what to put on resume for work experience

The Right Way to Include Your Work Experience on a Resume (With Examples)

We all know resumes are important. They’re your first impression. The highlight reel of your qualifications. The tool that you can use to land an interview (and ultimately a job).

Your past experience takes up the bulk of your resume and tells future employers what you’ve done up until now that qualifies you for your next job. So when it comes time to write about your experience on your resume, the pressure is admittedly a bit high. Determining what, exactly, belongs in there, let alone how to write about it and how to format it can be trickier than it sounds.

But fear not. As a recruiter and career coach, I can say—without exaggeration—that I’ve laid eyes on thousands (and thousands!) of resumes. So I know my way around an experience section. Allow me to answer all your questions:

What Belongs in My Experience Section?

Ok, so how do i know what experience is relevant, how should i format the experience section of my resume, is it ever ok to tweak my job titles, how far back should my experience section go, what if i have a gap in employment, can i see an example experience section.

When you think about which experience should be included on a resume, you usually think of past jobs. And rightfully so—your full-time work history will often be the primary source of material for your resume. But your experience can encompass so much more than the traditional jobs you’ve held. Internships , volunteer work , freelance assignments, temporary gigs , and part-time jobs all count as experience, too.

What types of experiences you include on your resume will depend on where you are in your career journey. More established job seekers who aren’t looking to make a significant career change can likely fill their experience section with their most recent full-time jobs. But if you’re new (or newer) to the workforce, looking to break into a new industry, or making a career pivot, it might make sense to incorporate less traditional experience. Before you include something on your resume, ask yourself: Is this relevant experience for the jobs I’m targeting?

Relevant experience is simply experience that’s applicable to the type of jobs you’re pursuing. For example, if you’re a software engineer, you’ll want to include your current and previous engineering jobs and internships, but you might decide to leave off your long-ago stint as a paralegal (unless you’re applying to work as a programmer at a law firm or legal services startup!) Or if you’re applying for a senior marketing role in publishing, you might decide to trim the first marketing job you had out of college in the beauty industry in order to make more space to highlight your publishing industry experience.

Besides which roles you’re listing, think about how to describe what you did and achieved. Suppose you currently work as a server in a restaurant, and you’re applying for receptionist jobs. In this case, you’d want to include experience interacting with customers, answering incoming phone calls, and managing schedules on your resume because those skills are highly transferable to the job you want. And you might skip less relevant job duties like busing tables because you probably won’t be needing those skills in a receptionist role.

If you aren’t making a big career pivot from one type of job or industry to another, chances are, most of your work history is relevant. But every job posting is a bit different, so you’ll need to be more discerning about which of your past responsibilities are most relevant.

To tailor your resume for each specific job, spend some time reading through the posting and take note of the skills and job duties it mentions. Then make a list of the responsibilities you have experience performing. And voilà! You’ve identified your most relevant experience.

When you write about this relevant experience on your resume, make sure you’re incorporating keywords from the specific job posting. This is essential for two key reasons. First, most applications will be scanned by an applicant tracking system or ATS, which helps recruiters search resumes for relevant keywords to find which applicants are the best match for an open role. Second, a well-tailored resume will make it easy for the recruiter reviewing it to understand why you’d be a good match for their open job.

Every experience section should start with a clear section heading. You might simply call it “Experience” or “Work Experience” or “Relevant Experience.” Or maybe you’d prefer to highlight your specific role or industry with a header like “Accounting Experience” or “Entertainment Industry Experience.” The key is to make it easy to spot for anyone who may be quickly scanning your resume.

In some cases, you may want to showcase experience from a previous career or otherwise include experience that’s not directly related to the job you’re applying for. To do this, you can simply create another section with a header like “Additional Experience” or “Additional Professional Experience.” You can also pull out a section such as “Volunteer Experience” if it doesn’t make sense to include volunteer roles under your main experience section or if you prefer to list them separately

For most job seekers using a chronological or combination resume format, you should list your past jobs within your experience section (or sections) in reverse chronological order. For each item you list—full-time jobs or other types of experience—include the following:

• Position details: List your job title, company name, location, and employment dates (month and year) for every position on your resume. Here’s one way it might look:

Graphic Designer | Evergreen Industries | San Francisco, CA | May 2018 – April 2020

• Job duties and achievements : Aim to include three to seven bullet points under each position describing what you did there, starting with a high-level overview of your role and common responsibilities and then drilling down into more specifics. These bullets should highlight your most applicable experiences for the role you’re applying to. You can either include your most relevant achievements for each job alongside your job duties or you can create a dedicated subsection for “Key Achievements.” Quantifying everything you can will lend context to your work history and can be a great way to wow prospective employers. Use this magic formula to craft eye-catching bullet points:  Compelling verb + job duty = tangible number and/or result.  So you might say:  Redesigned new hire onboarding program to include welcome week, 1:1 mentoring, and interactive training, resulting in a 60% increase in 90-day retention.
• Promotions: If you were promoted during your tenure with an employer, you can either separate the two roles (if your job duties were distinct enough) or group them together into one entry that shares a set of bullet points. For example:

UX Designer | Caterpillar Collective | Kansas City, MO | July 2019 – Present Associate UX Designer | March 2018 – July 2019

• Collaborated with marketing team to create user-centric graphic designs for print and web that contributed to a 30% increase in customers over 2 years.
• Conducted 50+ IDIs and created and completed 12 surveys of 200+ users each; compiled and analyzed results to make recommendations to stakeholders.
• Led website redesign with a focus on accessibility, increasing retention rate of customers with visual impairments by 50%, per self-reported survey.

While it’s never OK to straight-up lie about (or even embellish) your work history, there are cases when tweaking your job titles is permissible. Just remember: The key is to use your job title to clarify your role—not to mislead. Two situations where adjusting your job title is generally above board are:

• Your employer gave you a funky title . A startup might hire a “Data Guru” while an established e-commerce organization would employ a “Data Scientist” to perform the same duties. In this case, it’s probably safe to tweak that job title on your resume.
• You wear lots of different hats. If you’re in a role where you juggle lots of different responsibilities (like an office manager who also supports a marketing team), you might adjust your job title to give recruiters more context. For example, if said office manager wanted to pivot into a marketing assistant role, they might list “Office Manager - Marketing Support” as their job title.

If tweaking a title feels like a stretch, you can instead focus on crafting strong bullet points to clearly convey your responsibilities or use your summary to lend additional context to your qualifications.

Keeping your focus on relevant experience means you probably won’t need to include all of your past jobs—and that’s a good thing. Recruiters and hiring managers are going to be most interested in your most relevant and recent experience. They also love a concise, single-page resume that’s easy to scan (they get a lot of applications and don’t have time to read through years and years of work experience). So it’s OK to keep your resume short and sweet.

As a general rule, you don’t need to include more than 10 to 15 years of experience on your resume (with some exceptions). Check out this guide for a detailed breakdown on how far back your resume should go depending on where you are in your career and any special situations.

If you took time away from the workforce, know that you’re in good company. Plenty of successful people have gaps in their employment history for myriad reasons, like caring for a loved one, raising children , going back to school, or losing a job. If your employment gap is brief (less than six months or so), you probably don’t need to address it on your resume. But if it’s a bit longer (more than a year), you may want to add a bit of context in the form of an additional “experience” entry—no more than a line or two.

Here’s what it might look like:

Professional Sabbatical | June 2016 – August 2019

• Provided full-time care for a sick family member.
• Traveled throughout Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
• Authored a memoir about growing up on a Christmas tree farm.

Whether or not you include an entry like this on your resume, you can use your cover letter to explain any special circumstances in more detail.

If you took time away to go back to school, listing your education (and including relevant projects or coursework) will also suffice to bridge the gap on your resume.

Below is an example of how a tailored, quantified experience section might look on a sample resume. This job seeker has already made a career change from accounting to writing (notice how they leveraged their transferable accounting expertise to write for financial publications, first as a volunteer and then a freelancer before landing a full-time writing job). Now, they’re hoping to find a new staff writing role covering different topics—ideally lifestyle or wellness.

The types of jobs this job seeker will be applying for require at least three years of experience pitching and producing SEO-focused articles, preferably with a lifestyle focus. Notice how this job seeker uses the “Key Achievements” subsections to highlight their most relevant project work. (They’d also include a link to their personal website on their resume so that potential employers can easily see their portfolio!)

Download sample resume experience section  

Work Experience on a Resume - How to List It Right

Imagine you’re a hiring manager who goes through countless resumes on the daily.

What’s the first thing you look at?

If your guess was work experience, then you’re right.

And if you spot a few relevant keywords in their work experience section, then you’re more likely to continue reading about their background, contact information, and so on.

The most important thing hiring managers want to know is whether you can do the job you’re applying for, and that’s where the work experience section of your resume comes in.

So how do you make your work experience do the heavy lifting?

Don’t worry! Our article is here to help.

We’re going to cover:

• What Information Your Work Experience Section Needs

How to Format Work Experience on Your Resume

• 11 Real-Life Examples of Work Experience on a Resume

Let’s get started.

What to Include in Your Work Experience Section

The work experience section is the most important part of your resume.

This is the section that gives hiring managers a look at your professional journey so far, including your skills and achievements, and it’s the section they base their hiring decisions on the most.

Your work history can show how likely you are to excel at the job, how committed you are to career growth , and what industry know-how you ought to have.

This section is going to look different depending on your career level, how recent your work experience is, and what the job you're applying for is.

Let’s look at what information employers expect from your work experience section:

• Job Title/Position . Add this at the top of each work experience entry. You want the hiring manager to know at a glance that you have relevant work experience for the job, so use the actual job title instead of any buzzwords.
• Company Name. Include the name of the employer. Sometimes, if the employer isn’t well-known, you might want to describe the company in a sentence or two to give the hiring manager context.
• Location. The general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked, is more than enough information.
• Employment Dates. Write down the approximate timeframe of your employment. There’s no need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Responsibilities and Achievements. The core of each work experience entry is what you achieved while you were there. List your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points instead of paragraphs to make them easier to read. Use 5-6 bullet points for newer job entries and 2-3 for older ones.

Here’s an example of a work experience section that includes all of the above:

Want to know more about other resume sections? Learn how to write a resume with our detailed guide!

You know what to include in your work experience section, so let’s talk about how to include it.

First things first - your work experience section should always follow a reverse chronological order . Add your latest work experience at the very top, and work your way backward.

Hiring managers aren’t interested in what you did ten years ago. Instead, they’d rather know what you’ve been up to right before applying for this specific job.

That being said, if you have a lot of experience, you shouldn’t include every single job you’ve ever had.

Your resume is supposed to be one page long , so feel free to omit any summer gigs or part-time jobs to free up space. It’s also extremely important that your work experience is easy to find and that the information is well-structured and readable.

Here’s an example of how to format your work experience section:

Making Your Work Experience Stand Out

Now that you know how to list your work experience, you need to describe it in a way that makes you stand out from other candidates.

We’ve divided this process into several steps, starting with:

#1. List Achievements Instead of Responsibilities

Too many resumes focus on the day-to-day tasks in the work experience section.

The thing is, hiring managers already know what those responsibilities are. They’re the ones who write the job ads, so you won’t impress them by telling them you did just what they would expect you to do.

For example, if you’re a QA engineer, your responsibilities could include:

• Identifying software bugs.
• Ensuring test coverage for all features.
• Making detailed reports on product quality.

These same responsibilities show up in 99% of QA engineer resumes out there.

So, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you want to focus on your most impressive achievements instead. Show the hiring manager how you helped your previous employer and the difference you made while you were there.

Let’s compare how the same work experience entry looks like when we use achievements and when we use responsibilities:

• Increased test coverage by 25% by implementing new automated test suites.
• Reported and triaged over 100 high-priority defects ahead of major releases.
• Executed manual test cases across web and mobile applications.
• Logged defects into bug-tracking systems as they were encountered.

But there are some fields where there aren’t that many achievements you can mention in your resume. For example, if you’re a server , serving 120+ patrons a night, or earning a lot of tips aren’t achievements that look good on your resume.

Your daily tasks probably include:

• Taking orders, serving food and beverages, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Preparing tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
• Assisting in opening and closing the restaurant, including cleaning duties and setting up for the next service.

In this case, it’s okay to focus on responsibilities instead. You can still distinguish yourself by following the rest of our tips on how to make your work experience shine.

#2. Tailor Your Work Experience to the Job

If you want your resume to go from “okay” to "outstanding," what you need to do is tailor it to the specific job you’re applying for. 

The hiring manager doesn’t need to know details about every job you’ve had or about the skills you gained in a different field. 

So, your work experience should reflect what the job requirements are. This way, you’re more likely to really catch the hiring manager’s attention and land a job interview .

Here’s an example of a well-tailored job ad:

As you can see from the picture, it’s easy to figure out what the most important requirements for the role are. 

So, to tailor your resume to this ad, you need to show how you meet every one of these job requirements.

Let’s look at an example of how the same work experience would be tailored differently according to different job ads.

Say, you were an advertising intern.

Here’s what your work experience would look like when you’re applying for a position as a social media assistant:

INTERNSHIPS

Marketing Intern

Full Picture Company

New York, NY

09/2023 - 12/2023

• Analyzed various social media platforms for trending content.
• Managed company social media accounts.
• Posted interesting content on the company's Facebook page, increasing engagement by 25%.

Pretty easy, right? Now, let’s look at what the same work experience entry would look like for a job as a content writer .

• Assisted the Marketing Manager in writing press releases and new blog posts, which increased web traffic by 25%.
• Created engaging content for email marketing campaigns and boosted newsletter subscriptions.
• Revitalized old blog posts with updated information and SEO optimization, improving organic search rankings by 30%.

The internship is still the same but this way, the experience you’re focusing on is tailored to the job you’re applying for. The hiring manager can immediately see your most important skills for the job and the value you could bring to their team.

#3. Add the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve had a lot of jobs so far, you might be wondering if they all belong on your resume.

The answer is usually no. Your full, detailed work history belongs on your CV instead of your resume .

The hiring manager only wants the most recent and relevant information, not your full life story.

So, the amount of work information your resume should include depends entirely on your level of experience.

Let’s break it down:

• No Experience. If you’re currently looking for your very first job , you simply won’t have any jobs to fill in your work experience section. In that case, we recommend skipping this section and instead focusing on any experience gained in clubs, extracurricular activities , volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-Level. When you’re applying for an entry-level job, you can list most of your work experience so far. Likely, some of it won’t be relevant, but it still shows the hiring manager that you have some work experience, and that’s better than none.
• Mid-Level. At this level, you should only mention relevant work experience. Don’t waste precious space listing old internships or jobs you had as a teenager .
• Senior-Level. You only need to list up to 15 years of relevant work experience. You might even need a two-page resume to apply for an executive position at this stage, but only if you have too much relevant work experience to fit onto a single page.

#4. Optimize for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Before the hiring manager reads your resume, it has to make it to them.

The fact is that 70% of resumes get discarded before the hiring manager even reads them.

That’s because most companies use specialized Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to go through hundreds of resumes and automatically filter out ones that don’t have what the hiring manager is looking for.

Unfortunately, this means that if a resume is missing a specific skill or isn’t formatted in a way that the ATS can process , it gets rejected immediately.

So, how can your work experience make the cut?

Here are a few tips:

• Don’t go over one page. The ATS can have a limit on how long a resume is allowed to be, so we recommend always sticking to a single-page resume.
• Format everything carefully. Don’t give your resume sections quirky names. Your work experience section should be titled “Work Experience,” not “The Journey So Far.” If you try being too creative, the ATS might not recognize what that section is and reject you.
• Tailor carefully to the job ad. If you want to beat the ATS, you need your resume to be as tailored to the job ad as possible. Include as many relevant keywords as you can in your work experience section. Just make sure they’re all used in a logical context since the hiring manager is supposed to read them, too.
• Keep everything in an active voice. Describe your previous jobs with clear and specific language. (E.g.: Instead of “A team of ten people was managed by me,” say “Managed a team of ten people” ).
• Use power words and action verbs. Hiring managers don’t want to hear how you “were responsible” for this or “helped with” that. Make your work experience pop by using impactful language like “spearheaded,” “designed,” “conceptualized,” and more.

Choose one of our ATS-friendly resume templates to make sure your resume passes the test.

Where to Place Work Experience on Your Resume

The work experience section should always be one of the first sections on your resume, along with the skills section.

Typically, it comes just after your resume header , so that the hiring manager can read it immediately after your resume headline .

If you are using the reverse-chronological resume format, work experience should go at the top of your resume. This way, hiring managers can quickly evaluate your qualifications based on your most recent roles.

However, if you’re using a different resume format, such as functional or combination resume formats, you can make an exception. These resume formats emphasize skills over work history, so you could move your work experience further down, towards the middle of your resume.

Recent graduates are another exception to this rule

Suppose you’re a student with minimal professional experience. In that case, you can put your education section on top instead of your work experience section to emphasize your academic achievements and show that you’re ready to put your knowledge to good use.

Want to learn about the other popular resume formats ? Check out this article to see which one is right for you.

Complimentary Resume Sections

While your work experience might be the single most important section of your resume, at the end of the day, it works in sync with the rest of it.

Other resume sections , like your resume summary or certifications, can show the hiring manager how experienced you are and how much industry know-how you bring to the table.

So, here are a few other resume sections that come into play if you want to back up your work experience and increase your chances of getting an interview:

#1. Resume Summary

A resume summary is a short section at the top of your resume that highlights your most relevant skills and achievements related to the job.

In 2-3 simple sentences, a good resume summary tells the hiring manager:

• Your years of experience in that type of role.
• Your top qualifications or impressive accomplishments.
• What kind of responsibilities you’re familiar with.
• What your motivation for the position is.

By summarizing the core of your work experience upfront, your resume summary lets the hiring manager know what they can expect from the rest of your resume. So, when done well, an eye-catching resume summary can make you stand out from the crowd.

Here’s an example of a resume summary:

Another important section is devoted to your most important skills.

The skills section lets you list abilities that supplement your work experience, and it should be divided into two categories:

• Hard Skills. These include technical skills, tools, and specific knowledge that’s directly applicable to the role.
• Soft Skills. These can be personality traits or interpersonal skills that demonstrate how you work with others and how well you’d fit into the company’s team.

Along with your work history, the skills section helps employers quickly evaluate your credentials and relevant expertise for the position. While your work experience highlights skills in context, the skills section provides an easy-to-reference summary.

Make sure the skills you list on your resume align with what the employer is looking for. Use the job description as a reference to pinpoint the keywords you should add to your resume .

Here’s an example of a skills section on a resume:

#3. Certificates

Professional certificates and coursework can show your commitment to continuous learning and honing your skills.

Listing certificates on your resume allows you to showcase specialized knowledge and skills that might not be evident from your work experience.

For example, say you’re applying for a position as an SEO content marketer.

If you’re experienced in digital marketing but don’t have formal work experience with SEO, that could be a problem. However, listing a certificate from an SEO course can tell the hiring manager that you have the necessary knowledge to take on the role.

Relevant certificates can provide evidence of your advanced skills, industry expertise, or any other necessary qualifications for the role. They can back up your skills and distinguish you from other candidates with similar work experience.

Depending on the context, any certificates you have can either be listed in the education section or a dedicated resume section.

If the certificates are more recent and different from your formal education, we recommend listing them separately. Here’s an example:

#4. Personal Projects

One of the best ways to show your passion and dedication is through your projects.

Hiring managers love candidates who do cool stuff in their spare time.

If any personal passion project you’ve been working on is relevant to the role you’re applying for, make sure to add it to your resume. It can back up the skills and experience on your resume, and help you stand out from other applicants.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an animator , any published flash animation videos on YouTube are a great addition to your resume.

However, personal projects should only be listed if they’re relevant. If you’re looking for a job as an architect , your incredible cosplay sewing abilities just won’t cut it.

Here’s an example of a personal projects section:

11 Real-Life Examples

Not sure how to list work experience for your field?

Check out the practical work experience in these resume examples for different professions:

#1. Marketing Executive Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a marketing executive resume here.

#2. Teacher Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a teacher resume here.

#3. Cashier Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a cashier resume here.

#4. Software Engineer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a software engineer resume here.

#5. Career Change Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a career change resume here.

#6. Illustrator Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an illustrator resume here.

#7. Esthetician Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an esthetician resume here.

#8. Stay-at-Home Parent Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a stay-at-home parent resume here.

#9. University Graduate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a university graduate resume here.

#10. University Student Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a university student resume here.

#11. High School Graduate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a high school graduate resume here.

Work Experience Section FAQs

Are you still wondering about something related to your resume’s work experience? Check out the answers to these popular questions about listing work experience on a resume:

#1. What If I Don’t Have Any Work Experience?

If you don’t have any work experience, there are two things you should consider: first, hiring managers don’t expect candidates for entry-level roles to have a ton of experience, so you don’t have to worry too much.

And second - there are plenty of ways to make an impressive resume even without any professional experience .

For example, if you're a recent graduate, you can focus on highlighting your education, relevant coursework or extracurricular activities.

Include any internships, volunteer roles, or student organizations that show you have the skills necessary for the job.

You can also highlight universal skills like communication , teamwork, problem-solving, and computer skills . If you use a strategic approach, your lack of work experience won’t hold you back from writing a great resume.

#2. Can I List an Internship Instead of Work Experience?

Yes, you can list internship experience on your resume instead of work experience.

Internships provide valuable on-the-job training and give you exposure to a professional work environment, so they’re always a great thing to add to your resume.

Like work experience, internships allow you to gain important skills, learn about a particular industry or role, and build accomplishments you can use to show potential future employers. 

Internships can be a vital resume section for candidates with less experience, such as students, career changers, or stay-at-home parents re-entering the workforce, since they show hiring managers you have enough relevant hands-on experience to succeed at the job.

#3. How Can I Explain an Employment Gap on My Resume?

The key to managing a gap in your work experience section is to address it briefly and positively on your resume or cover letter .

In a line or two, explain what happened and move on without dwelling on it, since employment gaps are relatively common and can happen for different reasons.

For example, if you had to take a year off to recover from a medical issue, just say so in your resume without going into details. The important thing is that you’re now better, ready to resume work, and the hiring manager knows it won’t be a problem.

If you have a short employment gap, you can probably skip the explanations. Simply list the start and end dates for each role without explaining the time in between. A couple of months between jobs is perfectly normal, and hiring managers aren’t likely to ask about it.

#4. What If My Work Experience Isn’t Relevant?

If you're applying for a job and none of your work experience is relevant, it’s a bit more complicated.

As a general rule, any work experience is better than no work experience. Most soft skills are applicable across industries, so you can focus on them in your resume.

If you’re an entry-level candidate, you might want to leverage other areas to show the hiring manager that you’re a good fit for the role.

For example, if you want to be a graphic designer but only have experience in customer service , emphasize your art education, portfolio work, and personal projects instead. If you’ve taken any more recent courses related to the field, you can list them before your work experience.

However, if you’re an experienced professional looking to change careers , things are a little different.

For a career change, you need to articulate your transferable skills and show how your previous experience can help you in this new role.

Let's say you're a sales professional interested in marketing. You could highlight skills like communication, market analysis, client relationship-building, and goal-oriented achievements that show your valuable marketing skills.

Key Takeaways

You’ve made it to the end!

Now, you’re all set to write a flawless work experience section.

But before you go, let’s recap what we talked about:

• Always list your work experience reverse-chronologically so the hiring manager can see what your most recent achievements and experiences are.
• If possible, focus on work achievements over day-to-day tasks. This way, you can immediately show the hiring manager what you’ve done for your previous team and what the value of hiring you would be.
• Carefully format your work experience so it passes the ATS and so that the hiring manager can easily read it.
• Instead of paragraphs, use bullet points to describe your previous jobs. For newer experiences, 5-6 bullets are good, but for older ones, 2-3 bullet points are enough.
• If you don’t have work experience, use this section to list your internship, volunteer experience, personal projects, or extracurricular activities. Treat them the same way you would treat work experience, and list your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points.
• Make sure the other sections in your resume complement your work experience for a flawless job application.

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How to Write Work Experience on a Resume

Writing the work experience section

Writing the resume work experience section is one of the most influential and often trickiest resume sections to get right. Some employers will even cut right past the summary at the top of a resume and scan the employers, job titles and work dates to see if the resume is worth reading in detail. How much text you include for each section will also create a significant first impression. A lot can be understood during that mythical 6-second scan.

The work experience/job history on a resume is where past job descriptions and professional experiences give credibility to an application or interview. All the other information and sections on a resume, from hobbies to the personal statement , frame the list of relevant work experience over the last 10 - 15 years. So, how do I describe my work experience on a resume?

This guide will show you everything you need to know about including work experience on a resume, including:

• Why the work experience in cv matters
• What to include (and not include) in work experience on a resume
• The best format to follow for describing your work history
• Examples of work experience in cv across industries
• Practical tips for resume work experience
• How to list your current job and previous positions

The five-word rule. Think about five words that would be sum up your career. How would you describe your experience? Those five words should then come across incredibly strongly in the work experience on a resume. A hiring manager is not going to remember the sentences that you write, but if they stop reading with those five words (or more) in their minds, your resume will have done its job.

Why is work experience on your resume so important?

Before we jump in to the ins and outs of writing work experience on a resume, here is why it matters. A hiring manager or employer looks at a resume to answer one question:

Does this person’s work experience qualify them for this job?

The work experience section of your resume is the foundation that either qualifies you or disqualifies you for an interview or the next step in the hiring process. This resume section uses the last 10 - 15 years of relevant career history to tell a prospective employer whether you have the work experience in your cv that will fit the requirements of the role. The work experience section gives credibility to your application and should compliment every other aspect of your application materials (other sections in the resume, cover letter, portfolio, etc).

Be careful not to write your work experience section like a list of job responsibilities , though. The hiring manager knows what they want you to do. They are far more interested in evidence from your previous work experiences that you have what it takes to perform and take your next employer forward. Focus on offering compelling accomplishments, plenty of context and quantifiable results that your competition will not be able to match.

How do I add experience to my resume: What to include

In most cases, choosing which jobs to include on your resume should depend on your work history and the type of job you’re applying for. In general, work in a backward chronological order (in a resume format often known as reverse chronological format ) starting with your most recent position at the top of the page and include the last 10-15 years of employment history. The backward chronological order works best for most job seekers.

If you have a scattered work history, don’t stress. Job hopping is both more common and more widely accepted today, especially among the younger workforce. Including short part-time stints and side projects is good if those professional experiences directly relate to the job or feature skills that overlap with the position. Be prepared to answer questions about your career choices while considering work experience in cv, have a confident answer about your career path, and be forthcoming about the level of commitment you’re looking for. Once you’ve chosen the positions, let’s dive into the specific bullet points about work experience in a cv. Each one should include:

• Results-focused facts: The hiring manager already knows the basics. These bullet points should focus on how you specifically managed the position with innovation.
• Action Verbs: Strong action verbs hook in the reader. Negotiated! Pioneered! Transformed! This also keeps you away from falling down the adjective rabbit hole.
• Quantitative information: Numbers stand out to a hiring manager. They are specific and tangible. You grew a client’s reader base by 300% or managed 200 silent auction items. Let your accomplishments shine!
• On-Site Training: Weave skills and certifications gained on the job. This shows initiative and otherwise overlooked abilities.
• Awards and honors: If you were called out on the job for great work, go ahead and brag. Your work experience resume examples should be designed to impress.

Ideally, each position should include a mix of free-flowing text and achievement-led bullet points. The bullets will catch the eye, but you can only really tell a deeper story when you are not constrained by the width of the page.

How do I write a student CV? A student CV for a first job should contain full details on your education (as that will testify to your ability to focus and achieve) and ideally also contain details on any student jobs or volunteer work that you have done while you were studying. It doesn't matter how menial this work was, the most important thing is that you understand the responsibility of doing a paid day's work.

Volunteer work can be a wonderful way to feature a variety of valuable skills, Here's a list of how to add volunteer work to your resume.

Work experience on a resume: what to avoid

Always assume that your reader — in this case, the hiring manager — doesn’t need anything explained. You also have very little room to ramble on your resume. They will assume more about you than you think - especially if you have worked for a while in their industry.

Free up some space by not including:

• What the organization does: your resume is about you. The hiring manager doesn’t need to hear about the company.
• The basic requirements of your position: this is implied in your job title and will shine through your result-focused bullet points.
• Filler words: For the most part, save space by cutting out words like “I” and “the.”
• Anything irrelevant: If you have smaller responsibilities in a position that do not relate to the new job, leave them out. Every bullet point and every word takes up precious real estate on your resume - make them count.
• Chaired a project team through a change process, trimming 5% of our cost base.
• Outperformed sales team in quarterly new business attraction by 67%.
• Executed the software rollout to twelve departments within two months.
• Resolved a company-record 150 customer complaints a week.
• Rectified a list of outstanding issues that had been dormant for more than a year.

If you are a recent graduate with little or no work experience , you can consider adding your GPA or cum laude on your resume. As you acquire work experience over the years, you should replace your GPA or cum laude with relevant work experience. 

What is the most effective format for work experience on a resume?

On a basic level, the work experience layout typically includes:

• Job title, company name, location of employment
• Month and year started and left the position
• Between three and six bullet points briefly outlining your impact at the company

Work experience/job history on a resume should also include:

• Clear and concise bullet points that demonstrate the positive results of your work
• Powerful verbs
• Clear numbers and facts
• Growth between positions
• Specific keywords pulled from job description

Examples of work experience on a resume

Here are a few examples of work experience on a resume to see the differences between a first draft and the final draft. How do you describe your experience in the most succinct way possible?

Example #1: Work Experience in CV for a Teacher . Let’s say you’re applying to be a middle school science teacher at a popular independent school. The new job description emphasizes the importance of involvement outside the classroom. They specified that they’re looking for teachers looking to grow through professional development throughout their time there.

First Draft:

• I taught 5th-grade science classes
• I advised students outside of class
• I attended a conference on social-emotional learning

Final Draft:

• Developed and carried out a student-driven curriculum in three sections of Earth Science
• Annually advised 20 students to track growth and address individual challenges and strengths
• Invited to attend NAIS annual conference to develop modern social-emotional learning classroom tactics

Example #2: Work Experience in CV for Content Marketing Manager . Content Marketing Managers encompass a very wide range of responsibilities. The recruiter will have a general sense of your job experience — no need to start from scratch — but results-based, specific bullet points will thrive here.

• I manage a team of freelance copywriters at a major NYC marketing agency and ensure they got their work in on time
• I talked to clients and figured out what would be best for their brand
• Before everything was published, I proofread it all
• Oversaw a team of 25 freelance writers and streamlined content pipeline from ideation to publication
• Advised clients on both short- and long-term content strategy tactics while clarifying their personalized brand voice
• Edited and polished copy to maintain content consistency across multiple channels

When you have moved up the career ladder at a previous employer, you should be proud to showcase it on a resume. But how can you display multiple positions for the same company?

Example #3: Work Experience on a Resume for a Waiter . Food service moves quickly. Anything that cut a manager’s search time in half is more likely to land you the job. Be sure to look for keywords in the job posting such as “craft cocktail bartending experience” or “fine dining.” Sure, you can learn — and will learn — on the job, but restaurants have minimal time to train you on the basics. Be confident and clear about your background.

• I waited tables at a busy NYC Midtown restaurant
• Most of the time, I tended bar on nights and weekends
• Trained a few hosts
• Served lunch and dinner for four years in a Michelin-star-rated Midtown brasserie
• Acted as primary bartender during peak weekend and evening hours, specializing in craft cocktail creation
• Managed and streamlined training methods for new hosts and servers

Example #4: Work Experience Resume Example for an Executive Assistant . Personality plays such a large role in calmly managing a busy executive’s schedule and lifestyle. The tone of your resume should be both level-headed and confident in what is expected of an EA. Try to always be a step ahead of what your boss needs before you even begin the job.

• I made travel plans on behalf of executive team
• Budgeted for the office and managed expenses
• I trained other assistants and helped with hiring
• Managed complex domestic and international travel for five, C-level executives
• Decreased expense management costs by 35% and perfected expense tracking system for all office management accounts
• Hired, trained, and guided a team of five team assistants including a seasonal team of sales interns

Example #5: Work Experience Resume Sample for Sales Rep . Provable facts and figures are your largest asset as a sales representative. Did your last position measure your personal or team sales growth? Dig up these numbers to work them into your work experience section. Then, explain the methods you applied in the job itself to make it happen. This work experience resume example offers some ideas:

• Grew sales revenue every month
• I signed several new clients
• I changed the way we talked about our product
• Exponentially increased monthly sales revenue, surpassing 150% growth for the department after just 6 months
• Developed and signed 10 new key clients by researching previously undiscovered corners of our industry
• Redeveloped brand voice and sale representative script for efficient and personalized customer care

What skills do I put on a resume? when you are considering the work experience in a resume, you should aim to make the best possible use of space. There will always be a separate skills section where you can list one-word hard and soft skills , so make sure that this is related to the experience that you have mentioned with each employer, but it should add to the overall picture rather than simple repeat it. If you add an interesting skill that you have not mentioned in the work experience section, an employer is bound to ask about it at interview.

Grammar tips for listing job history on a resume

Do you write sentences? Phrases? Declarations? Writing resumes for first job? Here are some nitty-gritty grammar rules for writing your work experience bullet points.

• Write in phrases, often beginning with a strong verb. No need to write “I” to start off the sentence — that is implied and work experience in a CV is often conveyed in the third person as this is more professional.
• Tense : If you are still at your current position completing the work described, use present tense. For past positions or completed projects, choose past tense.
• Don’t be afraid to break out the thesaurus — especially for synonyms of “lead, managed and trained” — but stick to words you’d use yourself. No need to ace the SAT verbal section.

Filling your resume with exclusively truthful statements about your career is harder than you might think. Lying on a resume can take many forms. Don’t give in to temptation.

Tailoring job history on a resume for each application

Instead of mass applying to every job ad on the internet with the same resume, take the time to tailor it. The work experience section might require the least tailoring (as it will tick the boxes of most jobs if you are targeted in your approach), but there may be a few accomplishments that you may want to include for certain roles and exclude for others. View yourself as a meticulous editor cutting and pasting your career story to make it as attractive as possible.

Besides the fact that 36% of hiring managers throw out resumes that don’t seem personalized for a particular role, a tailored resume and application:

• Shows the hiring manager you took the time to apply and their job wasn’t one of 50 different places you sent your resume.
• Get past the automatic keyword filtering larger companies might use to automatically screen candidates in their Applicant Tracking System (ATS) . Your work experience samples need to be scanned by the machines first.
• Tweak diverse experiences to focus on the most relevant experience for a particular job. For example if you’ve ever had a job “wearing many hats” unless you’re applying for another “many hats” position, this strategy gives you a chance to focus your work experience on the hats that are most relevant for the new role.

Restarting this process every time you apply for a new job may seem excessive. Ideally, the more time you put into tailoring your resume, the less jobs you’ll need to apply to.

• Ignited a fire under the management team to deliver an extra $950k sales.
• Scrutinized the market and doubled market share by launching a new product.
• Implemented a new software solution that shrunk build time by 34%
• Initiated a recruitment drive that hired fifteen people within three months.
• Minimized surgery wait times by 15 mins, increasing patient satisfaction by 25%

How far back should your resume work experience go?

Your resume work experience should contain every piece of information that is relevant to you securing the role. This will dictate the amount of work experience in a CV that you might include. 

If you have a 30-year career, you might choose simply to list the employers for the first 10-15 years and use your precious resume space to describe the most recent resume experiences. However, if your career is 15 years or less, you should definitely include resume work experience about everything. 

In terms of the amount of work experience on your resume, try to give more information on the more recent roles. Make use of bullet points and solid text after your have listed the employer and date details - as you can see in our many resume samples .

Including a list of roles that were more than 15 years old might be possible, but only include the headlines. It is interesting for some business leaders to see where a senior manager spent their early career, so while you may not be asked about this much during an interview, it does add a certain depth to your application.

Should I put seminars on my CV? Typically, a one or two-day seminar would not be included on work experience in a CV. If the training or educational event has a certain prestige or lasts more than a week, then you might consider including it in the education section, but as anyone can attend a seminar, it will not give a huge indication as to your individual level of suitability for the role. You will certainly have more important information to share.

Your transition out of the military requires a resume that expresses your talents in a way that civilian employers will understand. The blog below offers tips for making the most of your service in your post-military resume.

Key takeaways

• Focus on results of your job history in the past. Only list work experience on a resume that is relevant to the job you’re applying to.
• Stand out with strong action verbs
• Get specific: use numbers, facts, and figures
• Speak in the past tense when the job is complete, present when you’re still doing the work.
• Cut out unnecessary filler words or adjectives.
• Align your job history bullet points to match the job description.
• Make sure that the work experience in CV goes back an appropriate amount of time

Work experience on a great resume helps employers know in 10 seconds or less if you are qualified for the job. It should sound a lot like the description in the job post. If the work experience in CV doesn’t sound like the job description or follow these rules, be prepared to pull out some creativity to get noticed. For example, use a resume builder to build a perfect resume in the exact format potential employers are looking for.

Every other Tuesday, you’ll get actionable tips to land your dream job.  Subscribe

Work Experience on a Resume: 20+ Examples of How to List It

Your work experience is the resume section hiring managers look at first. And if they’re busy, it’s often the only part they review. To get the interview, you need to pay extra attention to your resume work history section. In practice, this means you should spend roughly 80% of the total time spent on your resume on the work experience section. As with other resume sections, there are some simple rules to follow.  In this guide, we’ll unpack them for you and help you create a resume that stands out every single time.

Here’s what you’ll master today:

• How to describe your work experience on a resume (plus how to format it)
• Extra tips on how to make your work history super-memorable
• How to sell yourself on a resume in different situations
• How to draft your work experience section based on real examples for the most common scenarios and jobs

Let’s dive in!

How to List Your Experience on Your Resume

• Put it under a clear, legible heading
• Place it right after the resume summary or objective
• List your most recent experience first
• Include relevant experience
• Be clear, concise, and consistent with your formatting
• Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements

1. Put it under a clear, legible heading

Make sure your work experience section is clearly visible and has its own heading. You can name this section “Work Experience”, “Experience” or “Employment History”.

2. Place it right under the resume summary or objective

It’s best to place the experience section right under your resume summary or a resume objective. However, if you’re fresh out of college and have little or no work experience, you can fit the work history under your education section.

3. List your most recent experience first

You typically list your work experience in reverse chronological order — put your current or most recent gig at the top, followed by the previous one, then the one before that, and so on.

This is effective because it gives the hiring team the most relevant information instantly. If you’re a UX designer looking for a new opportunity, the hiring manager will want to know about your most recent accomplishments to see how you progressed, where your expertise lies, and how your latest experience can translate into success in your new role.

4. Include relevant experience

Do you need to put all your past experience on a resume? By no means. Professional resume writers and career coaches advise that you include up to 15 years of relevant work experience. Including every single job you’ve done (like that pizza delivery summer gig when you were 16) can actually work against you.

Remember, this is just a general rule that can be broken in certain situations.

For instance, if you’re looking for a job in tech, where skills, frameworks, and tech stacks change often, your experience from 13 years ago may not be truly relevant today.

Also, if you’ve had a major career change, e.g. switched from teaching to copywriting 10 years ago, you could omit your teaching roles. However, if working in that position gave you relevant skills and experience that you still consider useful and valuable (e.g. clear communication, time management, or presentations), you can definitely include it in your resume.

Read on if you’re changing careers, switching from the military, or are freshly graduated (we’ll cover those scenarios in a bit).

5. Be clear, concise, and consistent with your formatting

This is a big one. It’s crucial to format your entries properly so that the information is easy to spot and read. Also, consistency is hugely important. Maintain the same order of information in each entry for a polished, organized, and harmonious look.

Here’s how you can order the items in a single work experience entry:

• Your position (usually written in bigger font or in bold)
• Company name
• Dates worked
• Bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements

6. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements

Instead of writing a paragraph or description explaining your role in detail, make sure to use a bulleted list (it’s way clearer, better organized, and memorable).

Next, it’s always wise to focus on your most important accomplishments and achievements, rather than simply listing your everyday responsibilities. After all, the point of this section is to gently persuade the hiring team that you’re equipped to do the job and that you have an excellent track record.

In other words, this is where it pays to take a moment to think back to your biggest career wins and corroborate that with some data (more about this later).

Finally, make sure to limit the number of bullets as you go back in time. While it’s perfectly fine to have 5–8 points for your latest job, 3–4 will be enough for older entries.

Now let’s put theory into practice and look at two great examples of work history on a resume that follow the steps we discussed above.

Sample resume work experience section (senior candidate)

Vice President of Marketing Vue 03/2017 – Present

• Helmed website overhaul, resulting in increase of organic traffic by over 300%
• Spearheaded the team of 7 full-time employees and 12 contractors
• Tracked email, PPC and display marketing performance to optimize cost per lead
• Hit 541% and 137% return on marketing investment for organic and email, respectively

Sample resume work experience section (junior to mid-level candidate)

• Responded to up to 20 tickets a day, resulting in 97% first touch resolution score
• Maintained a >9.0 monthly average satisfaction rating each of last 12 months
• Resolved 7 escalations with the IT/SysDev teams in the last 3 months
• Wrote 24 knowledge base articles to reduce ticket resolution times by 1.3 minutes

How to Take Your Resume Work Experience Section from Standard to Job-Winning

Now let’s zoom in on your work experience section even closer and help you take those bullet points from average to outstanding. To sell yourself on your resume, just follow these simple tips.

1. Focus on achievements over day-to-day duties and quantify wherever possible

This is precisely where most candidates get stuck. A lot of you are probably thinking: yes, I’ve heard this piece of advice many times. But I don’t have any stellar achievements. I just do my job well .

Precisely. That’s enough to be sure you do have achievements. You might not even know it. And the best way to showcase those is by hard numbers.

Again, don’t freak out. You don’t have to be in the data and numbers game to be able to come up with quantifiable results and statistics. There are simple strategies to present tangible results to back up your accomplishments. And just so you realize how miserably bad people are at showcasing their accomplishments —

Here’s a real-life story that a resume-writing consultant friend told me.

He was hired to revamp a spacecraft engineer’s resume (btw, how cool is that!). When she walked him through her resume and explained what each item meant, one caught his attention — ” Optimized and automated the procurement and invoicing flow. ” Optimizing and automating? That always means something cool.

She eventually explained how she made a highly complex process fully automatic, and in doing so, saved around 18 work hours a month for 7 people each. These people were paid an average of $200/hr. That’s $1.3 million a year saved for the company. And that was not on her resume.

Why am I telling you this?

Because this is proof that you’re not alone in being horrible at framing duties as achievements. Apparently, even the most extraordinary candidates are. Bottom line: you will most definitely stand out if you know how to do it!

So here are a few tips on how to really stand out from the crowd:

Mention the scale , e.g. how many people you managed, or the size of the budgets you handled

• Provided consultations for 120 students a year over 7 consecutive years
• Managed a shift of 70 workers in a 250.000 square foot facility
• Standardized the Sales process in a 2000-employee company averaging 300M annual ARR
• Controlled an annual marketing budget of $30K

Mention the frequency , e.g. how many tasks you performed within a time frame

• Wrote 14 new SEO-optimized articles in the last quarter
• Onboarded 17 Fortune 2000 clients in 2021
• Performed 13 weekly technical website audits and resolved 25 issues
• Hosted 5 company webinars attracting a total of 790 B2B leads

Mention specific results , e.g. money and time saved

• Reduced the employee turnover rate by 5% in 2021
• Tripled the number of Instagram sales since 2019
• Reduced cost per sale from 3.8K to 2.7K in two years’ time
• Attracted 2.6 new LinkedIn followers in the last quarter

Pro tip: Record your accomplishments as they happen. This is how I do it. Every time something cool happens (e.g. 89% of email subscribers click on the CTA button in an email and read my article or 5 product demos were booked on a blog page that I wrote), I take a note in a Google document. Even if I’m not actively looking for a job. (Or not even thinking about it.) In time, you’ll have a killer list of accomplishments to add to your resume, cutting your writing time in half. Otherwise, you’ll either forget the details or spend hours digging through your old projects to find the right info.

2. Use action verbs at the beginning of your bullet points

If you take a closer look at all the examples we listed in this guide so far, you’ll notice a few common themes — none of the bullets start with “I” and they sound super descriptive although we used zero adjectives.

The secret lies in action verbs, the powerful verbs that are used at the beginning of each bullet to draw the reader in and show your impact.

Take a look at these examples again:

• Responded to an average of 20 tickets a day, resulting in 97% first touch resolution score
• Received 9.1 satisfaction rating in the last 365 days
• Resolved 7 escalations in the last 3 months with the IT/SysDev teams

Combined with numbers and specific results, these verbs show the recruiting team exactly how you accomplished things and attained goals at work.

There are extensive lists of power/action verbs you can find on the web, but here’s a short list of our favorite ones to get you started.

Top 50 action verbs to use in your resume work experience section:

• Coordinated
• Established
• Facilitated
• Implemented
• Standardized
• Streamlined
• Strengthened

Expert tip: Vary your power verbs to avoid repetition. Keep your bullet points as short as possible and avoid the use of pronouns, articles, and adjectives.

Here’s an example of a bland work experience section turned amazing and catchy by applying the 3 tips above.

• Responsible for all content marketing activities in the company
• I was in charge of the link-building project
• Proofreading of the copy before publishing.

Why we think it sucks:

Let’s dissect this Frankenstein.

• Consistency issues: Although the candidate uses the bulleted list to provide more information about their recent role, they are not consistent. The first bullet starts with an adjective, the second uses a pronoun (“I”) and looks like an actual sentence, while the third one starts with an -ing form. All in all, it’s a mess.
• No details or real info: The candidate uses overused phrases like “responsible” and “in charge of” combined with little other info. All in all, super bland and nonspecific.

Now let’s see how you can transform this meh work history section into an unforgettable one by using action verbs and quantifiers.

• Designed annual content marketing strategy, resulting in 247 SQLs (500+ employees)
• Oversaw a team of 10 writers, resulting in 60 do-follow links in the last 90 days
• Increased content downloads website-wide by 78%
• Conducted quality assurance for 100% of content

Why we love this version:

First, it’s super specific and it tells us exactly what this Content Marketing Manager did. Next, they listed the results of their efforts in a consistent and persuasive way. Finally, a nice mix of power verbs (designed, oversaw, increased, and conducted) leaves the reader with the impression that this person knows what they’re doing.

3. Customize your employment history section to the job description at hand

We’ve been saying this forever and we’ll say it again: don’t expect to have a single resume that can win you endless jobs. Heck. Don’t expect a generic, all-purpose resume to land you more than 1 interview out of 50 applications.

That’s not how the pros do it.

Instead, you’ll need multiple versions that you’ll then further customize by tailoring your work experience section to the exact position you’re targeting.

The easiest way to do this is to peruse the job description, identify which skills and requirements matter to the employer and then have your resume prove that you possess those very skills.

Here’s how it works in practice.

Let’s say a MarTech company is looking for someone to join the Billing Customer Support Team.

Here is a sample job ad and some of the requirements and duties listed in the description:

After carefully reading the job description details, this candidate found 5 points they have previously excelled in. Next, they’ll use them as guidelines to tailor their work experience resume section to match the requirements 100%.

Customer Support Engineer Omnis

• Solved a daily average of 20 Zendesk tickets over a 3-year period
• Maintained the internal knowledge base 100% clean and up to date
• Prioritized feature requests and worked with AppDev and PO until implementation
• Hit company-record ticket response times (11 hours Zendesk; 2 minutes live chat)
• Authored a total of 56 technical articles in the Help Center

Why we like this answer: The candidate relied on the information from the job ad to highlight their accomplishments in a clear and convincing way. They showed their familiarity with Zendesk, their dedication to keeping the internal company wiki updated, and proved that they are independent and proficient enough to write technical documentation. Finally, they illustrated most of their efforts with relevant metrics and KPIs and used power verbs to convey authority and skill.

How to List Work Experience on a Resume for Different Scenarios

This may make perfect sense to someone who’s had 10+ years of experience and few job gaps. But what if you’re applying for a job outside your industry or aren’t sure whether to include your volunteer experience? Here are all your questions answered.

How to show a promotion on your resume?

If you’ve held multiple positions in the same company or if you’d like to highlight your growth and change in roles, you can approach this in two different ways.

1) List them as a single entry if similar and if the career path is clear. Start with the company name, dates worked, and then list your positions together with the from-to period when you held them. Like this:

Acme Technologies Inc. 03/2017 – Present

Content Marketing Manager (01/2021 – Present) (a bullet-pointed list of accomplishments)

Content Writer (03/2017 – 01/2021) (note the promotion, followed by a bulleted list of responsibilities and achievements)

2) List them as two separate entries if you made a bigger shift or changed departments (e.g. started in a call center, then switched to Business Development).

A note of caution: When using stacked entries (1), there’s a chance that the ATS software won’t recognize your promotion as such, and may list your skills and experience under the earlier position. To ensure your resume will be well-parsed by the ATS and look good, it’s safer to stick to the format shown in (2) and list your promotions as two separate entries.

How to put freelance work on a resume?

Absolutely include your freelance work in your employment history, as it shows your versatility, skill set, and soft skills like client management, negotiation, and independence. Here’s an example of how a writer and illustrator listed their freelancing experience.

Content Writing Consultant (alternatively, you can use Contractor ) Freelance

• Contributed original blog content to businesses (include most notable clients)
• Increased organic traffic by 250% with a 6-month blog project
• Helped generate 14 Fortune 2000 leads through Google AdWords over a 6-month period
• Illustrated for both web and printed media
• Provided 50+ illustrations for clients such as NewYorker Magazine, CondeNast, Monocle
• Won Best Book Cover Award (Illustration Category) in 2021
• Collaborated with 20+ teams with an average UpWork score of 4.8

Should I include volunteer work on my resume?

If you can supply at least 5 years of paid work experience, you can skip your volunteering experience altogether or add them to other resume sections.

If your employment history is short or if you’re just starting your job search after being a stay-at-home parent or a student, then definitely include the volunteering gigs in your main work history section. After all, recruiters love seeing this type of experience — it tells a lot about who you are as a person, what you’re passionate about, and that you’re not entirely motivated by money.

How to list part-time jobs on a resume?

When adding your part-time jobs to your resume work history, treat it like any other entry. However, make sure to add that you worked part-time. A simple note next to your position works just fine. Like this:

Online Marketing Specialist (part-time) Forwa

• Posted 5 blog posts weekly in WordPress over a 2-year period
• Set up an average of 10 email marketing campaigns/week
• Assisted 2 Lead Gen Specialists to clean 14 lists over a 2-year period

How to put internships on a resume?

You can include your internship just as you would with any other work experience, no matter if it was paid or not. Add your official role, the company name, and then provide a bulleted list of your responsibilities and accomplishments. Here’s how one candidate did it:

• Used javascript, HTML, and bootstrap to build UI pages
• Worked closely with frontend developers to solve more complex issues
• Collaborated with backend developers and UX/UI designer to assess requirements

How to explain employment gaps on a resume?

I’ll start with a general note here: people freak out about their employment gaps way more than they should. Yes, employment gaps on your resume can be considered red flags, but not by default.

As a matter of fact, a recent study published in the American Economic Review reveals that “long-term unemployment spells in the past do not matter for employers’ hiring decisions.” The study also found that all subsequent experiences canceled out the gaps in employment, as well as that employers didn’t treat short-term and long-term unemployment much differently.

So no reason to panic, okay?

You’d normally have the chance to explain the gaps in your employment in an interview. To get there, it’s wise to address them in your resume work experience section and provide a bit of information and context.

This is especially valid if the gaps are bigger and happened for a good reason like getting a degree, being a full-time parent or caregiver, or for medical reasons.

And here’s how you can integrate that smartly into your resume employment history.

• Took time off from professional career to provide care for a baby and a toddler and manage the household
• Used the gap years to complete 3 B2B Sales courses

(In case you need more inspo, here’s what else you can put on a resume .)

Resume Work Experience Examples for Different Careers

Here you’ll find some of the best resume experience examples for the most common professions.

Customer service and tech support

• Assisted customers and troubleshot technical issues on 30+ calls/day on average
• Resolved 90% of issues without transfers or escalations
• Decreased cancellations by 11% over a one year period
• Ran regular customer satisfaction surveys resulting in 9.6/10 satisfaction rating
• Built close relationships with CIOs and CTOs from prospective companies
• Provided software demonstrations to 52 companies in the last quarter
• Closed 36 new deals, hitting a 69% closing rate in the last quarter

Software engineering

• Worked with PO team to update and rearchitect 50+ page web app
• Built 5 additional features in the last 12 months
• Cooperated with a team of 8 agile developers to prioritize biggest impact features

Office administration

• Provided reliable administrative assistance to the Regional Manager
• Organized 2 conferences for 2000+ attendees
• Managed 7 workshops and 10 local events over a two-year period
• Interviewed 6 potential new candidates and trained 3 new team members

Digital marketing

• Posted daily on 5 company social media profiles
• Interacted with 10 LinkedIn HR influencers every day
• Grew the LinkedIn account by 525% over a six-month period
• Provided emergency health care to 20 patient per shift on average
• Participated in 300+ emergency procedures over a one-year period
• Exceeded standards of care to hit 9.7 patient satisfaction rating in an anonymous survey
• Prepared and delivered 100% of lessons to second year students (<20 students/class)
• Coordinated 30+ extra study sessions to prepare students for state exams
• Increased assignment completion by 40% via technology-based learning during Covid19

Business analysis & data science

• Reduced the cost of IT infrastructure by 24% via alternative software solutions
• Relocated budget from social to organic for 30% increase in ROI
• Restructured the Sales department, resulting in 45K of new revenue

Find out how to write a next-level resume work experience section for 100+ other professions in this free resume library .

Need a bit more guidance?

You can hop over to Big Interview’s Resume Builder, where you’ll get to enter your information section by section (basic info and contact details, summary, work experience, education, certifications, skills), choose the design and then have the tool create a resume for you. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

This is super useful because you can easily create many iterations (for different job ads) and save a bunch of time in the process.

Once that’s done, you can also use ResumeAI , a new feature that assesses your resume for various criteria hiring teams use in real life – how easy it is on the eye, how you used action words to convey experience and skills, and whether it’s ATS-friendly Basically, you’ll get a rating based on how effective you were in showcasing your skills and experience.

And if you need a bit more support, we created a short course on resume writing, designed and led by our own co-founder, Pamela Skillings (aka *the resume and job interview guru*). In this curriculum, you get 8 video lessons with Pam (with a transcript), after which you’ll be 100% sure to crush that resume.

Key Points Summarized

TL; DR? Here’s the essence of a killer resume work experience section that you can copy in no time.

• A well-written employment history section directly impacts your chances of being shortlisted. Take some extra time to do it right.
• Always present your work experience in a clearly separated section and place it under your resume summary.
• Begin with your current (or most recent) job and work backward from there.
• Include the following information, in this order: your position, company name, and dates worked.
• Back up this information with a bulleted list of up to 5 achievements and responsibilities. Forget false modesty and show your excellent track record. Quantify and provide tangible results wherever possible. Use power verbs to convey authority and entice the hiring team.
• When applying for multiple jobs in different companies, custom-tailor your work experience section to each job opening. Browse the job requirements and duties and match them with examples from past experience.
• Bonus tip: Keep the high standards in other resume sections too. Learn how to best showcase your skills on a resume.

How many years of work history should I describe on a resume?

List 10–15 years of experience, depending on your individual circumstances. The key thing here is to include only relevant work experience, so if you’ve been in the job market for 10 years, but only 6 are relevant to the job you’re applying for, focus on those 6 years. You can still list the previous experience, but there’s no need to go into great detail.

How many bullet points should I use per entry in the work history section?

A common guideline is to have 3–8 bullet points per entry. This way you can give plenty of relevant information about your achievements and responsibilities without overwhelming the reader with excessive detail. You can use 5–8 for your most recent and penultimate positions. As you work your way backwards, 3 bullet points is usually enough. Remember to aim for quality over quantity — if you can fit your best accomplishments into 3 bullet points, there’s no need to write 2 additional weak ones. Make sure to refer to your “strongest” qualities in the first 2 bullets.

What work experience should I not include in my resume?

Here are some examples of work experience that should not be included in your resume: irrelevant experience, experience from over 15 years ago, high school jobs, or volunteer work. However, this all depends on where you are in the career journey. For example, for first-time job seekers, school jobs, part-time jobs, and volunteer experience will matter.

What should I do if I have little to no work experience?

If you have no or little formal work experience, include other types of experience and focus on your qualifications and results. Some ideas to consider: internships, volunteer work, academic projects, freelance or contract work, leadership roles in student associations or sport clubs, and community work. Don’t worry about your title or if it was a formal experience. Instead, focus on the relevant skills and tangible results you accomplished in these roles.

Should I put volunteer experience in my work history section?

You can include it if you have little to no relevant professional experience. Otherwise, you can put it in a separate resume section or omit it if your resume is already full.

How to address gaps in employment in my work experience section?

If there’s a significant gap in your resume, address it proactively in the document and don’t wait for it to come up at the interview (imagine you miss out on one because of that gap!). This way, your potential employers will know you have nothing to hide. Briefly explain the reasons for the gap, keep your language positive, and mention if you did any coursework or upskilling during that time. If you took a sabbatical to travel, take care of a family, or get degrees to prepare for a career change, say it proudly.

When should I take a job off my resume?

A general rule is to remove a job from your resume if it’s no longer relevant to the position you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a marketing role, already had 4 marketing roles, but had initially worked as a history teacher for 1 year, it’s safe to assume your history teacher experience can be taken off. The point is to not overwhelm the resume with unrelated experience. You can also remove some short-term jobs or jobs you had a long time ago, especially if your resume is already getting longer than 2 pages.

Should I include a job I was fired from on my resume?

That depends on several factors. If this was a recent position you held for a long time, you should include it. Otherwise, there would be a big employment gap that you’d still have to address (and it may come up anyway during a background check). If you can come up with a tactful, honest explanation behind the termination, and especially if you’ve gained new relevant skills in the meantime, don’t hesitate to include that position. On the other hand, if the job was a long time ago or if it’s unrelated to the position you’re currently applying for, feel free to omit it.

Pamela Skillings

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Work Experience Section on the Resume

How to demonstrate your career trajectory

The experience section is the core of any resume and the most important metric for explaining your career path to employers.

Listing work experience on a resume can be a tricky task. You may have never worked in your life or have had so many past jobs that you don’t have enough space on a page.

So, which parts of your professional experience should you include? Which parts should you exclude?

This guide offers tips on exactly  what experience to put on a resume  and how to write a work experience section that will attract a potential employer’s attention.

How To Show Your Professional Experience On Your Resume

Most employers  deem the work experience section the most vital part of your resume , as your career path is often the clearest, most efficient way to outline the skills they are looking for .

This section lists the companies you’ve worked for , industries you are familiar with, skills you have acquired, and the contributions you’ve delivered along the way.

Not sure what title to give it? Here are some ideas:

• Work Experience
• Professional Experience
• Relevant Experience
• Work History

Choose a title that is most appropriate for your experience. For example, students may include internships or part-time positions, which qualify as “work” experience but which might not be related to their target roles.

What To Include In A Resume Experience Section

It’s best to collect all of your work histories first before starting to write your experience section.

For some job seekers, their work experience will be paid or contracted professional jobs/positions.

But for students or recent graduates, relevant work can also include:

• Micro internships
• Volunteer work
• Study abroad programs
• Leadership of clubs or community teams

Next, it is time to detail your experience.

Start with your most recent position and work backward (this is called the reverse chronological resume format ).

Each entry should include the following elements:

• Employer/company name
• Location (City, State, or “remote”)
• Dates of employment
• Details of your accomplishments or achievements and contributions

Some of these details are unnecessary in functional resume layouts . For example, in cases where you may have large gaps in your job history , a functional resume layout can help downplay the scattered timeline of your employment and highlight the skills you’ve learned and will bring to the next position.

Most importantly, each job post should include a bullet-point list of your achievements. Each position listed should prioritize the impact you made in that role . Do not simply list the “responsibilities” or “daily tasks” of the job.

Include quantifiable examples of your success, as  34% of recruiters won’t consider applications that are not specific to the role ,  according to CareerBuilder .

Keep your experience section as focused as possible, listing only s tatements relevant to your target jobs.   Forbes Magazine suggests  limiting yourself to five bullet points per position.

Action verbs can significantly increase the impact your resume content has on the reader, enticing them enough to reach out for an interview. Include a variety of action verbs in each of your bullet points.

Examples of effective action verbs to use in your resume:  

launched; implemented; spearheaded; coordinated; directed; increased; restructured; acquired; grew; saved; cut; identified.

How To Write The Work Experience Section On Your Resume

Now you know the key ingredients, let’s look at how to add experience to your resume.

One of the easiest ways to capture a hiring manager’s attention is to list your professional experience clearly, concisely, and visually interestingly.

Your work experience section should always follow a reverse chronological frame, regardless of the resume format you choose ( chronological ,  combined , or functional).

It’s essential to know exactly how to describe work experience on a resume. To start,  begin with the most recent position held  and work backward in time.

How you display this information is crucial. An inconsistent, out-of-order format will only confuse the reader and send your resume to the trash.

As with every section of your resume, highlight information that explains your past accomplishments , successes, and contributions in your job experience examples. Remember to include measurable data such as KPIs .

For example, these can be:

• Customer satisfaction percentage or score
• Total sales you made
• Clients attended to

Anything that you can show you were a success will look great.

The more your past triumphs can relate to the position at hand, the better.

Using our  online resume builder  can make life easier. It includes helpful examples and practical tips for adding the experience section to your resume.

What Is an Example of Work Experience?

You may be wondering how one of your former positions, duties, and accomplishments should look on a resume. It’s critical to not only get the right format but  not mention too much or too little info .

Here are some  work experience examples  you can use to boost your own resume:

Senior Project Manager, XYZ Corp, San Francisco, CA — June 2022-Present

• Led a cross-functional team of 15+ members to deliver 20+ high-value projects, each with budgets exceeding $1M, on time and within budget.
• Implemented Agile project management methodologies that improved team efficiency by 30% and cut project delivery timelines by 20%.
• Negotiated contracts with key vendors, reducing project costs by 15% and strengthening strategic partnerships.
• Introduced a risk management process that identified potential issues early, reducing project delays by 25%.

Project Manager, ABC Inc, San Francisco, CA — July 2020-June 2022

• Managed 10+ mid-scale projects with budgets up to $500K, consistently meeting key performance indicators.
• Coordinated with various teams including design, engineering, and marketing, ensuring seamless collaboration.
• Implemented a new project tracking system which increased overall project visibility and improved on-time delivery by 10%.
• Conducted regular project status meetings and provided updates to stakeholders, improving communication efficiency.

Junior Project Manager, DEF Co, San Francisco, CA — August 2019-June 2020

• Assisted in the management of 15+ projects, developing key skills in stakeholder communication, budget management, and team coordination.
• Created detailed project schedules and plans, contributing to an overall 15% increase in team efficiency.
• Developed and maintained project documentation, improving record-keeping and accountability.

If you want to know what work experience to put on your resume, this example section has it all!

It effectively uses action-oriented language and industry keywords to depict the individual’s responsibilities and achievements.  Each achievement is quantified  to make it tangible and impressive.

Additionally, the roles exhibit  a clear progression in skills , showing off the candidate’s career growth and capability to handle higher-level responsibilities.

Tips For Writing Your Previous Work Experience

We’ve amassed a list of easy-action tips for including your past positions on a resume to help you get started.

• Write in the present tense for your current work positions only  and the past tense for all prior experiences.
• Adapt your work entries for each job,  mentioning the most relevant and appropriate experience. This may include tailoring one or more versions of your resume if you are targeting different career sectors.
• Explain gaps in your work history briefly.  Most reviewers appreciate additional context explaining your gap in professional work. A quick sentence is all that is needed to detail full-time parenting, study leave, traveling, family complications, relocations, etc.
• Include internships and education/professional development courses  in your resume, either in your work history or education section .
• Include voluntary or part-time work  where appropriate, especially when you have little on-the-job experience or are changing careers .

These tips on how to complete a work experience section on a resume should help you get started.

You can also use our AI-powered suggestions in our resume builder and come up with more ideas to show off your past jobs and achievements in different ways. 

How Far Back Should Experience Go on a Resume?

If you had a  job from what feels like ages  ago, you may be wondering if it’s worth adding to your resume. While there is no strict rule, it’s generally recommended to focus on the  most recent 10–15 years  of your work history.

If you have any doubts about  omitting jobs from your resume , keep the following in mind:

• Relevance:  Prioritize recent experiences that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Focus on showcasing your current skills and qualifications.
• Career Progression:  Highlight positions that demonstrate career growth, increased responsibilities, or promotions.
• Industry Norms:  Research industry standards to gauge how far back professionals in your field typically go with their experience. Tailor your resume accordingly.
• Early Career Highlights:  If you have exceptional early experiences highly relevant to the position, include them, even if they fall outside the recommended timeframe.
• Resume Length:  Keep your resume concise and focused. Including an extensive work history can result in a longer resume that may remove the impact of recent experiences.

What Do You Put on a Resume With No Experience?

Are you a recent college grad looking for your first job ? Or are you changing your profession? In either case, building a resume with limited professional experience can be challenging.

However, all is not lost!

By taking advantage of any relevant experiences , high grades in related coursework, and transferable skills , you can create a compelling resume.

If you’re an entry-level candidate, you should remember to add:

• Internships
• Relevant coursework in your education section
• Transferable skills
• Experience with relevant duties

Internships and past jobs look great if you can find ways to relate them to the job you are applying to so don’t be scared to apply for a new position.

What you shouldn’t do is:

• Add irrelevant experiences
• Include generic statements
• Forget to mention relevant positions or courses

By adding the most relevant information and your transferable skills, you can give yourself a good chance of landing an interview and a job without any experience.

How To Format The Experience Section On a Resume

You may do everything in your power to write a work experience section that wows, but if it is not formatted correctly, your resume could end up in the “no” pile. Consistency throughout your resume is key for allowing readers to digest your information quickly.

Here are a few tips to  ensure this section is formatted properly .

• Format each work entry the same.  List the details: job title, company name, location, dates of employment, and list of responsibilities.
• Use the same font throughout the resume  and no more than two styles (i.e. one suitable font for job titles and another font for the contextual information.
• Align each section equally in a consistent manner (i.e. job titles and company name are left-aligned, and employment date ranges are right-aligned)
• Align each section header the same using one font and a consistent method for implementing bold, italics, and underline  effects. This will ensure the highest level of readability.

If you have any doubts about how to format work experience on a resume you can use  handy online templates . These tools can save you lots of formatting time, as these resources usually have a preset document structure already in place.

You can see a range of work experience samples in our professional resume guides , advice pages, and blog, too.

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How to Add Work Experience to Your Resume in 2024

This step-by-step guide shows you how to create a work experience section that will help you get more job interviews.

Customers Interviewed by:

The work experience section of your resume answers the biggest question hiring managers have when they review your application:

What relevant job skills and experience do you have?

Unfortunately, most job seekers feel intimidated when writing their work experience. They know it can make or break their chances of getting an interview.

This is why we’ve put together this guide. Follow these seven steps and you’ll soon have a resume that will grab the attention of hiring managers – no matter what position you’re applying for.

Table of Contents

Step #1 – organize your work experience section, step #2 – format the job information correctly, step #3 – use bullet points, step #4 – start each bullet point with an action verb, step #5 – list accomplishments as well as duties, step #6 – use numbers and metrics, step #7 – tailor your work experience to the job, how to make a resume with no work experience, show your career trajectory on your resume, key takeaways.

Use Jobscan’s free ATS-friendly resume templates and start building your resume that gets noticed by recruiters!

Did you know that when you submit your resume to most companies, it does NOT go to a human being? Instead, it goes directly into a computer database called an ATS, or applicant tracking system. 

An ATS is a software program that manages the entire hiring process, from sourcing candidates to tracking applicants and scheduling interviews.

This means that your work history should be formatted so an ATS can easily read and understand it. (Don’t worry – we’ll tell you exactly how to do this).

We’ll start with how to organize your work history. 

Both ATS and humans like your work experience to appear in reverse chronological order. This means your latest job should appear first, at the top of the section, followed by your second-to-last job, etc….

This order allows potential employers to quickly spot your most recent job while getting a sense of the progression of your career over time.

Here’s an example of a work experience section in reverse chronological order:

PRO TIP: Stick to a traditional heading like “Work Experience” instead of more creative headers like “Where I’ve Been,” which will cause the ATS to organize your data incorrectly.

Before you start describing your job responsibilities, you need to list the following information about each job first:

• Company name and location – Include the full name of the company you worked for followed by the city and state of its location. You don’t need to describe what the company did. 
• Job title – Be as specific as possible to ensure that employers know exactly what your role was within the company.
• Start and end dates – To make sure the dates can be properly read by an ATS, use the MM/YYYY format. 

Below is an example of how this information should look on a resume. We recommend this format because it can easily be read by an ATS:

The key thing is to present your information consistently throughout your entire work experience section. If you’re not consistent it can hurt your chances of getting an interview. 

“The quality of presentation tells me something about you,” one healthcare recruiter told Jobscan. 

Pro Tip: Always Include the month as well as the year for your start and end dates so the ATS can read your information properly.

Now it’s time to get into the details of each job you’ve held. To do this, use bullet points . Recruiters tend to skim through resumes and bullet points are a great way to make it easier for them to do that.

Use four to eight bullet points. Each bullet point should include a job responsibility and/or an accomplishment. Here’s an example:

The goal is to be concise but provide enough information for a potential employer to get an idea of your experience, skills, and capabilities.

Pro Tip: Watch out for typos! Nearly 60% of hiring managers will reject a resume because of poor grammar or a spelling error.

Always try to start each bullet point with an action verb , such as “Developed”, “Managed”, or “Created”. These verbs paint a clearer picture of your area of expertise and increase the overall impact of your resume.

Many people make the mistake of using the word “was” in their bullet points. For example, “Was responsible for warehouse safety.” 

Try not to do this. Instead, use an action verb or two, such as “ Researched and implemented new warehouse safety standards.” This makes you look like a more confident and capable candidate.

Here are examples of bullet points that begin with an action verb:

• Processed 100 tickets per day and effectively handled incoming correspondence.
• Managed multi-line phone system and provided administrative support.
• Organized large meetings for cross-functional events on- and off-site.

Pro Tip: Don’t rely on cliches! Over 50% of hiring managers will reject a resume if it has too many cliches.

A lot of people use the work experience section to list their job duties or responsibilities. These are the tasks that you’re expected to perform as part of your job. They include things like:

• Answering phones
• Scheduling meetings
• Taking inventory
• Maintaining records
• Training employees

Listing your job duties gives potential employers an idea of what you did, but it doesn’t indicate how well you did it.  

To show employers how well you did your job, use your bullet points to highlight specific accomplishments . 

Instead of saying ,

“Managed a team of 10 customer service representatives.”

Try saying,

“Managed a team of 10 customer service representatives, resulting in a 20% reduction in customer wait time and an improvement in first-call resolution rate by 15%.”

No matter what type of job you had, it is essential to focus on the specific results of your efforts in order to clearly convey the value you provide for employers. 

See 67 Resume Accomplishments Examples to Demonstrate Your Value .

Pro Tip: Don’t get hung up on every last job duty; put more emphasis on your most transferrable work experience and skills. 

Whenever possible, try to use numbers and metrics to describe your accomplishments. These clearly demonstrate the impact your work had on the business. 

Dollar amounts, timespans, and percentages are all great ways to quantify your accomplishments on a resume.

Here are some examples of how to use numbers on a resume:

• Maintained a 97% satisfaction rating over a 24-month period as a customer care representative.
• Fulfilled over 4,500 warehouse orders with a 98% accuracy rate and 100% safety record over a 12-month period.
• Created a company culture initiative that raised employee satisfaction rates by 25% YoY.
• Cut data processing time by 50% by building a new cloud data infrastructure, leading to more timely insights.
• Grew email subscriber list from 300 to 2,000 in 8 months without expanding the monthly budget.

For more examples, explore our library of resume examples for any profession.

Pro Tip: There are many situations where you can’t quantify an accomplishment and some cases where you shouldn’t even try. So only use numbers and metrics when it makes sense to do so!

Do you send out the exact same resume with every single job application? That’s what most people do, and it’s a big mistake.

Instead, you should try to tailor each resume to the specific job you are applying for. 

Tailoring your resume has become even more important these days. This is because so many companies use ATS to help filter the hundreds of resumes they receive for each job opening.

When hiring managers want to find good job candidates, they search the ATS database by typing in words and phrases (known as keywords) taken from the job description. If your resume contains these keywords, then it’s more likely to appear before the hiring manager.

If your resume does not contain keywords from the job description, it will remain in the database. That’s why you need to constantly refer to the job description when writing your work experience section.

Here’s an example of a job description with some important keywords underlined.

If you were applying for this job, you would want your resume to include as many of these underlined keywords as possible (but don’t lie). 

Most job seekers use the same resume again and again because it’s easy . But it’s also ineffective . Take the time to tailor each and every resume and you’ll see much better results with your job search.

To simplify this process, use Jobscan’s resume scanner . It analyzes your resume against job listings and provides you with a score that tells you how well your resume matches the job description. By increasing your score you’ll increase your chances of getting a job interview!

If you’re a recent graduate or are just starting out in your career, you probably don’t have a lot of work experience. That’s OK. Employers don’t expect much experience if you’re applying for an entry-level job. 

The good news is there are still things you can add to your work experience to make it stand out. These include special skills or talents that are related to the job you’re applying for.

What are your hobbies? What are things you’re good at? Sit down and make a list of things you’ve done and what skills you used. 

Examples include computer programming, foreign languages, music, sports, fixing cars, art, writing, etc… You should also include any relevant volunteer work or internships.

Also, make sure to list any awards, honors, or recognitions that you may have received during your academic career or while working in other roles. Employers are always impressed by individuals who have achieved something special.

Read the full guide : How to Write a Resume with No Experience

Pro Tip: Don’t list everything you’ve ever done on your resume. Stick to things that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. 

NOTE : If you’re building your resume from scratch, try Jobscan’s free resume builder . There are no hidden costs and it allows you to build an ATS-compatible AI resume in no time!

Ideally, your work experience section should tell a story about your professional career. Hiring managers like to see how your experience has shaped you into the professional you are today.

“I’m looking for the logic of why you went from this job to the next job,” a corporate recruiter told Jobscan. “When we make that initial presentation email to the hiring manager, we also include a bio paragraph that goes over their career– where they started, how often they moved up, where they moved to, trying to really create a narrative .”

To create an effective narrative, focus on how your job responsibilities have increased over the years. You can also highlight any promotions you have received.

For example, if you started out as a customer service representative and eventually moved up to technical support manager, you should emphasize the growth in your job responsibilities. 

Your resume summary is a great place to emphasize your growth. Here’s an example:

“Seasoned professional with a progression from Customer Service Representative to Technical Support Manager, demonstrating significant growth in expertise and leadership responsibilities. Proven track record of enhancing team performance and customer satisfaction in fast-paced environments.”

If your resume tells a memorable story, hiring managers will be much more likely to call you in for an interview.

Read more : How to Write a Resume for Today’s Job Market

When it comes to your resume, quality matters more than quantity. It’s better to have fewer jobs on your resume that are well-described and demonstrate your relevant skills and experiences than a long list of jobs without any detail or context. Generally speaking, you should aim to have three to seven job listings in your work experience section.

You only need to go into full detail about your most recent two or three jobs. Then go into less detail the further back you go. Your oldest job listings (those more than 15 years ago) should only include the company you worked for, your role, and your dates of employment.

Employment gaps on a resume can matter to some employers. Gaps may raise questions and prompt further inquiry during the hiring process. The longer the gap, the more attention it may attract. Short gaps of a few months are generally more acceptable and can often be explained easily. However, extended gaps of several years may raise concerns for employers. Pro Tip: If you have gaps in your work history, you can explain why in your cover letter or in the job interview.

Yes, you can include volunteer work under work experience, especially if it is relevant to the position you are applying for. When listing volunteer work, follow a similar format as you would for paid employment.

Let’s quickly review what we’ve learned:

• The work experience section is the most important part of your resume. Spend quality time working on it.
• Your work experience should appear in reverse chronological order , from last to first.
• Every entry should include the company name and location, your job title, and your start and end dates. 
• Use bullet points to describe your duties and accomplishments.
• Each bullet point should start with an action verb .
• Be sure to list accomplishments as well as job duties. 
• Use numbers and metrics (when relevant) to make your accomplishments stand out.
• Use color for your section headings to enhance your resume.
• Tailor each resume to the job you’re applying for.
• Include 3 to 7 job listings in your work experience section.
• Try to use the work experience section to tell the story of your professional experience.
• Set your resume margins at one inch on all sides.

More expert insights on this topic:

75+ Free Certifications to Help You Land Your Dream Job

4 Ways to Write a Resume Skills Section (with Examples)

How to Format Your Resume Education Section

Robert Henderson, CPRW, is a career advice writer and a resume expert at Jobscan.

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How to List Work Experience on Your Resume – A Guide with Examples

In This Guide:

What is a resume work experience section, how do i add experience to my resume, where to list work experience on your resume, how to format your work experience (with template), how to describe work experience on a resume, how to choose the right resume format, how many years of work experience should be on a resume, what should i do if i have a gap in employment, tips on writing a powerful resume experience section, key takeaways.

R esume work experience almost always needs to be presented in reverse chronological order—starting with your most recent position and working backward.

Each entry needs to include the basics: company name and location; job title; start and end dates. It’s also essential to include bullet points describing your duties and responsibilities.

Finally, never underestimate the power of action verbs and quantifying your accomplishments.

Crafting the perfect resume experience section  can be challenging, especially when deciding how to describe work history  effectively. Almost everyone struggles with selecting the right work experience examples  that highlight their skills and accomplishments. The key is to showcase your professional past in a way that resonates with potential employers.

A we ll-structured resume work experience example s houldn’t only detail your previous roles but also emphasize the impact of your contributions. By accurately featuring yo ur work experience, yo u enhance your chances of catching a recruiter's eye and securing your next job opportunity.

We guarantee that by the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of this particular resume section and be able to do the following:

• Study and use a plethora of real work experience examples to help visualize your target.
• Easily produce an effective entry that conveys all the essential elements.
• Be able to recognize and correctly choose which format is best for the specific job you’re applying for.
• Understand what exactly needs to be included in your work listing.
• Tips on writing a more powerful and convincing experience section.
• How to properly describe and convey your achievements and responsibilities in an impactful way.

Let’s begin by looking at what exactly we are trying to craft.

Improve your resume experience section!

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

The work experience section is arguably the most critical part of a resume, serving as the focal point for recruiters and hiring managers alike. This segment outlines your professional history and highlights your achievements in previous roles. It encompasses paid and unpaid roles, including full-time positions, part-time jobs, internships, volunteer work, and freelance projects, essentially any role where you've applied and honed your skills in a professional context.

What to put for experience on a resume involves carefully  tailoring your selection  of relevant positions that illustrate your qualifications and readiness for the new role you're applying for. This means not just listing your duties, but focusing on quantifiable achievements and how you've contributed to past organizations.

For instance, highlight the wins you had, like projects you nailed, teams you led, sales records you broke, or any process you made better—outcomes that provide concrete evidence of your capabilities.

Including different types of work experience is all about painting a picture of how you've grown and what you bring to the table. It's not just about what you've done, but how you've made a difference, underscoring why the experience section plays such a pivotal role in your resume.

But what exactly should you include?

Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you.

Aldous Huxley

Your resume work experience section refers to your professional background in employment.

For all professional experience sections, you need to include your previous:

• Role and responsibilities
• Skills and accomplishments
• Company names
• Dates you’ve worked

If you’re worrying about what to write in a resume for work experience, let us just quickly calm those nerves. Just remember to stick to reverse chronological order, presenting your most recent job first  to emphasize your career progression.

Also, try starting each point with action verbs  to animate your roles and achievements vividly—recruiters love that!

The ideal location for your work experience section is immediately following your resume summary  or objective statement . This gives it a prominent position that ensures it’ll catch the eye of the hiring manager.

Deciding which work experience is listed first on a resume is easy—it’s the job you just left or perhaps are still working at  and then you work your way back.

For a standout resume experience format , begin your entry by listing the company name, your position/title, employment dates, and the location. Including a brief company description is optional but can provide context, especially if the company isn't widely known—whatever you choose, be sure to be consistent.

The bullet points under each role are crucial; this is a job description  where you should focus on quantifying your impact and showcasing your achievements using action verbs. Aim for 4-6 bullets per position, starting each with a dynamic action verb.

Ensure that you quantify as many of your achievements as possible (e.g., "Increased sales by 20%") to provide concrete evidence of your impact. This approach not only makes your contributions clear but also demonstrates the value you brought to the position.

Remember, how to format work experience on a resume is about making your contributions and achievements easily accessible, so use concise, impactful language and keep your bullet points focused and relevant.

The best way to demonstrate this is by showing you a couple of examples. You can find below an example of an experience entry that you would do well avoiding. Check it out:

• • Duties included cashiering, helping customers, stocking shelves.

As you can see this work history section needs a boost. It would be a good idea to swap "Duties included" for lively action verbs like "Managed" or "Assisted." Also, adding some numbers to show off their impact, like boosting checkout speed by 30%, would drastically improve this entry. Another thing that they should’ve done is to be more clear about how they helped customers or improved stocking methods.

A few tweaks could definitely make this resume shine! Let’s rewrite it in a manner that could actually help the candidate land the job.

Here’s the new and improved work experience listing:

• • Managed transactions for up to 200 customers daily, ensuring a smooth and efficient checkout process.
• • Assisted customers by providing detailed product information and resolving inquiries, enhancing customer satisfaction.
• • Coordinated shelf stocking and organized product displays, contributing to a 15% increase in-store efficiency.

We transformed the work experience section by swapping "Duties included" for dynamic verbs like "Managed" and "Coordinated," highlighting proactive roles and leadership. By quantifying achievements—like handling 200 transactions daily and boosting store efficiency by 15%—and adding specific details on enhancing customer satisfaction, we've crafted a vivid, impactful snapshot of skills and contributions.

Here’s a template you can use to help guide you while listing your experience on your next resume:

Resume work experience section template:

[Job title]

[Company name in smaller font]

[Location - optional]

[Company description]

• [Bullet points detailing your accomplishments and job duties –– between 3 and 6 for each job you’ve held]

While writing your bullets, remember these four things:

Action verbs

• Use numbers and quantify
• Detail your achievements and responsibilities
• Be concise and impactful

Let’s continue with the topic of experience and achievements. Next, we’ll explore exactly how to format these sentences, use the right action words, and the best way to quantify your accomplishments.

When writing the work experience section of your resume, start each sentence with a strong action verb  to immediately capture the reader's attention. This approach showcases your role as an active contributor and leader in your previous positions. For example, instead of saying "Responsible for managing a team," you could say "Managed a team of 10, leading to a 20% increase in productivity." This not only demonstrates what you did (managed a team) but also quantifies your achievement (20% productivity increase).

Quantifying

Quantifying accomplishments provides concrete evidence of your impact and showcases your ability to deliver results. Try to include numbers, percentages, or other measurable outcomes whenever possible. For instance, "Increased sales by 15% through strategic marketing campaigns" gives a clear picture of your effectiveness and contribution.

For formatting sentences, aim for clarity and conciseness. Begin with the action verb, follow with the task you performed, and end with the result or impact of your action, quantifying the achievement. Keeping this structure consistent throughout your work experience entries will create a streamlined, easy-to-read section that clearly communicates your professional value.

Tailored content

When pondering how to write work experience in a resume, it's crucial to tailor your bullets to the job you're applying for, emphasizing the experiences and achievements most relevant to the position.

Prioritize work experience that aligns closely with the job you're applying for, highlighting roles where you've developed relevant skills or achieved significant accomplishments. This targeted approach  demonstrates your suitability and potential value to prospective employers.

How to decide what experience is relevant and what isn’t?

Determining if work experience is relevant  to your resume involves aligning your past roles and achievements with the requirements of the job you're applying for. Here are tips on how to tailor your resume effectively:

• Analyze the job description: Start by thoroughly reading the job listing. Note the skills, experiences, and qualifications that are emphasized. These are your clues to what the employer values most.
• Match your experience: Look at your own work history and identify which roles and accomplishments directly relate to the job description’s requirements. Focus on experiences where you've used the skills listed as necessary for the new position.
• Highlight transferable skills:  Some of your experiences may not be directly related but have transferable skills that are valuable for the job. For example, if you’re applying for a project management role and you’ve led a team or coordinated a project, even in a different industry, that experience is relevant.
• Use keywords from the job description: Incorporate language and keywords  from the job description into your resume. This not only shows that your experience aligns with the role but also helps your resume get past automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use.
• Be selective:  You don’t need to list every job you’ve ever had. Focus on the roles that demonstrate you have the skills and experience to excel in the job you’re applying for.

Remember, a tailored resume is much more likely to catch the attention of hiring managers and show that you're a strong candidate for the position.

Deciding on the right resume format hinges on your career history, skills, and the type of job you're applying for. Among the main formats—reverse chronological, combination, and functional—each serves a distinct purpose, while all other formats are considered outdated in today's job market. Here's how to choose:

• Reverse chronological format :  This is the most traditional and widely accepted format. It lists your work history starting with your most recent job and working backward. It's ideal if you have a steady work history and want to emphasize your upward career trajectory. This format is especially beneficial when applying to roles that require extensive experience in a specific field.
• Combination or hybrid format :  This combines elements of both the chronological and functional resumes. It highlights your skills and achievements at the top, followed by your work history in reverse chronological order. This format is suitable if you're aiming to change careers, have gaps in your employment, or possess a diverse set of skills and experiences that are relevant to the job.
• Functional format :  This format focuses on your skills and experiences rather than your job history. It's organized by skill categories rather than employment history and is best suited for individuals with gaps in their employment, those changing careers, or if you're new to the workforce.

Your choice should strategically highlight your strengths and match the expectations of your target role, ensuring your resume stands out for the right reasons.

The work experience section of your resume should ideally go back 10 to 15 years . This timeframe allows you to showcase your most relevant and recent experience without overwhelming the reader with too much information. Older positions can be included if they are particularly relevant to the job you're applying for, but it's often unnecessary to detail every role beyond the last decade or so.

Also, choose how many jobs you list  wisely. Don’t include 15 different jobs—focus on positions that directly relate to the target role. Prioritize quality over quantity, ensuring each listed job adds value to your candidacy.

Handling employment gaps on your resume  can be tricky, but it's essential to approach them thoughtfully and strategically. Here's how to manage and communicate employment gaps:

• Don’t highlight gaps on your resume : Your resume is a marketing document meant to highlight your strengths. You don't need to explicitly point out employment gaps here. Focus on your experiences, skills, and achievements.
• Use a functional or combination resume format:  Instead of the traditional chronological resume, consider a functional or combination format. These emphasize skills and accomplishments up front, rather than the timeline of your employment history. This approach can help draw less attention to the gaps.
• Include other relevant experiences:  If you were doing something relevant during your gap period, such as volunteering , freelancing, studying, or undertaking any personal projects  related to your field, include these experiences on your resume. Present them similarly to how you would list a job, focusing on skills  gained and contributions made.
• Be prepared to discuss the gap in your cover letter and interviews: While you don't need to explain employment gaps on your resume, you can address them briefly in your cover letter  if it adds valuable context to your application. Be prepared to discuss the gap openly and positively in interviews, and focus on what you learned or how you grew during that time.
• Stay positive and focus on the future:  When discussing employment gaps, maintain a positive tone and focus on your eagerness and readiness to return to work. Emphasize that your experiences during the gap have prepared you for the next step in your career.
• Honesty is key:  If asked about an employment gap, be honest but succinct in your explanation. You don't need to go into personal details. A simple explanation like "I took time off for family reasons, but I'm excited to bring my skills and experiences to this role" is sufficient.

Employment gaps are more common than ever and are becoming less of a stigma, especially due to reasons like personal health, family obligations, or the recent global changes impacting employment. Most employers understand that career paths aren't always linear, so focus on demonstrating your value and readiness for the role you're applying for.

Here are some final resume tips  that could help you create that powerful, successful resume you’ve been hunting for:

Choose an organized template

Selecting a clear, professional template for your resume  can make a significant difference. It helps highlight your experience section effectively, ensuring that recruiters can easily scan through and understand your career progression and accomplishments. A well-structured template with distinct headings and a logical flow from one section to the next sets a strong first impression.

Address the needs of the employer

Tailor your experience section to meet the specific requirements and preferences of the employer. Closely read the job description and emphasize the parts of your work history that match with what they’re looking for. By mirroring the language of the job listing and focusing on relevant experiences, you demonstrate that you aren’t just qualified but also attentive and responsive to the employer’s needs.

Keep it brief

Aim to convey the essence of your roles and achievements without overwhelming the reader with too much information. For each position, include a few bullet points that highlight your key responsibilities and accomplishments, using quantifiable results whenever possible. This approach guarantees that your resume is digestible and impactful, making it easier for employers to see your value.

Check for grammatical and spelling errors

Before submitting your resume, thoroughly proofread it for any typos on your resume . Consider using tools like spell checkers or having someone else review your resume to catch errors you might have missed. A clean, error-free resume reflects your diligence and care, qualities that are highly valued in any role.

Now that we have thoroughly gone through all aspects of listing your resume work experience, you should be ready to start writing. Here are some takeaways from the article.

• Study real examples: Use real work experience examples to visualize and craft an effective experience section on your resume.
• Choose the right format:  Understand and choose the best resume format (reverse chronological, combination, or functional) for your specific situation, recognizing that all other formats are considered outdated.
• Highlight relevant experience:  Tailor your resume to address the needs of the employer by focusing on relevant work experience that showcases your qualifications for the job you're applying for.
• Use action verbs and quantify achievements:  Start bullet points with action verbs and quantify your accomplishments to clearly demonstrate your impact in previous roles.
• Organized template:  Choose a clear, professional template to make your work experience stand out effectively.
• Mind the details: Include essential information like company names, positions, dates, and locations, and aim for 4-6 bullet points per job that focus on your achievements and contributions.
• Address employment gaps thoughtfully:  Strategically manage and communicate any employment gaps, focusing on the positives and how experiences during these periods have prepared you for your next role.

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What do you think is one of the first sections a hiring manager looks at when receiving a resume? If you said work experience, you are right on target. Having a well-written work experience section will make job seekers' resumes stand out. If some of the most important skills for the career path are in place, the manager will move on to other sections.

Based on this, when it comes to moving forward in your career path, the work experience on a resume needs to be perfect. You don’t want to risk being skimmed and put to the side. Instead, you want to get eyes glued on your resume and offer information that keeps them there. That’s how you get an email asking you to schedule an interview.

Something you may or may not know is that managers often spend only a portion of a minute looking at the average minute. In the six seconds that your resume gets a glance, it needs to stand out and gain attention. Since work experience is one of the most important sections, that means doing everything perfectly.

But don’t worry that there’s no way you can do that. Once you understand what an employer wants to see, it’s easy to give that to them. Then you’ll be far more likely to get into the interview room and potentially a whole new career role. Take the tips and examples below to ensure your resume is as perfect as can be.

Why is the work experience section of a resume important?

There are tons of reasons to include relevant experience on a resume. The first is that many employers consider it the most important section. It trumps everything from your education and skills to the resume objective and references. The work experience section is often read first, which makes it essential for moving forward in the process of obtaining new employment.

When prospective employers look at the job experience in a resume, they use it to decide whether you have the skills and experience to succeed in whatever role you have applied for. In addition, you’ll go into detail about your accomplishments, which is a great way to stand out from other applicants and get your foot in the door.

What to – and not to – include in your resume work experience section

When it comes to the work history in a resume, there are many things to include but just as many to avoid inserting. Information about the job you are applying for and what your employment history looks like will determine what to add.

TIP: Keep in mind that you should work with a reverse-chronological order. That means you start with the most recent position and move back to the previous position, and so on.

If your work experience is scattered, don’t worry. It’s becoming more and more common (and accepted) as time goes on. Adding side projects and part-time gigs is useful if any skills are related to the position you’re applying for now.

When it comes down to it, you need to be ready to answer questions about your work choices, be able to explain your career path, and be honest about how much commitment you’re interested in. After you decide which positions to list, there are several things you should add as you insert them into the resume. Each should have -

• Action verbs – Action verbs are considered strong and work well in a resume format. Use words like “transformed” and “pioneered” to make yourself sound good. This also helps you avoid tons of adjectives.
• Awards and honors – If you receive recognition at your job for great work, that’s something you want to include. All of the work experience that you add to your resume should be as impressive as possible.
• On-site training – If you gained certifications and skills on the job, those are great things to include. It can be a good way to showcase skills and prove you take initiative at work.
• Quantitative info – When a hiring manager looks at your resume, numbers always stand out. They’re tangible and specific. Whether you managed 20 clients each week or grew a reader base by 150%, make sure you include those details.
• Results-based facts – The person reading the resume has the basics, so each of your job descriptions needs to be further. Focus on the ways you managed your positions in innovative manners.

Now that you know what to include on your resume, we want to delve into the things you should avoid. Some things do not need to be explained to the hiring manager. In addition, resumes have limited space, so you want to include only the most important bits.

You can do that by avoiding the things below -

• Basic job requirements – The job title gives the basic information, so there’s no reason to go into more detail. Instead, they’ll better understand your role by reading the bullet points.
• Filler text – Some words can be cut in a resume to save space. Think of words like the and I for a couple of examples.
• Irrelevant information – Small responsibilities that have no bearing on the new position can be left out. Every word and bullet point should be focused on selling you.
• What the company does – When you make a resume, you’re showing yourself. It’s not about another company. Hiring managers don’t need to know those details.

How to write work experience on a resume: 5 steps to be noticed

You want to know how to write a job description on a resume. The good news is that it’s not as challenging as you might think. Once you learn what to write in a resume for work experience and use it for a past entry, the others will be easier to compose. So take a breath and dig into the steps below in terms of how to write a job description for a resume.

Step #1: Create an eye-catching heading

The first step in creating a job history on a resume is making a heading that catches the eye. This can make you an appealing candidate from the very start. You’ll want to include a title such as “work history” or “past employment” before you dig into the previous work experience and dates of employment.

One thing to take into consideration here is that the title looks better if it’s a bit larger than the actual description. Use all capital letters or write in bold for extra visibility.

Step #2: Make sure experience is in the right place

After you look at a job posting and think about the job positions you want, make sure you create the resume in the right area of the resume.

If you’re not sure where that is, don’t worry. There are two typical options based on your work history. For those who have a reasonable amount of professional experience, add the section under your resume objective. Those who have less experience can put it under the education section.

Step #3: Use reverse-chronological order

Regardless of your key skills and any leadership positions, job candidates need to consider every aspect of how a resume is laid out. In most cases, employment history should be done in reverse-chronological order.

Not sure what that means? Don’t worry; it’s simple to understand. First, put your current or most recent position at the top of the section. Then move down and add the next most recent. Follow that format as you continue.

This is the most classic method for showing work history on a resume. However, there are other styles. Most are best served with this format but feel free to explore other options to make sure it’s ideal for your needs.

Step #4: Keep things clean and easy to read

At the top of all your job listings, make sure to add the company name and location, what your title was, and which dates you were with the organization. You’ll see several examples below to give you better insight into what this might look like for you.

It’s fine to start with the company name or your position; nobody cares much about which you choose. However, work toward consistency. If you do it one way on the first job, keep that up with all the rest.

The same applies to dates of employment. Make sure they’re in the same area with identical alignment.

Step #5: Add relevant bullets under each position

Every job that you list should have bullets after it to explain what you did there. Most bullets should be reserved for your current position. Add plenty of detail for this one. As you move backward, it’s fine to limit the number of bullets as you do so.

For every point, you want to focus on your achievements. Don’t stick to simple job responsibilities and duties. There’s no need to add every single task you ever did. Instead, add the ones that are relevant and that you can include quantifiable information about.

TIP:  As you write, use power words and action verbs so you create a persuasive message. You should also be sure that all your entries support the skills you say you have. Look at the job description and add keywords whenever you can.

3 Successful resume work experience examples

Now that you know what an employer expects, we want to share a few resume experience examples. Using professional experience examples for a resume lets you get a visual idea of how your document should look. This is a great way to see if you are on the right track or not. Below are three job experience examples for applicants of all kinds. Use the most relevant professional experience resume example as a guide for your resume.

This first resume work experience example is for an applicant who is searching for a job in an electrical engineering position. You can see how her previous work experience is laid out and incorporates many of the tips we just provided to you.

What makes this a good example

This work experience example contains two past jobs. Each of them has a well-made heading that includes all the needed information about the job role, company name and location, and dates of employment.

When you get into the bullets, you find action verbs and plenty of numbers to go with the achievement.

Next up, you get a glimpse at what a hiring manager might see when a potential pharmacist sends in their resume. It offers two work positions from the past, along with limited bullet points under each of them.

Previous employers will appreciate the way the work experience is laid out here. It’s simple to see where one job ends and the next begins. The person who created the work experience section made sure to quantify their achievements and use keywords from the job description to tie everything together.

Finally, we have an example employment history for someone who wants to work as a tutor. You can see the last two jobs they had in various tutoring positions. Everything is laid out professionally with the appropriate information, including dates of employment.

Future employers want to see your previous work experience and how well you did in past positions. This applicant makes that clear by describing how they helped students improve their grades and do well on various standardized tests. You can also get an idea of where their skills are the best.

What is the right resume experience format for a resume

When you’re listing resume job experience, you want to be sure you show off your job responsibilities in the correct resume format. Each bit of relevant work experience should look the same, or it can be confusing to read. Being consistent shows you have an eye for detail and know how to follow the rules.

A few tips that will help you create the best work experience section include -

Format all entries the same with details like the company name and location, job title, dates of employment, and list of responsibilities.

TIP:  Use the same font throughout and only use two styles, such as standard text for most of the resume and bold for job titles.

Make sure all sections are aligned in the same way, such as having right-aligned dates throughout.

Use the same font and method for all the headers to make sure this section of the resume is a breeze to read.

How to describe work experience on a resume: key takeaways

Now that you know what potential employers want to see in the work experience on a resume, all you have to do is spend a few minutes creating it. Make use of our resume builder to get it done fast. When you use the tips and examples above, you’re sure to have a work experience section to be proud of.

Whether you have only a bit of experience or decades to add, the work experience section is one of the most important for your resume. Get it right, and you could be moving forward in the process. Good luck!

How many years of work experience should you put on your resume?

When it comes to how much work history is on a resume, it can vary. It depends on how you ask. If you are asking us how many years of work experience is on a resume, we’d say to keep it to around a decade.

If it takes a bit more to fill the page, that’s okay. The same applies if you need to use less for the section. Ten years is just a good average.

What to put on your resume if you don’t have any work experience

Even if you don’t have experience, you can create a great resume. Rather than focusing on the work experience section, put your effort into showing off relevant skills. Add in projects, hard and soft skills, hobbies and interests, and more. Achievements and certifications can also be added to show what you are capable of.

How to write work experience on a resume with employment gaps?

Many people have employment gaps for various reasons. There’s no real need to draw attention to them on the resume itself. Simply write it with what experience you do have. If you get an interview and are asked about it, explain why you weren’t working and describe a skill or ability you gained in that time.

How to list work experience for a career change?

There are several things you can do on a resume for a career change. Tie old experience to the skills needed in a new position. Focus on achievements using data and numbers. Tailor the descriptions for each job using relevant keywords to show you have the needed skills.

Should you include all work experience on your resume?

Full-time jobs, part-time jobs, volunteer experience, and internships can all be included in your work experience. However, that doesn’t mean every role needs to be added. Those who have lots of experience can focus on the most relevant positions to create a better document.

Should you put unrelated work experience on a resume?

In most cases, it’s better to stick with relevant work experience on a resume. However, it also depends on the type of job and how much other experience you have. If your past employment is limited, go ahead and add in other positions. But you want to try to tie the experience in, so highlight skills that apply to the new role.

Can you lie about work experience on your resume?

In theory, it’s possible to do so, but it is very much not recommended. While an application and resume aren’t legal documents, you can still get yourself in hot water. If the employer finds out you lied, you’re likely to lose your job if you’ve been hired on. Instead, focus on key achievements in the position you have had.

How do you put international work experience on a resume?

So you’ve had additional experience, but it was in another country? You can still add it to your work experience section when building your resume. Format it like other experiences, and be sure to include the location. International experience is a great way to stand out!

How do you list remote work experience on a resume?

Having consistent employment experience for a resume is a good way to stand out. That includes both in-person and remote experience. If you want to showcase that you worked on a remote basis, simply add (remote) after the job title. However, you do not have to do this. It can look just like other positions if you prefer.

Is volunteer work experience on a resume?

Volunteer experience can be used as work experience on a resume. Just because you were doing good for free doesn’t mean it can’t be included. You’d insert it into a resume just like any other job you held. As long as the experience is relevant and shows off your skills, put it on the resume and let it shine.

How do you put stay-at-home mom on a resume without work experience?

Being a stay-at-home mom doesn’t need to be a detriment as you embark on your career journey. It can be used in the work experience on a resume, just like other jobs. List it with a title like “caregiver” or “home manager,” including dates, and put down some of the accomplishments you have.

How to write “currently working” in a resume?

If you’re still employed somewhere, you should list it on your resume with the rest of your work experience. All you need to do is list the basics (name of company, position, and location) as well as the date. Since you still work there, simply put “present” or “currently working” as the end date.

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How to Describe Your Work Experience on a Resume? [+Examples]

Your work history section is the most important part of your resume. It's also the most difficult part of your CV to address. Keep reading to find out how to properly describe your work experience on your resume. 

Because while a well-written work experience section can land you a job, a badly written one can easily sabotage your chances of getting an interview. You must know how to write it and what to include in it. 

And that's what this guide is for! It will show you:

What is a work experience section?

• Why bother writing it?
• Where to put the work experience section on your resume?
• …if you’re a student or a fresh graduate?
• …as an experienced professional?
• …if you’re an artist or creative?
• …if you’re changing careers?
• How to overcome an employment gap?
• How to address maternity leave?
• Plus some final tips and tricks

Too long, don't wanna read? Watch this 60sec video guide

The work experience section or employment history is a detailed summary of your past work experience . In other words, a comprehensible report of all jobs you’ve held in the past.

Depending on your background, you can include full-time positions, part-time jobs, temporary roles, internships, or even volunteer work.

In the work history section, you should list key information such as: 

• names of companies
• positions held
• dates of employment
• responsibilities you've held

But more importantly , it should highlight your main achievements and provide specific examples.

Side note: The experience section often goes under other names. Some people call it Employment history . Others refer to it as Work experience or Work history. All of these terms are interchangeable and all of them are correct. So you don't have to worry about picking the right one. 

Oh, and if you have a LinkedIn profile filled with all the important details, including your work experience, academic background, skills, and qualifications, you can easily  turn it into a polished resume with just one click.

Why should you include the work experience section?

We hate to use the word “important” , but…

… work experience is super important, if not a key section of your resume. 

When you think “resume ”, the work experience section is probably the first thing that comes to your mind. And you’re not alone. Based on this section employers determine whether or not you have what it takes for the job.

It provides an overview of your experience. A well-written work experience section is a crucial element because it shows that you have the necessary qualifications.

Where to put your work experience on a resume?

In most cases, your work experience section should come right after your contact info and professional summary.

But this isn't always the case. In some situations, you want to put your key skills, key achievements, or education section first.

For example, place your education first if you’re a student, fresh graduate, professional who recently went back to school, Ph.D. researcher , doctor, or another profession where the educational background is very important. Or if you’re writing an academic CV.

Generally speaking, the role and importance of your employment history section depend on where you're in your career and the type of resume you choose to write.

You can choose to write either a chronological, functional, or combination resume:

A chronological resume  

The most common resume type . 

It’s built around the employment history section. This makes it great for seasoned professionals with several years of work experience. It presents information in reverse-chronological order, with the most recent events being placed first.

Order of sections in chronological resume usually looks like this: Contact Information > Professional Summary > Work Experience > Education > Skills > Others .

A functional resume

This resume type draws attention to and puts forward your skills , accomplishments, job traits, and personal characteristics. 

It works best for fresh graduates, students, people returning to work after parental leave, and people who are changing careers — in other words — for those who might already have the skills but lack experience (or have an employment gap in their resume).

Order of sections in functional resume usually is the following: Contact Information > Professional Summary / Resume Objective > Skills / Projects > Work History / Education > Others .

A combination resume  

A combination resume contains elements of both the chronological and functional format. It does so by including your relevant skills and accomplishments first and then detailing your employment history and education. 

It's great for students, fresh graduates, or career changers who don’t really fit elsewhere. 

A combination resume also gives you a chance to order sections in a way that works best for your unique career path. You can, for instance, place the key achievement section first if there's a success that you truly want to highlight. 

How to write a work experience section?

In summary, you should begin with listing your current (or most recent job) and then continue with the previous ones. Your first job should close the section. 

The description of your most recent job position should include the following information:

• name of the company
• responsibilities and achievements

The more recent the job, the more detailed information about it you want to offer. On the other hand, you don’t really want to waste space on jobs that took place years ago. So, don’t go into too much detail. 

Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Despite that, the employment history section is probably the most difficult to write. Why though?

The answer is quick — the main challenge of describing your work experience on your resume is the sheer amount of information you have to include in this section. You have to choose wisely what to include so you won’t overwhelm the recruiter. 

Another problem arises once you stop writing it. You look back to your finished work history section and you may wonder:

Is your work experience section too short? Is it too long? Does it look somewhat chaotic? 

There’s no reason to worry though. We’ve got you. Here are some tips on how to make your job history section more orderly and appealing: 

• Use action verbs. As opposed to buzzwords, there are some powerful words you DO want to use. These include expressions such as “achieved,” “advised,” “negotiated” and others. See the pattern there? Instead of adjectives, use verbs you can support with evidence.
• Tailor it to a specific opening. Your accomplishments should match the employer’s needs and priorities. This is one of the quickest ways to get noticed and invited to an interview. Do your research and re-arrange your bullet points to show exactly the type of experience they want.
• Keywords. Reread the advertised job description and carefully pick the most important keywords. These are the words that best describe the position you’re applying for. Pack your resume with these keywords. Not only will it help you get past applicant tracking systems (ATS), but it will also leave a lasting impression on the hiring manager.
• Show your problem-solving skills . In the end, hiring managers want to know how effective are you when it comes to solving real problems. There’s no better way to prove your problem-solving ability than to briefly describe how you solved difficult problems in the past. Follow the PAR scheme: What was the Problem? What Action did you take? What was the Result?
• Quantify your past results. Managers love measurable results. A single number is often worth a thousand words. Don’t say you “increased the company’s revenue by, like, a lot”. Instead, don’t be afraid to brag about “increasing the company’s revenue by 20%.”
• Use bullet points. Bullet points help you structure your sub-sections. It also takes next to no effort on your part. Use them in combination with short paragraphs. First, describe the scope of your responsibilities, then use bullet points to list your top contributions for each job. Add 2-4 bullet points for each job.

Then, there are also common work experience section mistakes that you should avoid: 

• Don’t include the job description. Wait, what? Isn’t that the whole point? Well, no, employers usually know what the job should entail. Instead of listing what you were supposed to do, tell your potential employers what positive results you were able to bring about.
• Avoid buzzwords. Some phrases have been used so much in resumes that they became meaningless. Avoid words such as “thinking outside the box,” “creative,” or “problem solver.” These words always sound insincere. You want to inspire confidence. If you're using too many buzzwords, try to rephrase your content to make it more results-focused and skill-based.

Christy's word of advice

When it comes to the Work Experience sections, many resources say you should only highlight achievements and omit duties. What's your take on this?

“ I usually say have both. I recommend putting a few most important duties first because that's adding the context, and then the achievements. You can maybe get away just with the achievements if you're in an achievement-focused role, for instance, sales. But in general, I'd recommend having a mix — context plus impact. ” — Christy Morgan , Kickresume's Resident HR Expert

How to list work experience if you’re a student or a fresh graduate?

Naturally, you don’t have tons of experience if you’ve just finished school. Yet, being young is no obstacle. It comes down to how you present the experience you already have.

As a student or fresh graduate, you should place your work experience after the education section. Then list key skills, volunteer experience, and other voluntary sections.

Why list education first? Because your education and educational results are your strongest weapons right now.

Also, try to think of any job-relevant experience that you could put on your resume. Do you have any related experience at all when you worked as an intern? Have you done some volunteer work for a local charity? Or attended a conference? 

All of these things belong on your resume. Treat your internships and extracurricular activities as regular jobs.

These activities can showcase your motivation and skills. They also help recruiters gauge your professional aptitude. Each one of them should come with a few points that detail your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Here’s what you can include in your employment history section:

• Part-time jobs. If you’re fresh out of school (or still studying), part-time jobs are probably your primary type of experience. Even if the job isn’t super-relevant to the job you’re applying for now, there are valuable transferrable skills you’ve acquired in that job. Highlight them.
• Internships. Paid and unpaid college internships are one of the best weapons against the “experience required” line in a job posting.
• Volunteering . Most recruiters look at volunteer experience similar to paid work experience. Just because you didn’t get paid doesn’t mean you didn’t do a good job. Go ahead and list your volunteer roles as you would a full-time job. Detail the length of time you volunteered, relevant tasks you undertook, and the skills you gained through the experience.
• Extracurricular activities. If you’re applying for copywriting job, for example, recruiters will be more impressed to hear that you wrote a handful of articles for your student newspaper than that you had a summer job in a local fast-food restaurant.
• Leadership roles: Any leadership roles, even from clubs or sports teams, can demonstrate leadership skills and teamwork — both of which are highly valued by employers. 

How does this look in practice? Take a look at this fresh graduate sample below! 

How to list work experience if you’re an experienced professional?

Even if you’re an experienced professional, the hiring manager is going to put your work experience section under scrutiny. Because of that, you want to make sure your work experience section is tight.

To help employers navigate this section, list your work history in reverse chronological order. Put the most recent — and therefore the most relevant — items first.

Side tip: If you’re working a full-time job and freelancing at the same time, it’s only up to you to decide where you want to draw attention first.

Most importantly, don’t just state where you worked and what was your job title. Rather, also use 2–4 bullet points for each job to describe your duties and specific achievements. 

Here’s an example of how to do it:

Work Experience Section Example

Automotive Technician, Icahn Automotive, Rotorua, New Zealand (03/2017 – 09/2019)

• Repaired various cars and trucks. Troubleshot and diagnosed vehicles. Repaired or replaced defective parts. Ensured that everything was in compliance with the company’s high standards and clients’ needs.
• Awarded Employee of the Month for increasing customer satisfaction with provided services from 87% to 95% within one year.

Mind the length

Executives can use more than one page of their resume to present their extensive work experience. But that doesn’t mean that you should let your resume become a 700-page-long autobiography.

You may be wondering how to filter the information then. Especially if you have years of substantial experience. 

Well, as we already said earlier, if something’s recent, it also means it’s more relevant. That’s why you should describe more recent jobs in greater detail . Older ones will do with a brief description, allowing you to save some valuable space for more important details to put on your resume.

Finally, remember that you should never ever make your resume longer than two or three pages. Recruiters are busy and they can easily get overwhelmed by an overly long document. It would be sad if only this killed your chances of getting called for an interview . 

How far back should your employment history go?

Generally, it’s okay to include up to 15 years of experience, but try to avoid going further back in time than that. An exception would be a truly unique experience – such as being the one who started a successful company. 

Or, if a job requires 20 years of experience, then you should also definitely include more than 10–15 years of experience on your resume. 

However, most industries change a lot in 15 years, rendering any experience older than that obsolete.

If you have been working for less than 8-10 years, go back to the beginning of your work history and try to tailor your resume to be relevant to the job you’re applying for now.

Avoid writing about every single job you’ve ever held. This can easily overwhelm an employer and make them lose interest. Instead, only use previous work experience at least a bit related to the opportunity you want.

If you’ve worked more than 10 years as an executive, consider starting your work history at the point you became a manager. Most hiring managers don’t care what your first job was. They want to see how you progressed since you started as a manager.

How to write a work experience section if you’re an artist?

If you’re an artist, you know that your life and your job are a little different from the rest of the people. Because of that, it probably comes as no surprise that your work experience section should be different, too.

In short, as an artist, you should say goodbye to wordy descriptions and focus almost entirely on your portfolio . 

Consequently, your artist resume can be quite short and mostly focus on listing your training or education, courses you've taught, or artist residencies that you've been accepted to. 

See the sample below for what a good artist's resume should look like. Also, notice the fun creative resume template ! 

Finally, don't forget to polish up your social media profiles , as this is one of the most convenient ways of finding new clients today. Create your own website, and make sure to upload your portfolio to sites like Behance or Dribble. 

How to list experience if you’re changing careers?

If you’re pursuing a career change, your resume shouldn’t revolve entirely around your employment history. After all, that’s all in the past now. 

Instead , you should highlight your transferrable skills. You need to show how you can use the skills from your previous career in the new one.

Because of that, the hybrid resume format is the way to go.

How to do this? 

• In the employment history section, briefly outline your work history. Only mention those positions where you acquired skills that are relevant to the new position. You can also mention any relevant volunteer work.
• Try to find any keywords that relate to your experience. Look closely at the qualifications in the job description and tailor the bullet points in your work history to highlight that applicable experience.
• Focus less on the duties and more on your transferrable skills . These are any skills that you can transfer from one career to another. For example, if you have a background in journalism and want to apply for a copywriting position, the obviously shared keyword here is writing . Even though you don’t have any copywriting or marketing experience, you do have expert-level writing skills that you can use in the new field. That's a transferable skill. Try including these in your work experience section.

How to overcome an employment gap in your work history?

While many see a gap in their resume as an issue that's hard to overcome, that isn't necessarily the case. You just have to know which gaps should be addressed and which can be ignored.

If the resume gap is worth addressing, you can also learn how to give your resume gap a little “glow up.” 

Generally speaking, there are two basic criteria you need to consider when thinking about the seriousness of an employment gap on your resume: its duration and how recent it is.

• Short gaps don’t matter. Work gaps don’t generally become red flags unless they lasted for more than six months.
• Old gaps don’t matter either. Recruiters are interested in recent history and won’t investigate things that no longer have an impact on the present.

If your resume employment gaps are recent and quite long, what can you do?

• Change the way you write dates. Simply exclude months and the gap might disappear. So, instead of writing (October 2017 – August 2019), (September 2014 – January 2017) , you write (2017 – 2019), (2014 – 2017). Obviously, this technique works best for employment gaps that took place within a single calendar year.
• Consider changing the format of your resume. You should use the functional resume format. It shifts attention to your strengths and job-relevant skills rather than your work history.
• Make the most of your employment gap. Starting a business, freelancing, studying, volunteering, taking a purposeful sabbatical — all of these count as valuable experience. List these experiences along with other positions you held in the work experience section. Describe how you expanded your skillset.
• Boost your credibility with references . Ask your former employers, ex-colleagues, and other industry professionals if they’re willing to vouch for you. Include their names and contact information directly in your resume or attach an additional page to your resume.

How to address a maternity leave on your resume?

A very specific type of employment gap is maternity/parental leave. 

If you find yourself in the situation when you're trying to enter the work world after you took some time off to give birth or take care of your offspring, you may be a little worried about how to address it in your resume. 

The best thing to do is to use the functional or combination resume format , rather than chronologically list your previous work experience. 

Both formats allow you to attract the employer’s attention with your skills before addressing the elephant in the room.

Once you’ve done that, briefly mention that your career gap was due to the maternity leave. You can do it like this:

Example: How to address maternity leave in the work experience section

Maternity leave (January 2019–present)

That's it. You don't have to go into great detail. After all, you're not the first person in the world who has ever taken a parenting leave.

You just have to make sure to emphasize the work you did before you took some time off. Write about it as if it were yesterday and you still remember the details of the projects you worked on. Recall your accomplishments and the projects you're proud of from that period of your life. Time doesn’t devalue those experiences and skills that you've learned in the past.

Alternatively, if you've volunteered or completed a course during your leave, don't forget to mention it! Make sure to write about any relevant community service or voluntary work that you engaged in during your time away. Any freelancing projects or short-term gigs work as great resume enhancers.

See the example below: 

Example: How to update the work experience section after maternity leave 

During my maternity leave, I focused on maintaining and enhancing my skill set. That involved enrolling in an online course, continuing my education, and participating in a sales conference to ensure that I remained up-to-date with industry happenings.

Sales Success Summit, Boston (June 2019)

• Joining fellow sales leaders, trainers, and enablement professionals to learn expert secrets about sales and marketing.

The Art of Sales: Mastering the Selling Process (Northwestern University) – Online course (March 2019 – June 2019)

• Coursework focused on standing out in the crowd, attracting customers, and building support for initiatives within one’s company.

If you'd like more tips on how to do this, go and read our article on how to tackle maternity leave on your resume.

Final resume tips

• Don’t be afraid to use bold whenever you want to highlight important bits of information within the section.
• Include key achievements subsection. Pick the biggest achievement from each job and highlight it in a subsection. You can also write it in bold. This will catch the attention of the hiring manager in an instant.
• Keep it simple and easy to read. Don’t overdo it. Pick 1-2 colors maximum, 1-2 fonts, and 1-2 heading sizes.
• Remember it’s not only about you . It’s also about your future employer. Look at the job description again and determine what are his needs. Address these in your work experience section.

FAQ: How to describe your work experience on a resume

1. Is it ever ok to change the title of my past jobs a little bit?

While we always advise against lying on your resume, slightly altering the name of your past position shouldn't hurt you. Especially, if the name of the position didn't fit your responsibilities (which happens more often than you'd think). 

Additionally, if your boss thought they were being original but you ended up with a stupid-sounding work position name, you've also got the green light to change it in your resume.

2. What should I not include in the work history section of my resume?

• A wall of text. Always opt for bullet points.
• Too much information. Keep it brief. 
• Personal information. Your age, relationship status, or sexual orientation are all private information (and should stay that way during the recruitment).

3.   Should I include a job that I was fired from in my resume? 

Yes, if it's relevant to the prospective job position, there's no reason not to mention it. Even if you were fired (for various reasons), you've managed to get the job in the first place and you've learned some valuable skills. 

This article was recently updated. The original article was written by Nikoleta Žišková in 2021 .

Is it ever ok to change the title of my past jobs a little bit?

While we always advise against lying on your resume, slightly altering the name of your past position shouldn't hurt you. Especially, if the name of the position didn't fit your responsibilities (which happens more often than you'd think). 

What should I not include in the work history section of my resume?

• Too much information. Keep it brief. 

Should I include a job that I was fired from in my resume?

Yes, if it's relevant to the prospective job position, there's no reason not to mention it. Even if you were fired (for various reasons), you've managed to get the job in the first place and you've learned some valuable skills. 

Should I include my GPA on my resume?

As a rule of thumb, you should include your GPA if it's 3.0 or above and you're a recent graduate. If you're further along in your career, recruiters typically care more about your work experience than your academic performance.

I've already graduated. Should I still list my high school under the education section?

Usually, once you have a college degree or higher, you don't need to include your high school education in your resume.

Kaja Jurčišinová

Kaja Jurcisinova is a fresh graduate and a junior copywriter at Kickresume. Kaja completed her undergraduate degree in Art History at the University of St Andrews in 2018 and graduated with a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in 2021. She was an intern at multiple cultural institutions across Europe, including the Dutch Museum Association in Amsterdam, the Matter of Art Biennale in Prague, and the European Cultural Centre in Venice. At the moment, she resides in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.

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How to write a professional resume summary [+examples], how to put your education on a resume [+examples], let your resume do the work..

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What to Put on a Resume

Include your contact information, feature your education and certifications, never include hobbies or personal interests, include dates and locations for employment, create an eye-catching professional profile, highlight your work experience and accomplishments, feature a professional skills section, lose the references, additional resume building resources.

To build a compelling resume, you first need to identify the right content to include in your document. Although this can vary significantly from industry to industry, there are core best practices to resume writing that are applicable across a wide range of occupations and fields. When crafting your resume, the most important thing to consider is whether the information you’re providing will be relevant to the hiring manager. Many job seekers often make the mistake of providing vague bullet points that feature generic job responsibilities. Others create content that is too long-winded and does not draw attention to the bottom-line value of their professional achievements. Using our guide below, we’ll help you identify the right details to include on your resume to improve your interview response rates and land your next job opportunity.

Although this may seem obvious, there are key factors to consider when including your contact information. Always include your phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile at the top of your document. When detailing your address, you can provide your full street address if you’re applying for a position in your local area. If you’re planning on relocating, however, you may want to omit these details, as this could be off-putting to the hiring manager and may be a roadblock to you securing the interview. If you’re pursuing a remote position, the address is less likely to have a positive or negative impact, so you can feel free to include it for those roles.

As a rule, education should be placed towards the front of the document for recent graduates and included at the bottom for experienced professionals. If your certification or license is critical for the role, such as a Registered Nurse license, you may want to consider placing it directly below your summary or mentioning the license within the professional profile itself. Once you’ve completed a bachelor’s or associate’s degree, you no longer need to include your high school degree, as this won’t do anything to enhance your application. If you’re in a situation where you attended college but didn’t complete your degree, you could include the number of credits you achieved and the years you were enrolled in the university. It shows that you have some college experience, which will look stronger than only including a GED.

While it may seem tempting to provide insights into your hobbies and personal interests, this is a poor strategy for resume building. Hiring managers may ask you these types of questions during an interview, but they certainly won’t persuade them to schedule you for one. The purpose of the resume is to clearly showcase that you’re qualified for the job and that you can bring value to prospective employers. Including irrelevant details such as your interest in skiing or watching films may even come off as unprofessional, as you’re essentially wasting the hiring manager’s valuable time. That said, including professional associations you’re involved in, or a relevant volunteer experience is an alternative approach that can improve your document, especially if the information is pertinent to your industry.

A common question job seekers have is whether or not to include months in addition to years for positions they’ve previously held in their career. If possible, you should also provide the full timeline for your employment, as omitting months doesn’t tell the full story. For example, if you held a job from October 2019 – February 2020, but listed it as 2019 – 2020, you’d be giving the false impression that you were employed at the company for a full year. While many hiring managers may not scrutinize these details, there are some that will, and eliminating any possible barriers during the hiring process is an important best practice for resume writing.

Including a professional summary at the top of your document is essential for grabbing the attention of the hiring manager. Some candidates make the mistake of creating a resume objective section, rather than a professional profile. Although these have been used in the past, objectives have become less and less appealing for hiring managers. Employers are much more interested in seeing that you have the qualifications for the position you’re applying for than garnering insights into your long-term career goals. Given the limited bandwidth of hiring managers to read each document they receive in-depth, the professional profile also offers you an opportunity to create a compelling snapshot of your career and differentiate yourself from the competition.

Creating a work experience section on your resume is a given. It’s how you build out your content and career achievements that makes all the difference during the job search. Employers are interested in candidates who take the time to carefully detail accomplishments throughout their career, as this helps to paint a clearer picture of who you are as a professional within your field. To make a positive impression, you’ll want to create clear and concise bullet points that are easy for the hiring manager to read and understand. Long-winded paragraphs can often be a detriment to the resume, as it makes it more difficult for the reader to find the key pieces of information they’re looking for. Remember to keep your focus on the bottom-line value of your achievements and the steps and actions you took to make them happen.

The skills section has two primary functions on the resume. First, it provides you with another avenue to incorporate appropriate keywords for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) without compromising the writing quality of your bullet points. For example, there may be a specific piece of software or an industry regulation that you can’t integrate cleanly into your work experience. Featuring these terms in your skills section allows you to highlight your industry knowledge while maintaining the quality of your bullet point content. This section will also further show the hiring manager that you have the necessary skill sets the company is looking for, which is the first step in securing the interview.

References are another outdated resume writing practice that has largely been discarded. It’s generally understood that if an employer wants to look at your references, they can always ask for them, so including a sentence at the end of your document explaining that is largely unnecessary. Instead, you should create a separate document in advance that cleanly formats the names and contact information of your references so that it’s ready to send as soon as the company asks for it.

Building a resume from scratch can be a daunting task, but sometimes viewing examples can give you the guidance and inspiration you need to craft your content. Each industry has its own nuances and specifics and learning how to draw attention to the bottom-line value of your professional achievements is essential for generating interest from potential employers. Our resume and cover letter example pages can provide you with industry keywords, templates, and expert tips to help you create an accomplishment-driven document and land your next big interview.

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Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

13 min read · Updated on January 17, 2024

Make an impact with a knock-out profile

When it comes to job search success, nothing is more important than ensuring that your resume captures an employer's attention. After all, even the best resumes are useless if no one reads them. Of course, that raises an important question: is there anything you can do to make your resume get the attention it deserves?

In this post, we'll explain how a great resume profile can help you to solve that challenge. We'll explain how a resume profile works, when you should use it in your resume, and how to create a profile that immediately commands interest. Finally, we'll provide several resume profile examples that you can customize and use in your own resume.

What is a resume profile?

If you're already familiar with the resume objective statement or resume summary, then the concept of a resume profile should be easy to understand. Put simply, the resume profile is an introductory paragraph that quickly summarizes your skills and experiences in a way that motivates hiring managers to continue reading your resume.

As you'll discover in our resume profile examples later in the post, a great profile focuses attention on your best skills, experience, and achievements. You can think of it as an elevator pitch for your resume - a quick snapshot that provides just enough information to make the reader want to learn more about you.

Related: Make the Perfect First Impression With Your Resume

What types of resume profiles can you use?

To better understand the resume profile, it may help to look at some of the different types of resume profiles that job seekers can use. There are three different types of common profiles, including the objective statement, summary, and summary of qualifications.

Objective statement

The resume objective statement is often considered obsolete, since it tends to focus more on your career goals than the employer's needs. It's often used by entry level workers with little experience or career-changers who need to explain why their skill set makes them a good candidate for the job. To use it effectively, job candidates need to ensure that they include some language that explains how they can benefit the employer if they're hired. For example:

“Creative social media professional with 3 years of experience and proven results. Skilled in cross-platform engagement enhancement and brand development. Looking for an opportunity to work with a company that prioritizes customer experience and brand loyalty. Experience includes increasing customer engagement by 130% over a six-month period.”

Related : Resume Objective Examples: A Career Objective Guide

Summary paragraph

The resume summary has replaced the objective statement in most modern resumes - and for good reason. This brief paragraph may also mention one or two key skills, but its primary focus is on detailing your important work experience and measurable achievements. As a result, the summary is a preferred option for job seekers with significant experience, since it's designed to demonstrate your value as an employee. Below, is an example of this type of profile statement:

“Accomplished Project Manager with more than ten years of successful team building and project execution expertise. Skilled in process development, workflow management, and collaboration with stakeholders. Received Agile Leader award in 2018. While at ABC Corporation, developed personnel resource allocation program that increased project efficiency by 48% in the first year of use.”

Summary of qualifications

The third option is the summary of qualifications. The main difference between this type of summary and the summary paragraph involves the format choice. Instead of being one block of text, it combines a brief paragraph with several bullet point examples of notable achievements. For example:

Dynamic Team Leader with 7 years of experience in customer management, problem-solving, and team building. Proven to increase team productivity, enhance the customer service experience, and provide real value to an employer.

• Led 30-person team of technical professionals, with 95% customer satisfaction
• Reorganized project workflow for ABC Corporation, increasing efficiency by 45%
• Developed training program that reduced employee onboarding costs by 17%

What elements should you include in your resume profile?

Before you create a resume profile, it's important to think about the types of information you want to include for your reader. What types of qualification is the employer evaluating as part of its hiring decision? Does the job description focus primarily on core skills ? Do you have achievements that are likely to make a positive impression on the hiring manager?

There are many different profile elements that you can include, so you'll need to prioritize based on the employers' needs. The fact is that you won't have room in your profile to cover all these different types of information, so choose wisely:

Skills that are relevant to the position you're seeking

Your length of experience

Notable achievements, preferably ones that you can quantify with real numbers

Core personal characteristics that make you a good fit for the role

Your career aspirations - preferably noted in a way that shows how they align with the company's vision

Related : Top 15 Professional Goals and How to Achieve Them

Again, make sure that you focus attention on the job posting, taking note of every key skill and experience that the employer cites as required qualifications. You'll want to tailor your profile - and the rest of your resume - to align with those stated employer needs.

Pro tip: Make special note of those job requirements, since you will want to use the same language in your resume. Those keywords are essential for ensuring that your resume can satisfy any applicant tracking system screening the employer might be using.

You should also do some research to learn more about the company's culture. That will enable you to further tailor your resume profile to include personal traits that highlight how well you'll fit into that environment. Sometimes, those little details can make the difference between you and another similarly qualified candidate.

How to write your own resume profile: tips

When you're ready to create your resume profile, it's important to know how to do it the right way. Since it's the first thing employers will see after they're done reading your contact details, you need to make sure that it's as compelling as possible. The following tips can help.

Write this part of your resume last

Even though your profile section will be near the top of your resume, you should still create this important section last. Why? Well, it's simple: since the resume profile serves as a summary of your qualifications, it's helpful to get the rest of the resume done before you start on that summary.

Make it brief

Be as concise as you can. Again, think of this profile section as a salesperson's elevator pitch. It doesn't need to tell your entire employment story, but should instead serve as a brief highlight of your greatest hits. As a rule, try to restrict this paragraph to no more than four sentences. If you use a summary of qualifications, include just one or two brief sentences and three or four bullet points.

Choose the best profile type for your job search needs

Which type of profile should you create? If you're an entry-level employee, you may want to focus on a modified objective statement - one that focuses on your career goals, while highlighting the ways in which your skills can benefit the employer. If you have more experience, you may want to rely on the summary paragraph. Just be sure to include at least one measurable achievement to highlight your value.

If you're switching careers and need to focus attention on transferable skills, you may even want to rely on a summary of qualifications. Those bullet points can be a great way to emphasize specific skills and highlight the value that you've provided for previous employers.

Tailor the profile to your desired position

Make sure that your profile aligns with the job you're seeking. You can do this by including some core keywords from the job posting, detailing your qualifications. However, make sure that your profile ultimately aligns with who you are as an employee. If you take the tailoring to extremes, you may end up with a profile that fails to accurately represent your personality and character.

Don't be afraid to add personality

Speaking of personality, this is the place to add that personal touch. Your skills, work experience, and education sections are not appropriate for adding personality, but a few well-chosen words in your profile can help the employer to better understand you as a person.

Of course, make sure that your personal flourishes fit with the type of job you're seeking. For example, a few words about your fun work style will be appreciated if you're applying for a customer service or similar position. That same language may not be as useful if you're seeking a role in a law firm. Use your best judgment as you determine how much personality to put into any profile.

Use measurable achievements

We've already mentioned measurable achievements several times, but it's important to highlight them once again. Your resume profile should include at least one quantifiable accomplishment, backed by real numbers that demonstrate the value you've provided. For example:

• Implemented new networking system that reduced downtime by 33%, improving both efficiency and productivity and providing 12% cost savings for the company
• Led sales team effort that increased new customer acquisition by 13% while generating $12 million in new revenues in the first six months of the fiscal year
• Created an online customer engagement program that increased website visits by 45%, enhanced new sales activities by 13%, and boosted revenues by 10% within one quarter of implementation

Resume profile examples you can use

As you might expect, your approach to creating a resume profile can also differ based on the type of job you're seeking. That's because different job roles require different skill sets, experiences, and personal qualities.

To get you started, we've compiled resume profile examples covering a wide variety of professions. You can use these professional profile examples as templates for your profile, or simply refer to them for guidance as you create your own unique resume opening.

Resume profile examples for students

Recent Information Technology graduate focused on operating and security software management. Seeking employment with a dynamic software firm in need of advanced networking and troubleshooting expertise. Experience includes a one-year internship with DynacorpX, providing testing and problem-resolution that helped increase company productivity by 14%.

Resume profile example for entry-level applicants

Friendly, detail-oriented, and organized customer service professional looking to be part of an energetic, mission-focused team.

• Skilled at developing organizational processes, managing records, and engaging customers
• Successfully resolved customer complaints, with 90% satisfaction rate while volunteering with FreshStart
• Broad computer systems expertise, including database and presentation platforms

Resume profile example for career-changers

Personnel-focused Sales Team Leader with 10+ years of experience in team building, training, and sales program development. Looking to transition to a project management role to better use organizational and project implementation skills. While at ABC Corporation, successfully created and executed a sales process reorganization that cut waste by 45%, saving the company more than $40,000 per year.

Related : 21 Project Management Skills Every Project Manager Needs to Succeed

Resume profile example for a Graphic Designer

Dynamic and innovative Graphic Designer with 4 years of experience in the gaming and entertainment industry. Skilled in developing storyboards, character animation, typography, and general layouts. Creative successes include development work on more than 200 unique graphic design projects that helped to generate more than $300 million in revenue.

Resume profile example for a Marketing Manager

Creative Marketing Manager focused on data-driven solutions. More than 8 years of experience in building collaborative teams capable of overcoming any challenge. While at XYZ Inc., led a 10-person team responsible for broadening target audience by 200%, increasing company revenues by 120% over a three-year period. Expertise includes digital marketing campaigns focused on driving new customer acquisition and target audience engagement.

Resume profile example for an Accountant

Detail-oriented finance professional with 7 years of accounting expertise. Proficient in accounting best practices, including creation and management of financial reports, regulatory compliance, tax issues, and budget management and forecasting. Reorganized DEF Corporation's accounting department, reducing inefficiencies by 28%, cutting costs by 19%, and improving productivity by 33%.

Resume profile example for an Administrative Assistant

Reliable Administrative Assistant with 8 years of experience in office management and personal assistance. Comprehensive expertise in presentation development, scheduling management, reporting, and confidentiality. Reorganized filing and reporting systems at Beagle Law, improving client response times by 40%, reducing redundancies, and cutting labor costs by 12%.

Resume profile example for a Data Scientist

Fact-driven Data Scientist with 8 years of experience in data analysis, predictive modeling, and data mining. Proficient with SQL, Python, Tableau, and other common data visualization systems. While at DataCore, took the lead on development of new processes that increased decision-making efficiency by improving the company's ability to use data to gain useful insights. Project resulted in an 18% increase in overall departmental productivity.

Resume profile example for an HR Manager

Personnel-focused HR Manager with 7 years of experience managing human resources functions. Expertise in recruitment, onboarding processes, employee training and relations, and performance reviews. Designed AmAm's new HR policies to align with new firm policies, emphasizing progressive discipline and promotion of a positive work environment. Effort resulted in a 33% reduction in turnover and 43% increase in employee satisfaction.

Resume profile example for a Teacher

Results-oriented educator with 6 years of experience as a middle school Teacher. Expertise in crafting challenging but engaging lesson plans designed to encourage critical thinking and classroom participation in an inclusive way. Dedicated to professional development to stay abreast of current educational best practices and focused on enhancing each student's ability to achieve success. Specific competencies include English, US History, and Basic Civics.

Resume profile example for a Construction Manager

Task-oriented construction professional with more than 10 years of experience in both commercial and residential project management. Led teams responsible for completing more than 60 construction projects valued at more than $40 million dollars, with a 99% on-time and under-budget record of success. Bilingual (English and Spanish) manager with expertise in budget allocation, resource management, project estimates and implementation.

Craft the best possible intro for your resume!

No matter what type of resume profile you decide to use to introduce yourself to prospective employers, your goal should always be the same: to create a powerful and compelling message that inspires employers to read the rest of your resume. The tips and resume profile examples we've provided should ensure that you have everything you need to craft your own profile narrative.

Still not sure if your resume profile has what it takes to capture your reader's interest? Get a free resume review from our team of top experts today!

Recommended reading:

47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

The Best Resume Format to Get Hired

How to Advance Your Career (plus 10 Insightful Tips)

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See how your resume stacks up.

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100 Good Skills to Put on a Resume [Complete Guide]

Jeff Gillis 0 Comments

By Jeff Gillis

Updated 6/4/2022.

When you’re adding skills to a resume, you don’t just want to focus on what you’re good at. Instead, relevancy has to be part of the equation. After all, every job you’re trying to land requires a very specific skill set, one that you need to show that you have.

Choosing the skills to put on a resume when you’re applying to a role isn’t something you should do haphazardly. Instead, you want to use the job description, company mission, and company values as a guide, creating a sense of alignment.

Additionally, it never hurts to have a handy list of skills by your side, making it easier to explore your options. So, if you’re on the hunt for good skills to put on a resume, here’s what you need to know.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

There are two basic types of skillsets that a job seeker can have and include on their resume: hard skills or soft skills.

Hard skills are the skills or abilities for a resume that are easily quantifiable…that can be learned through classroom work, apprenticeships, or other forms of learning. These include things like operating tools, computer programming, speaking foreign languages, or different kinds of technical prowess.

Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify and are often grouped together by what we know as “people skills.” Some examples of soft skills include communication, relationship building, self-awareness, and patience.

Which Skills Are More Important?

The debate rages on about which of these two types of skills is more important.

According to executive consultant and Forbes contributor Naz Beheshti , “…There is an ongoing debate about the relative importance of soft and hard skills that imply a competition between the two. However, they are both necessary and complementary to one another.”

On the one hand, job seekers with proficiency in a specific hard skill may get hired more quickly. Many employers want to hire people that can deliver value with fewer resources (ex., the need for training, etc.), making hard skills their priority.

However, we are also seeing that many hiring managers are choosing to hire candidates with highly developed soft skills.

In the end, as Indeed puts it, “soft skills are necessary to create a positive and functional work environment.” Plus, hiring managers feel that they can always train the candidate in the hard skill that is required to complete the job, but soft skills are often skills that cannot necessarily be taught.

So, what does this mean for you? Mainly that you can’t simply just pick one or the other and cross your fingers. Instead, the best strategy is to take a balanced approach and make sure that your resume contains both hard and soft skills.

How Do You Choose the Skills to List on a Resume?

Here’s the deal; there’s a good chance you know what you’re good at in a professional sense. Often, you can use your experience, duties, training, and education as a guide, giving you a strong foundation. Then, it’s about diving a bit deeper, looking at traits that could help you stand out, and comparing it all to the job description.

By using a simple process, you can make progress faster. Here’s a quick way to get started.

1. Make a List of the Skills You Know You Have

As mentioned above, the easiest way to get a grip on your current skills is to reflect on your academic and professional experiences. Consider the tasks you’ve taken on, the training you’ve completed, and the courses you had in school. In most cases, that’ll give you some solid ideas about your hard skills.

After that, it’s time for soft skills. Here, you want to think of traits or capabilities that help you engage with others and navigate professional relationships. Often, these are reflections of your personality, so use that as a jumping-off point.

2. “Mine” the Job Descriptions for Must-Have Skills

The next step is to take a look at the job description for the position you are applying for and make a list of the required skills it includes. Then, compare it to your capabilities. Are any of the skills on both of the lists you just created? If so, these are must-haves for your resume.

Now, notice if there are any skills on the job description that you don’t have. If there aren’t any, great!

But if there are…don’t panic. There are things you can do, which we’ll dig into shortly.

If you’re dealing with a vague job description, you aren’t stuck either. Here is a link to a ton of job descriptions that can give you an idea of the skills needed.

3. Tailor Your Skills to the Company/Position

As you may have read in our other blog articles, it is always very important to “tailor” your resume to the company and position you want to land. For an in-depth look into how to make that happen, check out our Tailoring Method article. 

If you want a quick overview, the idea is to focus on capabilities the company wants to find. Every job requires a unique skill set, and you want to show you have it. As a result, it is absolutely essential that skills from the job description make an appearance on your resume.

However, you also want to dig deeper. Spend some more time researching the company, including going through all of their various web properties, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

Why? Because they will leave clues about the types of people they hire. That gives you more ideas about the best skills to put on a resume to land a job there, particularly when it comes to soft skills you may not find in a job description.

100 Resume Skills Examples

If you’re struggling with coming up with a list of skills based on your past experience, it can be easier if you have existing resume skills lists to work with. You don’t have to think up every possible skill; you can simply review the list and find the matches.

Here is a list of resume skills examples, divided into hard skills and soft skills, that you can use when applying for a job.

Hard Skills for a Resume

• Advanced Bookkeeping
• Appointment Setting
• Automotive Repair
• Cold Calling
• Computer Programming
• Conversion Testing
• Copywriting
• Customer Engagement
• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Digital Marketing
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Cleanup
• Forklift Operating
• Graphic Design
• Heavy Machinery Operation
• Installation
• Landscaping
• Mathematics
• Medical Coding
• Paid Online Traffic
• Patient Care
• Photo Editing
• Picking and Packing
• Project Management
• Schedule Management
• Search Engine Optimization
• Server Maintenance
• Social Media
• Spanish Fluency
• Statistical Analysis
• Systems Analysis
• Technical Support
• Telecommunications Systems
• Travel Booking
• Video Editing
• Website Design
• Word Processing

Soft Skills for a Resume

• Accountability
• Active Listening
• Adaptability
• Brainstorming
• Business Etiquette
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Contextualizing
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Emotional Intelligence
• Flexibility
• Goal-Setting
• Handling Pressure
• Influencing
• Insightfulness
• Interpreting
• Negotiation
• Open-Mindedness
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Problem Solving
• Relationship Building
• Reliability
• Resource Management
• Responsibility
• Self-Confidence
• Strategical Thinking
• Strong Work Ethic
• Time Management

What If I Don’t Have the Required Skill?

Whether you need to possess a specific skill depends on the job and the skill in question. Usually, here’s where you have to be honest with yourself. If the skills required are part of the core competencies of doing the job, you may want to reconsider your application.

For example, if a golf course posts a job posting for a golf pro, you probably shouldn’t apply if you’ve never swung a golf club.

However, you will come across situations where what you bring to the table is close. In this case, moving forward might be okay.

You need to be able to demonstrate, using examples from your past, that you are capable of doing the required skill, even if you haven’t specially done it. So, go over your work history with a fine-tooth comb and try to come up with a few examples of you doing something in the right ballpark.

They are going to ask about it in your interview, so don’t think you can just wing it, and everything will be fine.

Also, many job descriptions have “nice-to-have” skills on the list. If you happen to possess them, great. But if not, don’t assume you shouldn’t apply if you have the must-have skills. In the end, those capabilities aren’t outright requirements, so don’t screen yourself out based on them.

How To List Skills on a Resume

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to deciding where to put (or how to list) the skills on your resume.

According to our friends over at online resume-builder Zety.com , “…skills are so very, very important that they should show up all over your resume. Not just in the resume skills section.” In other words, it is imperative that there are elements of your skills throughout your resume, including your resume objective/summary and experience sections.

In addition, there isn’t one right answer for where to include your skill section because that depends on the industry, company, and position you’re trying to land. For example, for a job where technical competencies are of the utmost importance, it is often beneficial to list the skills closer to the top of the resume, right underneath the resume objective or resume summary statement.

However, if through your research you determine that the hiring manager will put more weight into your experience, you may want to lead with your experience. Then, put the skills section further down your resume.

At the end of the day, the selection of the skills themselves is the most important thing. After all, most hiring managers will easily find your skill section regardless of where it is on your resume.

What About Skills for My Job Application?

When you’re looking for skills to put on a job application, you do have to treat it a little differently than skills for a resume. Usually, you’re working with a finite amount of space on an application, not just in an overall sense but in each applicable section.

Since that’s the case, you need to lean heavily on the job description. Look for any capabilities that are listed as must-haves or that are repeated through the job ad. Then, make sure those skills are featured prominently in several areas, including in work history descriptions and skills areas.

If you have to answer essay questions, discuss those skills there, too, whenever possible. Use any other relevant capability as a supplement, treating it as supporting information instead of the primary point you’re sharing.

However, if an essay question asks about a skill that’s not in the job description, feel free to dig in a bit. It’s a capability that’s clearly on the hiring manager’s mind, so touch on it occasionally to show you shine in that area.

Putting It All Together

If you were wondering, “What are some good skills to put on a resume?” you should now have a solid answer. The most important thing to remember is to select skills that are relevant to the position you are interviewing for and, more important than that, skills that your company puts a tremendous amount of value in.

Once you get your skills straightened out, you should make sure that the rest of your resume is congruent with the skills you just selected, namely, that your experience shows that you both used those skills in a work environment and developed the skill with on-the-job tasks.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Jeff gillis.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

Copyright © 2024 · TheInterviewguys.com · All Rights Reserved

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More From Forbes

10 interpersonal skills to put on your resume in 2024.

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Interpersonal skills are a non-negotiable for your resume, regardless of the job or its level of ... [+] people exposure

When it comes to deciding what to include and what to omit from your resume, skills are a non-negotiable.

Especially if you are applying for a promotion, making a career pivot, or transitioning into a different industry, skills are what make your resume count and hold weight in the eyes of employers, even more than merely listing out your education and experience.

"Over 40% of companies on LinkedIn globally explicitly rely on skills to search and identify job candidates on LinkedIn (up 20% year-over-year)," says Rohan Rajiv, LinkedIn's product lead on jobseeker, employer brand, and skills for LinkedIn Talent Solutions, speaking of the skills research tools that recruiters on LinkedIn use.

According to Rajiv, "showcasing your skills can give you a leg up in your job search." And this applies, even if you're entering the workforce for the first time, or re-entering after a lengthy hiatus.

You can have all the experience in the world and yet lose out on valuable career opportunities simply because you took the skills you gained through those experiences for granted, failed to mention them, and therefore no one knew that you possessed them at all.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, what skills do you need to include on your resume.

So what skills exactly should you be including on your resume (and LinkedIn profile)?

First, let's answer a preliminary question: What are the different types of skills that one should put on their resume?

Skills can be broadly divided into two core categories: soft skills, also more recently coined as power skills; and hard skills, also known as technical skills.

We can separate these two groups further, by classifying skills according to groups such as job-specific skills and competencies, interpersonal skills, high-income skills, and transferable skills. (Some of these entities will overlap.) Today, let's dig into interpersonal skills and why they are necessary in your resume.

Why Interpersonal Skills Should Be Included In Your Resume

Interpersonal skills, a subset of soft skills, is a set of strengths that are essential if you are to work and collaborate well with people. The thing about interpersonal skills is that, regardless of what job you're after, no matter how technical, they matter. This is because there is a 99% chance that you will be engaging with people at some point in your job—even if it an autonomous back-office role.

Whether engaging with your co-workers, building partnerships, closing a sale, voicing your suggestions in a meeting, or liaising with a stakeholder via email, interpersonal skills are the skeleton of authentic, trusting, and lasting work relationships. They enable all the gears of communication at work to run smoothly, reducing delays and misunderstandings.

Smart hiring managers know that assessing one's interpersonal skills through analyzing a candidate's resume, LinkedIn profile, interview answers, and overall presence and engagement throughout the entire recruitment process, can provide solid indications of whether a candidate would make a good culture fit for the company.

This is even more the case when applying for a remote job, as you are forced to use your interpersonal skills even more—online—and if you haven't developed them, it will show.

10 Interpersonal Skills To Include In Your Resume In 2024

Here are a few of the most essential interpersonal skills you need to include and list examples of, throughout your resume, LinkedIn profile, and job application. This data has been compiled from a range of sources, including recent reports, surveys, and data from LinkedIn's research team, the World Economic Forum, and Coursera.

And of course, remember to only include these interpersonal skills throughout your resume if you feel that they truly reflect you, and are relevant (which in most cases, they are):

• Communication skills
• Emotional intelligence
• Leadership skills
• Conflict resolution
• Problem-solving
• Active listening
• Negotiation
• Networking skills

Smart hiring managers know that how a candidate displays their interpersonal skills throughout the ... [+] recruitment process, is a strong indicator of how they will fit in with the company culture and ethics

Don't forget, when listing these interpersonal skills in your resume, or when answering a culture-focused interview question, provide some context to demonstrate how you applied them in prior roles. This real-world experience that showcases these skills as being your strengths is one of your greatest assets when applying for a role—and especially on LinkedIn.

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How to use ChatGPT to help write your resume in 9 easy steps

AI your way into an interview

Crafting the perfect résumé can be a daunting task. You stare at the blank page, wondering how to best showcase your skills and experiences. That's where ChatGPT comes in. Open AI's large language model has been making waves in various industries, and resume writing is no exception.

But how exactly do you approach use ChatGPT for this purpose? It's not as simple as asking it to write your entire résumé. We'll explore the nuances of leveraging ChatGPT to proofread your résumé, refine your language, and format your experience in the best possible way. We'll also discuss potential pitfalls to avoid — after all, your résumé should still sound like you, not a robot.

ChatGPT won't do all the work for you, but it might just help you see your experience in a new light. So, let's get into how this AI tool can help you put your best foot forward on paper.

1. Understand ChatGPT's role

ChatGPT is a tool to assist you, not replace your input. It's crucial to understand that the AI will help generate ideas and refine language, but the content should ultimately come from your own experiences and skills. 

2. Prepare your information

If you have an existing résumé, review it and note areas for improvement. If you're starting fresh or you're a student, list your experiences, skills, and achievements. Include part-time jobs, internships, volunteer work, and academic projects.

3. Log into ChatGPT

Go to the ChatGPT website. If you're new to ChatGPT click Sign up and follow the on-screen instructions . If you're a returning user, click Log in. 

4. Begin your prompt

First, click the paper clip in the prompt box and click Upload from computer. Once you've attached your resume, type a simple prompt like 'I need help improving my résumé.' 

For those writing a résumé for the first time, provide ChatGPT with your experience in the prompt box. For example, 'I'm creating my first résumé as a graduate student. Here is my experience...' 

5. Enhance your professional summary

Ask ChatGPT to help craft a concise professional summary. For example: 'How can I improve this existing summary for my Editor role?', or 'Can you help me write a 2-3 sentence professional summary for a marketing graduate?' Then hit enter.  

ChatGPT will provide you with the first section of your résumé. The great thing about breaking it down into chunks is that you can easily refine and personalize each section.

After receiving the AI-generated summary, review it carefully. Does it accurately reflect your experience and career goals? If not, you can ask ChatGPT to revise it. 

6. Develop your work experience section

Next, work through your job history, or for beginners, your relevant experiences. For the next prompt you could ask ChatGPT: 'Structure my work experience section to maximize readability and impact.' 

Alternatively, you could say 'How can I describe my internship/coursework to show my potential as an...' 

ChatGPT will provide you with a detailed and concise bullet-pointed list of your experience , perfect for a résumé. 

7. Tailor to job descriptions

If you have a specific job in mind, ask ChatGPT to help tailor your résumé. For example, you could ask ' Here's the job description for a Senior Editor position. How can I adjust my resume to better align my experience with these requirements? 

8. Highlight your skills

Request ChatGPT's assistance in listing and describing your skills. For experienced professionals, you might ask, 'What skills should I emphasize when moving from an Editor to a Senior Editor role?' This prompt will help you identify and articulate the skills that set you apart.

For those just starting their careers, try a prompt like, 'What skills should I highlight as a recent graduate applying for an entry-level Editor position?' 

9. Put it all together

Now it's time to bring everything together . You could use a prompt like: 'Can you take all the information we've generated for my Editor résumé and compile it into a cohesive document?' This will give you a complete draft to work from. Once ChatGPT provides this compilation, review it carefully for flow and consistency. 

You might then ask, 'Can you suggest ways to improve the overall flow and consistency of this résumé?' This step helps ensure that your résumé reads smoothly from start to finish, with a consistent tone and style throughout. 

10. Bonus tip

Ask ChatGPT to proofread your résumé and suggest improvements. If you're an experienced professional, you might use a prompt like this: 'Can you review my updated résumé and suggest any improvements to make my transition from Editor to Senior Editor more compelling?' 

For those just starting their careers, you could ask: 'Can you review my résumé and suggest improvements for an entry-level position?' This will help you identify areas where you can strengthen your résumé to appeal to employers looking for fresh talent.

After receiving ChatGPT's suggestions, carefully review each one. Make sure these improvements align with your experiences and the job requirements. Remember, its important to maintain your unique voice and ensure all information is accurate. Once happy with it, you can format it using a template in google/word docs, or a resume maker. Happy job hunting! 

To maximize ChatGPT's resume-writing potential, explore these 5 tips for getting smarter prompts in ChatGPT . While powerful, it's worth checking out the best ChatGPT alternatives for comparison. Plus, ChatGPT advanced voice is out, and these 9 examples demonstrate why you should be excited. 

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Kaycee is an Editor at Tom’s Guide and has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her journey into the tech world began as Cazoo's Knowledge Content Specialist, igniting her enthusiasm for technology. When she’s not exploring the latest gadgets and innovations, Kaycee can be found immersed in her favorite video games, or penning her second poetry collection. 

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How To Put GitHub on Your Resume [Guide + Tips]

3 key takeaways

• Consider adding GitHub to your resume when applying to a technical position.
• Your GitHub link can be added to multiple areas of your resume, depending on the goal. 
• With Teal's Resume Builder , links like your GitHub profile are formatted automatically.

How do you prove your technical skills on a resume? For job seekers in software development or software engineering, the answer is a GitHub profile. 

With GitHub, programmers can collaborate with other programmers to design and improve source code. Along those lines, GitHub lets developers manage and store different versions of projects.

In this guide, you will learn how to put GitHub on a resume in a variety of ways, how to improve your GitHub profile so you stand out during the hiring process, and how Teal’s Resume Builder can help put it all together for you.

Struggling to land interviews? Build a resume that gets results with Teal.

Should you put GitHub on your resume?

If you don’t know the difference between a portfolio and a resume , no worries. GitHub can act as your portfolio.

For job seekers in software development or software engineering, including software engineers, adding GitHub to your resume is not a requirement, but it can be a valuable way to showcase your skills to potential employers.

Benefits to adding GitHub to your resume

• Commitment: This shows potential employers you’re proactive and committed to your career. It sets you apart from other candidates who either don’t have a profile or have a poor GitHub profile.
• Skill set: Hiring managers will have a chance to explore your projects. A GitHub profile demonstrates you know how to do the work, not just how to talk about it.
• Collaboration: Because GitHub is open source, recruiters and future employers will see projects you've contributed to, showcasing your collaboration skills.

Checklist before you add a GitHub link to your resume 

Even if you know the importance of a Github profile on your resume, it still may not be the right fit for you. Ensure the following is accurate:

• Professional: Do you have a polished profile with a professional photo and username? You’ll want to make a good impression with this profile, much like you would with your resume, LinkedIn profile, or on an interview.
• Active: Is your GitHub account active? Do you have projects you’re proud of? Consider contributing to popular open-source projects before adding a GitHub link to the resume. 
• Relevant: Do the projects on your GitHub profile show your experience? Are you using programming languages relevant to the job you’re applying to? Consider adding projects that leverage relevant code before moving forward.

How to add GitHub on your resume

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to add GitHub to your resume. But first, you may wonder which GitHub link to use for your resume.

How to get your GitHub link for your resume

• Go to Github.com
• Log into your profile, then click on your profile picture or avatar (top right corner).
• On your profile page, look for the URL in the address bar of your browser. This is your GitHub profile URL.

It’ll look something like this: 

github.com/yourname

Note: If your profile name and URL slug are not your full name, consider updating your profile name to make it more professional and easier to find.

Now, you have a few placement options for your GitHub link:

• Work experience

How to add GitHub to your resume skills

If you're applying for a position that involves coding or programming, list those skills in your Skills section. This should help boost your resume’s relevance in the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) if the hiring manager is looking for GitHub keywords. It will also help clarify your experience and highlight your technical skills.

Categorize your skills into groups like programming languages, tools, or operating systems. List core competencies under each category. Then, include a link to a specific GitHub project that best demonstrates the specific skill.

GitHub resume example in Skills section

Pro Tip : Use Teal’s free Resume Creator to store all of your skills in one place. With Teal you can categorize each skill by type (and toggle them on and off or add new skills whenever you need to!).

How to add GitHub to your resume projects

A dedicated Projects section in a resume is a great way to show real-world work you’ve completed and don’t have room to share on your resume. It’s similar to a work portfolio but condensed for a resume. 

You may not have an exciting GitHub profile, but rather just one large project completed. Generally speaking, if you have something you can show off from beginning to end, rather than multiple projects you’ve contributed to, this is a great route for you.

Create a separate section of your resume titled “Projects.” Use the following GitHub resume template to guide you through creating your project.

GitHub resume template for Projects section

Project Name | Your Role | Dates GitHub link Description of the project Bullet point: technologies and languages used Bullet Point: Achievement #1 Bullet Point: Achievement #2

GitHub resume example in Projects section

How to add GitHub to your resume work experience

Your Work Experience section takes the bulk of your resume space. This is where you'll want to list where you were employed and how you contributed to the team. When describing your professional experience, you have many opportunities to showcase your technical skills . When describing your professional experience, you can also highlight how you maintain code on GitHub, showcasing your commitment to keeping your projects up-to-date and well-documented.

Either include your link underneath the role title or within a job duty bullet point. You want to highlight it in a way that emphasizes its relevance to your professional experience.

GitHub resume example in Work Experience section

Struggling to write about your achievements? Teal’s AI Achievement tool helps you write about your coding achievements in seconds, using metric-rich statements.

How to add GitHub to your resume header

The simplest place to add a link is in your header. This section is displayed across the top of your resume and typically includes your contact information. This makes the link easy to find.

Along with your contact information, write out your profile URL. For example, you might write:

github.io/yourname

GitHub resume example in header

GitHub on resume example

In summary, you can plug in your Github profile link in many different areas on your resume. However, that doesn’t mean you should plug your Github profile URL on every single possible option. That would be redundant and make your resume feel cluttered. 

Instead, choose just one or two areas to highlight your Github profile. In this GitHub resume example, you can see GitHub highlighted in two sections: the general profile placed within the Header and a repository link placed within the Projects section. This provides whoever is viewing the resume with options—without overwhelming them or keyword stuffing.

Struggling to format your resume? Within Teal’s Resume Builder, simply add your information (or import info from your LinkedIn profile) to get started. Then let the Resume Design feature do the hard work for you. Customize the style, format, and presentation with just a few clicks.

Tips to make your GitHub profile stand out to hiring managers

It’s important to ensure your profile is attractive and ready to be seen by recruiters and hiring managers. If you would like GitHub listed on your resume, keep these tips in mind.

Keep GitHub updated

Keep your profile and your code updated and appealing. That means ensure it has your correct information. Also, be sure to remove or make private any broken code or old projects. 

Ensure your GitHub profile is professional with a professional-looking headshot and ensure all the public projects are things you would want employers to see. 

If you have a very active profile, you can gain badges, stars, and achievements to show off on your profile. This will show potential employers you are dedicated and collaborative.

Pay attention to repositories

GitHub provides the option to maintain multiple repositories for different coding projects. You can make each repository public or private. 

Go through your profile and either remove or make private any code you don’t want a potential employer to see. Additionally, you can pin your proudest repositories to the top of your profile, making it easy for visitors to see your best work. 

This link to your GitHub projects will look something like this:

https://yourname.github.io/repo-name

Add a README of GitHub

Sometimes, showing the code is not enough. By creating a README file, you have a chance to explain the code, the project, and any other important notes. This will help hiring managers understand what they are looking at.

Common GitHub mistakes to avoid

It’s not enough to simply know how to put GitHub on your resume. To up your chances at impressing your audience, you need to optimize your profile and put your best foot forward.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid before you move ahead with sending out those resumes with your GitHub profile attached. 

• Broken code : A profile with bad or broken code could harm you more than help you. Make sure your public projects are all your best work. 
• Inactivity : While this may not be fair, a profile with long breaks in activity can cause potential employers to doubt your dedication. If you took breaks, explain those gaps much like you would a gap in employment.
• Private projects: It’s a small mistake, but could add a big break in momentum if a hiring manager views your profile only to be met with nothing. Make sure each project you linked to in your resume is publicly available on GitHub.
• Sensitive information : You should also avoid including any projects you are not authorized to reveal.

How to format GitHub on your resume

Now that you understand the potential, Teal’s Design Mode can assist with formatting your resume so you can easily add links to your resume and put it all together.

As a recap, you might list your GitHub profile in:

• Skills section
• Projects section
• Your work experience section
• Your resume header

Using Teal's Resume Builder , you can add and edit your resume sections as needed. Within the “Design” menu and the “Sections” tab, it’s easy to rename or rearrange the information on your resume by simply clicking and dragging the different section blocks. 

In this section of the Resume Builder, you get to choose from a variety of resume templates, change the styling options and layout, reorder sections, or change detailed settings, like line height and borders.

Showcase your Github achievements with Teal

If you’re looking for a tech job in today’s competitive developer job market, contributing to open source projects via GitHub can help you stand out from the competition. When you know how to put GitHub on your resume the right way, you set yourself up as a dedicated, capable professional. Hopefully, this guide gave you the GitHub skills you need to showcase projects and stand out to hiring managers.

If you feel stressed about resume writing during your job search, you don’t have to start from scratch. Teal’s Resume Creator is a powerful tool to help you format your resume, write achievements that show off your skills, and tailor your resume to the job you’re applying to. Sign up for Teal for free to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should i put github as a skill on my resume.

While GitHub itself isn't a skill, it is a platform that showcases your coding skills and project contributions. Instead of listing GitHub as a skill, it's more effective to mention your technical skills and provide a link to your GitHub profile or specific repositories, which can demonstrate your expertise in those areas.

Is GitHub a skill?

GitHub is not a skill but a tool used for version control and collaboration in software development. The skills associated with using GitHub include understanding version control systems, collaborating on projects, and managing repositories. Highlighting these abilities, alongside your coding skills, can be beneficial on your resume.

Is GitHub enough for a portfolio?

GitHub can serve as an effective portfolio for developers, as it allows you to showcase your projects, contributions to open-source projects, and coding skills. However, a comprehensive portfolio may also include other elements, such as a personal website, case studies, or detailed project descriptions, to provide a fuller picture of your abilities and experiences.

Kaleena Stroud

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