chronological format resume example

Chronological Resume - Writing Guide With 5 Free Templates

The chronological resume - also known as the “reverse chronological resume” - is the most popular resume format out there.

Particularly advisable for those with rich work history, the chronological resume prioritizes and lists your work experience and achievements from most to least recent.

This article is here to teach you all there is to know about creating a chronological resume.

• What is a Chronological Resume? 

Chronological Resume Structure 

• When to Use a Chronological Resume Format? 
• 4 Free Chronological Resume Templates
• How to Create a Chronological Resume - Step by Step
• 9+ Chronological Resume Examples for All Industries

What is a Chronological Resume?

A chronological resume lists your work experiences and achievements starting from the current or most recent one, and following up with previous jobs below.

For this exact reason, the chronological resume is the perfect choice for job-seekers who have plenty of experience and achievements to list on their resume .  

What’s most important, studies point to the chronological resume being a favorite among recruiters, too.

Why? Well, because you are applying for a job, so work experience in your resume will be the first thing a recruiter looks out for.

But worry not, you can structure your resume in a chronological format even as a recent graduate too. Or, you can opt for other popular formats fitter to your profile.

But first, let’s go through the basics. 

The chronological resume follows a straightforward structure. The only thing to keep in mind is that your current or most recent experience - be it professional or educational - comes first.

The second most recent will follow, and so on.

Here are the main and most popular sections for the chronological resume structure:

• Contact information
• Professional title and resume summary/objective
• Work experience and achievements
• Education section
• Your top soft/hard skills
• Include optional sections (languages, certificates, volunteer experience, etc)

If you’re a recent college graduate and want to build your resume in the chronological structure format, you still can.

All you have to do is rearrange the order of your resume sections so that the education resume section comes first.

Here, too, make sure that your education entries are listed from the most to least recent, and you’re good to go!

If reading this is already looking too complicated and time-consuming, try out the Novorésumé online resume builder . Novorésumé provides 8+ free resume templates that follow the chronological resume structure. 

When to Use a Chronological Resume Format

The three main types of resume formats are the chronological, functional/skills-based one, and a combination resume format of the two. What you choose to use will depend on the type of job you are applying for and your experience level.

In the majority of cases, the obvious choice is the chronological resume. It is common, it highlights just the right sections, and job recruiters prefer it over the other formats.

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean you should just cross the other options off your list, especially if your work experience doesn’t amount to much.

Consider these other two formats, taking into account their advantages and disadvantages as well: 

Functional Resume

• Perfect for students or recent graduates, as it highlights your skills. 
• Offers creative space for a varied portfolio 
• Difficult to pass through the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) that most companies use to scan through countless resumes they receive daily. 
• It conceals your experiences, however minor they might be. 

Combination Resume

• A great choice for job-seekers with a diverse skill-set, because it highlights both skills and experiences. 
• It can mask gaps in your employment history since you can also list your skills, so it’s the second-best option for those who lack work experience. 
• It is a really good fit only for highly specialized professionals who have a very diverse skill-set. Say, for example, that you’re applying for a role that requires expertise in 3-4 different fields, and you want to show all that in your resume - then, the combination resume really is the one for you.
• It is hard to organize. As a professional with a diverse skill-set, it might be a challenge to decide which part of your expertise to prioritize in the combination resume format.

4 Chronological Resume Templates 

Below, you will find 5 chronological resume templates out of many free resume templates. Dig right in to find the best match for you. 

#1. Creative Chronological Resume Template 

#2: Modern Chronological Resume Template 

#3: Professional Chronological Resume Template

#4: Functional Chronological Resume Template

How to Create a Chronological Resume

Now that we mentioned the traditional structure, let’s go through each section one by one to create the perfect chronological resume. 

#1: Start With a Contact Information Section 

Depending on the template you have chosen for your chronological resume, there is a possibility that your name will be directly followed by your professional title right at the top.

How do you fill up your professional title in chronological resume format? Easy. If you’re not looking to change career paths your professional title should be your current title. However, if you’re changing career paths, then choosing the combination resume mentioned above might be a better option for you.

Regarding the rest of the contact information section on your chronological resume, it should be current and lacking any typos. The mandatory elements of the information section include: 

• First and last name
• Phone number
• Email address
• LinkedIn URL (optional)

#2: Add a Resume Summary or Resume Objective

  Second in the chronological resume comes your ‘profile’ as a candidate, which is expressed through a resume summary or a resume objective .

Wondering what the difference is?

Well, the summary is a short (2-3 sentences) overview of your career so far and it is used in 90% of resumes - especially by those with two or more years of work experience. A summary is a perfect fit for the chronological resume.

On the contrary, a resume objective represents your aspirational career goal and highlights your skills, making it perfect for entry-level professionals with little work experience, or job-seekers looking to completely switch career paths. 

#3: Fill in Your Work Experience 

This is, without a doubt, the section that weighs the most when it comes to the chronological resume, so it’s vital that you get it right.

Your work experience section is there to show the recruiter what you can bring to the table through your past accomplishments and responsibilities and what the company would be gaining were they to hire you.   

Feeling pressured? Don’t. There are many practices to help your work experience section stand out in the eyes of the recruiter.

If you are looking for more tips and tricks to help you take your resume to the next level, head over to our beginner’s guide on how to write a resume . 

Here are the key points you should keep in mind when it comes to the work section:

• This is the most important so we’ll be repeating it as many times as it takes: your current or latest job position should be placed on top. Then come the previous ones, all the way to your earliest job position. 
• For each entry, list your job title and position, the company and its location, as well as the dates when you were employed. 
• List your achievements and responsibilities, with a higher focus on quantifiable achievements, whenever you can. 
• Use bullet points instead of just text to express what you have achieved and what you were responsible for in every job entry. 
• Tailor the resume to the position you are applying for. For example, if you’ve had too many jobs in the past and some of them don’t relate to the field you are now applying for, then they are just taking space. Feel free to omit them.

Here’s a close-up of a work experience section in the chronological resume:   

#4: Add an Education Section

Generally, the education section comes right after work experience. 

If, however, you have just graduated college and want to create a chronological resume to start applying for jobs, the education section can replace the experience section that you’d be lacking. 

Either way, the education section should be brief but jam-packed with information that can communicate your values and skills to the recruiter.

Here’s what the education section consists of: 

• Program Name: E.g. “MA in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies” 
• University Name: E.g. “University of Greenwich”
• Period Attended: E.g. “08/1214 - 05/2018”
• (Optional) GPA: E.g. “3.9 GPA”
• (Optional) Honors: E.g. “ Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude”
• (Optional) Academic Achievements: E.g. Papers you might have published, or awards received.  
• (Optional) Minor: E.g. “Minor in Political Science”  

#5: Spice Up Your Chronological Resume With Your Skills

Needless to say, the reverse-chronological order doesn’t really apply in the skills section. 

What you can do, however, is begin by listing your hard skills and then your soft skills. 

Unsure of what this means? 

• Hard skills are measurable abilities. These can range from programming in Python language to knowing how to use Photoshop and InDesign.
• Soft skills are personal skills. They vary from attitude to flexibility, motivation and teamwork. 

Listing your skills has its own peculiarities, so don’t pay this section less attention than the ones above it, especially if you’re a recent college student. Pay attention to skills specifically required at the job ad and if you have them, make sure to include them. 

Here’s an example of how your skills section can look like:  

#6: Include Any of These Optional Sections

Last but not least, come these optional sections.  

Having them in your resume can earn you extra points and even separate you from the competitors, but only if they don’t make your resume longer than it should be (1-2 pages maximum) and if they are relevant to the job position.

Some of those sections include (but are not limited to):

• Languages : If you speak two or more languages, don’t fail to put that in your resume. To list them, simply categorize your proficiency level into native, fluent, proficient, intermediate, or basic . 
• Hobbies & Interests : They can help humanize you and show a part of your personality that work and education can’t. If
• Volunteering Experience : Studies show that volunteering experience actually raises your chances of getting hired . 
• Certification & Awards : If you have awards that make you stand out in your field or certifications from experts that are relevant to the position you are applying for, don’t hesitate to show them off!

Not sure how adding volunteering experience works? Check our article on how to list volunteer experience on your resume .  

10 Chronological Resume Examples for All Industries

Now let us walk you through a few practical examples of what the chronological resume looks like depending on the industry. 

#1. Business Chronological Resume

In the world of business, accomplishments matter. This is why in this business chronological resume , the work experience section is jam-packed with measurable information on what the employee achieved in his previous professional experiences. 

#2. Computer Science Chronological Resume

Computer science jobs are heavily based on hard skills - in addition to your previous work experiences, that is. So, make sure to include your hard skills on your computer science resume to impress recruiters. 

#3. Architect Chronological Resume 

As you can see from the example above, the sections that follow your work experience and education can be placed according to your profile. If, for example, you’ve worked on some side projects that you feel do your resume more justice than your skills, feel free to prioritize those projects.

In this article, you can find what’s expected from an architect’s resume in more detail.

#4. Nurse Chronological Resume  

Action verbs can really make an active professional like that of a nurse shine. So when you list your achievements under your experience, use strong verbs that can paint a picture of who you are and what you can do.

#5. Pharmacist Chronological Resume 

With plenty of attributes up their sleeve, the chronological format is the perfect choice for a pharmacist’s resume . 

#6. Project Manager Chronological Resume 

Project manager resumes have good chances to show industry expertise - given they hold the manager title - and highlight successful projects. Feel free to do both in your chronological resume, as shown above. 

#7. Web Developer Chronological Resume

As you can see in the example, the candidate has chosen to place his courses and training above his education. When you have followed courses or have been trained in the exact field of work where you’re applying, it makes sense to rank the field-specific courses and training higher than your university education. 

This article has more information on how to perfect your Web Developer Resume .

#8. Teacher Chronological Resume 

This is another “special” example of a chronological resume. Right after the experience section, the candidate has listed their volunteering experience. Not normally the case, it makes sense here because the volunteering experience has been as a tutor - which is pretty much the same thing as a teacher in the teacher resume . 

In cases when your volunteering experience is directly connected to the job you are applying for, feel free to list it under professional experience as well. 

#9. Bar Manager Chronological Resume 

For more info on how to update your own bar manager chronological resume for 2024, this is the article for you. 

#10. Human Resources Chronological Resume

The example says it all: the chronological resume does wonders showing the peak of your work experience first, and then going back to your professional history and skills. This article on the HR chronological resume has more tips on how to perfect it.

Discover More Resume Templates

• Combination Resume Templates
• Creative Resume Templates
• Functional Resume Templates
• Minimalistic Resume Templates
• High School Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• 2 Page Resume Templates
• Google Docs Resume Templates
• Word Resume Templates

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! 

Let’s do a quick recap of the main points covered in this article: 

• The chronological resume - or reverse chronological - is a top choice among candidates with years of professional experience and a favorite among recruiters.
• The chronological resume focuses on your work experience, starting your current or most recent one, and following up with the rest - from most to least recent.
• Recent college graduates that want to use this format can - simply replace the work section with the education section, following the same reverse-chronological order.
• Save time and energy building the reverse chronological resume from scratch by using online resume builders , such as the one Novorésumé offers.   

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• How to Use a Reverse...

How to Use a Reverse Chronological Resume Format

10 min read · Updated on February 07, 2024

Everything you need to know about writing the most common resume format

For most professionals, a chronological resume is the best format to capture skills, experience, and achievements. That's because this resume format focuses on the employment history section, which gives plenty of space to explain the candidate's career trajectory.

The reverse-chronological resume format is also what hiring managers prefer to see , meaning that an alternate structure could even decrease your chances of landing the job. 

To keep that from happening to you, let's explore how to use a reverse-chronological resume format. You'll also find a few guiding examples that can help you to produce a perfect example of the most popular resume out there.

What is a chronological resume?

The chronological resume is a format that focuses on the employment history section where work experience is listed. The main idea is that you start with your most recent or current position and work backward through all your relevant experience of the past 10 years. 

NOTE: This structure is sometimes called the “reverse-chronological resume format.”

It's been said that past behavior is the most reliable predictor of future outcomes. Therefore, prospective employers rely on your career accomplishments to get an idea of what you can do for them. That's part of what makes the reverse-chronological resume format so popular. 

When hiring managers can quickly digest what you've done in the past, they are able to get a feel for whether you'll be the right candidate for their team. By focusing your career history on the most recent experiences and working backward for about 10 years, you provide the most up-to-date and accurate representation of what you bring to the table. 

It's critical to note that the structure of your reverse-chronological resume is important, too. How the information is laid out on the page will aid the hiring manager – who's spending mere seconds glancing at it – to easily find the information about your career history they want. 

How to structure a chronological resume

Your chronological resume will contain at least six sections with relevant headers. Here's an outline of what you should include in your chronological resume:

Contact information 

You want the hiring manager to contact you for an interview, right? Well, here's the place to make sure they have the details they need to do just that. Include your name (it doesn't have to be your full legal name – just use whatever you go by), location, phone number, and email address. You can also add links to your LinkedIn profile (if it's been properly optimized) and any online portfolios you may have

The headline grabs the reader's attention. Write a one-line blurb that contains the title of the job found in the job description, along with a couple of relevant keywords that will help you to stand out from the crowd. 

A summary or professional profile

Your professional summary is a three to five-sentence paragraph that outlines the major events of your career. Start with something that mirrors the title on the job description and match it up with the hard and soft skills you have. Throw in at least one achievement.

This is the place for a bulleted list of skills. Include 9-12 skills that you have that will show the hiring manager you have what it takes to get the job done. Use the same language and keywords you find in the job description to ensure that your resume makes it past the ATS .

Work experience or employment history

Now you've come to the nitty-gritty part of your resume – what you've done, when, and where. Keep in mind that hiring managers will look to your past accomplishments to see what you have to bring to their team. It may be tempting to dump everything you've ever done , but relevancy is critical. 

Let's take a closer look at how to write this section. 

Always list the name of the company you work for first. This is important because if you have a company where you held multiple roles, you can stack the roles to show progression. You need the following information as a sub-heading:

Employer name

Dates worked

Then, add 4-5 bullet points to discuss various aspects of your time in the position. You can focus on topics like:

Projects or tasks you completed

Skills you used

Awards and achievements

Numbers and statistics that quantify your successes

Make sure to list these entries starting with your most recent or current job and working backward, as this is a fundamental component of the reverse-chronological resume format.

For your education, you can (and should) include degrees and the colleges you've attended. However, don't forget about things like professional development classes, certifications, and licenses. Spell out acronyms and omit your graduation dates. Again, this section should be presented in reverse-chronological format. 

Additional sections like awards, hobbies, or languages

Sometimes, there are things you've done outside of the regular work day that are also important to securing a new job. You can create additional sections on your resume for things like public speaking, special projects, and awards. Just remember, if you're adding it to your reverse-chronological resume, it needs to be relevant to the hiring manager who will receive it.

Tips on when to use a reverse-chronological resume format

The chronological resume is considered the standard resume format because it suits the widest range of professionals, including people in healthcare, IT, law, HR, business, and education. It's especially useful if you've enjoyed a progressive career with advancements through promotions and new jobs.

The chronological resume is less suitable for creative or independent professions, where gig work and short-term contracts are part of the career path. In those cases, alternative resume formats like functional or hybrid models may be more suitable. 

Expert Tip: You should try to use the hybrid format instead of the functional format. There' a bit of a stigma associated with using the functional resume format .

How to use reverse-chronological resume format

Now that you know what a chronological resume is, what the outline looks like, and who should use it, let's dig into the actual writing part.

The format of your chronological resume is almost as important as the writing, because a clean and organized layout is one of the best ways to show that you're a professional and motivated candidate. 

Make sure to use bold or italics to highlight the key information within your resume, including the employment history section. 

Examples of chronological resumes

To get a sense of what goes into a great chronological resume, let's look at the employment history section for a customer service representative:

Customer Service Representative, Fort Worth, TX

August 2020 - present 

Handled customer calls and responded to queries about services, product malfunctions, promotions, and billing

Worked to address all customer concerns in a timely and effective manner

Calmly handled 200+ calls each day

Developed successful tactics to upsell products and services to customers

Piloted a feedback program that resulted in a 15% increase in branch sales

Here's an option for a Server:

Rooster Bar & Grill, Boston

Lead Server

June 2018 - August 2022

Managed a staff of 15 as the Lead Server at a high-end downtown restaurant

Achieved promotion to Lead Server six months after joining the team

Upsold wine pairing suggestions to customers, based on preferences

Memorized ingredients and allergens on a menu of 30+ dishes

Performed bartending responsibilities during holiday weekends and special events

Check out this example for a Sales Associate:

ABC Pet Shop, Durham, NC

Sales Associate 

September 2021 - present

Maintained a clean shop environment and neat product displays

Gained recognition for reliability and zero absence work record

Fed animals and made sure they had access to fresh water

Answered customer questions and referred to other departments

Helped customers find products that best fit the needs of their pet

Maintained accurate work logs and reported inconsistencies

Chronological resume template

If you're looking for a little more help creating a flawless chronological resume, here's a template that can allow you to quickly plug in your information and be assured of the right format. These are the essential sections, but you may find hobbies, memberships, or other additional sections to be necessary on your resume.

Header information

Your name & job title

Phone number

Email address

LinkedIn profile

Professional summary

Add a paragraph explaining who you are, what you do, your industry and your area of expertise. Show off your soft and hard skills and give an example of a past accomplishment to show how you can add value to a new employer. 

Employment history

Employer name and job title

Dates worked and location

Main duties and responsibilities

A key skill demonstrated

Measurable achievement #1

Measurable achievement #2

Degree name, school

Dates attended, location

Optional bullet point for GPA

Optional bullet point for leadership positions

How to adapt the reverse-chronological resume format for students

Whenever possible, first-time job seekers should aim to create a reverse-chronological resume. However, they may have to resort to an alternative if they lack experience. 

Trying to land your first job as a student or recent graduate can feel daunting, especially when you don't have much experience to show. While it may be tempting to try out another style of resume, the reverse-chronological resume format can actually be adapted to the needs of students with little effort.

If you don't have any traditional employment to show, simply rename the section “Experience.” This allows you to include any volunteer positions, hobbies, side jobs, internships, or school activities that can serve as your work history for the time being. You may also wish to move the Education section above the Experience section, as it's likely to be more relevant to your current aspirations. 

The rest of the rules of the chronological resume apply, including listing your positions from most recent to oldest and making bold section headings. Here's an example:

Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America

May 2022- present, Richmond

Awarded the highest honor for scouts after passing a lengthy review process

Planned and completed the final project involving new traffic patterns at deadly intersections

Reviewed accident records and worked with city officials to develop a crosswalk plan

Worked to educate the local community on safe pedestrian practices

Treasurer, National Math Honor Society, Arcs High School

September 2021 - May 2022, Richmond

Managed bookkeeping and revenue for the high school chapter of a national organization

Tracked payments and expenses and created reports for the Club Supervisor

Worked to eliminate unnecessary spending, resulting in 20% additional profit for the club

Organized four fundraisers that brought in $10,000 over the course of a year

Petsitter, Private client

June 2020 - present, Richmond area

Supervised and took care of three dogs for a neighbor during a two-week vacation

Took dogs on walks twice a day and fed them according to owner's instructions

Reported issues and behavior changes to the owner and adapted accordingly

Land your dream job

With these tips, templates, and adaptable examples, you're on your way to creating a great chronological resume, wowing the socks off a hiring manager, and landing your dream job.

Find more resume writing advice in our related articles below, or upload your resume for a free resume review from our experts!

This article was originally written by Anna Muckerman and has been updated by Marsha Hebert.

Recommended reading:

How to Check if My Resume is ATS-Friendly

What is a Resume? It's Much More Than You Think

Resume Builders Versus Resume Writing Services: Which Should You Choose?

Related Articles:

How to Maximize Your Resume Action Words to Wow the Employer

Resume Spelling and Accent Explained

Guide to Writing a Great Resume with No Work Experience

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How to write a chronological resume?

[ Click here to directly go to the complete chronological resume sample ]

That means recording them in the order of their occurrence.

Reverse chronology, on the other hand, narrates a story with the recent plot first and flows in the reverse order of occurrence.

A reverse chronological resume format holds a lot of significance as it is often adjudged to be the standard norm for all industries.

So what is a chronological resume format? When is a chronological resume not advantageous and when should you use it? How to write a chronological resume?

Well, this guide is going to answer all these questions and more about the famed reverse chronological resume format.

In case you want the summary, here it is:

• List the most recent job frist and then date back to the previous ones.
• Write dates (in mm/yy - mm/yy) format thoughout your resume.
• Helps in highlighting the professional experience section.
• Do not use this format if you have career gaps as it will highlight that.
• This format is ATS compliant which helps you get through the ATS scanner.

By the end of this guide you will learn:

• What are the different resume formats?
• Why should we use a reverse chronological resume? )
• How to write a reverse chronological resume?
• How to mention training & certifications in a chronological resume?

To start with, and to explain to you the importance of dates generally, read the section below.

According to Silvia Rosenthal & Janet Hale in their book 'A Guide to Documenting Learning', bloggers are often advised to put recent dates to otherwise old articles.

This is done to give the readers the feeling that the post is recently written which generates enough interest in the reader's mind.

You can find this universally across multiple domains and industries. Newspapers and media platforms thrive on giving you the most recent updates and the same is followed in the blogging industry. Google posts recently-updated websites and articles first.

The same logic applies to a resume.

Recruiters are more interested in seeing your latest achievements & credentials first, instead of mapping your professional journey from the start.

They are specifically looking for what you are doing right now; the question of what you did 5 years ago comes later.

In our Guide on Reverse Chronological resumes, we'll majorly talk about the following:

Reverse Chronological Resume Sample

• Formulating and reviewing pitches for new clients & supervising a digital marketing project for Sanley Dark & Deck
• Servicing high profile accounts like VHRE, and Stanford University for brand-building via digital films
• Chaired a team of 3 to create a referral network by developing affiliate partnerships in the startup ecosystem
• Amplified lead generation by liaising with ~5 prospective clients/day via multiple channels (online and offline)
• Formulated and executed social media strategy for Honest Communications, Assume Tourism and Pinochle Buildtech
• Curated social media posts using tools like Photoshop , Microsoft Photo Manager, Hemingway , Feedly, Google Alerts, etc.
• Drove lead generation and PPC campaigns using promotion tools on Twitter, Facebook, Google Adwords and Analytics
• Generated 5-7 (FB) and 9-10 (Google Ads) leads/day by effectively managing website & directing campaigns for Pinochle

Formats of a Resume

[ Back to Table of Content ]

There are globally 3 formats used for a resume:-

Reverse Chronological Resume Format

This format specifically highlights your professional work experience by putting this section in the middle.

This is the most used format for all working professionals.

You will see that the work experience section shows a chronological order example of placing present job first and the previous job after that and so on.

Chronological resume puts maximum emphasis on highlighting the points in the work experience, Achievements and Certifications sections in a reverse chronology.

Dates are mentioned with confidence knowing that it would showcase solid career path without many gaps in the same.

To see more reverse chronological resume templates, skip to the end of the article.

Functional Resume Format

Name here itself tells us that this resume is more based on functions, i.e. skills and abilities of a candidate.

Functional format is all about highlighting your particular skills that match the skill set required by the recruiter.

What we mean to say is that there might be a candidate with a very clear-cut career graph and solid career graph as compared to you.

But if your skill set and abilities are more relevant than this candidate then you can compete with this candidate on an equal footing.

In fact, you might just increase your chance of selection.

Think like this.

You have not been working from last 6 months but you have a good retail sales ability and particular skills which are relevant to a particular retail job vacancy.

And the other candidate though is working in retail sales presently and that also in a better brand but has not worked for this aspect of the profile.

Then who would be the better choice for the recruiter looking to hire for this profile?

Of course, the recruiter wants someone who can perform once he joins. And a showcase of those skills by you would guarantee the same.

So, when is a functional resume advantageous?

The answer is when you have many career gaps and not a concrete continuous work history.

Functional resume format still shows the work experience section but does not mention the dates.

So the absence of dates makes it safe for the candidate to avoid highlighting the gaps.

A drawback of a functional resume format is that since it is not widely used, it definitely puts the recruiter off looking at an unusual flow of information.

In many cases, the recruiter might even feel that there is something wrong with the career path of the candidate.

For this reason, we move to a next and more safer choice.

Combination Resume Format

As the name suggests, this format is an amalgamation of chronological resume format and functional resume format.

This should be used when you want to highlight specific skill set and would also like to show work experiences stating dates of the same.

For more details, please visit our Guide on Resume Format

Reverse Chronological Resume - Why Should You Use It?

The reverse chronological resume is ats compliant.

ATS is an automatic tracking system which is a machine recruiter specifically assigned to shortlist resumes before they actually reach human hands.

Now the fact is, it is not only the factual content which gets tracked on ATS.

It is also the format and dates and many other things.

ATS is specifically designed to shortlist a chronological resume.

So get ready to receive many interviews calls with this template.

The Reverse Chronological Resume is Easy to Draft

A chronological resume template is easy to draft as you are just talking about the tasks performed in each job with dates mentioned.

Also, since there are plenty of examples of a chronological resume template available on the net, it would never be difficult for you to really authenticate the final resume.

The Reverse Chronological Resume is Universally Accepted

The best bet about a chronological resume template is that it is a globally accepted format.

You would never have to keep changing the format while applying for different countries.

Once you have made your chronological resume, you are done till you grab a great job.

The Reverse Chronological Resume is Recruiter Friendly

Needless to say, a chronological resume template is favourite for recruiters for the ease of information flow.

Such smooth flow of information proves easy to process during resume shortlisting and during the interview.

Provide an Additional Advantage

A chronological resume template shows a clear trajectory of your professional journey which showcases you as a genuine and sincere candidate with no gaps.

This gives you an added advantage over the candidate who has many gaps in the work history.

Reverse Chronological Resume - Who should use it?

Chronological resume as we saw has many advantages but that does not mean that it is suitable for all.

Particularly the candidates who do not have a fixed career path and have taken many breaks in their career journey should avoid using it.

Chronological resume format is good for the candidates who have a concrete and continuous career path.

Chronological resume format is not good for candidates who are unemployed as of now.

It is because the first thing which comes to the recruiter's mind is that the candidate is sitting at home and is out of touch with work.

Then again, you might just get lucky if the recruiter is in hurry of hiring and an unemployed candidate could join on immediate basis. But this happens rarely.

How To Write A Chronological Resume

Personal information in a reverse chronological resume.

This section holds the top position in the resume.

Needless to say, it should not consume too much space in the resume if the resume is content heavy.

Refer to the image below:

Job Title and Professional Summary in a Reverse Chronological Resume

Rather than stating your career objective in a paragraph, it is more professional and universally acceptable to state your targeted designation and present designation as the Job Title.

At the same time, just below Job title, you must give a synopsis of the entire resume to make it easier for the recruiter to understand your work in just a few lines.

Refer to the reverse chronological resume example showcasing an example of Operations Manager targeting the position of Operations Head:-

Key Skills in a Reverse Chronological Resume

Key Skills summarize the skills gained by a professional in small phrases presented in bullets.

This makes it very easy for the recruiter to scan them through.

The best thing about key skills section is that it is the best tool to clear ATS for necessary keywords.

Refer to the reverse chronological resume example:-

Professional Work Experience in a Reverse Chronological Resume

This section plays the most important role as chronology is first defined in this section.

Here, you have to put your current or recent work experience first, followed by previous work experiences placing the last experience in the end.

As a general rule, keep all the information as one-liner to save space and give ample white spacing.

To make it easy for the recruiter to understand your work, bucketing and bolding of the work experience would come handy.

Education in a Reverse Chronological Resume Template

This section comes immediately after the Professional Experience.

Education in a reverse chronological resume places the most recent degree/course first and followed by previous courses.

Training & Certifications in a Reverse Chronological Resume Template

Certifications form an important part of your career journey as they increase your skills, knowledge and bargaining power.

Literally speaking, a resume looks incomplete without a list of certifications due to the high increase in competition for each job.

An operations manager resume is incomplete without a six-sigma certification, a digital marketing expert's resume is incomplete without a social media marketing certificate, and so on.

How to add certifications in a resume, please visit our Guide on Certifications in a Resume

Honestly, recruiters don't care what certification you pursued 10 years ago.

We tend to forget what we learnt a few years ago.

Heck, we tend to misplace the certificates too.

Also, too old certifications tend to become invalid with changing times.

Don't eliminate them from the resume but simple placement in the reverse chronological order will take you to your dream interview!

Incorrect placement of Certifications

Correct placement of Certifications

Awards & Recognitions in a Reverse Chronological Resume Template

As seen in the image above, recent awards and accomplishments are stated first followed by the later ones.

For more sample chronological resume templates, visit our resume builder .

Reverse Chronological Resume Samples - By Profile

Reverse Chronological order example for Public Relations Associate

Reverse Chronological order example for HR Manager

Reverse Chronological order example for Operations Manager

Reverse Chronological order example for Accounting Manager

Reverse Chronological order example for Finance Associate

Reverse Chronological order example for Accounting Associate

Reverse Chronological order example for Marketing Head

Reverse Chronological order example for HR Associate

Reverse Chronological order example for Operations Head

Key Takeaways

Look at more reverse chronological resume samples on our resume builder .

Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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Chronological Resume Templates

Classic chronological templates are popular for a reason - they do their job. Use one of the tried-and-tested resume formats below to secure your interview.

Double Column

Chronological resume template. Education position is reversed to focus more on the experience.

Single Column

Reverse chronological resume template. Classic one-column style for chronological resumes.

Chronological timeline template. Additional line between job titles makes up for a clean and presentable resume.

Professional resume template. A sleek and straightforward design that conveys a sense of professionalism and competence.

Modern resume template. A stylish two-column design with a pop of color to stand out from the crowd.

Creative resume template. Showcase your unique personality with a custom design that speaks to your creativity.

In This Guide:

What is a chronological resume template, who should use a chronological resume, tips for building the best chronological resume template, chronological resume templates pros and cons.

Chronological resume template is the most commonly used format in resumes, and recruiters prefer them to others. A reverse chronological order resume template lists your jobs, starting with the current or most recent one at the top. It provides comprehension opportunities for hiring managers to see your experience.

Have it in mind that chronological and reverse chronological resume templates are essentially the same thing. Because they list your experience chronologically, but in a reverse way, starting with your most recent job. You can use Enhancv builder to build your chronological resume in the best way possible.

People who can get all the advantages that chronological resume templates offer are jobseekers at any professional level with a consistent work history without gaps between roles.

However, reverse chronological order can work for just about anyone looking for a job. This resume formatting is simple and professional, and you can effortlessly apply it to any resume design.

Resumes in chronological order are very convenient for students because this formatting is the easiest way to organize their limited experience.

Choosing this format is easily understood by recruiters because chronological resume templates are the most popular layout hiring managers see.

A chronological resume is arranged in a way to emphasize your professional experience - your education and certifications, skills, other relevant activities, or volunteer experiences. A summary statement is optional in chronological resume formatting. Excluding the cases in which you are higher-level management or changing your current professional field.

If you think a chronological resume template is not a good fit for your case, you can try a functional or combination resume template. A functional resume is focused on your skills and abilities and lists your roles and education at the bottom.

A combination resume blends a functional resume and a chronological resume and emphasizes both your skills and experience in equal measure.

Let’s create your perfect chronological resume by following the best practices.

The reverse-chronological format resume template can be applied to any design – modern or traditional. It only depends on your professional field and the type of company you are applying to. Modern design is appropriate when you are in more creative and innovative industries and want to make your resume pop up from the rest of the applicants. Use the traditional design without icons, graphics, and flashy colors for applying for positions in more traditional companies.

The best font to use for resumes is a classic, easy-to-read font, like Times New Roman or Calibri. You can use modern fonts, which are also appropriate, like Helvetica, Verdana, Ariel, or Lato. Keep in mind that ATS systems don't mind the font as long as it's readible serif or sans-serif. The regular font size for resumes is 12 points. Larger fonts are acceptable for headings, your name, or titles of sections. If you're having trouble fitting your content on one page, you might try making your font 10.5 points, but don't go lower.

Your resume should be easy for the hiring manager to digest all your best work. Using the right font in combination with colors can help that. Use white as the background, black for the text, and the remaining color as an accent. It is advisable to use for the third color some shades of blue, green, or dark red. Avoid too flashy colors.

Select the best layout

Your resume should always begin with your full, searchable name. Your name should be the biggest thing on the page. Recruiters are spending a few seconds on your resume, they should know whose it is. Show your location, there is no need to put your full home address, but recruiters expect to see your city and state. Add your contact information like your phone number and professional and easy-to-read e-mail address.

As we mentioned before, for the Chronological resume template, you can skip the summary statement section . It can be a plus to add one or two sentences about who you are as a professional and what is your experience.

Your work experience section on the Chronological resume template is the most important one. You should include responsibilities and accomplishments for each job you’ve held. If you want your resume to stand out more, you can organize your experience in two separate sections. The first one, under the header “Relevant work experience” to a specific job you are applying for, and the second section is Work Experience.

Right after your work experience section, you should list your education in reverse chronological order first on the list you should add your academic degrees, following your training and certifications . Do not list your high school diploma once you have attended college unless relevant to your professional field.

You can list your achievements on a chronological resume template in your work experience section. If you can additionally emphasize your achievements, you can lay them out in a separate section. People who don’t have much work experience can use achievements in education, volunteering, or project sections. When you list achievements, make sure they include the time frame, scale, and results.

You can design your Chronological resume template in two columns to fit all information on one page. Recurred prefer one-page resumes because they are easy to scan for the key points they are looking for in a candidate.

• The chronological format is the most commonly used, and most recruiters prefer them. This resume format draws attention to your work experience and career advancements.
• A chronological resume template is the easiest format to read for ATSs because emphasizes your work experience by putting it on top of the page.
• This resume layout works for anyone looking for any kind of job, and it is student-friendly.
• Chronological format is not recommended for people with gaps in their work history.
• This format is not a good choice if you are applying for a position in a field in which you don’t have previews experience.
• If you are just starting your career, chronological resume formatting will emphasize your lack of experience.

Frequently asked questions about chronological resume templates

Is the chronological resume best, what is the difference between a chronological and functional resume, why do most employers prefer chronological resumes to functional resumes, how far back should a resume go.

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Chronological Resume Example (With Writing Tips)

When to Use a Chronological Resume

When to use a different resume format, what to include in a chronological resume, tips for writing a chronological resume, how to format a chronological resume, chronological resume example, frequently asked questions (faqs).

What is a chronological resume, and when should you use one? A chronological resume lists your work history in reverse chronological order. That is, the top of your resume lists your most recent job first. Your previous role is directly below that, and so on. 

This type of resume affords you the opportunity to give pride of place to your most recent and outstanding talents, skills, and expertise, ensuring that a hiring manager will be interested enough to read through your entire resume.

Review information on when to use a chronological resume, when to choose a different format, what to include, writing and formatting tips, and examples.

Key Takeaways

• Chronological resumes are a good fit for most job seekers. If you have a limited job history, employment gaps, or did some job hopping, consider using a different format. 
• Include the standard sections—contact information, education, and experience—in your resume and consider adding optional sections like a profile.  
• Pay attention to your word choices and formatting. Your resume should be easy to scan through, as well as be full of details that match the job description and play up your most relevant qualifications. 

Chronological resumes  are the most commonly used format, and for good reason. Most employers prefer candidates who have current or very recent experience in their career fields. Plus, it's the easiest option to create.  

The more experienced a potential new employee is, the less likely it will be that the employer will have to spend time and money to train them after they’re hired.

If you have a straightforward work history—one where you have work experience in the job area you are targeting, with few significant unemployment gaps—then a chronological resume is the way to go.

While it’s fine to include several job descriptions in your “Professional Experience” section, you don't need to present more than 10 years of employment in the work history section of a resume. Doing so may result in your application being screened out by employers guilty of ageism.

While most candidates will opt for the chronological resume format, it's not always the best choice. Consider a non-chronological  functional resume  or a  combination resume  format if you: 

• Have done a lot of job-hopping
• Have employment gaps
• Do not have a work history
• You're working in a different field than the one you're currently targeting 

These alternate resume formats allow you to place your most relevant experience at the top of the document, even if the role isn't the most recent one. 

Take a look at the sections you'll include in a chronological resume: 

• Contact information:  This is where you'll inform potential employers how to reach you. This should go on the very top of the page—along with your phone number, email, and address. This section also includes your name in a bigger font size. 
• Experience:  This is generally the heart of your resume, where you share your previous work experience. In a chronological resume, this is listed in order from most to least recent. 
• Education:  In this section, you'll list your education background, along with any certifications, professional development, and academic accomplishments. 
• Skills:  Here, you'll highlight your hard skills, such as computer skills and language skills.  

You can also choose to include an objective statement, resume profile, or career summary on your resume. These optional sections generally summarize your skills and experience. In the case of an objective statement, you also call out your employment goals.

As you're writing your resume, keep these tips in mind: 

• Create top-notch job descriptions:  As you describe your previous jobs, look for ways to  make them sound impressive . Try adding numbers and incorporating  action verbs . Don't limit yourself by simply listing out day-to-day responsibilities. Instead, look for ways to highlight your achievements. 
• Avoid "I" and "me":  It's customary to write resumes in the third person. So, in a job description, instead of saying "I managed a team of five people," you'd simply say, "Managed a team of five people." 
• Match your qualifications to the job :  Employers are most interested in your relevant qualifications. That is, it's lovely if you're skilled at accounting best practices, but if you're being hired for marketing, that may not be very meaningful to your hiring manager. Look for ways to showcase skills that are mentioned in the job ad and are needed in the role at hand. 
• Carefully eliminate all typos and errors:  Having a typo makes your resume appear unprofessional. It also reflects poorly on you, as well as potentially makes you appear sloppy and poor at handling details. Read through your resume carefully to catch—and remove—errors and typos. 
• Include relevant keywords:  Both hiring managers and automated tracking systems (ATS) look for  keywords in resumes . Including them in the document can help you increase your chances of landing a job interview. 

A resume is a formal document, with fairly set guidelines for how it should look. If your resume looks different from the usual format, you should have a very good reason. For instance, a design-focused role might offer more freedom to deviate from the norm. Here are some formatting strategies to keep in mind: 

• Consider using a template:   Resume templates , which are available through word processing software such as Google Docs and Microsoft Word, can help you cut down on the labor to create the document. A template can be a very helpful starting point as you create or update your resume. 
• Choose a readable font:  Make sure to choose a standard font (think: Times New Roman or Arial) that's easy to read. Don't make the size too small because you're looking to include lots of information on a single page. 
• Make sure it's easy to read on the screen and when printed out:  Few people want to read a document with cramped margins and a tiny font. Try to make your resume easy to scan by using bullet points, strategically bolded text, and incorporating plenty of white space. 

This is an example of a chronological resume.  Download the chronological resume template  (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for a text version of the resume.

The Balance

Chronological Resume Example (Text Version)

James Applicant Edmond, OR 555-555-1212 james.applicant@email.com

Energetic and motivating leader with a proven ability to effectively manage both staff and long and short-term projects. A self-starter and strong independent worker who excels at analyzing products and procedures in order to generate new ideas that improve efficiency and production quality.

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

COMFORT, INC., Edmond, OR MANAGER (2018-Present) Manage daily operations of a $1 million foam insulation company.

• Train and supervise work crews in more efficient product installation techniques resulting in reduced material waste by 20% and labor hours by 43%.
• Instrumental in developing sales team’s knowledge in the areas of building science and energy conservation in order to provide customers with the information to successfully plan for, and utilize, spray foam insulation.

MILITARY BASE. Edmond, OR DATA NETWORK MANAGER (2016-2018) Managed command and control data network used to generate video representation of geographic area surrounding the ship. The team consisted of 38 individuals from four departments.

• Production Control Officer - Coordinated the efforts of 135 personnel utilizing 37,000 man hours. Completed 520 jobs totaling over $4 million during a 13-month refurbishment period.
• Assistant Command Duty Officer - Directed daily routine utilizing a duty section of 600 personnel from 12 different departments.

MILITARY BASE. Edmond, OR INSTRUCTOR PILOT (2012–2016)               Administered, coordinated, and supervised flight and academic training for the United States flight training program that encompassed over 200 instructors and 600 students in five units.

• Coordinated and supervised four Flight Commanders to ensure that pilot completion rates met quarterly and annual goals.
• Managed and scheduled 11 instructor pilots and 38 flight students to complete primary and intermediate level flight training.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• AUBURN UNIVERSITY, MBA in Finance, 2021
• UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA , Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics, 2012
• Aviator - Advanced Flight Training, United States Flight Patrol

In what order should work history be listed on a resume?

In a chronological resume, which is the most common format, work history is listed in reverse chronological order. Your current or most recent job is listed first, followed by your other jobs in descending order. Your oldest job is listed last.

What is the difference between a chronological and a functional resume?

A chronological resume focuses on your employment history, while a functional resume highlights your skills and qualifications for a job. A combination resume includes your top qualifications plus your chronological work history.

CareerOneStop. “ Resume Styles ."

 CareerOneStop. “ Select the Best Resume Format .”

“CareerOneStop. " Applicant Tracking Systems ."

How to Write Your Resume in Reverse-Chronological Order

When setting out to write the perfect resume, choosing a format is an important decision. Reverse-chronological resumes are the standard format, so knowing how to craft one is key! This guide will teach you how to write the best reverse chronological resumes.

What is a Reverse-Chronological Resume?

A reverse-chronological resume is a format focused on relevant work experience.

It is called reverse-chronological because it lists your most recent job first.

All other jobs are then listed from most recent to least recent.

3 key factors help strengthen this type of resume:

• ‍ Relevancy: It is important to emphasize the relevance of your previous jobs. The more relevant your previous work experiences are to the job you’re applying for, the better.   ‍
• Recency: This format will place your most recent job first in the work experience section. More recent jobs will help an employer see the skills and experience you have gained in the past 1 to 5 years. ‍
• Longevity: Job applicants may have held previous positions for long periods. In this case, emphasizing that longevity is crucial. It helps show employers your ability to commit to a company and position.

Put simply, this resume format is a showcase of your professional experience.

The work experience section will generally be the largest.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

‍ Why and When Do You Write a Reverse-Chronological Order?

Typically, you will want to use the reverse-chronological format as often as possible.

Using this type of resume will automatically give you an advantage.

This is due to the format being highly recognizable by hiring managers.  

Reverse-chronological resumes are the standard expected by most employers.

This format is easy to follow and clearly demonstrates a candidate’s experience.

This resume format is especially good to use when applying to entry- to mid-level positions.

The reverse-chronological resume gives you the best opportunity to showcase your experience and accomplishments.

If you do not have much relevant or recent work experience, you may want to consider an alternative format.

Are There Alternatives to Reverse-Chronological Resumes?

When it comes to resumes, there are 3 main formats:

• ‍ Reverse-Chronological: A resume focused mainly on work experience. ‍
• Functional: A resume focused on skills, volunteer work, and education. ‍
• Combination/Hybrid: A resume that combines elements of both the reverse-chronological and functional. This format does not place an overwhelming emphasis on any single section.

Choosing between these 3 depends on what experience you have to show.

The following situations may call for the use of a functional or combination resume:

• When a person is returning to work after time away
• If a candidate is still in school or is a recent graduate
• If a professional has decided to change career or industries

Though employers expect to see reverse-chronological resumes, the other two can be just as effective.

It’s all about keeping the format and design simple and easy to follow.

Are you feeling totally lost on which resume format to use? Read our guide on How to Choose the Correct Resume Format in 2024 (with Examples) to learn more!

What are the Main Sections of This Resume Layout

There are four main sections of the reverse-chronological resume:

• Your Name and Contact Information
• Your Work Experience
• Your Education
• Your Skills

The work experience section is often the most prominent on the reverse-chronological resume.

However, the other sections matter as well.

We will go over each of these four main sections to help you understand how to best format your resume.

1. Name and Contact Information

The header of any resume should contain the applicant’s personal information.

This includes:

• Your job title
• Your location
• Your phone number
• Your professional email address

This header will not take up a lot of space on the resume.

Yet, it will be the first thing the employer sees.

Make sure to enlarge and bold your font to help your name stand out.

There are two main formatting options for the header: left-aligned or center-aligned.

A left-aligned resume will have all the information aligned to the left side of the page.

This will include the header and name.

A center-aligned resume will align down the middle of the page.

This can help the name and header to stand out.

However, a center alignment is not often suggested for the remaining sections.

If this is the alignment you choose, only use it on the header.

Here is an example of a header on a reverse-chronological resume:

John Doe, Atlanta, GA Technical Analyst [email protected], 123-456-789

Why It’s Incorrect: In this example, the information is not well-organized and the name doesn’t stand out.

It is best to make the name bigger than the rest of the text.

Bolding and italics can be used to provide better visual organization to the information.

Additionally, the person used an unprofessional email.

This can be a major turn-off to employers.

John Doe Technical Analyst in Atlanta, GA (123) 456-789 | [email protected]

ProTip: Whenever you need to create a professional email, it is best to make one through Gmail. This gives you access to lots of sharing and networking tools. Plus, the Google Workspace is used by many companies!

2. Work Experience

As we have covered, there are 3 main factors to consider when writing your work experience section:

Sometimes candidates will have a lot of work experience, but none that is directly relevant to the new job.

In this case, it is essential to think of ways to tie in your job descriptions to the skills needed for the one you are applying to.

When writing your job descriptions, you should ideally include three bullet points.

These should be short and simple sentences that use action verbs.

If you have quantifiable achievements, these may be included as one of the bullet points.

Here is an example of a work experience section on a reverse-chronological resume:

In this example, the applicant is applying for a job as an office manager at a major firm.

Work Experience Administrative Assistant , Johnson Law Firm June 2019 – May 2021 · Helped to lower overall operational costs · Managed and created schedules · Handled the bookkeeping Bartender , Stir Charlotte, NC | August 2016 – May 2019 · Provided thorough customer service · Helped customers with complaints · Worked alongside a team of 20 servers

Why It’s Incorrect: In this example, the applicant does not provide detailed descriptions and uses weak action verbs. There are no quantifiable achievements or captivating details. Plus, the bartending job is not tailored to show transferable skills.

Work Experience Administrative Assistant , Johnson Law Firm Charlotte, NC | June 2019 – May 2021 ‍ · Reduced operational costs by 15 percent by scouting new supply source · Managed the travel arrangements and schedules of the top 5 associates · Optimized the virtual bookkeeping system to be more efficient Bartender , Stir Charlotte, NC | August 2016 – May 2019 ‍ · Multitasked by crafting drinks, taking orders, and closing tabs simultaneously · Settled customer complaints with patience and compassion · Delegated side work tasks amongst the serving staff

In this corrected example, the most recent and relevant job has much better descriptions. For the bartending job, the descriptions have been altered to show skills that are useful in an office setting.

For more ideas on more compelling language to use on your resume, take a look at our list of 350+ Action Verbs to Make Your Resume More Effective in 2024 .

‍ 3. Education

The education section of a reverse-chronological resume does not need to be very extensive.

In alternative resume formats, such as the functional resume, education may be more emphasized.

For the reverse-chronological resume, there are only 5 key pieces of information to include:

• Your University, College, or School
• Your Highest Degree of Education (Bachelor’s, high school diploma, GED, etc.)
• Your Date of Graduation
• The Location of the School
• Your Area of Study

In some cases, it may be beneficial to include relevant academic experiences or achievements.

As for listing your GPA, it is recommended to only do so when specifically requested by the employer.

Here is an example of an education section on a reverse-chronological resume:

Education The University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida · Graduated May 2018 · Studied Mass Communications and Business · GPA 3.7

Why It’s Incorrect: This example is fairly disorganized and lacks visual flow. It includes unnecessary information, such as GPA. Plus, it does not list the actual degree earned.

Education The University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida · Earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in 2018 · Double-majored in mass communications and business · Received letter of recommendation from the Dean

Keep your education section short and sweet on a reverse-chronological resume.

If you are applying to jobs in the realms of science or academia, you will need to expand your education section.

This will likely require you to write a Curriculum Vitae instead of a resume. 

Check out our article on What is the Difference Between a CV and a Resume in 2024 ?

Your skills section is similar to your education section in that it should be short and simple.

Ideally, you should aim to list around 6 skills on your resume.

These should include a mix of both hard and soft skills.

Hard skills are those that require technical knowledge, such as how to use a programming language.

Soft skills are more abstract and emotion-based, such as communication and teamwork.

By including both types of skills, you provide employers with a more well-rounded view of your talents.

Plus, the skills section can be a great place to plug in keywords found throughout the job application and description.

Here are some common examples of hard skills:

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.)
• Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Docs, etc.)
• Computer Programming
• Typing Speed
• Cloud Computing
• Project Management

Here are some common examples of soft skills:

• Communication
• Multi-Tasking
• Adaptability
• Conflict Resolution

Additional Sections to Consider Adding to Your Resume

There are, of course, extra sections you can consider adding to your resume.

These include:

• ‍ Resume Objective or Summary: A short statement on your professional experience and goals. ‍
• Certifications or Extra Training: Certifications earned through training programs, such as coding courses or First Aid. ‍
• Awards and Achievements: Quantifiable achievements or awards, such as Employee of the Month or Best Salesperson. ‍
• Unpaid Experience: Unpaid internships or volunteer work. ‍
• Languages: A list of languages the applicant can speak, read, or write fluently. ‍
• Interests: Listing hobbies and interests is especially good for resumes lacking broad work experience sections. Interests can be points of conversation for an employer to bring up in an interview.

When including additional sections on a reverse-chronological resume, be mindful of the formatting.

You want the work experience section to remain the focal point.

You also want to keep a good visual flow by not cramming too much information onto one page.

Pro Tip: In a reverse-chronological resume, your work experience section is the most important. Be sure to take your time writing this section and tailoring it for the job.

How Do You Format a Reverse-Chronological Resume?

When formatting your reverse-chronological resume, keep in mind the following 5 elements:

• ‍ Length: Ideally, your resume should fill up one page. This page should have 1-inch margins on all sides. ‍
• Bullet Points: Use bullet points under your headers to create descriptions. This makes your information easier to read and skim over for employers. ‍
• Headings: Use bold and enlarged fonts to create your section headings, such as Work Experience and Education. ‍
• Sidebars: Your work experience should take up the most space on the resume. Creating a sidebar for your education and skills will leave more room for work experience. ‍
• Fonts: Use simple and easy-to-read fonts, such as Times New Roman and Arial. Keep headings between 14 – 18 point size and bullet points between 11 – 12 point size.

Need more help organizing your resume? Check out our post on How to Organize Your Resume with Resume Layout Examples in 2024 .

What are Things to Highlight in a Reverse-Chronological Order

With the reverse-chronological resume, work experience is king.

Any accomplishments related to your work experience are the most important information to highlight.

This can include:

• Professional or business-related projects
• Relevant awards and achievements
• Career advancements or promotions

Promotions are particularly important for a reverse-chronological resume.

They help to show a candidate’s commitment, longevity, and work ethic at a company.

For more advice on highlighting promotions, take a look at our guide on How to Show Your Job Promotions on a Resume in 2024.

Final Takeaways            

Now that you have a better understanding of the reverse-chronological format, writing your resume will be simple.

Remember these 5 key takeaways when writing a reverse chronological resume:

• The work experience section is the most important in this format. Focus a good amount of time on tailoring this section for the job you are applying to.
• Always use a professional email. Your email is one of the first things employers see. Using an unprofessional email can get your resume thrown out regardless of how well it’s formatted.
• Use your work descriptions to emphasize quantifiable achievements. This is also where you can highlight promotions, projects, or other work-related accomplishments.
• Don’t overstuff your resume with sections. Allow the work experience section to be the main jewel with the other sections serving as accessories.
• Use Bolding, Font Size, and Italics to help specific parts of your resume stand out.

While you’re here, don’t miss out on reading our extensive collection of FREE guides ! Easy Resume offers many resume-building resources.

We have the career advice , resume examples , and templates for you.

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• Resume Skills Section
• Resume Objective Section
• Career Objective Section
• Resume Reference Section
• Resume Summary Section
• Resume Summary Example
• Resume Interests Section
• Address On Resume
• Relevant Work Experience
• Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
• Education Section On Resume
• Contact Information On Resume
• Statement Of Qualifications
• How To List Publications On Resume
• Accomplishments On Resumes
• Awards On Resume
• Dean's List On Resume
• Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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More From Forbes

The ultimate guide to writing a career change resume.

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Changing careers doesn’t have to be difficult. It all starts with a resume crafted to highlight your ... [+] transferrable skills.

Your resume is one of the most critical tools during a career transition. Crafted thoughtfully, a career change resume can effectively highlight transferable skills and experiences from your old career to the new one, showcasing you as a prime candidate for your dream job .

Career change resumes offer a different narrative of a person’s experience versus someone looking to advance in their current industry. Transferrable skills are the most important to highlight.

What Success Looks Like In A Career Change

A successful career change doesn’t necessarily mean starting over. It can involve leveraging existing skills in a new context or applying knowledge from one industry to another. Success is about finding a role where you can make a meaningful contribution, and it often requires a blend of determination and strategic planning. The story you tell so far in your career that paints you as the right person for the job is vital to your resume being seen by the hiring manager.

Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Your Career Change Resume

It’s a fine line between highlighting what makes you unique and ensuring your document aligns with industry expectations. Here’s how to do it right.

Identify Your Transferrable Skills

Before opening a Word document or choosing a resume template, the first step is to take stock of your skills. Begin by closely examining your previous roles and jotting down the skills they entailed. Try categorizing them into hard skills—like technical skills and software proficiencies—and soft skills—such as communication and leadership abilities.

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Apple confirms widespread iphone changes coming to millions of ipads, sony is making a truly terrible mistake with helldivers 2, brainstorm your narrative.

What is your career change story? Who’s the audience that will be listening to it? These are the overarching questions that will guide your resume writing process. You’ll want to combine your reasons for changing careers with your past experiences and future aspirations.

When crafting your career change narrative, consider these critical questions to create a cohesive and compelling story:

• What motivated your career change? Reflect on the reasons behind your decision to shift careers. Was it a pursuit of passion, a need for a new challenge or an inevitable industry change affecting your previous role?
• How do your past experiences contribute to your new direction? Evaluate how your previous roles have equipped you with unique skills and perspectives that will benefit your target industry or role.
• What accomplishments in your career thus far can illustrate your suitability for this new path? Identify specific achievements that demonstrate your capability and readiness for the change.
• How have you prepared for the transition? Consider any additional training, courses or self-led learning you’ve undertaken to bridge any skill gaps.
• What are your long-term goals in this new career? Define what success looks like for you in this new field and how you plan to achieve it.

Choosing The Right Resume Format

The format of your resume is dependent on your career trajectory. A functional resume may be the best way to draw attention to your skills if you’re making a big career leap. A hybrid resume, which combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats, can also work well for career changers, as it allows you to detail your skills while still providing a job history.

Elements Of A Stand-Out Career Change Resume

The typical resume sections are still relevant: Skills, competencies, accolades, experience, volunteer work, education and training. For career changers, add a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of a snapshot as your elevator pitch. Instead of explaining what you are looking for, you highlight your top accolades, position and projects you’re currently working on; it shouldn’t be any longer than three sentences.

For example, “I’m Jane Doe, a marketing professional who brought the newest Target campaign to 100 million Instagram accounts. I’ve excelled in connecting influencers with top brands and have hosted over 150 brand activations.”

Make sure to include all the important elements on your resume to make you stand out. Having a short ... [+] story or narrative of who you are also helps.

Words and Phrases To Include In Resume

When it comes to the actual writing, it’s essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to the job you’re applying for, but also aim to include industry-specific terms from your previous career to highlight the breadth of your experience.

• Cross-functional expertise: Demonstrates the ability to work across various departments, enhancing team synergy and project outcomes.
• Quick Learner: Indicates your capacity to rapidly acquire new knowledge and skills, reducing the learning curve in a new role.
• Innovative Thinker: Shows your capability to think creatively and bring new ideas to the table, driving progress.
• Versatile Professional: Indicates a broad skillset and flexibility, positioning you as a candidate capable of handling various responsibilities

Do’s And Don’ts Of Resume Etiquette

• Do focus on your achievements and how they demonstrate your capabilities, not just the tasks you’ve performed.
• Do quantify your accomplishments with numbers or percentages whenever possible to add weight to your claims.
• Don’t include unrelated job experiences that don’t align with the position you’re targeting.
• Don’t gloss over any employment gaps resulting from your career change. Instead, use these gaps to explain how you spent that time productively, such as through continuing education or volunteer work.

Your career change resume aims to get your foot in the door for an interview. Invest time in perfecting your career change resume, and you’ll find that employers will be more than willing to listen to the rest of your story.

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Writing a resume for jobs in Finland? We have format examples, templates for you to copy and use, 10+ examples, and tips on how to write a Finnish resume.

Here’s the thing about Finnish resumes - good resumes in Finland are usually pretty simple and to the point with little to no jargon.

But why do most struggle with their job search if it is so easy to write a resume for Finland? The answer is - simple is often not that “simple”.

If you know the rules of writing the perfect Finnish resume, you’re going to win. And, that’s what we will show you in this article.

How to Write a Finland Resume?

To write a Finnish resume that wins, you should:

• Select a simple, yet professional resume template that highlights your experience and skills effectively. There's no strict national format, but it's advisable to use a clean, easy-to-read design, you can try out 20+ VisualCV’s resume templates too.
• Select or modify the layout of this resume template. Your Finnish resume layout can be reverse chronological, functional or a combination layout.
• In your Finnish resume’s header section, include your name, email, phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn profile. Adding a professional photo is optional but can be beneficial. Ensure the photo is appropriate (a headshot, smiling, against a neutral background).
• When writing your work history, list your positions in reverse chronological order, mentioning the job title, employer’s name, and the dates of employment. List your responsibilities and achievements in each role, focusing on concrete examples that demonstrate your skills and impact. Keep it less verbose.
• When listing your education, list it in a separate section.Start with your most recent or highest qualification. Include the degree title, the educational institution, and the dates attended. Highlight your major and any significant projects or exchanges, particularly if they add to your qualification for the job.
• Create a separate section for skills. Clearly list your software and computer skills, language proficiencies using an established scale like CEFR, and any other relevant skills. Tailor this section to showcase the abilities that align with the job ad. You can also create sub sections within skills(e.g. Computer skills, soft skills, etc).
• Finnish employers expect to see referees listed or mentioned as available upon request. Include names, positions, organizations, and contact information of your referees, ensuring you have their consent to provide their details.
• Proofread your Finnish resume and save it as a PDF to ensure formatting remains consistent across different devices. Name the file clearly, such as "FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf"(or “FirstName-LastName-JobTitleCV.pdf”), to make it easily identifiable.

By following these steps, your Finnish resume will present a professional and compelling image to potential employers, increasing your chances of securing an interview.

The 3 Popular Finnish Resume Formats

In Finland, job seekers typically use one of three resume formats to showcase their experiences and skills:

• Chronological resume format: This format presents your work history starting with your most recent job and moving backward.
• Functional resume format: This format emphasizes your skills and professional capabilities to showcase your strengths effectively.
• Combination resume format: Also referred to as a hybrid format, it merges elements of both chronological and functional formats, offering a balanced view of your work history and skillset.

Choosing the right format depends on your career background and the job you're applying for.

Reverse Chronological Finnish Resume Format Example

Is a Reverse Chronological Format Right for a Finnish Resume?

Consider using a reverse chronological format for your Finnish resume if you meet all these conditions:

• Your total work experience is less than 15 years.
• You are not making career transitions with this resume (reverse chronological resumes are less effective in these scenarios).
• Your work experience is directly relevant to the job you are applying to.

Functional Finnish Resume Format Example

Is a Functional Format Right for Your Finnish Resume?

A functional resume format may be suitable for your resume if you are trying to meet any of these conditions:

• You want to emphasize skills and achievements that are highly relevant to the job you are applying for.
• You possess exceptional skills or achievements that differentiate you from other applicants.
• Your work experience isn’t particularly strong or relevant, making your skills more significant.

Combination Finnish Resume Format Example

Is a Combination Format Right for Your Finnish Resume?

A combination resume format is perfect for your Finnish resume if:

• You have more than 15 years of work experience.
• Your experience spans across different industries and includes work with multiple companies.
• Highlighting your skills and achievements is as important as, or more important than, detailing your work experience.

Each format has its strengths and caters to different professional backgrounds and career goals. Choosing the right format for your Finnish resume is crucial in presenting yourself effectively to potential employers.

Finland Resume Summary Format

Start your resume with a summary that says: "[Job Title] with [X years] of experience in [2-3 skills], across [industries]. Achieved [top achievement]. Expert at [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]."

This format quickly shows employers your experience level, main skills, and significant achievements. Tailor this summary for each job application, and ensure you focus on what's most relevant to the position.

Work Experience Format for a Finland Resume

For the work experience section of your Finland resume, follow these steps:

• Start with your most recent job and go backward from there.
• Include the job title, company name, and the dates you worked there.
• For each job, list out your main tasks, responsibilities, and any significant achievements.
• Use bullet points to make this section easy to read.
• Quantify your achievements with numbers when possible, as this provides clear evidence of your contributions and success.

10 Finland Resume Examples

Finland resume example for data engineering.

Finland Sales Resume Example

Finland Resume Example for Accountants

Writer Resume Example for Finland

Finnish Resume Example for Executives

Finland Software Engineering Resume Example

Marketing Finland Resume Example

Finland Resume Example for Managers

Professional Finnish Resume Example

Administration Resume Example for Finland

What should be included in the work experience section of a Finland resume?

Include your job title, company name, and dates of employment. List your main tasks, responsibilities, and any significant achievements using bullet points.

How should I format my education section in a Finland resume?

List your highest level of education first, including the degree obtained, institution attended, and graduation date. If applicable, include any relevant certifications or coursework.

Is it necessary to include personal information on a Finland resume?

Personal information such as age, marital status, or gender is not required and is generally not included on Finland resumes. Focus on professional qualifications and experience instead.

Should I include references on my Finland resume?

It's not necessary to include references on your resume in Finland. However, you can mention that references are available upon request if desired.

How long should a Finland resume be?

A Finland resume is typically 1-2 pages long. Focus on relevant information and avoid including unnecessary details to keep it concise and easy to read.

How should I format my contact information on a Finland resume?

Your contact information should include your full name, phone number, email address, and optionally your LinkedIn profile or personal website. Ensure it is clearly displayed at the top of the resume.

Is it necessary to include a photo on a Finland resume?

Including a photo on your resume in Finland is optional. If you choose to include one, ensure it is a professional-looking headshot and adheres to standard business attire.

Should I translate my resume into Finnish if I'm applying for jobs in Finland?

While it's not mandatory, translating your resume into Finnish can be beneficial, especially if the job requires proficiency in the Finnish language. However, many companies in Finland operate in English, so an English resume may suffice.

How should I list language skills on my Finland resume?

List your language skills in a separate section, indicating your proficiency level (e.g., native, fluent, proficient, basic) for each language. Be honest about your abilities, as language skills may be tested during the recruitment process.

What is the preferred file format for submitting a resume in Finland?

PDF is the preferred file format for submitting a resume in Finland. It ensures that your formatting remains consistent across different devices and operating systems. Avoid using uncommon file formats that may not be compatible with recruiters' systems.

Should I include hobbies or interests on my Finland resume?

Including hobbies or interests on your resume in Finland is optional. However, if your hobbies are relevant to the job or demonstrate valuable skills, such as teamwork or creativity, you can include them to add depth to your profile.

How should I handle gaps in employment on my Finland resume?

Be honest about any gaps in your employment history on your Finland resume. If possible, briefly explain the reason for the gap (e.g., travel, further education, family care) to reassure potential employers.

Is it customary to include a career objective or summary statement on a Finland resume?

While a career objective or summary statement is not commonly used on Finland resumes, you can include one if it adds value and provides a concise overview of your professional goals and qualifications.

Should I include my salary expectations on my Finland resume?

It's not necessary to include salary expectations on your resume in Finland. This information is typically discussed during the interview process or negotiated after a job offer is made.

It's generally not necessary to include references on your resume in Finland. Instead, you can indicate that references are available upon request. However, it's important to have a list of professional references prepared in case the employer requests them during the recruitment process.

Can an employer contact individuals not listed as references on a Finland resume?

In Finland, employers generally cannot contact individuals outside of the provided references without the candidate's consent. This is to ensure compliance with data protection laws and to respect the candidate's privacy. If an employer wishes to contact someone not listed as a reference, they should first obtain permission from the candidate.

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