Chronological Resume Format: Examples and Tips
Last Updated: June 15, 2021
The chronological resume — also known as the reverse-chronological resume — is the most popular resume format used by job seekers. It’s particularly useful for candidates with extensive work experience, as the reverse-chronological order resume focuses on work history to show career growth. Read on to learn how to write a chronological resume, review our examples, and create your professional resume using our Resume Builder.
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What is a chronological resume?
A chronological resume is a resume format that emphasizes your work history, focusing on your top job accomplishments and responsibilities, along with related top skills. The chronological resume format places the work history section below the professional summary, so the recruiter or hiring manager will see your experience and career progression right away.
While the most popular, you might want to steer away from using the reverse-chronological resume format if you have no experience, are changing careers or have a significant gap between jobs. For these situations, there are other formats from which to choose.
Ready to streamline the process of building a professional chronological resume with our easy-to-use resume builder? Craft a seamless career narrative that showcases your experience, and take the first step towards your dream job.
Chronological resume examples
A resume example is a great way to get inspiration and see the chronological resume in action. Use the chronological resume samples below as a guide for your own resume, and find more job-specific examples on our resume examples page.
We also have dozens of resume templates you can use, including free reverse-chronological resume templates for Word you can easily download and edit. Our templates come in various categories, from professional resume templates to creative, modern and more.
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Chronological resume format FAQ
How to write a resume that stands out when using the chronological format?
There are several ways to make a chronological resume stand out, but the following no-fail tips are our favorite.
- Use a resume template to give your resume a professional and polished look. Our premium and free resume templates are professionally designed, ATS-friendly and easy to customize.
- Make a great first impression with an enticing professional summary or resume objective. Think of it as an elevator pitch — a short but compelling overview of your top qualifications. For example, “Attentive and knowledgeable massage therapist with a five-year track record of solid customer service and a knack for building relationships. Experienced in a wide range of massage techniques, including deep tissue, Shiatsu and trigger points.”
- Focus on your accomplishments to make an impact. Hiring managers want to see what you can do for them, not a list of tasks you performed at previous jobs. Be specific and use numbers to make your point. For example, “Increased customer satisfaction by 30% in two months.”
Will the chronological resume format work for me if I’ve never had a job?
Since chronological resumes focus on employment history, we suggest using the functional resume format if you’ve never had a job. A functional resume is great for first-time job applicants because it highlights skills and education.
How many pages should a chronological resume format be?
Ideally, a chronological resume should be one-page long. Still, two pages are acceptable if you have more than 15 years of experience; showing your entire work history will benefit you. If you think you need more than one page for your chronological resume, ensure it’s concise, relevant and easy to read.
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- Select a template from our library of professional designs
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