Do Employers Like Functional Resumes? What Job Seekers Need to Know
By Patti Lyman, MA, CWDP, CPRW, Employment and Training Consultant
When it's time to apply for a new position, you need a compelling resume to get past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and impress a hiring manager. Fortunately, there are only three main types to choose from.
A chronological resume is a resume format that lists your work experience in date order, starting with your most recent job, and highlights your roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments over time.
A functional resume is a resume format that emphasizes skills and abilities rather than a detailed, chronological work history, grouping experience by skill areas instead of by job and date.
A hybrid resume (also called a combination resume) blends elements of both chronological and functional formats. It highlights key skills and qualifications up front, then includes a clear, chronological work history to show where and when those skills were used.
Functional resumes have a lot of stigmas surrounding them. Many people think they are okay to use, while others find them taboo.
In the past, a functional resume was one of the best options to highlight specific skills. For decades, it was considered “the” tool to attract employers because of its high focus on relevant skills.
When crafting a functional resume, instead of listing chronological work experience, a summarized work history is included at the bottom. The bulk of the resume focuses on the variety of skills you have, such as managing people, developing robust marketing plans, etc.
The idea behind that type of resume was to force the hiring manager to focus on the transferable skills you have rather than a chronological list of employment history, which was an especially good idea if you didn't have a whole lot of relevant experience.
As time progressed, people began to use the functional resume format to try to hide the appearance of job-hopping or minimize employment gaps. After a while, employers got savvy to this and started jumping straight to the employment list to see if that's what is going on in the functional resumes they get.
On top of employers' opinions of the functional resume changing, today's ATS, has caused the functional resume to no longer be relevant.
The newest types of resume tracking systems can also determine the skills you possess but also when and how often you've performed them. Plus, they can infer based on the meaning of words and concepts instead of relying on a narrow definition.
Put simply, we're talking about keywords and context.
These systems screen resumes using relevant keywords, job titles, and years of experience. Applicant tracking systems are programmed to scan resumes looking for a straightforward timeline. When you use a functional resume format, that timeline doesn't exist in the traditional sense of the word. This can make it harder for the ATS to properly analyze information from your career history.
Here's what the ATS is looking for that will be missing from your functional resume:
Clear job titles and dates. Since the functional resume is built with a focus on skills, aptitudes, and transferable abilities, the ATS may have difficulty extracting details about your career timeline.
Lacking context for your experience. The defined timeline of a chronological resume makes it clear which skills you got from which job. Since the functional resume doesn't include bullet point achievements with your work history, there's no context for the ATS to assess your skills.
Less effective keyword matching. You'll hear it time and again – you have to tailor your resume to different jobs to ensure you're using the right keywords. The ATS is looking for the right keywords. The lack of association with job titles or experiences makes it harder for the ATS to determine if you're a match for the job.
All of this could lead to your resume being wholly rejected by the ATS — and that's one of the main reasons job seekers are ghosted by companies:
The ATS rejects an application
The human beings at the company don't know the candidate exists
The candidate is ghosted
Changing Careers
If you're changing careers, a functional resume may serve you well. This isn't to say that you're changing careers from being a marketing rep in the oil and gas industry to being a marketing rep in the luxury cosmetic industry.
The only time to use a functional resume for changing careers is if it's a major change, like from a teacher to a marketing rep. At this point in your career, you'd really have to draw attention to transferable skills and show how you utilized things like project management and data analysis as a teacher to make your students successful and follow district policies.
Re-entering the Workforce After an Extended Absence
Life happens sometimes. Things cause you to have to step away from work for a while. Perhaps you had children and decided to stay home to raise them for a few years. Maybe one of your close family members became gravely ill and needed someone to take care of them. In these instances, a functional resume may be your best bet at properly relaying your skills and knowledge to a new employer.
Important note: You should avoid using the functional resume format to minimize employment gaps that are less than one year in length.
While a functional resume can be a good option if you have large employment gaps or are changing careers, a more successful resume is a combination format with both chronological and functional elements.
Using a different format will help you do two things:
Avoid any stigma associated with the use of a functional resume
Minimize the risk of the ATS not being able to properly read your resume
A Great Alternative to Functional Resumes
A combination resume includes a functional skills summary that presents all the exciting transferable skills you have but also has a chronological list of work history that talks about the top things you accomplished at each position.
By using the functional and chronological format together, you increase the transparency of your career history. It's important to remember that hiring managers are people, too, and it's unlikely that even their career timeline is spotless. Everyone has something to explain.
When you pair your combination resume with a cover letter, you address any concerns head-on, which can help elevate you to the top of the stack of potential candidates. It proves that you are the type of person who values open communication and professionalism.
Also Consider Including Unpaid Work on Your Resume
When including your stay-at-home parent or caregiver experience on your resume, it's important to highlight the skills and experiences gained during this time.
Here are Some Tips to Effectively Showcase This Experience
Use the same format as your professional experience: Treat your time as a stay-at-home parent as a job itself, using phrases like "Primary Caregiver" or "Parent" instead of "Stay-at-Home".
Quantify your impact: Detail the effect you've had as a parent, such as staying organized, managing household budgets, or resolving conflicts.
Identify key skills: Highlight transferable skills developed during your stay-at-home time, such as problem-solving, communication, and planning.
Tailor your resume for each role: Review job descriptions and note any required or recommended skills that align with the company's needs.
Showcase your achievements: Use strong action verbs and industry-specific terminology to demonstrate your expertise and commitment.
Include any volunteer work with description of work performed – as well as course or certifications achieved during this time.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively communicate your value as a stay-at-home parent or caregiver to potential employers.
Bottom Line
Skip the functional resume unless you have a major career change or long employment gap. Instead, use a combination format and pair it with a tailored cover letter to show transparency and professionalism—two things that help you stand out to both ATS and hiring managers.
Polish your resume with confidence. Join one of our resume workshops or get expert feedback through Job Search Support today!