3 Reasons Why Functional Resumes Suck

functional resumes, resume formats, chronological resumes, resumes liked by recruiters I was a search firm recruiter for 13 years and I can tell you that a reverse chronological resume is really the only way to go.

I ran a consulting desk for the majority of the time I recruited and I still believe that a chronological resume is best for job seekers pursuing either direct hire positions and consulting work.

This is a guest post by Lisa Rangel.

While there are many reasons why a chronological resume is best, there are three main reasons why I (and most recruiters who won’t call you for an interview) dislike functional resumes and why you should consider not using one:

Reason #1

Anyone with a ‘normal’ background will use a chronological resume (and I do use the word ‘normal’ in a loose manner meaning no offense to anyone). Right? Anyone with a cookie-cutter, progressive background will not use a functional resume.

So as a recruiter, when I saw a functional resume, I subconsciously assumed the person had something about their background that was not ‘normal’ or it was probably not an ideal background. I mean, who would use a functional resume unless they felt they had to do so, yes?

I would read the resume (if I even read it) from the perspective for finding what was wrong with the background that would lead someone to choose to use a functional format instead of reading the resume looking for why that person is awesome. Do not give your reader a reason to start reading from a negative perspective, which can happen with a functional resume.

Reason #2

Hiring managers need your achievements and job duties placed within a company and time-frame context for your background to be taken seriously. When you strip your achievements out of the company context and year you did it, the reader has no point of reference to evaluate your expertise.

If you did a successful marketing campaign that had 74% open email rates. well, that is great! But it means nothing if I do not know how long ago you did it, for what company and what the volume stats surrounding the experience are. The context is just as important as the content…only a chronological format can truly showcase these important pieces of information to demonstrate how you are qualified and how you are the perfect candidate.

Reason #3

Functional format resume are not easily digestible to applicant tracking systems (ATS), if at all to some systems. The rationale behind this is simple. ATS systems are set up to digest chronological formats correctly: These systems identify the predictable order of contact information, company names, job titles, bullet descriptions and key words found in a chronological resume. In a functional resume, these information nuggets are presented in a different order and it throws off the ATS by resume data in the incorrect fields, if it downloads it at all.

I never really say never…

But I have yet to find a true positive reason to use a functional resume and do not ever recommend them. A functional resume is often a red flag for recruiters that can put your resume in the ‘no call-no interview’ pile.

Don’t do it!

Image courtesy of 123rf.com

About the Author:

Lisa Rangel, the Managing Director of Chameleon Resumes, is a Moderator for LinkedIn's Premium Job Seeker Group, a former search firm recruiter, Certified Professional Resume Writer and holder of six additional job search certifications. As a former recruitment professional for over 13 years, Lisa knows first-hand what resumes receive a response and land interviews from reviewing thousands of resumes to identify talent for premier organizations. She has been featured on LinkedIn, Monster, US News & World Report, Fox Business News and Good Morning America. Lisa is the Career Services Partner for eCornell, the online division for Cornell University. She has authored three books, including 99 Free Job Search Tips From An Executive Recruiter (http://chameleonresumes.com/99-free-job-search-tips/).. Follow Lisa on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/chameleonresumes, on Twitter at @lisarangel or on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisarangel

Lisa Rangel – who has written 5 posts on Tim's Strategy®.

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http://twitter.com/sharonktp Sharon Hamersley

Hi Lisa, all of these are really valid reasons to avoid the functional resume. But, on occasion I have created a functional resume for a client. Why? Because they had very unusual circumstances that would have been all too evident with the reverse chronological resume. I also coached them to make sure that it got into the hands of a living, breathing human who had a need they could fulfill. They were actively engaged in network building to identify who those individuals were.
I’m sure you have worked with similar clients and would be interested in hearing what strategies you have used to make the chronological resume work for them.
Thanks! Sharon
Eric Olavson

I completely agree with the article and the reasons given. Never do it. It only raises red flags and shows that you’re hiding something.
http://twitter.com/GregAboveTheRim Greg Johnson

Lisa,

Thanks for the post and also the good points. I do have one question about point number one. What makes a person with a cookie cutter background a better asset for the organization? Granted, it is easier to plug in someone with a cookie cutter background, but by focusing on those resumes that demonstrate the easy plug in, you are in most cases missing out on people who could potentially bring greater value and success to the organization. This is especially true in today’s market when so many professionals do not have a “normal” background.
Marquis crumpton

I disagree. How could you use a chronological resume if you have been out of work for so long? There is nothing chronological if you have gaps in the resume itself and I use a functional resume because I haven’t worked in a long time and doing things now to get new skills. Why would I use a chronological resume?

I am not hiding anything but this type of thinking is so bizarre. It sounds like no matter how many different ways we use a resume, it still isn’t getting us in the door. I have used the chronological resume before and never got interviews. We talked about this in the job workshops I went to last summer, the trainer was all for functional resumes within reason. The problem is the job advice is so bland and just because it has been said doesn’t mean it will fit someone’s situation hence is why we need to give advice who can benefit from it or suggest something where they are at the bottom of the barrel and need to bring them up.
http://www.chameleonresumes.com/ Lisa Rangel

Hi Marquis…I am sure there are exceptions for every rule, but I just have not come across one yet. But I am open. I have written reverse chronological resumes for at-home parents returning to work after 10 years out of the workforce. Additionally, I have written resumes for individuals who stayed home with a sick parent for a couple of years having to return to work with that employment gap. If you do not have paid employment experience to fill your gaps, you can use volunteer work (indicating it is volunteer) and writing the volunteer experience as employment experience, with job duties and achievements like you would a paid employment experience. That is the main tactic behind making anyone’s background a reverse chronological resume: whatever has been filling your time–school, volunteering, personal leave, long-term unemployment, part-time employment, researching a start-up business, etc (the list of viable reasons for that gap can go on)–that becomes a properly worded ‘employment experience’ section in the time frame where it belongs. This reverse chronological format just brings less attention to the ‘blemishes’ of a background.
http://www.chameleonresumes.com/ Lisa Rangel

Hi Greg…my apologies for the long response time. Great question. The person with the cookie cutter background is not by any means better for the job. It is just when they use a conventional, reverse chronological resume, they have just presented themselves in a more linear, digestible fashion to the hiring manager. It is easy for the recruiter to follow their background, so the recruiter assumes (wrongly) that the candidate will be easier to talk to and bring on….I agree 110% that most professionals, especially over the last five years, do not have a ‘normal’ background. But those that present themselves in a resume and LinkedIn profile that is the most digestible to a recruiter, is more likely to receive an interview.
http://www.chameleonresumes.com/ Lisa Rangel

Thanks for the comment, Eric…again, apologies for the long response time….
http://www.chameleonresumes.com/ Lisa Rangel

Hello Sharon, Thanks for commenting on the article. I love feedback from fellow practitioners in the field. (and my apologies to you, too, for my late response time, as well.) I know you did your resume for your client with your best intentions and sound instructions–handing that functional resume to a live, breathing person is the only way (in my mind) it could possibly work. But once that resume leaves the hands of the person who knows that applicant well, it loses any impact since all the context of time is gone. The person who received it is then too focused on “when did they do this?” and “how long ago was that?” and not on what value the person brings to the table. Context matters. I believe in 99% of cases it cannot be ignored. …See the earlier response I wrote to Marquis…I have taken resumes with huge gaps and made them chronological. While it is a challenge, I believe there always has to be a way. The resume is simply much, much better received, making it worth the extra effort to do so…