How To Write A Skills-Based Resume (With Examples)

Creating a resume can be daunting for recent graduates and professionals transitioning to new fields, especially when they lack direct experience in their desired industry. However, a skills-based resume is a powerful tool that effectively showcases your abilities and the value you can bring to potential employers, regardless of your work history.

In this article, we will explore what a skills-based resume is, when to use one, and provide a sample template and example to assist you in crafting your own.

Key Takeaways:

• A skills-based resume is particularly beneficial if you have held numerous jobs, are transitioning careers, or are a recent graduate with limited work experience.

• When writing a skills-based resume, organize your skills as you would your work history in a traditional resume, including bullet points that detail your experience with each skill.

• Consider using a hybrid resume format that equally emphasizes both your work experience and relevant skills.

What Is a Skills-Based Resume?

Skills-based resumes, also known as functional resumes, emphasize a candidate’s skills over their chronological work history.

These resumes differ from traditional formats in two key ways:

• Focus on Skills. Traditional resumes typically feature a professional experience section listing relevant job positions. In contrast, a skills-based resume highlights major skills that the candidate possesses, which can be valuable to the employer.

  These skills can range from specific technical abilities like proficiency in software, to more general skills such as leadership or analytical problem-solving. Each skill should be supported by bullet points that provide examples of accomplishments and experiences that demonstrate the candidate’s proficiency.

• Qualifications Summary. A qualifications summary is a brief, bulleted list that highlights three to five key achievements from your career and education. This section aims to capture the hiring manager’s attention and differentiate you from other candidates with more extensive experience.

When to Use a Skills-Based Resume

If you lack relevant job experience that positions you competitively in your target field, a traditional resume may not serve you well. Instead, consider a skills-based resume if any of the following applies:

• Recent Graduate. Traditional resumes shine when you have multiple internships or relevant job experiences. If not, a skills-based resume allows you to highlight qualities and experiences from research, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities.

• Job Gaps. Extended unemployment can raise concerns for recruiters. If you can explain gaps in your resume during interviews, it may not be an issue. However, if you have significant gaps without clear explanations, a skills-based resume could be more effective.

• Multiple Similar Jobs. If you’ve held several similar positions, you may not have enough unique achievements to fill a traditional resume. A skills-based resume can help convey your value to recruiters more effectively.

• Career Change. If your current experience doesn’t align with your desired field, a skills-based resume can help bridge that gap by emphasizing transferable skills.

• Job-Hopping History. Job-hopping can be viewed differently across industries. High-turnover fields like retail may not penalize it, but positions in tech or engineering might. Contract workers often benefit from a skills-based resume.

How to Write a Skills-Based Resume

To create a skills-based resume, follow these steps:

1. Start with a Header. Your skills-based resume should include a header with your name in larger text, along with your email address, location (city and state), and phone number.

2. Open with Your Qualifications Summary. This section should highlight your top credentials and accomplishments to ease any concerns about your limited experience. Aim for three to five bullet points to leave room for elaboration in the following sections.

3. Include a Relevant Skills Section. Unlike a traditional resume that may list skills briefly, a skills-based resume should prominently feature them. Include three to five skills in bold text, with three or four bullet points under each skill that demonstrate your background and achievements related to that skill.

4. Provide a Short Work History Section. While skills take center stage, it’s important to include some work history to satisfy applicant tracking systems (ATS) and human readers. You don’t need bullet points for each job, as the skills section should cover key topics.

5. Include an Education Section. If you have a college degree, include it along with the institution’s name. If you’re a recent graduate, consider adding your GPA and relevant coursework. High school education is also valuable to list if you lack college experience.

6. End with Additional Sections. If relevant, you can include sections on volunteer work, awards, languages, publications, or any other additional sections.

Skills-Based Resume Template

In a skills-based resume, some experts advise against adding bullet points to previous jobs if they are unrelated to your target role. However, if your past positions are somewhat relevant, it’s beneficial to include your duties, provided your resume remains concise.

Even if your skills section highlights notable achievements from school or volunteer roles, hiring managers appreciate insights into how you contributed to a company.

Skills-Based Resume Example

This skills-based resume example is tailored for a hypothetical retail store manager position, which includes the following key duties and skills:

• Meeting or exceeding store sales.

• Adhering to annual expense budgets.

• Providing leadership and coordination of staff.

Notice how each bullet point in the qualifications summary addresses one of the key responsibilities listed above. The skills section is also structured to align with the key competencies detailed in the job posting.

Here is the skills-based resume example:

Skills-Based Resume Writing Tips

Before we provide a sample skills-based resume template and example, consider these essential resume-writing guidelines.

These principles should be adhered to, regardless of the type of resume you’re creating:

• Quantify Achievements. Avoid vague statements like “I did X.” Instead, quantify your achievements with specific figures, such as “I did X, which saved the company $Y” or “I did X, which improved the process of Y by 23%.” If you lack quantifiable data, consider using numbers to provide context, like the number of customers served or the volume of goods handled.

• Be Informative but Concise. For early-career professionals, it’s advisable to keep resumes to a single page.

• Tailor Your Resume. Pay attention to key duties and skills listed in the job posting to customize your skills-based resume. Given the competitive landscape, it’s crucial that each skill and achievement you highlight aligns with the job description.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does a resume have to be either skills-based or traditional?

   No, a resume doesn’t have to be either skills-based or traditional. You can adapt your resume format to best suit your unique situation and career history. For instance, a new graduate or someone transitioning careers with only one job in their industry might combine a brief professional experience section with a more comprehensive skills-based section to highlight transferable skills.

2. Does order matter on a resume?

   Yes, order matters on a resume. Generally, job experiences should be listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent positions at the top. You can apply the same principle to a skills-based resume by placing the skills you have the most recent experience with at the top.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Expert

Don Pippin, MHRM, CPRW, CDCS

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.