One of the most common questions we receive here at ResumeSpice is, “Does format really matter?” It’s been well established that recruiters don’t spend a lot of time screening resumes. So it’s crucial to keep their attention and it begins with the correct format. We don’t want you to lose out on your dream job due to resume formatting, so we’re here to tell you one format you should never use.
It’s called the functional resume.
This format is designed to highlight your achievements under a skill set rather than a chronological order of date and place of employment. Recruiters and employers who see functional resumes immediately become disengaged or, even worse, look over the resume altogether. Simply, a functional resume should never be used and this is why.
6 Seconds of Comprehension
We’ve mentioned in a previous blog that you may get around six seconds of a recruiters’ time when they pull up your resume. That’s a very short period to decide if a candidate should move forward or be taken out of the running for a potential position. A functional resume hinders recruiters from understanding your career path timeline – or the details. Functional resumes require digging and recruiters do not have enough time to connect your skills to your job history. Stick to a format that always places your skills and achievements next to your company and tenure.
Hiding Information
Hiring managers and recruiters carry suspicions of any resume with a functional style. They have a good reason; the vast majority of job seekers who utilize this resume format are doing so in order to hide something. And recruiters know it. Oftentimes the candidate has the best intention when trying not to display a job gap or a string of short-held positions. However, a functional resume only highlights those pieces of information. Reverse chronological order is best at highlighting that you’ve moved forward despite the bumps.
Unclear
It may seem like your skill set is lost amongst your job history but it’s actually not. When you provide context by showing where, when, and how you accomplished an achievement or mastered a skill, it speaks to the employer. Functional resumes, simply put, make poor story-tellers. They give no context for an accomplishment or skill. Remember, how you did it holds just as much merit as what you did. That’s why it is not ideal to separate what you achieved from your place of employment.
If a functional resume isn’t a solution, then what can you do? If you have resume gaps or perhaps a time period you weren’t thrilled about in your career, I suggest reading How to Handle a Career Gap on Your Resume. You can also utilize a chronological format which will display your most current position and allow recruiters to effectively review your resume.
Need more help creating a strong resume – and finding a new job? Call ResumeSpice. As one of the country’s leading professional resume writing services, we can help you produce a winning resume. Contact us today to learn more at 832.930.7378.
