With the popularity of the reverse-chronological resume, one might be reluctant to use a skills-based resume format. We’re breaking the stereotypes to show you it’s worth a shot.
You’ve found a thrilling job opportunity and scanned it excitedly. You hadn’t thought much until you realized you were in a position to get it. But then the doubts come in. What if the company I’m interested in seeks a candidate with extensive experience?And what if I don’t have enough of it?
Worry not. A skills-based resume will direct attention to your greatest abilities to prove you’re all set for the role. You don’t need numerous certificates of employment to validate it.
In this guide:
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Looking for useful resume writing tips and alternative formats? Check the articles below:
Bessie J. Hogan
Graphic Designer
402-316-8824
bessiejhogan@mail.com
linkedin.com/in/bessiehogan
Objective
Passionate and collaborative digital graphic designer with a BA in Graphic Design. Skilled in preparing style guide-adjusted digital assets, including illustrations, wall charts, posters, logos, brochures, and more. Well-versed in branding strategies and creating brand style guides from scratch. Motivated to join Vision Vibes as a Senior Graphic Designer to drive its vision and marketing strategy through diverse visual works.
Skills Summary
GRAPHIC DESIGN
TYPOGRAPHY
BRANDING
Work Experience
Graphic Arts Designer
Ink Wisdom, Remote
March 2021–Present
Freelance Graphic Designer
PixelCraze, Remote
October 2017–January 2021
Education
BA in Graphic Design
American University, DC
September 2013–July 2017
GPA: 3.65
Courses and certificates
Now, let’s focus on a skills-based resume major tenets to crack it:
A skills-based resume is a resume format that favors a candidate’s skills and puts them at the top, unlike a reverse-chronological resume type. Such resume format often displays professional skills as bolded lines with descriptions underneath, depicting how those skills were used in previous roles.
Choosing the proper resume format resembles matching the clothing for a special occasion. Most typically, you’ll want to find clothes that fit the event’s character and make you look attractive. With that said, you’ll look for clothes underlining your attributes rather than magnifying imperfections.
A well-suited resume format will do the same. A skills-based resume (also called a functional resume) will best fit applicants with limited job histories, such as fresh graduates or career changers. It will redirect a recruiter’s attention from work experience to professional abilities most desirable in a specific role.
Let’s summarize the events in which a skills-based resume does the job:
If you’ve said yes to any of the above samples, a skills-based resume is your way to go. Nevertheless, if you can boast ample work experience with various job positions and duties, a reverse-chronological resume will fit better.
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Once you decide to sit down to your resume, you might discern numerous questions and doubts piling up in your head. For consolation, every winning resume was once a mess before it got magnificent.
We’ll guide you through this hazy process.
Follow these key rules to craft a skills-based resume template that catches a recruiter:
We bet you have numerous multifaceted skills to enlist on your resume. Still, you can’t just pour them onto paper erratically as Jackson Pollock would. Before listing your key abilities, plan your resume structure with enough focus as if it was a canvas you don’t want to waste.
Consider these simple formatting tips and hints:
Finally, save your skills-based resume in a PDF format to keep it neat. This way, you’ll rest assured it is delivered in the same form you created.
Some resumes are rejected after just a one-minute glance. You know why? They overlook critical information. If you don’t mind presenting your contact details clearly, you can’t expect a recruiter to make an extra effort to track you down elsewhere.
The resume header is where a recruiter’s eyes go first, so ensure you don’t waste this key moment.
Here’s what every resume header should include:
Now, check the example below for reference:
Bessie J. Hogan
Graphic Designer
402-316-8824
bessiejhogan@mail.com
linkedin.com/in/bessiehogan
If you decide to attach a link to a portfolio or your social media channels, make sure they’re aligned with the job you’re applying for. Don’t put your personal stuff here, as it may be considered unprofessional.
Rule No. 1 when writing any type of text in a world over-saturated with content? Make it concrete & catchy. Lots of candidates don’t take this advice seriously. They create lengthy resumes with chaotic entries needing solid editing. And they fail.
Don’t duplicate their actions. Start your resume with an intriguing resume profile that sows a grain of interest. It should focus on your key strengths that you will unfold further in the text.
In a skills-based resume, a resume objective works best for underlining your strong sides and motivations toward a new role.
But how to create one that reflects this? See the action points below:
View this ready-made example to understand it better:
Resume Objective
Passionate and collaborative digital graphic designer with a BA in Graphic Design. Skilled in preparing style guide-adjusted digital assets, including illustrations, wall charts, posters, logos, brochures, and more. Well-versed in branding strategies and creating brand style guides from scratch. Motivated to join Vision Vibes as a Senior Graphic Designer to drive its vision and marketing strategy through diverse visual works.
Such an entry shows what a recruiter can expect from a candidate like you. They’ll immediately know what you’re best at and why you decided to answer their job advertisement.
The skills section means your time to shine. Like a few minutes on stage that decide how the audience will perceive you. No room for mistakes, only thought-out actions.
So, before building your skills list, you must have a solid plan. Here’s how to prepare a combo skill set that makes a wow effect:
Got it? See the example that shows the above:
Skills Summary
GRAPHIC DESIGN
TYPOGRAPHY
BRANDING
When constructing your skill set, pick broad skills that comprise various duties. For example, choose graphic design skills over creating illustrations if you're a graphic designer. This way, you’ll have room to cover a variety of graphic assets, not only illustrations.
A skills-based resume is where the work experience section gives way to skills. Hence, you won't dedicate much time to designing your work history in detail here.
Once you’ve described your abilities by recalling examples of former tasks and achievements, you have the green light to summarize your work experience shortly. To do that, solely list job titles, companies' names, and work dates.
Check this sample for validation:
Work Experience
Graphic Arts Designer
Ink Wisdom, Remote
March 2021–Present
Freelance Graphic Designer
PixelCraze, Remote
October 2017–January 2021
That’s fairly enough to cover your work experience part of the resume. Normally, you would include bullets with your work achievements here, but in the case of a skills-based resume, they just land in the skills section.
Education on a resume has always been a subject of discussion. Is it interesting to a recruiter, or does it take space pointlessly?
In fact, the education section helps an employer build a picture of your qualifications. Plus, it increases your credibility, depicting you as a qualified candidate.
Your education section should include a few things: your degree, the name of the university or college, and studying dates. Additionally, you can add your GPA score, but only if it’s above 3.5.
See an exemplary education entry for your resume:
Education
BA in Graphic Design
American University, DC
September 2013–July 2017
GPA: 3.65
On top of that, you can add 2 to 3 bullets with any courses or accolades you received. If you participated in any engrossing projects during your studies, feel free to add them, too. This is how you can grow a recruiter’s interest.
As a well-versed professional, you know how tough it is to hone your skills until they’re considered of high quality.
So why not show your arduous work, describing the means you used to perfect your skills to the very last detail? Utilize added sections to show how you developed your talents.
The sample sections you can attach include:
Now, here’s an example for you:
Courses and certificates
You see? These courses and certificates are the best evidence you’re involved in your development. And recruiters love to see people fascinated by their professional growth.
And voilà! With your skills and traits weaved in most of the skills-based resume sections, you get a powerful resume that speaks for your talents.
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Here’s what to remember when writing your skills-based resume for the first time:
Not sure if a skills-based resume is for you? Got questions on how to write it? Let us know in the comment section. We’ll be happy to help!
Marta Bongilaj is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and career specialist. She's a member of the National Career Development Association and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Her extensive marketing background serves as a strong foundation, enabling her to offer pertinent guidance in accentuating candidates' most compelling attributes and crafting resumes that captivate attention. Through her written works, Marta emphasizes the critical role of showcasing unique skills, experiences, and qualifications in a resume, essential for standing out in today's competitive job markets. She furnishes precise and invaluable advice on effectively presenting one's candidacy across various career stages. With a degree in philology, Marta firmly advocates for the significance of concise, persuasive language as the cornerstone of a successful resume. If you're seeking expert counsel on marketing yourself to employers, regardless of your current stage in the recruitment process, Marta's articles are your ultimate destination.
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