Functional CV

A functional CV is the best way forward for many people. Particularly since most people do have a variety of jobs and a chequered career to some degree.

As opposed to in inventory CV, or even what most people describe as a chronological CV, a functional CV, on the other hand doesn't necessarily list each and every one of your jobs, nor does it necessarily list them in strict chronological order.

Functional CV Purpose

The main purpose of a functional CV is to consolidate and focus your skills, work experience and qualifications to some degree and hone in on a particular target.

Some people will tell you that functional CVs need to be two pages in length. This is actually quite naive, and isn't based on sales principles (and remember that your CV is a sales document). You need to be flexible in general when you are writing your CV, and setting rigid lengths on functional CVs is not only nonsensical, but also goes against the grain of what a functional CV is about in the first place.

More advice on Functional CVs

Functional CVs give you more scope, flexibility and leeway to summarise your experience and sell your skills in a more concise and sometimes more appealing manner than typically more rigid chronological formats allow.

Functional or Chronological CV?

Strangely, many people think that functional CV and a chronological CV can't go and in hand together. However, that isn't so. It's just harder to write a CV with best of both elements, and most people (including many professional CV writers) just don't realise that it can't be done.

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This advice on functional CVs is based on a CV book by one of our senior consultants, and is not for copy or distribution.