The Pros and Cons of a Functional CV

This format can be recommended if you do not have a great deal of work experience, have had gaps in your career, or are looking to make a career change, but isn't useful if you want to emphasise continuity and growth and wish to demonstrate a progression up the career ladder.

Pros:

• The functional format allows you to group a number of different achievements into one area of expertise. The company can look at your abilities in the light of job requirements without the consideration of titles or former positions.
• If you have had a number of jobs in a short period of time, a functional style can help by highlighting skills and achievements rather than focusing on your changes.
• You have greater flexibility and can avoid repeating yourself as often happens in a chronological CV with many similar jobs.
• This kind of CV can overcome the fact that you have had little experience at work, as the emphasis is on your functional skills and experience, not your career progression.
• If you are returning to the job market after a gap, you can simply present what you learned during the break.
• If you are looking to make a career change, it allows you to emphasise transferable skills that will help you make the transition.
• If your most recent experience does not relate to the position for which you are applying, a functional CV will focus more on your past strengths.
• If your most recent position is inferior to your earlier jobs, a functional CV will keep this in the background.

Cons:

• This is not an easy C.V. to prepare and will need to be tailored for each job objective.
• Employers are more familiar with a chronological presentation of work history and departure from this format can arouse wariness, if not confusion.
• You must make sure that you are presenting all the information as you intend, addressing the questions: "What speciality am I highlighting? How can this company use me?"
• If you take this approach you lose the impact of any prestigious companies you may have worked for.
• You may still be asked to give chronological detail when you complete the traditional personnel application.