Why a Functional Resume is Best for This Type of Client

A functional resume would be most suitable to the applicant who deliberately took time off from employment to hone his credentials further. As someone who is hired to make people "marketable" to potential employers, you as a resume writer must make sure that your client's capabilities are highlighted in the best way possible.

First, consider the position for which he's vying, and then come up with a Job or Career Objective.

Here are a few examples:

• To work and thrive in a fast-paced environment as a copywriter
• To apply my expertise in computer programming and mentoring to effectively assist beginners in a classroom setting

In some instances, you can simply state the position as the job objective:

Editorial Assistant
Front Desk Officer
Accounting Clerk

The next thing to do would be to sift through your client's previous experience at work. Carefully examine any task or responsibility that's consistently recurring, like implementing procedures, troubleshooting, keeping records, etc.

After proving that your client has exhibited some competency on the job, beef up his resume by citing the skills that he has acquired (e.g. through seminars or weekend classes, continuing education, volunteering, or internships, both paid and unpaid.).

To illustrate, I once crafted a functional resume that I would present during my application as a customer service representative in a company that specializes in business process outsourcing (BPO). Since strong communication skills are highly valued in this industry, I listed all my past participation in workshops that are aimed to help employees perform better at work by improving the way they speak.

I wrote down my qualifications this way: 

SEMINARS and WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

Certification in English Fluency
The Corporate Mind

• Participated in interactive exercises and drills on the basics of grammar, pronunciation, and structuring sentences effectively
• Was made familiar with the common pitfalls of English language learners and ways to avoid them

Certification in Feature Writing for Magazines
Pals @ Pages -- Creative Writers' Group

• Learned to conduct an extensive market study about the needs and editorial preferences of a print magazine
• Worked in group settings and was engaged in brainstorming ideas for a cost-effective marketing campaign

Use strong action verbs and keep tenses consistent all throughout the resume.

In my next few articles, I'll briefly explain why it's crucial to use this format for your client's resume.