chronological resume writing format

Chronological Resume - Writing Guide With 5 Free Templates

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

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

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

• What is a Chronological Resume? 

Chronological Resume Structure 

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

What is a Chronological Resume?

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

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

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

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

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

But first, let’s go through the basics. 

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

The second most recent will follow, and so on.

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

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

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

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

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

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

When to Use a Chronological Resume Format

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

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

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

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

Functional Resume

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

Combination Resume

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

4 Chronological Resume Templates 

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

#1. Creative Chronological Resume Template 

#2: Modern Chronological Resume Template 

#3: Professional Chronological Resume Template

#4: Functional Chronological Resume Template

How to Create a Chronological Resume

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

#1: Start With a Contact Information Section 

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

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

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

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

#2: Add a Resume Summary or Resume Objective

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

Wondering what the difference is?

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

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

#3: Fill in Your Work Experience 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4: Add an Education Section

Generally, the education section comes right after work experience. 

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

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

Here’s what the education section consists of: 

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

#5: Spice Up Your Chronological Resume With Your Skills

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

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

Unsure of what this means? 

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

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

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

#6: Include Any of These Optional Sections

Last but not least, come these optional sections.  

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

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

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

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

10 Chronological Resume Examples for All Industries

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

#1. Business Chronological Resume

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

#2. Computer Science Chronological Resume

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

#3. Architect Chronological Resume 

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

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

#4. Nurse Chronological Resume  

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

#5. Pharmacist Chronological Resume 

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

#6. Project Manager Chronological Resume 

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

#7. Web Developer Chronological Resume

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

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

#8. Teacher Chronological Resume 

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

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

#9. Bar Manager Chronological Resume 

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

#10. Human Resources Chronological Resume

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

Discover More Resume Templates

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

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! 

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

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

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You Should Probably Be Using a Chronological Resume—Here’s What It Is and How to Make One

If you don’t organize your resume properly, it’s all too easy for it to look like a bunch of mumbo jumbo. And when all those words and numbers blend together into a big mess, you make it that much harder for a recruiter or hiring manager to see the point in bringing you in for an interview.

That’s where the chronological resume format comes in.

What Is a Chronological Resume?

You know what a resume is, right? A one-pager documenting your work experience, education, skills, and extracurriculars that paints a nice clear picture of what makes you a valuable employee or hire?

Well, a chronological resume does that by listing your work and other experiences in reverse chronological order, meaning your most recent jobs are at the top of your resume and your least recent jobs are down below. (This is why it’s sometimes called a reverse chronological resume—because that more accurately explains what’s going on.)

That doesn’t mean that everything you’ve ever done gets listed exactly in reverse chronological order, though. If you have jobs that overlap in a certain timeframe, for example, you might choose to list the job that’s most relevant to the role you’re applying for first, regardless of when you started it.

It’s also pretty common to put your education and activities in their own section or sections, rather than mixing them in with your work experience. If you went to graduate school or have multiple education experiences, you’d still list them in reverse chronological order within your education section, for consistency.

Who Should Use a Chronological Resume?

The beauty of this layout is that it works for just about anyone looking for any kind of job. Students and new grads tend to lean on this format because it’s the simplest way to organize their limited work experience. The same goes for professionals at any level with a consistent career history—in other words, those who’ve gone from job to job without gaps (or with very few gaps) between roles.

A chronological format is also the most popular layout hiring managers see. That means if you go with this format, your resume will be easily understood by any type of recruiter out there.

What’s in a Chronological Resume, and How Does It Differ From Other Resume Formats?

A chronological resume includes the following:

• Your name and contact information (at the top of the page as the header)
• Your work experience, including your responsibilities and accomplishments for each job you’ve held (you can include this under one header, “Work Experience,” or divide it into “Relevant Work Experience” and “Additional Work Experience” if you want to really tailor your resume to a specific job)
• Your education and certifications
• Your skills and hobbies
• Other activities or volunteer experiences
• A summary statement (this is optional and usually not needed unless you’re a higher-level executive or career changer)

The way these items are organized is simple: Your work history goes toward the top—because it’s the main focus—with each role listed in reverse chronological order. Your education, skills, and activities fall toward the bottom or off to the side of the page—except if you’re a new grad, in which case you may list education at the top.

Other formats, like a functional resume or combination resume , include these same elements but in a different layout. A functional resume groups your experience and responsibilities not by role but by skill, and lists your jobs and education at the bottom. A combination resume, on the other hand, is a mix between a functional resume and a chronological resume, highlighting both your skills and experience in equal measure. Both of these layouts are less common than a chronological resume and are used most often by career changers, people with unique career paths, and people who have taken long breaks between jobs.

How Do You Write a Chronological Resume?

The best course of action for writing a chronological resume is to start off with a rough outline (or use a template ). In your head or on paper, list out every work-related experience you’ve had. Based on that information, decide how you want to sort that information and how many “sections” of your resume you want to create. You’ll most likely include several or all of the sections listed in bullets above (more or less in that order).

Once you know the layout, start to plug in your information in reverse chronological order, including with each job you’ve had your title, company (and sometimes company location), dates of employment, and three to five bullet points explaining what you achieved and the skills you built in that position.

If you’ve never written a resume before, definitely take a look at this comprehensive guide to making a resume for more thorough advice.

What Does a Chronological Resume Look Like?

OK, so this all sounds good and dandy to you, but you’re still not sure exactly what this looks like in practice. Don’t fret—here’s a sample chronological resume you can use as a reference when you decide to make your own.

Download an Example Chronological Resume

Anything Else I Should Know About a Chronological Resume?

How you format your resume is only half the battle. The other half is about making sure the content itself is in tip top shape—because that’s what recruiters are reading, after all. This means that your bullet points should start off with strong action verbs and showcase your accomplishments rather than just your duties.

Don’t forget to tailor your resume to the role you’re applying for—make sure your bullet points match up with the qualifications and responsibilities in the job description, and that you’re including relevant keywords the company’s applicant tracking system, or ATS , may be scanning for. And of course, check (and double check) your information for spelling and grammar mistakes.

One more note: Try keeping your resume to one page, unless you’re at least a decade into your career. Hiring managers love to skim resumes, and long ones tend to turn them off. Save all the little details you can’t fit into your resume for your cover letter and interviews.

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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Using the chronological resume format

The chronological resume format is your first port of call when it comes to writing a professional resume . The first few moments that a hiring manager looks at your resume will set their first impression. That's why it's important to identify how and when to create a chronological resume - or rather, a reverse chronological resume - in the right way. 

Let’s dig a little deeper into the format to see if it’s the best choice for you. This guide will cover:

Using a chronological resume to find a job

• What's the different between chronological resumes and other resume formats?
• Why do we use a reverse chronological resume?

When to use a chronological resume

• Advantages and disadvantages of a chronological resume
• The format and structure of a chronological resume
• Writing the employment history and education sections

The term chronological resume is a bit of a misnomer, as this format actually puts employment history and education in reverse chronological order. That means you list your last or current job first, and your first job last. 

Likewise, when using chronological order in reverse, you list your highest educational achievement first and earlier milestones below that. 

The reverse chronological resume format is the one most commonly used, as it generally showcases a candidate’s most impressive experience first. If you’re a brain surgeon looking for a new position, it wouldn’t make much sense to start off your employment history with your first job at McDonald’s . 

What's the difference between chronological resumes and other resume formats?

The primary alternative to the chronological/reverse chronological resume is the functional resume format , which focuses on your experience and skills rather than a time-based narrative of how you acquired them. The hybrid resume format uses a combination of these two approaches.

So based on these differences, who should be using a reverse chronological resume and who shouldn't? Let's look at an example. You may be a professional accountant who is looking for an “exit strategy” to pursue your longtime passion for photography. If you’re preparing a resume to promote your experience doing wedding, event and real estate photography, it would make little sense to provide a detailed chronological list of your past jobs as an accountant. In this case, a functional resume emphasizing your photography experience would be a better choice. However, if you decided to stick to your day job and find a new accounting role, then the reverse chronological would be the best fit to show off your previous accounting employment.   

Do resumes have to be chronological?

Most resumes are chronological, but you can also use a functional resume or hybrid. It depends on your experience and what would suit best based on whether your career has been seamless (chronological) or you have embarked on a career rollercoaster (functional/hybrid)

Why do we use reverse chronological resumes?

The short answer is that the reverse chronological resume format is what many hiring managers know and expect. As we have already discussed, the best resume format depends on your role and circumstances. However, the reverse chronological format has secured itself as the default format in a range of industries. 

As a result, hiring managers can read through chronological resumes and digest the information quickly. The reverse chronological resume format is a neat way of putting the most relevant information near the top of the document. That means minimal scrolling and searching before the hiring manager can get a snapshot of what they need to know. 

The chronological resume format is usually the best one to use if you have years of continuous experience in the field in which you’re seeking a job. This is especially true if you followed a more or less “normal” career path in which you progressed from an entry-level position to progressively more senior posts.

This format is usually used by people with a proven track record in their field, especially those who can demonstrate contributions they’ve made to their previous employers’ business. The emphasis is on experience, which is the main thing that employers are usually looking for in a job candidate. 

There are several advantages to this resume format, including:

• It’s familiar to recruiters, so it’s easy for them to process.
• It’s easy to write, and there are lots of  examples  and templates to guide you.
• It demonstrates contributions made at previous jobs, which may be similar to what what the prospective employer is looking for.
• It shows experience with other companies in your field, demonstrating your connections and familiarity with the business needs and challenges.
• It tells a story of career progression, with growing experience, responsibilities and contributions.

Every coin has two sides. So what are the disadvantages of a chronological resume? There are some potential cons to using this format as well, including:

• It may reveal gaps in your employment  history that could raise questions for a recruiter.
• It may demonstrate “job hopping,” or having worked many jobs for a short amount of time, making potential employers wonder how long you might last at their company.
• If you’re changing careers , a long career in one field may do little to demonstrate your qualifications to begin a new one.

If these disadvantages outweigh the advantages, you may want to consider using a functional or hybrid resume format.

Is a chronological or functional resume better? 

The answer is that it depends on your experience. If you have a clear career path without lots of gaps and you have been with employers for 1 or more years, a chronological is the best option. However, if you've had a lot of temporary roles or gaps on your resume, you may want to consider a functional resume.

The structure and format of a chronological CV

A chronological resume (or CV, as this document is known outside the U.S. and Canada) should follow this basic structure and format:

•  Header: Contains your name, occupation, address, email and phone number.  • Summary/profile: 3-4 lines at the top of the page summarizing what you do and why you’re good at it. • Employment history: A listing of your past jobs (last job first, first job last), with bullet points on what you achieved at each one. • Education: Your formal educational experience (highest degree first) and any certifications in your field. • Skills: A short list of the hard and soft skills that make you good at your job. • Optional sections: Membership in professional organizations; hobbies and interests; references

Here is how a chronological resume should look.

Writing the employment history section

The employment history section is the main part of a resume where the reverse chronological format applies. In this section, list your current or last job first. Include the name of the company where you worked, the city, state and/or country where it’s located, what you did there and the years you worked there. (Precise dates are not needed.)

Under each employer, add a bullet list that describes what you did at each job. Don’t just say what you were “responsible for,” but what you actually accomplished. Be specific, using facts and figures wherever possible (dollar figures, percentage growth, number of employees you managed, number of clients you handled, etc.) Use strong action verbs : “managed,” “spearheaded,” “created,” “sold,” “organized,” etc.

You don’t have to include every job you’ve ever had, especially if they’re unrelated to the field in which you’re seeking employment. Include your most impressive and relevant jobs.

Do employers prefer chronological or functional resumes?

Most employers prefer chronological, as it is much easier to read than a functional resume. The hiring manager can quickly see your career path. Function resumes can be a bit more of a challenge to dissect. The easier you can make it for the reader, the better!

Writing the education section

The education section is the other part of your resume where the reverse chronological order needs to be used.

For example, if you have a Ph.D., list that first, along with the university, the field of study, and the year you earned the degree. Follow that with the same info on where you obtained your master’s degree, and below that do the same for your bachelor’s degree. 

If you have a postsecondary degree, it’s generally not considered necessary to mention where you went to high school, although if you have room, it does no harm.

The education section can also be used to mention any certifications in your field, for example if you are a certified nursing assistant (CNA) or a certified public accountant (CPA). Participation in job-relevant continuing education classes, seminars and workshops can also be listed here, as well as membership in honor societies, clubs or extracurricular activities related to your field. If you had a stellar grade point average or graduated with honors, you can also say so here. 

Tips for making the most of the chronological format

By using the chronological format, you are telling a story in reverse order. This may feel a bit unnatural, but if you review some of the hundreds of resume examples at Resume.io , you’ll see that this is totally normal. 

Strive for visual balance and distribution in your resume, so that, for example, you don’t have one huge section and several tiny sections.

Remember that a resume/CV should almost always be one page only , so you need to be judicious about what to include. If you have extensive job experience, or if you’re highly educated, it may be impossible to list all your achievements and credentials.

Bullet lists, in particular, can take up a lot of vertical space. Consider arranging bullet lists in side-by-side columns, or simply summarizing your accomplishments in one text block (“Graduated magna cum laude ; 3.8 GPA; member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society”).

If you’re still having trouble fitting everything onto one page, avoid resorting to formatting tricks like using a tiny font size or making the margins too small. Look for “widows” on your page, which is where one or two words spill onto a second line, making your resume one line longer. Thoughtful trims can usually eliminate these space-eaters.

If you experiment with different resume templates , you may also find that simply choosing a different template will make your resume fit onto one page.

Chronological resume summary

If you have years of continuous work experience in the field or industry in which you’re seeking employment, then the reverse chronological resume format is probably the right one for you. This will focus on your experience while also detailing your skills and education.

Remember some of the key takeaways when using the chronological resume format:

• First assess whether the reverse chronological format is right for you.
• Respect the structure: This is what hiring managers in many industries know and expect.
• Your most recent and most relevant roles and qualifications must follow reverse chronological order in the employment history and education sections.
• Employ some of our formatting tips to make the format flow.

There is a wealth of resources available to you when you embark on writing a resume . These will provide you with examples and templates to get you started. You then just need to add the specifics about your professional background.

Why are many recruiters suspicious of functional resumes?

The reason recruiters are suspicious of functional resumes is that they may feel that you are trying to hide the dates of your employment. 

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Chronological Resume Writing Guide

Get the best out of the standard resume format

Wondering how to order your resume? 

You may be deciding if you should list your latest job at the top or at the bottom . Or what you should focus on more.

We’ve got you covered. 

With a chronological resume, you can highlight your work history, achievements , and roles in past jobs, especially if you’re an experienced job seeker . 

This format is a great way to show career stability and can be the right choice for many job seekers. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to craft one, what to include, and get expert advice. Plus, you can also use our resume building tools and samples to help yourself craft a stunning application.

What is a Chronological Resume?

A Chronological Resume is a popular format that allows you to list your work history from your most recent job to your earliest. 

It is a favorite of HR specialists because t he format is clear and easy to read . 

Research shows recruiters spend just 7.4 seconds on a resume , so this format helps them catch the most important details of your work history quickly. 

A chronological format starts with a summary, then l ists jobs in reverse order , and ends with your education.

You can also add sections like skills or volunteer work if they fit the job you’re applying for.

Pros and Cons of the Chronological Resume

Let’s look at the benefits of using this type of resume format, and some disadvantages. It’s great for those with a clear career path or deep expertise in a specific field, helping them move forward in that area.

• Clearly lists responsibilities and achievements for each job.
• Easy for hiring managers to read and see your career path.
• A very clear format.
• It can be used for the Applicant Tracking Systems, which is currently used by 99% of Fortune 500 companies . Using a resume template can optimize it for these systems more.

However, it may not be the best depending on your level of experience and work history.

• Not the best format for those with gaps or regular job changes.
• It’s a common format, so it might not stand out or showcase personality. 
• It may not highlight your skills as much as you may like.

In cases like these, using other types of resume formats such as the functional or combination resume is better.

Tips for Writing the Chronological Resume

Making a chronological resume can raise certain questions, such as what do I need to include in the work experience section ? 

The following tips will serve as guidelines for learning how to create a resume with the typical chronological resume format.

• Start and end dates (month and year)
• Job title and company name
• Responsibilities and achievements
• Use action verbs , statistics, and facts to back up your claims.
• Always maintain a formal tone and structured layout.
• Check for errors to ensure a good final product.
• Different layouts exist for students and other individuals.

Make sure the best parts of your experience stand out by using AI-powered suggestions that you can create with our resume builder.

Consider trying out a number of templates to find which one goes best with your resume.

Chronological Resume Templates

Once you understand what to include in your chronological format, using the correct tools such as a resume template will make the process much easier .

Here are some ways templates can help:

• They provide example sections to guide your personalization.
• They’re flexible and fit many professions and levels.
• They highlight relevant sections and leave out unnecessary ones.

With ResumeCoach you can find plenty of chronological resume templates for all different styles and levels to help you build your ultimate resume to land the job of your dreams.

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Chronological Resume Format: Your Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to creating a powerful resume, the chronological format is one of the most popular and effective choices. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the ins and outs of the chronological resume format, teach you how to write one, and even provide you with a sample to download.

Whether you’re just starting your career, transitioning to a new field, or a seasoned professional, a well-crafted chronological resume can make a significant difference in your job search.

What is the Chronological Resume Format?

The chronological resume, also known as the reverse-chronological resume, is a structured document that highlights your work history in reverse chronological order. This means your most recent job is listed first, followed by the previous one, and so on. The format is straightforward, making it easy for employers to understand your career progression.

How Do I Write a Chronological Resume?

Contact Information : Start your resume with your name, address, email, and phone number. Make sure it’s accurate and up-to-date.

Objective or Summary : Write a concise objective or summary statement that introduces you and your career goals. This section should grab the employer’s attention and make them want to keep reading.

Experience : List your work history in reverse chronological order. Remember to include the company name, job title, and dates of employment respectively . Beneath each job, describe your key responsibilities and achievements using action verbs and quantifiable accomplishments.

Education : Outline your educational background, including degrees, institutions, and graduation dates. If you have a strong work history, this section can be brief.

Professional Certifications and Training : Include all relevant certifications and training programs you’ve completed. This demonstrates your commitment to professional development.

Awards : If you’ve received any awards or recognitions related to your work, make sure to include them in this section.

Chronological Resume Format Sample

Here’s an example of a chronological resume:

Download Chronological Resume Sample in PDF

How do i tailor a chronological resume to a specific job application.

Tailoring your resume is essential to match the job you’re applying for. Here’s how to do it:

• Review the Job Description: Carefully read the job posting to understand what the employer is looking for. Highlight the key requirements and skills.
• Customize Your Summary: Adjust your objective or summary to align with the specific job. Highlight how your experience matches the job description.
• Prioritize Relevant Experience: Emphasize the work experiences that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for. You can de-emphasize less relevant roles.
• Leverage Keywords: Integrate the keywords found in the job posting into your resume. This strategy enhances the likelihood of your resume successfully navigating applicant tracking systems (ATS) commonly employed by many employers.
• Highlight Matching Achievements: For each job, showcase achievements and responsibilities that demonstrate your ability to excel in the new role.

In conclusion, the chronological resume format is a tried-and-true method for presenting your work history and skills to potential employers. By following these steps and utilizing our sample, you can create a compelling chronological resume that not only showcases your qualifications but also helps you stand out in a competitive job market.

Download our sample , and start building your path to career success today.

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Chronological Resume Templates

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

Double Column

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

Single Column

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

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

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

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

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

In This Guide:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Select the best layout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions about chronological resume templates

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

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Chronological Resume Example and Writing Tips for 2024

If you’re a job seeker, you’ve likely come across the term “chronological resume” at some point in your job search. But what exactly does it mean? A chronological resume is a document that lists your work experience in reverse chronological order – starting with your most recent job and working backwards.

But why is this format important? A chronological resume is one of the most common types of resumes – and for good reason. It allows employers to quickly see your career progression and easily identify any gaps in employment. It’s especially useful for job seekers who have a solid work history and are looking to advance in their careers.

The purpose of this article is to provide you with examples and tips on how to create an effective chronological resume. Whether you’re a recent college graduate or a seasoned professional, having a well-crafted resume is key to landing your dream job. We’ll cover everything from the basic structure of a chronological resume to how to highlight your skills and accomplishments. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how to create a resume that stands out from the rest.

Characteristics of a Chronological Resume

Overview of the chronological resume.

A chronological resume is a type of resume that highlights the applicant’s work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent employment. This type of resume is widely used by job seekers as it’s easy to follow and understand.

Advantages of the Chronological Resume

There are several advantages of using a chronological resume. Firstly, it highlights the job seeker’s work experience, which is an essential factor for employers when considering a potential candidate. It also helps to demonstrate career progression, showing how the applicant has grown their skills over time.

Moreover, recruiters and hiring managers are often familiar with the chronological format, making it easier for them to navigate through it quickly. This type of resume also helps the job seeker present their work experience in a concise and orderly fashion, making it easier for the employer to assess their qualifications.

Disadvantages of the Chronological Resume

While there are several advantages to using a chronological resume, there are also some disadvantages. The chronological resume format may not be ideal for job seekers who are starting their careers or have gaps in their employment history. It also doesn’t allow for much creativity, as it follows a strict format that can be limiting for those seeking to showcase their diverse skillsets.

Another disadvantage is that it tends to focus solely on the applicant’s work experience, often neglecting other aspects of their professional profile, such as their education or volunteer work. Additionally, this type of resume may put more emphasis on the applicant’s most recent work experience, which may not necessarily showcase their best work or accomplishments.

Despite the disadvantages, a chronological resume remains one of the most popular types of resumes used by job seekers. Its straightforward format and ability to showcase work experience in a clear and concise manner make it an attractive option for both job seekers and employers alike.

Chronological Resume Writing Tips

As a job seeker, your resume serves as your first impression to potential employers. It is important to create a resume that effectively showcases your work experience and key skills. A chronological resume is one of the most common resume formats used by job seekers, as it highlights a candidate’s work experience in a reverse-chronological order.

When writing a chronological resume, there are several key tips to keep in mind:

Emphasize your Work Experience

Start your resume with your most recent work experience and list your previous jobs in reverse-chronological order. Be sure to clearly state your job title, the name of the company, the dates of employment, and a brief description of your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Highlight your Key Skills

In addition to work experience, employers want to see what skills you bring to the table. Highlight your key skills, such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving abilities, by incorporating them throughout your resume. Use bullet points to showcase your skills in a clear and concise manner.

Use Relevant Keywords

To increase your chances of getting noticed by employers, use keywords that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Carefully review the job posting and incorporate keywords throughout your resume. This will help your resume pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS), which are used by many companies today to screen resumes.

Include Metrics and Achievements

Quantify your accomplishments by including metrics, such as percentages or dollar amounts, to showcase your impact on the company. This can include things like increasing sales revenue or reducing expenses. Including metrics and achievements will help demonstrate your value as a candidate.

Keep it Concise and Organized

Aim to keep your resume at one to two pages in length. Use clear and concise language and avoid unnecessary information that does not relate to the job you are applying for. Also, ensure that your resume is well-organized, with clear headings and bullet points that are easy to read.

By emphasizing your work experience, highlighting your key skills, using relevant keywords, including metrics and achievements, and keeping your resume concise and organized, you will be well on your way to creating an effective chronological resume.

Chronological Resume Template

A chronological resume is the most commonly used resume format, and it is preferred by many employers because it presents a clear, concise history of an individual’s employment and educational background. This section will discuss the basic structure of a chronological resume, the sections typically included, and some formatting and design tips that can make your resume stand out.

Basic Structure of a Chronological Resume

The basic structure of a chronological resume follows a timeline format, starting with your most recent job and working backwards. This format highlights your work experience and career progression in a clear and logical manner. Your education should be included at the end of the resume, after your work experience.

Sections of a Chronological Resume

The following sections are typically included in a chronological resume:

Contact Information

Your name, address, phone number, and email address should all be included in the top section of your resume. It is important to ensure that your contact information is up-to-date and professional.

Objective or Summary Statement

An objective or summary statement is a brief statement that summarizes your career goals and experience. This section is optional, but it can be helpful in highlighting your skills and experience.

• Work Experience

Your work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. Each job should include the following information:

• Company name and location
• Dates of employment
• Key responsibilities and achievements

Your education should be included at the end of your resume, after your work experience. It should list your degrees or certifications, the name of the institution, and the dates attended.

If you have skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for, you may want to include a skills section. This section can highlight your technical, language, or interpersonal skills.

Formatting and Design Tips

Here are some tips on formatting and design that can help make your chronological resume stand out:

• Use a clean and simple format that is easy to read.
• Use bullet points to help break up large blocks of text.
• Use bold, italic, or underlined text to highlight important information.
• Be consistent in your font choices and formatting throughout your resume.
• Tailor your resume to the job you are applying for by including keywords and phrases from the job description.

By following these tips and including the appropriate sections in your chronological resume, you can create a clear and concise document that highlights your skills and experience to potential employers.

Chronological Resume Example 1 – Entry-Level

Included in this section is a sample entry-level chronological resume, along with an explanation and analysis of the example. The overall theme of the article is about chronological resume examples and writing tips.

Sample Entry-Level Chronological Resume

[Full Name] [Address] [Phone Number] [Email]

Objective: To obtain a position in [industry or job title] where I can utilize my [skills or experiences] to contribute to the success of the company.

Education: [Bachelor’s/Master’s] Degree in [Major], [University], [Graduation Date] [Related coursework or Certifications]

Experience: [Job Title], [Company], [Employment Dates]

• List accomplishments and responsibilities in bullet points
• Start with most recent or relevant experience

[Job Title], [Company], [Employment Dates]

Explanation and Analysis of the Example

This entry-level chronological resume example showcases a clean format that is easy to read and highlights the most important information. The resume starts with an objective statement that briefly summarizes the candidate’s career and what they are looking for in their next role.

In the education section, the candidate includes relevant coursework or certifications to further demonstrate their qualifications. This is particularly important for entry-level candidates who may not have much work experience yet.

The experience section is the focus of the resume and includes two job titles with accomplishments and responsibilities listed in bullet points. The bullet points use strong action words and quantifiable achievements to showcase the candidate’s skills and achievements.

Finally, the skills section provides a concise summary of the candidate’s most important skills. It is crucial to tailor skills to the job description in order to highlight relevant skills that match the requirements of the job.

This entry-level chronological resume example demonstrates the importance of succinctly highlighting relevant education, experience, and skills. Employers want to see how a candidate’s skills and experiences can contribute to their company’s success, and this resume does just that.

Chronological Resume Example 2 – Experienced Professional

Sample experienced professional chronological resume.

Name:  John Smith

Contact Information:

• Email:  [email protected]
• Phone: 555-555-5555
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnsmith

Summary:  Motivated and experienced sales professional with 10+ years of experience in the retail industry. Excels at building strong relationships with customers and delivering outstanding customer service. Proven track record of exceeding sales targets and implementing effective sales strategies.

Work Experience:

Sales Manager  – ABC Company (2015-Present)

• Oversees all aspects of the sales department, including hiring, training, and managing a team of 10 sales representatives.
• Develops and implements sales strategies to meet and exceed company targets.
• Builds and maintains relationships with key clients to ensure customer satisfaction and retention.
• Consistently exceeds sales targets, delivering a 25% increase in sales revenue over the past year.

Sales Representative  – XYZ Inc. (2010-2015)

• Developed and maintained relationships with clients to increase sales revenue by 20% in the final year.
• Consistently achieved and exceeded individual sales targets.
• Collaborated with the marketing department to design and implement effective marketing strategies.

Store Manager  – DEF Retail (2005-2010)

• Managed all aspects of a busy retail store, including inventory management, staff scheduling, and customer service.
• Developed and implemented effective sales strategies which resulted in a 15% increase in sales revenue over a period of 3 years.
• Successfully led a team of 7 sales representatives and support staff.
• Bachelor of Commerce, University of XYZ, 2004

This sample chronological resume showcases an experienced professional with 10+ years of experience in the retail industry. The resume begins with the candidate’s name and contact information, followed by a summary that highlights his experience and skills, complementing his career objective of securing a sales position.

The work experience section showcases the candidate’s career growth, beginning with his current role as a Sales Manager, where he is currently overseeing all aspects of the sales department. The section also highlights his accomplishments across the different roles he has previously held, including exceeding individual and company-wide sales targets, collaborating with other departments, managing a team of sales representatives, and developing and implementing effective sales strategies.

The education section briefly highlights the candidate’s educational background, complementing his vast experience in the retail industry, which makes him a well-rounded candidate for sales positions.

The example showcases an excellent chronological resume, highlighting the candidate’s relevant experience and skills clearly and concisely. It demonstrates the importance of tailoring one’s resume to the job description, including relevant skills and experience, and highlighting one’s accomplishments through quantifiable metrics.

How to Customize Your Chronological Resume

When it comes to writing a chronological resume, customization is key. Employers want to see how your past experiences and skills align with the requirements of the job they are offering. Here are some tips on how to tailor your resume to the job description to make it stand out:

Tailoring Your Resume to the Job Description

The first step in customizing your resume is to carefully analyze the job description. Look for keywords and try to incorporate them into your resume. This will increase the chances of your resume passing through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and reaching the hands of the hiring manager. You should also add any relevant job titles, responsibilities, and requirements to your resume, to show that you understand what the employer is looking for.

Focusing on Relevant Skills and Experience

Highlight your most relevant skills and experiences in the resume. The more closely they align with the requirements of the job, the more likely you are to get shortlisted for an interview. The key is to focus on the skills and experiences that demonstrate your ability to excel in the position you are applying for. Be specific and provide examples of how your skills and experience make you an ideal candidate for the job.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

One of the common mistakes people make when writing resumes is listing irrelevant experiences and skills. Be sure to weed out any information that does not relate to the position you are applying for. It is also important to avoid subjective or misleading language, such as exaggerations or half-truths. In addition, be mindful of formatting, grammar, and spelling errors. A polished, error-free resume helps make a lasting and professional impression.

Customizing your chronological resume is crucial for making it stand out and increasing your chances of getting an interview. Analyze the job description to include relevant keywords and show your understanding of the position. Highlight your most relevant skills and experiences that show your ability to excel in the role. Avoid common mistakes such as listing irrelevant experiences and skills and be mindful of formatting, grammar and spelling errors.

Common Questions About Chronological Resumes

As a job seeker, it’s important to be familiar with the most common questions about chronological resumes. Here are the top three queries that job seekers have about these resumes:

Should I Include References on my Chronological Resume?

No, it’s not necessary to include references on your chronological resume. Most hiring managers will ask for references during the final stages of the hiring process, so there is no need to clutter your resume with this information. Instead, reserve your resume for your job history, skills, and achievements.

How Far Back Should I List my Work Experience?

The general rule for chronological resumes is to list your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job first. However, it’s important to decide how far back in time you want to go. For most job seekers, it’s sufficient to include their last 10-15 years of work experience. This not only keeps your resume concise but ensures that you’re showcasing your most recent and relevant work history.

Can I Use a Chronological Resume if I’m a Recent Graduate?

Yes, even if you’re a recent graduate, you can still use a chronological resume. In fact, it’s the most common type of resume format used by job seekers. As a recent graduate, you may not have much job experience, but you can highlight your education, skills, extracurricular activities, and any relevant internships or volunteer work. As you gain more work experience, you can continue to update and refine your chronological resume.

By understanding the top questions about chronological resumes, you can create a well-crafted resume that is tailored to your skills and experience. Remember to keep your resume concise, highlight your most recent and relevant work history, and showcase your education and skills. With these tips, you’ll be on your way to landing your dream job.

Chronological Resume vs Functional Resume

Overview of the functional resume.

A functional resume focuses on highlighting an individual’s skills and abilities rather than their work history. This format is ideal for those who are changing careers, have gaps in their employment history or are applying for a position that requires specific skills that they possess but don’t necessarily have experience in.

The functional resume typically includes the following sections:

• Summary or Objective Statement
• Skills or Qualifications Summary
• Professional Experience

The skills or qualifications summary is the most important section of the functional resume. It should list the specific skills and abilities that the individual possesses and provide examples of how they have demonstrated these skills in their past experiences.

Comparison of the Chronological and Functional Resume

A chronological resume, on the other hand, focuses on an individual’s work history and job responsibilities. This format is ideal for those who have a steady work history with no gaps in employment and are looking to advance in their current career path.

The chronological resume typically includes the following sections:

• Skills or Certifications

In the work experience section, the individual should list their previous positions in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. They should also list their job responsibilities and achievements in each position.

When comparing the two formats, it’s important to note that the functional resume emphasizes an individual’s skills and abilities, while the chronological resume emphasizes their work history and job responsibilities.

Choosing the Right Resume Format

When deciding which format to use, the individual should consider their current situation and the position they are applying for. If they have relevant skills and abilities but little work history, or gaps in their employment, the functional resume may be the better option. If they have a steady work history with no gaps and are looking to advance in their current career path, the chronological resume may be a better choice.

It’s also important to tailor the resume to the specific job the individual is applying for. They should review the job description and highlight the skills and experiences they possess that are relevant to the position. This will help them stand out as a qualified candidate.

Choosing the right resume format depends on an individual’s specific situation and the position they are applying for. While the chronological resume is more traditional, the functional resume can be a great option for those with transferable skills or who are changing careers. Regardless of the format chosen, tailoring the resume to the job description is key to standing out in the job market.

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Chronological Resume Example (With Writing Tips)

When to Use a Chronological Resume

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

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

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

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

Key Takeaways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Balance

Chronological Resume Example (Text Version)

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

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

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

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

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

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

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

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

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

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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

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

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

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

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

CareerOneStop. “ Resume Styles ."

 CareerOneStop. “ Select the Best Resume Format .”

“CareerOneStop. " Applicant Tracking Systems ."

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Creating a standout resume might seem daunting, but it’s your key to landing that dream job. Your resume is more than just a list of jobs; it’s your personal marketing tool that highlights your skills, experiences, and achievements in a way that attracts potential employers. Nowadays it’s everyone’s concern how to make a resume that is ATS friendly and reflects your skills and knowledge.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to build a resume that gets noticed by hiring managers and recruiters. We’ll cover resume templates , effective resume formats , and tips for writing powerful resume bullet points. Building your resume is crucial for different job applications, how to highlight your professional experience and the best ways to list your education and certifications.

Table of Content

What is a Resume

Why a resume is important.

Before, moving on to how to write a resume even if you’re a fresher and have no experience, let us understand what is resume and why it is important.

A resume is a concise document that summarizes your skills , experiences , and achievements to showcase your qualifications for a job. Understanding resume writing how to is essential for creating a compelling resume that stands out. When learning how a resume is written, it’s important to focus on formatting, clarity, and relevance. Effective resume writing involves choosing the right structure, highlighting your most significant accomplishments , and tailoring the content to the job you’re applying for. By mastering how to write a resume, you can create a powerful tool that captures the attention of potential employers and helps you advance in your career.

If you want paychecks, you’ve to sell yourself first and a resume is that one tool or document that lists out your features and USPs that will help you to sell yourself in the job market. Within one or two pages, a resume convinces recruiters if they want to call you for a job interview or not. (That much power your resume holds)

So, if you want to bag your first interview or want to interview at your dream company or for a dream job role , it’s very important for you to write a strong and power-packed resume with correct keywords and relevant skills that will persuade recruiters to hit “I want to interview you” button. 

How to Make a Resume (Full Guide)

Choose your desired resume format.

• Reverse chronological resume format
• Functional or Skilled Focused resume format
• Hybrid Format
• Dos and Don’ts of Resume Layout 
• What resume format is best for ATS

Most people have two options when it comes to getting an interview call – A++ top-tier level resume or an “I know someone here” referral. No matter which group you belong to, it’s important to up your resume game and understands the strategies that are used to land an interview from your dream company within a week, if not days. Before you dive into the resume-building process, you have to decide on the right resume format that will take you up the ladder. If you’ve already decided to write your resume on a text editor like MS Word, it’s highly recommended you should keep your HANDS OFF from them. 

Formatting your resume on a basic text editor will not waste your time but also your effort. We recommend that you should use a resume builder tool like GeeksforGeeks Online Resume Builde r – Free. Our resume builder is fast, simple, and free to use. Moving onto resume formats that you can use to format your resume. 

There are three types of resume formats: reverse chronological, functional or skills-based, and hybrid. You should choose the format that suits the type of job you are applying for and your level of experience.

Types of Resume Formats

1) Reverse chronological Resume Format – This highlights your career advancement and emphasizes the relevant job experience. It’s an absolute fan favorite of recruiters. However, it doesn’t show your skills much so if you’re someone with highly relevant job experience, you can opt for this resume format.

Reverse chronological Resume Format

2) Functional/skills-based Resume Format – Are you a fresher with no job experience? Opt for a functional or skill-based resume format if you have skills to brag about but no relevant work experience. 

Functional/skills-based Resume Format

3) Hybrid Resume Format – Now, this resume format is preferred by most recruiters and loved by job seekers with diverse skillsets and job experience. It combines the best elements of both reverse chronological and functional resume format and provides space for the right keyword. 

If you’re wondering which resume format is best for ATS, go for the reverse chronological resume format. When it comes to resume layout, you need to mind these tips while formatting your resumes:

• Page Count: Keep your resume to one page. Max 2 if you’ve 7+ of experience and it’s relevant to your job role. Recruiters get 1000+ resumes every day and it gets tough to go through resumes with more than 2 pages. 
• Heading Tag: If you’re choosing an H1 tag or an H2 tag to write your headlines in your resume, then ensure that all headlines have the same tag.
• White space: Keep enough white space in your resume. Negative space is needed to make your resume look professional.
• PDF or Word: Download your resume as a PDF document as it can be read by most ATS. If the job description mentions that you need to send the doc file as a .doc, then send your resume like that as old ATS can’t read PDF files.

 Add your contact information

The most important and overlooked section of your resume is the contact information section which is right under your name. Even if you write everything correctly but haven’t provided your contact details, HRs can’t reach out to you even if they want to contact you. Ensure that everything on your contact information is up to date and triple-check the details if needed. 

Things that you should include are: 

• First Name / Last Name – Mention the name that is provided on your social security card or if you’re in India, it should match the name that’s provided on your PAN card or Aadhaar card.
• Phone Number – Only provide the phone number that is reachable.
• Email Address – Don’t provide an unprotected email address. Your email address should be like this: “[email protected]”. Avoid providing email addresses like [email protected], [email protected]
• Location – Your residential address should be the same as the one where you stay or relocated.
• Social Media URLs – If you’re a software developer, mention your Github profile. If you’re a designer, then Behance profile and if you’re a writer, provide your personal blog that showcases your abilities. Don’t forget to include your LinkedIn account as most recruiters go through LinkedIn to see your online presence. 

Write a Resume Headline that Can Stand You Out From the Crowd

A resume headline is a short, one-line statement that conveys who you are as a candidate. It is important to write a headline that grabs the recruiter’s attention and encourages them to read your qualifications in more depth. Your resume headline is often the first thing recruiters read so impress them within seconds by writing a short and concise headline. Keep it relevant to your job skills and make sure that you put the right keywords that are relevant to the job posting .

Some resume headlines examples for you to check out:

• Goal-Oriented Senior Accountant with 6+ Years of Accounting Experience in XYZ Company.
• Successful Manager of Dozens of Online Marketing Campaigns
• Award-Winning Video Editor Skilled in Web Design and Video Editing
• Detail-Oriented History Student with Curatorial Experience

Include a professional summary

The first impression is your last impression. This phrase stands true to date. An effective resume introduction can make or break you no matter what type of job you’re applying for. Your summary or objective can give the opportunity to impress the recruiter so carefully write your resume summary/objective. Don’t know where to write a resume summary or objective? We got you covered.

A resume summary is a 2-3 sentence summary of your working experience. Unless you’re a recent college grad or changing careers, you should use a resume summary in almost any scenario.

On the other hand, a resume objective implies the goal of your resume. It conveys why you want to work in that particular field and the motivation behind it. When writing a resume summary, include an objective of 2-3 lines. If you’re changing your career or have no significant work experience, make sure to write a resume objective.

Add your work experience

• If you’re a fresher, keep the education section at the top, and if you’re an experienced person or did work in FAANG companies or big coming, then put work experience at the top.
• If you’re a backend intern, make sure you’re writing the designation as a software engineering intern. 
• Make sure you’re covering up your tasks in 2-3 points.

Now we’re down to the most important part of the resume – work experience . If an add sells a product with just a few words, your resume does the same with you by selling you on the basis of your past work experience and achievements. Learning to write this section is a bit tough but once you master writing the perfect work experience section, 80% work is done here and after this you will know how to write and resume. So, let’s see how to list your work experience: Your work experience should be written in reverse chronological order as ATS can scan reverse chronological resume format easily.

It should be something like this:

Job title | Company Name | Date of employment 

Accomplishments & Achievements

• Job title: Keep it on top of your resume so that recruiters can easily see what position you’re applying for.
• Company name: Mention the company you are working in or working for.
• Date of employment: Mention the timeframe of your employment in all the companies you worked for. Ensure that format is like this – dd/mm/yyyy. It is important to mention as ATS parses it only then.
• Accomplishments and achievements: This is where you mention your core achievements that will in turn bag you – your dream job. List your achievements or responsibilities according to your job role.
• If you’re a fresher, keep the education section at the top and if you’re an intern or worked in FAANG companies or big companies, then make sure to put the work experience section at the top.
• If you’re a backend intern, instead of writing your job title as “Backend Intern”, write it as a “Software Engineering Intern”. You should always write the job title mentioned in the job description.
• Don’t write 10-15 points covering your job responsibilities. Recruiters don’t have the time to go through all of the responsibilities. Keep it to 2-3 points max.
• Mention achievements in terms of how exactly you helped the company grow, reach quarterly quotas, and so on. Numbers play a big role when it comes to convincing your future employers what exactly you achieved.

Mention your Soft and Hard Skills

Now that you mastered writing your work experience section, it’s time to dive into your skills section. There’re 2 types of skills:

• Soft Skills: These are your personal skills like social skills, communication skills, personal traits, career attributes, leadership, critical thinking, and management.
• Hard/Technical Skills: Hard Skills are measurable skills that you can measure like how proficient you’re in that particular skill. The use of technical skills frequently requires specialized tools and the technologies needed to use them.

A good resume should cover both. However, it’s highly advisable that you should mention those skills in which you’re fluent and not just at a beginner level. To know more about how to list your key technical skills, read our article 7 Key Technical Skills to List on Your Resume in 2022 .

Once you list your hard skills with your experience level, double-check your skills section and remove any skill you feel you’re not confident in and don’t LIE even if your life depends on it. Lying about skills can get you in serious trouble later on and can get you blacklisted too.

Include your education

The next section is all about your educational background, achievements, and projects. We’ll keep it short and concise for you. List your educational background in this way:

• Program Name. E.g.: “MBA in Marketing”
• University Name. E.g.: “Mumbai University”
• Years Attended. E.g.: “06/2019-05/2021”
• (Optional) CGPA. E.g.: “CGPA: 8”
• (Optional) Academic achievements. If you have written any interesting papers or excelled in any courses, do describe them.

Let’s move on to some tips that will help you perfect your educational background, achievement, and project section:

• Only keep the last 2 educational qualifications or examinations you’ve given.
• Only add those projects which are relevant to your job opening – projects which have more number of features.
• Projects to list- API-based projects, Portfolio-based projects, and Full-stack projects.
• Add as many numbers as you can while listing achievements – add your highest ranking in CP or the highest number of problems you solved on GeeksforGeeks or XYZ. 
• Don’t add intra-college achievements as it put forth a negative impression on recruiters.
• Don’t add “President of the xxx club” if you’re applying for tech roles. 

Mention Other Sections (Optional)

All the sections we’ve covered are must-haves but there are a few more sections that are optional and don’t hold much significance. These are like booster sections that can give you an extra wow effect.

The following sections can be added to your resume:

• Languages – If you’re multilingual and can be handy with different languages, do mention that in your resume. However, avoid mentioning language that you’re not proficient in as it can get you in trouble later on if you’re not able to help your colleagues when they require your help with the said language.
• Hobbies and Interests – Have extra space in your resume? Add up your hobbies and interests. It shows how you’re as an individual.
• Volunteering Experiences – Some studies show that volunteering has a greater impact on hiring. It shows that you’re an empathetic person by nature and can be loyal to the company. 
• Courses, Certifications, and Awards – Do you have any certifications or awards that can show you off and is relevant to the job position you applied for? Note them down in the resume as it shows your expertise in the said field.

Customize Your Resume According to the Job Posting

We’re almost at the end of the article. It’s time to format your resume in such a way that ATS can scan your resume smoothly. To understand the term ATS better , you should know ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System . It is software used to manage the entire application process for employers. This system compiles, scans, and ranks all of the applications.

According to a survey done, 98% of Fortune companies are using ATS to scan their resumes. ATS segments resume into various sections: Work Experience , Education, Skills , etc. Next, it looks for precise keywords and qualifications to see if you fit the job description. So it’s important to tailor your resume as per the job description and for how to resume writing. Resumes that don’t comply with the basic requirements are automatically discarded. A job candidate’s resume is ranked based on its relevance (the best resume appears at the top of the recruiter’s pipeline).

Proofread Your Resume With Correct Formatting

Now that you’re done with your resume writing task, it’s time to do the most important task – Proofread your resume. Here’s the checklist we’ve for you:

• Resume fonts – Stick to Ubuntu, Roboto, Overpass, or traditional fonts like Helvetica, Garamond, or Georgia. Your font should be 10-11 and don’t ever go with Comic Sans (only if you want to look like a joker)
• Check tenses – Describe the current work you are doing in the present tense, and use the past tense to describe jobs from the past.
• Resume action words – Use resume action words like “Chaired”, “Controlled”, “Executed”

Also Read: Free Online Resume Builder By GeeksforGeeks – Create Your Resume Now! 10 steps to write an Effective Resume Resume Building – Resources and Tips

In conclusion, learning how to write a resume resume is a crucial step in advancing your career and landing your desired job. Start by selecting a clean and professional format , then focus on highlighting your key skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Tailor each section to the job you’re applying for, ensuring that your qualifications align with the employer’s needs. Building your resume is very beneficial for you so remember to use clear and concise language, and proofread your resume to eliminate any errors. By following these steps, you can create a resume that effectively showcases your strengths and sets you apart from other candidates, increasing your chances of success in the job market.

How to Build a Resume – FAQs

How can i write resume.

You can write your resume by following the methods given above or you can also use any resume templates that will help you a lot.

How to Resume Writing?

Resume writing can be done by some of the points given below: Choose the Right Format Start with a Strong Header Craft a Compelling Summary or Objective Detail Your Work Experience

How can I write a simple resume?

To write a simple resume, use a clean format with clear headings. Include your contact information, a brief summary, your work experience, education, and relevant skills. Keep it concise and focused on your most important qualifications.

How to write a resume for a job?

To write a resume for a job, tailor it to the specific position by highlighting relevant experience and skills. Start with your contact details, followed by a strong summary, detailed work history, education, and a skills section. Use action verbs and quantify your achievements where possible.

What are the 7 basic steps to writing a resume?

Here are the basic steps: Choose the Right Format Start with a Strong Header Write a Compelling Summary Detail Your Work Experience Highlight Your Skills Include Your Education Proofread and Edit

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How To Write an Executive Resume [Template + Samples]

3 key takeaways

• Your executive resume should showcase your leadership impact with specific examples, quantifiable metrics, and key achievements.
• Tailor your resume to show your experience and skills align with the company's culture, mission, and values.
• Use Teal’s Resume Creator to craft an executive resume tailored to C-suite roles with AI.

In 2011, Harvard Business Review found that once a certain professional level was reached, functional and technical skills didn’t matter as much as strategic leadership skills and business fundamentals.

Having a resume that quickly conveys your leadership skills, strategic vision, and far-reaching impact is essential if you want to break into the C-Suite. Executive job seekers need resumes that tell a compelling story about how their leadership impacted business growth.

This guide breaks down each step, from picking the right resume format to tailoring your resume for specific executive positions.

Struggling to land interviews? Create a resume fit for an executive with Teal.

Understanding the executive resume

An executive resume is a targeted, professional resume designed to showcase an individual's success in high-level roles. Executive resumes are used by current executives looking for a lateral move in the C-suite or those in VP-level, or similar, positions looking to take that next step in their careers with a chief-level title.

Unlike standard resumes, executive resumes emphasize the ability to lead people to reach a goal. For companies hiring executives, culture fit is a non-negotiable. Therefore, executive resumes focus on leadership achievements and alignment with a company mission.

At the executive level, transition from proving your technical skills to proving your leadership skills. Ensure you show a clear leadership growth progression. Tailor your jobs to meet the requirements on executive job descriptions. With Teal’s Resume Builder, you can quickly create strategic resumes tailored to every job.

What to include in an executive resume

Executive resumes should be immediately identifiable at first glance—well-organized with common resume sections like contact information, work history, and skills.

These resumes should also contain a headline with your executive job title, examples of your leadership achievements, and an executive profile tailored for each application. Your executive resume should communicate your leadership skill set and experience—quickly. 

Here's what hiring managers want to see on an executive resume:

• Leadership ability
• Business impact
• Company alignment

Like all resumes, executive resumes need to include basic information about you:

Contact information

• Professional summary

Work experience

Here are some additional sections to include in an executive resume:

Executive summary

• Certifications and training
• Awards, honors, and projects
• Volunteer work

To optimize your executive resume, include each of these sections:

Your name is the most important information on your resume. It should be the first thing you see: at the top of your page, biggest font, boldest type. This is part of your personal brand.

Don't make employers search for how to get in touch. Follow your name with your email address, phone number, location, and LinkedIn profile. If you have a personal website or online personal portfolio, you can finish this section with a link in your resume . 

Reuse this contact information section on your cover letter.

Your resume work experience will make up most of your resume real estate. Teal recommends 15 resume accomplishments throughout your whole resume. Front-load your most recent and relevant accomplishments. Many executives, especially ones with many years of experience, struggle to remove previous companies from early in their careers. However, hiring managers are most interested in your most recent work, so you can cap your experience at a decade.

When you have climbed the corporate ladder, the trick to writing an effective professional experience section is to show how your efforts made an impact. Use metrics to quantify your impact. Numbers are great on a resume because they easily translate from one role to another. You can be sure everyone understands your contributions caused a 20 percent increase in sales revenue.

Each bullet point should instead be a highly specific key accomplishment that is a direct result of your work. Keep these focused on key business metrics like increasing revenue, decreasing costs, saving time, gaining accounts, and similar metrics. 

Teal's AI Achievement assistant uses a combination of action verbs, metrics, and needed project context from your job history to create compelling bullet points to highlight your top achievements for every job.

As a professional with work experience, your education should be at the end of your resume. In some cases, you can put your degree in a two-column resume template instead. An executive resume should always lead with work experience. 

Skills and competencies

At the executive level, your senior management skills are more important than your technical skills. A hiring manager needs to know you can inspire people. Add your soft skills throughout your summary, work experience, or resume headline, as long as they support your leadership experience.

Your skills section should focus on your most relevant skills, like process improvement, business development, strategic planning, critical thinking, and key executive skills, like change management or restructuring. You can mix in a few soft and hard skills, like public speaking and industry knowledge.

A strong resume summary pulls out key skills, projects, and wins from the resume body to create a snapshot of your career highlights. You can think of it as your elevator pitch to market yourself for an executive position.

To transform a basic resume summary to an executive summary, position yourself as an expert in one key skill. Relate your key achievements. Use numbers to prove your business impact. Frame out a story of how your expertise in this skill or subject has a repeatable track-record of success.

Resume headline

A compelling resume headline is a powerful tool for executives. Most people don't include one, and many others simply use a job title. Your resume headline should be an attention-grabbing value proposition. What compelling statement will entice someone to give you an interview and end your job search?

Think about your target position, as well as your personal philosophy or personal branding statement based on your years of experience. It's a clever place to preview your key accomplishments related to your strategic direction ability. You can include phrases like “award-winning” or “proven track record.” 

Your headline should include your target job title and your most enticing qualifications. Here are some examples:

• Visionary CEO with 10+ years’ experience leading Fortune 100 companies 
• Chief of Technology Officer specializing in DevOps, generative AI, and strategy
• Dynamic financial leader with a proven track record of revenue growth in new markets

Leadership training and certifications

This is an additional section that other candidates applying for the same position may not have. If you have additional certifications or training that better qualify you for executive positions, this can be a great differentiator for hiring managers.

Consider technical certifications, leadership development courses, and leadership training such as Creative C Leadership or Kellogg Management.

Awards and projects

If you have several awards that are all relevant to your job search, you can make a section for those awards and projects associated with a professional development organization or other professional affiliations.

This is where you list leadership achievements like “Business Leader of the Year, [Organization], [Year]” or “Spearheaded alumni association silent auction to raise 25k in 2019.”

Volunteer experience

You don't have to include this section, but if you have the experience it is a nice differentiator. This is where you should mention your senior director role or position on the board of directors for a nonprofit. Keep it relevant to your ability to lead people or champion causes.

How to address leadership achievements on a resume

Unfortunately, executive resumes often fail to focus on recent achievements or don't prioritize the right ones for the new role.

1. Display a proven track record of leadership

Show, don't tell. An executive resume should include several achievement examples. Each bullet point should highlight a highly specific key accomplishment that is a direct result of your strategic direction as a vice president or senior director.

Examples of leadership achievements

• Led a successful negotiation for a $100 million credit facility at a 2% lower interest rate than the industry average, enhancing the company's liquidity and investment capabilities.
• Led a global marketing team across five regions, aligning efforts and achieving a unified marketing message that contributed to a 18% year-over-year revenue growth.
• Managed a marketing team of 20 professionals, achieving a 51% increase in lead generation through the optimization of inbound marketing tactics.

2. Show results from your business development initiatives

Use numbers to communicate the value in your professional background. Excellent business leaders prove their impact on their resumes. Think about increasing revenue, decreasing costs, saving time, gaining accounts, and so on. Back up all your achievement claims with quantifiable evidence.

Examples of business development achievements

• Cultivated a high-performance finance team through strategic hiring and targeted professional development, leading to a 20% increase in departmental productivity and efficiency.
• Spearheaded the adoption of marketing automation and CRM tools, resulting in a 25% increase in marketing efficiency and a 20% uptick in sales conversions.
• Championed a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that increased online sales by 35% within the first year of implementation.

Teal’s AI Resume Achievements tool can write leadership achievements as metric-rich accomplishment statements for you.

3. Align your executive experience to the job description

In addition to your experience and qualifications, your resume should show your alignment with a specific company’s values and mission. The will help you stand out from the other candidates.

Common challenges when writing an executive resume

The most common challenge executives have when writing their resumes is having too much information.

Executives should understand better than most that time is money.  More words does not mean more impact. In fact, it's often the opposite. The easier it is to understand what you're capable of achieving, the more interest you'll receive.

Here are 10 items that don't belong on your resume, and how to fix them:

1. Anything other than your name on the first line

Include your name only, with no credentials or job titles.

2. A resume objective

Use a resume summary or executive profile instead.

Your degree, school, and its location. 

4. Graduation year

Your degree, school, and its location. ‍

5. Your street address

Include city and state only.

6. Your company email

Use a professional personal email address that your current employer can’t access.

7. Experience from 10+ years ago

Keep your executive resume focused on your recent experience.

8. A job title as a headline

Use a resume headline that incorporates your target job title and key qualifications.

9. Typos and mistakes

Use spell check and proofread your resume meticulously.

10. Too much detail

Use white space and bullet points to ensure your resume is user friendly.

Executive resume tips

To craft an executive resume that stands out, focus on your leadership achievements and align them with the company's mission and values. An effective resume will emphasize specific examples of strategic leadership and measurable business impact, highlighting your ability to lead and drive results.

1. Keep your format simple

Your executive resume must be as simple as possible. Most of the mistakes above have to do with overly complicating your resume. This will muddy your message. Stay laser-focused on why you’re the right potential C-level, senior executive, or vice president. You can expand on your notable achievements in your cover letter.

2. Cater to an ATS

Simplicity is key for online applications, which use applicant tracking systems (ATS). Professionals in recruitment and human resources use these systems to parse your resume. It generates a standard report for the hiring manager, making it easy to compare many candidates. 

3. Focus on your experience, not your age

The other theme you must avoid is ageism. If you detail the year you graduated or the year you got your first job, you open yourself up to age-related discrimination that could cost you an interview. Keep the focus on your recent leadership accomplishments and relevant experience.

4. Proofread

Use a word processor to spell check your resume. Mistakes are easy to make but will hurt your job search. Look for common typos spell check won’t catch, like “manger,"

Pro Tip: The Teal AI Resume Builder has spell check built in to help you avoid embarrassing typos.

5. Be sure each section is clearly labeled

All of the sections within your executive resume should be clearly labeled except your contact details. The labeled headings will help applicant tracking systems parse your resume correctly for human resource use. You don’t need to include sections that aren’t relevant to you.

You may also move the sections around. Arrange your resume logically. Keep your most compelling information at the top. Remember you want your most impressive achievements to be on the top half of your first page.

There isn’t a specific number of words or pages you need to limit yourself to, but if you’re curious about how long a resume should be , aim for two or three pages.

Executive resume template

The easiest way to get started with your executive resume is using a proven template. The best executive resume templates are simple, polished, and modern without being flashy or outdated. Here are some resume templates from Teal's library to consider.

Formatting an executive resume

Use a clear layout.

Hiring managers need to fill job vacancies fast, whether it's a sales rep or a new chief executive officer. Recruiters will scan your resume in seven seconds so your name, job titles, and impact need to be immediately obvious to earn a closer look. Keep your layout simple.

Recruiters tend to skim resumes in an F pattern, starting at the top, then the first section, then down the page. This visual scan takes seconds. Some executive recruiters favor a Z motion, preferring a more thorough review for hiring at this level.

Organize chronologically

The executive style resume format is organized and targeted. The most logical format for highlighting leadership experience on an executive resume is to use a reverse-chronological resume . By listing your professional experience chronologically, starting with your most recent position, you keep your most recent accomplishments top of mind.

The benefit of the revers-chronological format is that your most impressive work is typically recent and, thus, listed first. This is in line with the F pattern scanning technique, ensuring that your key achievements are noticed quickly. 

Two page maximum

High-level resumes have a lot of information. They describe many years of experience in three pages or fewer. 

The top half of your first page is your most valuable real estate. Make sure your name, headline, and summary are precisely calibrated to reach your goal. There’s advice for how to do this further down in this article.

Example executive resumes

Here are several samples of senior executive resumes with various job titles from Teal's library of 1,500+ resume examples .

Executive resume sample: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Why it works

This executive resume example is tidy while still being exhaustive. It's easy to find job titles, education, certifications, and skills within a few seconds.

Look at the top half of the first page (only one page is shown). The name is the first thing that stands out. The professional summary is brief, including plenty of keywords and metrics expected on a chief financial officer resume.

The career experience shows this executive's current position held, Chief Financial Officer, and quickly demonstrates experience in financial restructuring, financial planning, and business development. Similar to the executive resume summary, these bullet points include several eye-catching numbers to prove impact.

A right column displays the required skills and the executive's MBA degree. This is a great example of strategic planning to satisfy a job description.

Executive resume sample: Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

This layout uses lots of negative space. White space can strategically draw the hiring manager's eye to certain information. This executive resume example uses white space around the job title, making it seem important.

The experience section of this resume example uses white space to emphasize the companies and job titles. Each bullet point uses white space at the end of the second line, making the accomplishments easier to skim.

There is no skills section on this page. This is strategic planning, showing off the experience by default. Whereas an executive resume example for a Chief Information Officer or Chief Operating Officer would have a dedication hard skills section, this Chief Marketing Officer knows her work experience is more intriguing.

Executive resume sample: Vice President of Marketing

A VP of Marketing knows the power of a strong personal brand. This resume example incorporates color, font styles, and clever positioning statements to showcase her extensive marketing expertise. The professional summary incorporates tailored key skills and precise job functions. The language throughout the resume is optimized and deliberate, as you would expect of a senior marketing manager.

This resume sample uses the right amount of color to make the headings pop. Your resume doesn’t have to be black and white, but keep your colors subdued. Again, you want to keep the focus on your accomplishments. Steer clear of bright colors. Use a dark green, purple, or blue instead. A bold maroon can work well, too. Make sure it shows up well on screen and on paper.

Keep the design elements like bullet points and color very simple to ensure the focus stays on your work, not your resume. Let your impact make an impression, not your document borders. 

Pro tip: use the same personal branding elements on your resume, online profiles, and cover letter. Your name will be one common theme, so style it the same way each time, e.g. Tina Miller vs. Tina J. Miller. Teal's Resume Builder and Cover Letter Generator can automate this for you.

More executive resume examples

Did we miss your job title target? Here are several more executive resume samples to references as you create your own:

• Chief Information Officer Resume Examples
• Chief Operating Officer Executive Resume Example
• Chief Technology Officer Executive Resume Example
• Chief People Officer Resume Examples
• Chief Administrative Officer Executive Resume Example
• Chief Revenue Officer Executive Resume Example

Does your resume look similar to these executive template samples? If not, follow along for a guide to write an executive resume with AI.

How to write an executive resume

The easiest way to create a senior executive resume on a professional template is to use a pre-formatted template. That way, you don’t have to worry about consistent formatting or designing a modern resume layout; the builder tool covers that, freeing you up to focus on the content.

Here’s how to build your resume in minutes with Teal's AI Resume Builder:

1. Upload your resume

Teal will parse your contact information, skills, experience, and education. Your information will populate automatically in the correct section. If you don't have a resume, you can upload your LinkedIn profile using the URL instead. You can edit any of the sections as needed.

2. Choose a professional template

Now that your content is in the builder, you can quickly preview your resume on several modern, professional templates. You can customize all the options.

3. Optimize your resume with the resume analysis tool

Your resume analysis will identify missing information, such as your location or phone number. It will also give you information about how to improve your existing resume. For example, it will recognize if you have more than 15 resume accomplishments. It will call out if your professional summary needs to be shorter.

You can edit the suggestions yourself or use AI features to rewrite it. Your score will improve as you change your resume.

Teal’s Resume Analysis will automatically identify errors and show you how to fix them on your resume.

Once you've written your full career history with metric-rich achievement statements and resume summary using Teal's AI, you can edit your skills.

4. Tailor your resume a the job with a match score

Once your resume looks right, copy and paste a job description for your ideal executive position. Teal will compare the job description to your resume and give you a match score . Don't worry if this score is low to begin with. Tailoring your resume to the job description will improve the score quickly.

If you’re missing relevant skills, Teal will highlight them. If you have those skills, you can add them to your resume immediately. Look to add soft skills to your resume summary and work experience. Add technical and hard skills to your skills section. The more you add, the more options you can select for future applications.

Go beyond excellent job fit by researching the company. As a potential company leader, your resume should reassure the recruiter that you can further a company mission. For example, if you want to be the chief executive officer of a struggling company, your resume should showcase your ability to manage crises, carry out your strategic vision, and your history of leading during a successful corporate restructure.

Tell a compelling story with your executive resume

An impactful executive resume is a great tool for a successful job search. Catch hiring manager's eye with a clean, professional resume layout that highlights your alignment to an executive role and company. Your resume must be more than a list of previous jobs; you need to tell a compelling story of your leadership prowess, strategic vision, and ability to motivate people to drive significant results under your guidance.

Streamline your efforts by using Teal’s AI Resume Creator . It ensures your resume is polished and tailored for every application. With easy to use AI features like the Achievements assistant, Professional Summary Generator, and Resume Analysis tool, you can write and optimize your resume efficiently in minutes, not days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should an executive resume cost.

The average executive resume is $200 to $2,000+. A professional resume writer will spend hours crafting your resume. You should have at least one intake phone call with your assigned executive resume writer to discuss your goals and experience and one review phone call after your resume draft is delivered.

Alongside your executive resume, you’ll get other professional documents that use the same visual branding. The deliverables will change based on what service you pick, but will likely include at least a cover letter and recommendations for your LinkedIn profile introduction. Executive resume writing takes time. This whole professional package takes several days to craft, so expect to compensate accordingly. For a faster, more cost-effective option, try Teal's resume AI . You can tailor your resume to every job with AI for $9 a week

What is the best format for executive resumes in 2024?

The best format for executive resumes today is a reverse-chronological resume format. It has a simple, modern layout that is easy to scan. It is well organized with clear sections and a logical flow of information. It makes good use of white space and bulleted lists. A resume in 2024 includes contact information, a resume headline, a resume summary, professional experience, skills, and education. Executive resumes should focus on leadership achievements and numerical results.

Is a three-page executive resume too long?

A three-page executive resume is not necessarily too long; however, it should be concise and relevant. The key is to ensure the first page is compelling enough to engage the reader and include only information pertinent to the target role. For those with extensive experience, it is acceptable to extend beyond two pages, provided each section adds value and demonstrates clear achievements and qualifications relevant to the desired position.

Caitlin Proctor

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Breaking news, 10 expert-recommended online resume writing services to use in 2024.

In the mix of college assignments and perhaps your 9-to-5, piecing together an attractive resume for employers can be a difficult feat.

Not only is this one-pager the bread and butter of what will lead to a first-round interview (fingers crossed!), but it’s an excellent portrayal of your skillset, employment history and unique skills that help a company’s HR department gauge if you’re the right fit.

Let’s cut to the chase — more specifically, let’s answer the question, “ How can I make my application stand out? ” One of the most influential steps is, without a doubt, rendering your resume to tip-top shape. And fortunately, there are some of the best online resume services like TopResume and Resumble out there to help.

Best Overall: TopResume

Best budget: resume companion, best optimization for applicant tracking systems: resumeble.

• Best Customizable : Brand Resumes
• Best with Career Consulting: Top Stack Resumes
• Best for Quick Hiring : ZipJob
• Best One-on-One Collaboration : Upwork
• Best for Cover Letters : ResumeSpice
• Best Budget : Craft Resumes

Whether you’re a senior in college applying for your first full-time job or you’ve been in the biz for years and are looking to segue into a different role, we rounded up the top online resume writing services you can use to help get your application in tip-top shape. Plus, we’ve enlisted Shannon Conklin, director of career and leadership development at The College of New Jersey to help!

Hop to her picks below or check out our FAQ for more details on things to look for when picking the right resume builder for you.

• Packages with unlimited resume revisions
• Free resume review
• 60-day interview guarantee
• Several customers who wrote reviews on Trustpilot mention having poor communication with their resume writers

TopResume is a beloved favorite — and for a good reason. It has four different packages depending on your career goals, some of which include unlimited revisions, a LinkedIn makeover, a cover letter and two interview prep sessions.

“TopResume continues to be a solid option,” Conklin shared. “It has strong descriptions, where the website and interface are easy to navigate to understand its process, its three packages, as well as testimonials.”

She also loves TopResume’s FAQ section, coupled with the various packages, that make its process clear and timeline. “There is also plenty of mention about AI and ATS technology,” she added. “If you need a resume quickly, one that accounts for technology, and a budget of only about $150, it looks like this service would be one to strongly consider.”

With TopResume, you’ll also get a 60-day interview guarantee. If you don’t get twice as many interviews, the platform will rewrite your resume for free. It’s pretty top tier, to say the least, and is a minimal investment for those hoping to find free resume-writing services.

• Self-directed service
• Template-based
• Must renew a subscription to edit resume in the future

“Resume Companion is a clean website with a clear message — build a resume quickly!” Conklin highlighted. “It offers templates, examples and advice on how to craft a resume, as well as a cover letter, as a self-directed service within about 15-minutes.”

What’s more, the service also makes it clear it offers a variety of templates based on industries and functions. “This can really help if you are trying to transition to a new field or your resume needs to be updated to reflect the latest in your industry,” she added.

With Resume Companion, you’ll be able to build your resume step by step, from selecting a professional template to answering a few simple questions to have your experience and skills added directly to your digital file. Namely, if you’re not much of a writer, you’ll appreciate its pre-written work experience bullet points to craft your resume in minutes and then apply away.

Not to mention, it’s only $8 a month, so if you want a one-and-done service, this one’s your best bet. Keep in mind that you will have to renew your subscription to edit in the future, but it’s a great budget-friendly option to pursue if you don’t want to be completely in the dark.

• 4-day turnover on resume drafts
• Three free revisions with standard resume package
• Only the premium resume package includes a job guarantee

Resumeble is not only has a fun name, but it includes a resume and cover letter in its baseline package. If you’d like to upgrade, you can receive a LinkedIn write-up, a second resume version, thank you and follow-up notes and cold emails to recruiters.

“Have you applied to dozens of jobs, only to never get through?” Conklin questioned. “If this resonates because your resume is not optimized for ATS platforms, Resumeble might be the choice for you. Mention of ‘ATS,’ as well as their outcomes and ROI, are weaved throughout its site.”

Conklin told The Post that she’s seen many clients apply to dozens and dozens of companies, only to be vetted out due to ATS. “When that happens, I often advise networking to complement a revised, ATS-optimized resume.” she tipped off. “This brings me to one other noteworthy element to their various packages, they support your full professional profile; resume to LinkedIn to recruiter communication support.”

For those who want to spend less than $200 for online resume writing services, this all-in-one option is fairly priced, making it one of the best affordable resume writing services. If you’re only looking to refresh your LinkedIn, you’ll just pay a one-time $99 fee. For just your resume, it’s a one-time purchase of $129 for the service.

Best Customizable: BrandResumes

• Has a self pace job search course
• Helpful step by step resume building guide
• Some customers who reviewed the service on Trustpilot report time delays in receiving their resume

BrandResumes made the cut as one of our top choices for online resume services for a few reasons: it’s one of the platforms best for ATS keyword optimization and formatting for interviews, LinkedIn branding and a customizable interface. If you buy the deluxe package, you’ll have your resume distributed across the 60 top job boards (including industry-specific ones), so you’ll spend less time applying.

“Learning the fundamentals of resume writing is a skill that will carry you throughout your career, and BrandResumes offers courses and resources to accomplish just that,” Conklin highlighted. “Once you understand how to format a strong bullet point, or the style you find reflects your story and values, you can start crafting various resumes to appeal to different audiences and fields.”

BrandResumes also offers resources to launch your own resume writing business — a tool that can be valuable for career experts seeking professional resume writing services. “If you’re seeking to dig into how to revamp your resume, or you find yourself (like many in HR or career services) consistently asked to help a friend or family member with their materials, this service will align with your goals,” she added.

Best with Career Consulting: TopStack Resume

• Pay only after you’re satisfied with the resume
• According to TopStack Resume’s site, resume complete takes up to 2 weeks

TopStack Resume is a force to be reckoned with in the career development sphere. Notably, it’s one of the only services that provides career consulting. So, in addition to resume and cover letter formatting, you have the option to partake in one-on-one sessions with a career advisor.

“Five steps is all you need to follow for your resume review by TopStack,” Conklin put it simply. “The simplicity of this service and the range of offerings (from a resume for $139 to career consulting for its Premium Package ) can be valuable for any job seeker or career explorer.”

Moreover, if you find yourself in need of more career support, maybe you’re changing fields or returning to work after time off, this is a strong contender. “Be mindful of your budget and timeline, so you take full advantage of a career consultant; a solid service should focus on the process, as much as a strong career outcome,” she added.

Plus, TopStack Resume is unique in that it has a team of well-qualified writers to ensure your one-pager is the best it can be. At a fair price point, you can always upgrade to add on more benefits in the future.

Best for Quick Hiring: ZipJob

• Fairly priced for the quality and swiftness of deliverables
• Optimizes for ATS so you’ll have better odds of visibility before your resume lands in human hands
• May be more difficult to ask for revisions if need be, due to the service’s robust turnaround time and automation

While no resume writing service can guarantee you landing your dream job, ZipJob has a unique offering in one of its packages that makes it a standout from the rest.

Ideal for candidates who are rapidly seeking their next role in a flash, ZipJob combines expert resume writers with the exact same tech employers to optimize your one-pager. The kicker? Its most popular plan, Fast Track, includes a professionally written resume, ATS optimization and direct writer messaging — but that’s not all.

Impressively, the Fast Track package for $189 also includes a cover letter and a 60-day interview guarantee. That’s how confident ZipJob is that you’ll get hired, and get hired quickly.

For $299, its Premium package includes a LinkedIn profile update to help maximize your chances and expedited delivery for super speed. If you want swiftness but don’t wish to compromise the quality of your application, you won’t have to worry with ZipJob.

Best One-on-One Collaboration: Upwork

• Several projects to choose from with unique writing strengths you may desire
• Typically budget-friendly
• Some options will have your resume written in only one business day
• Price points vary and quality of work varies depending on which project provider you select, so take caution and read reviews before working with a given person

Individual-driven platforms like Upwork allow you to shop around for a resume writing service that matches your specific needs and budget. Similar to platforms like Skillshare where talented, qualified creators host a course offering or a service, Upwork allows you to select from a variety of different projects where you’ll have one-on-one attention. Consider it akin to being matched with an online counselor.

Generally budget-friendly, most of Upwork’s providers only take one business day to deliver. The majority of providers also have thousands of positive, near-five-star reviews, so it’s surely a service to consider.

The one downside to Upwork is that quality of work may differ slightly, though that’s a given with its platform structure. This differs from some other services like TopResume where the company at large has its own writing structure, so it’s just something to take note of. However, for its affordability and speed, it’s a great dip into the pool of resume writing and related services, without spending more on a professional-grade platform.

Best for Cover Letters: ResumeSpice

• The baseline package offers a lot more than competitors, including phone consult, optimized draft and two edits
• Cover and thank-you letters are added to packages at an additional charge

ResumeSpice is ready to add that much-needed spice to your resume. It doesn’t just provide three different package options, but it specifically tells you which one would work best for you. For example, if you have no more than two years in the workforce, you should select its baseline package ($449). This package includes a phone consultation, an eye-catching resume format, keyword optimization, a personalized draft, two rounds of revisions based on your feedback and finalized versions in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats.

“Solid service is evident across ResumeSpice, and its focus on Executive Resume stands out from others,” Conklin pinpointed. “If you find yourself wanting to get to that next level in your career, you really do need to consider an executive coach with an eye towards that goal for your materials.”

You might, for example, realize you have decades of experience and are unsure where to start to consolidate — Conklin offered. “This is one of the most frequent concerns when making this transition, and a third party like ResumeSpice can be an invaluable resource and sounding board,” she added. “Finally, its site is clear in terms of turnaround, which shows they value your time and manage expectations — a positive sign on what you can expect service-wise.”

ResumeSpice offers other à la carte services, too, including cover letter help, LinkedIn profile revamping, interview preparation and career coaching.

Best Budget: Craft Resumes

• Unlimited revisions
• 5 day delivery
• Some reviewers mention time delays

Craft Resumes has an engaging, user-friendly interface that makes resume-building a fun, less stressful process. With ATS keyword optimization and a dedicated writer on your resume, rest assured that it will be in a healthy state to pass along to recruiters and job posters.

“Craft Resumes cleary focus on the ‘craft’ and design of writing resumes, where a distinguishing factor that caught my eye is their unlimited evaluation ‘at any reason’ for four days,” Conklin said, recommending the service. “This is valuable for job or graduate school seekers and career explorers, as you’ll likely have questions once you find an opportunity of interest.”

Similar to other services here, there is a one-on-one aspect that can be quite valuable, especially if you have the time. “There are also a variety of services and prices, not just resume writing,” she noted. “This is helpful for you budget, and evolving needs. Often times once you get a resume underway you start to realize that you’ll want other materials to be updated and aligned with your personal brand.”

For its most popular package, The Basic, you’ll have access to a single writer and unlimited revisions (which is a score compared to some other services on this list), strong and optimized words, unique formatting and a cover letter to increase your chances of landing an interview. However, Craft Resumes has other great packages worth exploring.

Best Resume Writing: Let’s Eat, Grandma Resume Service

• Consultation included with every package
• Executive Concierge Service that includes 10 days of unlimited revisions
• Quality writers and customer service, based off reviews
• No academic CVs or federal resumes

Humorous name aside, resume service Let’s Eat, Grandma has a laser focus on punctuation (as you can tell because nobody intends to write that they’d like to eat their grandmother on a professional document) — as well as resume formatting. What’s great about this platform, specifically, is its vast packages, ranging from drafting your resume to offering cover letters and networking services to help boost your career trajectory.

“Let’s Eat, Grandma hones in immediately on its ‘custom-tailored’ approach,” Conklin said. “While every resume review should be tailored to account for your story (as mentioned above), it’s clear this is a value of this service. Client outcomes are also front and center, where a mix of employers and schools are listed; this is notable if continuing education is a goal of yours.”

With four packages available, and FAQs on the homepage highlighting its range (i.e. academic, federal government and more), Conklin appreciates how it’s clear that this service is distinguishing itself from others, especially given the range of specialty materials they can help you create. 

What’s more, you’ll be assisted by a team of highly skilled writers who create targeted documents to help boost your chances of getting an interview. They’ll also speak to your unique strengths — and, therefore, amplify them on your resume — to tie your entire professional portfolio of experience together. They also have a package tailored for executives, making the platform a solid option for those needing executive resume writing services.

Which resume service is best?

The golden question, right? This depends mostly on your career goals. A range of services are available, and many are now even offered through LinkedIn. 

“When considering a resume service, it is important to consider the extent of guidance you are seeking,” Conklin, who has 15 years of experience in higher education — told The Post.

“Are you overhauling your resume? Are you transitioning industries and need to consider a different format or approach? What are your financial resources to pay for one, or should you explore services offered from your alma mater or current institution if you are a current or graduate of higher education?,” she questioned.

You’ll also want to consider the resume services’ reputation, Conklin suggested: Are there reviews or endorsements of a service, especially if you are paying for one? What is the background, and is the resume service aligned with your industry of interest? 

Is it worth paying for a resume service?

“It depends on the service and one’s circumstances as to whether it is ‘worth’ paying for the service,” Conklin said. “There are very reputable services out there, especially for more experienced career seekers. If you’re transitioning to a new field, or you are seeking to move to a senior or executive level, it could definitely be worth the cost.”

As a preliminary step, Conklin advised to really make sure you are an informed consumer when considering a resume service, and if you should pay or if you have a network or connections you can leverage for advice first. 

How much does it cost to have someone write your resume?

“When an individual pays for a resume service, there may be a flat rate, or it is calculated on an hourly rate and requires at least two sessions,” Conklin explained. “For example, it could cost $150 for a single session.”

However, there are resume services that can significantly exceed that rate and are part of a package that might include a quick return and other support, from LinkedIn to interview coaching, that is over $600, she highlights.

What to include on your resume, according to an expert

“Your story is the focus of your resume, and it is critical to be honest and reflect on how you want to tell that, ultimately,” Conklin noted. “The order also depends on the stage of your career (early, mid, senior, executive) and the industry you are seeking.”

In academia, for example, you’ll see a curriculum vitae (CV) that is pages long to reflect one’s research, publications, and roles held. In financial services, you would have a one-page resume until you have significant work experience. Or, in the creative fields, you may have a one-page resume and then an online portfolio or website that exhibits your work to complement your resume, she explains.

“No matter the field you are pursuing, you always want to make sure you list your experiences in reverse chronological order, you include your education/training, think of the keywords and skills (and make sure those are prominently displayed and included), and also think of what is most relevant,” she listed. “The most relevant should be at the top.”

It is also key to consider Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), automated review systems that scan resumes as part of an organization’s vetting process. “The format could align or cause issues with an ATS system,” Conklin added. “This is why it’s important to do your research, leverage any connections you have to gain insights into a field and their preferred format and get advice on keywords, skills and experiences to include.”

“If you do your homework, you should find clues to answer the questions above and guide your resume writing approach,” Conklin shared.

How we chose resume services

At Post Wanted, here’s what we keep in mind when researching and hand-selecting resume services:

• Customization : The best online resume services offer tailored resumes with personalized resume writing, in contrast to generic templates you can find for free.
• Consultation : Some services offer a one-on-one consultation with your writer so they can scope out your specific attributes, career highlights and other aspects to your curriculum vitae you want to spotlight.
• Comprehensive Packages : In addition to resumes, some services offer cover letters, LinkedIn profile optimization and career coaching. To some, this is worth the investment, though it may come with a higher price tag.
• ATS Optimization : A great benefit to online resume services is the focus on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), as human recruiters typically use this software use these screening systems before it lands in their hands.
• Turnaround Time : For some, there’s no time to be wasted when it comes to hunting for a new job. Looking at flexibility and speed is important; some services offer rush options for individuals who need a complete and optimized resume quickly.

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America’s go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance . We’re not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products , and consult experts on any topics we aren’t already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we’re known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

Hunting for a headline-worthy haul?  Keep shopping with Post Wanted .

How To Write a Resume for Your First Job

Imagine yourself stumbling across your dream job listing. You’re reading through the responsibilities and job tasks and you find yourself getting more and more excited as the list goes on. Then, it’s time to apply. But you have no real-world job experience. You’re just a student! How will you ever write a resume for your first job when you haven’t had one yet?

Knowing how to write a resume for your first job does not come naturally. In fact, it feels like a daunting task. If you have little applicable experience yet, or you’re just entering the workforce, how can you prove you’re the right fit for the position? 

Resumes are an excellent way to tout your knowledge, training and (if applicable) skills in the field. You can create an attractive resume highlighting your candidacy without any direct experience or prior work history.

We’ll show you how to write a resume for your first job so you can kick off your work experience with preparedness and confidence.

• Do you need a resume?
• What should you put on a resume?

Crafting a resume with no experience

Finalizing your first job resume, quick guide: write your first resume in 6 steps, do you need a resume for your first job.

While a resume may not be required to apply for your first job, it is highly recommended that you do so, and it will undoubtedly set you apart from the other applicants. A resume reflects your professionalism and commitment to the job application process. It showcases your knowledge, skills, training and prior experience in an easy-to-digest and relatively standard format, making it easy for potential employers to decipher between candidates to choose the best person for the job.

Even for entry-level positions, when many applicants don’t have a prior work history, sharing a resume will give you a competitive edge when written persuasively.

The role of a resume in job applications

A resume plays an important role when applying for jobs. It serves as an introduction to potential employers and those in the company who will decide whether or not to move forward with your application. It also provides a summary of what you bring to the table for those who will be interviewing you during the application process.

The resume is essential for showcasing your skills. A well-crafted and persuasive resume can highlight your achievements and knowledge, even if you have limited work experience in the field you’re applying to. Because your resume is the first contact point between you and a potential employer, it’s crucial to understand how to write a resume for your first job – and how to write it well.

What should you put on a resume for your first job?

There are a few things every resume must include – and those are some of the most essential details.

Contact information

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include the most important part of your resume – sharing your contact information. Start by listing your full name, phone number, email address and a link to your LinkedIn profile. Without your contact information, potential employers will have a hard time contacting you, which can prevent you from getting an interview.

Why share a link to your LinkedIn profile ? LinkedIn is now an essential part of the job search market. It serves as a shareable resume in addition to showcasing your network. Employers can see if you have any professionals in common from work or personal life, which may help build your credibility as a candidate.

Be sure to act professionally on LinkedIn. Share relevant news and insights to highlight your interest and knowledge of an industry, but be wary of getting too personal or engaging in inappropriate dialogue. Behave on LinkedIn as you would in an office setting with colleagues.

Educational background and achievements

Start by listing your educational information, such as schools attended, graduation dates and relevant academic achievements or awards. Include your major and minor, field of study and GPA. If you were enrolled in courses, projects or study abroad programs relevant to the job, include details to show your knowledge and interests.

Skills section

While you likely have some combination of hard and soft skills, a skills section will showcase the hard skills you’ve learned to prepare you for the job. Soft skills are best to be included in the bullet points to describe your accomplishments in your experience section.

• Hard skills include specific technical skills you’ve learned along the way. For example, computer proficiency, language skills, lab skills or specific training or certifications.
• Soft skills , or human skills, include job aspects that apply to many (if not all) job roles. These include communication, teamwork and problem-solving. If you’re particularly adept in any of these, showcase them and be prepared to share real examples of these skills in action.

Extracurricular activities and volunteer work

Employers look for candidates who go the extra mile to be involved in extracurricular activities. This demonstrates your commitment to becoming a well-rounded human being. Highlight clubs, sports or volunteer activities that you were involved in, especially emphasizing leadership roles or particular responsibilities you had in these activities. This extracurricular activity showcases your ability to multi-task, prioritize time and develop skills and interests.

Example Resume & Writing Guide

See a real-life example of a strong resume, including tips for gathering your own persuasive experience and skills using our Resume Writing Guide !

As a young adult or new graduate, you may wonder how to write a resume for your first job with no real-world experience. Don’t fear – there have been many in your shoes before you!

What does a resume look like for a first job?

Your resume should be straightforward with a clean and concise design. It should be easy to read with a simple flow highlighting information from most important to nice-to-have details. Do not go overboard with design details, fonts or graphics. 

Furman recommends that you use Microsoft Word to build your resume as it can be easier to make changes to a Word document than it is to change a template. However, you can use free resume builder tools online to build your resume in standard formats.

• Myperfectresume.com
• Resumenerd.com

Using strong action words and job-specific keywords in your resume for your first job will significantly impact you. Describe experiences and achievements using strong action verbs, such as:

• Collaborated
• Volunteered

What to put on a resume with no experience?

You can learn how to write a resume for your first job that impresses potential employers, even without relevant work experience, by emphasizing relevant coursework. Doing this demonstrates skills learned in a classroom or group project setting. Highlight personal or academic projects showcasing your abilities, such as experiences where you took the lead as a group or team leader.

Before submitting your first job resume, review and edit the document for mistakes or improvements.

Proofreading and editing

Attention to detail is critical to potential employers. Check your resume for typos and grammatical errors. Mistakes on your resume may eliminate you as a candidate, especially if grammatical adeptness or attention to detail is essential to the job.

Similarly, ensure a consistent design throughout your resume. Stick to one format, using one legible font and minimal design details. A professional resume appearance can set you apart from other applicants’ resumes that may appear messy or disorganized.

Seeking feedback

Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from friends, mentors or even career services at schools or community centers. A peer review from your fellow students, teachers or mentors can provide invaluable input on skills you may be forgetting, plus the extra set of eyes can help detect errors and typos.

Career services at your school or library also serve as an excellent third-party validation and review resource. Furman’s Malone Center for Career Engagement offers in-depth career preparation services for students, such as resume and cover letter assistance , career fairs and networking , personalized advice from advisors and interview prep – just to name a few.

Webinar: Polishing Your Resume & Preparing Your Pitch

Watch the free Polishing Your Resume & Preparing Your Pitch webinar for an in-depth look at creating your resume and preparing a pitch to potential employers straight from a Furman career advisor.

Now, do you feel ready and excited to write a resume for your first job? We hope you jotted down notes specific to your experience as you read through the post, but in case you didn’t, writing your resume can be simplified to these simple steps.

• Start with your contact information , including full name, phone number and email address. Consider adding a link to your LinkedIn profile.
• List your education experience , including relevant projects, courses and extracurricular activities.
• List both hard skills and soft skills relevant to the job.
• Explain your roles and responsibilities in your projects and extracurricular activities, especially those where you acted in a leadership capacity, using strong action verbs.
• Proofread and gather feedback.

If this is your first time writing a resume for your first job, approach the process with confidence and positivity. Your attitude will shine through the resume, so stay positive!

The perspectives and thoughts shared in the Furman Blog belong solely to the author and may not align with the official stance or policies of Furman University. All referenced sources were accurate as of the date of publication.

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45+ Best Communication Skills for Your Resume (Examples)

Discover the best communication skills for your resume. From verbal to written communication, learn how to list and describe them to make a lasting impression.

When adding communication skills to your resume, focus on tailoring them to the job ad and using specific terms from the job description. Highlight achievements showcasing your communication strengths, whether it's leading a project, resolving conflicts, or using digital tools like Slack and Zoom. This not only aligns you with what employers are seeking, but also boosts your chances with applicant tracking systems. Always back up your skills with examples to show you can deliver results and work well with others.

Soft skills often get a bad rap for being less important. But they hold serious value — these skills are innate and not always teachable. Yet, simply stating “communication skills” in your resume is too vague to show off your strengths to a recruiter.

Solid communication is key to building relationships, expressing needs, and sharing information — it’s everywhere, including the workplace. The trick is to show your communication skills in a way that highlights what you can achieve and the potential you bring to the company. 

And you can do this through your resume. This article will tell you: 

• All the top communication skills to include. 
• How to list your communication skills on a resume.
• The best ways to improve your abilities for future job opportunities. 

What Are Communication Skills and Why They Matter on a Resume?

Communication skills are how you share ideas, listen, and respond to others, whether verbal, non-verbal, visual, or written. We use these skills every day, so I’ll spare you the full textbook definition — it’s basically how you get your point across and understand others. 

Here’s how the main types of communication can translate into a resume: 

• Verbal communication. We all learn to talk early on, but clear and confident communication is a skill that takes practice. On your resume, you can highlight cases where you led a meeting, conducted a presentation, or explained complex ideas to a colleague.
• Non-verbal communication. This includes body language, eye contact, and facial expressions. Ever noticed how a smile can make someone more approachable? That’s non-verbal communication in action. Demonstrate this on your resume by mentioning roles where you engaged with clients face-to-face, showing approachability and confidence.
• Written communication. Writing emails, reports, or even messages in a chat all fall under written communication. If you’ve ever written a LinkedIn post, a persuasive email, or a detailed report, highlight these experiences on your resume. Show your impact with examples of increased engagement or positive feedback. 
• Visual communication. Using visuals like graphs, charts, or slides to communicate is a great way to get your message across. On your resume, you can mention creating PowerPoint presentations or designing infographics to convey complex ideas or data. 

Many communication skills are considered soft skills because they are personal traits that largely come from everyday experience—think active listening or body language. But many others are hard skills because they require specific knowledge and, usually, on-the-job training—for instance, negotiation techniques or even presentation skills.

With that said, all communication skills are precisely that: skills, not talents . And skills you can learn and improve. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a natural-born communicator, you can take steps to get better at both “hard” and “soft” types of communication skills.

Why do communication skills matter to employers?

Employers want candidates who can clearly express themselves and work well with others — would you really want a Dwight in your office? Good communication can prevent misunderstandings and frustration, making the workplace more productive. 

Communication skills are also crucial across many areas of professional life. You can apply them in business meetings, team projects, customer interactions, or those “networking” sessions in the office kitchen. Showing recruiters you’ve mastered the art of communication is showing them your versatility. 

Here’s a round-up of the top communication skills to include  on your resume: 

Top Communication Skills Examples 

Once your resume grabs the recruiter’s attention, be prepared to discuss all those impressive skills during the interview. Make sure you genuinely understand each skill you’ve listed and how it relates to your experience.

Here’s a rundown of the top communication skills and how they play out in the workplace:

Verbal communication

Verbal communication skills are basically about how good you are with the words and sounds that come out of your or other people’s mouths — about how well you articulate your thoughts and how well you understand what others say. These skills include expressing your ideas, dealing with customers, or persuading your boss to upgrade the office coffee machine. 

Strong verbal communication tells employers you can articulate information, suggestions, and feedback. For roles involving customer interactions or leadership, having solid speaking skills shows you can convey messages clearly and lead with confidence. But remember, verbal communication (like any other form of communication) is a two-way street. Active listening is just as important as speaking clearly.

Most of us can hold a conversation, so be specific on your resume. 

Here are some examples of how to list verbal communication on a resume: 

• Interpersonal communication
• Listening skills 
• Outbound calling 
• Body language
• Foreign languages
• Presenting skills 

Written communication

Written communication skills are about how well you convey information through messages, emails, reports, and notes. You don’t need to be a literary genius, but you should be clear and concise to avoid misunderstandings. 

One key thing to note: even if your job title doesn’t immediately bring “writing” to mind, strong writing skills can still be an asset on your resume.

When you write well, you can inform and persuade through your words, whether drafting reports, creating social media posts, or sending emails. And with so many of us working remotely, knowing how to communicate professionally (without overusing emojis or exclamation marks) is always a plus.

Check out these valuable writing skills for your resume: 

• Sending emails 
• Proposal and report writing 
• Spelling and grammar
• Editing skills
• Paraphrasing 
• Translation 

Giving and accepting feedback 

Giving and accepting feedback helps improve performance and productivity by showing employees and managers what’s working and what needs to change. 

Employers want to know you can handle constructive criticism without feeling like you’re under attack. Including this skill on your resume highlights that you’re committed to growth and can push others to do the same, making you a strong collaborator and proactive learner. 

Here’s how to frame those skills on a resume to show you’re dedicated to your development: 

• Constructive feedback
• Active listening
• Accountability
• Willingness to learn 
• Open-mindedness 

Team-building and collaboration

Team-building and collaboration involve working well with others to solve problems and achieve common goals. Effective team builders can delegate tasks, communicate clearly, and help team members grow. 

Teamwork makes the dream work, so being able to share ideas and listen to others tells employers you can work harmoniously in a group. Highlighting team-building and collaboration on your resume also shows you can motivate and support your team toward success. 

Here are some more skills to show you work well in a team: 

• Team communication
• Delegation 
• Goal setting 
• Adaptability
• Taking ownership 
• Inclusivity 

Leadership skills 

Leadership skills involve firing up your team, setting goals, training employees, and running operations. A successful leader can push their team to their full potential while making them feel valued and appreciated. 

Trust is key, and people work better for managers they believe in — so your ability to build rapport and guide teams in a positive working environment is a must. Nobody feels inspired by a micromanaging boss breathing down their neck, right?

Here are some phrases that will make your leadership abilities shine on a resume: 

• Management abilities 
• Employee training 
• Motivational feedback
• Planning and organization 
• Interviewing skills 
• Customer relationship management

Digital communication

Digital communication skills are essential in today’s remote and hybrid work environments. Knowing your way around Zoom, Slack, Asana and Microsoft Teams ensures easy collaboration and interaction.

Nobody wants to be the person who accidentally sends a private message to the entire team. Including this skill on your resume shows your ability to keep up with the times, especially handy for remote workers, or in areas like customer support or social media. 

Consider listing these skills on your resume to show your technical communication prowess: 

• Online meeting etiquette
• Remote collaboration
• Professional branding 
• Customer support 
• Digital messaging 
• Social media networking 

Conflict resolution 

Conflict resolution skills help navigate and settle any disputes to maintain a positive workplace. Whether you’re negotiating tough deals, dealing with customer complaints, or deciding on the office AC temperature, you can apply these skills to a range of situations. 

But it’s not just about settling disputes. Adding conflict resolution to your resume tells employers you value workplace harmony, which can boost productivity. It shows you have solid listening skills and that you consider others’ perspectives and respond thoughtfully. 

Check out these examples of how to frame conflict resolution on a resume: 

• Mediation skills 
• Trust building 
• Employee relations 
• Problem-solving 
• Emotional intelligence 
• Impartiality

Negotiating skills 

Negotiating skills are about reaching mutually beneficial agreements through formal contracts or verbal agreements. Skilled negotiators adapt their communication styles to fit the listener’s requests and avoid misunderstandings.

Pulling off a successful negotiation requires problem-solving, persuasive communication, and reading the room — all abilities that will make you an impressive candidate for future employers. 

Negotiation skills aren’t limited to the bargaining table, though. 

Take a look at some more specific ways to describe them on a resume: 

• Strategic thinking 
• Persuasive speaking 
• Assertive attitude
• Rapport-building 
• Contract negotiation 
• Business negotiation

How to Find the Best Communication Skills to Put on a Resume?

Googling “communication skills” and copy-pasting the first result won’t cut it. Recruiters have seen “listening skills” way too many times.

To make an impression, you need to be smart with your word choice, understand what the employer is looking for, and show exactly how your skills make a difference.

Check the job description

Tweaking your resume to match the job description might seem like extra effort — but it’s an easy way to get inspiration on what skills and experience the employer wants from you. 

Will you be working with a global team? Mention how your remote collaboration skills have helped you build connections. Are they looking for someone with growth potential? Outline your experiences in accepting and acting on feedback.

Using similar terms from the job description shows recruiters you’re the right fit for the role and boosts your chances with applicant tracking systems (ATS) when scanning resumes for keywords. 

Check out this job ad for a product manager position: 

This company’s looking for someone who can communicate in group discussions, so mention times you led projects or regularly contributed to meetings to show you’re a team player. They also emphasized data visualization, so include your knack for explaining complex ideas to non-technical clients. 

You don’t need to quote the job ad word for word — just outline your relevant experiences, and your skills will speak for themselves.

Research skills relevant to your industry

Every industry has its own communication style — whether it’s interviewing in recruitment, content creation in marketing, or interacting with customers in sales. Some working environments require online collaboration, while others have you mingling with your colleagues. 

Recruiters look for candidates who understand the core skills of your chosen industry and can show proficiency in those areas. Doing your homework on industry-specific communication tells employers you have the skills to address the unique challenges and needs of that field. 

Consider your achievements

If your skills list is still looking pretty thin, think about your accomplishments and how you’ve applied your skills in real-world scenarios. 

Look at your past achievements and identify the communication skills that played a key role. Have you successfully led a team project? Emphasize your abilities in team communication, delegation, and even conflict resolution. 

If you’re short on work experience, think about your days in education. Did you navigate a year of online learning during the pandemic? Perfect — you can list skills like remote collaboration, online messaging, and a great deal of patience on your resume.

Still stuck on inspiration? Check out our AI Skill Explorer to dig deeper into any key skills you may have missed.

How to Put Communication Skills on a Resume?

You’ve pinpointed your skills, but you can’t just list them on your resume and call it a day. Recruiters only spend a few seconds on each resume, so your skills must stand out and prove you’re a top-notch candidate. 

Let’s dig into where you should include your skills and how to use them to show off your accomplishments. 

Tailor to the job description

Job postings spell out exactly what they want — so use that to your advantage. 

Start by digging into the job ad and highlighting any specific communication skills listed as requirements. But avoid copying and pasting generic terms like “client support.” These phrases are bland and don’t tell the recruiter what you bring to the table. 

Focus on real wins — if they need someone to handle customer interactions, highlight your successes in customer service. You can also use action verbs, such as “presented” and “collaborated” to make your resume more dynamic and easier to scan by ATS systems.

You don’t need to overhaul your resume completely for each application. Just tweak your word choice and skill selection to match what each employer is looking for, and show how your skills translate into success.

Mention top skills in the resume summary

Your resume summary is your elevator pitch and how you’re going to grab a recruiter’s attention right off the bat. Make it concise, relevant, and interesting by focusing on the communication skills that make you a standout candidate. 

Include the communication skills that are most relevant to the position. If the job requires strong verbal skills, emphasize your expertise in delivering engaging presentations or negotiating with stakeholders. Always aim to link these communication skills to your achievements to show the impact of your abilities. 

Here’s an example of an eye-catching summary with a focus on communication skills: 

Customer service specialist with a knack for effective verbal communication and problem-solving. Skilled in handling customer inquiries, resolving complaints, and presenting product features. Recognized for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and maintaining positive client relationships.

Showcase skills via your work experience

Listing skills in bullet points is neat for summarizing, but it’s just that — a summary. Recruiters need to see how you put those skills into action and how they benefit the company. Saying you’re great with phone calls doesn’t mean much if you prefer leaving long voice notes (guilty as charged)!

When describing your work experience , pick specific examples that show how you’ve used your communication skills. Think about times when your communication skills were pivotal and delivered real results. 

Did you lead a successful project meeting? Or negotiate a deal that brought in significant revenue? These are gold for showcasing your abilities. And you can add more weight to your accomplishments by using real numbers to back up your claims. 

Here’s how to show your skills in your work experience section with measurable outcomes:

Administrative Assistant | ABC Company March 2019 — Present • Managed office communications, including emails, phone calls, and scheduling meetings, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. • Coordinated travel arrangements and itineraries for executives, managing detailed records and expense reports. • Developed and maintained filing systems, boosting data retrieval efficiency by 30%. • Assisted in preparing presentations and translating complex data into clear, concise information for team meetings. • Acted as a liaison between departments, encouraging effective communication and collaboration across the organization. • Organized company events and meetings, ensuring all logistics were handled seamlessly and attendees were well-informed.

Through these experiences, the jobseeker is demonstrating key skills, like conveying complex information, teamwork, and leadership abilities. It's not about cramming “communication” into every sentence, but strategically emphasizing how strong communication skills helped you deliver results. 

Summarize with a list of skills

Once you’ve woven your abilities into your work experience, you can summarize them in your skills section. Including a bulleted list lets recruiters and ATS scanners quickly identify your strengths. 

Here’s an example of how to outline your skills: 

• Presenting data. Excellent at presenting complex information and ideas in meetings and client interactions. • Team Collaboration. Effective in working with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals. • Data Visualization. Adept at explaining data insights to non-technical stakeholders. • Analytical Skills. History of identifying issues and implementing practical solutions. • Project Management. Expertise in planning, executing, and overseeing projects to ensure successful completion. • Technical Knowledge. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and project management software, like Asana and Trello.

But remember, recruiters will only glance over this section — they might even use it to determine if the rest of your resume is worth investigating. So make sure you tailor your skills to match keywords in the job description. 

While it’s handy to cover the basics, avoid using too many generic terms. Instead, opt for specific skills and tools, such as “Project Management,” “Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software,” or “Digital Marketing Campaigns.”

Spotlight skills using the right format

Many assume that a functional or combination format is the answer to drawing attention to your skills. However, using a functional or combination resume is a risky departure from the standard, recruiter-approved reverse-chronological resume format, which places your work experience front and center. 

Here’s a rundown of the main resume formats: 

• Reverse-chronological format . This widely used format highlights your work history, starting with your most recent position and working backward. Recruiters favor this layout because it clearly showcases your career progression and makes it easy to find key information. I highly recommend this structure to boost your chances of getting noticed. 
• Functional (skills-based) format . The functional format places your skills front and center, but can often lead recruiters to make the wrong assumptions and wonder what you have to hide. This outdated format also doesn’t perform well with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), so I wouldn’t recommend going down this route. 
• Hybrid (combination) format. Combining these two formats can be effective if you want to highlight your extensive skills upfront with extensive work experience. This format is a good choice if you have plenty of work experience, numerous accomplishments, or a diverse set of technical skills. 

My go-to choice would be the reverse chronological format or the hybrid structure, where you place your skills up top with specific examples or achievements that show how you’ve used these skills in real situations. 

Here’s an example from a combination resume: 

Customer Service:

• Resolved an average of 30 customer inquiries per day, with a 95% satisfaction rate. • Implemented a new customer feedback system that improved response times by 50%. • Improved retention rates by over 25% by designing and implementing customized cancellation surveys. • Trained and onboarded 22 Junior Customer Service Representatives.

Organizing your skills like this shows employers exactly what expertise you bring to the table. But you can demonstrate your skills just as effectively using a reverse chronological format — you just need to make sure that your descriptions of past jobs reflect whatever skills you listed in the skills section.

Focus on positive outcomes

You’ve got the gist by now — whenever you mention your skills or experiences, highlight the positive outcomes. So, you wrote social media posts for your company; did they boost engagement? Did your powers of persuasion close any deals?

Focusing on positive outcomes means you’re not just listing responsibilities — you’re showing employers the real impact of your communication skills and your ability to deliver results. Talk about how your clear communication helped finish a project ahead of schedule, or how your presentation skills secured a new client.

Use numbers and metrics whenever you can. Instead of saying you improved customer satisfaction, say you increased it by 20% through adaptable communication strategies.

If you’ve received awards or recognition tied to your communication skills, flaunt them. Mention specific achievements like winning a speech competition or receiving praise for a successful presentation.

Be clear and concise

You can’t claim to be a master communicator if your resume isn’t clear. Your grammar skills, writing style, and ability to tell your story will be under scrutiny — you don’t want to miss an opportunity because of a few typos. 

When crafting your resume, go through it with a fine-tooth comb and remove any unnecessary details or wordy phrases to keep it to the point. Remember, recruiters take less than ten seconds to scan your resume — you want them to focus on the good stuff. 

Space on your resume is precious real estate, so make every word count. Highlight your communication skills and other abilities concisely. Use bullet points to list achievements and skills — it’s easier to read and quickly grabs the recruiter’s attention. 

Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills

You’re probably itching to send out your resume and land that job, not spend more time tweaking your skills. But trust me, sharpening your communication skills is worth it. These skills are versatile and can open up all kinds of doors in any industry you choose. Plus, those improved skills will eventually shine on your resume.

Improving your communication skills is easy. It just takes a bit of self-reflection, a fresh perspective, and a genuine desire to get better. Simple steps that can lead to big results down the road.

Master active listening

The tech boom has made our attention spans shorter — how many times have you glanced at your phone mid-conversation? Start by putting away your phone, closing your laptop, and giving the person your full attention.

Resist the urge to jump in with questions or solutions prematurely. We’ve all been guilty of planning our response before the other person finishes — and people notice. Let them complete their thoughts to show you’re genuinely listening and understanding their message.

Once they’ve wrapped up, take a moment to summarize what you’ve heard. You might say, “So, what I’m hearing is…” This shows you’re paying attention while clarifying any potential misunderstandings.

Show interest and ask questions 

Small talk easily makes it on the list of things I prefer to avoid. You’re not exactly showcasing your communication skills if your go-to topic is the weather. 

Try asking open-ended questions in discussions that get people talking more. Skip the yes or no non-starters and go for open-ended questions like, “How did you tackle that problem?” or “What do you think about this plan?” It shows you’re genuinely curious about their perspective and opens the conversation.

Don't be afraid to dig deeper into topics that interest you or where you need more clarity. Asking follow-up questions shows you’re really processing what’s being said and want to learn more, leading to more engaging chats and stronger connections.

Go out of your comfort zone

Fun fact: Back in my early 20s, I moved to a foreign country by myself — no job, no friends, and no grasp of the language. Did it make me a more confident and self-assured person? Absolutely. 

There’s a reason people tell you to venture out of your comfort zone — and honestly, it’s never as scary as you imagine. 

Challenge yourself with new communication tasks regularly. It could mean stepping up to lead a meeting, speaking up in group discussions, or presenting ideas to a larger audience. Each challenge (whether big or small) adds to your confidence and broadens your skills, making future interactions less daunting.

And you don’t have to dive in headfirst. Let’s say you have a presentation coming up — take some time to outline your points, anticipate questions, and consider how best to get your message across. Practice and preparation are key to making you feel more at ease.

Build relationships

Good communication starts with getting along with the people around you. Take time to connect with your coworkers on a personal level. Ask about their weekend plans or what they do for fun outside of work. 

Approach conversations with a friendly and positive attitude. No one wants to talk to someone who looks like they just had a sour glass of milk. Smile, make eye contact, and use a polite tone to create a welcoming atmosphere where communication flows naturally.

As you build deeper relationships, your confidence will grow, giving you more room to improve your communication skills. Who knows? It might even lead to a promotion or an interesting networking opportunity.

Change your mindset 

Changing your perspective is easier said than done, right? When I first entered the professional world, I wasn’t great at taking feedback. I’d get frustrated and defensive whenever someone pointed out areas for improvement.

But then I realized, how does getting defensive serve me? It doesn't help me learn or grow; it only holds me back. So, I decided to shift my mindset. I started seeing feedback not as criticism, but as valuable insights to help me get better.

Surprise, surprise — once I started embracing feedback and thinking about how I could use it to improve, things got a lot smoother. Those negative feelings I used to have? They faded away.

Feedback is your golden opportunity to learn and grow. When someone gives you feedback, they are ultimately trying to help, so listen with an open mind. Everyone’s got their perspective, so take the time to understand where they’re coming from. And don’t be afraid to challenge your own beliefs — sometimes, our mindset can hold us back without us even realizing it. 

Learn from the experts

We all know someone who can stroll into any room and strike up a conversation with ease. Pay attention to how they talk — their tone, facial expressions, and body language. What makes their communication so smooth and engaging? Reflect on this and apply those techniques to your conversations and presentations.

If your job relies heavily on customer service or client interaction, you can even check out platforms like Coursera and Udemy, which offer a range of courses on communication skills. 

Here are some top recommendations: 

• Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills (edX)
• Finding Your Professional Voice: Confidence & Impact (Coursera)
• The Complete Communication Skills Master Class for Life (Udemy)
• Winning Communication Skills for Telephone & Conference Calls (Udemy)
• Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialization (Coursera)

Look for courses that align with your interests and career goals. Whether it’s nailing public speaking or polishing your writing chops, structured courses can dish out some great tips and techniques.

But I'd only recommend shelling out for a course if your job hinges on strong communication skills. If not, there are tons of freebies out there, like TED Talks and documentaries on communication styles and tricks. Take notes on how top-notch speakers grip their audience, organize their messages, and use language to get their point across.

Here’s a recap of all the tips and tricks you need to know when adding communication skills to your resume: 

• Don’t just say “excellent communication skills.” Instead, mention specific skills like “negotiation,” or “public speaking,” to add clarity and show recruiters what you can offer the company.
• Match your communication skills to those listed in the job description. If they value teamwork, emphasize specific collaborative skills or your experiences working on successful team projects. 
• Start bullet points with action verbs like “presented,” “collaborated,” “mediated,” or “negotiated” to show practical application and boost your chances with ATS scanners. 
• Include numbers to quantify your positive impact. For example, “increased customer satisfaction by 20% through effective communication strategies.”
• Mention specific situations where your communication skills made a difference, such as closing a deal or delivering a key presentation to clients.
• Focus on positive outcomes of your communication efforts, like “secured a new client” or “resolved conflicts efficiently,” to demonstrate results and achievements. 
• If you have many communication skills under your belt, consider a dedicated skills section to list them clearly — just avoid generic statements. 
• Be clear and concise in your descriptions to keep your resume easy to read and impactful, ensuring it grabs the recruiter's attention. 

How do you describe communication skills on a resume?

First, include your most important skills in the skills section. But don’t stop there. Describe your communication skills by outlining your experiences and any positive outcomes. For example, “Negotiated contracts with vendors, resulting in a 15% cost reduction.” By focusing on your accomplishments, you’re telling the recruiter how your skills have a tangible impact.

What is considered an extensive communication skill?

Extensive communication skills cover a broad spectrum of abilities, including verbal (public speaking, storytelling), written (emails, reports), listening (active listening, empathy), and non-verbal communication (body language, eye contact). Mastery in multiple areas, such as conflict resolution, persuasive communication, and digital communication tools, also falls under this category.

How to say you have good communication skills on a resume?

Simply saying you have “good communication skills” is generic and doesn’t tell recruiters what you can bring to the table. Instead, use specific skills to showcase your achievements. For example, “Authored and edited newsletters that increased readership by 40%.”

What is another word for communication?

“Interaction” or “dialogue” can serve as alternatives for communication. Depending on the context, terms like “correspondence” (for written communication) or “engagement” (for interactive communication) could also be appropriate.

Other synonyms for communication skills include “people skills”, “social intelligence”, and “interpersonal skills”. 

What is a good sentence for communication skills?

A good sentence demonstrating your communication skills should focus on specific abilities and how they contributed towards your accomplishments. You could say, “articulated complex ideas clearly, boosting team productivity through improved understanding and collaboration.

Lauren Bedford

Lauren Bedford is a seasoned writer with a track record of helping thousands of readers find practical solutions over the past five years. She's tackled a range of topics, always striving to simplify complex jargon. At Rezi, Lauren aims to craft genuine and actionable content that guides readers in creating standout resumes to land their dream jobs.

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How To List Degrees on Your Resume

Write the Full Name of Your Degree

List multiple degrees in reverse-chronological order, recent graduates should feature extra information, how to list an associate degree on your resume, how to list a bachelor’s degree on your resume, how to list a master’s degree on your resume, education section frequently asked questions.

Education is often a key asset to your job search, so it’s important to list your academic credentials on your resume correctly. First, give the name of your degree, followed by your major if it relates to your target job. Next, write the full name of your school as well as the city, state, and (optionally) your graduation date. In this guide, we’ll show you how to properly feature your associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees on your resume.

Provide the full name of your degree followed by its abbreviation in parentheses. This ensures your document will achieve Applicant Tracking System (ATS) compliance for either “Bachelor of Arts” or “B.A.” when the software parses your document for keywords. Regarding the use of periods in degree abbreviations, standards differ among the Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), and other academic institutions. But whether you choose to write “Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)” or “Bachelor of Arts (BA),” stay consistent for all degrees in your education section.

When citing multiple degrees on your resume, put them in reverse-chronological order, or newest to oldest. If you’ve earned a master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degree all within the same major, feel free to leave off your associate to save space.

Master of Science (M.S.), Information Technology University of Florida, Gainesville, FL | 2020

Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Information Technology University of Florida, Gainesville, FL | 2018

If you’re just out of school and don’t have relevant work experience to highlight, you can compensate for this by noting the stronger aspects of your education. These extra details may include your grade point average (GPA), academic awards, associations, or even coursework.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Philosophy Harvard University, Cambridge, MA | 2021 GPA: 3.92/4.0

• President, Continental Philosophy Association, 2020 – 2021
• Member, Harvard Diversity Student Coalition, 2018 – 2021
• Editor, Harvard University Literature Magazine, 2017 – 2019
• Summa cum laude
• Dean’s List, 2017 – 2021

Write out the full name of your associate degree followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. If your work experience is limited, flesh out your education section with any academic honors or awards you’ve won.

Associate of Science (A.S.), Nursing University of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY | 2021 GPA: 3.8/4.0

Follow the same format when detailing your bachelor’s degree. Keep your years of experience in mind here, as you won’t need to include details such as your GPA, academic awards, or an associate degree if you already have substantial hands-on experience in your field.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Software Engineering University of Seattle, Seattle, WA | 2021

In most cases, show both your master’s and bachelor’s degrees on your resume. Although hiring managers will likely assume you’ve earned a bachelor’s, failing to cite this degree could hinder your resume during the initial ATS scan. As previously mentioned, order your degrees from newest to oldest. You can also leave off additional academic achievements unless you lack relevant work experience to feature on your resume.

Master of Science (M.S.), Chemical Engineering University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI | 2021

Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Chemical Engineering University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI | 2019

Should my degree be at the top of my resume? -

Not usually. As a general rule, order your resume sections by relevance. For most job seekers, that means putting the work experience section first and education second. But you may opt to reverse this order if, say, you just graduated, and your degree program speaks strongly to your target job.

How do I list an unfinished college degree? -

Although you may be tempted to leave your college experience off your resume if you didn’t finish your degree, it is helpful to include. Having some higher-level education is better than none, and may help you avoid being rejected by ATS if the company scans for a particular word or term like “bachelor's degree.” Write "Coursework toward" before the degree name, and list the dates you attended and the number of credits you earned so you don’t give the wrong impression that you graduated.

If you’re still completing the degree in question, put "Candidate" in front of the title, as in Candidate: Bachelor of Science (BS).

Coursework toward: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), English Literature University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA | 2016 – 2018

• Completed 40 credits in English literature

Does it ever make sense to omit degrees on my resume? -

Yes, but rarely. As mentioned above, you might leave out an associate degree to save space. In rare cases, you may also choose to omit an advanced degree if it would overqualify you for the job opening at hand.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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