters. Cons - such a resume shows gaps in your experience and long breaks in work.

Functional the resume focuses on your key skills and accomplishments. At the same time, the work experience itself is indicated very briefly. Such a resume is suitable for those who often changed jobs within the same position or changed their field of activity.

Functional resume structure

• Personal data (name, age, residence)
• Desired position / Desired income
• Key skills and achievements
• Work experience (in reverse chronological order: years of work, name of organization and position)
• Basic and additional education
• Additional information (PC and foreign languages, availability of rights, etc.)

The advantages of such a resume - it is immediately clear to the recruiter what the candidate knows and is able to do. Cons - It is difficult to assess the stages of your career development.

Hybrid (mixed) resume

And finally mixed or hybrid resume, as the name implies, combines the features of a chronological and functional resume.

Here, both the emphasis on the key skills of the candidate, and the development of the applicant from position to position can be seen. Personally, I like the mixed resume type the most.

Resume types

Depending on how your career has developed, you can choose one of the two most common types of resume - chronological or functional.

Chronological summary

A chronological resume is a list of places of work with a list of professional responsibilities, which is presented in reverse chronological order - from the present to the past. This type of resume is most suitable for demonstrating professional advancement in a specific field, career growth in one company. The main difference in the structure of this resume is that the organizations in which you received work experience are arranged in a sequential order (the last place of work is indicated first) and each paragraph is accompanied by a brief description of the main responsibilities you perform.

It is recommended to use a chronological resume type if you have already accumulated significant work experience; if traceable career in a specific professional area; the direction of your activity has not changed or changed rarely; job changes were infrequent; You are not planning to change the area professional activity.

The main advantage of a chronological resume is its simplicity and ease of reading and comprehension. The downside is that, in chronological order, any leaps or breaks in your career (if any) are striking. In addition, this type of resume works poorly for you if you change the field. professional interests because it does not allow you to emphasize the skills and knowledge you have accumulated that can be used in another area.

Functional resume

A functional resume focuses on professional skills and achievement. This format allows the employer to focus not on where you worked and what positions you held, but on what you did. Information about companies and positions held is presented rather briefly. The structure of a functional resume is as follows: responsibilities, achievements and professional quality are arranged by categories - sales, personnel management, planning, etc. Each category is accompanied by a description of the duties performed and your achievements. At the end, a chronological list of places of work is given.

It is recommended to use the functional resume type if you have decided to change your professional activity; looking for a job after a long break; often changed their place of work or direction of activity; have little or no work experience. The main advantage of this type of resume is that it allows you to focus on the most interesting and important points Of your career, on your skills, not on the place and time of their acquisition. In order to write a functional resume, it is important to rethink your professional experience and present it in a structured way. Since such a resume focuses on the skills and abilities of the applicant, you need to clearly understand the position for which you want to apply, and choose from your experience only what will be important for the fulfillment of your future responsibilities.

Of course, the division of the resume into types is conditional, and you can, if you wish, develop your own format or use a mixed type, combining elements of a chronological and functional resume.

Almost every employer requires a resume in order to consider and select candidates for an interview. The main purpose of a resume is to provide a potential employer with a convenient and effective opportunity to quickly determine whether the applicant meets the requirements presented in the description of the position presented.

Modern dictionaries give different definitions the concept of "resume". According to the Bolshoi explanatory dictionary Russian language edited by S.A. Kuznetsov, a resume is information about your education, professional skills, experience, etc., which is reported by the applicant for any job. The glossary of linguistic terms by T.V. Matveeva defines a resume as a modern genre formal business style: written text with a brief information about yourself, composed job seekers for further suggestion to the employer.

A resume ("resume") is short description what the candidate can offer in his person to a potential employer. How the document will be drawn up determines the first impression of the possible future management about the applicant.

The following requirements for a resume are distinguished:

1) the professional skills of the candidate described in the resume should arouse the interest of the employer;

2) the information contained in the resume must convince the employer that he should deal with this particular candidate;

3) the resume should be composed in such a way that upon reading the employer invites the candidate for an interview and eventually hires.

Chronological summary

Chronological resumes are often referred to as “Obituary resumes” because they indicate all past experience of work, study and other activities. This view is the most preferred and most often used, it is a description of the candidate's experience and labor achievements in reverse chronological order, as a rule, over the last 10-15 years.

Mostly chronological resumes are suitable for people with little work experience. The main body of the document briefly describes the professional experience of the candidate without emphasizing the achievements, skills and abilities of the applicant. A chronological resume has certain advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is simplicity and ease of writing. Among the disadvantages are the following: this type of resume clearly reflects a little work experience, and also obvious periods of time when the applicant did not work. This resume format does not focus on the job-related skills, abilities, and talents of the candidate. The chronological type of resume is ineffective when moving up the career ladder.

Functional resume

A functional resume demonstrates the candidate's professional skills, experience and achievements, rather than a specific list of jobs that had to be done at various stages of their career.

A functional resume differs in structure from a chronological type. Attention is focused on the qualifications, skills and talents acquired by the applicant in certain professional fields, but the dates, position and abilities of the applicant are often ignored. All parts of a functional resume are closely related to each other with a single goal: to highlight the most remarkable qualities. This type suitable in the absence of a large work experience or if the candidate wishes to highlight his own specific professional skills. In this type of resume, it is allowed to indicate all abilities and skills, even if some of them were not used in labor activity... Among the negative qualities of a functional resume, one can note the complexity of the organization of the text, the possible inconsistency of the presentation of the material or the neglect of the main significant facts of work experience in favor of describing a variety of details that are little connected with the work.