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Today is a great day to level up your resume.  Free resume templates in every style, format, and design you can imagine. 

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Professional resume templates for job seekers with ample work experience. Showcase your skills and qualifications. Browse our best free resume templates to give your resume the glow-up it deserves. 

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Uncluttered editable resume template with minimal styling. Choose a time-tested basic resume design to avoid any faux pas with employers or applicant screening software. 

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Not sure which resume design works for your profession? Go with a professional resume template if you’re an experienced worker applying via email. Or download a basic resume template if the company uses an ATS — this way, your resume won’t get filtered out. 

Gunning up for a job in a creative industry or a hip startup? Try out one of the modern resume templates or a creative resume design to give your job application a unique, brandable flair. Resume templates with photos also work great! 

Or better yet, test-drive several free resume templates to see which one gets you the most positive responses! 

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The best resume templates for Microsoft Word. Our most downloaded and top-rated designs in .doc and .docx format are the ones you have seen on this page until here, so make sure to scroll back to the top if MS Word format is what you are looking for.

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• Select a design you fancy and download a free copy to your computer. 
• Open the template in Microsoft Word or Google Docs to personalize. 
• Fill in the blanks using your personal details. Refer to relevant resume examples for ideas and tips. 
• Review and edit your resume. Include strong verbs and adjectives to add persuasion. 
• Save and name your document: Resume – First name and Surname. 
• Create a PDF resume version to send via email. PDFs help avoid formatting issues. 

How To Write A Resume

A resume template is the best cure for the blank page syndrome. You’re halfway done — all that’s left is to fill in the blanks in the resume template and hit save. 

Select The Right Resume Format 

The 3 most popular resume formats are chronological, functional, and combination resumes. 

• Chronological resume organizes the information like LinkedIn does – from the latest position to the first one, with education, interests, and additional info listed later. It’s the most popular resume format, preferred for recruiters. Go for it unless you’re entry-level or changing careers. 
• Functional resume keeps the focus on your skills and experience, rather than employment history. It’s the go-to choice for candidates with employment gaps and those without much hands-on work experience.
• Combination resume takes the best of both worlds and allows you to spice up your “dry” employment history with some juicy details about your skill set and achievements. Startups and edgier companies may prefer this. 

Create a Compelling Summary 

A resume summary is a two-sentence statement highlighting your key qualifications, skills, and value proposition for the role. It sits in the header area, right after your name and contact details. Think of it as a teaser to a movie — you should put your most marketable skills upfront to immediately capture the hiring manager’s attention and get them interested in reading the full copy. 

Add Work History 

List your employers in reverse chronological order. Each entry should include the employment date, job title, company name, key responsibilities, and achievements listed in bullet format . Include 3 to 5 bullet points for each position. Don’t get long-winded — your resume must fit into one page. 

Include Marketable Resume Skills 

With skills-based hiring on the rise, you must demonstrate specific competencies rather than just tenure and educational credentials. Showcase your best hard and soft skills in a featured sidebar section, plus your resume summary and work experience entries.

Check the following posts for ideas:

• Business acumen skills for resume
• Critical thinking skills for a resume 
• Conceptual skills for a resume
• Leadership skills for a resume 
• Organizational skills for a resume 
• Technical skills for a resume  
• Childcare skills for resume 
• Nursing skills for a resume 
• Transferable skills for a resume 
• Retail skills for a resume  

List Education 

Unless you are a recent graduate, don’t dwell on this section too much. Simply list all your degrees (highest to lowest), the name of your educational institution, and your graduation date. But if you’re still in college, you can also add your GPA , dean’s list , or research .  

Learn more from our ultimate guide to writing, styling, and formatting a resume . 

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Download a free pre-formatted resume template from Freesumes.com in your preferred format (Word or Google Docs). Open a copy in the word processing software and edit the blank sections with personal details. Click save, and you’ll have a professionally formatted resume in no time.

Is there a truly free resume builder?

Yes, Freesumes resume builder is 100% free to use. No account registration is required. Using our free generator, you can make a resume in PDF using one of the six free templates and contextual writing prompts created by expert writers.

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The most popular resume templates are chronological resume templates. You can find several dozen popular, professional resume templates on Freesumes in Word and Google Doc formats. Our templates have been downloaded over 4 million times! 

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Do employers not like resume templates?

Employers don’t mind resume templates as long as they are professionally made and properly formatted. A sloppy or too vivid design, however, will make you look amateurish. Choose a simple, well-structured resume template in neutral colors, and you’ll always get a positive impression from a prospective employer. 

Is it better to make your own resume or use a template?

This totally depends on you. If you have an eye for design and know information architecture best practices, you can make a stellar resume on your own. Otherwise, you can save heaps of time by using a premade professional resume template to avoid any mishaps with layout or font selection.

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Functional resume format: Examples, tips, & free templates

Sections to include on your functional resume

Choosing the right format is one of the first and most important decisions you have to make when writing a resume . This guide will discuss the nuances of the functional format and the circumstances for using it. We'll also provide you with adaptable examples and plenty of other resources to help you choose the right type of resume.

A functional resume focuses on your skills and talents. It shows the reader how you can contribute to their organizational objectives from day one. It also helps to mask any issues with your employment history which a chronological resume may expose, such as limited experience or job gaps. We will discuss the pros and cons.

This guide will help you to confirm that a functional resume is the best choice for you, by teaching you the following:

• Introduce the functional resume as an option
• Show you how to create a layout for this type of resume
• What information to include in a functional resume
• How to organize each section

Why do many recruiters hate functional resumes? While a functional resume will be suitable for certain job seekers, as we will explore, we cannot escape the fact that recruiters dislike them. Functional resumes make it hard to understand when you accomplished specific things, there is little opportunity to understand the context of accomplishments and they automatically assume that the applicant is hiding something. If you have any career of note (3+ years) - think very carefully whether you want a recruiter to be feeling this way.

The functional resume: An introduction

The functional resume format is applicable for individuals with a great deal of education and training and/or a strong set of job-related skills. This includes new graduates or experienced workers transferring to a new industry where their skills and education will apply. It is also good for people who have worked for a limited number of organizations and whose skills are more important than the employers they have worked for.

A functional resume highlights your skills and talents and how they relate to the job you’re applying for. Often, the skills you have are the same ones described in the job posting. This type of resume is best for people working in technical or skill-based professions, or who are transitioning into a new career .

There are 3 common resume formats: chronological, functional, and a combination. Here's how to choose the right one for you.

My career path hasn't been smooth. Should I hide it with a functional resume? Being open and honest about your career is the only choice. If you attempt to hide job hopping and career gaps with a functional resume, you guarantee an awkward barrage of probing questions in an interview (where you will have to tell the truth). Career gaps happen, mistakes happen and people get fired for no reason. Interviewers understand this - a bumpy career history doesn't mean that you won't do a fantastic job.

Format of a functional resume

The format of a functional resume is very specific. It is structured to enable recruiters to quickly determine your qualifications for the job and to encourage them to read the complete resume to learn more about you. An easy way to create your resume is to select a functional resume template which you can find online and simply insert your details into the appropriate sections, following the prompts provided by the functional resume template. However, you still need to know what the structure of a functional resume looks like.

The basic structure for a functional resume is:

• Name and contact information (email, phone and possibly the location, but never an address)
• Title – This should match the job title you are applying for
• Summary of applicable skills and any experience relevant to those listed in the job posting.
• Hard Skills – The emphasis is here. These are the skills directly related to the job
• Additional Skills – Soft skills which complement the job
• Education – Formal, vocational and subsequent training in specific skills (note – this may precede the Skills section if you are a recent graduate or have received recent training which would qualify you for the position)
• Experience – Brief listing of employers, dates, and title
• Industry related certifications
• Industry organizations
• Volunteer experience

Career change is a valid reason for a functional resume format. Having said that recruiters don't like functional resumes, when you are changing careers and wish to emphasize that you have the necessary skills to do your new job, a spotlight on functional skills and competencies is exactly what you need.

The basic content you include in your resume is similar for any resume format you choose to use. However, how it is organized and how much detail you provide for each section differs depending on the type of resume you are writing. Here are the content and organization recommendations for the functional resume .

Contact information

The resume starts with your contact information. This will allow the employer to reach out to you to invite you to an interview , which is the purpose of a resume. Your contact details should include:

• Phone number
• e-mail address
• LinkedIn profile URL

Each of these items could be at the top of each page of the resume so the employer will know whose resume they are reading. Your name should be slightly larger than your contact information. Your email address and LinkedIn URL can contain links which the employer can click on. Anything you can do to make it easier for the employer will help you land the interview.

Professional summary

The next item in your functional resume is a brief summary of your professional background. This enables the employer to begin to know something about you and encourages them to want to read the rest of your resume. It should be the same as your ‘ elevator pitch ’ or your answer to the infamous ‘ Tell me about yourself ’ interview question. It should summarize your skills, experience, and ability to contribute to the employer’s business objectives in 2-3 sentences.

(Adjective 1) and (adjective 2) (job title) who is passionate about (job duty) and offering (service provided by company) with efficiency and attention to detail. Excited to learn more about (field) from (company name) and be a part of achieving (goal.)

A resume summary is one of the most important components of any resume, and it’s probably the most challenging part to write.

This next section will include both ‘ hard skills ’ , which are directly related to the job you are applying to, and ‘ soft skills ’ , which are character traits. This latter category will demonstrate your ability to work well in the employer’s environment. They include things like communication, teamwork, attention to detail, and others.

When you opt for a functional resume , the skills section is the most important and you will spend more time on this section than you would in other types of resumes. The individual skills will be grouped in similar categories and described in much more detail. It may also contain examples of accomplishments related to the skills.  

Here is an example of the type of skills you could add to your own functional resume:

• Technical knowledge
• Personality trait
• Quality mentioned in job description

Similar to the skills section, the employment history or professional experience section of the resume will differ depending on the style of the resume you are using. For all formats, the basic information you include will be:

• Company name
• Dates employed

The positions are listed in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position and working backward. You should only list jobs going back for about 10 years. Anything prior to this either is no longer relevant to contemporary positions or the experience has already been described in more recent employment listings.

In the functional resume, this is all the detail you need to provide. The focus here is on your skills, which you have already described in detail.

• Your main job duty
• Your attitude towards customers and coworkers
• A skill you learned on the job
• Your biggest achievement

This section details both your formal and informal training related to the job you are applying to. The formal education is listed in reverse order, starting with the most recent or highest degree attained. The information you include is:

• Degree, with major and any minors if applicable
• School or institution
• Activities including offices held, organizations, key projects or publications

If you have had informal education related to the jobs you’ve held or are applying to, include it in your resume. The descriptions should include:

• Name of the class or certificate attained
• Instructional institution or issuing agency

These items should only be included if they enhance your qualifications for the job. If any education, training or certifications are listed as ‘Required’ in the job posting you are applying to, you may want to move this section to just below Skills and ahead of Experience. If you have a higher education degree, there is no need to list your high school on your resume.

• mm/dd/yyyy – mm/dd/yyyy: Degree name, University name, City, State
• Expected graduation mm/yyyy: High school name, City, State,

The best functional resume example

Check out our example of a great functional resume below. You can make one just like this in only a few clicks by using our easy-to-use resume builder .

Pros and cons of a functional resume

A functional resume poses certain advantages that can quickly help you get your career off the ground. However, it's not the right choice for everyone since the structure can be limiting in terms of work history. Let's explore the pros and cons of this type of resume.

Pros of a functional resume:

• Easy to create without much experience to go off of
• Allows you to highlight your personality traits
• A great option for students and recent grads
• Can be used to change careers and showcase transferrable skills
• The best way to highlight education and abilities with no work experience

Cons of a functional resume:

• No employment history section to highlight previous positions
• Can make you appear like an early-career candidate even if you're not
• Less ability to show hard skills or lessons learned on the job
• Not favored by employers for certain roles
• Stands out as a candidate who doesn't have experience in the field

Functional resume format for freshers

When you are leaving university it is unlikely that you will want your resume to focus on the various student roles that you undertook to earn some money for weekend socializing. 

The jobs in themselves are not important. It is the skills that you developed which matter.

Because it is likely that freshers will have to do a whole range of casual work, the format of a functional resume allows them to pick out the specific skills that each role demands. Employers will understand the sense in avoiding a long list of roles in chronological order - they are interested in your assessment of whether you have what it takes to succeed.

What are the common mistakes found in a functional resume? The most common mistake in a functional resume is the lack of context for the skills that you listed. Every resume, no matter what the format, should be packed with quantifiable proof of your career story. By all means, put a lot of emphasis on your skills, but do not forget to outline exactly what value you have brought to previous employers.

What is a combination resume?

A functional resume is most useful in situations where you need to highlight skills and knowledge that can't be attributed directly to a previous position. But what about when you do have some experience? That's when the combination resume can be a great asset.

The combination resume takes elements of a functional format and adds a shorter work history section similar to the one found on a standard reverse chronological resume. Generally, the skills/experience section that comes from the functional resume will be placed at the top of the page and the employment history will come later. 

The combination resume is a great choice when you have some work experience to show but not enough to fully switch over to the chronological resume. It can also be a good idea to create a combination format if you work in certain creative fields where your skills are more important than previous employers. Freelancers also find this format useful because it focuses more on the services they offer while letting them highlight just a few impressive clients.

The combination (hybrid) resume is increasingly popular. A hybrid resume combines the skills focus of the functional resume with the context-laden career story of a reverse chronological resume. No employer can read too much into a one-word skills section, but a hybrid resume offers a dedicated space to explore the functional fit in more detail. 

Functional resume: Final thoughts

Most people are good at what they do for a living but find it difficult to describe it in writing. Luckily, there are many online resources available to help you design and write a resume . The key is choosing the right format for your particular situation and then filling it with the right content, written in the right way.

Once you select the format, you can either write the resume yourself or find a functional resume template you can use. These are available on the internet and make it easy to create a professional looking resume. You simply fill in your details in the appropriate section and then save or print the resume.

Functional Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

• Resume Examples

How To Write a Functional Resume

• Resume Text Examples

A functional resume prioritizes skills, training, and education instead of work experience. The logic behind this approach is that job seekers who lack hands-on industry experience can instead draw attention to relevant skill sets and qualifications. While you might initially want to discard work experience that is largely unrelated to the career you’re targeting, you also eliminate the opportunity to highlight transferable skill sets from your previous jobs.

The reverse chronological resume format is widely accepted as the industry standard because it enables you to create compelling bullet points that effectively showcase your professional journey. This format also ensures that your most recent and relevant experience is featured at the top of your document, which is important for hiring managers. Throughout this guide, we’ll compare and contrast functional resumes and reverse chronological resumes to help you make an informed decision as you begin building your document.

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

1. Craft an outstanding profile with a summary of your functional qualifications

On a functional resume, your professional profile should only focus on relevant skills. While concision has benefits, the drawback is that you won’t make a lasting impression on the hiring manager. This approach tends to read very generically, which won’t help you stand out during the hiring process. In addition, it’s possible to showcase your skills and qualifications while providing a compelling snapshot of your career experience. Notice how the first example lists a number of relevant skills but fails to tell the job seeker’s story.

Functional Resume Profile Example

Skilled nursing professional with advanced knowledge of acute care, clinical workflows, pediatric care, and team collaboration. Developed a strong understanding of infection prevention protocols, EHR, and HIPAA.

Reverse Chronological Profile Example

A nursing professional with seven years of experience delivering high-quality healthcare services in acute care environments. A proven track record of delivering empathetic and compassionate treatment to diverse patient populations.

2. Showcase your functional experience

Due to the nature of the functional resume format, it isn’t easy to showcase your career achievements in the professional experience section. The emphasis is instead placed entirely on your skills. Although this approach might seem usable for a recent graduate, there are drawbacks even in this situation. For instance, showcasing academic projects and volunteerism in detail is often a stronger way to grab the hiring manager’s attention. Even a job in retail that doesn’t match your current goals can be leveraged to showcase your communication and team leadership skills.

Functional Resume Professional Experience Example

Digital Marketing Manager, Radiant Software Corp., San Francisco, CA October 2016 – Present

• Utilize advanced knowledge of marketing strategy, email campaigns, SEO marketing, and A/B testing to support campaigns
• Strong understanding of digital marketing and advertising strategies
• Experience working in paid search, display, and programmatic marketing channels

Reverse Chronological Professional Experience Example

• Lead digital marketing campaigns across paid search, display, and programmatic marketing channels for a software company, resulting in a 20% increase in lead conversions and $2M in pipeline revenue
• Coordinate with the Director of Marketing to define digital advertising strategy for new products and services and enhance market penetration
• Improve web traffic by 400% over a two-year span and achieve open rates of 13% and click rates of 3.1% for email blasts

3. Outline your education and functional-related certifications

Formatting for education and certifications is primarily the same for both functional resumes and reverse chronological resumes. The key difference is that you’d likely place these sections above your work experience on a functional resume. While you can make a case for this approach in certain instances, it’s generally recommended to showcase your career accomplishments closer to the top of your document.

Certifications

• [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
• Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI, 2015
• Certified Associate Project Manager, PMI, 2013
• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Digital Marketing
• UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CA September 2007 – May 2011

4. Outline your most useful functional skills and proficiencies

Listing skills and keywords that align with the job description are important regardless of the resume format you select. The key difference is that a functional resume will always feature this section below the professional profile. There are certain instances where this makes sense, especially if you’re applying for a technology role. Hiring managers will always be more interested in how you’ve utilized these various skill sets throughout your career. Below, you’ll find a broad list of industry skills that you might encounter during the job search:

How to Pick the Best Functional Resume Template

In most cases, it’s best to choose a well-organized resume template that uses minimal color and graphics. This ensures that the hiring manager’s attention is focused on your career accomplishments and qualifications. Because the functional resume is only focused on highlighting skills, you can use a modern template that is more aesthetically focused. Remember that it’s your content, not your template, that ultimately determines whether or not you receive the job interview.

Functional Resume Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Now that you understand the differences between functional resumes and reverse chronological resumes, we’ll provide three examples to illustrate the end result of each approach. You’ll notice that the functional resume example does feature a variety of important skill sets, but the bullet points themselves don’t read proactively. In the two reverse chronological examples, the job seeker is able to paint a clear and compelling picture of your strongest career achievements.

• Functional Resume Example #1
• Functional Resume Example #2
• Functional Resume Example #3

Jessica Lang (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio 123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345

Skilled Nursing Professional with advanced knowledge of acute care, clinical workflows, pediatric care, and team collaboration. Developed a strong understanding of infection prevention protocols, EHR, and HIPAA.

• Patient-Centered Care
• Communication
• Clinical Operations
• Medication Administration

Professional Experience

Licensed Vocational Nurse, St. Joseph’s Assisted Living, New York, NY November 2018 – Present

• Developed knowledge of acute care, patient education, and clinical operations while working in a fast-paced healthcare environment
• Acquired strong team collaboration and communication skills by working with patients and teams
• Advanced understanding of EHR, HIPAA, and patient intake protocols

Licensed Vocational Nurse, Fair Acres Retirement Community, New York, NY June 2016 – November 2018

• Obtained a strong knowledge of cardiac care and orthopedic care while working in a senior living facility
• Cultivated advanced understanding of patient-centered care standards
• Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), State of New York, License #123456

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nursing Columbia University, New York, NY September 2012 – June 2016

A Nursing Professional with seven years of experience delivering high-quality healthcare services in acute care environments. A proven track record of delivering empathetic and compassionate treatment to diverse patient populations.

• Coordinate with a team of 25+ doctors, nurses, and other health care and social work professionals to ensure a high quality of life for 75 residents
• Interface with residents to ensure compliance with medication, provide enrichment activities such as film, workshops, and events, and communicate with empathy and compassion to achieve a patient satisfaction rating of 91%
• Collect samples, prepare residents for treatments, educate patients on care plans
• Collaborated with medical teams and LPNs to treat patients undergoing cardiac care and rehabilitation and provide education on patient care
• Administered medications, IV therapy, and other treatments for patients in the cardiac emergency room, including surgical preparations

Selena Ramirez (123) 456-7890 [email protected] 123 Santa Maria, San Francisco, CA 12345

A Digital Marketing Manager with eight years of experience specializing in marketing strategy, email campaigns, SEO marketing, and A/B testing. A proven track record of building and leading dynamic marketing teams to execute digital campaigns for multi-million-dollar businesses.

Digital Marketing Manager, Bay Area Marketing Inc., San Francisco, CA May 2011 – October 2016

• Partnered with product marketing teams and the marketing director to establish a brand identity centered on integrity and transparency
• Collaborated with the data analytics team to build dashboards incorporating data from the CRM, Google, and social media accounts to enhance reporting

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Digital Marketing University of San Francisco, CA September 2007 – May 2011

• Brand Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Lead Generation
• Digital Marketing Campaigns
• Social Media Marketing

Frequently Asked Questions: Functional Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for functional resumes -.

Action verbs are used in a limited capacity on functional resumes due to the lack of detail in the professional experience section. In most cases, you’d want to use verbs to open bullet points that describe different skill sets you’ve developed in your work experience. Below, you’ll find a list of action verbs you can use to accomplish this:

How do you align your resume with a job description? -

Aligning your document with the job description is essential to the resume-building process. As you review various job postings, you’ll want to incorporate as many keywords and skill sets as possible that match the role you’re applying for. One benefit of a functional resume format is that it does place relevant qualifications at the forefront of your document. The downside is that while this will ensure you pass the initial ATS scan , it doesn’t show hiring managers how you’ve used your industry knowledge to create value for your team and organization.

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If you choose a functional resume format, you should almost always include a cover letter to supplement your application. Because your document will lack a substantial description of your work history, you’ll need to use this opportunity to fill in the gaps for the hiring manager. You should also make a point to mention something about the organization and why its culture or reputation draws you to apply for the position.

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

Check Out Related Examples

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Professional Resume Examples and Templates

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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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Functional Resume Templates

What you miss out on with a Functional Resume.

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Resume bullet point generator.

Functional resume

Functional resumes prioritize skills over specific jobs. It is less common than the chronological or combination formats and serves a specific purpose. Read more about it here and use it carefully and wisely.

What is a functional resume?

When to use a functional resume, functional resume format, download a free template (word).

In this resume format, the skills section will be the first section after your contact information (and an objective/summary , if used). Instead of focusing on specific jobs, this resume format focuses on skills you have, like programming, client management, or sales. You will explain how you’ve applied these skills on projects or work initiatives, but it doesn’t need to follow a chronological format .

Anyone considering this format should proceed with caution because it is so unique. However, it is a great option for jobseekers in the following situations:

• Freelancers/Self-Employed: These professionals typically have many clients or “jobs,” so it’s easier to provide examples of their specific skills in in areas like graphic design, writing, or cybersecurity than listing out each work experience.
• No work experience: Because you don’t have any jobs to list, highlighting how you’ve used skills in other contexts is beneficial. For example, if you’ve taken courses in Computer Science, you can write about class projects or personal projects under each skill.
• Irrelevant work experience: If all of your work experience is irrelevant to the position you’re applying for, but you’ve developed relevant skills, you may opt for this format.

If you otherwise have work experience in your desired career field, a chronological or combination format is recommended.

Education is included on every resume format. You can also include a short work history on your functional resume underneath the skills section. Trainings and certifications are also highly recommended, as well as any other optional sections that enhance your profile (objective, activities, etc.).

A free to use and direct downloadable resume template for a functional resume. This template was created by a certified resume expert and can be used with Microsoft Word.

Download resume-template-functional.docx 18.03 KB

License Terms: The following license terms and conditions apply when you download any of our free templates:

• The templates are for a personal use only.
• You are not allowed to sub-license, transfer, resell or share any of the templates even for free.

Need some help writing your resume? Take a look at our guide for writing a perfect resume

As a professional recruiter, I have over 10 years of experience helping candidates find work with businesses that match their skills, personalities and goals. Here on Resume Supply, I share some of the key things I have learned over my career to help job seekers with resumes, applications and interviews.

Word Resume Templates

Direct, on-page, download links to free-to-use Microsoft Word Docx Resume Templates. Freely editable, useable for, you, the jobseeker!

Simple, the best, classic, modern or designed, we have the resume template for you. Just click and download yours.

Microsoft Word Resume Template Downloads

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Microsoft word's resume templates.

The free Word resume formats by Microsoft . They are freely editable to your liking. These formats work best in the newer versions of Word. Most of these templates are fully editable to your liking. Color, format and all the content, edit to make your own stunning resume! For free, with direct downloads.

Classic Casey

Clean Green

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Fancy Felix

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Geometric 1

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Jack Wilson

Jacky Brown

Little Grey

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Retro Ricky 2

Retro Ricky 3

Professional word resumes templates.

The free resume templates made in Word are easily adjustable to your needs and personal situation.

Green & Green

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Three Shades of Grey

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Creative Word Resume Templates

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Free Professional Resume Templates

Jobscan’s free Microsoft Word compatible resume templates feature sleek, minimalist designs and are formatted for the applicant tracking systems that virtually all major companies use.

Classic Format Resume Templates

Chronological

These are the three standard resume formats : chronological, hybrid, and functional.

The chronological resume template offers a classic, no frills format. Consider this template if you work in a formal industry or want to bring attention to the impressive companies on your resume. Hybrid resume templates are versatile and the most popular format in today’s job search. Functional resume templates are popular for people changing careers or masking holes in their resume. Jobscan doesn’t typically recommend the functional resume format because recruiters may be suspicious of them .

Fill out your resume faster with our resume builder

Write your resume the free and easy way with the only resume builder designed specifically with ATS-compliant resume templates.

Senior Level and Executive Resume Templates

Once you begin applying to senior level positions, a greater emphasis is placed on the results your organizations have achieved and executive soft skills like leadership , innovation, and entrepreneurial drive. At the executive level, technical skills aren’t as important as they were earlier in your career. Fill out your executive resume template with accomplishments , measurable results, and examples of leadership .

Management Resume Templates

When it comes to writing a management-level resume, try to demonstrate a trajectory of growth along with a combination of deep industry knowledge and interpersonal skills. You need to prove that you’re an expert in your field who is able to delegate tasks and lead your team.

Mid-Career Resume Templates

When you’re no longer entry-level but still working as an independent contributor (vs a manager), your resume needs to focus on your ability to execute. A strong emphasis should be on the hard skills found in the job description. Back these skills up with context to demonstrate your level of expertise.

Recent Grad Resume Templates

When you’re looking for an entry-level job right out of college, your resume is going to look a little different. Your education section is moved up above your work experience and you’re expected to expand upon your college experience. Go into detail with honors, clubs, coursework, etc.

The Importance of ATS-Friendly Resume Templates

If you’re uploading your resume into an online form as part of your job application, it is critical for your resume template to be compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS) . An expertly written resume complete with a sleek design and optimized resume keywords and action verbs could still fall short if the formatting isn’t ATS compliant.

When you upload your resume , applicant tracking systems parse out the text to make it searchable for a recruiter. They may also transfer the information from our resume to a uniform digital candidate profile. Even if you’re perfectly qualified for the job, your chances of getting a job interview are much lower if an ATS can’t accurately parse your resume.

ATS-friendly resumes are often similar to minimalist resume templates but go a step further to account for ATS algorithms and behaviors. Among other considerations, ATS-friendly resume templates account for the fact that:

• Many ATS can’t handle tables or images.
• Parsing accuracy is dependent on heading names and correctly sequencing your work experience information.
• Certain resume fonts might not be displayed properly in all ATS.
• PDF and docx file types work better than others.

Find out if your resume is ATS-optimized with Jobscan’s resume optimization tool . It will help you write the perfect resume so that you stand out from the competition.

How to Use a Resume Template

Be Selective

Finding the right resume template for you is the first step. Select a template that is ATS-friendly and includes space for all the elements you need to tell your story.

Customize Your Template

Not finding the perfect resume template? Select the best one and make some adjustments. For example, you can remove a hobbies section if you need more room for your work history, add a space for key certifications that don’t fit in the template or add a skills section to better highlight your technical skills.

Resume templates are meant to be a guide to a better resume, not an unbreakable set of rules.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job Every Time

Recruiters and hiring managers are more likely to respond to a resume that is carefully tailored for the specific position .

This means using the job description to focus on the skills and keywords that are most important to the job. Showing that you are results-oriented is another great way to show you are the best candidate. Including relevant measurable results and accomplishments on your resume help demonstrate that you understand what is most important to the company’s success.

After you’ve tailored your resume information within the template, run it through Jobscan’s resume optimization tool to see how well it matches the job. In fact, more than 1 million job seekers have used our tool to help them find the next step in their career—see how it can help you!

Are you still tracking jobs in Excel or Google Sheets? Track and manage your job applications and interviews all in one place with Job Tracker . With the click of a button add a job to Job Tracker. From there you can organize your resumes and job descriptions, keep track of important interview dates and details, and manage multiple job opportunities in one place.

Resume Template FAQs

What is the best resume template for me?

The best resume template is the one that provides room for you to showcase your relevant skills and tell the complete story of your relevant work experience. If you are an entry-level or mid-career applicant, look for a template that highlights your hard skills. For executive-level applicants, a template that focuses on your executive summary and work experience will be best.

Which resume format is best?

Recruiters prefer chronological or hybrid formatted resumes. All of the templates above are great choices! We do not recommend using a functional template, which focuses primarily on skills and downplays work history.

Read more: Why Recruiters Hate the Functional Resume Format

What is the difference between a resume template and a resume builder?

A resume builder is a tool that prompts you to enter your information into input fields and formats a resume for you. Resume templates are typically editable Microsoft Word files that are already formatted. Prefer the ease of a builder? Jobscan’s resume builder is 100% free!

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WTO / Human Resource / Resumes / Functional Resume Format: 18 Free Templates & Examples

Functional Resume Format: 18 Free Templates & Examples

A functional format for a resume is used if you wish to focus more on your skills than on your chronological work history. Using this format for the resume allows the recruiters and hiring managers to easily see all your technical and soft skills as a candidate.

Though your chronological work history is not required, a hiring manager will still want to see your qualifications, work experience, and all the transferable skills that you possess. Ensure that the skills you include in your resume are relevant to the job you are applying for. With this resume, you should aim to emphasize your skills by categorizing them under “experiences” instead of job titles.

You can have different categories such as “summary of qualifications,” “experiences,” and “professional skills.” Under these categories, ensure you highlight each skill in a way that will impress the recruiter. The resume should also highlight examples of your skills and experiences to help the hiring manager understand your qualifications better. You can include both work and life experiences; however, ensure that they are relevant to the job.

Be sure to concentrate primarily on how your skills can help you complete the tasks and responsibilities that come with the job position, even if you have a variety of experiences to draw from.  

Customizable Templates

When and Who Should Utilize a Functional Resume

This type of format is suitable for only certain types of job candidates. That is why you need to understand who should use this format and how best to prepare it to ensure you maximize your chances of getting the job. For example, when you are changing careers , that is, moving from one industry to another, or when you have employment gaps, that is, long periods without employment, this is the resume for you.

In addition, you can use this resume when you want to focus on your specific professional skills. It is also best to use this resume when you have a set of skills that you have learned from school and through mentorship. When the job you have applied for requires you to focus on your skills rather than your experiences, emphasize all of the skills you have that will distinguish you from other applicants.

You can also use a functional resume if you have recently graduated and lack professional experience . Additionally, if you consider yourself a creative individual, an overqualified job candidate, or a military transitioner, you should consider using a functional format for your CV.

How to Create a Functional Resume?

If you want to learn how to create a resume in a functional format, here are the seven steps you should observe when creating a functional resume:

Step 1: Provide your personal information

Ensure that you start by providing your personal information . This entails your name, your current job title, and contact details such as your phone number and email address. Your address is not required on the resume. However, you can include your personal website and LinkedIn profile if they are relevant to your prospective job. It is important to type your name in a font larger than the rest of the text; however, ensure that you use a professional font.

Emmanuel Peters Financial officer 333-333-3332 [email protected]

Step 2: Write an introduction or summary

The next step is to write an introduction that summarizes your skills. The idea is to prepare a compelling introduction that will make your resume interesting and capture the recruiter’s attention. The summary should be compelling and include details about your most relevant skills, achievements, responsibilities, and career goals. You can either write this section in a paragraph or as bullet points.

You should not only include about three examples of your most relevant skills but also use keywords as highlighted in the company’s job listing. These keywords will make your resume more noticeable and ATS-friendly, guaranteeing you a chance in the next stage of the job application process.

I am a financial officer with five years of work experience in overseeing financial transactions, developing budgets, and preparing financial reports. I have strong accounting and analytical skills and solid knowledge of procedures that guarantee a 10% increase in proficiency in the financial and accounting departments if I am hired.

Step 3: Group and list your proficient skills

The third step in writing this resume is the grouping and listing your most proficient skills. Your skills section should expand on the three skills that are most important for the prospective job, with roughly three or four bullet points under each to show that you are proficient in that particular skill.

It is essential to add numbers, such as percentages, dollar amounts, time saved, or even the number of people you worked with, to emphasize your proficiency and expertise. And assure the recruiters that you can deliver tangible results. Also, ensure that the information in your CV is truthful and is intended to impact the company positively. It is also important for you to express this information in a way that is appealing to the hiring manager.

Analytical ability

Have a high aptitude for analyzing financial documents so as to prepare understandable and complete financial analyses.

• Ability to create budgets that can save the company up to 15% on raw materials by establishing legal, efficient, and affordable suppliers.
• Educate the finance department team on how to forecast the company’s profits and losses so as to prepare proper financial reports.

Attention to detail

• Proficient in Mathematics and digital tools, thereby being able to spot any mistakes in the company’s financial documents.
• Accurate and excellent in terms of preparing contracts and analyzing financial calculations.
• Ability to identify any discrepancies in the company’s financial documents and data.

Advanced MS Excel skills

• Able to use the MS Excel computer program to organize financial data into a digital format.
• Can prepare spreadsheets to determine the company’s revenue, prepare payrolls, calculate
• taxes, and forecast the company’s future performance.
• Ability to transfer data from a different source(s) and rebuild it in MS Excel in a way that is up to 6% faster, saving the company’s time and resources.

Step 4: Outline your professional history 

The next step is to outline your work history. This section should be short and concise, as it includes a list of all companies you worked for and your job titles. This information does not need to be listed in any particular order because a functional resume does not emphasize your career history. Also, this section is only important if you have the skills and work experience for the job you have applied for.

ABC Company        XYZ Company Avenue Road           Goodwill Street (2015-2016)            (2017-2021) Financial Director  Financial Officer

Step 5: Give your relevant educational background 

It is also important to include your educational background. You should include the name of your university, the address of this institution, the degree you received, and your GPA, if it is above 3.5.

B.A. in Finance                                M.B.A with Management Specialization St. Peters University, 2014         Charles University, 2018

Step 6: Highlight your professional accomplishments 

The next step is to highlight your professional accomplishments. Mention any awards or honors that you have earned, especially if they are relevant to the job you are applying to. Such accomplishments help you stand out among others as they represent a qualified job candidate who will benefit the company. You can mention these accomplishments under the section ‘Awards’ .

Attendee at the World Economic Forum and Global Agenda Councils, 2017-2019 Winner of the 2019 Best Finance, Accounting and Management Category

Step 7: Describe your additional skills

In case you have any other skills apart from those listed in your summary section and skills section, you should mention them in this last section of the resume. You can also mention any skills that you may have gained through internships, personal projects, or volunteer positions. These additional skills are meant to increase your chances of being hired

• Volunteered at the local weekly community kitchen
• Basic proficiency in French, and German
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills

You can write a proper and compelling functional resume by following all seven of the aforementioned steps.

Tips for Writing a Great Functional Format Resume

If you want to write an effective resume , you should follow the guidelines listed below: 

Make your summary an elevator pitch

The summary of your resume is an important section that is meant to capture the attention of a hiring manager. You should therefore write it like an elevator pitch. This means that you need to make a good first impression by keeping it short and positive. Your top qualifications and best skills should explain why you are the best candidate for the job. The focus is on convincing the recruiter that the skills you offer will benefit the company.

Organize your skills by theme or topic

It is also important to organize your skills by theme or topic to make it easier for the recruiter to identify all your professional accomplishments. Some of these categories include  “Summary of Qualifications”, “ Relevant or Professional Skills,” “Soft Skills,” or “People Skills” etc. Under the heading “summary of qualifications,” you should highlight your three most relevant and primary skills. For professional skills, you should focus on the abilities you gained from your education, internships , and work experience.

Briefly state only relevant work experience

You can also briefly include any relevant work experience in the resume. For this, you only need to include your job title, workplace, and years of employment. This makes a functional format different from a chronological one, which would have included an extensive work history with a detailed explanation of responsibilities.  

The most important tip is to always be concise. Your resume should be concise, to the point, and a maximum of one page long. This ensures that the recruiter can review your entire resume in a short period of time.  

Key Takeaways

• A functional resume is meant for job candidates who do not have a traditional work history or lack the required work experience.
• With this format, such job candidates can prepare a resume that focuses on all the relevant skills and qualifications they possess in regard to the job position.
•  You need to observe all the tips and include all the required information in your resume for you to have a compelling resume that will interest recruiters.
• You can use our functional resume templates to effortlessly prepare your resume for the job you want to apply for.

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Use these free ATS resume templates to get noticed by hiring managers and land an interview. Recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to rapidly screen resumes. ATS resumes are designed to help your resume get past these applicant tracking systems. These resumes use simple but attractive layouts that put your accomplishments front and center and won't confuse applicant tracking systems. Each ATS resume template is fast and easy to customize in Word, helping you spend more time on the rest of the job application process. You may want to tailor a new resume to each job description you apply for to show why you're an ideal fit for the role. Once you’ve created your ATS-friendly resume, don’t forget to explore cover letter templates and business card templates to create an attractive and streamlined professional presence. Best of luck getting the job!

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20 Best Free Functional Skills-Based Resume Templates to Download for 2024

Do you need a resume that highlights what you can do and not when you did it? A functional resume template can help you put that together quickly.

A functional resume , often called a skills-based resume , focuses on your skills and what you’re an expert in. In contrast, a traditional resume focuses on your work history.

Traditionally, you'd list recent jobs and a list of duties. With a functional resume format, you choose skills and expertise that are important to the job you’re applying to. This gives a skills focused resume a different advantage.

The functional resume format allows you to tailor your resume to the job you're applying to without adding extra details. Functional resumes should still include:

• contact information
• work or volunteer experience
• technical skills 

In this article, I’ll go over how to make a functional resume and some premium best functional resume samples from Envato Elements.

Best Premium Functional Skills Resume Templates on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use)

Here are some skills based resume examples from Envato Elements. Consider downloading the perfect skills based resume template for your professional brand today:

1. Skills Focused Resume

This skills resume has a skills section at the bottom of the resume page. There's color blocking to make your skills section stand out. Everything in this template is easily customizable. You can edit the Skills Resume in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

2. Skills Based Resume Template (Functional Resume)

This template has a simple, functional resume format. The functional resume has nice sections in the design. Some of the sections are skills and experience. These sections allow you to showcase your skills.

3. Skill Based Resume CV

The modern skills based CV template has a functional resume format with color blocking to highlight skills. Plus, this template comes with a matching cover letter. You can edit this template in Adobe Illustrator.

4. Skills Based Resume Template Word & Illustrator

This premium template is a creative, functional resume format template. If you've got a lot of skills, this is the best functional resume template for you. And this template has a matching cover letter, so you can keep your presentation consistent.

5. Modern Skills Based CV Template for Social Media

Is your resume focused on social media metrics and sponsors? A functional resume could be a great fit for you too. You could use this one as a minimal one-page functional resume template or use the second page. If you want a minimal functional resume template, this is could be a great option.

Best Premium Functional Resume Template on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use)

If you're looking for a skills based resume template, free might sound like the perfect price. Keep in mind, however, that free functional resume templates will lack some of the polish of a premium product. 

Envato Elements is a premium subscription service where you can get unlimited access to  the best digital design assets. Just pay a low monthly fee, and you’ll become a subscriber. You’ll get professionally made and high-quality digital assets including:

• resume templates
• stock photos
• royalty-free music
• and much more

Resume Templates

Envato Elements gives you a great base to start with that you can't get from a free template. With free templates, you may have to do a lot of editing to make the template look good. That can take a lot of time. But with a good base, just add your text, photos, and any customizations you want, and you're done.

Professionals make every template on Envato Elements look stylish and result in providing good impressions. Create a lasting impression by using a professional template for your next project.

20 Top Free Functional Skills-Based Resume Template Examples to Download (2024)

Here's the deal:

• Every month Envato Elements offers 12 different hand-selected files, (fonts, presentations, videos, and more). Create a free account to download this month's free premium files now.

1. Functional Resume

This functional resume template is from Microsoft Word. It's got a simple resume layout that's focused on skills education.

2. Functional Resume (Simple Design)

The Functional Resume (Simple Design) has a nice pop of color in the otherwise minimal design of this template. The layout has four sections: objective, professional achievements, skills, and work history.

3. Skills Based College Education Google Docs Resume Template

If you're right out of college and looking for simple skills resume template. There's a skills section, but the main focus is the education section.

4. Free Functional Resume Template

This free resume has a retro theme, and the layout has nice sections. There's a big skills section, language section and hobbies section.

5. Free Resume Template

The Free Resume Template comes with infographics that you can use in the skills section of the template. This is simple and clean resume that can be used to apply for any position.

6. Ober CV (Free Functional Resume Template)

Ober CV Resume has a creative theme and has a nice pop of color to the resume design. Also, this template comes with both a dark and a light theme. You can easily edit the Ober CV Resume in Adobe Illustrator.

7. Skills Based Resume Template Word Doc

This Word template has a simple, functional resume format to highlight your career history and career achievements. At the top of this template is a section that you can use to write a summary of why you should be hired.

8. Functional Resume Style

This functional resume format is focused more on skills letting you bullet point your skills. There's also a section where you can add your qualifications for the job you’re applying to.

9. Functional CV Template

The skills resume template can be edited in Microsoft Word. A light grey bar separates the sections, making it easier for the hiring manager to read.

10. Simple Resume

The Simple Resume can be used to apply to any job in any field. This resume features blue text to draw attention to each section.

11. Modern Skills Based CV Template Design

A balanced Resume is a skills resume template that features a skills section to showcase all your skills. This resume has pops of color added in some of the text so that the template isn’t all black and white.

12. Creative Resume

Creative Resumes has a nicely designed header and blue lines separating the sections. There's a skill, experience, and education section.

13. Bold Infographic Resume

The red font and red infographics make this functional resume template have a bold design that'll stand out. You can edit this template in Microsoft PowerPoint.

14. Basic Modern Resume

The Basic Modern Resume has a nice, neat layout that’s divided into sections. This template has a pop of color with some green added to the design.

15. Resume (Origin Theme)

Resume Origin theme is a skills resume template that's separated into two main sections. Also, there's some blue in the design to add a pop of color to the resume.

16. Tech Infographic Resume

This functional resume format isn't traditional, but creative. This template comes with a section where you can add a scannable QR code.

17. Chronological Resume (Minimalist Design)

This chronological resume can easily have a skills section added to the template. There's no design in this template, so this is an option if you’re looking for a simple template.

18. Resume (Minimalist Design)

In this template, there's a skills and abilities section where you can showcase your skills. This is another template with no design, so it won't be distracting for the reader.

19. Entry-Level Resume

The Entry-Level Resume was designed for people who want an entry-level job. This resume has a nice design that draws attention to important information.

20. Bold Monogram Resume

The bold monogram resume has a red and white color scheme that can easily be changed to a different color. Plus, this template uses color blocking to highlight important sections in your resume template.

How to Make a Great Skill Based Resume Quickly

Whether you've decided to work with premium or  free functional resume templates, you might be curious about the next step. Let's take a look at how easy it is to customize a skills based resume template Word document. 

We'll use the following modern skills based CV template, in this demonstration:

The great thing about this particular skills based resume template is that it comes in so many file formats! Edit it in Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or another EPS/PDF friendly software environment. 

Let's get started:

1. How to View Your Resume Template

After opening your resume template in Microsoft Word, look at the bottom right of the screen. It's highlighted in the screenshot below. Using this slider, we can easily zoom in and out of our document.

The percentage shown is the percentage the document is currently zoomed. If you click on that percentage, you can customize it. You can also choose Page Width to zoom to fit the width or the page or Whole Page to view your entire document at once.

2. How to Edit Text in Microsoft Word

Editing the text is one of the largest parts of editing your resume template. Thankfully, Microsoft Word makes that easy for us!

All you've got to do is double-click to start editing any of the existing text boxes in your template. In the example below, this text box is active. Notice how it is surrounded in a box and has anchor points along each side. This is how we know that this is the box we're currently editing.

3. Adding Images to Placeholders in Microsoft Word

Many skills based resume examples contain images but won't include them in the template itself. You'll want to add your own images.

In this case, we can just click to select the placeholder. Then, right click on PC or control click on Mac , and then select Format Picture . 

This brings up the Format Picture panel, as shown in the example below. Try the following:

• For the Fill select Picture or Texture Fill .
• Under Picture Source , click Insert . Then you can select an image from your computer.
• Experiment with the Offset X and Offset Y to position your image.
• Use Scale X and Scale Y to resize your image.

4. Customizing Font Color in Microsoft Word

Looking at our design, the text on the photo isn't very easy to read. So, let's change up the font color. 

Double-click to select the text box, just like we did earlier. Then, you can select the text. With the Home tab selected, you can click on the "A" icon to choose a new color for your text, as shown in the example, below.

5. Save Your Microsoft Word Resume as a PDF

There are many ways you could save your skills based resume template Word document. However, PDF files are often preferable to sending a Word doc. Thankfully, this is easy to do!

Simply go to File > Save As . 

Then, under File Format , choose PDF . If you plan to share your work online, like via email or upload, choose Best for Electronic Distribution . Then, click Export .

5 Quick Tips to Make Great Functional Skills-Based Resumes in 2024

Once you’ve chosen your functional resume template, you’ll want to start adding your information. When customizing your skills based resume template, free or premium, consider these tips: 

1. Choose Your Skills

A functional resume always includes skills. But you shouldn’t just add all your skills to your functional resume template. Instead, you should only include the skills that would be relevant to the job.

For example, if you’re applying to be an HR manager but you've got forklift driving skills, you won’t need those skills, so leave them off the resume.

2. Include Your Achievements

Not sure what to include on your skills resume template? Make sure to include any previous job achievements that have to do with the job you’re applying for.

Achievements show your future employer that others are recognizing the skills that you've got. They also show how well you performed at your previous job.

3. Keep Your Skill Based Resume to One Page

There are many one-page functional resume format templates. One page forces you to be concise and only include essential information on your resume. Most hiring managers won’t even look at a resume if it's more than one page long.

4. Online Resume

There are many job openings online. When making your resume consider having a link to an online resume along with your resume template. With an online resume, you can add more information than you would include in your resume template.

5. Curate Bullet Points

When you're adding education, and work experiences, consider adding your more recent experience first. This shifts the focus to the important part of your resume, which is your most recent experience. Besides, this makes it easier for the hiring manager to see your most recent experience.

5 Skill Based Resume Trends for 2024

You've got a lot of choices for your skills based resume template (free or premium) or building your own. It can be tough to figure out the perfect design direction.

Check out these popular, skills focused resume design trends for some design inspiration. You may find something in these skills based resume examples that's perfect for your professional brand:

1. Use Infographics to Visually Communicate Your Skills

Infographics can be a great way to communicate a concept both quickly and effectively. Make it easy for the viewer to see your skill set with infographics. For example, bars, charts, and graphics can help make it clear which skills are your focus and which are your supplements. 

This resume example makes great use of some graphical elements on the left of the page. 

2. Clean, Open Space is Timelessly Professional

If you're not sure which aesthetic is right for you, remember to keep things clear and well organized. When in doubt, an organized layout with plenty of breathing room is a great idea.

Check out this example resume design, below. It's got a rather neutral look, but it's very professional. The design has clear hierarchy. It could work really well for a variety of industries, too. Check out the infographics. They work well here too!

3. Playful Can be Professional, When Done Right

Think about your industry and your professional brand when it comes to your skill based resume. What do you want to visually communicate? Sometimes, being bold is a great way to stand out. More and more, interesting and creative takes on resume design are becoming popular.

For example, check out this awesome resume design. It's colorful, it's energetic, and it makes a big statement!

This could work great for the entertainment industry, but it might not be as appropriate for an industry like medicine or law. Think about what kind of aesthetic would be most appropriate for your goals.

4. Make an Impact With Blocks of Color

Blocks of color are a design trend that seems to be here to stay. They're a wonderful way to draw emphasis to key parts of your design. Notice how the black block, in the design below, really commands attention. The high contrast creates a lot of emphasis in the composition.

Consider what colors suit your professional brand. If you've got an existing logo, for example, consider using those colors in your resume design too.

5. Include Engaging Visual Elements

Photographs have definitely continued to grow in popularity, in resume design. A photo can be a great way to introduce yourself without actually being present. This is, after all, an opportunity to make a first impression—put a face to the name!

Consider layouts that make creative use of imagery, like this beautiful resume design template. It can be a great opportunity to showcase creative work as well.

Discover More Top Resume Template Designs

Didn’t see a template for what you need? If you're still hunting for the perfect skills based resume template, check out these collections:

Learn More About Making Great Resumes in 2024

If you've got questions more questions about resumes, try reading one of our resume tutorials . If you aren’t sure how to make your resume great, here are some helpful articles:

Download a Functional Skills-based Resume Template in 2024

There are many different resume formats, and it can be hard to know which one is right for you. For example, if you want to focus on your skills, a functional resume is the best option. But, if you put too much unnecessary information on your resume, it can overwhelm the hiring manager, and they can just reject you.

Now you’ve learned what a functional skills-based resume is, and you’ve seen both free and premium functional resume examples. But, of course, the quickest and most professional option is a premium template that's ready to use. So why not download a premium functional skills-based resume template today?

Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Daisy Ein . Daisy is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+.

Free Functional Resume Template

Free Download this Functional Resume Template Design in Word, Google Docs Format. Easily Editable, Printable, Downloadable.

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• Microsoft Word
• , Google Docs

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