what to write for work experience on a resume

Work Experience on a Resume - How to List It Right

Imagine you’re a hiring manager who goes through countless resumes on the daily.

What’s the first thing you look at?

If your guess was work experience, then you’re right.

And if you spot a few relevant keywords in their work experience section, then you’re more likely to continue reading about their background, contact information, and so on.

The most important thing hiring managers want to know is whether you can do the job you’re applying for, and that’s where the work experience section of your resume comes in.

So how do you make your work experience do the heavy lifting?

Don’t worry! Our article is here to help.

We’re going to cover:

• What Information Your Work Experience Section Needs

How to Format Work Experience on Your Resume

• 11 Real-Life Examples of Work Experience on a Resume

Let’s get started.

What to Include in Your Work Experience Section

The work experience section is the most important part of your resume.

This is the section that gives hiring managers a look at your professional journey so far, including your skills and achievements, and it’s the section they base their hiring decisions on the most.

Your work history can show how likely you are to excel at the job, how committed you are to career growth , and what industry know-how you ought to have.

This section is going to look different depending on your career level, how recent your work experience is, and what the job you're applying for is.

Let’s look at what information employers expect from your work experience section:

• Job Title/Position . Add this at the top of each work experience entry. You want the hiring manager to know at a glance that you have relevant work experience for the job, so use the actual job title instead of any buzzwords.
• Company Name. Include the name of the employer. Sometimes, if the employer isn’t well-known, you might want to describe the company in a sentence or two to give the hiring manager context.
• Location. The general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked, is more than enough information.
• Employment Dates. Write down the approximate timeframe of your employment. There’s no need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Responsibilities and Achievements. The core of each work experience entry is what you achieved while you were there. List your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points instead of paragraphs to make them easier to read. Use 5-6 bullet points for newer job entries and 2-3 for older ones.

Here’s an example of a work experience section that includes all of the above:

Want to know more about other resume sections? Learn how to write a resume with our detailed guide!

You know what to include in your work experience section, so let’s talk about how to include it.

First things first - your work experience section should always follow a reverse chronological order . Add your latest work experience at the very top, and work your way backward.

Hiring managers aren’t interested in what you did ten years ago. Instead, they’d rather know what you’ve been up to right before applying for this specific job.

That being said, if you have a lot of experience, you shouldn’t include every single job you’ve ever had.

Your resume is supposed to be one page long , so feel free to omit any summer gigs or part-time jobs to free up space. It’s also extremely important that your work experience is easy to find and that the information is well-structured and readable.

Here’s an example of how to format your work experience section:

Making Your Work Experience Stand Out

Now that you know how to list your work experience, you need to describe it in a way that makes you stand out from other candidates.

We’ve divided this process into several steps, starting with:

#1. List Achievements Instead of Responsibilities

Too many resumes focus on the day-to-day tasks in the work experience section.

The thing is, hiring managers already know what those responsibilities are. They’re the ones who write the job ads, so you won’t impress them by telling them you did just what they would expect you to do.

For example, if you’re a QA engineer, your responsibilities could include:

• Identifying software bugs.
• Ensuring test coverage for all features.
• Making detailed reports on product quality.

These same responsibilities show up in 99% of QA engineer resumes out there.

So, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you want to focus on your most impressive achievements instead. Show the hiring manager how you helped your previous employer and the difference you made while you were there.

Let’s compare how the same work experience entry looks like when we use achievements and when we use responsibilities:

• Increased test coverage by 25% by implementing new automated test suites.
• Reported and triaged over 100 high-priority defects ahead of major releases.
• Executed manual test cases across web and mobile applications.
• Logged defects into bug-tracking systems as they were encountered.

But there are some fields where there aren’t that many achievements you can mention in your resume. For example, if you’re a server , serving 120+ patrons a night, or earning a lot of tips aren’t achievements that look good on your resume.

Your daily tasks probably include:

• Taking orders, serving food and beverages, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Preparing tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
• Assisting in opening and closing the restaurant, including cleaning duties and setting up for the next service.

In this case, it’s okay to focus on responsibilities instead. You can still distinguish yourself by following the rest of our tips on how to make your work experience shine.

#2. Tailor Your Work Experience to the Job

If you want your resume to go from “okay” to "outstanding," what you need to do is tailor it to the specific job you’re applying for. 

The hiring manager doesn’t need to know details about every job you’ve had or about the skills you gained in a different field. 

So, your work experience should reflect what the job requirements are. This way, you’re more likely to really catch the hiring manager’s attention and land a job interview .

Here’s an example of a well-tailored job ad:

As you can see from the picture, it’s easy to figure out what the most important requirements for the role are. 

So, to tailor your resume to this ad, you need to show how you meet every one of these job requirements.

Let’s look at an example of how the same work experience would be tailored differently according to different job ads.

Say, you were an advertising intern.

Here’s what your work experience would look like when you’re applying for a position as a social media assistant:

INTERNSHIPS

Marketing Intern

Full Picture Company

New York, NY

09/2023 - 12/2023

• Analyzed various social media platforms for trending content.
• Managed company social media accounts.
• Posted interesting content on the company's Facebook page, increasing engagement by 25%.

Pretty easy, right? Now, let’s look at what the same work experience entry would look like for a job as a content writer .

• Assisted the Marketing Manager in writing press releases and new blog posts, which increased web traffic by 25%.
• Created engaging content for email marketing campaigns and boosted newsletter subscriptions.
• Revitalized old blog posts with updated information and SEO optimization, improving organic search rankings by 30%.

The internship is still the same but this way, the experience you’re focusing on is tailored to the job you’re applying for. The hiring manager can immediately see your most important skills for the job and the value you could bring to their team.

#3. Add the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve had a lot of jobs so far, you might be wondering if they all belong on your resume.

The answer is usually no. Your full, detailed work history belongs on your CV instead of your resume .

The hiring manager only wants the most recent and relevant information, not your full life story.

So, the amount of work information your resume should include depends entirely on your level of experience.

Let’s break it down:

• No Experience. If you’re currently looking for your very first job , you simply won’t have any jobs to fill in your work experience section. In that case, we recommend skipping this section and instead focusing on any experience gained in clubs, extracurricular activities , volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-Level. When you’re applying for an entry-level job, you can list most of your work experience so far. Likely, some of it won’t be relevant, but it still shows the hiring manager that you have some work experience, and that’s better than none.
• Mid-Level. At this level, you should only mention relevant work experience. Don’t waste precious space listing old internships or jobs you had as a teenager .
• Senior-Level. You only need to list up to 15 years of relevant work experience. You might even need a two-page resume to apply for an executive position at this stage, but only if you have too much relevant work experience to fit onto a single page.

#4. Optimize for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Before the hiring manager reads your resume, it has to make it to them.

The fact is that 70% of resumes get discarded before the hiring manager even reads them.

That’s because most companies use specialized Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to go through hundreds of resumes and automatically filter out ones that don’t have what the hiring manager is looking for.

Unfortunately, this means that if a resume is missing a specific skill or isn’t formatted in a way that the ATS can process , it gets rejected immediately.

So, how can your work experience make the cut?

Here are a few tips:

• Don’t go over one page. The ATS can have a limit on how long a resume is allowed to be, so we recommend always sticking to a single-page resume.
• Format everything carefully. Don’t give your resume sections quirky names. Your work experience section should be titled “Work Experience,” not “The Journey So Far.” If you try being too creative, the ATS might not recognize what that section is and reject you.
• Tailor carefully to the job ad. If you want to beat the ATS, you need your resume to be as tailored to the job ad as possible. Include as many relevant keywords as you can in your work experience section. Just make sure they’re all used in a logical context since the hiring manager is supposed to read them, too.
• Keep everything in an active voice. Describe your previous jobs with clear and specific language. (E.g.: Instead of “A team of ten people was managed by me,” say “Managed a team of ten people” ).
• Use power words and action verbs. Hiring managers don’t want to hear how you “were responsible” for this or “helped with” that. Make your work experience pop by using impactful language like “spearheaded,” “designed,” “conceptualized,” and more.

Choose one of our ATS-friendly resume templates to make sure your resume passes the test.

Where to Place Work Experience on Your Resume

The work experience section should always be one of the first sections on your resume, along with the skills section.

Typically, it comes just after your resume header , so that the hiring manager can read it immediately after your resume headline .

If you are using the reverse-chronological resume format, work experience should go at the top of your resume. This way, hiring managers can quickly evaluate your qualifications based on your most recent roles.

However, if you’re using a different resume format, such as functional or combination resume formats, you can make an exception. These resume formats emphasize skills over work history, so you could move your work experience further down, towards the middle of your resume.

Recent graduates are another exception to this rule

Suppose you’re a student with minimal professional experience. In that case, you can put your education section on top instead of your work experience section to emphasize your academic achievements and show that you’re ready to put your knowledge to good use.

Want to learn about the other popular resume formats ? Check out this article to see which one is right for you.

Complimentary Resume Sections

While your work experience might be the single most important section of your resume, at the end of the day, it works in sync with the rest of it.

Other resume sections , like your resume summary or certifications, can show the hiring manager how experienced you are and how much industry know-how you bring to the table.

So, here are a few other resume sections that come into play if you want to back up your work experience and increase your chances of getting an interview:

#1. Resume Summary

A resume summary is a short section at the top of your resume that highlights your most relevant skills and achievements related to the job.

In 2-3 simple sentences, a good resume summary tells the hiring manager:

• Your years of experience in that type of role.
• Your top qualifications or impressive accomplishments.
• What kind of responsibilities you’re familiar with.
• What your motivation for the position is.

By summarizing the core of your work experience upfront, your resume summary lets the hiring manager know what they can expect from the rest of your resume. So, when done well, an eye-catching resume summary can make you stand out from the crowd.

Here’s an example of a resume summary:

Another important section is devoted to your most important skills.

The skills section lets you list abilities that supplement your work experience, and it should be divided into two categories:

• Hard Skills. These include technical skills, tools, and specific knowledge that’s directly applicable to the role.
• Soft Skills. These can be personality traits or interpersonal skills that demonstrate how you work with others and how well you’d fit into the company’s team.

Along with your work history, the skills section helps employers quickly evaluate your credentials and relevant expertise for the position. While your work experience highlights skills in context, the skills section provides an easy-to-reference summary.

Make sure the skills you list on your resume align with what the employer is looking for. Use the job description as a reference to pinpoint the keywords you should add to your resume .

Here’s an example of a skills section on a resume:

#3. Certificates

Professional certificates and coursework can show your commitment to continuous learning and honing your skills.

Listing certificates on your resume allows you to showcase specialized knowledge and skills that might not be evident from your work experience.

For example, say you’re applying for a position as an SEO content marketer.

If you’re experienced in digital marketing but don’t have formal work experience with SEO, that could be a problem. However, listing a certificate from an SEO course can tell the hiring manager that you have the necessary knowledge to take on the role.

Relevant certificates can provide evidence of your advanced skills, industry expertise, or any other necessary qualifications for the role. They can back up your skills and distinguish you from other candidates with similar work experience.

Depending on the context, any certificates you have can either be listed in the education section or a dedicated resume section.

If the certificates are more recent and different from your formal education, we recommend listing them separately. Here’s an example:

#4. Personal Projects

One of the best ways to show your passion and dedication is through your projects.

Hiring managers love candidates who do cool stuff in their spare time.

If any personal passion project you’ve been working on is relevant to the role you’re applying for, make sure to add it to your resume. It can back up the skills and experience on your resume, and help you stand out from other applicants.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an animator , any published flash animation videos on YouTube are a great addition to your resume.

However, personal projects should only be listed if they’re relevant. If you’re looking for a job as an architect , your incredible cosplay sewing abilities just won’t cut it.

Here’s an example of a personal projects section:

11 Real-Life Examples

Not sure how to list work experience for your field?

Check out the practical work experience in these resume examples for different professions:

#1. Marketing Executive Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a marketing executive resume here.

#2. Teacher Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a teacher resume here.

#3. Cashier Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a cashier resume here.

#4. Software Engineer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a software engineer resume here.

#5. Career Change Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a career change resume here.

#6. Illustrator Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an illustrator resume here.

#7. Esthetician Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an esthetician resume here.

#8. Stay-at-Home Parent Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a stay-at-home parent resume here.

#9. University Graduate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a university graduate resume here.

#10. University Student Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a university student resume here.

#11. High School Graduate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a high school graduate resume here.

Work Experience Section FAQs

Are you still wondering about something related to your resume’s work experience? Check out the answers to these popular questions about listing work experience on a resume:

#1. What If I Don’t Have Any Work Experience?

If you don’t have any work experience, there are two things you should consider: first, hiring managers don’t expect candidates for entry-level roles to have a ton of experience, so you don’t have to worry too much.

And second - there are plenty of ways to make an impressive resume even without any professional experience .

For example, if you're a recent graduate, you can focus on highlighting your education, relevant coursework or extracurricular activities.

Include any internships, volunteer roles, or student organizations that show you have the skills necessary for the job.

You can also highlight universal skills like communication , teamwork, problem-solving, and computer skills . If you use a strategic approach, your lack of work experience won’t hold you back from writing a great resume.

#2. Can I List an Internship Instead of Work Experience?

Yes, you can list internship experience on your resume instead of work experience.

Internships provide valuable on-the-job training and give you exposure to a professional work environment, so they’re always a great thing to add to your resume.

Like work experience, internships allow you to gain important skills, learn about a particular industry or role, and build accomplishments you can use to show potential future employers. 

Internships can be a vital resume section for candidates with less experience, such as students, career changers, or stay-at-home parents re-entering the workforce, since they show hiring managers you have enough relevant hands-on experience to succeed at the job.

#3. How Can I Explain an Employment Gap on My Resume?

The key to managing a gap in your work experience section is to address it briefly and positively on your resume or cover letter .

In a line or two, explain what happened and move on without dwelling on it, since employment gaps are relatively common and can happen for different reasons.

For example, if you had to take a year off to recover from a medical issue, just say so in your resume without going into details. The important thing is that you’re now better, ready to resume work, and the hiring manager knows it won’t be a problem.

If you have a short employment gap, you can probably skip the explanations. Simply list the start and end dates for each role without explaining the time in between. A couple of months between jobs is perfectly normal, and hiring managers aren’t likely to ask about it.

#4. What If My Work Experience Isn’t Relevant?

If you're applying for a job and none of your work experience is relevant, it’s a bit more complicated.

As a general rule, any work experience is better than no work experience. Most soft skills are applicable across industries, so you can focus on them in your resume.

If you’re an entry-level candidate, you might want to leverage other areas to show the hiring manager that you’re a good fit for the role.

For example, if you want to be a graphic designer but only have experience in customer service , emphasize your art education, portfolio work, and personal projects instead. If you’ve taken any more recent courses related to the field, you can list them before your work experience.

However, if you’re an experienced professional looking to change careers , things are a little different.

For a career change, you need to articulate your transferable skills and show how your previous experience can help you in this new role.

Let's say you're a sales professional interested in marketing. You could highlight skills like communication, market analysis, client relationship-building, and goal-oriented achievements that show your valuable marketing skills.

Key Takeaways

You’ve made it to the end!

Now, you’re all set to write a flawless work experience section.

But before you go, let’s recap what we talked about:

• Always list your work experience reverse-chronologically so the hiring manager can see what your most recent achievements and experiences are.
• If possible, focus on work achievements over day-to-day tasks. This way, you can immediately show the hiring manager what you’ve done for your previous team and what the value of hiring you would be.
• Carefully format your work experience so it passes the ATS and so that the hiring manager can easily read it.
• Instead of paragraphs, use bullet points to describe your previous jobs. For newer experiences, 5-6 bullets are good, but for older ones, 2-3 bullet points are enough.
• If you don’t have work experience, use this section to list your internship, volunteer experience, personal projects, or extracurricular activities. Treat them the same way you would treat work experience, and list your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points.
• Make sure the other sections in your resume complement your work experience for a flawless job application.

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How to Describe Work Experience on a Resume in 2022 (Examples & Tips)

Your work experience is a summary of all your hard work, dedication and achievements over the years. Here's how to do justice to your work history.

The work experience section of a resume will be the crown jewel that demonstrates to potential employers that you have the work history to back up your credentials.

In this guide, we will provide you with in-depth coverage for how to craft the perfect work experience section to help you land more interviews and job offers. 

Here's an outline of what we'll learn:

Including Work Experience on a Resume

What to exclude from your work history, formatting your work experience section, how to list achievements and accomplishments, add more experience with relevant certifications, use strong action verbs, how to show job promotions, addressing career gaps in your work experience, how to show volunteer work and internship experience.

• How Far Back Should Your Work History Go?

Key Takeaways

For all the inside scope on each component of your resume, check out our comprehensive resume guides . 

Work experience is a major component of any successful resume.

However, it can be difficult to decipher what exactly you should be including in your work history. 

Each job applicant will have a differing amount of working experience under their belt.

The key is to not shove too much information into this section.

Instead, you will need to take the time to sit down and decide which information best highlights your strengths and gives you an advantage for a particular job opportunity.

It is important to keep in mind that you should be altering your resume to match the job description of each individual job you are applying to. 

By taking the time to re-edit your work experience section for specific applications, you will have a much greater chance of impressing hiring managers. 

In this article, we will help you craft the perfect work experience section.

Some key questions we will be answering include:

• What should you be including in your work history?
• What should you be excluding from your work history?
• How should your work experience section be formatted?

Keep reading to learn more about how you can begin optimizing your work history section.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

What Information to Include in Your Work History?

Ultimately, your work history will contain the following:

• Job Position ( e.g. "Bartender" )
• Company ( e.g. "Red Lobster" )
• Location (e.g. "Brooklyn, NY")
• Start Date - Month & Year (e.g. "October 2019")
• End Date - Month & Year (e.g. "January 2021") Note : You can list "Present" if it's your current job
• Description (responsibilities and achievements)

Here's how that looks, you can also see an example of the Yoga Instructor resume here .

Yoga Instructor, January 2018 – Present Mellow Mushroom • Nashville, TN • Taught 40+ elderly clients basic yoga moves each day • Held 4 classes a day that differ in intensity, including beginner and intermediate • Advised modifications for yoga poses to ensure proper form, to meet clients' athletic abilities • Instructed clients on breathing techniques, such as Basic Breath Awareness and Retention • Developed body-mind-spirit awareness, mental clarity and physical flexibility and strength

However, when deciding which information to include within your work experience section, there are four main principles to keep in mind:

Here is a quick breakdown of each of these crucial factors:

1) Relevancy

When writing out your work experiences, it is important to consider how relevant your previous experience is to the job you are currently applying for

Your most relevant experience should always be the most emphasized and focused on, as it will be where you showcase the skills and achievements that qualify you for the position.

For instance, let’s say you are applying for an entry-level copywriting position and you have two major examples of work experience you would like to include.

These examples are:

• Managed the front of house of a restaurant for four years.
• Worked as a journalist at a local newspaper for one year.

Even though the management position may take up a greater chunk of your professional background, your experience as a journalist is much more relevant to the field of copywriting.

Therefore, you would want to place greater emphasis on your more relevant experience. 

2) Timeliness

Let’s say you are applying for a position for which all or most of your work experience is fairly relevant with similar importance in your roles.

How do you decide which of this experience is best to include on your resume?

When listing out your relevant work experience, it is recommended to showcase your most recent experience first and work backwards from there. 

As a general rule of thumb, it is good to aim to include work experience that you have gained within the past 5 years, though trying to include examples from within the last 1 to 5 years is ideal. 

Generally, work experience older than 5 years should be included on more in-depth resumes, such as on a resume for a job applicant seeking a senior position at a company.

Additionally, the academic resume format “Curriculum Vitae” – or CV – will typically include experience that spans across an even wider timeframe. 

3) Longevity

If you have held a relevant position for a long period of time, this kind of longevity can be highly impressive to hiring managers.

Showcasing your longevity at a previous job demonstrates your ability to commit to a company long-term. 

Moreover, showcasing positions you have held for a long period of time can also be a great opportunity to emphasize any promotions you may have received.

Showing your ability to not only commit, but to grow as well can be majorly influential on the impression your resume leaves.

4) Position

Different positions you have held within a field or industry may hold greater weight than others.

While it is still important to keep relevance, timeliness, and longevity in mind, it can also be useful to showcase your higher positions on your resume.

For example, let’s say you are applying for a position as an executive administrative assistant and you have the following work experience:

• Office manager for small law firm 
• Administrative assistant for a tattoo parlor

While both positions are relevant to the job you are applying for, your role as an office manager may have had greater responsibilities compared to your assistant position. 

Check out our Human Resources Resume Example to see how the work experience section utilizes all four of the above mentioned factors. 

When you are writing your work experience section, it is important to note that you don’t want to include every job under the sun that you have ever held.

A hiring manager won’t want to read through all of that, nor are all of your experiences likely to be relevant for the job you are applying to. 

For instance, short-term jobs that you left soon after being hired may not be the best to include, as this can lead to speculation and uncertainty as to why you held the position for so short an amount of time.

If you happened to work a job that was purposefully or contractually short-term but holds a high level of relevance to the job you are currently applying for, it can be useful to include a short note explaining why you were only in the position for a limited amount of time. 

Omitting Jobs from Your Resume

There may be a variety of circumstances that may lead you to wanting to omit certain jobs from your resume.

For instance, if you were fired from your previous position, you may feel inclined to try and hide this information out of fear of it leaving a bad impression on hiring managers.

However, even jobs you were fired from should be included if they are relevant working experience

Being fired from a previous job is not an automatic deal breaker in most cases, and including that position on your resume is oftentimes preferred over leaving unexplained gaps in your employment history.

Moreover, you do not have to explicitly state on your resume that you were fired.

Should this be a topic of concern, it will likely come up in a job interview at which point you can more clearly and directly explain what happened.

Keep Your Job Descriptions Simple

A common mistake that many job applicants will make is writing descriptions of previous jobs that are too wordy or long.

Although it can be helpful to include more information about your most relevant or most recent experiences, you still want to write in clear and concise sentences that are easy to skim.

In truth, it is unlikely a hiring manager will thoroughly read your resume – especially if there are many applicants for the position.

As such, you must optimize your resume to provide information clearly and quickly.

A hiring manager should be able to gain the most valuable information with only a short read-through or skimming. 

As mentioned, you don’t want to go overboard when writing your work experience section.

Although you should aim to include the best and most relevant details, you should strive to write in short and simple sentences. 

Here is the basic format to use when structuring your work experience section:

Position, Start Date – End Date Company Name, Location ‍ • Descriptive Sentence • Descriptive Sentence • Descriptive Sentence

Alternatively, you may also want to list the company name on the first line with the position title.

This can be especially true if you worked for a well-known and easily recognized company or brand.

The formatting would then look more like this:

Position, Company Name Location, Start Date – End Date ‍ • Descriptive Sentence • Descriptive Sentence • Descriptive Sentence

There are, of course, some stylistic choices you can make to help your resume stand out.

However, sticking to this straightforward and easy to read format is key. 

Here are a couple quick examples of correct and incorrect formatting:

1) Always use bullet points for your descriptions.

Long paragraphs can be hard to read and make your work experience section look too cluttered.

Restaurant Manager, 2018 – 2020 ‍ In this position as a restaurant manager, I worked diligently to help implement new point of sales systems that greatly reduced operational costs. I also managed a staff of over 20 waiters on any given day. Of my responsibilities, I was in charge of handling customer complaints and issuing refunds. 

Restaurant Manager, 2018 – 2020 Mellow Mushroom • Nashville, TN • Hired and trained over 20 staff members . • Implemented point of sales systems that reduced operational costs by 15 percent . • Reduced customer complaints and refunds by 25 percent . 

2) Be specific as possible.

When writing your work experience descriptions, try to be as specific as possible rather than providing vague descriptions of your work accomplishments in the position. 

Junior Graphic Designer, The Coca-Cola Company Atlanta, GA • June 2017 – July 2020 • Responsible for making creative designs for the company. • Created hundreds of different designs for a variety of projects. • Worked closely with top-corporate officials. 

Junior Graphic Designer, The Coca-Cola Company Atlanta, GA • June 2017 – July 2020   • Led the design, development, and implementation of a label design project. • Designed and implemented new branding materials, including a re-design of the logo.  • Presented key deliverables to executive level stakeholders. 

In the following Content Marketing Associate resume example, you can see how Sarah has emphasized each of her bullet points with specific relevant keywords.

When it comes to listing your achievements and accomplishments on a resume , there are several considerations to keep in mind

As a general rule of thumb, your job descriptions are the best place to showcase your greatest accomplishments within a position.

For example, let’s say you worked in a sales position and raised overall sales by 10 percent .

This is the kind of specific accomplishment you will want to list within your job description. 

As previously mentioned, you will always want to be as specific as possible when listing out your achievements.

Here are some examples of how to properly list your accomplishments within your work experience section:

If you have specific data to quantify an accomplishment, always provide specific numbers rather than generalized statements.

Incorrect: ‍

Increased productivity of staff immensely over the course of the position.

Improved staff productivity rates by 30 percent , leading to a reduction of labor costs by 45 percent . 

Awards are a type of achievement that can be particularly useful to include.

Keep in mind that a hiring manager may not be familiar with company-specific awards.

Thus, you should provide enough detail to explain the importance of the award. 

Earned the Departmental MVP Award in 2019.

Earned the 2019 Departmental MVP Award for increasing productivity and efficiency rates, as well as improving cross-functionality of the department. 

Depending on the quantity of achievements you have, it may also be beneficial to create a section devoted entirely to your professional accomplishments.

The key takeaway here, however, is that job descriptions are one the most useful places to showcase your job-specific achievements. 

Although certifications may not be direct work experience, they often times are major indicators to employers of how qualified the candidate is for a position.

To earn a certification, you will typically be required to complete an accredited course successfully.

It can be tempting to include every certification you have ever earned on your resume as a way to help add some extra detail and interest.

However, when you are including certifications you should still be keeping relevancy as your top priority.

As such, only the most relevant certifications should be showcased. For instance, let’s say you have a CPR and First Aid certification.

If you are applying to become a school nurse, these kinds of certifications are not only important but are likely required.

Comparatively, if you are applying to a position as a content writer, these certifications hold no relevance. 

If you have earned a certification as a result of working a previous job, then you would likely want to include that certification in that specific job description.

Otherwise, your certifications may be better suited in their own devoted section.

Additionally, working to earn relevant certifications that you can list in tandem with your work experience section can help you to greatly stand out from other job applicants.

Here is a quick list of a few well-known certifications that would be useful to include on a resume:

• PMP: PMP is a Project Manager certification and is given to professionals with a four-year degree, a minimum of three years of project management experience, and the successful completion of the PMP exam and hour requirements. 
• NCLEX-RN: The NCLEX certification is the required certification for nursing professionals put forth by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 
• PHR: The PHR certification stands for Professional in Human Resources and is earned through successful completion of an exam upon confirmation of eligibility. 
• SERVSAFE: ServSafe certifications are used in the restaurant industry to certify that kitchen and waitstaff are following all proper food and drink protocols. 

For more information on how to best show certifications, check out our guide on listing certifications on a resume.

When you are writing your resume, you want the words you use to engage the person who is reading it.

Chances are that the hiring manager reading your resume will read hundreds of other resumes that all contain similar words, verbs, and phrases. 

When choosing which words to use in your resume, it is important to remember that you don’t want to tell the employer why you are a great candidate.

Instead, you want to use the words to show the employer why you are the best candidate. 

This is where strong action verbs come in.

In your job descriptions, rather than saying something boring like “ managed a staff of 50+ members ” —  instead use a stronger action verb such as “ delegated ” or “ directed .”

Here are a couple quick tips for using strong action verbs on your resume:

1) Always lead with your action verb

Don’t bury your action verbs or make them difficult to spot.

Start your sentences with a powerful action verb instead.

I helped senior executives with important administrative tasks.

Assisted senior executives with administrative tasks, including managing travel schedules and optimizing file organization systems. 

2) Make it contextual and supporting

While it is important to use action verbs, don’t just use any word that comes to mind.

The words you use should make sense in the context of how they are being used to describe a job. 

Prohibited operational costs from exceeding budgetary restrictions.

Maintained low operational costs according to budgetary restrictions. 

Though both of these statements essentially say the same thing, the latter is much more clear and better represents your professional achievement. 

For more ideas on which action verbs to include on your resume, check out our list of 350+ Action Verbs to Make Your Resume More Effective.  

If you have worked in a previous job for a longer period of time, chances are you have received a promotion or two along the way.

Keeping track of these promotions and showing your professionals growth is essential. 

There are a couple different ways to show promotions within a job description.

When showcasing different roles you have held within the same job or company, it is important to list your highest position first and work backwards from there.

As an example, let’s look at two different ways a job candidate could list their promotion from office assistant to office manager on a resume:

1) Stacking job promotions

Use stacked positions to show your growth over time, with the most recent and highest position at the top.

Office Assistant, Tennessee Valley Authority Nashville, TN • January 2015 – January 2016 ‍ • Promoted to current position of Office Manager in 2016.

Office Manager, Tennessee Valley Authority • January 2016 – November 2020 Office Assistant , Tennessee Valley Authority • January 2015 – 2016

This kind of stacked formatting is an easy way to show you growth within a company without having to detail each position.

This is a good format option for when you want to focus solely on the highest position you earned.

2) Listing job promotions as separate entries

This format is useful if you served in each position for several years with different responsibilities in each. 

Office Assistant and Manager, Tennessee Valley Authority January 2015 – November 2020

Office Manager, Tennessee Valley Authority January 2016 – November 2020 • Job Description & Achievements Office Assistant, Tennessee Valley Authority January 2015 – January 2016 • Job Description & Achievements

The choice to format promotions as two separate entries should be reserved for instances where most or all of your work experience has been in different positions within the same company

Otherwise, the stacked format allows you to feature other work experiences with different employers as well. 

In some cases, a job applicant may not have very much relevant work experience or they may have large career gaps.

If this is the case for you, it can be useful to consider utilizing different resume formats to help fill in those gaps. 

The worst thing you can do is try to hide these career gaps from hiring managers.

These are the types of details they will be looking out for, and signs of deception are likely to get your resume thrown out immediately.

Instead, you should consider the different resume formats that may be better suited to showcasing your skills rather than your experience.

Here are the three main types of resume formats and how we'd rate them from best to worst for addressing career gaps:

1) Functional (best)

Functional formatted resumes focus more on skills and unpaid experiences, making them well suited for applicants without a strong work history.

2) Hybrid/Combination (good)

Hybrid resumes will combine elements of both reverse-chronological and functional resumes, making them good to use when you have career gaps. 

3) Reverse-Chronological (worst)

‍ This format focuses on making the work experience section the main component of the resume so it won't be the best choice for you.

Though having limited work experience or large career gaps can certainly make the resume writing process more difficult, it is by no means impossible to create an effective resume in spite of this.

Check out our guide for writing a resume with no work experience for more advice on how to create a resume when you have limited experience or career gaps.

For some applicants, especially those who may still be in school or are recent graduates, you may lack paid working experience but have several good examples of volunteer work and internships. 

Generally speaking, your internship experiences can go in your work experience section, as these are still technically professional experiences you applied for and earned based on your academic credentials.

Volunteer work, comparatively, should often be listed in a separate section as this is not typically considered “professional experience.”

Nonetheless, volunteer work can still hold a good amount of value, especially if it is directed related to the job you are applying for.

For instance, an IT professional may have volunteered their time to work on a not-for-profit software development project.

Though this experience was unpaid, it provided the applicant with experience working directly with software developers.

This kind of experience will still be crucial to share with potential employers. 

Consider an Alternative Format

If your work experience is limited to internships and volunteer work, this may be another good opportunity to utilize the functional or hybrid resume formats.

This will allow you to showcase the unpaid experience you have, while also sharing the focus with other sections such as skills and academic accomplishments. 

How Far Back Should Your Work History Go?

We’ve covered the importance of timeliness and longevity when deciding which previous jobs to include in your work experience section.

The reality of how far back you should go ultimately depends on the position you are applying for.

For applicants who are applying to entry-level or lower-level jobs, keeping your work experience section concise and focusing on jobs you have worked in the past 1 to 5 years is likely to be preferable. 

Comparatively, if you are applying for a senior-level position, or for a position in the fields of science or academia, it is recommended to showcase more of your professional background.

For instance, applicants who are seeking positions in academic fields will likely want to use a CV format which typically will cover most – if not all – of both their professional and academic background. 

Not every job is the same, nor is every applicant the same, so how much you include on your resume will depend on the situation at hand.

Luckily, there are many resources to help, such as our guide on on writing the perfect resume.

By now you should feel a much greater sense of confidence for how you should be writing and formatting your work experience on your resume.

Here are five key takeaways to remember as you embark on your resume writing journey:

1. Relevancy is Key

When listing out your work experiences, keep in mind which of your previous jobs are the most relevant to the position you are now applying for.

You don’t want to weigh down your resume with too many jobs and job descriptions, so narrowing down to the 3 – 5 most relevant experiences is key. 

Do keep in mind the other three factors we discussed as well: timeliness , longevity , and position .

You want to showcase how your prior work experiences have given you the skillsets to make you highly qualified for the job you are seeking. 

2. Show, Don’t Tell

When writing your job descriptions, avoid using statements such as “I did this” or “I accomplished this.”

Instead, word your descriptions in a way that showcase your achievements and strengths within the position.

Employers don’t want to be told what you can do because words only mean so much without the evidence to back them up.

‍ Show hiring managers what you are capable of by providing clear and quantifiable examples of how you have excelled in your previous positions. 

3. Use Strong Action Verbs

Begin each of your bullet points in your job descriptions with strong action verbs that clearly represent the action or accomplishment you are showcasing.

The use of these verbs not only helps to clarify your work experience section, but also helps emphasize key points, tasks and achievements.

However, be wary of using these verbs just for the sake of using them.

Always make sure the verbs you are choosing relate back to the statement you are making so you don't not accidentally cause any confusion.

4. Keep it Simple 

Bullet points and simple sentences are your friend. Most hiring managers are not going to read through your resume in its entirety.

Thus, having bite size and concise descriptions that effectively represent your abilities, skills, and accomplishments is key. 

5. Determine Which Format is Best for You

If your work experience is limited, you may want to consider using an alternative resume format.

To help determine which format best suits your needs, take a look at our guide for choosing the correct resume format . 

Closing Thoughts

Your relevant work experience can make or break your opportunity for landing an interview with the job of your dreams.

Figuring out the best and most concise way to list your experience is, thus, crucial. 

To learn more about how to craft the best resume possible, check out our comprehensive guides and resume templates to get started making your perfect resume today. 

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Work Experience Section on the Resume

How to demonstrate your career trajectory

Career Expert

The experience section is the core of any resume and the most important metric for explaining your career path to employers.

Listing work experience on a resume can be a tricky task. You may have never worked in your life or have had so many past jobs that you don’t even know which you should include.

In either case, there’s a right and wrong way to create this section.

So, which parts of your professional experience should you include? Which parts should you exclude

This guide offers tips on exactly  what experience to put on a resume  and how to write a work experience section that will attract a potential employer’s attention.

How To Show Your Professional Experience On Your Resume

This core part of your resume can be titled in a variety of ways. A few common examples are:

Most employers  deem the work experience section the most vital part of your resume , as your career path is often the clearest, most efficient way to explain your skills. It lists companies you’ve worked for, industries you are familiar with, skills you have acquired, and the contributions you’ve delivered along the way.

Here are some ideas for section titles:

• Work Experience
• Professional Experience
• Relevant Experience
• Work History

Choose a title that is most appropriate for your experience. For example, students may include internships or part-time positions, which qualify as “work” experience but are not related to their target roles.

A title such as “Work Experience” or “Work History” would suffice in this case, to show that you have consistently been employed.

As a cheat code try using an  online resume builder  which includes helpful examples and practical tips for adding the experience section on your resume.

What To Include In A Resume Experience Section

It’s best to collect all of your work histories first before starting to write your experience section.

For most job seekers, their work experience will be true professional jobs/positions. But for students or recent graduates, relevant work can also include:

• Internships
• Volunteer work
• Study abroad programs
• Leaderships in clubs or community teams

Next, it is time to detail your experience. Start with your most recent position and work backward.

Each job post should include the following elements:

• Employer/company name
• Location (City, State or “remote”)
• Dates of employment
• Details of your accomplishments and contributions

Some of these details are unnecessary in functional resume layouts. For example, in cases where you may have large gaps in your job history, a functional resume layout can help downplay the scattered timeline of your employment and highlight the skills you’ve learned and will bring to the next position.

Most importantly,  each job post should include a brief paragraph , or more commonly, a bullet-point list of your responsibilities. Each position listed should prioritize your achievements and contributions to the role. Do not simply list the “responsibilities” or “daily tasks” of the job.

Include quantifiable examples of your success, as  34% of recruiters won’t consider applications that are not specific to the role ,  according to CareerBuilder .

Keep your experience section as focused as possible and only list those statements which are relevant to your target jobs.  Forbes Magazine suggests  limiting yourself to five bullet points per position.

Action verbs can significantly increase the impact your resume content has on the reader, enticing them enough to reach out for an interview. Include a variety of action verbs in each of your bullet points.

Examples of effective action verbs to use on your resume:   launched; implemented; spearheaded; coordinated; directed; increased; restructured; acquired; grew; saved; cut; identified,  etc.

How To Write The Work Experience Section On Your Resume

One of the easiest ways to capture the attention of a hiring manager is to list your professional experience in a clear, concise, and visually interesting manner.

your work experience section should always follow a reverse chronological frame, regardless of the resume format you choose ( chronological ,  combined , or  functional ).

It’s essential to know exactly how to write experience in a resume. To start,  begin with the most recent position held  and work backward in time.

How you display this information is crucial. An inconsistent, out-of-order format will only confuse the reader and earn your resume a trip to the trash bin.

As with every section on your resume, make sure to  highlight information that explains your past accomplishments , successes, contributions, and learnings.

For example, these can be:

• Customer satisfaction percentage or score
• Total sales you made
• Clients attended to

Anything that you can show you were a success will look great.

The more your past triumphs can relate to the position at hand, the better.

What Is an Example of Work Experience?

You may be wondering how one of your former positions, duties, and accomplishments should look on a resume. It’s critical to not only get the right format but  not mention too much or too little info .

Here are some  work experience examples  you can use to boost your own resume:

Senior Project Manager, XYZ Corp, San Francisco, CA — June 2018-Present

• Led a cross-functional team of 15+ members to deliver 20+ high-value projects, each with budgets exceeding $1M, on time and within budget.
• Implemented Agile project management methodologies that improved team efficiency by 30% and cut project delivery timelines by 20%.
• Negotiated contracts with key vendors, reducing project costs by 15% and strengthening strategic partnerships.
• Introduced a risk management process that identified potential issues early, reducing project delays by 25%.

Project Manager, ABC Inc, San Francisco, CA — July 2014-June 2018

• Managed 10+ mid-scale projects with budgets up to $500K, consistently meeting key performance indicators.
• Coordinated with various teams including design, engineering, and marketing, ensuring seamless collaboration.
• Implemented a new project tracking system which increased overall project visibility and improved on-time delivery by 10%.
• Conducted regular project status meetings and provided updates to stakeholders, improving communication efficiency.

Junior Project Manager, DEF Co, San Francisco, CA — August 2011-June 2014

• Assisted in the management of 15+ projects, developing key skills in stakeholder communication, budget management, and team coordination.
• Created detailed project schedules and plans, contributing to an overall 15% increase in team efficiency.
• Developed and maintained project documentation, improving record keeping and accountability.

This section has it all. It effectively uses action-oriented language to depict the individual’s responsibilities and achievements.  Each achievement is quantified  to make it tangible and impressive.

Additionally, the roles exhibit  a clear progression in skills , showing off the candidate’s career growth and capability to handle higher-level responsibilities.

Tips For Writing Your Previous Work Experience

We’ve amassed a list of easy-action tips for including your past positions on a resume to help you get started.

• Write in the present tense for your current work positions only  and past tense for all prior experiences.
• Tailor your work entries for each job,  mentioning the most relevant and appropriate experience. This may include creating one or more versions of your resume if you are targeting different career sectors.
• Explain gaps in your work history briefly.  Most reviewers appreciate additional context explaining your gap in professional work. A quick sentence is all that is needed to detail full-time parenting, study leave, traveling, family complications, relocations, etc.
• Include internships and education/professional development courses  in your resume, either in your work history or education section.
• Include voluntary or part-time work  where appropriate, especially when you have little on the job experience or are changing careers.

These tips on how to complete a work experience section on a resume should help you get started. You can also use our AI-powered suggestions in our resume builder and come up with more ideas to show off your past jobs and achievements in different ways. 

How Far Back Should Experience Go on a Resume?

If you had a  job from what feels like ages  ago you may be wondering if it’s worth adding to your resume. While there is no strict rule, it’s generally recommended to focus on the  most recent 10–15 years  of your work history.

If you have any doubts about  omitting jobs from your resume , keep the following in mind:

• Relevance:  Prioritize recent experiences that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Focus on showcasing your current skills and qualifications.
• Career Progression:  Highlight positions that demonstrate career growth, increased responsibilities, or promotions.
• Industry Norms:  Research industry standards to gauge how far back professionals in your field typically go with their experience. Tailor your resume accordingly.
• Early Career Highlights:  If you have exceptional early experiences highly relevant to the position, include them, even if they fall outside the recommended timeframe.
• Resume Length:  Keep your resume concise and focused. Including extensive work history can result in a longer resume that may remove the impact of recent experiences.

What Do You Put on a Resume With No Experience?

Are you a recent college grad looking for your first job? Or are you changing your profession? In either case, building a resume with limited professional experience can be challenging.

However, all is not lost!

By taking advantage of any relevant experiences, high grades in related coursework, and transferable skills, you can create a compelling resume.

If you’re an entry-level candidate you should remember to add:

• Relevant coursework in your education section
• Transferable skills
• Experience with relevant duties

Internships and past jobs look great if you can find ways to relate them to the job you are applying to so don’t be scared to apply for a new position.

What you shouldn’t do is:

• Add irrelevant experiences
• Include generic statements
• Forget to mention relevant positions or courses

By adding the most relevant information and your transferable skills you can give yourself a good chance of landing an interview and a job without any experience.

How To Format The Experience Section On A Resume

You may do everything in your power to write a work experience section that wows, but if it is not formatted correctly, your resume could end up in the “no” pile. Consistency throughout your resume is key for allowing readers to digest your information quickly.

Here are a few tips to  ensure this section is formatted properly .

• Format each work entry the same.  List the details: job title, company name, location, dates of employment, and list of responsibilities.
• Use the same font throughout the resum e  and no more than two styles (i.e. one font for job titles and another font for the contextual information.
• Align each section equally in a consistent manner  (i.e. job titles and company name left-aligned and employment date ranges right-aligned)
• Align each section header the same using one font and a consistent method for implementing bold, italics, and underline  effects. This will ensure the highest level of readability.

If you have any doubts about how to format work experience on a resume you can use  handy online templates . These tools can save you lots of formatting time, as these resources usually have a preset document structure already in place.

ResumeCoach  offers a range of resume samples and an online resume maker filled with guides, advice, and extra resume help when you need it most.

Struggling with Resume Writing?

Ease the process with our templates

How to List Work Experience on Your Resume – A Guide with Examples

In This Guide:

What is a resume work experience section, how do i add experience to my resume, where to list work experience on your resume, how to format your work experience (with template), how to describe work experience on a resume, how to choose the right resume format, how many years of work experience should be on a resume, what should i do if i have a gap in employment, tips on writing a powerful resume experience section, key takeaways.

R esume work experience almost always needs to be presented in reverse chronological order—starting with your most recent position and working backward.

Each entry needs to include the basics: company name and location; job title; start and end dates. It’s also essential to include bullet points describing your duties and responsibilities.

Finally, never underestimate the power of action verbs and quantifying your accomplishments.

Crafting the perfect resume experience section  can be challenging, especially when deciding how to describe work history  effectively. Almost everyone struggles with selecting the right work experience examples  that highlight their skills and accomplishments. The key is to showcase your professional past in a way that resonates with potential employers.

A we ll-structured resume work experience example s houldn’t only detail your previous roles but also emphasize the impact of your contributions. By accurately featuring yo ur work experience, yo u enhance your chances of catching a recruiter's eye and securing your next job opportunity.

We guarantee that by the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of this particular resume section and be able to do the following:

• Study and use a plethora of real work experience examples to help visualize your target.
• Easily produce an effective entry that conveys all the essential elements.
• Be able to recognize and correctly choose which format is best for the specific job you’re applying for.
• Understand what exactly needs to be included in your work listing.
• Tips on writing a more powerful and convincing experience section.
• How to properly describe and convey your achievements and responsibilities in an impactful way.

Let’s begin by looking at what exactly we are trying to craft.

Improve your resume experience section!

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

The work experience section is arguably the most critical part of a resume, serving as the focal point for recruiters and hiring managers alike. This segment outlines your professional history and highlights your achievements in previous roles. It encompasses paid and unpaid roles, including full-time positions, part-time jobs, internships, volunteer work, and freelance projects, essentially any role where you've applied and honed your skills in a professional context.

What to put for experience on a resume involves carefully  tailoring your selection  of relevant positions that illustrate your qualifications and readiness for the new role you're applying for. This means not just listing your duties, but focusing on quantifiable achievements and how you've contributed to past organizations.

For instance, highlight the wins you had, like projects you nailed, teams you led, sales records you broke, or any process you made better—outcomes that provide concrete evidence of your capabilities.

Including different types of work experience is all about painting a picture of how you've grown and what you bring to the table. It's not just about what you've done, but how you've made a difference, underscoring why the experience section plays such a pivotal role in your resume.

But what exactly should you include?

Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you.

Aldous Huxley

Your resume work experience section refers to your professional background in employment.

For all professional experience sections, you need to include your previous:

• Role and responsibilities
• Skills and accomplishments
• Company names
• Dates you’ve worked

If you’re worrying about what to write in a resume for work experience, let us just quickly calm those nerves. Just remember to stick to reverse chronological order, presenting your most recent job first  to emphasize your career progression.

Also, try starting each point with action verbs  to animate your roles and achievements vividly—recruiters love that!

The ideal location for your work experience section is immediately following your resume summary  or objective statement . This gives it a prominent position that ensures it’ll catch the eye of the hiring manager.

Deciding which work experience is listed first on a resume is easy—it’s the job you just left or perhaps are still working at  and then you work your way back.

For a standout resume experience format , begin your entry by listing the company name, your position/title, employment dates, and the location. Including a brief company description is optional but can provide context, especially if the company isn't widely known—whatever you choose, be sure to be consistent.

The bullet points under each role are crucial; this is a job description  where you should focus on quantifying your impact and showcasing your achievements using action verbs. Aim for 4-6 bullets per position, starting each with a dynamic action verb.

Ensure that you quantify as many of your achievements as possible (e.g., "Increased sales by 20%") to provide concrete evidence of your impact. This approach not only makes your contributions clear but also demonstrates the value you brought to the position.

Remember, how to format work experience on a resume is about making your contributions and achievements easily accessible, so use concise, impactful language and keep your bullet points focused and relevant.

The best way to demonstrate this is by showing you a couple of examples. You can find below an example of an experience entry that you would do well avoiding. Check it out:

• • Duties included cashiering, helping customers, stocking shelves.

As you can see this work history section needs a boost. It would be a good idea to swap "Duties included" for lively action verbs like "Managed" or "Assisted." Also, adding some numbers to show off their impact, like boosting checkout speed by 30%, would drastically improve this entry. Another thing that they should’ve done is to be more clear about how they helped customers or improved stocking methods.

A few tweaks could definitely make this resume shine! Let’s rewrite it in a manner that could actually help the candidate land the job.

Here’s the new and improved work experience listing:

• • Managed transactions for up to 200 customers daily, ensuring a smooth and efficient checkout process.
• • Assisted customers by providing detailed product information and resolving inquiries, enhancing customer satisfaction.
• • Coordinated shelf stocking and organized product displays, contributing to a 15% increase in-store efficiency.

We transformed the work experience section by swapping "Duties included" for dynamic verbs like "Managed" and "Coordinated," highlighting proactive roles and leadership. By quantifying achievements—like handling 200 transactions daily and boosting store efficiency by 15%—and adding specific details on enhancing customer satisfaction, we've crafted a vivid, impactful snapshot of skills and contributions.

Here’s a template you can use to help guide you while listing your experience on your next resume:

Resume work experience section template:

[Job title]

[Company name in smaller font]

[Location - optional]

[Company description]

• [Bullet points detailing your accomplishments and job duties –– between 3 and 6 for each job you’ve held]

While writing your bullets, remember these four things:

Action verbs

• Use numbers and quantify
• Detail your achievements and responsibilities
• Be concise and impactful

Let’s continue with the topic of experience and achievements. Next, we’ll explore exactly how to format these sentences, use the right action words, and the best way to quantify your accomplishments.

When writing the work experience section of your resume, start each sentence with a strong action verb  to immediately capture the reader's attention. This approach showcases your role as an active contributor and leader in your previous positions. For example, instead of saying "Responsible for managing a team," you could say "Managed a team of 10, leading to a 20% increase in productivity." This not only demonstrates what you did (managed a team) but also quantifies your achievement (20% productivity increase).

Quantifying

Quantifying accomplishments provides concrete evidence of your impact and showcases your ability to deliver results. Try to include numbers, percentages, or other measurable outcomes whenever possible. For instance, "Increased sales by 15% through strategic marketing campaigns" gives a clear picture of your effectiveness and contribution.

For formatting sentences, aim for clarity and conciseness. Begin with the action verb, follow with the task you performed, and end with the result or impact of your action, quantifying the achievement. Keeping this structure consistent throughout your work experience entries will create a streamlined, easy-to-read section that clearly communicates your professional value.

Tailored content

When pondering how to write work experience in a resume, it's crucial to tailor your bullets to the job you're applying for, emphasizing the experiences and achievements most relevant to the position.

Prioritize work experience that aligns closely with the job you're applying for, highlighting roles where you've developed relevant skills or achieved significant accomplishments. This targeted approach  demonstrates your suitability and potential value to prospective employers.

How to decide what experience is relevant and what isn’t?

Determining if work experience is relevant  to your resume involves aligning your past roles and achievements with the requirements of the job you're applying for. Here are tips on how to tailor your resume effectively:

• Analyze the job description: Start by thoroughly reading the job listing. Note the skills, experiences, and qualifications that are emphasized. These are your clues to what the employer values most.
• Match your experience: Look at your own work history and identify which roles and accomplishments directly relate to the job description’s requirements. Focus on experiences where you've used the skills listed as necessary for the new position.
• Highlight transferable skills:  Some of your experiences may not be directly related but have transferable skills that are valuable for the job. For example, if you’re applying for a project management role and you’ve led a team or coordinated a project, even in a different industry, that experience is relevant.
• Use keywords from the job description: Incorporate language and keywords  from the job description into your resume. This not only shows that your experience aligns with the role but also helps your resume get past automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use.
• Be selective:  You don’t need to list every job you’ve ever had. Focus on the roles that demonstrate you have the skills and experience to excel in the job you’re applying for.

Remember, a tailored resume is much more likely to catch the attention of hiring managers and show that you're a strong candidate for the position.

Deciding on the right resume format hinges on your career history, skills, and the type of job you're applying for. Among the main formats—reverse chronological, combination, and functional—each serves a distinct purpose, while all other formats are considered outdated in today's job market. Here's how to choose:

• Reverse chronological format :  This is the most traditional and widely accepted format. It lists your work history starting with your most recent job and working backward. It's ideal if you have a steady work history and want to emphasize your upward career trajectory. This format is especially beneficial when applying to roles that require extensive experience in a specific field.
• Combination or hybrid format :  This combines elements of both the chronological and functional resumes. It highlights your skills and achievements at the top, followed by your work history in reverse chronological order. This format is suitable if you're aiming to change careers, have gaps in your employment, or possess a diverse set of skills and experiences that are relevant to the job.
• Functional format :  This format focuses on your skills and experiences rather than your job history. It's organized by skill categories rather than employment history and is best suited for individuals with gaps in their employment, those changing careers, or if you're new to the workforce.

Your choice should strategically highlight your strengths and match the expectations of your target role, ensuring your resume stands out for the right reasons.

The work experience section of your resume should ideally go back 10 to 15 years . This timeframe allows you to showcase your most relevant and recent experience without overwhelming the reader with too much information. Older positions can be included if they are particularly relevant to the job you're applying for, but it's often unnecessary to detail every role beyond the last decade or so.

Also, choose how many jobs you list  wisely. Don’t include 15 different jobs—focus on positions that directly relate to the target role. Prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring each listed job adds value to your candidacy.

Handling employment gaps on your resume  can be tricky, but it's essential to approach them thoughtfully and strategically. Here's how to manage and communicate employment gaps:

• Don’t highlight gaps on your resume : Your resume is a marketing document meant to highlight your strengths. You don't need to explicitly point out employment gaps here. Focus on your experiences, skills, and achievements.
• Use a functional or combination resume format:  Instead of the traditional chronological resume, consider a functional or combination format. These emphasize skills and accomplishments up front, rather than the timeline of your employment history. This approach can help draw less attention to the gaps.
• Include other relevant experiences:  If you were doing something relevant during your gap period, such as volunteering , freelancing, studying, or undertaking any personal projects  related to your field, include these experiences on your resume. Present them similarly to how you would list a job, focusing on skills  gained and contributions made.
• Be prepared to discuss the gap in your cover letter and interviews: While you don't need to explain employment gaps on your resume, you can address them briefly in your cover letter  if it adds valuable context to your application. Be prepared to discuss the gap openly and positively in interviews, and focus on what you learned or how you grew during that time.
• Stay positive and focus on the future:  When discussing employment gaps, maintain a positive tone and focus on your eagerness and readiness to return to work. Emphasize that your experiences during the gap have prepared you for the next step in your career.
• Honesty is key:  If asked about an employment gap, be honest but succinct in your explanation. You don't need to go into personal details. A simple explanation like "I took time off for family reasons, but I'm excited to bring my skills and experiences to this role" is sufficient.

Employment gaps are more common than ever and are becoming less of a stigma, especially due to reasons like personal health, family obligations, or the recent global changes impacting employment. Most employers understand that career paths aren't always linear, so focus on demonstrating your value and readiness for the role you're applying for.

Here are some final resume tips  that could help you create that powerful, successful resume you’ve been hunting for:

Choose an organized template

Selecting a clear, professional template for your resume  can make a significant difference. It helps highlight your experience section effectively, ensuring that recruiters can easily scan through and understand your career progression and accomplishments. A well-structured template with distinct headings and a logical flow from one section to the next sets a strong first impression.

Address the needs of the employer

Tailor your experience section to meet the specific requirements and preferences of the employer. Closely read the job description and emphasize the parts of your work history that match with what they’re looking for. By mirroring the language of the job listing and focusing on relevant experiences, you demonstrate that you aren’t just qualified but also attentive and responsive to the employer’s needs.

Keep it brief

Aim to convey the essence of your roles and achievements without overwhelming the reader with too much information. For each position, include a few bullet points that highlight your key responsibilities and accomplishments, using quantifiable results whenever possible. This approach guarantees that your resume is digestible and impactful, making it easier for employers to see your value.

Check for grammatical and spelling errors

Before submitting your resume, thoroughly proofread it for any typos on your resume . Consider using tools like spell checkers or having someone else review your resume to catch errors you might have missed. A clean, error-free resume reflects your diligence and care, qualities that are highly valued in any role.

Now that we have thoroughly gone through all aspects of listing your resume work experience, you should be ready to start writing. Here are some takeaways from the article.

• Study real examples: Use real work experience examples to visualize and craft an effective experience section on your resume.
• Choose the right format:  Understand and choose the best resume format (reverse chronological, combination, or functional) for your specific situation, recognizing that all other formats are considered outdated.
• Highlight relevant experience:  Tailor your resume to address the needs of the employer by focusing on relevant work experience that showcases your qualifications for the job you're applying for.
• Use action verbs and quantify achievements:  Start bullet points with action verbs and quantify your accomplishments to clearly demonstrate your impact in previous roles.
• Organized template:  Choose a clear, professional template to make your work experience stand out effectively.
• Mind the details: Include essential information like company names, positions, dates, and locations, and aim for 4-6 bullet points per job that focus on your achievements and contributions.
• Address employment gaps thoughtfully:  Strategically manage and communicate any employment gaps, focusing on the positives and how experiences during these periods have prepared you for your next role.

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Resume Examples & Samples

How to write work experience in your resume [step-by-step guide].

Adi Gaskell

Create a Resume in Minutes & Get More Job Interviews

Table of Contents

The work experience must-know, how to format your work experience, how to write a killer work experience section.

• Irrelevant of Transferable Work Experience
• Listing Work Experience With No Experience

The work experience section is an essential part of your resume. It’s the one thing the recruiter really cares about and pays the most attention to.

Your previous experiences are seen as a good indicator of how you’ll handle the new job. This section, however, is not just a list of your previous responsibilities. It's meant to present you as a wholesome candidate by showcasing your relevant accomplishments and should be tailored specifically to the particular position you're applying to.

Education, skills and hobbies are all great but it's the work experience section that ultimately decides whether you get the job or not.

And no, more university degrees doesn’t mean better jobs - creating a killer resume work experience section does.

In this guide, We will teach you...

• How the work experience section “works”
• How to do basic formatting
• How to write a work experience section that will get you hired
• How & why to list different types of work experience.
• How to list experience when you have none

#the-work-experience-must-know

As we’ve mentioned before, the work experience section is the bulk of your resume and is a key part of all successful resume templates .Think of it as the sales pitch that’s going to land you the job.

You can mention anything you've put your time and labor in, including:

• Professional Experience - Your career goes here. Essentially any job you've ever worked that's in the relevant field & industry.
• “Unskilled” Experience - That part-time hostess job during college goes here.
• Internships - Unpaid or paid.
• Part-time Gigs - Did you collect unused stuff on Craigslist and sell it on E-Bay? Anything along those lines.
• Volunteering - NGOs, non-profits, etc.

Before we dive into the details, we’ll explain the most basic and important principles about this section.

Be Brief & Relevant

The work experience section should be the detailed summary of your latest 3 or 4 positions . The “3 or 4” part is important here - the recruiter wants to know how relevant you are for the job without having to read your entire life story.

For example, if you are a programmer with 20 years of experience, would you really mention your very first internship?

VelvetJobs Expert Tip

As a rule of thumb, listing your last 3 or 4 positions is the optimal amount.

On a similar note, you’d want your work experiences to be relevant to the job you’re applying for. Get into the recruiter's head for a minute - you’re reading 2 resumes for the position of financial analyst .

Which of these two statements looks more “relevant?”

Financial Analyst with 5+ years of experience

Marketing Expert with 10+ years of experience

The first one gets a callback. The second gets a confused glance and a trip to the paper shredder. That being said, there are some exceptions . Sometimes, you’d want to include your seemingly “irrelevant” experiences to show your skills.

Confused? Well, let’s say you have these two people applying for a job in sales .

Hard-working student, 2+ years of experience working as a server

Hard-working student

You’d go for the first one because of 2 reasons .

• General Experience - In most cases, the recruiter would prefer someone with some experience rather than none. It shows that they’ve worked before in their lives, and won’t just stand around looking confused on the first day of work.
• Transferable Skills - Every job teaches you skills, be it very basic ones. As a waiter, for example, you've probably learned how to interact with customers. When you apply for a sales associate position, you'll end up using these same skills.

Having previous work experience is super helpful. But what if you just graduated? Not to worry, we've got tips for recent grads as well.

#how-to-format-your-work-experience

While the content of your resume work experience section is important, it’s essential to get the formatting right . The two go hand in hand. How?

Most big companies these days use Applicant Tracking Systems - software that scans your resume and determines how relevant you are for the position.

So if the formatting is somehow messed up or too far from traditional norms, no one’s going to even look at your resume! This is why it’s essential to get the formatting right.

The first thing to do with the formatting is to create the e xperience section . The font size should be the same as any other section headings in your resume, and it can be in bold , CAPITALS, italics , etc. depending on your general theme.

Then, list the basic information about your work experience. Follow this example for each position:

Position + Dates

Company Name

Company Description (Optional)

• Responsibility or Achievement

The company description mentioned here is optional - you might want to mention it in case it's a company most people have never heard of. Otherwise, skip it and use this space for an additional bullet point.

As for responsibilities and achievements , the average number you want to hit is 6 : It’s optimal enough to describe your experiences with a company properly, while leaving room for your other experiences.

This, however, is not set in stone, and is up to you. Let's have a look at an example:

• Oversaw the daily operations of the marketing team
• Led a team of 4 marketing specialists and 2 designers
• Managed the company client-acquisition PPC strategy with a budget of $2,000+ monthly
• Coordinated efforts with the sales team, acquiring, warming & handing over 100+ leads monthly
• Led company re-branding efforts, creating a new website, brochures, Ad copies , etc.
• Took the company from an MRR of $20,000 to $50,000 over the course of 2 years

Now that you know how to format your resume work experience section, have a look at how to format it so that the recruiter sees you're the one right off the bat!

Fun fact - there are 3 completely different ways you can format your resume. In some, you don't even mention your work experience! Learn how the 3 different formats, chronological, functional and combo work with our guide!

#how-to-write-a-killer-work-experience-section

Technically, there is no right or wrong way to list your experiences. There’s no central resume authority deciding on what should or should not be on a resume.

There are, however, some best practices that’ll take you a long way. The most important of which is:

Selling Yourself the Right Way

I hard to say which of your responsibilities & achievements are best mentioned in a resume.

You did, after all, work in that company for months (or years, maybe decades?). You were in charge of so many things , you can barely even remember all of them! So, where do you start?

It's actually quite simple - mention only your greatest achievements. Don't get bogged down by describing your duties. If your resume says that you've worked as a retail manager for 5 years and you're applying for a position of a retail manager, the recruiter already knows what duties the position includes.

It makes sense that what’s really going to set you apart are your achievements :

• Did you manage to save the store from being over-flooded by customers on Black Friday?
• Did your management lead to much lower customer complaint reports than last year?
• Are you literally super-human and can endure 200 hour work-weeks ?

These are the type od things that’ll take you from “ a candidate ” to “ THE CANDIDATE .”

• Increased the regional Customer Satisfaction Index by 10%.
• Managed sales clerks

As for how you’d list your achievements, here's the best advice to keep in mind:

Quantification is King

Saying that you’re good is one thing. Proving that you’re good is what matters. The best way to impress is to demonstrate your achievements with numbers. After you've got your core experience inserted into a resume you're creating from scratch, or one of these resume templates , make sure to quantify appropriately, like this:

Managed a monthly company budget of $200,000 , while cutting $30,000 in unnecessary costs

Managed a monthly company budget, while cutting unnecessary costs

The first shows how good you are. The second gives a general idea , but it doesn’t really say anything.

Quantify your achievements. It will be useful when you make your case for a promotion or when you're looking for the next opportunity.

Now let’s see how all this would fare in a real-life scenario . The position applied for is that of a customer support manager at a retail company.

The ideal candidate will be put in charge of hiring, managing, and ensuring the productivity of 15+ cashiers.

Customer Support Manager, 2015 Sep - 2017 Feb

Boston, Massachusetts

MadeUpRetailCompany

• Hired & trained 25+ new employees over 2 years , reducing yearly regional turnover by 10%
• Increased the regional Customer Satisfaction Index by 4%
• Conducted training on using the POS terminals for all new hires, as well as company culture & behavior
• Awarded MadeUpPrizeForExcellence for the year 2016, out of 20 stores nationwide.
• Hired and trained employees.
• Charged with ensuring customer and employee satisfaction.
• Trained new employees with everything store-related
• Was called an “amazing employee” multiple times

There are, of course, professions and fields where you just can’t quantify your achievements, and that’s fine.

In such case, just list the job responsibilities as usual. But again, whenever you have the chance, use numbers to show the recruiter how good you are.

You can list your accomplishments in other sections of your resume too. Learn how to mention accomplishments with our complete guide!

ATS & Tailoring

We’ve talked about ATS or Application Tracking Systems before. But to refresh your memory, it’s the software that most big companies use filter thru resumes by “ keywords ” and to bring the most relevant candidates in for interviews.

Let’s take a sample job description and see how that would work with an ATS.

MadeUpCompanyInc is looking for an award-winning , money-making m arketing manager. The requirements are:

• 5+ years of marketing experience
• Leadership skills, experience leading teams of 5+
• Experience managing a monthly marketing budget of $20,000 +
• MarketingSoftware Certification

The hiring manager then picks several keywords that are important for the job. Here, for example, would be marketing, leadership, marketing software or any synonyms of those.

In order to be a perfect match, you’d want to mention each of these in your resume work experience section or the skills section.

Now, let’s turn that into an example resume section:

• Managed a team of 5+ marketers .
• Mastered MarketingSoftware , using it for cross-channel integrated marketing

The job title of your previous position mentions “ marketing. ” There’s experience with leadership mentioned ( i.e . managed), and finally, there’s MarketingSoftware mentioned.

Check, check, check.

There's more to resume tailoring than just looking good for the ATS. If you work hard enough, you could turn your resume into the best thing HR has ever seen. Learn how to tailor your resume to the company you're applying for, and become the recruiter's best friend!

IRRELEVANT OR TRANSFERABLE WORK EXPERIENCE

# irrelevant-or-transferable-work-experience.

If you’re switching industries , the resume work experience section can be a tough nut to crack. Which work experience should you mention? Do you start completely from scratch ?

In case you list all of your experience, chances are that you'd get ignored as not all of it would be relevant. In the second case, you’re going to look like you’ve been unemployed for too long.

The best-practice here is to mention the existing relevant experience.

How? Well, instead of listing your achievements and responsibilities as you typically would, you look at the whole thing from a different angle: What skills did your previous career give you that would be useful in the new field?

As a simple example, let’s say you’re a customer support representative with 5+ years of experience . You’re a killer on the phone - even the most disgruntled customer turns into your biggest fan after a 5-minute conversation.

Let's say you want to adapt the skills acquired in one industry to another, for example, going from customer support to sales. How do you do so? Let's have a look at this example:

Customer Support Representative, 2015 Sep - 2017 Feb

MadeUpTechSupportCompany

• Handled 100+ phone calls a day
• Maintained a 5-star customer-satisfaction rating over 2 years
• Achieved customer-experience rating 25% higher than average
• Charged with handling customer complaints
• Calmed down disgruntled customers
• Awarded employee of the month title

Now, the difference between the two examples is that the first specifically mentions all the right skills and experiences you’d need in phone sales.

Hundreds of calls a day? That’s a given.

5* customer-satisfaction rating? If you can talk to moody, unsatisfied customers, you can probably sell a new product.

25% higher customer experience rating? You’re not just any other support rep, you’re good at what you do, and are ready to progress.

LISTING WORK EXPERIENCE WITH NO EXPERIENCE

# listing-work-experience-with-no-experience.

If you’re a student, then this might seem really tricky . You don’t have any work experience, leaving your entire resume as a one giant blank space with your name & education on it.

Well, actually, “work experience” doesn’t necessarily mean professional work . It can be any of the following:

• Internship Experience
• Transferable Experiences
• Extracurricular Activities
• Projects & Portfolio

Each of these can be listed the same way as any other work experience, with exactly the same formatting:

Student resume formatting

Company Description

There’s more to creating a student resume than just listing your experiences. Learn how to perfect your student resume & get that job you’ve always dreamed off with our step-by-step guide!

The work experience section is the hardest part of creating a resume . And now you know everything you need to ace it!

Now it's time to focus on the other sections of your resume. Is your education section , for example, listed the right way?

Or, did you make sure that the formatting of your resume is just as it should be? Maybe you’d even want to brush up on your resume-making skills with our How to Make a Resume [The Visual Guide] ?

Whichever the case might be, we’ve got your back!

Now that you're a master at listing your work experience, how about you put the knowledge to practice! Head over to our resume builder & jump-start your career!

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• Highlighting Writing Skills...

Highlighting Writing Skills on Your Resume

11 min read · Updated on April 22, 2024

Do you know how to prove your writing skills in a resume?

In today's competitive labor market, it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate yourself from other job candidates. To successfully compete, you need to make sure that your resume delivers a powerfully compelling message that makes a positive first impression on hiring managers. One way to enhance your resume narrative is to include your relevant writing skills.

In this post, we will explain the following: 

Why writing skills are important in so many different industries

We'll examine the different types of writing abilities that employers may be looking for

We will also help you learn how to match your skills to your desired job role

We'll show you how to use achievements to highlight writing skills in your resume

We'll provide some examples showing you how to include writing skills in a resume and offer some tips you can use to enhance your writing ability

What are writing skills, and why are they important?

Many job seekers assume that they only need to include writing skills in a resume if they're seeking a job that involves a lot of writing. Obviously, the ability to communicate through the written word is an essential skill for people who create marketing presentations, reports, legal briefs, and similar documents. At the same time, though, those same skills are invaluable assets in many other fields as well.

That's because writing skills enable you to communicate ideas in a convincing way. People who possess these skills are often proficient in a wide array of communication styles, including everything from persuasive writing to the use of descriptive, technical, or creative writing. Effective writers also tend to excel in the use of good writing structure, grammar, punctuation, and messaging tone.

Employers who see writing skills on a resume will recognize you as someone whose communication skills can provide real value to any team. That's true whether you're seeking a job as a copywriter or pursuing a role in marketing, accounting, or management. 

The bottom line is clear: even if you're not seeking a job that regularly requires great writing skills, highlighting them in your resume can help set you apart from rival job seekers.

Types of writing skills for a resume

At this point, you might be wondering just how detailed you should be when describing your writing skills in your resume. The reality is that there are a host of distinct writing skills that can benefit you in various job roles. Let's take a moment and review some of the most common writing skills that employers might want to see:

Fundamental writing skills like grammar, punctuation, etc.

Business writing

Creative writing

Content writing

Technical writing

Email composition

Report writing

Grant writing

Collaborative writing

Media content creation

Social media writing

Presentation writing

Brand management

How to identify the right writing skills for the job

Before you just start listing different writing skills on your resume, it's important to ensure that you're aligning those skills with the employer's needs. The easiest way to do that is to use your research skills to examine the job posting and any role description you can find. 

Which specific writing skills are listed as required qualifications? 

What terms are used to describe those abilities? 

Create a list of all those skill requirements and focus on including them in your resume's skill section.

It can also be helpful to search the Internet for similar job resumes to see which skills are typically listed as core competencies. That can provide useful insight into what employers want to see from candidates in your field.

It's also vital to make sure you're using the same terms the employer used in their job posting since those terms may be keywords needed to satisfy applicant tracking systems, or ATS. 

You'll want to include those keywords throughout your resume to ensure the ATS software finds them during the automated screening process. That can improve your resume's chances of being seen by a hiring manager.

Use achievements to demonstrate your writing skills on a resume

As you create your list of writing skills, always focus on skills that you can demonstrate by referencing specific experiences and accomplishments. Employers understand that anyone can claim to possess certain skills. However, only truly skilled individuals will be able to back up those claims with real-life achievements. By citing those skills in the summary and work experience sections of your resume, you can more effectively demonstrate how your writing skills create real value for employers.

The following tips can help you create powerful achievement statements that demonstrate your writing skills in your resume.

Select writing skills that have achieved real results

Make sure that you include achievements that show how the writing skills in your resume were used to produce real results for employers. Your focus should be on using achievements to prove your skills. For example, if you've used those abilities to create client presentations that helped close deals, create an accomplishment statement that highlights that achievement.

Quantify the value your skills have provided

It is also vital that you quantify your achievements by including real numbers that reflect the value your skills can bring to any organization. Those numbers can demonstrate the amount of revenue that your writing skills helped to generate, increases in online engagement, time savings, cost reductions, or any other measurable achievement that contributed to your employers' profitability, productivity, and operational efficiency.

Create achievement statements

If you really want to make sure that employers understand the value of your writing skills, you can highlight those abilities throughout your resume. Obviously, you'll want to include some of the most prominent writing skills within your core competencies section, and in the bullet point achievements that you include in your professional experience section. For maximum impact, you can also include an achievement statement in your summary that emphasizes those skills.

Below, we'll show you how to highlight your writing skills in each of those key sections.Writing skills in your core competencies section

As you might imagine, your core competencies, or skills section, can be a great place to highlight these writing abilities. You can include some of your core writing skills in this section, along with other key technical abilities and relevant soft skills. Remember to use bullet points for your list and use two or three columns to format the section. 

Some of the key soft skills that complement writing expertise include:

Communication

Search engine optimization

Adaptability

Research techniques

Time management

Social media management

The ability to connect with audiences

Try to include a mix of these hard and soft skills. That will help employers understand that you not only have the technical abilities to perform the job but also possess the interpersonal skills you'll need to work effectively with others.

Related post : Soft Skills Explained - and the Top 7 for Your Resume

Writing skills in your resume summary

Your resume summary is another fantastic place to highlight writing skills in your resume. Obviously, it's one of the first things many employers read, and serves as your introduction to the reader. If writing skills are an important part of your resume narrative, you need to include some mention of them in this vital summary paragraph. 

The best way to do that is to add an achievement statement that demonstrates those talents. For example:

Dynamic Marketing Manager with 9 years of experience in strategic campaign development, team building, and project implementation. Skilled content creator with proficiency in online branding, search engine optimization strategies, and increased website traffic and sales engagement. Created multi-tiered email and social media content that reached 20,000 new customers monthly, increasing customer engagement by 22% and leading to a 17% boost in sales.

In that sample summary statement, the last sentence highlights the candidate's writing skills, providing hard numbers that quantify how their content provided real benefits to the employer. If you can create solid achievement statements that demonstrate this type of value, your accomplishments will help to convince employers that you have the skills you claim to possess.

Related post : Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

Writing skills in your work experience section

It will come as no surprise that the best place to highlight and prove writing skills on your resume is in your work experience section. Here, you will want to use bullet-point achievement statements that quantify your results. For each job title you've included in this section, add between four and six of these bullet-point accomplishments using real numbers that demonstrate your value proposition.

Related post : 47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

How to list writing skills on a resume: examples

Below are some examples of the types of achievements you can include in these bullet point statements.

• Wrote ABC Corp. Sales Training Manual, revising onboarding and training techniques to reduce onboarding time by 17%; improved new salesperson sales results by 22% in their first six months on the job.
• Created presentation content for Alpha Bank proposed merger, helping overcome M&A negotiation barriers and facilitating $100 million acquisition.
• Crafted more than 500 blog posts, website landing pages, and email campaigns in two years, credited with 130% increase in customer online traffic and 12% increase in sales revenue.

You get the point. The key is to focus on your writing contributions, describing the challenge you faced, what you did to overcome that obstacle, and defining the results. 

If you find yourself struggling to condense those narratives into brief achievement statements, check out a related post: How to Create an Effective STAR Method Resume (With Examples) .

Tips to improve your writing skills

You may find it interesting to know that even professional writers actively work to further develop their writing skills. The reality is that everyone can benefit from continuing to develop their written communication skills, and that includes those who only use these skills on an occasional basis. 

So, how can you develop your writing skills to ensure that you have the abilities needed to make a great impression on employers? Below are some tips to guide you in that question.

1.     Return to the basics

Spend some time reacquainting yourself with writing fundamentals like grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You can find free resources online or take a class at a local community college if you need additional help.

2.     Read more

Believe it or not, regular reading is one of the biggest secrets to effective writing. Immerse yourself in the written word and pay attention to how other writers communicate to their audiences.

3.     Learn to use outlines

Another secret to effective writing is to learn how to create outlines. Before you begin to write any complex document, always start with an outline that provides a clear structure for your narrative.

4.     Practice writing

This cannot be emphasized enough: if you want to be a better writer, you have no choice but to write. Write something every day to ensure that your skills are constantly being used. Practice won't make you perfect, but it will make you better.

5.     Get used to creating drafts

Never assume that the first words you write will be your finished product. Instead, take your ideas and get them out of your head and into your document to create a first draft. Once that's done, you can go back and revise that content as much as needed to create the right message.

6.     Always do your homework

Don't underestimate the power of research. By doing your homework before you start writing, you can ensure that you write with conviction and authority. Readers are drawn to authentic content.

7.     Don't be afraid to delete unnecessary content

Never be afraid to delete words, sentences, or entire paragraphs that contribute little to your narrative. The best writers are always willing to abandon content that isn't achieving their goals.

Enhance your job search by including writing skills in your resume

When you want to highlight your writing skills on a resume, it's not enough to just say that you possess those abilities. Instead, you need to demonstrate those skills by providing real examples of measurable achievements. If you can do that, you'll have an easier time proving those writing skills to employers – which can help differentiate you from rival job seekers and improve your odds of landing an interview and job offer!

Want to make sure that the writing skills in your resume effectively convey your writing talent? Get a free resume review from our team of experts today!

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10 tips to write an impressive resume

I n the highly competitive job market, a captivating resume serves as your golden ticket to leave a lasting impact on potential employers. With the evolution of more sophisticated hiring processes, it's imperative to transcend the fundamentals and compose a resume that distinguishes you from the masses. Here are 10 expert suggestions to guide you in creating an impressive resume that effectively showcases your skills and experiences:

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Customize your resume for each job

Tailoring your resume is paramount. Scrutinize the job description and align your resume with the specific prerequisites of each position you pursue. Spotlight the skills and experiences most pertinent to the job, underscoring your suitability for the role.

Commence with a robust summary or objective

Initiate your resume with a succinct and impactful summary or objective statement. This segment should offer a snapshot of your professional background, accentuating your key strengths and career objectives.

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Opt for a clean and professional format

Ensure your resume is visually appealing and easily digestible. Adopt a clean and professional format featuring consistent fonts and bullet points. Contemplate utilizing a contemporary template to impart a polished appearance to your resume.

Highlight achievements, not just responsibilities

Rather than merely cataloguing job duties, concentrate on quantifiable achievements. Illuminate specific accomplishments, employing metrics when feasible, to demonstrate your impact in prior roles.

Prioritize relevant experience

Position the most pertinent work experience prominently in your resume. Tailor the details of each job entry to underscore how your previous roles have equipped you for the specific position you are seeking.

Spotlight key skills

Devote a dedicated section to list both hard and soft skills relevant to the job. Integrate keywords from the job description to ensure your resume successfully navigates applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Integrate professional development and certifications

Manifest your commitment to continuous improvement by incorporating relevant professional development courses, certifications, or workshops. This signifies your dedication to staying abreast of developments in your field.

Quantify your achievements

Numbers carry weight. Whenever feasible, quantify your achievements to furnish tangible evidence of your impact. Whether it involves increasing sales, reducing costs, or enhancing efficiency, numerical figures bolster credibility.

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Showcase volunteer work and extracurricular activities

Infuse pertinent volunteer work and extracurricular activities to underscore your commitment to community involvement and your adeptness at managing diverse responsibilities.

Proofread and edited rigorously

A polished resume reflects your meticulous attention to detail. Scrutinize your document meticulously to catch any grammatical errors or typos. Enlist the input of peers or mentors for additional perspectives on refining your resume.

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Job Experience Certificate Format and Samples

Experience Letter Format – As an employer, when an employee leaves the job, you have to provide them with certain documents. 

These include,

• Work Experience Letter
• Provident Fund Statement
• Relieving Letter

Among these, the  work experience letter  is the most important. 

It’s a formal acknowledgement of the employee’s contributions, which helps them in their future careers. 

In this article, we’ll discuss about the work  experience letter format  in detail. 

We’ll also share  experience letter specimen  and samples to help you write one for your leaving employee.

Table of Contents

What is a Work Experience Letter?

A work  experience letter  is a formal document provided by an employer to an employee upon their departure from a job. It confirms the individual’s employment history, roles, and responsibilities during their time with the company. 

This letter serves as proof of the employee’s work experience and can be crucial for their future job applications. It typically includes details such as the employee’s job title, dates of employment, and a brief description of their duties. 

What is a Work Experience Certificate?

People often use the terms “ experience letter ” and “experience certificate” interchangeably, but they serve slightly different purposes. 

An  employment experience certificate  is a formal document provided by an employer to an employee when they leave a job. It includes details about the individual’s job role, performance, and conduct during their employment. 

Unlike an  experience letter , which mainly confirms employment history, a  job experience certificate  offers a more detailed evaluation of the employee’s skills and achievements. 

Conditions for Obtaining a Work Experience Letter

To qualify for a work  experience letter , employees must meet certain conditions set by their employer. Examples include:

• Minimum work duration:  Employees must have worked for a specified period determined by the company.
• Contract Compliance:  Employees should not have violated any terms of the employment contract signed upon joining the company.
• No disputes:  There should be no disagreements between the employer and the employee regarding any responsibilities.
• Completion of formalities:  Employees must have returned all necessary documents related to the company.
• Notice period fulfilment:  Employees must have completed their  notice period , as stated in their employment offer.

What is a Work Experience Letter Format?

A work  experience letter format  is a set layout used to create a formal document confirming an employee’s time with a company. 

This template helps HR professionals write the letter, making sure all the important information is there. 

While formats may differ between companies, having a clear template makes it easier to create consistent and informative work  experience letter s for departing employees.

Importance of Work Experience Letter Format 

The importance of an  experience letter specimen  lies in its ability to provide a clear structure for documenting an employee’s time with a company. Here’s an  experience letter template  that matters. 

• Clarity:  A standard format ensures that all the important details about the employee’s job, skills, and behaviour are easy to understand.
• Compliance:  Using a specific format helps make sure the letter meets legal and company rules, reducing mistakes or problems.
• Professionalism:  A well-organized format looks good and makes the letter seem more professional, showing the company pays attention to details.
• Efficiency:  Having an  experience letter template  makes it quicker and easier for HR staff to write the letter, getting it done on time when an employee leaves.
• Completeness:  The format includes all the important sections, so nothing important gets left out.
• Consistency:  Using the same format for all letters makes them look the same, making it easier for people to read and compare them.
• Legal Protection:  A standard  experience letter format  provides a clear record of the employee’s time at the company, protecting both the company and the employee if there are any problems later.

How to Write an Experience Letter?

Writing a work  experience letter  involves several steps to ensure it accurately reflects the employee’s tenure and achievements. Here’s a simple guide:

• Use company letterhead

Since an  experience letter  is an official document often included in a candidate’s work portfolio, it’s best to write it on company letterhead whenever possible. If not available, make sure the company seal is visible and include professional contact details for verification.

• Include the date of issuance

Indicate the date the letter is issued to the employee in the upper right-hand corner. Regardless of the format used, include the month, day, and year for clarity.

Example:  February 15, 2024 or 02/15/2024

• Write a salutation

Begin the letter with a professional salutation. As the name is mostly unknown, use a courteous and formal greeting like “To Whom It May Concern.”

• State the employee’s full name

Make sure that the work  experience letter  contains the employee’s complete legal name as recorded by the company. This prevents any misunderstandings and assists the new employer in verifying the employee’s identity. 

For instance, if the employee’s name in the company records is “Neha Rishi Bajaj,” it should be precisely written as such in the work  experience letter .

• Include the employee’s title or designation

Specify the employee’s current title or position within the company. If the employee received a promotion during their tenure, mention their previous designation along with reasons for their advancement.

Example:  During her time with us, Neha was promoted from a Tech Support Associate to her current position as Product Coordinator because of her dedication to improving product quality and user experience.

• Include your company’s name

Clearly state your company’s full name in the letter. If your company operates under an alias different from its legal name, include both names to aid verification.

Example:   TechGenius Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

• State the employee’s period of employment

Provide the start and end dates of the employee’s tenure with your organization. If the employee is currently employed, use “present” as the end date. If the employee’s last day is in the future but confirmed, include the specific date.

Example:  Neha’s employment with our company began on January 5, 2021, and will continue until April 15, 2024.

• Describe the employee

Describe the employee’s work habits, knowledge, skills, experience, strengths, and performance relevant to the position they are seeking. It’s ideal if the employee provides a job description for reference. The description should confirm that the employee possesses the specific skills and experience sought by the new employer.

Example:   Neha demonstrated exceptional proficiency in coding and debugging software, effectively collaborating with team members to deliver high-quality products within deadlines. She consistently applied innovative problem-solving skills, contributing to the development of robust and efficient software solutions.

• Write a positive statement about the employee’s future

Conclude the letter with a positive statement affirming that the employee’s departure is voluntary and expressing well wishes for their future endeavours. If applicable, provide assurance that the employee’s departure is not due to performance issues but rather a personal decision or organizational circumstance.

Example:  Neha’s decision to pursue new opportunities is entirely voluntary, driven by her aspirations for professional growth. We extend our sincerest wishes for her continued success and fulfilment in all her future endeavours.

• Include a signature line

Close the letter with a professional closing phrase, followed by your handwritten or electronic signature, printed name, designation within the company, and the company’s seal if not already included in a heading. Additionally, provide the name and address of the organization for formal documentation.

[Your physical signature]

Rahul Sharma

Technical Lead

[Company’s seal]

TechGenius Solutions Pvt. Ltd.,

123 Main Street, Bangalore, KA 560001

Work Experience Letter Format 

Below is the  letter format for experience letter  that you can use as a reference:

Your Company’s Letterhead or Seal

Date of Issuance: Month Day, Year

To Whom It May Concern

Opening Paragraph: Introduce the purpose of the letter and confirm the employee’s tenure with the company.

[Employee’s Full Name], [Employee’s Job Title], has been employed with [Your Company Name] since [Employee’s Joining Date].

[Body Paragraphs: Provide details about the employee’s role, responsibilities, skills, and contributions.]

During their time with us, [Employee’s First Name] demonstrated [describe key attributes, skills, or accomplishments]. [He/She] consistently [describe positive contributions or achievements].

Closing Paragraph: Conclude with well wishes for the employee’s future endeavours.

We are confident that [Employee’s First Name] will continue to excel in [his/her] future endeavours, and we wish [him/her] all the best.

[Your Name]

[Your Position/Title]

[Your Company Name]

[Your Contact Information]

[Company Seal, if applicable]

Experience Certificate Format

Now that you are familiar with the  experience letter format  let’s explore the format of an experience certificate:

Date of Issue:

This is to certify that [Employee’s Full Name] was employed with [Company Name] as a [Employee’s Designation] from [Start Date] to [End Date].

During [Employee’s Full Name]’s tenure with us, [he/she] demonstrated professionalism, dedication, and proficiency in [his/her] duties. [He/She] consistently contributed to the success of the organization and exhibited excellent performance.

[Employee’s Full Name] has [brief description of key achievements or contributions, if applicable].

This certificate is awarded to acknowledge [Employee’s Full Name]’s valuable contributions and to attest to [his/her] employment with [Company Name].

We extend our best wishes to [Employee’s Full Name] for [his/her] future endeavours.

[Signature]

[Name of Authorized Signatory]

[Position/Title]

[Company Name]

[Company Address]

[Contact Information]

Experience Letter Format Samples

Here are some  experience letter IT company  samples for your inspiration:

Example 1: Software Developer Experience Letter Format Sample

TechVision Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Date of Issuance: March 20, 2024

To Whom It May Concern,

This letter certifies that Rahul Sharma was a valued member of our team at TechVision Solutions Pvt. Ltd. as a Software Developer in the Application Development Department from January 1, 2019, to March 10, 2024.

During Rahul’s employment, he exhibited exceptional proficiency in coding and software development. He actively participated in multiple projects, demonstrating strong problem-solving abilities and meticulous attention to detail. Rahul consistently met project deadlines and collaborated seamlessly with team members to ensure the delivery of high-quality software solutions.

Rahul’s dedication and hard work significantly contributed to the success of our projects. His innovative ideas and proactive approach were instrumental in overcoming challenges and achieving project objectives. 

We commend Rahul for his outstanding performance and professionalism throughout his tenure with TechVision Solutions Pvt. Ltd. His contributions have been invaluable to our team, and we have no doubt that he will continue to excel in his future endeavours.

Sneha Patel

123 Tech Street

Bangalore, Karnataka 560001

Example 2: Network Engineer Experience Letter Format Sample

NetConnect Technologies Pvt. Ltd. 

Date of Issuance: February 10, 2024

This is to certify that Priya Gupta was employed with NetConnect Technologies Pvt. Ltd. as a Network Engineer in the IT Infrastructure Department from March 15, 2018, to February 5, 2024.

During Priya’s tenure with us, she demonstrated excellent technical skills in designing, implementing, and maintaining network infrastructure. She effectively resolved network issues and optimized network performance, ensuring seamless connectivity for our organization. Priya also played a key role in implementing security measures to protect our network from cyber threats.

We acknowledge Priya’s valuable contributions to NetConnect Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and wish her the best in her future endeavours.

Rahul Verma

NetConnect Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

456 Network Avenue 

Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001

Example 3: Data Analyst Experience Letter Format Sample

DataTech Analytics Pvt. Ltd.

Date of Issuance: January 11, 2024

This is to certify that Aman Singh was employed with DataTech Analytics Pvt. Ltd. as a Data Analyst in the Business Intelligence Department from June 10, 2017, to December 31, 2023.

During Aman’s tenure with us, he demonstrated strong analytical skills and expertise in data manipulation, interpretation, and visualization. He played a crucial role in analyzing large datasets and generating actionable insights to support decision-making processes. Aman effectively communicated his findings to stakeholders, contributing to the success of various projects.

We commend Aman for his dedication and professionalism at DataTech Analytics Pvt. Ltd. and wish him continued success in his career journey.

Priya Sharma

789 Data Drive

Hyderabad, Telangana 500001

So, that’s all about the work  experience letter format . These letters are crucial documents that give a complete picture of a person’s work history. They help job seekers prove their experience and allow employers to evaluate candidates effectively. Remember, a good work  experience letter  can greatly impact your career.

Now, if you are looking for top talent in the IT sector,  Hirist  is the go-to platform. Offering comprehensive solutions for both job seekers and recruiters, Hirist simplifies the process of finding and listing IT jobs in India. Recruiters can access a pool of skilled professionals, while job seekers can explore a wide range of exciting opportunities.

• How do companies find fake experience certificates?

Companies verify experience certificates by,

• Contacting previous employers
• Cross-checking details
• Conducting background checks
• Identifying any discrepancies
• What is the punishment for fake experience certificate in India?

The punishment for fake experience certificates in India can include termination of employment, legal action for fraud, and blacklisting from future job opportunities.

• Is an experience letter different from a relieving letter?

Yes, an  experience letter  confirms work experience, while a relieving letter acknowledges termination of employment and clearance of responsibilities.

• How to get an experience certificate from an IT company?

To get an  experience certificate IT company ,

• Request from HR or manager
• Provide necessary details like name, dates of employment
• Wait for processing by the company
• Review for accuracy
• Collect from HR

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