good chronological resume

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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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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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.

• Career Blog

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

How to Use a Reverse Chronological Resume Format

10 min read · Updated on February 07, 2024

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

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

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

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

What is a chronological resume?

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

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

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

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

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

How to structure a chronological resume

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

Contact information 

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

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

A summary or professional profile

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

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

Work experience or employment history

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

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

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

Employer name

Dates worked

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

Projects or tasks you completed

Skills you used

Awards and achievements

Numbers and statistics that quantify your successes

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

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

Additional sections like awards, hobbies, or languages

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

Tips on when to use a reverse-chronological resume format

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

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

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

How to use reverse-chronological resume format

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

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

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

Examples of chronological resumes

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

Customer Service Representative, Fort Worth, TX

August 2020 - present 

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

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

Calmly handled 200+ calls each day

Developed successful tactics to upsell products and services to customers

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

Here's an option for a Server:

Rooster Bar & Grill, Boston

Lead Server

June 2018 - August 2022

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

Achieved promotion to Lead Server six months after joining the team

Upsold wine pairing suggestions to customers, based on preferences

Memorized ingredients and allergens on a menu of 30+ dishes

Performed bartending responsibilities during holiday weekends and special events

Check out this example for a Sales Associate:

ABC Pet Shop, Durham, NC

Sales Associate 

September 2021 - present

Maintained a clean shop environment and neat product displays

Gained recognition for reliability and zero absence work record

Fed animals and made sure they had access to fresh water

Answered customer questions and referred to other departments

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

Maintained accurate work logs and reported inconsistencies

Chronological resume template

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

Header information

Your name & job title

Phone number

Email address

LinkedIn profile

Professional summary

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

Employment history

Employer name and job title

Dates worked and location

Main duties and responsibilities

A key skill demonstrated

Measurable achievement #1

Measurable achievement #2

Degree name, school

Dates attended, location

Optional bullet point for GPA

Optional bullet point for leadership positions

How to adapt the reverse-chronological resume format for students

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

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

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

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

Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America

May 2022- present, Richmond

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

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

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

Worked to educate the local community on safe pedestrian practices

Treasurer, National Math Honor Society, Arcs High School

September 2021 - May 2022, Richmond

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

Tracked payments and expenses and created reports for the Club Supervisor

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

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

Petsitter, Private client

June 2020 - present, Richmond area

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

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

Reported issues and behavior changes to the owner and adapted accordingly

Land your dream job

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

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

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

Recommended reading:

How to Check if My Resume is ATS-Friendly

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

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

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• Resume Tips

How To Write A Chronological Resume (Guide + Example)

11 min read

Job applicants use many different resume formats, but none are more popular than the reverse-chronological resume format. Also referred to as a chronological resume, it starts with the most recent job experience and works backward. Chances are you've seen a few of these in your time and even used one yourself.

In fact, it’s so popular that most people instinctively picture the reverse-chronological resume format when they hear the word “resume.” So, you’ve seen them and maybe used them - but do you know how to write a reverse-chronological resume?

These tips can help you gain more insight into the important process of writing a resume and help you build a chronological resume that facilitates your job search.

Why is the reverse-chronological resume format so popular?

First, it’s important to understand why the reverse-chronological resume format is so popular. Its name comes from the way that it lists your current and previous work history in chronological order.

The reverse chronological listing method showcases your career progression, so it provides the most relevant information to hiring teams at the top. Because it’s the most widely-used resume format, it also provides hiring personnel with an easy-to-read summary of your various jobs and is compatible with the widest possible array of industries and job types while accommodating different experience levels, too. 

Another critical factor as to why the reverse-chronological resume format is typically the best choice is that it is easily read by an employer’s applicant tracking system, or ATS. Applicant tracking systems filter resumes for employers by scanning them for key information and relevancy related to the job posting. If you use a format that the ATS can’t easily read, it will likely mean your resume won’t land in the hands of a human reader, even if you’re qualified.   

Who should use the reverse-chronological resume format?

In most instances, you should list your work experience reverse-chronologically: start with your most recent experience and order the remaining experience from newest to oldest.

One exception to this is if you have a nonlinear professional history. In that case, it might be best to use a hybrid or functional resume format instead. A functional resume focuses on your job functions and key skills and minimizes your work history to titles and dates. A hybrid resume combines aspects of a functional and reverse-chronological resume. These should be a last resort but are sometimes a good option for those with significant employment gaps or little relevant experience.

How to write a reverse-chronological resume

There are five areas of focus to consider for the reverse-chronological resume format: contact information, summary, work experience, education, and supporting details. This post organizes them by the questions each section needs to answer.

1. How should hiring managers contact you?

Your chronological resume needs to start with the right information about you: your contact details. It’s vital that employers know how to reach you. Be sure to include all these details right at the top of your resume:

Your phone number

Your LinkedIn URL (optional)

If a hiring manager needs to hunt for your contact information, there’s a good chance you won't be contacted. Always include your full name, phone, and professional email address at the very top of your resume. 

It’s also a good idea to include your LinkedIn URL. Most employers will look you up online before contacting you, so this is anticipating that step. It's unlikely employers will contact you by LinkedIn, however, since most correspondence about job applications happens by email.

Example of a contact section on a resume:

Here are some additional tips to consider:

Don’t include your full mailing address - this is an outdated idea from when people applied for jobs by submitting paper resumes. You can provide your city, state, and zip code, or just the country if you're outside of the USA.

You don't need to label each section "Email" or "Telephone." It's obvious to the reader.

2. How would you summarize your experience and key accomplishments?

Next up, include a brief resume summary of your skills, work history, and career highlights. Think of this section as your resume's elevator pitch - a short and simple pitch to capture employers' attention and make them want to read on.

The elevator pitch is a concept from the sales industry. Sales professionals should be able to sum up their product in 30 seconds or less: roughly the amount of time you might share an elevator ride with someone.

Similarly, your resume should quickly convey why you're a great fit for your job target. Your work experience section will support your claims.

Example of a summary on a chronological resume:

Consider the following tips for your summary section:

Start your resume summary with a headline . This can be as simple as the job title you're targeting or your top certifications, skills, or accolades.

This section should generally stay between 4 and 6 lines. Be selective about what you showcase here.

It’s a good idea to include a list of core competencies just below the summary to highlight key skills you have related to the job. 

Keep this section employer-focused. Try to check all the boxes the employer is looking for by using keywords from the job description and examples of how you add value.

3. What have you accomplished in your work experience?

As we've already mentioned, your work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. Beyond the job title and basic info, though, what should you include in this section?

The bulk of your resume will be in the work experience section. To make the most of your experience, you need to include both the essential information and the compelling information that will land you the interview.

Here are the essential parts of your work experience section:

Basic company information like company name, the location of the job, the dates you were employed

Your job title (or multiple job titles if you earned a promotion or changed jobs internally)

Details about your experience

Some people incorrectly assume that the details about your experience are merely a list of obligations or daily duties. The reality is that you need to highlight your accomplishments and achievements in a way that shows employers how you add value and can succeed on the job. Let's look at an example before we talk about how to level up how you describe your work experience.

Example of work experience on a chronological resume:

This example does several things to represent this candidate as compelling and valuable. The bullet points are specific, informative, and impressive. None of these bullet points could be guessed from the job title. This resume would really stand out from other Creative Manager resumes that only list bullet points like "Helped with creative ideas for [company project]."

Here is some advice on what to include to make your work experience more compelling to employers.

Include standout accomplishments from each position, such as projects you contributed to that had a positive outcome or specific ways you improved business.

Add numbers that translate your effort into value. Monetary gains are great, but here are some other metrics ideas: time saved, people managed, increase in output, decrease in errors.

Use plenty of keywords from your industry and the job you're applying to. If all the jobs you want to apply to want marketing strategy, be sure to include your experience with marketing strategy in this section. You'll appear especially compelling if you can provide the results of your marketing strategy.

4. Do you have the proper credentials?

After your work experience section, there should be a section that details your education: degrees, certifications, continuing education, and training. You should provide the name of the school or institution and the name of your degree or certification. You don't need to include the year you completed the education unless it was very recent or is a certification that will expire at some point—like a real estate license.

Essentially, you want to prove you're qualified on a basic level to do the job you're applying for. If the job description requires a degree, license, or certification, this is where you should include it if you have it.

Just like your work experience, you want to list your most recent education first. This tends to be your highest degree. An exception to this is if you’re changing careers. In that case, you’ll list your most relevant degree first and the rest in reverse chronological order. 

5. What else makes a good chronological resume?

Suppose you have additional relevant information that doesn't fit into the sections above. In that case, you can add more sections to a reverse-chronological resume format. However, most resumes should be no more than one to two pages long , so be sure to stick to this guideline and only add what's necessary.

Here are some additional sections you might include:

Additional applicable skills: This section is optional and would go near the end of your resume following your education section. Adding a skills section can be helpful if you want to highlight specific required skills, like technical skills, or if you have additional skills that would help an employer make a decision. However, if you feel you covered all your skills in the core competencies section below your summary, then forgo adding an additional skills section at the end. 

Volunteer work: Volunteer work can be very relevant when applying for jobs. You can have a dedicated volunteer work section or include it as "Additional Experience" with other part-time, freelance, or work experience. Volunteer work serves a number of purposes, such as displaying skills you don't use in your professional work, like event organization, fundraising, or even leadership skills, and nods to the causes you care about enough to donate your time to. 

Volunteer work can also help fill gaps in your resume and your interview. If you've been job searching for three months, it sounds way better to say you've been volunteering and learning new skills versus sitting at home refreshing your email inbox.

Interests and hobbies: You can also opt to include an interests and hobbies section that allows you an opportunity to showcase any interests that might showcase your depth as an employee and person. You should be careful to avoid controversy, however. For example, don’t list political groups that you might belong to or interests that might draw any sort of controversy. If you belong to professional groups or organizations related to your field of expertise, they’re well worth mentioning. If you do add this section, it should be one of the last sections on your resume.

Time to put it all together!

Now, let's look at a full example of all five parts of the reverse-chronological resume format.

Example of a reverse-chronological resume:

Final tip: Be flexible

Remember also that the chronological resume does have some built-in flexibility. It’s not a stale formula that you plug details into.

For example, if you’re a student with little professional expertise, you can place the educational section before the work experience section to better highlight your educational achievements. In short, don’t be afraid to make some strategic changes to the order of the sections, as long as you stick to basic reverse-chronological resume format standards. The goal is always to showcase the best parts of your resume to enhance your chance of success.

A reverse-chronological resume format is generally best

Now you know why it’s typically best to use the reverse-chronological resume format and how to create it. As long as you answer the questions for each section, you should be well on your way to landing more interviews.

Of course, resume writing is as much art as science. Like any type of endeavor, it takes practice and experience to create a perfect resume. These tips will help you to get a handle on the process, but no formulaic tips can ever replace a well-crafted professional resume written by experienced resume writers.

If you want to ensure that your resume earns you twice as many interviews, hire your own personal resume writer . Zipjob has over 100+ professional resume writers to help you display your work experience in the best way.

Recommended reading:

Resume Formats: The 3 Best Options

200+ Resume Examples For Every Job Title and Industry

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Ronda Suder, Professional Writer

With a drive to foster safety and expand possibilities through writing, performing, and working with others, Ronda brings 25 years of combined experience in HR, recruiting, career advice, communications, mental and behavioral health, and storytelling to her work. She’s a certified career coach and holds a Master’s in Human Resources, a Master’s in Film and Media Production, and a Master’s in Counseling and Development. As a writer, she’s covered topics ranging from finance and rock mining to leadership and internet technology, with a passion for career advice and mental-health-related topics. When she’s not at her computer, Ronda enjoys connecting with others, personal growth and development, spending time with her beloved pooch, and entertainment through movies, television, acting, and other artistic endeavors. You can connect with Ronda on  LinkedIn  and through her  website .

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Chronological Resume Templates

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

Double Column

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

Single Column

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

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

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

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

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

In This Guide:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Select the best layout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions about chronological resume templates

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

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Chronological Resume Example (With Writing Tips)

When to Use a Chronological Resume

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

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

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

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

Key Takeaways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Balance

Chronological Resume Example (Text Version)

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

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

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

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

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

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

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

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

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

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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

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

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

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

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

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Chronological Resume: Examples And Tips

• Combination Resume
• Chronological Resume
• Functional Resume
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When you think of a resume , there’s a good chance you’re thinking of a chronological resume. They are the most popular way to structure a resume today and preferred by many human resources departments, hiring managers, and recruiters.

A chronological resume is one of the most common resume formats because employers (and the applicant tracking systems they often use) prefer the easy-to-scan structure.

Key Takeaways:

The chronological resume lists your work history in order of date, with your most recent work experience listed at the top.

The order of a chronological resume is: contact information, career summary/objective, professional experience, education, and skills.

You should use a chronological resume if you have several years of experience in a single career path , have worked in a single industry, and have minimal or no employment gaps.

The are 2 other resume formats: functional and combination.

What Is a Chronological Resume?

How to write a chronological resume, chronological resume example, when should i use a chronological resume, how the chronological resume format can help you, additional chronological resume sections, other resume formats, chronological resume frequently asked questions.

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A chronological resume is a resume that lists your professional experiences in the order that you had them, with your most recent jobs listed at the top and your more distant work experience following it. This is technically reverse-chronological order, but the term “chronological resume” is much more commonly used.

The chronological resume is by far the most popular resume format in the modern world because it’s the best option for presenting your experiences and qualifications in a logical and straightforward way.

Previous job experience consistently ranks as the most important factor of your application to recruiters and hiring managers, so it makes sense that these people prefer to see your professional history laid out clearly and in a logical order.

One thing to note is that the reverse-chronological aspect of your resume applies to each section separately. In other words, you wouldn’t place your college experience in between two jobs you held just because that’s when you went to school — you still separate sections based on work experience, education, skills, and any other resume sections you’re using.

You should aim to make your resume include information that relates to the position you are applying for. The most significant difference between a chronological resume and other resume formats is how the experience section is formatted.

List your most recent experience first. Pay attention to the details under each job experience and make sure you pull keywords from the job description for which you are applying. If you insert them naturally into the copy on your resume, it will feel like a perfect fit for your hiring manager or recruiter .

Additionally, you can choose how to best format your professional experience and education section . If you are a student, you may choose to prioritize your education section with relevant accomplishments, awards, and coursework for your potential employer.

To use a chronological resume, your sections should be split in this order:

Contact information. This is the most vital information on your resume. Make sure this is highlighted appropriately and displayed prominently. Always double-check the information in this section. If your potential employer can not contact you with the correct details, you may miss out on your job opportunity.

Summary or objective. Typically resumes will include either a resume summary statement or resume objective. This is a short statement that describes who you are as a professional. It gives your potential employer a quick context of who you are, what your experience looks like, and what you believe your key skills are.

Those with extensive experience in a specific industry should include this in the summary, especially if you are applying for a job in the same industry.

New graduates or those still in school should consider the objective statement instead, which describes your short-term goals.

Professional experience. Under your professional experience , you will list all of your work experience in past and present jobs in reverse-chronological order. This means starting with your current or most recent position, and working backward while listing dates.

When writing this section, consider the experiences that are relevant to the next step you’re planning to take in your career.

For example, for a job that is not as relevant, you can provide minimal details to save some space on your resume. When writing your dates for each job, ensure you double-check that they are correct to avoid confusion on the hiring manager’s part if they choose to cross-check the information.

Educational history. The education section is where you’ll list your degree, where you went to school, and your GPA if you so choose. Just like professional experience, your education experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order, listing your most recent educational achievements and working backward.

Note that if you have completed a post-secondary degree in college, you do not need to list your high school information. However, if you did not complete a post-secondary degree, you should consider including your background from high school, along with your GPA, and any other relevant information.

This is also the place where you can also share any awards or certifications you have received.

Skills and abilities. The purpose if your key skills section is to highlight your attributes and skills. Don’t forget to include both technical ( hard ) skills and interpersonal ( soft ) skills here. The most important thing to pay attention to is to make sure these skills are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Often, job descriptions will call out the exact skills they expect to see, so take a look at the posting to ensure you’re sprinkling the right skills throughout this section.

The chronological resume is a fairly straightforward and simple template. To some extent, all resumes will look a little different, but the components and relevant information should remain the same across the board. Below is an example of what a chronological resume may look like in practice:

Lila Craft 18 Cross Road, Denver, Colorado 80014| [email protected] | 134-234-2123 Marketing manager seeks management position with top technology company that will allow her to utilize her digital marketing and content marketing skills, while coordinating marketing efforts to improve sales and drive sales qualified leads. Professional Experience Salesforce, Inc — Marketing Manager April 2018-Present Manage and maintain Marketo for micro-Salesforce events, including drip campaign set-up, database management, and email creation across events. Provided social copy for all relevant events used by Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Monitored the customer service email box for any pressing questions from attendees prior to the event Coordinated all event logistics for both external and internal attendees Accenture, Inc — Marketing Assistance November 2014-April 2018 Assisted with the development of their new event website including photo selection, web copy, design layout, and logistics management Developed SOPs for Pardot which was shared across the full marketing team Education Colorado State University | May 2014 Bachelor of Arts, English Minor, Marketing Skills Marketo Pardot Constant Contact Salesforce Microsoft Office suite Google suite Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop

Although anyone can use a chronological resume, it’s most effectively used by applicants who have a solid work history in a single field. The format allows you to showcase work history front and center, as the most important piece of your resume. This shows the employer that you have the specific sets of skills and abilities they may be looking for in a job.

For those who are just beginning their career journey, the chronological resume can be tricky. You likely have an abundance of skills and experience that falls outside of actual paid work history that you can list. This includes work such as volunteering, school clubs, or extracurricular activities.

When you use a chronological resume with this type of experience, it could work against you. It will be blatantly obvious to the hiring manager that you lack paid work experience.

If you are in the process of making a career leap, the chronological resume may also not work the way you want it to. If you’re applying for a job that requires a specific set of skills, it’s not ideal to go in with a resume that highlights your experience in a different industry.

You would be better served to use a resume like a combination resume, which lists both skills and work history, with an emphasis on skills (this is a functional resume, and we’ll talk more about it later).

Additionally, if you have gaps in your work history or you have changed jobs frequently, it’s probably not ideal to use a chronological resume either. The chronological format highlights gaps and shifts front and center. Although job-hopping is no longer a concern in the workspace, too many job changes could signal a red flag for your potential employer.

As one of the most common resume styles used today, the chronological resume provides familiarity and makes it easier for the reader to absorb the information included. This resume format accommodates all types of industries and all levels of experience.

Human resources departments often prefer this formatting because it is what they are most familiar with and it is the easiest to scan. Consider the fact that some HR departments look at hundreds of applicants per day, so you should do your best to make yours stand out from the crowd.

Ideally, your chronological resume will show the progression of your work history and career in a positive light. Because of this, chronological resumes may not work for recent graduates, applicants with little to no work experience, or those with work gaps or career shifts.

You should use a chronological resume:

If you have several years of experience in a single career path

If you have worked in a single industry

If you have minimal or no employment gaps

Additionally, the chronological resume can be easier to compile since its dependency on dates helps you nail down the details of your job history.

Employers and hiring managers may only glance at your resume quickly, scanning just the important details. It’s imperative that you highlight your most recent information and accomplishments first, and ensure they are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

We kept things pretty basic because the sections above are all you really need to make your chronological resume work. But if you’ve got other experiences you feel would benefit you to share with the hiring manager or recruiter, by all means, include them.

Optional resume sections include:

Achievements, honors, and/or awards. While a section dedicated to professional accomplishments can work, we recommend weaving your achievements into your resume’s work experience section and expounding on one or two accomplishments in your cover letter .

Publications. This section is basically mandatory for academic and research-type professionals. But a subject matter expert in any field who has publications under their belt should certainly highlight those for hiring managers to see.

Volunteering. A volunteer experience section works great for those without much professional experience or folks looking to cover up awkward gaps in their employment history. However, in most cases, it’s best to include your volunteering experience within your professional history section, especially if it’s for the purpose of concealing employment gaps.

Certifications. Certifications can also fit into your education section, but if you work in a field that’s heavy on licensures and certifications, it dedicating a section to such can help draw the hiring manager’s eye straight to the most important aspects of your background.

Hobbies, interest, and/or extracurriculars. This optional section is more for recent high school or college graduates who lack formal experience, but it can also be valuable for folks looking to make a radical career change.

While the chronological resume is the undisputed champion of the resume formatting world, it’s helpful to know about the other options. Plus, there are only two other options, so we felt it worth the time to briefly describe what they are, their advantages, and when to consider using them:

Functional resume . The functional resume flips the chronological format on its head. Instead of kicking off with professional experience, a functional resume moves straight from the summary/objective to your most impressive skills.

But instead of giving only a list of skills without detail, a functional resume aims to provide fewer skills (4-6) but with a greater level of detail given for each (3-4 lines).

Then, you follow this up with your education or relevant experience section. For relevant experience, you should still list your jobs in reverse-chronological order, but you don’t have to (or even include dates). The whole idea of a functional resume is that it hides your lack of recent, relevant experience and brushes over long gaps in your employment history .

It also emphasizes skills over experience, which makes it a great option for those looking to change careers in a significant way and want to draw attention to their transferable skills.

Combination resume . As you might imagine, a combination resume attempts to combine the best of both the chronological and functional resume formats. You still lead with a detailed skills section (albeit slightly briefer than a functional resume) and then move into an equally impressive experience section in reverse-chronological order.

For a combination resume, you should list the years to indicate you haven’t had any gaps in your employment history (unless you do have gaps, in which case you can opt to omit years — but again, applicant tracking systems don’t like that).

What are the 5 parts of a chronological resume?

The five parts of a chronological resume are contact information, summary/objective, professional experience, education, and skills. Each section serves a distinct purpose.

The contact information provides a way for the hiring manager to get a hold of you. The summary/objective creates a pitch for you. Professional experience provides evidence for your qualifications. Education gives the hiring manager more context. The skills section helps highlight your ability to take on the job.

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

A chronological resume focuses on your work experience while a functional resume focuses on your skills. Chronological resumes are better when you have extensive relevant professional experience. If you are missing that experience, then a functional resume can supplement experience with skills.

What order should a chronological resume be in?

A chronological resume should be in reverse chronological order. This means you start with the most recent professional experience and work backwards from there. Reverse chronological order helps a reader know where you are coming from and what makes you recently qualified.

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Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research. Caitlin holds a degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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A chronological resume is one of the three main resume types, and is one of the simplest to create. In this type of resume, your work history is listed with either your current job or the most recent position you’ve held listed first. Hiring managers typically prefer chronological resumes over functional or combination resumes because it is easy for them to see what positions you’ve held and how long you held them. Is a chronological resume the right choice for you? Let’s take a closer look.

Ideal for Spotlighting Work History

If you’re considering a chronological resume, you’ll be glad to discover that this particular resume type is straightforward and fairly quick to create. While functional resumes place an emphasis on your accomplishments and feature only a brief summary of your work history, chronological resumes are the opposite, with other elements taking a back seat to your employment history.

When to Use a Chronological Resume

Chronological resumes are best for people who have a strong work history. If you are new to the workforce or have been out of the workplace for an extended period of time, it is likely that a functional or combination resume will work better for you.

• You’re an experienced worker seeking employment similar to the job you have now. In this case, the chronological resume gives potential employers a look at your work history and shows them you’re already working in your field of choice. In addition, it tells them that your skills are current – something that may put you at an advantage over competing applicants.
• You’ve always held similar jobs. Hiring managers will quickly notice that you have an impressive body of experience that will make you an asset.
• You’ve followed a steady career track, gradually working your way into positions with greater responsibility. Potential employers can easily track your career and will want to interview you, particularly if you place a little extra emphasis on skills and accomplishments related to the position you are applying for. Most employers are eager to hire rising stars.

When to Consider a Different Type of Resume

Some employers prefer a Cv, a functional resume, or a combination resume. If you are not certain which type of resume will yield the best results, contact the hiring manager and ask which type of resume the company prefers to receive. In addition, consider using a different type of resume in the following situations:

• You’ve job-hopped a lot. Whether by chance or by choice, job-hopping often leaves a negative impression on hiring managers. Consider using a functional resume if you have a history of jumping from one job to another.
• You’ve changed career tracks multiple times. If you have tried different jobs out for size and changed career tracks more than once, it’s likely that you have many skills employers will find appealing. Highlight skill and minimize career change by using a functional or combination resume.
• You want to transition into a completely new career. If you have desirable skills, certification, or education and want to make a career change, a functional resume that places a large amount of emphasis on these aspects will prove more attractive than a chronological resume that focuses on unrelated positions you’ve held in the past.
• You don’t fit the mold. If you’re not sure that your past history will help you obtain the job you’re applying for, listen to your intuition and pick a different type of resume. Consider using a functional resume that highlights transferable skills you’ve acquired. This will improve your chances of winning an interview.

Key Elements of a Chronological Resume

While chronological resumes focus mainly on work history, they may contain some additional elements as applicable to your individual situation and the position you are applying for. In addition to a detailed job history listed in reverse chronological, consider including some of these useful elements in your resume:

• Job objective
• Brief career summary statement
• Applicable certifications
• Special skills, if applicable

You might notice that some of these elements are identical to those found in other types of resumes. Just remember that a chronological resume emphasizes job history, and keep other elements concise.

Ready to write your own chronological resume? See examples and view chronological resume templates here.

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• System Administrator

System Administrator resume example & writing guide

With your most impressive accomplishments typically hidden behind the scenes, system administrators face some unique challenges when pursuing new job opportunities. Doing justice to the expertise and experience you have to offer requires a stand-out system administrator resume.

Resume.io has helped countless job seekers in similar situations. Our resources include 300+ occupation-specific resume examples and writing guides full of interview-winning tips.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this writing guide, along with the corresponding system administrator resume examples:

• What a system administrator does
• How to write a system administrator resume, starting with the best format and general writing rules
• Specific advice for each resume section: header, summary, work history, education and skills
• Professional resume layout and design hints

What does a system administrator do?

The inconspicuous presence of system administrators should make us all the more grateful for the countless automated things in our lives we take for granted. For any organization to operate without computer networks is unthinkable, but those systems don’t run completely on their own. 

System administrators are responsible for ensuring the day-to-day functions of computer networks are failsafe, and for troubleshooting unforeseen glitches. Their expertise enables them to organize, install, and support system components such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), network segments and data communication systems.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. projects employment growth for network and computer systems administrators of 5% from 2020 to 2030. Although overall demand for information technology workers remains robust, the trend toward cloud-based systems means fewer system administrators are needed in workplaces.

How to write a system administrator resume

You’ll seldom go wrong following these two simple rules for any resume.

• Don’t exceed one page.
• Include these resume sections:
• Employment history

To better the chances of your system administrator resume hitting the mark, there’s one more ground rule: customize a different version for each specific job application. 

• Convincing the employer or client that you are the best job match is about speaking directly to what is required and expected. Make sure you know exactly what that is by carefully reviewing the posted job description and researching all other avenues.
• Optimizing your resume with adequate keywords will help ensure it passes through the applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many hiring organizations use to screen online document submissions.

For even more writing advice, check out our occupation-specific IT resume examples and guides, including our systems analyst resume sample, software engineer resume example, network engineer resume sample, IT director resume example, software developer resume sample, and programmer resume sample.

Choosing the best resume format for a system administrator

The best format for structuring your system administrator resume will depend on the career path you’re following. If you’ve worked mostly in employee positions and have your sights set on another one, the most commonly used chronological format is a good choice. 

A functional resume format may be suitable for system administrators who have worked independently in consulting roles. It allows you to highlight your qualifications from the perspective of projects, clients or transferable skills. Hybrid (combination) resume formats are another versatile option, incorporating both chronological and functional elements. 

Don’t overlook the header

A striking resume header will get your system administrator job application noticed for the right reasons, especially if the same visual style applies to your cover letter so the two documents match. An eye-appealing header design distinguishes you from other candidates and displays your contact information prominently for recruiters to easily get in touch.

Resume summary example

An attention-grabbing resume summary, sometimes called profile or personal statement, is your direct and immediate connection with recruiters. In as few concise and precise words as possible —including ATS-beating keywords — it’s a synopsis of who you are, what you’ve accomplished and why you’re an ideal fit for this job and employer. It’s also the place where you can, and absolutely should, express hints of your personality, passion and purpose.

Here is a resume example summary that senior system administrators can customize.

Highly driven system administrator with 5+ years of experience managing the technical and functional operation and maintenance of assigned systems. Adept in supporting and troubleshooting advanced technical issues within computer hardware, network infrastructure, operating systems and software installations.

Employment history sample

The more work experience you have, the more selective you need to be in determining which of your most relevant and desirable accomplishments to list in the employment history section.

Your work history descriptions should be framed as achievements, rather than job titles and duties. Help employers or clients to envision your past contributions being replicated for them in the future. Include facts and figures to quantify savings, efficiencies and any other measurable outcomes to your credit.

Below is a system administrator employment history resume sample you can adapt.

System Administrator at Bellinger Solutions, New York  April 2017 - October 2021 

• Worked as a dedicated system administrator in the Information Operations department.
• Implemented and monitored user access control methods.
• Problem-solved, diagnosed and corrected systems to ensure functional objectives were met.
• Ensured that all critical IT data remained protected with on-site and off-site copies.
• Worked with user support teams and other staff members to effectively manage and monitor all systems.

Junior System Administrator at Expert Energies, New York  September 2015 - March 2017 

• Effectively performed database and system administration tasks.
• Analyzed existing manual processes and developed and implemented improvements.
• Managed 50+ new IT tickets daily and worked to improve the user experience through communication and thoughtful system improvements.
• Maintained security standards and contributed to evolving security processes and improvements.

System administrator resume education example

The education section of your system administrator resume should start with your computer-related degrees, listed in reverse chronological order, from highest to lowest level. 

Any additional on-the-job training or technical skills development programs you’ve pursued on your own also belong here. So do certifications and professional association memberships. 

Check out the education section from our adaptable system administrator resume example below.

B.S. in Computer Science, Manhattan College, New York  September 2011 - May 2015  Certifications  MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure  Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

CV skills example

For each customized version of your CV, be very selective about the mix of skills that seem most likely to gain you a winning edge over other system administrators. Never squander the opportunity by being too vague or generic. Being more precise and adding a unique context could make a crucial difference. Remember that your hard skills — notably computer expertise — will not only be shared by other candidates but also expected by recruiters. 

Also, be sure to include some soft skills to give a sense of your attitude, habits and how well you get along with others. Your competitors might not emphasize or even mention their people skills.

Check out the skills section from our system administrator resume sample below.

• Advanced Software System Knowledge
• Knowledgable in User Interface/ User Experience
• Complex Problem Solving
• Computer Programming
• Linux Operating System

Resume layout and design

Fancy or flashy is never a good look for any resume, but flawless always is. Keep the layout and design simple, for a document that appears user-friendly at arm’s length. From font styles to margin widths, your formatting choices should be consistent with a sleek, streamlined and uncomplicated result. 

But that need not be synonymous with plain and boring. Eye-appeal can be achieved without sacrificing simplicity. Inviting and easy to read should be your overriding visual consideration.

If graphic design programs aren’t exactly in your wheelhouse, you may consider using a professionally-designed resume template to keep your formatting clean and customizable.

Key takeaways for a system administrator resume

• All of your resume content and wording should be tailored to what the hiring organization needs and values. Incorporating enough keywords is an ATS-proof safeguard.
• Limited page space dictates that only your most directly relevant qualifications be highlighted in each resume section.
• Don’t overlook the importance of people skills in a system administrator role, since your technical expertise alone may not be enough to set you apart.
• Check out our adaptable system administrator resume sample for more ideas on creating an attractive and functional page design.

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates