resume reverse chronological order start or end date

How to Write Your Resume in Reverse-Chronological Order

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

What is a Reverse-Chronological Resume?

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

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

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

3 key factors help strengthen this type of resume:

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

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

The work experience section will generally be the largest.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are There Alternatives to Reverse-Chronological Resumes?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are you feeling totally lost on which resume format to use? Read our guide on How to Choose the Correct Resume Format in 2021 (with Examples) to learn more!

What are the Main Sections of This Resume Layout

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

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

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

However, the other sections matter as well.

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

1. Name and Contact Information

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

This includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

This will include the header and name.

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

This can help the name and header to stand out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additionally, the person used an unprofessional email.

This can be a major turn-off to employers.

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

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

2. Work Experience

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more ideas on more compelling language to use on your resume, take a look at our list of 350+ Action Verbs to Make Your Resume More Effective in 2021 .

‍ 3. Education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out our article on What is the Difference Between a CV and a Resume in 2021 ?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some common examples of hard skills:

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

Here are some common examples of soft skills:

• Communication
• Multi-Tasking
• Adaptability
• Conflict Resolution

Additional Sections to Consider Adding to Your Resume

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

These include:

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

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

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

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

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

How Do You Format a Reverse-Chronological Resume?

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

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

Need more help organizing your resume? Check out our post on How to Organize Your Resume with Resume Layout Examples in 2021 .

What are Things to Highlight in a Reverse-Chronological Order

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

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

This can include:

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

Promotions are particularly important for a reverse-chronological resume.

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

For more advice on highlighting promotions, take a look at our guide on How to Show Your Job Promotions on a Resume in 2021.

Final Takeaways            

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

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

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

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

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

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Reverse Chronological Order in a Resume

Here’s the thing. As a job seeker, the more your resume stands out, the better your chances of landing the job. And, as research shows, 92 percent of recruiters regard previous work experience as the leading hiring factor . That’s why listing your qualifications and work experience in reverse chronological order is the recruiter’s favorite approach to resume writing.

Want to know more about what a reverse chronological order resume is and when to use it? Keep reading, and you’ll find out.

Table of Contents

What Is Reverse Chronological Order?

Reverse chronological order describes events starting with the most recent and moves backwards in time . For resumes, it means highlighting your most recent job and qualifications first and listing your first job last.

The same goes for education, where the highest education level comes first followed by other schooling details.

Just like with other resume formats, a reverse chronological order resume follows certain rules. For starters, you must quantify your qualifications and list key achievements. Moreover, you need to be concise and use the best font for a resume for faster readability.

This resume format focuses on your work history and professional achievements and is the standard expected by most employers.

The reverse chronological order resume has three key parts:

• Relevancy : The format emphasizes to recruiters the relevance of your experience and job titles to determine if you’re a good fit for the advertised position.
• Recency : Since it lists your most recent job first, recruiters can easily see what experiences you’ve gained in the last five years.
• Longevity : The format makes it easy for employers to see how long you held previous positions. It shows your ability to commit and stay loyal to a company.

Reverse Chronological Resume Example

Here’s a sample resume written in reverse chronological order:

Why Is Reverse Chronological Order the Most Popular Resume Format?

This ordering system is considered the traditional resume format in all industries and professions. For that reason, recruiters and employers are more familiar with it, which makes it easier for them to analyze.

In addition, it seems logical to scan an applicant’s details starting with the current or recent job position and education history. For job seekers, the format makes it easy for them to highlight a consistent career path.

This can prove useful for those applying for a similar position as their previous job.

It Underscores Continuity

One of the top advantages of using reverse chronological order is that it links all your employment dates. A recruiter can immediately see a clear view of your career path, neatly organized in succession.

It also provides an effective way for job seekers to demonstrate their professional growth to potential employers.

Easy to Skim

A reverse chronological order requires that you format your resume in a certain order. You must start with your most recent job, followed by the one before it, and so on.

Additionally, you must provide your position, the company’s name, and the dates worked for each entry list. It’s this order that makes it easy to skim.

Easy for ATSs to Scan

Did you know that over 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) in their hiring process? Normally, when there’s a corporate job opening, hundreds of applicants submit their resumes to try their luck.

This would make the work of recruiters an uphill task trying to sort through all those applications. ATS scans and scores these resumes to make it easier for recruiters to find those that meet the most important criteria defined in the job offer.

In other words, an applicant who uses this format stands a better chance of being picked compared to those who use a different format.

The Best Time to Use a Reverse Chronological Order Resume

The reverse chronological resume is ideal for job seekers who want recruiters to see the most relevant and important details about their work history . On top of that, this resume can be useful when:

• You have several years of work experience.
• You want to emphasize a consistent career growth and development, preferably in one industry, and each role you’ve held was more senior than the last.
• You want to apply for a similar field or job post to most of your work history.
• The name of your former employer is significant to your prospective employer.

When You Shouldn’t Use a Reverse Chronological Resume

With that in mind, there are times when a reverse chronological resume isn’t the best format to use. Here are instances when its wisest to consider a different type of resume:

• If you have multiple gaps in your employment history, the format calls attention to these interludes. Unless you have valid explanations, it’s wise to consider either the functional or combined resume formats.
• This format makes it difficult to spot your skills unless you’ve listed them in your most recent job.
• The format won’t favor you if you want to change careers . The employer will not see the relevance of your qualifications if you’re targeting a different position.
• Likewise, you’d want to consider other resume formats if you have heavily varied work experience .

Reverse Chronological Resume Writing Tips and Example

Now that you have a clear understanding of what a reverse chronological resume is, when to use it and when to avoid it, what’s next?

The juicy part – how to write your resume in reverse chronological order.

First things first: the layout

According to research by The Ladders , recruiters are most likely to notice resumes with the following characters:

• Clear and simple logical layouts
• Layouts that have bold job titles supported by bulleted lists of achievements
• An overview at the top
• Clear, eligible fonts

Typically, the reverse chronological resume comprises the following main sections

• Name, job title, and contact information
• Resume objective/summary
• Work history or experience
• Education history
• Skills and strengths
• Additional sections

Let’s take a detailed look at how you can make each section of your reverse chronological resume shine:

Name, Job Title, and Contact Information

This section might seem like a no-brainer, but you must be careful how you approach it. This is the header of your resume and will be the first thing employers see. So, you’d want to make sure it’s crafted correctly.

The details of this section include:

• Your job title
• Your location
• Your email address
• Links to your portfolio, blog, or social media profiles

Here’s a good example :

Gladys Dawson Nurse in Atlanta, GA (123) 456-899 | gdawson @ gmail.com www.linkedin.com/in/gladys-dawson

Resume Objective/Summary

This is the first section of your resume that captures, in summary, what you can offer if hired. It focuses on previous experience (relevant to the position) and applies to candidates who have worked for at least two years. Use this section to highlight your skills and strengths.

We recommend to use some modern solutions to save some time: use AI resume builder to write autogenerated objective and summary for your profession.

Work History or Experience

In this section, you want to be as precise and accurate as possible. False or erroneous information is something employers don’t tolerate. This is just one of many resume mistakes that can be instant deal breakers for employers.

Here are tips to make the most of your professional experience in a resume:

• Start with the most recent position at the top and follow it up with the previous one. After all, you’re following a reverse chronological order.
• Indicate the dates worked, the company’s name, and the job title for each position listed. If necessary, add the company’s location.
• Make your work scannable by including at least three bullet points . They should be short and simple sentences describing your responsibilities and any quantifiable achievements. Start each bullet point with strong action words, such as achieved, boosted, delegated, etc.
• Create a special subsection for key achievements .
• Demonstrate only the experience that’s relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Read more about how to write good resume bullet points .

Education History

If you don’t have much experience for the job position but have the qualifications to show for it, you can start with the education section. Follow this up with the work experience section.

Otherwise, the reverse chronological resume favors the experience section more than any other element. If you have years of work experience and want to highlight all of them, the education section doesn’t have to be extensive.

With this format, you only need to include five key pieces of information . These are:

• University, College, or School
• Your highest level of education
• Year of graduation
• The school’s location
• Area of specialization (study)

You can include any relevant academic achievements or experiences that you feel are beneficial to the job position.

Employers will be interested to see the skills you’re good at. Consider listing around six skills , making them short and simple. More importantly, the skills should be relevant to the position you’re applying for.

You should list both hard and soft skills . Hard skills comprise those that require technical or job-related knowledge, for example, coding and analytical skills.

Soft skills can be personal qualities or traits that help you get along with others. They are commonly known as “people skills.”

A CareerBuilder survey shows that 62 percent of job descriptions list management and leadership as desired soft skills. Others include interpersonal skills and innovation and creativity skills.

Additional Sections

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to earn extra points from a potential employer. The additional sections of a resume allow you to emphasize other relevant facts that make you stand out from the crowd.

Just remember to be mindful of the formatting. You don’t want to draw attention away from the work experience section. Another thing to keep in mind is to only add parts that will boost your chances of employment.

Here are some ideas:

• Certifications or extra training, such as dropshipping or digital marketing courses
• Unpaid experiences, like volunteer work
• Awards and achievements, e.g., Employee of the Month Award
• Languages. List languages you can write and speak proficiently
• Interests and hobbies

Avoid cramming too much information into this section. You want to ensure a good visual flow of information that’s scannable.

What Are the Top Resume Formats?

Applying for jobs is no mean easy. To come out on top, you must be creative and pick the right resume format based on the job you’re applying for.

Generally, there are three main resume formats :

• Reverse-chronological : As we mentioned earlier, the reverse chronological resume format is the most popular. It lists your work history in reverse order, starting with your current or most recent job at the top.
• Functional (Skill-based) : This format focuses more on relevant skills than work experience. It highlights what you’re good at (skills and abilities) and takes the pressure off of your employment history. It’s ideal for graduates who have the skills necessary for the job but not much work experience.
• Combination (Hybrid) : This format blends the resume elements of a chronological and functional resume. It emphasizes both skills and work history.

Key Takeaways

Armed with these fundamental principles of creating a reverse chronological resume, you shouldn’t have a problem writing one yourself. Remember, stick to simple fonts, use bold text to show prominence, focus on your achievements, and do not lie or mislead recruiters.

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• How to Use a Reverse...

How to Use a Reverse Chronological Resume Format

10 min read · Updated on February 07, 2024

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

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

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

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

What is a chronological resume?

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

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

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

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

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

How to structure a chronological resume

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

Contact information 

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

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

A summary or professional profile

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

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

Work experience or employment history

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

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

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

Employer name

Dates worked

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

Projects or tasks you completed

Skills you used

Awards and achievements

Numbers and statistics that quantify your successes

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

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

Additional sections like awards, hobbies, or languages

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

Tips on when to use a reverse-chronological resume format

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

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

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

How to use reverse-chronological resume format

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

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

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

Examples of chronological resumes

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

Customer Service Representative, Fort Worth, TX

August 2020 - present 

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

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

Calmly handled 200+ calls each day

Developed successful tactics to upsell products and services to customers

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

Here's an option for a Server:

Rooster Bar & Grill, Boston

Lead Server

June 2018 - August 2022

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

Achieved promotion to Lead Server six months after joining the team

Upsold wine pairing suggestions to customers, based on preferences

Memorized ingredients and allergens on a menu of 30+ dishes

Performed bartending responsibilities during holiday weekends and special events

Check out this example for a Sales Associate:

ABC Pet Shop, Durham, NC

Sales Associate 

September 2021 - present

Maintained a clean shop environment and neat product displays

Gained recognition for reliability and zero absence work record

Fed animals and made sure they had access to fresh water

Answered customer questions and referred to other departments

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

Maintained accurate work logs and reported inconsistencies

Chronological resume template

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

Header information

Your name & job title

Phone number

Email address

LinkedIn profile

Professional summary

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

Employment history

Employer name and job title

Dates worked and location

Main duties and responsibilities

A key skill demonstrated

Measurable achievement #1

Measurable achievement #2

Degree name, school

Dates attended, location

Optional bullet point for GPA

Optional bullet point for leadership positions

How to adapt the reverse-chronological resume format for students

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

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

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

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

Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America

May 2022- present, Richmond

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

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

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

Worked to educate the local community on safe pedestrian practices

Treasurer, National Math Honor Society, Arcs High School

September 2021 - May 2022, Richmond

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

Tracked payments and expenses and created reports for the Club Supervisor

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

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

Petsitter, Private client

June 2020 - present, Richmond area

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

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

Reported issues and behavior changes to the owner and adapted accordingly

Land your dream job

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

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

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

Recommended reading:

How to Check if My Resume is ATS-Friendly

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

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

Related Articles:

How to Maximize Your Resume Action Words to Wow the Employer

Resume Spelling and Accent Explained

Guide to Writing a Great Resume with No Work Experience

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Reverse Chronological Order on a Resume Explained

Want to crush your interview.

Learn how to ace your interview with superior confidence.

What is a reverse chronological resume? When you hear the term reverse chronological order, you might not comprehend what that means when considering your resume or job application assets.

Reverse chronological order is a system for ordering lists of data or lists of information by their date. Chronological, the inverse of reverse chronological order, is when data is sorted by their origin date, with the date furthest from the current date at the top of the list. This is then followed by other information blocks descending to the bottom of the list, which would conclude at an information block with the last item being closest to the current date.

Here’s an example of dates sorted in chronological order, assuming today’s date is February 1, 2020 :

• November 2019
• December 2019
• January 2020

And here is an example of reverse chronological order, assuming today’s date is February 1, 2020 :

As you can see, reverse chronological order is when the date nearest to today’s date is listed towards the top of the information list.

Let’s jump to understanding what it means for your resume and how you might be able to organize your resume information blocks in this data sorting manner.

Why Reverse Chronological Order is Best For Resumes

This ordering system is best for resumes because it indicates the most recent employment opportunity on behalf of the job seeker. For the employer, this provides easier comprehension opportunities.

Besides, this ordering system feels “more logical” to the reader as they begin to scan your work history or education history.

How to List Information in Reverse Chronological Order

When listing prior work history as part of your resume, you should be including the month and year of which you were employed by that organization.

Once you have your information blocks with month and year, you can organize them by their dates in reverse chronological order.

It’s okay to write your job history down in an unorganized, unordered fashion. But once you are finished writing your previous work history bullet points and job titles, be sure to organize your information blocks by their employment date, having your most recent employment date at the top of the list.

Ordering Work History and Education History

Reverse chronological order is best used for your work history as well as your education history. If you have certifications and are listing dates associated with those, be sure to list them in the same ordering system.

Making this your universal ordering system on the resume you present to employers will improve the overall readability of your resume. Making it easier for employers to comprehend your resume and personal or professional background.

When Reverse Chronological Shouldn’t Be Used

no circumstance would present an opportunity to use any other type of information ordering system. It would help if you always used reverse chronological ordering with your resume.

Examples of Resumes in Reverse Chronological Order

Below are resumes that have previous work history ordered in reverse chronological order. Note that their most recent employment is at the top of their “Work History” or “Previous Experience” resume section. With a descending work history ending up with their very first job in the professional's career at the bottom of the list.

Learn about other resume formats .

Common questions asked by job seekers regarding their resume format.

Why is the reverse chronological format the best resume format?

It's the easiest for hiring managers to understand your prior work experience. It lists work experience more fluidly and shows your experience in a linear fashion. This helps the hiring manager understand your professional experience and personal experience because it alludes to your motivation toward advancing yourself.

Should I use a chronological resume format for my functional resume?

No, a reverse chronological resume order is still great to use for functional resume needs.

Does a chronological resume format help me show my skills better?

No, it does not. Your skills are shown through your experience. The format you use isn't going to help allude to your skills or experience any more or less. You'll need to focus on explaining your experience with metrics, accomplishments, and more.

What if I have gaps in employment?

Gaps on your resume are normal. It would help if you still used a reverse chronological order resume to show your employment history and experience. Don't try to make a combination resume like some guides allude to. Just explain to your employer that you have gaps in your experience and explain the reason why.

Should I include my job title on chronological resumes?

These are best suited for curriculum vitae. But if you'd like, you can include your job title. It is our advice that you still with a reverse chronological resume format unless you are writing a CV.

Should I use a resume builder?

A resume builder can certainly help ensure that you are writing a reverse chronology resume in a way that speaks to your experience and speaks to the timeline of your work history. It can save you considerable amounts of time, and if you don't have years of experience writing resumes, it can help get you started.

Why is a chronological order resume and chronological format hard for a recruiter to read?

Think about a Facebook or a Twitter timeline. For example, on Twitter, they are always organized by the most recent activities, first. It is just a natural way for a recruiter to digest your information. It more clearly shows your career progression and the chronology of your experience.

Should I use a resume writing service?

It certainly can help. If you feel like you need a chronological timeline or a functional resume format, which isn't described in this writeup, a resume writing service can help to assess what your needs are based on your career, experience, and gaps in employment. They can help to determine the best format for the job.

Why is work experience so important to a recruiter?

Your work experience can help a recruiter feel more secure with your ability to perform on the job. There becomes a sense of social validation that occurs.

Do you have a resume template for a chronological resume?

We don't have a chronological resume template since they are more unique. But our resume template database is full of other jobs that might help you.

About the author

Patrick Algrim is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), NCDA Certified Career Counselor (CCC), and general career expert. Patrick has completed the NACE Coaching Certification Program (CCP). And has been published as a career expert on Forbes , Glassdoor , American Express , Reader's Digest , LiveCareer , Zety , Yahoo , Recruiter.com , SparkHire , SHRM.org , Process.st , FairyGodBoss , HRCI.org , St. Edwards University , NC State University , IBTimes.com , Thrive Global , TMCnet.com , Work It Daily , Workology , Career Guide , MyPerfectResume , College Career Life , The HR Digest , WorkWise , Career Cast , Elite Staffing , Women in HR , All About Careers , Upstart HR , The Street , Monster , The Ladders , Introvert Whisperer , and many more. Find him on LinkedIn .

Fact checked: Our small and dedicated team rigorously evaluates every article, guide, and reference to ensure the information is accurate and factual. Learn more .

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How to Decide On Using A Reverse Chronological Resume

In This Guide:

Provides a clear narrative of your career, lines up with expectations, big names play in your favor, gaps in your resume become more noticeable, harder to navigate through different sectors, not optimal for starting out.

The reverse chronological resume is the most common resume format out there, but is it impactful?

Today’s hiring landscape requires you to not only provide recruiters with information, but to package it in a way where they remember. Especially when there’s a tsunami of applicants that arrive at their desks.

Everyone is reduced to a piece of paper when it comes to your resume, so how can you make your piece of paper as effective as possible?

See the benefits of the reverse-chronological resume and examples of how others have used it in their job application process below.

BUILD MY RESUME LIKE THIS

What is the reverse chronological resume format?

The name itself is self-explanatory. The reverse-chronological resume describes your work experience in reverse-chronological order. This means describing your most recent job first and moving backward in time for every subsequent position.

The format comes with a general expectation of flow. It starts with your resume header coming first. Then, it’s accompanied by a personal summary , your experience, your skills, and then any other subsequent section. While this is the convention, it’s certainly not the law. You can keep the spirit of a reverse-chronological resume without sticking to a restricting structure.

Mostly, the structure is used in the functional skills-based resume format when listing out the relevant skills and experience.

(Tip: Read our full guide about resume sections to confidently optimize a stronger resume that’s more likely to attract job recruiters!)

what are the benefits of using a reverse chronological resume?

Inconsistencies in someone’s career history is one of the first red flags recruiters will notice. Especially when recruiters devote just 6 seconds for initial screenings which can cause your resume to be overlooked.

The recruiter is interested in the story of your career – including what brought you to this current position. This can play into your culture fit and your impact on the team dynamics within the organization.

Check out the example below:

When Jonathan was getting his job at HEB (one of the largest grocery retailers in Texas), he used the reverse-chronological order with Enhancv’s resume builder to highlight his journey into operations from data analytics. Because of this, job recruiters were able to estimate his skill level and recognize his commitment to the area.

Sometimes the traditional route is best. This can come into play when applying to large organizations with standardized application forms or those who rely on Automated Tracking Systems (ATS).

With the reverse-chronological resume being most common, it’s easily analyzed by the ATS and gives the recruiter exactly what they’re looking for. The recruiter can straightforwardly identify what you’ve worked on most recently and quickly assess how that experience compares to what you’ll be doing.

As the saying goes, “ you’re only as good as your last performance”.

One of the advantages of using this format is that it provides emphasis on the organizations you’ve worked at previously. If you’ve worked with some heavy-hitters in your industry, this can create a great impression on the recruiter which separates you from the crowd.

What have you got to lose when it comes to using a reverse chronological resume?

“Do they still possess the same skills they had X years ago?” “Will they be able to adapt to the current market?”

This is just two of many possible questions the recruiter might not even spend the time getting an answer on.

Any resume that relies on your chronological timeline, the gaps in your career become more apparent. Usually when you’re presenting your most recent job first, it can be a red flag for the recruiter that your most recent job was several years ago.

(Tip: One way to overcome this difficulty is to describe other projects or skills you’ve built up between the present and your most recent experience. Oriol highlighted courses in business management in his business analyst resume. )

Let’s say you have experience in both music and marketing. You’ve spent the last five years pursuing jobs in music, but now you’re looking for a new job in marketing.

In this case, it might make sense to use a reverse-chronological resume format. However, sticking to this structure could make your experience seem irrelevant. This makes it even harder for you, especially when you’re trying to move through the different areas that you’re skilled in.

With prior experience being the crux of this resume format, it’s going to be difficult to write your first resume with the reverse-chronological guide. For this reason, this format may not be suitable for those starting their first job or applying for volunteer positions for the first time.

Is the reverse chronological resume format right for you?"?

There are five ideal situations for when you should use the reverse chronological resume format. Keep in mind that these do not apply to every job seeker – everyone is at different stages in their career. So, one determining factor is that it depends on where you’re currently at.

See below for who and when the reverse chronological resume format is most ideal:

• You don’t have much professional experience in the workforce or have gaps in your employment timeline
• You’re still a student or a fresh graduate that came out of education (see how you can make your first job resume here )
• You’ve had several temporary jobs, or haven’t been employed for over a year
• You’re looking to change into a new industry or completely new/different career
• You don’t fully meet and fit in all of the job recruiter’s expectations or requirements

Chronological or reverse chronological resumes?

If you’re someone who has inconsistencies in your career timeline and work history, it’s best if you kept to using a reverse chronological format. Whereas, if there’s not many gaps in your career history, then it would make more sense if you used the chronological resume format.

Generally, chronological resumes are preferred because it makes it clear there are no vulnerabilities behind your corporational profession. Your experiences are labelled and described in full transparency, which puts you at an advantage for the job application process when your resume is being scanned.

But, if you’re going to use a reverse-chronological resume format, one good resume structure you should take advantage of are functional skill-based resumes and combination resumes. This way, you can showcase your skills that demonstrate why and how you’re more than capable of getting the job done at a good standard.

The truth about reverse chronological resumes

While this format is great for organizing your experience (assuming you have any), it’s arguably an outdated system.

Reverse-chronological resumes are far from one-size-fits-all. In reality, your resume should be tailored to the position you’re applying to. This may mean describing a less recent job first on your resume as it’s the most recent job relevant to the position you’re applying to.

Using Enhancv’s resume creator, you can describe your previous experience in modular segments that can be moved as pieces to any place on your resume. This makes positioning easily streamlined, so you don’t have to worry too much.

Overall, you’ll benefit from organizing your resume by relevance and impact, not by date.

Do you have a reverse chronological resume prepared yourself? It’s always good to have different resumes ready at hand in case anything unexpected happens that can lead to gaps in your career.

If you’re unsure about how to build or optimize your resume effectively, check out the 530+ resume examples here. Find your job title, and see proven resumes that got others hired for your exact role.

Do you use a chronological resume format or a reverse-chronological resume format? Which one do you find has a higher response rate? Let me know in the comments below!

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Chronological Resume: The Best Format? (And How to Write It)

By Biron Clark

Published: December 4, 2023

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

If you’re wondering whether you should use a chronological resume format (also referred to as reverse-chronological resume format) or trying to get help with how to write it, then this article is for you.

And if you’ve been told to use a functional resume because you’re changing careers or have a work gap , then this article will help you, too! (And my advice on this topic might surprise you).

Here’s what you’re going to learn:

• What is a chronological resume? And what is a functional resume?
• Why it’s NOT beneficial to use a functional resume in most cases, and why the chronological resume format will get you the most interviews
• How to write your chronological resume

Definition: What is a Chronological Resume?

Chronological resumes are resumes written in a format that lists your work experience based on the dates it occurred. Working downward from the beginning of your Work Experience section, you should start listing your most recent positions first. So the top of the section will contain your current or most recent job. Below that on your resume will be your next most recent job.

This is how to write a chronological resume, which is also commonly called the reverse chronological resume. (They’re the same, just different terms. Always start with your most recent job at the top of your Work Experience. Here are some examples ).

What is Reverse Chronological Order?

As mentioned above, reverse chronological order means that your previous jobs are listed in order of date, beginning with your most recent position at the top. Your final entry in the list should be your oldest or least recent position. This is why the term reverse chronological resume is sometimes used.

Note that you’re NOT obligated to list every job on your resume! You can choose where to begin telling your career story, or whether to omit a certain job for strategic reasons (for example, if it was only a three-month position, and isn’t related to your current career path).

So I’m not suggesting that you must start with the first job you ever held. However, once you’ve chosen a starting point for your resume work history, you should list those positions in reverse chronological order as described above.

Chronological Resume Example:

If you’re still not 100% clear on what chronological order on a resume looks like, here is an example work history section from a chronological resume:

Work Experience

IBM (2019-Present) Senior Product Manager

Brief paragraph describing the role. Don’t write too much here, because you should mostly show your accomplishments and work via bullet points .

• Launched a Groundbreaking Product: Led the launch of XYZ product, resulting in a 25% increase in market share within the first quarter.
• Implemented Strategic Partnerships: Fostered key partnerships that boosted revenue by 30% and expanded the product’s reach to new markets.
• Streamlined Processes: Initiated a process overhaul, reducing project delivery time by 20%, improving efficiency, and ensuring timely product launches.

Microsoft (2016-2019) Product Manager

Brief paragraph describing the role. Two or three sentences is ideal, and you should try to put numbers and metrics whenever possible.

• Product Revamp: Spearheaded a product revamp that led to a 40% increase in user engagement and a 15% growth in customer satisfaction.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Fostered collaboration between development and marketing teams, resulting in a 25% reduction in time-to-market for new features.
• Revenue Growth: Implemented pricing optimization strategies that contributed to a 20% growth in product revenue over the course of two years.

Notice that the most recent or current job is listed at the top of the work history, and then you move downward for each previous job. The resume date format can vary slightly, depending on what you think is best for your work experience, just make sure that you keep it consistent.

So now you know what chronological resumes should look like, including a real example/template you can use to figure out your own! Next, I’ll explain why recruiters and hiring managers prefer this format, and why it will get you more interviews.

Should Your Resume Be Chronological?

After recruiting for 5 years, I can say without a doubt: Yes, your resume should be in chronological format.

The first reason that you should use a chronological resume date format is: this is what hiring managers and recruiters are accustomed to seeing and prefer.

Why do Recruiters Prefer Chronological Resumes?

Functional resumes are confusing and difficult to gather info from.

When I worked as a recruiter , I had multiple hiring managers send a functional resume back to me, and tell me to have the candidate rewrite it in chronological format. They simply don’t want to read a functional resume because they cannot gather enough info from it.

(If you don’t know, a functional resume lists your skills and past work without any dates. It groups them by skill type or functional area and not by chronological order. So that’s the definition of a functional resume).

This deprives hiring managers and recruiters of important info and context. They’re not as able to understand your career story or see how recently, or for how long, you used certain skills. Therefore, they are less likely to feel confident in inviting you to interview.

(Hiring managers want to interview people who are likely to be able to step into the job and succeed. They want the necessary info to make that decision before occupying their time with an interview).

So, with each online job getting hundreds of applicants, there’s no reason for a hiring manager to struggle to understand the one or two functional resumes they receive. They’ll just move on to a resume that’s written in the format they prefer – which is chronological, with an easy-to-follow resume date format.

The Best Resume Format for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have been the superheroes of the hiring game in recent years. It’s like a super-smart software wizard designed to make recruiters’ lives easier. 

What does it do, you ask? Well, it’s the maestro that scans, parses, and ranks resumes based on keywords, qualifications, and experience. Many companies use these systems for initial resume screenings, so if your resume does not align with the system you might be filtered out of the hiring process even if you are the best candidate for the job.

So should you be using chronological resumes to optimize for applicant tracking systems? Yes, definitely!

Chronological resumes present a clear and organized account of your career path. This straightforward format works well with ATS algorithms, ensuring a smooth and easily comprehensible read for the system to grasp your professional history clearly.

When is a Chronological Resume Not Advantageous?

Many experts will tell you that a chronological resume, or a reverse chronological resume, is not advantageous when you’ve had gaps in your work history, when you’ve had a non-traditional or unusual career path, or when you’re attempting to change careers.

However, even in these cases, most hiring managers will prefer reverse-chronological resumes if they are well-written and the resume date format is easy to follow.

You can explain work gaps right in your employment history section.

You can tailor your work experience to show the pieces of work you’ve done that are most relevant for the job you’ve applied for now… even during a career change.

For more help with this, we have a full article on how to write a resume for a career change. If you click that link, I explain more about why a functional resume isn’t ideal, and one of the career coaches who I featured in the article confirms it. To quote her:

As a former corporate recruiter, I am not a fan of functional resumes. Recruiters are taught to scan resumes chronologically. When you take the experience out of context or “order,” it often gives the recruiter the impression you are trying to hide or fudge the experience.

The bottom line is: Trying to hide the dates and order of work will only frustrate and confuse hiring managers and cost you job interviews.

So my answer to, “Should resumes be chronological?” is a resounding “Yes.”

Now that we’ve covered what differentiates a chronological and functional resume, and which you should be using if you want to get more interviews, let’s talk about how to start writing it!

How Do You Write a Chronological Resume?

To start writing your resume, make sure you understand the format and have reviewed the reverse chronological resume example from earlier in this article.

Then, here are the steps to write your chronological resume:

1. Enter company names, dates of employment, and job titles .

You can list dates in terms of years, or months and years. Whatever you decide, keep it consistent.

You can also list the city/state of each job if you choose. This is also optional and is a personal decision when setting up your chronological resumes.

2. If you held multiple roles within a company, show each job title separately on your resume .

This is important so that employers can see that you advanced/progressed in the company. Recruiters typically love this!

Here’s another example of a chronological resume, where you can see two distinct job titles listed under one single employer. This person was promoted from Sales Rep to Branch Manager.

3. Write bullet points describing each role you’ve held .

Each role should have multiple bullet points describing what you accomplished and did for the employer. (Not just saying, “responsible for ___”.)

It’s much better to start with a verb like, “led six team members…,” or “grew our department revenue by…”)

This article has resume bullet examples to help you.

4. Write a brief paragraph to describe each role (above the bullet points) .

This is optional. As you can see in the resume example above, it’s possible to go directly from job titles to bullets, without any paragraph content.

However, if you’d like, you can write a brief paragraph about what you did in the role overall. This can provide more context to the reader.

However, this paragraph should be concise, and you should never put it instead of bullets. I recommend 2-3 sentences at most. The bullets are more important and will be read more closely.

5. Add metrics and data when possible .

You’ll get more interviews by being specific and talking about results on your resume, rather than responsibilities. So try to pack your bullets with metrics… like dollar amounts, percent increases, number of people you led or trained, etc.

You don’t need to be in sales to have metrics! (I hear this common objection a lot).

For example, if you’re an editor for a company’s news blog, you could write:

“Edited and published 30 articles per month for the company blog, which was read by 40,000 people each month and generated an average of 10 qualified leads for the business .”

The more specific you can be on your resume, the better. So if you see an opportunity to add facts, data, and metrics in any of the paragraphs OR bullets you’ve written, do it.

Here’s another example of how to write about results rather than responsibilities:

Which sounds more impressive…

“Responsible for leading the customer service team and handling all inbound requests for the company”

“Led the 22-person customer service team which handled 250+ inbound requests per day via phone and email”

That second option is going to grab attention and get you more interviews from top employers.

6. Add other necessary resume sections .

After you’ve written your professional experience in chronological order, you then need to fill your chronological resume out with the other key sections, including:

• Your header/contact info.
• A resume summary paragraph.
• Your skills section.
• Your education section.

If you need more help understanding what order to put these in, and how everything fits together in the “big picture” of your resume, this article has more info on the important sections of a resume.

7. Consider adding optional sections .

You can also include one or more of the optional resume sections on your chronological resume:

• Volunteer work/community involvement.
• Honors & awards.
• Testimonials from past coworkers/managers.
• A secondary skills section (sometimes it makes sense to separate your skills into two sections. See the image below for an example).

If you read everything above, you now know why the chronological resume (also called reverse chronological resume) is the format that employers prefer.

It shows the important information that they want to see in your work history, including information that functional resume formats don’t include – like how recently you did each type of work, and for how long.

Without this information, many employers will not be interested in interviewing you.

They just can’t possibly know enough to determine whether you’re a good potential fit for their job. So at best, they’ll ask you to send a chronological resume instead, and at worst, they’ll invite other candidates to interview and you’ll never hear from them.

So that’s a scenario that we want to avoid, and you can do that by writing your professional experience in reverse chronological order.

By combining this with sections detailing your skills, your education, and other key qualifications, you will get more callbacks when you apply for jobs so you can find a new job faster.

If you want to see more resume examples and advice, this article has 3 more work experience examples that follow the advice above.

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

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Growth Trends for Related Jobs

How to arrange dates on a resume.

Resume trends come and go, but no matter how the document is formatted, it must contain certain information. Dates fall into the "must-have" category, because many of the skills employers seek in a high tech and ever changing workplace have an expiration date. The dates of your jobs, experiences and activities add perspective to your accomplishments, and they should be included in a way that makes sense to employers. Although there are several different ways to arrange resume dates to highlight the most relevant information, for most jobseekers chronological order is the most efficient and effective format.

Chronological Order

Resume space is valuable, but because prime real estate is the top of the page, the most important information should come first. For many job seekers, it makes sense to list information in reverse-chronological order based on dates, placing the newest information first and the oldest last. Employers value recent skills, and employees seeking to advance their careers are looking for a job that builds upon their progressive experience.

Functional Order

In some cases, it may make sense to list information in a functional manner, grouping information based on the value of the information rather than its recency. In this case, the dates do not determine the order. It is also possible to use a combination of reverse-chronological and functional order. Specific jobs might be listed in reverse-chronological order, but skills are listed based solely on value to the new employer.

Be Consistent

While you are allowed some creative flexibility in how you format and arrange the dates on your resume, remain consistent in your choice. If you list employment dates for your most recent job in the right-margin, continue to use that format for all other jobs. Date formatting should also be clear and familiar to your audience. Avoid using lengthy numerals such as "06/12/2021," as it takes longer for the reader to understand, and may create confusion for international employers who use a different date structure. In general, it's best to include either the month and year, or just the year.

Scannable Considerations

Many employers use scanning software to quickly evaluate the many resumes they receive daily. Therefore, make your resume as scanner-friendly as possible. Avoid listing the dates for a summer job as "Summer 2021," but instead list the actual date range, or just 2021. Use your best judgment when deciding which entries need dates. Generally employers want to know when you graduated from college and when you worked for your last employer but aren't concerned about dates for specific job functions or accomplishments.

Overlapping Dates or Present

Sometimes people have multiple jobs that overlap. This can be an issue on a reverse-chronological order resume. All the jobs you currently have should be listed together, even if you started one of them a long time ago. Of these, the one you began most recently should be listed first. If you still work at a job, write "Present" for the end date.

Related Articles

How to combine early job experience on a resume →.

CV Vs. Resume →

How to Write a Competency Based Resume →

How to Format Page 2 of a Resume →

Should a Resume Be One Page →

How to Make a Bullet on a Resume →

• RiseSmart: Careful With Resume Date Formatting -- You Don't Want to Look Like You Have Something to Hide
• Art of the Resume: Dates in the Experience Section

Sara Mahuron specializes in adult/higher education, parenting, budget travel and personal finance. She earned an M.S. in adult/organizational learning and leadership, as well as an Ed.S. in educational leadership, both from the University of Idaho. Mahuron also holds a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in international studies-business and economics.

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Is the CV supposed to be in chronological order according to start date or end date?

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In my CV extra-curricular section I’ve included a lot of the volunteering work I’ve done, including with 2 different organisations I’ve worked with at different times and different lengths of time, but I’m unsure of how the chronological order will work. I worked with ‘A’ from July 2016 until Feb 2020, but I worked with ‘B’ for a bit simultaneously from August 2017 to Dec 2018. In chronological order, which one should come before the other? One has an earlier start date (2016) so I thought that should come first, but it also has a later end date (2020) so should it be included as the more recent one? But then I’ll have 2017 written first and then 2016 written after which looks wrong to me. Super confused about this

I use the start date in mine, cleaner and easier to understand imo

But wouldn’t it be better according to end date because technically that is more recent - Feb 2020 as opposed to the other one ending in 2018

End date. Always End Date. The reason is that if you had multiple jobs at the same time (ie you were an RA for Sophmore, Junior, and Senior years and had 2 internships during that time), you want the the most recent position to always be the first one on the list since that was your most reent job. The entire idea of chronological order (technically, it's reverse Chronological Order) is tell the story of what you did from where you are today looking back in time. Let's say you were an RA in college and had two bank internships On your resume and Linkedin, it would look like this

• RA - College University - September 2017 to May 2020
• Junior Summer Internship - Big Named Bank - May 2019 to August 2019
• Sophmore Summer Internship - Smaller Boutique/Lesser Known Bank - May 2018 to August 2018

Your most recent position should always be first because it shows what you were doing most recently. The job as an RA was your primary job during college. Your internships happened to overlap with your time an an RA and were for a shorter period of time than your most recent position.

If you have two long term positions at the same time, that's a different story. If that's the case, I would list the jobs by end date first (since they are both your present position, they go ahead of everything else on the resume) and then by start start, so the newer job would be first. If you left the newer job, it then goes under the older job because you are currently still in the older job.

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