Why can a purely skills-based resume backfire for career changers?

A purely skills-based (functional) resume lists skills without saying where or when you used them, and many readers find that hard to trust. It can look as if you are hiding something, such as gaps or short jobs, even when you are not.

Problems it can cause:

• Employers cannot tell whether a skill came from a job last year or ten years ago.
• Applicant tracking systems often expect job titles, employers and dates, and may handle a resume without them poorly.
• Interviewers end up asking the questions the resume should have answered.

A safer approach is a hybrid: a short skills or key qualifications section at the top, then a normal work history with dates. Each skill you claim should appear again as a bullet under a real role, project or course, so the reader can see the evidence.