Do you find you struggle with the work history section of your resume and how to present it in the best possible way in 2023? Are you wedded to the reverse chronological order format and reluctant to deviate from that approach even if it isn’t the most effective way of documenting your own experience? Have you searched out different formats but aren’t sure if that’s even an option? Don’t worry. You’re not alone.
The good news is that the chronological resume format is one of three resume formats you can utilize, so get ahead of the competition by choosing the best fit for your particular resume order of jobs.
Yes, you read that right; you don’t have to list your previous jobs in chronological order!
Resume Order of Jobs
As noted, the chronological order is just one format where you can showcase your resume order of jobs. There are two other ways in which to list your prior work history, using either the functional resume format or the hybrid resume format.
Let’s examine each of these three options in turn to better understand their differences. (For a more detailed explanation, check out our informative post on choosing the right resume format.)
The Chronological Order Format
Most job seekers are familiar with this option. It displays your resume order of jobs in reverse chronology, beginning with your current role or most recent position.
This provides employers with easy access with which to monitor your career path. They can see exactly where you are now, and track back to where you’ve come on your job journey.
Typically, this format includes the employer’s name, your job title, and dates of employment, as well as a description of your duties and achievements.
Expert Tip
Always start with your most recent position at the top of your resume order of previous jobs. This is known as the reverse-chronological format, and keeps your most relevant information at the top of your resume which is easy for hiring managers to view.
For example:
ACME MANUFACTURING, Any Town, Any State
Sales Manager (2012-Present)
Managed a 30-person sales team in a $40 million industrial tool company
· Developed sales programs that increased overall sales by 78% in the first year
· Integrated new technologies into sales efforts, resulting in 42% growth in efficiency
You would then include similar entries for prior jobs, working backwards through your employment history. Of course, if your work history is extensive, you may want to limit it to the last 10 to 15 years, or the last three or four positions.
Example:
Expert Tip
View 200+ more professional resume samples for all industries, along with a guide to writing resumes from our career experts.
The Functional Format
The functional format offers an alternative to the chronological order resume. It’s designed to highlight your competencies and qualifications, instead of showing your career path.
As such, the work history is generally shorter, with the resume focusing on your skills and achievement rather than your employment. This type of resume is great for those job seekers with more of a sporadic career path, or those coming back into the work space after a significant amount of time away.
For example:
Skills
Team Management--Effectively led sales and marketing teams of up to 30 team members, increasing efficiency, sales productivity, and company profitability each year. Created new sales organizational structures, incentives, and goal-setting processes that reduced turnover by 70%.
Quality Control--Implemented technology and structural systems that improved quality control metrics across the entire sales division. Resulted in an 80% reduction in dropped sales and returns.
Employee Training--Created innovative sales training programs incorporating online learning, in-house presentations, and group discussions. Reduced personnel onboarding time by 42% and increased sales activities by 27%.
Sales Campaign Development--Collaborated with marketing departments to create innovative sales campaigns that boosted sales activities. Directly led to quarterly sales growth ranging from 12% to 23%.
Note: you must include your employment later on in your resume, however scant it is, but you don’t have to be as detailed in your descriptions. You can generally just include the company name, job title, and dates of employment.
It’s also worth noting that some experts question the effectiveness of the functional resume.
The Hybrid
The hybrid resume–-also known as the combination resume-–attempts to have its cake and eat it too, by combining the best of both the reverse chronological resume and the functional one! It emphasizes your skills and accomplishments, but also includes prior employment in reverse chronological order.
This type of resume is typically used by early career job seekers who have little experience, or those who’ve just left college. However, many of those candidates find the functional resume to be sufficient for their needs.
Summary
Whichever option you choose, it’s vital to remember the true purpose behind your resume--to demonstrate your suitability for the job applied for in the clearest possible manner. To achieve that, you need clarity. These tips will help ensure that your resume is as clear as possible:
Flow is everything. If your career path has progressed steadily, with obvious promotions, then that story needs to be told in a reverse chronological way in order to be understood.
Always provide a summary of your employment history. Without it, there’s little chance that an employer will consider you for the job.
A resume with employment in a chronological order is generally the easiest to create. However, you can supplement it with other sections to highlight important skills, achievements, and other qualifications.
The good news is that you don’t need to feel limited by the reverse chronological order format. Today’s employers are open to alternatives, as long as your resume order of jobs provides clear information. In most instances, though, you’re likely to find the chronological resume format the most suitable for your needs.
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Written by
Elizabeth Openshaw, Editor & Content Writer, Elizabeth Openshaw, Editor & Content Writer
Elizabeth Openshaw is an Elite CV Consultant with over 12 years of experience based in Brighton, UK, with an English degree and an addiction to Wordle! She is a former Journalist of 17 years with the claim to fame that she interviewed three times Grand Slam winner and former World No.1 tennis player, Andy Murray, when he was just 14 years old. You can connect with her at Elizabeth Openshaw | LinkedIn.
