What Is a Functional Summary on a Resume?
People who feel their job history is sketchy often create a functional resume, which focuses on skills and achievements rather than a listing of prior work experience. Employers have a tendency to ignore these resumes because the lack of work experience is highlighted. A functional summary on a chronological resume is a good compromise.
Other People Are Reading
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Purpose
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A functional summary is placed at the top of a chronological resume to grab the employer's attention by showcasing your achievements and talents.
Applicants who Benefit
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This type of resume is great for people graduating from high school, technical school or college, who have only held part-time or temporary jobs. It's also perfect for anyone who's been out of the work force awhile.
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Identification
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The functional summary is a brief paragraph or short set of bullet points highlighting your strongest qualities that match the requirements of the position.
Work Highlights
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A functional summary for a graduating college student who has worked summers doing data entry, for instance, could highlight consistent accuracy and a willingness to work overtime when necessary.
Education Highlights
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The summary then could include mentions of school achievements that are relevant to the position, such as awards, grade point in the major and extracurricular activities.
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References
- Photo Credit resume image by Danil Vachegin from Fotolia.com
