Skills-based CV (Functional CV): How to Write One

Not all careers are linear. If you’re a recent graduate, a career changer, or simply lack traditional experience, a standard CV format may not put you in the best light. It can expose any gaps in your experience which may hinder your application. But a skills-based format is different. 

Many candidates assume there’s only one type of CV format, but that is not the case. First up, we’ll be covering what a skills-based or functional CV is. 

What is a skills-based (functional) CV?

A skills-based CV, also known as a functional CV, focuses on your professional skills, not a timeline of your work history. 

With this format, your skills are grouped together under categories, not past job titles. Each skill category contains hard skills as well as soft skills, with a few bullet points under each one to further describe your skills and provide examples.

Unlike a reverse-chronological format, this one does not position your work experience section front and centre. Instead, it features your top talents with the experience to back them up below.  

When recruiters see a skills-based CV, they will be drawn to your talents, rather than your work experience. If you’re lacking in that department, this could be the right layout for you.

Skills-based vs. chronological CV: Which format should you choose?

Choosing between a skills-based and chronological CV is dependent on your personal preference and circumstances. It's about what you want the recruiters to focus on and at what stage of your career you are. To break it down simply, take a look at this table:

When to create a skills-based CV?

If you don’t have a straightforward career history and you want to highlight your transferable skills, a functional format is a smart move. Here’s when you might use one for your applications:

You’re a career changer

If you’ve only worked in one job, industry or company for most of your career, you may be at a disadvantage if you want to change careers. This is where a skills-based CV can help.

When you don’t have the exact experience required for your desired job, you need to emphasise your transferable skills and any relevant experience that overlaps with the role. These may have been gained from projects or activities outside of work.

You lack experience or have recently graduated

As a fresh graduate or someone with no experience, you may not have extensive quantifiable achievements to fall back on. This will be immediately obvious in a chronological CV which starts with your most recent experience.

A skills-based CV draws attention away from your work and gives you the opportunity to mention projects that you’ve completed at university or schools that are relevant to the job application. You can also include achievements and awards.

You’ve had career breaks or employment gaps

There may be any number of reasons why you have gaps in your CV. You may have needed to take time out to care for family members (children or parents), to travel around the world or experienced periods of employment through no fault of your own.

In a chronological CV, career gaps are immediately noticeable as everything is ordered by date. These may leave a recruiter questioning your credibility as a candidate.

With a skills-based CV, you have the opportunity to demonstrate that you’re a suitable candidate despite the gaps in your CV. For example, you may list ‘Project Management’ as a skill and include the instances where you’ve managed projects, whether at work or in your personal life.

You’ve had short contracts in the past

If you’ve changed jobs frequently or have had a lot of jobs within a short period of time, recruiters may think that you lack staying power. A chronological CV will draw attention to the job-hopping and make your career history seem erratic.

Having multiple jobs can be an asset to your next employer if you present your skills in the right way. Unlike other candidates, you’ll be able to draw on a wide range of skills and experiences to demonstrate your suitability as a candidate.

You have many freelance or volunteer projects

A skills-based CV can be a great way to highlight skills and experiences gained outside of full-time work. You might be a freelancer, a contract worker, or someone who volunteers. 

Since most CVs follow a standard, reverse-chronological format, you’ll stand out from the crowd. Multiple projects can look like job-hopping. You’ll not only demonstrate your work experience, but also your transferable life skills, adding to your value as a candidate.

When should you not use a skills-based (functional) CV?

Of course, a skills-based CV isn’t always the right option, and there are times when it can genuinely harm your chances of success. Here are the times you should avoid this format:

The bottom line is that most candidates should use a reverse-chronological format to impress recruiters. If in doubt, this is likely the best move. However, if you fit into one of the specific circumstances we’ve listed in the section above, a functional CV could work for you. 

What to include in a functional CV?

Now you’re clear on what a skills-based CV is and when to use one, let’s get down to what it includes. Here are the main sections you should feature in this format in order.

If you're unsure how your CV will look with these sections, check out our CV examples for inspiration and pick from the HR-approved CV templates that are tailored for each situation.

Skills-based CV examples

Looking to create your own functional CV? Check out our examples of how it looks below:

Now that you've seen how a functional CV looks, let's walk through the steps you need to create one.

How to write a skills-based CV (step-by-step)

Ready to start working on your skills-based CV? Follow the simple steps below to get it right. We’ve outlined the process from start to finish: 

Step 1: Pull skills and keywords from the job description

The first thing you need to do is look at the job description and core criteria. Start with the ‘must-haves’ and see how many you have actionable experience in.

You can then look at the ‘desired’ or ‘preferable’ competencies, and see which of those you have. Using these as the base of your CV is a surefire way to impress the recruiter at a glance. 

Step 2: Write specific skill headings

Next, use the skills you’ve selected as headings. Avoid using synonyms, and instead stick to the exact same wording of the job description. This approach gives you the best shot of catching the recruiter’s attention when they are reviewing your application. 

Step 3: Add proof under each skill

Beneath each skill, you’ll need to add some bullet points. These should highlight the times that you’ve used each talent and, importantly, the results you got. You can use the STAR method in these points. That means including the Situation, the Task you had to complete, the Action you took, and the Results of that action.

Here’s an example of how that would look for a leadership role: 

Step 4: Keep work history short but credible

While your work experience won’t be the main event of a functional CV, it still has a place. This should support your skills section. You don’t need to go into much detail. Simply list roles that complement the skills that you are highlighting as part of your skills section.

Step 5: Place education strategically

Your education section can either go at the top of the page or at the bottom. Either way, this should be a brief section that doesn’t demand too much attention. Simply list the school or institute, the qualification, the dates you attended, and the grade or score you received. 

Step 6: Keep ATS in mind

Functional CVs aren’t always the most ATS-friendly format. Since the document doesn’t follow a transitional structure, the software can miss important keywords that are tucked away. 

To combat this problem, incorporate relevant keywords in the work experience section and the skills section. You can also mention a couple in your professional statement. Avoid cramming these in (which can work against you) and pepper them through the content naturally. 

Step 7: Final tailoring and cleanup

Finally, it’s time to get started on some last tweaks. You should always tailor your CV to the role at hand. Review the job description again and check that your application meets its demands. 

Proofread your CV before you submit it to the recruiter. Even the smallest of mistakes, like a typo or a grammatical error, could be enough for a recruiter to put your CV in the ‘no’ pile. 

Final summary to perfect your skills-based CV

A skills-based (or functional) CV is best at emphasising your talents over your work experience. It's a go-to consideration if you're worried that a traditional CV format wouldn't convey your career story as effectively. Here are the main takeaways to consider when making a skills-based CV:

• This format works well for recent graduates, career changers, and freelancers.
• Focus recruiters’ attention on what you can do, rather than how long you’ve done it. 
• Always remember to tailor your skills and experiences to the target job description.

You don’t have to create a functional CV from scratch. Jobseeker’s CV creation tool makes the whole thing a breeze. Choose a CV template and customise it to the role.

A skills-based CV is not complete without an accompanying cover letter. If you're looking to complement your CV with a matching cover letter, be sure to explore our cover letter templates. Should you be looking for inspiration, feel free to browse our cover letter examples.