Easy Steps for a Chronological Resume

A chronological resume (sometimes called a reverse-chronological resume) is the most commonly used resume format among job seekers. This style is what most people think of when they hear the word “resume.” It gets its name from the fact that the job seeker lists lists their past jobs in reverse-chronological order in the work experience section.

• Use a CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME if you have a work history relevant to the position you are applying for and no gaps in employment.

• Use a one-page resume for entry-level, or up to two pages for a seasoned professional.

• Use standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, or Verdana in font size 11 or 12 point for body text.

• Use at least a .5-inch margin on all sides.

• Use the same heading on the cover letter, resume, and references.

• Make your name stand out in the heading by using a larger font.

STUDENT A. NAME

Street Address, City, State Zip Code

(555) 555-5555

Email Address        LinkedIn Profile/Custom URL

1. QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

Your qualifications summary is like a billboard for your greatest achievements and most relevant skills. It should be focused on the requirements mentioned in the position you are applying for and should explain with bullet points and phrases what hard skills (specific knowledge or experience) or soft skills (e.g., flexibility, team orientation) you have to offer and how your previous accomplishments make you a good fit for the position. (Other possible titles for this section: PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY, KEY QUALIFICATIONS, CORE QUALIFICATIONS, CAREER PROFILE). For more information see Developing Your Qualifications Summary.

2. EDUCATION

Name of College, University, or Trade School     City, State     Month/Year – Month/Year

Complete degree title

• If you had a relevant major or a specific education track, include that here. Other optional information: organizations, honors (for example, Dean’s List), and grade point average if 3.5+.

• Entry-level job seekers and career changers with education relevant to the job they are applying for should list education first. All others should list professional experience first.

• Use a phrase such as the following for a degree that has not been completed: Expected graduation 05/2021.

3. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 

Company Name    City, State    Month/Year – Month/Year

Position Title

• Use industry-standard titles: If you were a customer service representative but your company referred to your position as client satisfaction guru, use the industry-standard title. Spell out job titles and add abbreviations if applicable: Customer Service Representative (CSR).

• The experience section should demonstrate what you have done at previous organizations. If you listed an achievement in the professional summary, be sure to reference it in the experience section. For instance, if you mentioned selling $X of product, be sure that in your experience section your sales add up to $X.

• Keywords from the job description are important to include in this section. 

• For more information see Formatting Documents to Beat the ATS.

• Make sure each bullet point starts with an action verb formatted in the correct tense (present tense verbs for your current job, past tense for previous jobs). 

• For more information see 185 Power Action Verbs That Will Make Your Resume Awesome!

4.  OPTIONAL SECTIONS include the following:

   1. LICENSES / CERTIFICATIONS 

Basic Life Support (BLS)-American Heart Association     Expires Month/Year

• List licenses or certifications granted by a governing body. For instance, if you are required to be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS), list that certification here​​​

2. VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Blood Services Team Member- American Red Cross    Year – Year    

• This section can be useful for those with little professional experience who have gained transferable job skills.

• Depending on the length of your resume and your goals, the Volunteer Experience section can simply be a list of your titles and the organizations or can include duties/achievements as in the Professional Skills section.

3. AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS

• List specific additional awards or achievements that could help you attain your career objective. 

4. RELEVANT COURSEWORK

Introduction to Photoshop    Year
Washington High School

• This section can include additional coursework required for the position or that the organization would find helpful and is not specifically listed in your education section.

Final Check!

• Be sure to check for grammar and spelling errors before submission! Have a second pair of eyes review your documents.

• Do not include tables, special characters, or non-standard bullets when submitting via computer. These may confuse the applicant tracking system (ATS). 

• Save your resume as a PDF or in plain text for electronic transmission.

• Do not include references on a resume nor phrases like “References available upon request.” A separate reference sheet formatted like your other documents should be created in case an employer requests it.

 

Revised 31 August 2020