What is a Functional CV?

One type of CV format is the Functional CV. The Functional CV offers greater flexibility on how you present yourself than the more traditional Chronological CV or Targeted CV. It is usually 2 A4 pages long and allows you to emphasise the transferable skills that you have developed and used in the past. Highlight your skills, competencies and expertise under various functional headings, rather than providing a chronological overview of your work history.

The Functional CV showcases your skills and competencies grouped beneath subheadings, starting with the most important at the top. Under each one you can provide further details of specific experience. The advantage of the Functional CV is that you can focus on your strengths without having to highlight relative inexperience or periods of unemployment. This style can be used when sending your CV on a speculative basis to prospective employers, as it gives a brief overview of the range of your skills, rather than simply emphasising what you have done in your most recent position. The employer who is looking for applicants with particular skills and capabilities will find the Functional CV more helpful than the Chronological CV.

You should start off your Functional CV with your personal details; your name, address and contact details. It's up to you whether you include your age, marital status and nationality - it's not essential. Underneath your personal details you should write a short 'Personal Profile' paragraph, summarising your key skills/experience relevant to the job. It should only be a few lines but must make the prospective employer want to find out more. For example, if the job involves managing staff, you could say you are an effective communicator, with strong organizational and man management skills.

Each heading of a Functional CV should have about three to five bullet points below giving more detail about that particular skill. It is important to highlight your achievements and tailor them to the job you are applying for. Voluntary work experience and personal experiences should also be included on the CV if they are relevant.

Example Functional Headings - Administration, Account Management, Analysis, Budgeting, Communication Skills, Design, Languages, Man Management Experience, Marketing, Market Research, Negotiation, Organisation, Planning, Problem Solving, Procurement, PR, Research, Sales, Secretarial Skills, Strategy and Development, Training and Development.

Educational history and professional qualifications should follow; including name of institutions and dates attended in reverse order i.e. University above School. Then you need to include a final brief paragraph with ‘Additional Information’. Include computer skills, foreign language skills and any other important information e.g. Clean Driving Licence. Leave hobbies and interests to last and keep this section short. Note down interests or activities where you have shown leadership or organisational skills or those which involve an element of working well in a team.
Finally, on the bottom of a Functional CV you should give the names of two relevant contacts that can be used as referees (usually one work and one personal). If needs be, you can write, “references available on request”.

Summary of the Functional CV

Advantages of Using a Functional CV:

• You want to highlight skills and strengths rather than specific jobs.
• Your have had a number of jobs, in different industries.
• You want to change careers and therefore your present job may be of no relevance to any future roles.
• You are returning back to work after a break.
• Most of your work experience has been on a temporary basis.

Disadvantages of Using a Functional CV:

• A Functional CV will not give you the opportunity to highlight career progression. Prospective Employers may think you are trying to hide gaps in your employment history. If you wish to show career progression, you should choose a Chronological CV.
• If you do not have much work experience, you may find it difficult to emphasis a number of different skills and achievements.
• Think carefully before adopting the Functional CV if you are applying for a specific job as it may not be detailed enough.