Chronological Resume Templates and Examples
What Is the Chronological Resume Format?
The chronological resume format is a standard resume format that lists your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job listed at the top and each previous position in descending order. This is the most popular format in 2024 because it accommodates people with any experience level and presents your qualifications in a logical, time-ordered fashion which is easy for a hiring manager to read.
Use the chronological resume format if you have:
- Several years of experience in one career path
- Worked for several employers or clients in one industry
- Minimal or no gaps between jobs
How Do I Format My Professional Experience Chronologically?
To start, make a list of the previous job titles you’ve held, starting with your current job. Follow that with the company you worked for and the job location. Underneath each job, signify the amount of time you worked at each job. Typically, just a month and a year is fine.
Template:
[Job Title] | [Organization Name, City, State] | [Month Year – Month Year]
Example:
Senior Marketing Manager | ABC Broadcasting Network, New York, NY | June 2018 — present
Marketing Manager | Macy’s Corporate, New York, NY | January 2014 — May 2018
Marketing Coordinator | Kline’s Retail, New York, NY | June 2011 — December 2013
Once you’ve listed the roles you intend to include on your resume, create bullet points under each position which include details about each job you’ve had and your duties or accomplishments in those roles. Use quantifiable ways you’ve contributed to each company, using hard numbers if possible. Highlight accomplishments that will show experience in the position you’re applying for or have a significant amount of overlap.
Example
Marketing Manager | ABC Broadcasting Network, New York, NY | June 2018 — present
- Develop and execute marketing strategies to increase brand awareness and drive sales growth by 10%
- Manage a team of five marketing professionals and oversee all aspects of marketing campaigns
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of marketing initiatives with business goals
- Analyze market trends and customer insights to identify new opportunities for growth
- Successfully launched a new product line that generated $1 million in revenue within the first year
Marketing Manager | Macy’s Corporate, New York, NY | January 2014 — May 2018
- Managed a team of three marketing professionals and provided guidance on campaign strategy and execution
- Increased website traffic by 50% through the implementation of search engine optimization (SEO) best practices
- Successfully launched a new product line that generated $500,000 in revenue within the first year
Marketing Coordinator | Kline’s Retail, New York, NY | June 2011 — December 2013
- Assisted in the development and execution of marketing campaigns across multiple channels, including email, social media, and events
- Coordinated logistics for events and trade shows, including vendor management and budget tracking
- Increased social media engagement by 25% through the implementation of a new content strategy
If you need help figuring out how best to describe your previous work, use key skills and action verbs that relate to the position you’re applying for. While these should also be listed in the key skills section of your resume, it’s always a good idea to incorporate the kinds of words the hiring manager is looking for through the body of your resume.
For more advice, check out our guide How To List Work Experience on a Resume, which gives a more general overview of the kind of content to include as opposed to the specifics of formatting.
Are There Cases When I Shouldn’t Use the Chronological Format?
Yes, there are absolutely cases when the chronological format isn’t your best option. Here are some examples:
- If you have large gaps in your employment history
- If you want to emphasize a particular skill set
- If you are changing careers and have little work experience in the new career field
- If you have frequently changed jobs
- If you’ve recently re-entered the workforce
In these situations, you might consider using a non-chronological resume format, such as functional or hybrid. This is an alternative to the more traditional reverse-chronological resume formats. It is used frequently by individuals who want to highlight their accomplishments and skills rather than their work experience. This type of resume is ideal for those who are new to the workforce or who are changing careers.
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