The Chronological Resume

As its title would suggest, the chronological resume lists positions by date. This style normally begins with your most recent position, in order to give it the most space and emphasis. It highlights your recent experience, rather than past history, and shows a progression in responsibility.

Each job listing should show:

• the company name and location
• dates of employment
• job title
• main responsibilities
• key achievements

The advantages of the chronological resume is that it can emphasize the way your career has grown gradually and progressively over time.

However, over the past few years, the chronological resume has become decreasingly useful, as in today's market, people often change jobs quickly. Listing 7 or 8 recent employers can make you look unreliable and flighty.

We take a further look at the advantages and disadvantages of the chronological resume, as well as providing an example to help you decide whether this is the right format for you.