Writing a Functional Resume

The second basic resume format is the Functional Resume:

• Showcases achievements and major skills from the top.
• Clearly states your strong suits.
• Employer does not need to read through boring job details.
• States (through summary) all you will bring to the table.
• Only brief mention of company names and positions held.

This resume type is ideal when:

• Wishing to change careers, for those who job-jump, for homemakers returning to workplace, for students and the military.
• Wishing to make only a minor change in job direction.
• Highly recommended by resume writing professionals.
• Used as an effective aid in achieving a new direction or goal.

This resume type is not ideal when:

• Read by a more conservative employer looking for more information on each of your jobs.

  
Remember: FOCUS ON SPECIFIC, QUANTIFIABLE RESULTS when detailing your experience. Generalizations get you nowhere. If you aren't specific and don't detail your expertise and highlights, someone else will. And, they will get the job - not you.
   

Example of a Functional Resume

Janice P. Smythe
1692 Banff Rd., Portland, OR 97208
(555)823-6169
jsmythe@msn.com

Insurance Law Practices:

• Directed management on insurance company policy and legality of key insurance transactions.
• Evaluated critical legal decisions and implemented necessary changes in insurance clauses to line up with corporate policy and to protect company from fraudulent insurance claims.
• Directed claims department in appropriate filing procedures to identify against over-payments.
• Initiated formatting and wording of all critical legal documents such as insurance claim contracts and payment release papers.

Corporate Law Practices:

• Created and developed key corporate law structure policy and procedure, wrote landmark manual on corporate legal rights.
• Retained as leading law agent for several major corporations in wide variety of essential law transactions.

Real Estate Law Practices:

• Performed multi-million dollar sale and transfer of prime commercial property.
• Performed detailed ownership and transfer searches.
• Created and executed appropriate forms for commercial deeds, mortgages, and leases.
• Acting trustee of multi-million dollar commercial property and recommended help funds for investment.

Work Experience:

• 1985-Present: Commercial Underwriters of America, Inc., New York, NY -- Head of Insurance Services

   
Education:

• 1984: University of California Law School. LL.B., Insurance Law Policies, Corporate Law Policies, Estate Planning and Income Tax Policies.
• 1992: University of California. BA Degree, Major: Geography

References upon Request

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