First, you can instantly set forth any part of your background (the experience may be buried in a chronological resume). Second, you can convey that you have expertise in several functional areas. For example, you can highlight a dual capability in any of the following; administration, data processing, engineering, finance, manufacturing, marketing, research and development, or sales; or you can include a knowledge of a particular industry, product line, or service, or the fact that you have a particular set of skills in a certain area. This latitude is especially useful to senior-level job-seekers who have both breadth and depth of experience.
Third, because the format begins with strengths and accomplishments, it diminishes the impact of liabilities such as job-hopping and periods of unemployment. These shortcomings aren't noted until after qualifications have been clearly established. Fourth, the format will conceal a history of unrelated positions, a background that is frowned upon by employers since it demonstrates a lack of career direction.
The functional-chronological format is especially effective for job-seekers who want to make a career change, since it doesn't start with their most recent experience, which is usually inapplicable, as the chronological format does. Career-changers can also highlight those parts of their backgrounds that would usually appear toward the end of a chronological resume-such as community activities and hobbies-when they would demonstrate their qualifications for the position they're pursuing.
Additional information
After you have presented your work experience, use any of the following sections when they will provide information that will support your ability to perform your job objective; "Professional Organizations," "Trade Associations," "Community Activities," "Awards," "Honors," "Commendations," "Inventions," "Patents," "Licenses," "Certifications," "Copyrights," "Publications," "Foreign Languages," "Hobbies," and "Military Experience." Including a "Personal" section is optional.
If there's something important about your background that you wish to include, but the information doesn't fit into one of these categories, provide this data in a section titled "Comments."
Concluding your resume with the statement "References furnished on request" is optional.
If your resume takes up two full pages or more, it's recommended that you add a special section titled "Summary," "Career Summary," or "Profile." This section should appear immediately after "Job Objective," and its purpose is to summarize your expertise to ensure that your resume will be read in its entirety. A two-or three-sentence summary will suffice. This section is especially important when using the chronological format, since key experience might not be readily visible. You can also list important personal traits in this summary statement.
Had Jack Bartello's resume been lengthy, he would have written:
CAREER SUMMARY - A track record of accomplishments in marketing industrial chemical products as a sales manager, sales trainer, and key account sales representative. Experience includes end-user as well as distributor sales. Resourceful, an excellent communicator, highly motivated, the ability to motivate others.
