<https://zety.com/blog/skills-based-cv/#article>
<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"`Changing careers? No traditional, linear work history? Long spells of past unemployment? Or perhaps you don&amp;rsquo;t have much work experience at all? You might feel tempted to write a skills based CV, instead of a traditional, reverse-chronological one.&#92;r&#92;nNot so fast. Skills based CVs, though advantageous to some, are suitable for very few groups of jobseekers.&#92;r&#92;nA skills based CV (also known as a functional CV or simply a &amp;ldquo;skills CV&amp;rdquo;) highlights your skills and qualifications rather than work experience. Skills based CVs are a good choice for career-changers, candidates applying to highly specialized positions, or candidates in creative industries with lots of freelancing experience.&#92;r&#92;nContrary to popular belief, functional CVs are not ideal for people with major employment gaps. Why?&#92;r&#92;nMostly because, for years, they have been recommended as a perfect means to camouflage imperfect work histories. The effect? The skills-based CV format has become an instant flashy neon screaming &amp;ldquo;I&amp;rsquo;m trying to hide something!&amp;rdquo;&#92;r&#92;nIf you&amp;rsquo;re entertaining a thought of writing a functional/skills-based CV, you need to be very careful to avoid some typical rookie mistakes. Luckily, you&amp;rsquo;ve come across this guide.&#92;r&#92;nRead on and you&amp;rsquo;ll see:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nA sample skills based CV better than 9 out of 10 others.&#92;r&#92;nSkills based CV template you can tweak, adjust to your needs, and use to land that big interview.&#92;r&#92;nHow to write a functional CV step by step.&#92;r&#92;nWhen a skills based curriculum vitae is a good idea and when best to avoid it.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nWant to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes?&amp;nbsp;Try our CV builder. It&amp;rsquo;s fast and easy to use. Plus, you&amp;rsquo;ll get ready-made content to add with one click.&amp;nbsp;See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.&#92;r&#92;nCreate your CV now&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nUse this CV template&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nSample skills-based CV made with our builder&amp;mdash;See more CV examples and create your CV here.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nOne of our users, Colette, had this to say:&#92;r&#92;nExcellent service! Great platform that took all the stress out of CV writing. Would definitely use again.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nFor general tips on CV formatting, see our dedicated guide: CV Format and Structure: Examples and Templates&#92;r&#92;nFind a CV example for your profession in our repository. See: CV Examples for All Jobs&#92;r&#92;nSkills-Based CV Example&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nMaya Grayson&#92;r&#92;nOffice Manager&#92;r&#92;n123-456-7890&#92;r&#92;nmayagrayson@email.com&#92;r&#92;nlinkedin.com/in/maya.grayson&#92;r&#92;nSummary&#92;r&#92;nOrganized, detail-oriented Office Manager with over 10 years of experience. Eager to support Luna Designs in streamlining operations and enhancing productivity via efficient office management. Boosted administrative efficiency at WhizWave Widgets by 20% by redesigning administrative processes.&#92;r&#92;nExperience&#92;r&#92;nOffice Manager&#92;r&#92;nWhizWave Widgets, Atlanta, GA&#92;r&#92;nJune 2011&amp;ndash;Present&#92;r&#92;nKey Qualifications &amp;amp; Responsibilities&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nImplementing new document management systems; reduced processing time by 30%.&#92;r&#92;nCoordinating and managing events involving cross-functional teams.&#92;r&#92;nSupervising a team of 5 administrative professionals.&#92;r&#92;nKeeping stock of office supplies.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nKey Achievement:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nBoosted administrative efficiency by 20% via process improvements.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nSenior Administrative Assistant&#92;r&#92;nGleamGrove, Atlanta, GA&#92;r&#92;nJanuary 2007&amp;ndash;May 2011&#92;r&#92;nKey Qualifications &amp;amp; Responsibilities&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nHandled office supply procurement, saving the company 15% on expenses.&#92;r&#92;nAssisted in organizing company events and meetings.&#92;r&#92;nMentored 2 other administrative assistants.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nKey Achievement:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nRecognized for exceptional customer service and responsiveness.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nEducation&#92;r&#92;nBachelor of Business Administration&#92;r&#92;nUniversity of Georgia, Athens, GA&#92;r&#92;nAugust 2003&amp;ndash;May 2007&#92;r&#92;nSkills&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nData Analysis: Proficient in analyzing and interpreting complex datasets to uncover valuable insights and trends.&#92;r&#92;nSQL: Experienced in querying and manipulating databases using SQL to extract and transform data efficiently.&#92;r&#92;nPython: Skilled in utilizing its versatility to develop data analysis scripts and automate tasks.&#92;r&#92;nProject Management: Well-versed in managing projects, coordinating resources, and ensuring timely delivery of objectives.&#92;r&#92;nCommunication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, effectively conveying information and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.&#92;r&#92;nTeam Leadership: Proven ability to lead and motivate teams, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.&#92;r&#92;nDecision Making: Strong decision-making capabilities, utilizing critical thinking and analytical skills to make informed choices.&#92;r&#92;nProblem-Solving: Adept at identifying and resolving complex problems, employing a systematic and logical approach.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nCertifications&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nCertified Administrative Professional (CAP), IAAP, 2011&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nLanguages&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nEnglish&amp;mdash;Native proficiency&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nInterests&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nVolunteering at a local animal shelter.&#92;r&#92;nParticipating in a local book club.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nThe first thing you have to do when writing a skills based CV is divide it into proper sections in the correct order. Here&amp;rsquo;s how:&#92;r&#92;nSkills Based CV Template&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nContact Information&#92;r&#92;nPersonal Statement/CV Profile&#92;r&#92;nSkills Summary&#92;r&#92;nWork Experience&#92;r&#92;nEducation&#92;r&#92;nAdditional Skills&#92;r&#92;n(Optional) Additional Sections&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nThis way, a CV in a skills based format emphasizes your abilities and qualifications, taking some pressure off of the work history. That, however, doesn&amp;rsquo;t mean you can just list all the skills you think you have in whatever order you deem right. You still have to validate your skills&amp;mdash;ideally, by providing real examples of how you put them to use in the workplace.&#92;r&#92;nRead on to see skills based CV examples that illustrate how to do it. Plus, step-by-step guidelines to help you create your CV in no time.&#92;r&#92;nHow to Write a Skills Based CV Step by Step&#92;r&#92;n1. List your contact information at the top&#92;r&#92;nList:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nYour full name&#92;r&#92;nPhone number&#92;r&#92;nEmail address&#92;r&#92;nLinkedIn profile&#92;r&#92;n(Optional) Home address&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n2. Include a brief personal statement or a CV profile&#92;r&#92;nThis section works like a trailer for the rest of your CV. It&amp;rsquo;s the first thing the hiring manager will see.&#92;r&#92;nMake the CV profile short (up to 80 words) and relevant. Give an outline of who you are, what skills you&amp;rsquo;ve mastered and, most importantly, what you have to offer. If you&amp;rsquo;re working in a creative industry, include links to your professional websites or portfolio.&#92;r&#92;nFunctional/Skills Based CV Example: Personal Profile/Statement&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nI am a results-driven King&#39;s College graduate in Journalism and Social Communication seeking to leverage two years of internship and freelancing PR experience to help XYZ Corp generate more meaningful leads in the upcoming months. Experienced in producing engaging online content (see my portfolio here) and press releases for tech start-ups and local IT companies. Non-profit blogger at www.pr-matters.wordpress.co.uk. I am mainly interested in digital PR solutions including the automatisation of customer relations via AI-based email campaigns and chatbots.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nWhen making a CV in our builder, drag &amp;amp; drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a&amp;nbsp;professional CV template here for free.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nCreate my CV now&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nWhen you&amp;rsquo;re done, Zety&amp;rsquo;s CV maker will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.&#92;r&#92;nLearn more here: CV Personal Statement/Personal Profile Examples &amp;amp; a Writing Guide&#92;r&#92;n3. Showcase your most relevant skills in the skills summary&#92;r&#92;nThis is the most crucial part of a functional CV. Meat and potatoes, if you will. Here&amp;rsquo;s how to turn it into chateaubriand with dauphinoise.&#92;r&#92;nHow to Write a Functional CV Skills Summary&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nRead the job ad carefully and identify key skills expected by the employer.&#92;r&#92;nPick 3 to 6 skills and list them in your summary.&#92;r&#92;nUnder each skill, include a short paragraph or 3&amp;ndash;5 bullet points that demonstrate your expertise.&#92;r&#92;nIf you can, try to pick quantified, measurable results achievements to back up each skill. Be as specific as possible.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nHave a look at these CV summary examples:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nThe first sample has been written by a candidate writing a CV for his first managerial position in a software development team. So far, she&amp;rsquo;s only worked as a senior software engineer and been in charge of several projects, but she&amp;rsquo;s never supervised a full-sized team. Her CV has to prove that she&amp;rsquo;s not only a savvy programmer, but also a competent leader and manager.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nFunctional CV Skills Summary Sample: Specialized Positions&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nProgramming and App Development&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nDeveloped and built 20+ mobile apps and 30+ websites providing exceptional user experience.&#92;r&#92;nNamed BCD M&amp;amp;E&amp;rsquo;s &amp;ldquo;Top Programmer of The Year&amp;rdquo; for three consecutive years 2009-2011.&#92;r&#92;n15+ years experience in C#, C++, Java, and Objective-C.&#92;r&#92;nC Certified Professional Programmer (2006), Objective-C Certified Professional Programmer (2009).&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nLeadership&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n8+ years experience in project coordination (teams of 3&amp;ndash;10 colleagues).&#92;r&#92;nDesigned and implemented a new IT management model with Apple London, increasing quarterly productivity by 33% and boosting employee satisfaction by 22%.&#92;r&#92;nTrained and mentored 50+ junior developers to help them prepare for certification exams (88% success rate).&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nBusiness Management&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nCoordinated 20+ projects with budgets over &amp;pound;200,000.&#92;r&#92;nOptimized procurement processes to reduce BCD M&amp;amp;E&amp;rsquo;s annual costs by 27%.&#92;r&#92;nSuccessfully cooperated with sales and marketing teams on new business strategies which helped increase Apple London sales volume by 23%.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&amp;nbsp;Notice how each of these core skills is supported by substantial evidence.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nThe second example comes from a junior-level marketing specialist. His work history so far has been mostly filled with freelancing projects and consulting, rather than full-time employment&amp;mdash;that&amp;rsquo;s why it might seem chaotic. He chose to emphasize most relevant skills so that employers will grasp his value proposition fast.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nFunctional CV Skills Summary Sample: Creative Industries&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nRESEARCH&#92;r&#92;nExperienced in working with clients in a wide variety of fields (Tech, FMCG, Sports, Interior Design). Excellent at researching clients&#39; brands, industries and markets quickly and comprehensively.&#92;r&#92;nWRITING SKILLS&#92;r&#92;nSkilled at writing all types of marketing and PR materials: press releases, blog posts, bulletins, emailing campaigns (outreach emails, sales emails, engagement emails). Able to produce up to 1,500 words of unique, well-researched, engaging content per day.&#92;r&#92;nCREATIVE SKILLS&#92;r&#92;nI&amp;rsquo;m able to come up with innovative solutions to all types of problems and crises. Excellent in designing and implementing both ATL and BTL Public Relations and Marketing campaigns in collaboration with teams of graphic designers and art directors.&#92;r&#92;nSOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING&#92;r&#92;nProficient at managing social media campaigns across all major social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr. Increased clients&amp;rsquo; social media referral traffic by 180%. Boosted Acme&amp;rsquo;s online sales by a quarter.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nThis candidate doesn&amp;rsquo;t have as many quantifiable achievements as the previous one, but he still manages to provide very precise examples of his expertise. It makes this CV skills section much more believable to employers.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nNot sure what skills to add to your skills-based CV? We analyzed 11 million documents made in our builder, and here are the top 10 most frequently added skills by our user:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nTeamwork and Collaboration&#92;r&#92;nProblem-solving&#92;r&#92;nExcellent Communication&#92;r&#92;nMultitasking&#92;r&#92;nAttention to Detail&#92;r&#92;nMS Office&#92;r&#92;nAnalytical and Critical Thinking&#92;r&#92;nData Entry&#92;r&#92;nProject Management&#92;r&#92;nTeam Management&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nCurious about the most relevant skills for employment in today&#39;s trends? Find out here: Crucial Skill Sets to Land Better Jobs.&#92;r&#92;n4. List your work experience&#92;r&#92;nEven though in a &amp;ldquo;skills&amp;rdquo; CV, you don&amp;rsquo;t need to be particularly elaborate about your work history, you still have to include a list of your past employers.&#92;r&#92;nEnter:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nYou position&#92;r&#92;nCompany name&#92;r&#92;nDates worked&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nOptionally, you can add 2&amp;ndash;3 bullet points that outline your key responsibilities and accomplishments.&#92;r&#92;n5. Include basic details about your education&#92;r&#92;nThe same goes for your education. Don&amp;rsquo;t drone on about relevant coursework, thesis title, or extracurricular activities.&#92;r&#92;nLimit yourself to:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nYour degree&#92;r&#92;nThe name of the institution&#92;r&#92;nGraduation date&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nThe only exception is if you&amp;rsquo;ve graduated within a year and have little work experience. In such case, put your education section above the work experience on your skills based CV, include academic achievements, list a few relevant courses. If you&amp;rsquo;ve graduated with a first or a 2:1, include your honours too. Otherwise&amp;mdash;omit them.&#92;r&#92;n6. Add a list of additional skills&#92;r&#92;nAll key skills on a skills based CV should appear in the Skills Summary. At the bottom of your functional CV, add a short, bulleted list of extra skills such as:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nComputer skills&#92;r&#92;nLanguages&#92;r&#92;nLess relevant job-specific skills&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n7. Optionally, add extra sections to buff up your CV&#92;r&#92;nThese might include:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nCertifications&#92;r&#92;nAwards&#92;r&#92;nHobbies and Interests&#92;r&#92;nVolunteer Experience&#92;r&#92;nFreelance Work&#92;r&#92;nConference Participation&#92;r&#92;nAdditional Training&#92;r&#92;nPublications and Blogs&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nAlso, while not a section of your CV as such,&amp;nbsp;do&amp;nbsp;write a cover letter. As many as half of recruiters still expect those!&#92;r&#92;nPlus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.&amp;nbsp;Here&#39;s what it may look like:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nCreate my cover letter now&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nSee more cover letter templates and start writing.&#92;r&#92;nAnd presto! There you have it&amp;mdash;a comprehensive template of all sections you need to include on your skills based CV. Time for a quick recap.&#92;r&#92;nPros &amp;amp; Cons of a Functional CV&amp;mdash;Should You Use It or Avoid It?&#92;r&#92;nStill not sure whether writing a skills based CV is a good idea? Consult with our handy table!&#92;r&#92;nSkills Based CV in a Nutshell&#92;r&#92;nSkills Based CV Pros and Cons&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nSkills Based CV Pros&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nSkills Based CV Cons&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nIt takes the focus off of your work history and emphasizes your skills. If you&amp;rsquo;ve done lots of freelancing or single projects, this format will help you show what skills you&amp;rsquo;ve mastered through them.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nIt&amp;rsquo;s not as easy to scan for recruiters as a traditional CV written using a reverse-chronological template.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nWhen written properly, it showcases your most important skills and validates them with examples related to your work experience&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nSuggests you&amp;rsquo;re trying to hide something about your employment history.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nIt can be used by career-changers and candidates targeting highly specialized positions.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nIt might not get through older Applicant Tracking Systems&amp;rsquo; (ATS) scans.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nIt&amp;rsquo;s a good creative CV format for non-traditional industries.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nVery difficult to write&amp;mdash;you&amp;rsquo;ll need to go the extra mile to make sure your skills summary is both believable and relevant to the opening.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nKey Takeaway&#92;r&#92;nTo write a functional/skills based CV that gets you the job, follow these 6 key steps:&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nOpen with a personal statement or a CV profile: outline who you are and how you&amp;rsquo;ll benefit the employer.&#92;r&#92;nIn the central part of your CV, put a skills summary: list your most relevant skills and back them up with evidence of your proficiency.&#92;r&#92;nInclude a succinct overview of your work history: positions, companies, dates worked.&#92;r&#92;nBe brief about your education: list your degree, institution, graduation date.&#92;r&#92;nAt the bottom, put a bulleted list of your additional skills.&#92;r&#92;nFinish off with extra sections: certifications, awards, publications, or conferences.&#92;r&#92;n&#92;r&#92;nDo you have any questions about our skills based CV examples? Facing obstacles writing your functional CV? Let me know in the comments, I&amp;rsquo;ll do my best to help!&#92;r&#92;nAbout Zety&amp;rsquo;s Editorial Process&#92;r&#92;nThis article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety&#39;s editorial guidelines. We&amp;rsquo;re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don&#39;t stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.`"
<https://zety.com/blog/skills-based-cv>