Is a traditional or functional resume better for adult learners?

If you're sitting down to craft or revise your resume, you're probably following the traditional resume format. This format consists of listing your work experience chronologically, starting with your most recent position, and defining your duties, skills, and accomplishments in each role.

RESUME TIPS: Reasons why you’d benefit 

from a functional resume format

But many adult learners don't realize there's another accepted and effective way to structure their resume. It's called the functional resume format, and it's broken down by skill set rather than work history. For example, a major subhead could be "Team Leader," under which you list your experience at various organizations. Another could be "Project Manager," where you list your accomplishments throughout your career in this role.

A functional resume can be better for adult learners who are transitioning into a new career field or jumping into the workforce after an absence because it highlights how your skills can be applied across sectors, rather than limiting your skill set to one industry or position.

I spoke about functional and traditional resumes on the blog before, and when Ritika Trikha of U.S. News & World Report approached me to expand on the pros of a functional resume, I was happy to oblige. She shared three reasons why you might want to use a functional resume format as opposed to a traditional one, and I gave my advice throughout. Hop over to read the article in full.

Thanks for sharing my advice, Ritika!