functional resume examples for career change

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11 Career Change Resume Examples Designed for 2024

Marketing Manager

Best for senior and mid-level candidates.

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

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• Career Change Resumes
• Changing Careers To Resumes
• Changing Careers From Resumes
• Career Change Resumes for Teachers

Noah breathed a sigh of relief as he found a few accounting job descriptions that intrigued him. After spending years in various financial roles and racking up some impressive creds as a financial analyst, he felt confident in this career switch. But was he as prepared to  make a resume as he was for his career change?

Noah’s confidence went up when he found our library of career change resume examples and time-tested hints. Plus, he knew he’d be able to expand upon his career objective and add even more value by making a cover letter ! The notes he took while preparing his application materials even helped him navigate a victorious interview.

Whether you’re looking to change careers in accounting, teaching, or any other profession, check out our handy resources to build your own success story like Noah did!

Career Change Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• A summary merges your background with the opportunities you’re seeking. In other words, a summary demonstrates how your experience has prepared you for your new field. However, you should only use a summary if you’ve had  at least 10 years of experience.
• Choosing a  professional resume template  and  resume format  can help make your resume look professional and cohesive without much effort.

Multiple Career Resume

• The keywords you include will help tie your expertise together and prove that you have the right abilities for the job. 
• Start by listing hard skills (aka technical, learned skills) listed in the job description. If you don’t have a lot, then simply use soft skills like “analytical” and collaboration.”
• Whatever jobs you’ve held, find a common thread between them and the new job, then sew that thread into every job experience. It’ll be a subtle but powerful tool to increase credibility despite multiple career changes. 

Career Change To Accounting Resume

• If you’re applying to be an accountant but it wasn’t your most recent role, be sure to add a certifications section highlighting that you are a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Career Change To Administrative Assistant Resume

• Enhance your career change to administrative assistant resume with a short summary that shows recruiters where to draw parallels between your past experience and target title.

Marketing Manager Career Change Resume

• There are numbers everywhere; look for percentages relating to your skills, like how you boosted efficiency or increased sales from last quarter. The sky’s the limit!
• If you can’t find (or don’t have access to) percentages, then use plain numbers relating to how many team members you worked with, how many clients you took on, or how many referrals you gained.
• Things like only using active verbs and avoiding personal pronouns might seem minor, but they make reading your resume easier, which is huge for recruiters and hiring managers.
• And speaking of details, always  double-check your resume  for proper grammar, punctuation, and overall flow.

RN Career Change Resume

• An objective is only two to three sentences, so make sure each word packs a verbal punch by showing off your years of experience, skills, and desire for the role you’re seeking.
• For example, mentioning your adherence to HIPPA guidelines can demonstrate to hiring managers that you will stick to the rules. On the flip side, explaining how you used active listening to assist patients will show your compassion and customer service skills.

Journalist Career Change Resume

• Start by keeping your resume to a single page. Otherwise, you’ll overwhelm hiring managers (who will likely toss your resume into the recycling).
• It’s best to use reverse-chronological formatting on your resume to keep your most relevant job history at the top. While other formats are necessarily wrong, they aren’t standard, and they’re harder for hiring managers (and the ATS) to read.
• In your contact header, include your email address (make sure it’s a professional email), your phone number, and your location. 
• Consider adding a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile if you have a LinkedIn account.

Mechanical Engineer Career Change Resume

• Consider asking a friend, relative, or even a career advisor from your alma mater to scan your resume for errors and discrepancies.
• Nothing tells a recruiter you’re not the right person for the job like saying you’re great at “time management.” 
• Put color in your section headers (or company titles) and your contact header. This will add visual interest without being overwhelming.
• If you’re applying to work at a conservative financial firm, you may want to stick to traditional colors rather than pastel pink or lavender.

Teacher Career Change Resume

• Look for ways to connect your previous duties to the responsibilities listed in the job description.
• Many skills  indirectly  transfer from one job to another. Consider your collaboration skills: your ability to work well with fellow teachers will help you work on team projects at your next job.
• Of course, if you have any skills, projects, or experience in your new field, include them, and explain how you’ve mastered them in your career change cover letter .
• Using a  resume template  is invaluable here, as you can easily scooch sections to the side, adjust your margins, and fix your font type to give you some extra wiggle room.

Teacher to Project Manager Resume

• The work experience bullet points to occupy the largest share of your CV—no more than four bullets for each role. As for your contact info, education, skills, hobbies, and certifications, a side column will do the trick. The cherry on top is restricting the entire resume to one page.

Teacher to Human Resources Resume

• But more importantly, mention the relevant transferable skills you bring to this entry-level role, a requirement Elijah executes well in his teacher to human resources resume. Better yet, let your bullet points show how you used these proficiencies in previous teaching roles.

Related resume guides

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How to Write a Career Change Resume (Guide, Templates, & Examples)

Customers Interviewed by:

Quitting your job and switching careers can be one of the most unsettling moments of your life. It is scary, intimidating, and sometimes overwhelming. 

But changing careers could also be one of the bravest and most fulfilling things you can do if you are willing to put in the work. A critical asset in your big move is a career change resume that focuses on all the right things.

In this guide, we will help you craft your career change resume and gain more confidence as you take that next big step in your career.

Table of Contents

• How to write a career change resume
• Career change resume templates
• Career change resume examples

Key Takeaways

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Career Change

Need help in deciding whether to do a career pivot? Try our career change tool today!

How to craft a resume for your career change

Doing a career pivot means you are starting over. With this, you need to convince recruiters and hiring managers that you have what it takes to do the new job well. And one way to prove your value to recruiters is by creating a career change resume that will grab their attention. Here’s how you write one.

1. Study the job description to match up your transferable skills

First things first, you need to carefully read the job posting and understand how your past achievements and transferable skills can help you succeed in your desired new role.

Transferable skills are any skills that you can take with you from one job, field, or industry to another.

For example: A job seeker with a background in journalism might recognize the keyword “writing” in the job description for an advertising position. While this job seeker doesn’t have advertising experience, they do have expert-level writing skills that would make them a great candidate for the new role.

Writing, in this example, is a transferable skill. Transferable skills include both hard skills and soft skills , like leadership , time management , multi-tasking, communication , organization, emotional intelligence , listening, research, and many more.

Pro Tip: Include these skills in your work experience section, focusing less on duties and more on the skills you have developed, as these will be of the most interest to the hiring manager. 

2. Choose a career change resume format that highlights a logical connection in your career change

Oftentimes, job seekers choose a functional resume for career change job searches. A functional resume can be appealing because it turns the focus away from work history and toward skills and accomplishments. However, it can make it look like the job seeker has something to hide. 

A better option for most job applicants making a career change is the hybrid resume (also called a “combination resume”), which still showcases skills and accomplishments but includes a traditional work history in the second half of the document.

Here’s the bottom line when it comes to resume format when changing careers: if you’re staying within the same industry, a hybrid resume will work great for you. If you’re changing careers and industries, you can consider a functional resume format, though the hybrid resume is likely still a better choice.

3. Write a resume objective or summary that frames your career change as a strength

Your resume objective or resume summary sections are a great way to convince recruiters that your past experience sets you up as the perfect candidate for the new role. These statements tie in your experience and skills with what your new career demands.

When writing your resume objective, focus on the skills that you’ve picked up throughout your current career and other previous roles and explain how you plan to use them in this new industry. 

For example:

Accounting professional with over 10 years of experience looking to transfer my skills to the finance industry. My proven mathematical and money management skills make me an ideal fit for the Finance Assistant position.

Passionate sales representative with over 5 years of experience working with customers and selling software. Looking to leverage my proven skills in seeing our customers’ pain points and providing solutions to whatever I write as an aspiring Content Manager.

Kerianne Burke , a tech recruiter at Segment in San Francisco, recommends that job seekers provide recruiters with insights into how they have gained knowledge about this new category and role. “Have they taken classes? Completed extensive independent research? Be very specific here!” 

Second, Burke said that job seekers need to show that they would be able to make an impact in the role they are applying for.

4. Use keywords

Resume keywords prove to recruiters that you have what it takes to succeed in the new role. These keywords also help you get noticed by recruiters who use search functions in their applicant tracking system (ATS) to filter candidates by what’s on their resume.

You can find relevant keywords in the job description or job posting. Take stock of these keywords and incorporate them into your career change resume when possible.

Tailoring is key to a career change resume

Even in a field that is brand new to you, you can find keywords that relate to your past experience. As Burke explains, “Look closely at the qualifications in the job description and tailor some of your first few bullets on your resume to highlight that applicable experience. It’s always great to tie your impact to data when possible!”

Read our full guide: How to Tailor Your Resume to the Job Description

Jobscan makes it easy to identify the most important keywords in the job description, so you know what to focus on. Try it below:

5. Add training and certifications to your career change resume

Adding training and certifications to your resume is another way to show off relevant skills during a career change. List down all the relevant training, courses, and certifications under your belt and show recruiters how these could help you in the new role or career.

A word of encouragement here: You don’t have to go back to school and take extensive training in order to make a career change. In many cases, the skills you’ve honed over your career will be enough!

As Monica Fochtman , a career coach who specializes in career changes put it: “Going back to school is the last thing that I suggest to people. Especially now, with so much on-demand learning like LinkedIn and Coursera and Teachable…there’s no shortage of places to get on-demand training. There are other ways to get those skills and demonstrate that you have those skills without going back to school.”

You don’t need the certification; you need to demonstrate that you have what the certification represents – the knowledge. The important thing is to choose a career that fits your already developed skills. That doesn’t mean your duties will be the same. It just means you’ll be able to use the same skills.

Learn more: Read our full guide on how to make a career change , with tips and insights from Monica Fochtman, PhD.

Career Change Resume Templates

1. hybrid resume.

The hybrid resume or combination resume is ideal when changing careers as this format highlights your skills and accomplishments while still detailing a chronological format of your career trajectory.

Here’s an example:

The hybrid format draws attention to your most important skills, accomplishments, and values and so recruiters and hiring managers can see what you bring to the table quickly.

2. Functional Resume

When you are switching to a career in a different industry where you have limited or zero experience, you can use a functional resume. It puts the spotlight on your transferable skills while downplaying your limited work experience.

Here’s what a functional career change resume looks like:

You can find more sample career change resume templates on Jobscan’s Resume Templates page, which you can use for free.

Career Change Resume Examples and Ideas

Here are career change resume examples to get your resume writing juices flowing:

1. From project management to a job in sales

This career change resume highlights Mindy’s robust experience in Project Management under her work experience section. In her resume summary, she relates how she can use her project management skills in her new role in sales and proves to the hiring manager that she has the necessary skills and experience to excel and succeed as a Sales Manager.

2. From administrative work to writing

In his resume, James mentioned in his resume objective statement that he is passionate about solving customer problems. Having worked in various fields, his empathy and problem-solving skills make him an effective content writer who can relate to the readers’ struggles but is also able to share tips and insights that work. He also mentioned writing as one of his skills.

3. From accounting to a project management role

In this career change resume example, although the job seeker is an accountant by profession, she showed that she had relevant experience in leading teams and managing projects which makes her a good candidate for the new job. The resume summary also states her desire to use her skills as an accountant to run projects effectively and see them through to completion.

You can check more resumes for any job to help you with your career change resume in our Resume Examples Page.

Pro Tip: To supplement your career change resume, include a cover letter to provide context for your past achievements and build a strong case as to how your accomplishments and skills can help you with the new position.

Read our full guide: The Career Change Cover Letter: How to Get it Right

Changing careers can feel scary and intimidating. But it is also a great opportunity for you to discover more about yourself and grow into the best person you can be.

Here are some key takeaways to help you with your career change:

• Craft a powerful career change resume that will prove to recruiters that even when you are jumping into a completely different career, you have what it takes to do the job and do it well.
• Use the hybrid resume (combination resume) format when creating your career change resume. It highlights your top skills while detailing your work experience and career trajectory.
• Proactively seek opportunities to upgrade your skills and pursue professional development through training, courses, and mentorship.

Save your time and get more career change insights with Jobscan’s career changer tool !

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 5 questions to consider before making a career change: 1. Why do you want to switch careers? 2. Why are you dissatisfied with your current role? What do you hate about your job? 3. What are your career goals? What is your dream job? Is your current career aligned with your passions, skills, or interests? 4. How much does it pay? Can you live on it comfortably? If not, are you willing to take the risk? 5. What type of company do you want to work for?

Here’s how. 1. Choose the best format for your resume. 2. Write a resume objective or resume summary explaining how your previous roles will help you succeed in the new role. 3. Include relevant keywords (especially those found in the job description.) 4. Tailor your resume for career change to each job you are applying for. 5. Showcase transferable skills and include certifications and relevant training when possible.

A resume objective for career change bridges the gap between your previous role and your new role. A good objective would clearly and briefly provide your relevant experience and explain how this will help you succeed in your new career. For example, an accountant wanting to land a job in sales would write: “ Certified Public Accountant with 10 years of experience writing accurate and timely financial reports, reducing costs, and improving overall efficiency. Looking to leverage my analytical skills and attention to detail in crafting sales systems that will streamline all sales processes and increase profitability. “

Here’s how you share about your career transition: 1. Provide a brief description of yourself: who you are, what you value, and what you want to achieve. 2. Share about your most recent and significant work experience. 3. Explain how your skills and experiences make you the best fit for the new job. 4. Stress why you want to do a career change and the value you can add to the company.

Focus on showing recruiters and hiring managers what you bring to the table, even as someone who is switching careers. Here’s an example of a career change resume summary. For example: “ Customer-focused cashier with 5+ years of experience serving different customers and creating a warm and friendly store environment. Has raised sales by 5% through strong communication and interpersonal skills. Looking to bring my leadership and organizational skills to an executive assistant position. “

Transferable skills are critical when you are switching careers because these show recruiters, hiring managers, and potential employers that you have the skills that they need for the new job position. To showcase these on your career change resume: 1. Include them in your resume summary or resume objective. 2. Add skills to your work experience section. 3. Clearly write transferable skills in your skills summary section. Pro tip: Check the job description for specific skills and work those skills into your resume for career change.

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Career Change resume examples & templates

Choosing the right resume format for career changes

Include your contact information, make use of a summary, outline your career change work experience, include the relevant key skills needed for your career change, detail your education & relevant career change certifications, pick the right resume layout and design for a career change resume.

If you’re ready for your next professional challenge, you’re in good company—a recent study found that more than half of workers are looking to make a career change! 

There are a lot of decisions that come with a career change, but one thing’s for sure: you’ll need a strong resume that highlights your transferable skills and shows why you’re the right candidate for a new industry.

Luckily, we’re here to help. This complete guide will help you understand the best ways to approach your career change resume and will provide plenty of adaptable sentences that you can modify for your own application.

Resume guide for a career change resume

Accelerate success with Resume.io. Our guides and resume examples cover over 500 professions, and our resume builder makes creating a compelling resume easier than ever.

This resume guide and corresponding career change resume example will cover the following:

How to write a career change resume

• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your relevant experience
• Listing education and qualifications
• Picking the right resume design/layout

The very first step in writing your career change resume is understanding what sections to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Every person’s career change will be a unique journey, but we have some general advice to help you navigate this pivotal moment. The first step is to research and make sure you have a complete understanding of your new career. 

Decide where you want to go before you jump into the job market. Maybe you already have a dream career in mind. You should still investigate both the skills you need to embark on your new career and the state of the job market. 

If you are ready for a change but aren’t sure what direction to head in, some basic research will help. Think about careers that have overlapping skills with your current position. You may be able to take a step in another direction while using the abilities you already have. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the jobs with the highest growth potential through 2030, median salaries, and information on skills and education needed to enter the fields. 

Consider the reasons you want to change careers as well. Are you burned out ? Is your industry waning? Do you want more flexibility? Are you looking for a higher salary? Make sure your new targeted career will offer the opportunities you seek. One great way to do this is by connecting with professionals already working in the new field and asking them about the realities of the industry.

Optimize for the ATS

Almost all HR departments use ATS software to evaluate candidates and filter out resumes that don’t contain enough keywords from the job description. If you’re applying to jobs online, make sure to consider these three tips to increase your chances of beating these automated software scans: 

• Read the job description carefully and place skills and qualifications important to the employer throughout your resume.
• Use common section titles like “ Education ” or “ Employment History ” which can be easily parsed by the ATS.
• Choose a clear and easy-to-read layout without any complicated images which could confuse the ATS.

For most career changers, the reverse chronological resume format remains the go-to choice. This format focuses on your professional journey, listing jobs in your employment history section from newest to oldest. Recruiters find it easy to scan and see your most relevant experience up front. Each position should have descriptive bullet points highlighting achievements.

However, if you're a recent grad or truly lack experience in your new field, consider exploring the functional and combination resume formats. These offer more flexibility, allowing you to showcase your skills or education above your work history, making them well-suited for emphasizing transferable skills over traditional experience.

Every career change resume should contain a well-organized header that makes it easy to find your name and contact information. As you’ll see on our adaptable career change resume sample, there’s no need to go overboard with fancy colors or formatting. 

The most important goal is that your contact information is easily accessible. You should adapt the style of your header to the job you’re applying to. Here are the essential points to include:

• Full name & title . List your first and last name. Use the title of the new role you are pursuing instead of your previous career.
• Professional email address . Use a clean format like [email protected] . Don’t use a quirky, unprofessional email address.
• Phone number . List a number where you can be readily contacted, with a professional voicemail greeting.
• Location . List only your city and state . Don’t list street address or zip code. It’s both outdated and unsafe. Note 'Willing to Relocate' here if applicable.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth : Not necessary and could potentially lead to age discrimination .
• Personal details : Marital status, social security number, passport number , etc.

Jessica Anderson

Digital marketer

201-000-0900

[email protected]

Jess Anderson

Career changer

A summary is one of the most important sections on your career change resume as it will allow you to speak directly to the employer and explain how your previous career has set you up for this move.

These 3-5 sentences should highlight your biggest accomplishments and tell recruiters how that will translate into your new chosen field. In either case, make sure you are attentive to keywords and phrases . Do not force them into your summary but use them appropriately. Be proud and show off your professional personality and passion without exaggerating.

Remember to use as many powerful action verbs and job-specific information as you can. Highlighting your key attributes and talents that prove your qualifications and accomplishments is crucial. 

Need inspiration for your summary? Check out our related resumes: 

• General resume example
• Self-employed resume example
• Traditional resume example
• Freelancer resume sample

You can find adaptable career change resume example summaries below:

Highly motivated project manager with 5+ years of experience in managing complex software development projects seeking to leverage analytical skills and problem-solving abilities to transition into a data analyst role. Proven track record of data collection, analysis, and reporting to optimize project timelines and budgets. Eager to contribute data-driven insights to inform strategic decision-making.

Results-oriented marketing manager with 7 years of experience developing and executing successful marketing campaigns. Seeking to leverage strong communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills to excel in a sales manager role. Proven ability to understand customer needs and translate them into actionable strategies. Passionate about exceeding sales targets and building strong client relationships.

Compassionate registered nurse with 10 years of bedside experience seeking to leverage clinical expertise and patient advocacy skills to make a broader impact on public health. Highly motivated to transition into a public health specialist role and contribute to preventative healthcare initiatives. Proficient in data analysis, communication, and community outreach.

Your employment history or experience highlights your biggest professional successes and accomplishments. Each bullet point should tell of a challenge, your actions to solve it, and the results you achieved. Use data and details wherever possible. 

Start by creating subheadings with your previous role, the employer’s name, dates worked, and location. Underneath, add 4-5 bullet points that describe your professional responsibilities, achievements, and transferable skills needed for your career change.

If your new career overlaps your current career, use the employment history heading and focus on the transferable skills you can demonstrate through your jobs. Recruiters want to see a pattern of growth in expertise and responsibility, so think of your employment history as the story of your professional development. 

When your career change takes you in a completely different direction, the experience heading may serve you better. Here you can include your involvement in activities that are not work-related but are relevant to your new career. In either case, keep the ATS in mind. Use strong action verbs that describe you as a go-getter. 

Take a look at these bland bullet points:

• “Responsible for completing assigned tasks.”
• “Developed skills in various areas.”
• “Worked on projects with a team.”

Now check out these more engaging options:

• “Increased team efficiency by 20% through implementing a new project management system, reducing task completion time by an average of 1 day.”
• “Developed proficiency in 3 new programming languages (Python, Java, C++) within 6 months, increasing personal coding output by 40%.”
• “Successfully led a cross-functional team of 5 in developing a new marketing campaign, resulting in a 15% increase in customer acquisition.”

Here's the employment history section from our career change resume example:

Preschool Teacher at Little Seed School, Seattle  August 2012 - June 2019 

• Created developmentally appropriate lesson plans and activities for students ages 2-4.
• Worked to create and maintain a welcoming and stimulating environment for students.
• Maintained excellent communication with parents regarding their child's progress.
• Addressed any concerns from parents in a professional and courteous manner.
• Actively participated in school events and planned the first Spring Auction for the preschool.
• Attended workshops to learn about different educational approaches and tools.
• Recorded observations as written assessments of student performance.

HR Receptionist at Maxwell Publishing House, Seattle  July 2009 - July 2012 

• Assisted the head of HR with all clerical and administrative duties.
• Provided employees with forms and proper insurance applications.
• Answered calls and recorded messages.
• Made copies and handled incoming and outgoing mail.
• Assisted with the purchasing and arranging of supplies.
• Maintained confidentiality of employee files.
• Scheduled and confirmed interviews and appointments.

Administrative Assistant at TV Guide, Seattle  September 2007 - July 2009 

• Served as a reliable Administrative Assistant in the Editorial Department.
• Answered calls and recorded and reported messages.
• Maintained a neat and organized working environment.
• Maintained conference room calendars and scheduled meetings.
• Coordinated travel plans and scheduled appointments.

How to write a career change resume with no experience

It’s likely that you will be attempting to make a career change with limited experience in the new field. Here are a few tips to help you write a more effective career change resume:

• Focus on transferable skills . Show how your previous experience has set you up for success in your new career. You shouldn’t be embarrassed of your past jobs; instead, show how your fresh perspective can serve as a strength and help propel the employer forward.
• Gain new qualifications . You can’t make a successful career change without the basic qualifications needed for the new job. Spend some time in online courses and make sure you have the required certifications listed on your resume .
• Network . Meet with current employees of companies that interest you and research the demands of your new career. These connections could help open doors but can also give you a better understanding of the skills to highlight on your resume.

The skills section is a straightforward catalog and should be tailored to your new career. It is designed as a quick method of getting your top abilities in front of recruiters. Create a Master List of all relevant abilities and choose five or six that best align with the employer’s needs.

Be honest here. Because you are changing careers and may not have as many matching skills as a candidate already in the field, you may be tempted to list skills you are not truly adept at. Avoid this. Recruiters see hundreds of resumes and they are not easily fooled .

Make sure to include any hard skills from the job posting to show that you have the technical knowledge needed for the job. Your soft skills can also be a secret weapon during a career change. Communication , efficiency, and organization apply to nearly every industry and show that you're a well-rounded candidate.

Here's the skills section from our career change resume example:

• Self Starter
• Interpersonal Communication
• Organization Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Leadership Skills

List any degrees, certifications, or licenses you have earned in the education section . As with your employment history, make sure to list degrees from most recent to oldest and include the program name, school, dates attended, and location. 

If you have several certifications or licenses, consider adding a separate section so that they stand out. Drop your high school diploma if you have a master’s degree or higher.

Your skills section is also a great place to include training, certifications, or new qualifications needed for your career change. If you're a few years out of school, consider dropping any academic achievements to make space for professional awards, memberships, or publications if relevant to your field.

Here's the education section from our career change resume example:

Bachelor of Communications, University of Washington, Seattle  August 2005 - May 2009

Your professional look should be neat and clean. The layout and design of your resume are just as important as the text. Why? There are several reasons:

• Recruiters want to be able to scan for your contact information, current job, and other data quickly
• Your resume’s design is a representation of your image
• The all-important ATS may not find data that is incorrectly formatted

But, what makes a good layout? This may seem counterintuitive, but the simpler, the better! You want recruiters to be able to read every word. That means no big text blocks, no fancy fonts , and just a dash of color if any. 

Your accomplishments are what distinguishes you, not any overly fussy design. Legibility takes priority. If recruiters can’t find what they are looking for, they will move on, especially if they would be taking a leap by giving a career-changer a chance.

One way to quickly create a professional layout that stands out to recruiters is by using an expertly designed resume template which can easily be updated as you apply to new positions.

• Make your contact information stand out.
• Vary the lengths of descriptions
• Create a balance of white space to text.
• Have another person proofread for grammar, spelling, and clarity.
• Put information into headers or footers—the ATS can’t read them.
• Downsize the type to gain space.
• Send files in a format other than PDF—different programs may alter your formatting (Word files are notorious for this issue, don’t use them unless the online application system doesn’t give you a choice).

Career change text-only resume example

Self-motivated and enthusiastic worker with vast experience in many different fields. Bringing forth a proven track record of achievement and a reputation for positive collaboration. Confident, hard working, and committed to seeing results in whatever position I am in. Reliable and dedicated to finding a place that will benefit from my superior skill set and energetic drive. 

Employment history

Key takeaways for building a career change resume

When crafting a resume for a career change, showcase how your existing skills translate to your desired field. Focus on transferable skills like communication and project management, and tailor them to the new role's requirements. 

Highlight relevant achievements from past experiences, using data to quantify your impact. Your resume should tell a compelling story of how your transferable skills and experiences position you for success in your new career path.

An online resume builder can make it easy to format a professional resume that puts you on the path to making a successful career change!

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

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The ultimate guide to writing a career change resume.

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Changing careers doesn’t have to be difficult. It all starts with a resume crafted to highlight your ... [+] transferrable skills.

Your resume is one of the most critical tools during a career transition. Crafted thoughtfully, a career change resume can effectively highlight transferable skills and experiences from your old career to the new one, showcasing you as a prime candidate for your dream job .

Career change resumes offer a different narrative of a person’s experience versus someone looking to advance in their current industry. Transferrable skills are the most important to highlight.

What Success Looks Like In A Career Change

A successful career change doesn’t necessarily mean starting over. It can involve leveraging existing skills in a new context or applying knowledge from one industry to another. Success is about finding a role where you can make a meaningful contribution, and it often requires a blend of determination and strategic planning. The story you tell so far in your career that paints you as the right person for the job is vital to your resume being seen by the hiring manager.

Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Your Career Change Resume

It’s a fine line between highlighting what makes you unique and ensuring your document aligns with industry expectations. Here’s how to do it right.

Identify Your Transferrable Skills

Before opening a Word document or choosing a resume template, the first step is to take stock of your skills. Begin by closely examining your previous roles and jotting down the skills they entailed. Try categorizing them into hard skills—like technical skills and software proficiencies—and soft skills—such as communication and leadership abilities.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, brainstorm your narrative.

What is your career change story? Who’s the audience that will be listening to it? These are the overarching questions that will guide your resume writing process. You’ll want to combine your reasons for changing careers with your past experiences and future aspirations.

When crafting your career change narrative, consider these critical questions to create a cohesive and compelling story:

• What motivated your career change? Reflect on the reasons behind your decision to shift careers. Was it a pursuit of passion, a need for a new challenge or an inevitable industry change affecting your previous role?
• How do your past experiences contribute to your new direction? Evaluate how your previous roles have equipped you with unique skills and perspectives that will benefit your target industry or role.
• What accomplishments in your career thus far can illustrate your suitability for this new path? Identify specific achievements that demonstrate your capability and readiness for the change.
• How have you prepared for the transition? Consider any additional training, courses or self-led learning you’ve undertaken to bridge any skill gaps.
• What are your long-term goals in this new career? Define what success looks like for you in this new field and how you plan to achieve it.

Choosing The Right Resume Format

The format of your resume is dependent on your career trajectory. A functional resume may be the best way to draw attention to your skills if you’re making a big career leap. A hybrid resume, which combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats, can also work well for career changers, as it allows you to detail your skills while still providing a job history.

Elements Of A Stand-Out Career Change Resume

The typical resume sections are still relevant: Skills, competencies, accolades, experience, volunteer work, education and training. For career changers, add a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of a snapshot as your elevator pitch. Instead of explaining what you are looking for, you highlight your top accolades, position and projects you’re currently working on; it shouldn’t be any longer than three sentences.

For example, “I’m Jane Doe, a marketing professional who brought the newest Target campaign to 100 million Instagram accounts. I’ve excelled in connecting influencers with top brands and have hosted over 150 brand activations.”

Make sure to include all the important elements on your resume to make you stand out. Having a short ... [+] story or narrative of who you are also helps.

Words and Phrases To Include In Resume

When it comes to the actual writing, it’s essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to the job you’re applying for, but also aim to include industry-specific terms from your previous career to highlight the breadth of your experience.

• Cross-functional expertise: Demonstrates the ability to work across various departments, enhancing team synergy and project outcomes.
• Quick Learner: Indicates your capacity to rapidly acquire new knowledge and skills, reducing the learning curve in a new role.
• Innovative Thinker: Shows your capability to think creatively and bring new ideas to the table, driving progress.
• Versatile Professional: Indicates a broad skillset and flexibility, positioning you as a candidate capable of handling various responsibilities

Do’s And Don’ts Of Resume Etiquette

• Do focus on your achievements and how they demonstrate your capabilities, not just the tasks you’ve performed.
• Do quantify your accomplishments with numbers or percentages whenever possible to add weight to your claims.
• Don’t include unrelated job experiences that don’t align with the position you’re targeting.
• Don’t gloss over any employment gaps resulting from your career change. Instead, use these gaps to explain how you spent that time productively, such as through continuing education or volunteer work.

Your career change resume aims to get your foot in the door for an interview. Invest time in perfecting your career change resume, and you’ll find that employers will be more than willing to listen to the rest of your story.

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How to Write a Functional Resume [4 Free Templates Included]

Struggling with your resume because you just graduated from university and don’t have much work experience?

Or maybe you’re switching careers, and aren’t sure how to make your past position relevant for the new field?

Whichever the case, the solution is pretty simple:

Use a functional resume format!

• What’s a Functional Resume?

When to Use a Functional Resume?

How to write a functional resume.

• What Are Some Other Resume Formats (and When To Use Them)

What is a Functional Resume?

A functional resume, also known as the skill-based resume, is a resume format that focuses on your professional skill test as opposed to work experience.

If you were to create a traditional resume, you’d list out your work experience in reverse chronological order as follows:

Whereas, in the case of a functional resume , you list out each of your skills, and then back them up by highlighting how you’ve practically applied them in the past:

It’s better to use a functional resume in the following situations:

• You’re a recent graduate with no work experience. As the functional resume focuses on skills rather than experience, it can be very helpful to students.
• You’re switching careers . If you have some work experience, but the said experience isn’t relevant for the position you’re applying for, you can use a functional resume to highlight how your skills make you the right candidate.
• You have a long history of unemployment (or gaps between jobs). Since the functional resume format focuses on skills, you can use it to downplay your work experience gaps.

That being said, in around 90% of cases, we don’t recommend using a functional resume .

While it does have its perks (e.g. standing out as a recent graduate), it also comes with significant downsides.

First off, it’s nowhere near as popular as the traditional resume format, and in certain parts of the world, recruiters might not even know that the functional format is a thing.

In addition, some recruiters might find the lack of work experience in a resume suspicious because it can hint the candidate isn’t being truthful (e.g. red flags, being fired from previous employment, etc.).

These 2 disadvantages combined make a compelling case against the functional resume format.

So, if you do decide to create a functional resume, weigh the pros and cons and proceed at your own risk!

Want to also learn how to create a traditional resume ? Check out our guide!

First things first - pick a compelling resume template to get started. We recommend using our Functional Resume template:

Then, create the following sections on your resume:

• Contact Information
• Resume Summary
• Skill Summary

If you have additional space once you’re finished with these sections, you can fill it up with some optional sections (which we’ll explain a bit down the line).

Now, let’s walk you through each of these sections and explain how to do them right:

#1. Contact Information

While it might sound elementary, there’s a ton of tid-bits you need to know about getting the contact information section right.

Here’s what you need to include in the contact information section:

• First and last name
• Current job title
• Email address
• Phone number
• City and country you’re based in

Optionally, you can also include links to relevant social media profiles. For example:

• If you’re a writer, you can link your portfolio page or website.
• If you’re a developer, you can link your GitHub profile.
• If you’re a marketer, you can link your Instagram or Twitter page.
• Your LinkedIn profile link (if it’s up-to-date).

#2. Resume Summary

The next section on your functional resume is the “resume summary.”

This section goes right under your contact information, and looks something like this:

In a nutshell, a resume summary is a 2-4 sentence recap of your biggest professional achievements and career highlights.

The goal of this section is to show the recruiter (in one glance) that you’re qualified for the position you’re applying for.

Here’s what a well-written resume summary would look like:

• Professional executive assistant with experience in supporting high-level CEOs and other executives for over 5 years. Experienced in customer support, data entry, and scheduling meetings. Skilled in time management, MS Office, and Adobe Photoshop.

#3. Skill Summary

This one’s going to be the bulk of your functional resume.

In a skill summary section, you mention the top 3 skills required for the position you’re applying for and then provide information on how you’ve gained the said skills right under them.

Let’s say, for example, you’re a recent graduate applying for a role in marketing. Here’s what your skill summary could look like:

Copywriting

• Wrote over 20+ well-researched papers for my university.
• Worked at the university news media as a journalist, interviewing interesting university alumni and publishing their stories on the website.
• Created and published high-quality tech articles on my personal blog (www.exampleblog.com).
• Participated in a university project for a real-life company (Company X), where we had to come up with ideas for expanding to a new market.
• With the help of my team, came up with 5 ideas, out of which 3 were actually implemented by the company.
• Came up with 100+ topic ideas for content on my personal blog, some of which got over 50 shares when published.

Project Management

• Acted as a team leader for most of my university projects, ensuring that they were completed on time, and that every group member contributed.
• Was part of the Startup Weekend organizational committee. Helped source speakers, organize the event, find sponsors, and overall ensured that the event went smoothly.

#4. Education

The next section on your functional resume is Education , and this one’s actually pretty straightforward.

Here, list out the following information:

• Name of the degree (e.g. B.A. in Computer Science)
• Name of the university and dates attended (e.g. Boston State University, 2012 - 2016)

Optionally, you can also include the following as part of your education section :

• GPA. If you had an impressive GPA in your university (3.5 - 4.0), you can list it in your resume. Most companies, however, don’t really care about your grades all that much .
• Honors. E.g. Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, etc.
• Academic Achievements. Your thesis, interesting or noteworthy research papers you’ve written, etc.
• Courses Attended. If you’ve taken some very impressive classes (and they’re related to the role you’re applying for), you can mention them in your education section.

#5. Optional Sections

Still have some space left on your resume? Here are some other sections you can include:

• Projects - In our opinion, this one’s the most underrated resume section. Here, you can include any kind of personal or university project you’ve worked on. E.g. blog you’ve started, a piece of software you coded, etc.
• Extracurricular Activities - If you’re a recent graduate, you can include a section about the extracurricular activities you’ve participated in during university.
• Languages - Knowing an extra language or two can always come in handy. When filling these out, though, make sure to include your level of understanding (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Fluent, or Native).
• Work History - Yep, you CAN include work history on your functional resume. If you decide to do this, though, your resume will be a combination resume and NOT the functional one.

Other Resume Formats

There are 2 other resume formats in addition to the Functional one:

• Reverse-Chronological Resume Format
• Combination Resume Format

Here’s what they’re about:

#1. Reverse-Chronological Resume Format

This one’s the most common resume format out there and it’s what most people have in mind when they refer to a “resume.”

This resume format simply lists out work experiences in reverse-chronological order and backs them up with other essential resume sections (skills, education, etc.).

Unless you have specific reasons to use either of the other resume formats (combination or functional), we recommend you stick with this one.

#2. Combination Resume Format

The combination resume is almost the same thing as a functional resume, with a small twist.

In addition to the skill summary section on the resume, you also add a work history section (which helps even out the downsides that come with a functional resume).

Usually, the combination resume is used by senior professionals with a decade’s worth of work experience.

4 Free Functional Resume Templates & Examples

Want to get started with your functional resume?

All you have to do is pick one of our free templates and you’re good to go!

#1. Functional Resume Template

Our functional resume template adds a dash of style to the traditional black-and-white resume.

Use this template to present your skills and talents in the best way possible!

#2. Combination Resume Template

This combination template allows you to showcase your skills without having to cut down on work experience.

#3. College Resume Template

Our College resume template is perfect for recent university graduates, allowing you to emphasize your skill-set over your work experiences.

#4. Professional Resume Template

Looking for something a bit more professional? This resume template is a prime favorite for job-seekers who are serious about their careers.

Key Takeaways

And that just about sums up everything you need to know about functional resumes!

Now, let’s do a small recap of everything we’ve learned so far:

• A functional resume format is a type of resume that focuses more on skills rather than work experiences.
• You can use a functional resume if you’re a recent graduate with little work experience or if you’re switching careers.
• To create a compelling functional resume, you want to get your skill summary section just right.
• Functional resumes, however, are not that common in most parts of the world, so we recommend sticking to a conventional resume format to most job-seekers, instead.

Discover More Resume Templates

• One Page Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates
• Google Docs Resume Templates
• Word Resume Templates
• Chronological Resume Templates
• Creative Resume Templates
• Minimalistic Resume Templates
• High School Resume Templates

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How and when to write a functional resume (with examples)

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What is a functional resume?

When should you use a functional resume over a chronological resume, building your functional resume, 5 tips for creating an impactful functional resume, functional resume templates & examples, how to discuss employment gaps and career changes in an interview, prepare for your career move with functional resume help.

If you have limited work experience in your desired field, you could benefit from creating a functional resume. This resume type can show off your personal achievements and strengths, regardless of your employment history. This gives you a chance to demonstrate why you’re a good fit for a role, even if you don’t have relevant experience.

A traditional resume format might work best if you’ve held similar jobs in the past. But there are situations where using a functional resume format just makes sense. To get an employer’s attention, you’ll need to understand

A functional resume is a type of resume that focuses on relevant skill sets and qualifications rather than work experience. Also called a skills-based resume , this resume format doesn’t focus solely on your employment history. Instead, it highlights how your hard skills and soft skills make you a good match for a specific role. 

Traditional resumes often follow a chronological resume format. This makes your work experience and employment dates the main focus of your resume. Chronological resumes highlight your professional skills within each job description rather than pointing them out separately.

Functional resumes should include the following content:

• A brief summary of your unique skills and how they relate to the role
• Your career objectives , especially if you’re switching careers
• Key skills , abilities, and accomplishments
• Your education
• A short work history section
• Your contact details
• Optional professional reference

Functional resumes are a better fit for the following circumstances: 

• Career changes: You’re changing professions mid-career or starting a new career later in life and have little to no relevant work history 
• New grad: You recently graduated from your college or university program and haven’t yet attained experience in your desired field 
• Big career break or sabbatical: You’re reentering the workforce with large career gaps that might look worrisome on an application (e.g., going back to work after maternity leave )

When to use a chronological resume

Certain scenarios are better served by a chronological resume. Consider using a chronological resume when the following is true:

• You have plenty of relevant experience
• You can demonstrate career growth in your field
• You’ve worked for prestigious companies that might impress a hiring manager
• You’ve worked with previous employers for a long time

When to use a combination resume

Combination resumes, which are a hybrid of functional and traditional resumes,  give hiring managers the most well-rounded understanding of your experience. These resumes should be used when you have relevant experience and certain skills you’d like to spotlight.

Learning how to craft a good resume is an integral part of the job search. According to Indeed, employers only look at a resume for an average of six or seven seconds . This short scan could make or break your chances of landing an interview. That’s why understanding resume dos and don’ts is critical to your job search success.

When building your functional resume, make sure the following details are covered:

• Your phone number
• Your location
• A summary statement
• Education details
• Any relevant certifications
• Soft skills (i.e., communication and organization)
• Hard skills (i.e., proficiency in software like Microsoft Office or project management tools )
• Relevant volunteer experience (if applicable)
• List of previous employers, job titles, and dates of employment

As you create your skills-based resume, make sure to align your specific skills with what the potential employer is looking for. Doing this could make it easier for recruiters to make a decision about your resume and remove any guesswork or misinterpretation they may have.

Now that you know what to include in your functional resume, it’s time to start writing. Here are five tips for building an effective document.

1. Utilize action verbs

Action verbs are words that describe how you’ve used your skills in a professional or personal setting. These powerful verbs are important for resumes because they’re more likely to create an impact and attract attention. They also make your sentences clearer and more concise.

Here’s an example of how the tone of a sentence can shift by using an action verb:

• Original resume bullet: I was a supervisor for a team of seven employees
• New resume bullet: Supervised a team of seven employees

The second bullet says the same thing as the first but cuts out four unnecessary words. It also sounds more direct but still emphasizes that you managed an entire team.

2. Use quantifiable achievements to showcase results

Data should be used to maximize your resume’s impact. Research on resume statistics shows that using numbers on your resume can increase your chances of getting an interview by up to 40%.

For example, rather than simply saying you “increased sales,” add more context to highlight your work. You could write something like: “Increased sales by 63% in one year, adding $50,000 to the company’s monthly recurring revenue.”

When you make claims about your accomplishments, be sure to include any data that backs them up.

3. Match keywords to job requirements to optimize for ATS

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a tool used by employers during the hiring process to help screen job applications. To ensure your application makes it to a hiring manager, you need to know about applicant tracking systems and how to optimize your resume for them. This makes it more likely that your resume will make it through to a human.

According to JobScan, more than 97% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems . Smaller organizations are also starting to jump on board. 

One way to optimize your functional resume for an ATS is to include keywords from the company’s job description. Here’s an example:

• Job description: “We’re looking for a detail-oriented project manager who excels in data analysis and has experience with Asana. This person will ideally have a background in manufacturing within the tech industry.”
• Keywords you could include in your resume:
• Detail-oriented
• Project manager
• Data analysis 
• Manufacturing
• Tech industry

Tailoring your document to each specific job posting is necessary to make your resume stand out among the competition. (With that said, make sure you always keep a tracker of which resume you send to which potential employer.)

4. Prioritize readability

Considering hiring managers may only spend seconds looking at your resume, it’s important to make it easy to read. You can do this by formatting your document with the following:

• Clearly labeled section headings
• Consistent font size throughout the document
• Using bold text to point out important areas of relevance
• Leaving white space where possible
• Using black text on a white background
• Keeping it short (ideally one page for a functional resume)
• Using a simple, easy-to-follow layout

5. Proofread and edit

Once you’ve finished writing your functional resume, read it carefully to ensure it’s free of mistakes. These could include typos, grammatical errors, and misspellings. These errors can come across as unprofessional, especially if writing will be part of your job. 

If you don’t feel confident in your proofreading skills, consider asking a friend or using a tool like Grammarly to catch mistakes. 

If you feel stuck trying to get started, don’t panic. Consider using a resume builder or ChatGPT to write your resume draft. You can also use an existing functional resume template. 

The key sections of a functional resume and example templates are included below.

Contact information

Put essential details like the following in the top right-hand corner of your resume: 

• First and last name
• A work-appropriate email address
• Phone number
• Your city and country
• Links to your website or portfolio
• Links to up-to-date professional social media, like a LinkedIn profile

Summary statement

Include a two- to four-sentence statement about your professional identity and why you’re applying for the position. Consider adding a personal value statement to stand out to the hiring panel. Make sure to personalize this to each job ad and organization. 

Here are a few professional summary statement templates for functional resumes:

Recent graduate 

Recent graduate of [program name] from [university name]. Experience with [list skills acquired through internships or other experiences]. Knowledge of [areas of study that apply to the job description]. Strong attention to detail and a resourceful problem solver [or other soft skills listed in the job description]. 

Why it works: Highlights experience and demonstrates basic knowledge relevant to entry-level jobs .

Career change 

Results-driven [or other soft skill] [field or job role] with over [number] years of experience in [industry]. In-depth knowledge of [ hard skills ]. Strong [ soft skills ] with a commitment to [value]. Recipient of [certification or award]. Achieved the [name a specific example of an accomplishment with stats, if possible]. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment . 

Why it works: Places strong emphasis on hard and soft skills that are transferable to the desired company or industry. 

Significant gaps on functional resume

[Job title] with [number] years of experience. Seeking to [goal] at [company name]. Have [most significant/relevant work accomplishments with stats]. Spent the last [number of years] developing my [2–3 soft skills]. 

Why it works: Explains what this person did during the career break and reflects accomplishments or acquired skills, like being a new parent or babysitter .

Skills section

Skills and qualifications are the center of any resume. Carefully read the job description, study the company’s core values and mission statement , and align your language to both.

Outline three hard and soft skills that are required or valuable to the job role. Be specific about how you acquired and used those skills with action verbs and statistics.

Imagine you’re transitioning from sales to a project manager role. Highlight commonalities between the roles. Use examples from your previous position to show proficiencies outlined in the job ad. Here’s an example of relevant resume bullet points.

Sales management:

• Acted as a liaison between clients and the sales team. Managed five accounts for tech development companies and led and organized more than 10 employees.
• Implemented digitized sales interface and increased team productivity by 25% and turnover by 45%, resulting in $2.5M in sales.
• Increased sales quota by 230%. Exceeded sales quotas for six consecutive years.

Education section

Use this space to outline degree specifics while listing honors and awards , personal achievements , or relevant courses and certifications. If you recently graduated, consider including your GPA on your resume .

Employment gaps and career changes are common. Nearly 70% of U.S. workers have an employment gap on their resume . Among these job seekers, 60% believe that their career gap has made it harder for them to find work.

While career gaps are not as taboo as they once were, you should always be ready to explain them in an interview. Here are a few tips to help ensure that conversation goes smoothly:

• Be honest about the reason for your career gap
• Make your explanation brief and then move on 
• Highlight something new you learned during your gap or any new certifications you received 
• Make it a positive story about how ready you are to jump back into the workforce
• Be confident and keep a positive attitude

Career changes can also be tough to explain, especially when they’re done later in life. Here are some tips to prepare for a career change conversation:

• Briefly describe why you want to make the switch (maybe your previous career wasn’t as fulfilling as you’d like, or you felt it didn’t fully exercise your skills)
• Explain why you’re passionate about the new career you’re exploring
• Talk about your objectives within your new career path and how this position can help you achieve them
• Compare the two career paths by explaining any transferable skills or responsibilities

Functional resumes offer many benefits for those lacking a strong work history. They’re ideal for people making career changes or post-grads seeking purpose after college . They can highlight your strengths while minimizing your weaknesses. This enables you to put your best foot forward.

If you’re preparing for a big career move, consider working with a career coach. Career coaching can help you present your strengths in a compelling way and give you helpful job-hunting tips . This can position you to excel in your career with both confidence and clarity. Find your career coach .

Ace your job search

Explore effective job search techniques, interview strategies, and ways to overcome job-related challenges. Our coaches specialize in helping you land your dream job.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

CV versus resume? Demystify the differences once and for all

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• • Spearheaded a digital transformation project, integrating innovative patient education tools into our services, leading to a 40% increase in patient engagement.
• • Managed a team of 15, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration, which reduced patient wait times by 25%.
• • Oversaw the implementation of a new EHR system, improving data accuracy and accessibility for medical staff.
• • Negotiated with vendors to secure state-of-the-art medical equipment, staying within budget constraints and ensuring high-quality patient care.
• • Led cross-functional teams in the development of healthcare programs that received national accreditation, enhancing the hospital's reputation.
• • Initiated community health outreach programs, increasing healthcare access and preventive care awareness.
• • Directed multiple healthcare projects with budgets over $500K, completing all on time and under budget.
• • Implemented a patient feedback system, analyzing data to drive continuous service improvements.
• • Collaborated with IT and medical staff to enhance patient care technology, resulting in a 15% improvement in treatment outcomes.
• • Managed vendor contracts, ensuring compliance and maximizing investment in healthcare technologies.
• • Facilitated training sessions for medical staff on new protocols, ensuring high standards of patient care.
• • Coordinated patient care plans, improving efficiency and patient satisfaction by 20%.
• • Assisted in the development of an innovative care model, reducing hospital readmission rates by 15%.
• • Led community health workshops, increasing public knowledge on preventative care.
• • Managed scheduling and logistics for patient services, enhancing operational workflows.

5 Career Change Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

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Resume Guide

How to format a career change resume

How to write your career change resume experience

How to list your hard and soft skills on your resume, how to list your certifications and education on your resume, how to write your career change resume summary or objective, key takeaways.

Embarking on a career change is an exhilarating journey filled with opportunities for growth and discovery. Whether you're transitioning from healthcare to graphic design, from education to IT, or from hospitality to digital marketing, the process of reinventing your professional self can be both thrilling and challenging. Crafting a resume that captures your unique blend of skills and experiences is a critical step toward securing your dream job in a new field.

As you navigate this transition, it's essential to focus on the transferable skills that bridge your past and future careers. Highlighting your adaptability , problem-solving abilities , and lifelong learning mindset can make your resume shine, even if your direct experience in the new field may seem limited at first glance. It's about painting a picture of a candidate who is not only capable but eager to embrace new challenges and contribute meaningfully from day one.

A recent poll found  that approximately half (52%) of American employees are considering making a career change this year. 44% are already planning to make the switch.

While the task may seem daunting, especially when trying to align your previous experiences with your new career goals, remember that your unique path adds value. Your diverse background brings a fresh perspective that can differentiate you from other candidates. Embrace the narrative of your career change with enthusiasm , focusing on how your journey has equipped you with a rare and valuable combination of skills.

Yes, there may be moments of doubt or hurdles along the way, such as mastering new industry jargon or gaining specific technical skills. Yet, with persistence, a willingness to learn, and a strategic approach to your resume, you're not just changing jobs—you're stepping into a future brimming with possibilities. Let your resume be a testament to your journey, an invitation for employers to be part of your exciting next chapter.  Remember, every skill you've acquired, and every challenge you've navigated, has prepared you for this moment. Now, it's time to leap confidently into the new adventure that awaits.

Making a big life change is pretty scary. But, know what’s even scarier? Regret.

Looking for some more information related to career change? Here are some further links that may be interesting for you:

• Career Change Cover Letter Guide
• How to Write a Career Change Resume Summary
• LinkedIn Headline for Career Changers
• How to Answer the "Why Do You Want to Change Your Career Path" Interview Question
• Tried and Tested Career Change Resume Tips
• Which Resume is Considered Most Useful for Changing or Starting Careers

How to format a career change resume

The most effective way to format a career change resume  is by using a combination or hybrid resume format  as opposed to reverse-chronological  or functional formats . This approach allows you to showcase your transferable skills and competencies upfront, followed by a reverse-chronological listing of your employment history.

Here’s why this format works best for career changers:

• Highlights transferable skills:  Start with a strong summary  or objective statement  that articulates your career change goal and value proposition. Follow this with a skills section  that highlights transferable skills  relevant to the new field. This setup ensures that your applicable abilities capture the hiring manager’s attention first.
• Demonstrates relevant experience:  After the skills section, include a "Relevant Experience" section where you can list any direct experience, projects , or roles (including volunteer work ) that relate to your new career path, even if they weren't part of your main job duties previously.
• Includes professional experience: Continue with a reverse chronological order of your professional experience , focusing on achievements and responsibilities that demonstrate skills applicable to the new field. Use bullet points to quantify achievements  and show how your work contributed to organizational goals.
• Education and continuous learning:  Clearly list your educational background  and any additional certifications or courses that are relevant to your new career. This shows your commitment to developing the necessary skills for the transition.
• Custom sections for extra impact:  Depending on your unique situation, you might add sections for projects, certifications , or professional affiliations  related to your new field. These can further demonstrate your interest and engagement with the industry you’re moving into.

Remember, the key is to tailor your resume  for each job application, emphasizing the skills and experiences most relevant to the job description. This targeted approach, combined with a hybrid format, can make your career change seem not just plausible but advantageous to potential employers.

It’s not all smooth sailing though.

The biggest challenges facing individuals making a career change resume

We have gathered several common issues that many career changers come across while creating a resume for a new position in a new field. Have a look before we go on to remedy them:

• Writing a compelling career objective: Career changes often necessitate a brand new objective or personal statement at the top of the resume. The challenge is making this compelling and convincing to prospective employers.
• Translating skills and experiences to fit the new industry:  Many skills learned in one profession may be transferable to another. The challenge is translating these applicable skills on paper in a way that the hiring manager from the new industry can appreciate and value.
• Understanding industry jargon:  Different professions have different vocabularies. Making a career change may mean encountering unfamiliar terms, tools, or protocols. Without a good understanding, it can be a challenge to create a resume that speaks to the specific needs of the industry.
• Using relevant job posting websites: Every industry has its specific job boards . If switching from tech to finance, for example, platforms like Dice or TechCrunch might not be as relevant as eFinancialCareers or Wall Street Oasis.
• Identification of relevant further training or certification programs:  Depending on the industry you're moving into, you may need to highlight in your resume relevant qualifications or certifications that demonstrate your dedication and eligibility.

Here are the most important sections you’ll be focusing on while crafting your next resume.

The top sections on a career change resume

• Objective or professional summary : It helps recruiters understand your career intent and how it aligns with the role.
• Skills:  This section helps showcase your capabilities and proficiencies, as they relate to your new career path.
• Relevant training and certifications:  Detail any training you've taken or certifications earned to show you're acquiring the necessary skills for the new job.
• Transferable experience:  Highlight your past experiences that apply to the new role, showing you have a relevant background.
• List of references:  It adds credibility and allows recruiters to verify your skills and capabilities.

It’s not all about format, it’s about content, too. Throughout your resume aim to communicate and demonstrate the following elements.

What recruiters want to see on your resume

• Relevant skills:  These are prioritized to see if you possess the necessary capabilities for the role you're transitioning to.
• Transferable skills: Recruiters look for these to gauge if previous experiences can benefit the current role.
• Willingness to learn: Emphasizing this shows your initiative and drive, crucial for someone changing careers.
• Networking connections:  If you have connections in the new field, it may indicate a smoother transition.
• Career change rationale:  Your reasons for changing careers are crucial; they can demonstrate your commitment to the new path.

This can be the trickiest section for anyone changing careers. When writing the work experience section on a career change resume, focus on transferable skills that align with the new role.

Unlike a regular resume, you need to:

• Emphasize how your past experiences, though in different industries, have equipped you with skills relevant to the new job.
• Highlight achievements and tasks that demonstrate universal competencies like leadership, problem-solving, and communication.
• Use action verbs and quantify achievements to show impact.
• Tailor each entry to reflect how your background is an asset to the new field, making connections between your past roles and your future career goals clear and compelling.

Let’s take a look at one possible experience entry and how to direct it towards a career change.

• • Spearheaded a team of 10, enhancing team productivity by 25% through strategic leadership and effective communication skills.
• • Implemented a customer feedback system that reduced response times by 30%, demonstrating keen problem-solving abilities and a focus on efficiency.
• • Led cross-functional training programs that improved team adaptability and technical knowledge, showcasing an ability to educate and empower others.
• • Negotiated with suppliers to reduce costs by 15%, highlighting strong negotiation and financial management skills.

So although the actual position may not be related the skills are. They highlight transferable skills like leadership, efficiency, problem-solving, and financial savvy, making the candidate's experience

How to quantify impact on your resume

On a career change resume, quantifying impact, once again, involves highlighting accomplishments that demonstrate transferable skills and relevance to the new field, similar to a regular resume but with a focus on universality and adaptability .

Here’s how:

• Use numbers and percentages : Just like on any resume, include data and metrics to quantify your achievements. For example, "Increased sales by 20%" or "Reduced customer complaints by 30%."
• Emphasize transferable outcomes:  Choose metrics that showcase results relevant to your desired field. For instance, if moving to project management, highlight achievements in organization, leadership, and efficiency, like "Managed a team of 5" or "Completed projects 10% under budget."
• Highlight efficiency improvements:  Demonstrate how you made processes more efficient or saved time/money, as these are universally appreciated skills. For example, "Streamlined inventory management, saving 5 hours weekly."
• Focus on problem-solving:  Quantify your impact by showing how you addressed and solved problems, "Resolved a recurring issue, improving customer satisfaction by 25%."

The key difference is ensuring that the way you quantify your achievements not only reflects success in your past roles but also aligns with the priorities and values of your new industry, demonstrating your potential for impact even without direct experience.

In the skills section of your resume  prioritize transferable ones. List hard skills relevant to the new field first, followed by soft skills demonstrating adaptability and potential. Unlike a regular resume, emphasize how each skill applies to the new industry, even if acquired in a different context.

Hard skills  are technical abilities or knowledge learned through education or training, specific to a job (e.g., software proficiency).  

Examples of transferable hard skills for a career change resume

• Technical proficiency:  Skills in software and applications relevant across industries, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, or programming languages.
• Data analysis:  The ability to collect, analyze, and interpret data, using tools like Excel, SPSS, or Google Analytics.
• Project management:  Experience with project management methodologies and tools, such as Agile, Scrum, or project management software like Trello or Asana.
• Foreign languages:  Proficiency in additional languages can be a significant asset in many fields.
• Financial literacy:  Skills in budgeting, financial forecasting, and using financial software.
• Digital marketing:  Knowledge of SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, and using platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Business Manager.
• Technical writing:  The ability to produce clear, concise, and useful documentation and reports.

Soft skills  are interpersonal attributes and traits that affect how well you can work or interact with others (e.g., communication, teamwork).

Examples of transferable soft skills for a career change resume

• Communication:  Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Problem-solving:  The ability to identify problems and find effective solutions.
• Adaptability:  Being able to adjust to new environments and challenges.
• Teamwork:  Working well with others towards a common goal.
• Team leadership:  The ability to lead and motivate others.
• Time management:  Efficiently managing your time to meet deadlines.
• Emotional intelligence:  Understanding and managing your emotions and those of others.
• Critical thinking:  Analyzing information and making reasoned decisions.
• Creative thinking:  Generating innovative ideas and solutions.
• Interpersonal skills:  Building and maintaining strong work relationships.

Properly listing certifications and education on your resume is crucial for career changers for several reasons.

On a regular resume, education, and certifications complement your work experience directly related to the job. For career changers, these sections are critical to highlight transferable skills and new knowledge that align with the career shift.

By strategically presenting your certifications and education, you can bridge the gap between your past career and your desired new path, making it easier for employers to see how your background equips you for a successful transition.

Here’s what you should consider while you list them:

• Prioritize relevance:  List the most relevant education and certifications near the top of your resume. If you've taken courses or earned certifications specifically for your new career, highlight these first.
• Include details:  For each certification or course, include the name of the certification/course, the issuing organization, and the date of completion or expiration. For education, include your degree, field of study, and the institution.
• Explain relevance:  Briefly mention how specific certifications or aspects of your education are relevant to the new field, especially if it’s not immediately obvious. This can be done in a short bullet point or parenthetical note.

It’s time to explore perhaps the most essential element of your career-changer resume— the resume profile .

The resume summary or objective statement is crucial on a career change resume as it immediately clarifies your intent to shift fields and highlights your transferable skills and motivation.

A resume summary  highlights your top achievements, skills, and experience relevant to the job, aimed at experienced professionals. An objective statement  outlines your career goals and what you aim to achieve in the role, often used by new graduates or those changing careers, focusing on how they can benefit the employer.

For a career change, focus on crafting a compelling objective statement that outlines your career goals, why you’re transitioning, and how your existing skills and experiences align with the new field.

Include specifics about your professional background, emphasize your eagerness to learn, and mention any relevant skills or training you have undertaken to prepare for the change. This approach personalizes your application and demonstrates your commitment to the new career path.

Below you can see an example of an effectively written objective statement doing just that.

This is what’s done right:

• Clear transition:  It explicitly states the shift from healthcare to tech, guiding the employer through the career change narrative.
• Highlights transferable skills:  The statement emphasizes skills like project management and communication that are valuable in both sectors.
• Demonstrates enthusiasm:  Shows eagerness to contribute to the new field, which can be compelling to potential employers.
• Focuses on contribution : It's oriented towards how the candidate can benefit the new industry, not just what they wish to gain.

Tailor your objective statement to the specific job and industry you’re targeting by incorporating keywords from the job description. This customization not only shows your genuine interest in the role but also helps your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems  (ATS), making it more likely to reach the hiring manager.

Crafting a career change resume is a strategic endeavor that highlights your transferable skills, showcases your adaptability, and demonstrates your passion for a new field. With careful tailoring and a focus on your unique journey, your resume can open doors to exciting opportunities and mark the beginning of a fulfilling new chapter.

Here are some key takeaways from our article:

• Focusing on transferable skills is crucial for a career change resume.
• A combination or hybrid resume format is most effective for career changers, allowing them to showcase transferable skills and relevant experience up front.
• Including a clear objective statement helps articulate career change intentions and how past experiences align with new roles.
• Translating skills to fit the new industry, understanding jargon, using industry-specific job boards, and identifying relevant training are common challenges.
• Demonstrating suitable skills, related experiences, willingness to learn, and networking connections are key.
• Hard skills like technical proficiency and soft skills such as communication are equally valuable in new careers.
• Education and certifications should be listed with relevance to the new field in mind, showing commitment to transitioning successfully.

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Reinvention for Moms

Best Functional Resume Example for a Career Change

Are you considering a career change? Crafting a functional resume can be a powerful tool to make a compelling case for your skills and abilities, especially when transitioning into a new field. In this blog post, we will explore the best functional resume example for a career change that will help you stand out in the competitive job market.

Whether you are a seasoned professional looking to pivot or a recent graduate exploring new opportunities, this example will provide you with valuable insights and practical tips to create a winning functional resume example for a career change.

According to a recent study , recruiters only spend about seven seconds scanning your resume initially. Therefore, the information needs to be clear, especially if you are changing career fields. If your resume is targeted toward your old field versus the field you want to change to, your resume will immediately get put in the “no pile.”

The functional resume example below showcases a candidate who is making a career change from the field of human resources management to the field of non-profit management. Notice in the example how the candidate indicated their career goal in the first line of the resume. This takes any guesswork away from a hiring manager or recruiter.

You will also notice that the candidate has succeeded in highlighting transferable skills and achievements that are applicable in both human resources management AND non-profit management instead of focusing on non-related work experience. Subsequently, the candidate has successfully tailored the resume toward their targeted field instead of their prior field.

INEEDA CHANGE

City, State Zip │ (123) 456-7890 │ [email protected] │ linkedin.com / in / ineedachange

CAREER PROFILE

Seeking to leverage my collaboration and leadership experience in human resources management to segue into non-profit management. Extensive experience managing and coordinating internal and external teams and stakeholders. Highly skilled at coordinating marketing and public relations efforts to raise brand awareness and increase social media engagement.

RELEVANT SKILLS

Staff Development

• 10+ years of experience supervising and managing day to day operations of 40+ person staff in Fortune 500 company.
• Experience generating reports and measurement tools to provide staff with constructive feedback, leading to consistent staff performance improvement.
• Reputation for fostering productive, professional, and culturally diverse work environment where staff grow and thrive.

Public Relations & Digital Media

• Five years of experience overseeing social media presence for large corporations, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
• Coordinate and implement daily and weekly social media posts and updates to organization’s site.
• Produced and managed 100+ eblasts to various constituencies.

Strategic Planning

• Extensive experience collaborating with business leaders and hiring managers to understand hiring needs and goals and to develop, implement, and execute strategic hiring plans.
• As recruitment manager, increased employee retention by 60% in two-year period through developing and implementing new employee training and mentoring system.
• Highly skilled at researching and analyzing growth opportunities, identifying appropriate partners, and developing alliances that accelerate organizational strategic goals.

Recruitment Manager , Go Global, Phoenix, AZ                                                                 01/2020 – Present

Human Resources Assistant, Excel Productions, Phoenix, AZ                                           09/2015 – 08/2020

Sales Associate, Nordstrom, Phoenix, AZ 08/2011 – 08/2015

Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing 2012

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

In Conclusion

Utilizing a functional resume template can be highly beneficial for individuals undergoing a career change. By shifting the focus towards relevant skills and achievements rather than work history, this style allows for a tailored resume that aligns with the requirements of the new field. Such a strategic approach enhances the chances of securing an opportunity in the desired career path.

Using a Functional Resume for a Career Change FAQs

What is a functional resume example for a career change.

A functional resume example for a career change is a format that emphasizes your transferable skills and abilities rather than a chronological work history. It highlights relevant qualifications that make you a strong candidate for a new career path.

How should I structure a functional resume example for a career change?

When creating a functional resume example for a career change, start with a concise summary of your qualifications and career objective.

Next, showcase your relevant skills, achievements, and experiences, focusing on how they align with the desired role while highlighting transferable skills that are applicable to your prior as well as new career field.

Lastly, list your work history in a separate section underneath your relevant skills and experience. List job titles, companies, and dates of employment.

When should I use a functional resume in my job search?

The main circumstances to use a functional resume in your job application is if you are changing career fields, if you have a career gap or employment gap (more than one year), or to minimize job hopping.

Lee Cristina Beaser

Lee brings over two decades of expertise in guiding individuals towards career success. Having helped thousands of professionals in a wide variety of industries, she has a deep understanding of the intricacies of the job market. Lee founded The Career Counter, a platform dedicated to providing busy people, especially moms returning to the workforce, with tools and services tailored to their unique career goals.

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What Is a Functional Resume? Example and Tips on How to Write Yours

Your resume should be tailored to the role you’re applying for. No sweat, right? The thing is, creating a customized resume for every job you have your eyes on is no easy task, especially if your work history isn’t an exact match for the position you want. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could just list all your skills out without having to worry about making your work experience look cohesive? Like, say, on a functional resume?

Below, we break down everything you need to know about a functional resume: what it is, when to use one, when not to, and, of course, how to write yours in a way that helps the hiring manager see how your unique set of skills matches their needs—and why you’re the ideal person for the job.

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What is a functional resume?

A functional resume, sometimes called a skills-based resume , places the focus on your skills and areas of expertise, rather than on the details of your work history. Instead of simply listing your recent jobs and corresponding duties in reverse chronological order (like you would on a more traditional chronological resume ), you’d select only the most relevant responsibilities from each of your past roles and combine them to paint a broader picture of your skill set.

Functional resume format

Like any other resume, a functional layout features your name and contact information at the top and lists your technical skills , interests, and education toward the bottom (unless you’re a recent graduate—in that case it may be closer to the top).

The difference is that the body of a functional resume highlights your most important skills—such as “administrative experience” or “customer service”—with three to five bullet points that show how you’ve applied those skills in various roles.

Then your work history would appear as a simple list below your skills section , where you’d only include your job title, the name of your employer, the city where you worked, and your dates of employment. (Check out our example functional resume below to get a sense of how that works.)

Because this layout places the primary focus on your relevant skills, functional resumes allow you to better tailor the content to a specific role you’re hoping to land, without having to worry too much about job titles that don’t sound relevant, gaps in employment, or an eclectic work history.

Functional resume vs chronological resume

In a chronological resume, you list your work history in reverse chronological order—from your most recent to oldest experience. This is the most common type of resume and is ideal for professionals with little to no employment gaps and relevant experience related to the job they're currently applying for.

That's exactly what differentiates a reverse chronological resume from a functional resume. While functional resumes focus on skills, reverse chronological resumes highlight employment history and relevant experience​​—where you worked and what you accomplished there.

Combination resume vs functional resume

A combination resume mixes elements of both functional and reverse chronological resumes. In this format, relevant skills are listed first, followed by employment history in chronological order, from newest to oldest experience. This type of resume is recommended for job seekers with diverse backgrounds and transferable skills relevant to the job opening.

Should you use a functional resume in your job search?

If you have other viable choices, probably not. Recruiters often see functional resumes as a red flag and might assume that the applicant behind the resume is trying to hide something, like a lack of qualifications. So although a skills-based resume might be an effective way to highlight your relevant experience, this resume format greatly decreases your chances of landing an interview .

Recruiters want to learn as much as they possibly can about an applicant from their resume, so they’re going to be looking to find out which companies you’ve worked at, your tenure in each role, and what you’ve achieved in each position. When you bury these details at the bottom of your resume (or exclude them completely), a recruiter is likely to assume that your background must not be a very strong fit.

Recruiters are also notoriously short on time, often reviewing hundreds of resumes a day. They don’t want to be forced to scour your resume for relevant details—your resume should, ideally, be very easy to scan. And because functional resumes aren’t terribly common, a recruiter might have a harder time making sense of an alternative format. (Instead, you might consider using a combination resume .)

When can you use a functional resume?

Red flags aside, there are times when a functional resume may still be your best option. For instance:

• When you don’t have recent experience: If it’s been a few years since you last held a traditional job, you may not want your less-than-recent work history to be the first thing a hiring manager notices on your resume. Leading with your skills could be a good way to pique a recruiter’s interest before they review your dates of employment.
• When you’re making a major career pivot: If you’ve collected an array of transferable skills throughout your work experience but have never used them in the context of a single role, a skills-based resume might allow you to demonstrate how your unique abilities will translate into the next act of your career.
• When you don’t have work experience: Functional resumes enable you to be a little creative with your work history and allow for some flexibility in the skills you choose to highlight. For example, you probably developed some great research skills as a student, solid scheduling experience when you headed the PTA committee, or exceptional customer service acumen that time you volunteered for that political campaign.
• When your work history is all over the place: If you’ve held a string of short-term positions or worked in a variety of roles (I’m looking at you, freelancers and temp workers—no judgment, I’m one, too!), using a functional resume may be a great way to organize your experience into a more cohesive story.
• When your relevant experience isn’t rooted in traditional work: Say you've volunteered at a soup kitchen for the past few years and now you want to land a job as a server. You’d probably want to feature the skills you’ve picked up as a volunteer, while also highlighting your other, more traditional experience. A functional resume could be a great way to bring it all together.

When not to use a functional resume?

In certain circumstances, the traditional reverse chronological resume is definitely the best option. For example:

• When you can demonstrate career growth: In most fields, recruiters put a lot of value in experience and achievements. So if you have years of experience in the field and your employment history clearly demonstrates professional evolution, it should have the spotlight.
• When your recent work experience is relevant: Let's say your last job was in the same position you're applying for right now, but other than that, you don't have much experience. In this case, ditch the functional resume and use the reverse chronological format.
• When listing past employment is important: In some industries—think medicine or education, for example—it's crucial to list your past employment. Recruiters often ask for reference or recommendations as well.

How to write a functional resume in 6 steps

Once you decide that the functional resume format is the best choice for your application, you want to make sure you build it correctly.

Writing a functional resume is much like any other resume style; it should still include your contact information , education , work or volunteer experience , and technical skills. The main difference is that your skills and achievements will be featured prominently in the body of the resume.

If it makes sense, you can separate your skills into subcategories to make it easier to read. You may also want to consider including a brief resume summary to tie everything together. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Write your contact information

The first piece of information on your resume should be your full name, followed by your contact information—which includes your email address, phone number, LinkedIn profile , and your address (limited to city, state, and zip code, for your safety).

Step 2: Craft a relevant resume summary

Writing a resume summary is optional, but when used effectively, this section provides recruiters with insights into who you are and what are your career aspirations. For instance, if you have an employment gap or are transitioning into a new field, the summary section can come in handy, so the recruiters don't have to figure it out by themselves.

You can also use this space to incorporate relevant skills and achievements using keywords from the job description, making it easier for the ATS to scan. Two to three sentences are enough to summarize relevant information about your education, skills, achievements, and objectives.

For sake of illustration, here's an example of a summary for a virtual assistant making a career pivot to social media:

Dedicated and detail-oriented virtual assistant with three years of experience working with clients worldwide online. Skilled in social media management, copywriting, image and video editing, data entry, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut. Looking for a career pivot to social media management.

Step 3: Group your skills and achievements

The skills section is the most important section of a functional resume. Its goal is to help recruiters quickly understand how your skills match the job requirements. Instead of presenting a gigantic list of skills, it's a good idea to group them and use bullet points for each category.

For example, if you're applying for an entry-level social media position and you're skilled in writing, filming, and editing, your section skills might look like this:

RELEVANT SKILLS

Copywriting

• Wrote over 30+ blog posts for my school's website, driving a 5% increase in readers
• Wrote all posts and captions for the school's social media for two semesters, increasing followers by 10%
• Created the concept and wrote all posts for my personal blog and newsletter (www.greatsite.com) school events and interviews with students and professionals for social media content
• Created scripts, filmed, and directed educational videos for the school's website, increasing students engagement by 12%
• Used Adobe Premiere and Final Cut to edit and add special effects to videos for the school's social media and website
• Used editing tools such as Capcut to make short versions of videos for the school's TikTok page
• Used Adobe Photoshop to edit images for the school's social media and website, as well as for my own blog and newsletter

Step 4: List your education background

Include the name of your institution, degree type, year of graduation, and any relevant coursework or achievements, if applicable. If you have an impressive GPA, add that too. For example:

B.S. Computer Science, Carleton College

September 2007 – May 2011, Northfield, MN

Graduated magna cum laude; GPA: 3.6

Step 5: List your work experience

In a skill-based resume, work experience typically comes last, although you may also find functional resume examples where the education section is placed at the end. There's no right or wrong here—choose based on what information is most relevant to the position you're applying for.

You don't have to include all the details about your employment history—remember, that's not your main focus on functional resumes. Just mention your job title, employer, and the dates you worked there. For example:

WORK EXPERIENCE

Virtual Assistant

Assisting Inc. | June 2021—Present

Sales Manager

Great Store | May 2018 — March 2020

Step 6: Add your certifications or awards

If you have certificates relevant to your field or the one you're trying to enter, consider including a dedicated section for them. However, if your certifications aren't related to the job you're seeking, you can skip this section. Same goes for awards—only add them if they're relevant.

What’s a good functional resume example?

When putting all the steps above together, here’s what your functional resume could look like:

Download a Free Example Functional Resume

Bonus tips to write a functional resume

If you’re going to give drafting a functional layout a shot, keep in mind that the tried and true best practices of resume writing still apply. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

• Keep your resume to a single page (this is true for basically everyone except those decades into their careers—in which case a two-page resume isn’t out of the question).
• Include clear, concise headlines (like “Areas of Expertise” and “Work Experience”) to break up each section, thus making your resume easier to scan.
• Use compelling verbs to describe your skills and accomplishments (words like achieved, led, directed, streamlined, or solved).
• Attribute a tangible, measurable outcome to each job duty whenever possible.
• Tailor the content of your resume to the job you’re applying for, including relevant keywords where appropriate (this is for the hiring manager to skim and for the ATS to give you the thumbs up).

Functional resume FAQs

What does a functional resume highlight.

A functional resume highlights your skills. Unlike the reverse chronological resume format, where work experience comes first, in this format, the skills and achievements section stays right at the top of the page. This way, you make sure it's the first thing recruiters see when reviewing your resume.

When should you write a functional skills resume?

You should consider writing a functional resume if you lack work experience, have a diverse employment history, are making a career pivot, or have a significant employment gap.

Do employers like functional resumes?

Truth to be told, employers generally prefer the traditional resume format with reverse chronological order, and a simple, clean layout. However, this doesn't mean they'll discard a functional resume outright. For entry-level positions , for example, a resume that focuses more on skills, achievements, and education rather than work experience is often expected.

What best describes a functional resume?

A functional resume can be described as a skill-based resume because it prioritizes your skills as the most important information. This contrasts with the traditional reverse chronological resume, where employment history is considered more relevant.

In conclusion

Whenever possible, you should stick to a traditional resume to keep recruiters from making unfavorable assumptions about your experience. But if you know that a chronological layout won’t properly tell your story in a compelling way, a functional resume may help.

Just remember that you might be starting off at a disadvantage when it comes to your resume, so you’ll also need to have a strong networking plan, a consistent application strategy, and an exceptional cover letter . Amanda Cardoso contributed to the latest version of this article.