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 │ ineedachange@gmail.com │ 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.
EXPERIENCE
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
EDUCATION
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
