INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Top Executives positions are at a 8% growth rate, which is as fast as average. With that said, there are currently 2,704,400 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 209,500 to 2,913,900 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Top Executives jobs was $107,680 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $45,850, and the highest 10% more than $208,000.
Our conclusion? The Top Executives job market is wide open for candidates.
Top Functional Manager sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to write a Functional Manager resume experience section
Functional Manager Resume’s Job Experience Checklist:
- Use 4-6 bullet points per job title;
- Don’t go further than a decade behind when describing your job history, unless you’re applying for an executive position;
- Combine job responsibilities as well as achievements with numbers in results when you describe your past work;
- Start each sentence with a power verb and avoid overused buzzwords;
- Use either C-A-R or S-T-A-R methodology, when describing your experience.
The work experience samples below come from real Functional Manager resumes that got people hired at top companies. You can use them as an inspiration to build your own resume:
- Accountability for all learning projects (intake of request, resourcing, needs analysis, learning strategy, instructional design, collaboration with subject matter experts, contracting and management of vendors, implementation and evaluation of learning solutions) ¬ 25 projects yearly
- Coaching, advising and acting as escalation point for operational staff responsible for overseeing the day-to-day project management, design, development and implementation of learning solutions across the portfolio
- Line management of Learning & Development professionals. Highly people focused related to performance, engagement, motivation and management of staff
- Contributed to creation and establishment of Functional Accountability model (value chain)
- Strategic and analytical thinking on functional strategy, goals/objectives and internal projects
- Leading various functional projects e.g. Sourcing Strategy, Service Request Intake and Portfolio Management, Resourcing planning and tracking, Engagement of staff, Service Delivery model
- PDG representative on the PD CoE Learning and Development Network including leading various CoE projects
- Functional representative on the PDG Community Committee
- Functional Manager, Learning and Team Services
- Accountability for all learning projects/solutions (intake of request, resourcing, needs analysis, learning strategy, instructional design, collaboration with subject matter experts, contracting and management of vendors, implementation and evaluation of learning solutions) - PD PEC, PDG MEP and other projects ¬ 25 projects yearly
- Coaching, advising and acting as escalation point for operational staff responsible for overseeing the day-to-day project management, design, development and implementation of learning solutions across the portfolio
- Line management of 5-8 Senior Learning professionals. Highly people focused related to performance, engagement, motivation and day-to-day management of staff
- Contributed to creation and establishment of Functional Accountability model as well as Design & Create Accountability area (Solutions Team)
- Member of Training & Support Services Leadership Team, Strategic and analytical thinking on Functional as well as Accountability area strategy, goals/objectives and internal projects
- Leading various functional projects e.g. Sourcing Strategy, Service Request Intake and Portfolio Management, Resourcing planning and tracking, Service Delivery model
- PDG representative on the PD CoE Learning and Development Network including leading various CoE projects
- Line Management of 6-8 direct reports
- Active member of Training & Learning Management Team responsible for Global Functional business strategy, goals/objectives and projects
- Involved in creating End-to-End Functional Business process, templates, forms etc. (based on ADDIE and Training SOP)
- Coaching, advising and acting as escalation point for learning professionals responsible for the day-to-day project management, design, development and implementation of learning solutions
- Functional representative on the Basel PDG Community Planning Committee - 4 events per year
- Line Management of 6-8 direct reports
- Active member of Training Leadership team responsible for Global Functional business strategy, goals/objectives and projects
- Lead and oversee local Training Coordination and Delivery
- Support local staff on Instructional Design of Learning Solutions for systems and processes
- Lead of the Global Functional Communication Team (0.2 FTE)
- Responsible for Global and Local Functional Awareness Events for PDG - 4 events per year
- Maternity leave Mar 2009 - Jan 2010
- Accountability for all learning projects/solutions (intake of request, resourcing, needs analysis, learning strategy, instructional design, collaboration with subject matter experts, contracting and management of vendors, implementation and evaluation of learning solutions) - PD PEC, PDG MEP and other projects ¬ 25 projects yearly
- Coaching, advising and acting as escalation point for operational staff responsible for overseeing the day-to-day project management, design, development and implementation of learning solutions across the portfolio
- People management of 5-8 Senior Learning professionals. Highly people focused related to performance, engagement, motivation and day-to-day management of staff
- Contributed to creation and establishment of Functional Accountability model as well as Design & Create Accountability area (Solutions Team)
- Member of Training & Support Services Leadership Team, Strategic and analytical thinking on Functional as well as Accountability area strategy, goals/objectives and internal projects
- Leading various functional projects e.g. Sourcing Strategy, Service Request Intake and Portfolio Management, Resourcing planning and tracking, Service Delivery model
- PDG representative on the PD CoE Learning and Development Network including leading various CoE projects
- Line Management of 6-8 direct reports
- Active member of Training & Learning Management Team responsible for Global Functional business strategy, goals/objectives and projects
- Involved in creating End-to-End Functional Business process, templates, forms etc. (based on ADDIE and Training SOP)
- Coaching, advising and acting as escalation point for learning professionals responsible for the day-to-day project management, design, development and implementation of learning solutions
- Functional representative on the Basel PDG Community Planning Committee - 4 events per year
- Line Management of 6-8 direct reports
- Active member of Training Leadership team responsible for Global Functional business strategy, goals/objectives and projects
- Lead and oversee local Training Coordination and Delivery
- Support local staff on Instructional Design of Learning Solutions for systems and processes
- Lead of the Global Functional Communication Team (0.2 FTE)
- Responsible for Global and Local Functional Awareness Events for PDG - 4 events per year
- Maternity leave Mar 2009 - Jan 2010
PRO TIP
Show off real numbers that display your accomplishments in past roles. Instead of listing out your responsibilities as Functional Manager, talk about the measurable impact you made to their business. Did you boost their revenue? Increase customer retention? Mention your proudest points on your resume.
Action Verbs for your Functional Manager Resume
Recommended reads:
Functional Manager Resume Skills’ Tips & Tricks to Impress Recruiters
Resume Skills Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Skills for your Functional Manager resume
- Public Speaking
- Digital Solutions
- Technical Skills
- Spreadsheets
- Point of Sales Systems
- Data Analysis
- Marketing Solutions
- Writing
- Transparency
- Communication
- Delegation
- Decisiveness
- Empowering
- Consistency and Reliability
- Empathy and sensitivity
- Mentoring and coaching
PRO TIP
When describing your experience, don’t go too far from its terminology. Recruiters use ATS systems to filter resumes based on them having certain keywords, so make sure you use at least a few keywords mentioned in the job description.
Functional Manager Resume Header: Tips, Red Flags, and Best Practices
CHECKLIST For Your Functional Manager Resume Header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your Functional Manager resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
Functional Manager Resume Summary Best Practices
Checklist: What to include in your Functional Manager resume summary:
- Years of experience;
- Highlight top 3 skills and proficiencies;
- One big professional accomplishment you’re most proud of, that you can tie with the aforementioned skills;
- Use short, direct sentences - but no more than three - to keep the HRs interested.
Resume Summary Formula:
PRO TIP
Your summary section should act as a brief but informative introduction to your experience section. In this section you should go into more depth about what you have done, and how you did it.
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Listing Your Education, Certifications and Courses
Resume Education Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Certifications for your Functional Manager resume
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PRO TIP
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
Functional Manager Resume: Additional Writing & Formatting Tips
There are three basic resume formats you can choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional resume format;
- Hybrid (or Combination) resume format;
The most optimal format for your particular case will depend on your years of experience, as well as whether you’re switching industries or not.
Reverse chronological resumes are best suited for experienced individuals who are sticking to their industry. The experience section takes a central place, and its bullets contain your responsibilities and achievements, coupled with numbers and results.
Functional resumes are used by less experienced jobseekers or career changers. Note that it’s not a format that recruiters prefer, as most are used to the classic chronological alignment. Instead of a list of job titles, functional resumes focus on your skills, and through what experiences you gained them.
Hybrid resumes are great for both experienced and entry-level candidates, as well as career changers. They combine the best of both worlds - most often in a double column format, where one side of the content is focused on your experience, whereas the other - on your skills, strengths, and proudest moments.
Functional Manager Resume Summary best practices
Here are more resume tips regarding your layout and style:
- Clear and legible 12p resume font size;
- Use 10’’ resume margins - that’s default for a great resume design;
- Use a one-page template resume length if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- Save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiter.
To take it a step further, check out how your resume can stand out without leaning too much on the creative side.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you feel that you don’t have high chances in a particular company, due to lack of relevant experience, then you can still consider using a creative layout. That might help you get noticed and invited for an interview, as most of the other applicants will have boring resume designs.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company (corporation or start-up; innovative or traditional), job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your Functional Manager resume:
Functional Manager Resume: How to Make Yours More Creative & Stand Out
When you send your resume to a potential employer, chances are it's the fiftieth one they've seen that day. That's why you need to make your Functional Manager resume stand out for the right reasons. That means showing your personality, not just your professional experience. Employers are far more likely to remember a candidate who seems like a genuine person and not a robot. Do this by including your passions (which is also a great place to demonstrate skills on a resume), share your favorite books, or even what your usual day looks like.
What Makes a Great Functional Manager Resume: Key Takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
