What’s a Skills-Based CV and How to Write One

Does your diverse skill set get overlooked in a traditional CV format?

You might just be using the wrong structure to let your strengths shine. When your experience doesn’t follow a straight path, a skills-based CV—also known as a functional CV—can help you stand out.

This format prioritises your abilities and knowledge rather than focusing on job titles or dates. By grouping your skills into clear categories, you help employers see your strengths at a glance.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the benefits of the functional CV and show how others have used it to land interviews. And if you're ready to build yours, check out Enhancv’s professionally designed CV templates to get started.

Let’s dive in.

What is a skills-based CV?

A skills-based CV, also known as a functional CV, is designed to highlight your abilities rather than your chronological work history. It’s ideal for situations where your experience doesn’t follow a traditional path, or when you want to shine a light on what you’re truly capable of.

A typical functional CV follows this structure:

• CV header (your contact details)
• Career statement or personal profile
• Skills section (grouped by relevant themes or categories)
• Supporting work experience and educational background
• Optional extras: certifications, projects, volunteering, languages, or anything else that adds value

This CV organisation is especially useful for career changers, those with employment gaps, or people with a broad, non-linear skill set. It allows you to lead with your strengths and tailor your CV around what you can do, not just where you’ve worked.

Its biggest advantage? Flexibility. You can adapt the layout to suit your experience and focus on what matters most to your next employer. We’ll show you how to customise it later in the article.

Here’s what a skills-based CV looks like when crafted with Enhancv’s CV Builder:

3 benefits of the functional CV format

Wondering how to make your CV stand out in a sea of applications? A functional CV might be your secret weapon—especially if your career journey hasn’t followed a straight line.

When to use the skills-based format (with 5 real examples)

Not sure if a skills-based CV is right for you? Here’s when it makes sense and how it can help you present your experience in the best possible light.

First-time job seekers

Starting your career without much work experience can feel daunting. However, a functional CV allows you to spotlight your skills, education, internships, and volunteering, rather than an empty job history. This way, recruiters see your potential right from the start.

Get more expert tips on the topic in our article How to Write Your First CV.

Career changers

If you’re moving into a new field, a traditional CV might not reflect your readiness. A skills-based CV shifts the focus to your transferable skills and achievements, helping you make a strong case, even if your past roles are in a different sector.

Work returners

Whether you’ve taken time off for health reasons, travel, or personal commitments, a functional CV helps you present a cohesive story. Instead of drawing attention to gaps, you can emphasise what you’ve achieved and the skills you’ve maintained.

Stay-at-home parents

Rejoining the workforce after parenting duties? This format allows you to underscore strengths like organisation, multitasking, and managing responsibilities—skills that employers value but might not show up in a traditional work history.

Military

If you’re a military leaver, a functional CV can help you translate army experience into civilian-relevant skills—from leadership to technical training. It’s a powerful way to show how your background fits into a new work environment.

Pros and cons of the skills-based format

A common mistake when using a skills-based CV is choosing it for the wrong reasons. Some jobseekers hope to hide gaps or a lack of direct experience, but when used inappropriately, this format can raise more questions than it answers.

That said, the functional CV has clear strengths, especially when used with the right strategy.

Let’s take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages:

Knowing how and when to use the functional format can make a real difference in your job search. It’s a powerful tool for underlining your strengths, but it’s not always the best fit. If your work history is stable and closely tied to the job you’re applying for, a reverse chronological CV may be more effective.

How to write a skills-based CV step by step

The skills-based CV stands apart from traditional formats, and that can work in your favour. By placing your education and work history towards the end, you lead with your strengths and give recruiters a clear view of your abilities before anything else.

Here’s how to build a functional CV from the top down:

CV header

Your CV header sits at the very top and serves as the first point of contact. Keep it simple, clear, and professional.

What to include:

• Name and job title
• Location (city or region is enough)
• Professional email address
• Links to a portfolio, LinkedIn profile, or personal website if relevant

You can use subtle colour contrasts or a larger font for your name to help your CV stand out—just keep it clean and readable.

Look at this example taken from a real-world nursing CV:

CV summary or objective

Next up is your professional profile—a short introduction at the top of your CV that gives recruiters a sense of who you are and what you’re aiming for. This section sets the tone, so it’s worth getting right.

There are two common options:

• A career summary: best for experienced professionals.
• A CV objective: more suitable for entry-level candidates or career changers (often the better fit for a skills-based CV).

Here’s how to write yours:

• Keep it brief: A summary should be around three to five sentences, highlighting your top strengths and career direction. If you’re early in your career or changing fields, go for an objective statement instead—two or three focused lines outlining your goals and relevant abilities.
• Use confident, clear language: Choose strong adjectives and begin sentences with active verbs. Avoid writing in the first person (“I” or “my”) to keep the tone professional and balanced.
• End with impact: Your final sentence should show motivation and intent—leave recruiters curious to learn more.

Here’s how an aspiring store manager’s CV objective can look:

Skills section: the heart of your functional CV

In a skills-based CV, this component is the most important. It’s where you show what you can do, not just what job titles you’ve held.

Here’s how to get it right:

• Group your skills into clear categories: Start by identifying your key strengths and grouping them into three to five categories. These might include technical (hard) skills and interpersonal (soft) skills, depending on the role.
• Tailor your skills to the job: Research the job you’re applying for and align your capabilities with what the employer is looking for. The more relevant your skill set, the better your chances of passing both the recruiter review and the ATS scan.
• Back your skills with evidence: Simply listing skills won’t be enough. Use short bullet points or subheadings to show how you’ve applied each skill, ideally with measurable results. You can include these details here or support them further in your summary or work experience section.

This skills section makes a great addition to a functional CV because it not only lists relevant skills but also provides specific, quantified achievements that demonstrate proficiency and impact. Contextualising each skill with real-world applications emphasises your capabilities and contributions, making a compelling case for your suitability for the job.

Work experience section

Even on a skills-based CV, your work experience still matters. It provides context for the competencies you've highlighted above and shows employers where and how you’ve put those skills into practice.

Here’s how to format your experience section effectively:

• Job title and company: Clearly state your role and the organisation you worked for.
• Dates of employment: Include the month and year for both the start and end dates. If you're still in the role, write “Present”.
• Role description (optional): Add a brief line about your responsibilities—especially helpful if the company is a startup or not widely known.
• Bullet points: Include three to five concise bullet points outlining your key duties and contributions. Focus on achievements where possible, and use data or percentages to show your impact (e.g. “Reduced onboarding time by 30%”).
• Use action verbs: Begin each bullet with a strong verb to underscore your initiative and drive (e.g. led, streamlined, improved, delivered).

Here’s an example of how this section might look for someone returning to work after a career break:

Education section

Your education section should always be tailored to the job you’re applying for. If you’ve completed specific modules or projects that developed relevant skills, be sure to include them. The more aligned your education is with the role, the higher it should appear on your CV—especially if you’re early in your career.

Here’s what to include:

• Degree and subject: Start with your highest qualification (e.g. BA, BSc, MSc) and your field of study.
• University or college: Include the full name of the institution.
• Location: Mention the city and country (if outside the UK).
• Graduation date: List the year you graduated. If you're still studying, include your expected completion date (e.g. Expected July 2025).
• Honours and awards: Add any distinctions or achievements, such as First Class Honours, Merit, or academic awards. You can also mention relevant dissertation topics or research if they relate to the job.
• Certifications: Some roles value professional certifications just as much as a degree—especially in technical or hands-on fields. If you hold a qualification that’s highly relevant to the job, give it its own section or list it prominently under your education.

Additional sections

You can also feature extra sections to showcase your value and show how you’ll help the organisation reach its goals. These can strengthen your application by adding more context and personality to your CV.

Here are some examples:

• Projects: Highlight specific projects where you’ve successfully applied key skills—especially those relevant to the role.
• Volunteering: Demonstrate soft skills like teamwork, initiative, and community involvement—especially valuable if you’re early in your career or returning to work.
• Awards and honours: Include any formal recognition for your work or achievements, such as professional accolades or academic prizes.
• Languages: Proficiency in other languages is a real asset, particularly for roles in international companies or customer-facing positions.

Tempted to include client testimonials or references in your CV? It’s best to leave them out. While they can add credibility and support your strengths, they’re more appropriate for your cover letter, portfolio, or to share upon request.

Free skills-based CV template

Here’s a sample template to help you emphasise your skills and achievements effectively.

For more inspiration, take a look at our skills-based CV templates—while originally designed with US users in mind, they’re easily adaptable to UK CV formatting and expectations.

Other CV formats: choosing what’s right

While the skills-based structure is a great option in certain situations, there are two other common CV formats worth considering—especially if you have a more traditional career path or substantial experience in one field.

Reverse chronological CV

This is the most widely used format, and it’s favoured by recruiters. It lists your work history in reverse order, starting with your most recent role. It’s ideal if you’ve had a steady career progression in a specific industry and want to demonstrate long-term growth and stability.

This format:

• Makes your most recent experience easy to find.
• Highlights promotions and long-term roles.
• Is highly compatible with ATS.
  

Combination (or hybrid) CV

The combination CV blends the best of both worlds: it begins with a strong skills section, like a skills-based CV, followed by a chronological work history. This layout is perfect if you want to showcase both technical and interpersonal skills, while still giving employers a clear view of your experience.

It works particularly well for roles in:

• Project management
• Marketing and communications
• Graphic and web design
• Software development

Whatever format you pick, make sure it emphasises your strengths and aligns with the job you’re applying for.

How to format a functional CV

Since the functional CV is often used by those with unconventional paths, it’s especially important to make the layout as clear and traditional as possible. Recruiters may be less familiar with this format, and applicant tracking systems are designed to scan standard structures.

To ensure your CV gets read and understood by both humans and software, follow these formatting best practices:

Mistakes to avoid with skills-based CVs

A skills-based CV can be powerful—but only if used thoughtfully.

Here are the common pitfalls to watch out for:

• Using it as a cover-up: If you're relying on this format to hide career gaps or a lack of experience without showing how you’ve kept your skills sharp, it may backfire. Employers value honesty and relevance more than perfection.
• Lack of evidence: Simply listing skills like “teamwork” or “problem-solving” won’t cut it. Back each one up with examples, whether from paid work, volunteering, or personal projects.
• Overloading the skills section: Packing in too many skills can dilute the impact. Focus on three to five core skill areas that are most relevant to the job you're targeting.
• Neglecting your work history: Even if it comes later, your employment section still matters. Keep it brief, but clear—include job titles, organisations, dates, and a sentence or two of context.
• Forgetting to tailor your CV: A generic functional CV won’t land interviews. Always tailor your content to the job description, using the same language and priorities the employer uses.
  

  Key takeaways

  The skills-based CV, while less traditional, offers a unique way to underscore your skills and experiences. It’s especially valuable when your career path isn’t linear, or when you want to shift the focus from job titles to what you’re truly capable of. With the right structure and evidence to support your strengths, a well-crafted functional CV can be just as impactful—and interview-worthy—as any chronological format.