Reverse Chronological Resume Format: Why & How to Use It

In every area of life, trends come and go. But—

There are those all-time classics that are never out of style. Think about the little black dress or the ‘68 Shelby Mustang.

That’s what a chronological resume is for the hiring industry.

The paradigm of job search. The go-to format for nearly every candidate.

Want to know what makes it so special? Not sure how to write a reverse-chronological resume?

In this guide:

• The best chronological resume definition & a breakdown of its advantages.
• An easy-to-use chronological resume template to fill in with your information.
• Chronological resume examples that will show you how to write yours.
• Expert hacks for writing the most effective reverse-chronological resume out there.

1. What Is a Chronological Resume & Who Should Write One

Let’s cover the very basics first.

(Reverse) Chronological Resume Definition

A chronological resume (or actually a reverse-chronological resume) is the most common and universal of the three standard resume styles. Its focal point is the work history section in which you outline up to 15 years of your most recent employment, listing positions in descending chronological order and outlining your key responsibilities.

A chronological resume template consists of the following sections, usually in the below order:

Chronological Resume Template—Order of Sections

1. Resume header with contact information
2. Resume profile (summary or objective)
3. Work experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Additional activities

Here’s a reverse-chronological resume example so you can see what it looks like in practice.

Sample Chronological Resume

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What makes the reverse-chronological resume format so good?

First of all, it highlights what matters most to recruiters: your work history, with a focus on your most recent employment.

That’s why recruiters prefer this format over the other ones. And your professional future is in their hands, so you better play by their rules.

Secondly, the chronological resume layout is most likely to pass an ATS test. See, nowadays most large companies (98% of Fortune 500) use algorithms and bots to scan resumes before they reach human decision-makers. 

Those bots look for keywords such as:

• Job titles
• Employment dates
• Skills
• Names of educational institutions

And a reverse-chronological resume makes all of the above prominent and easy to parse.

Feel like you should write a good ol’ classic chronological resume?

You’re probably right! Let’s look into what types of candidates can benefit from writing a chronological resume most.

Who is the reverse-chronological resume best for?

• Students and entry-level job seekers.
• Mid- to senior-level candidates.
• People applying to corporate jobs.
• Candidates looking for a position within the industry they currently work in.

In other words, virtually everyone. 

See, the chronological resume is such a great format mostly because it’s versatile. It doesn’t matter if you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro. What’s more— 

You can adjust this resume structure so that it fits your needs. I’ll explain that in detail in the following section.

Are there other resume formats I can pick?

The two other typical resume formats are:

• Functional resume which focuses on skills over work history.
• Combination resume which, as the name suggests, is a hybrid of the chronological and functional resume formats.

If you’d like to take a closer look at the two other options, see our dedicated guide comparing a chronological vs functional vs combination resume and make a fully-informed choice. We also have a guide on functional vs chronological resume format if you're deciding between those two. 

But (don’t say I didn’t warn you), you’ll most likely end up with a chronological resume format anyway. And it will be for a good reason!

Now, let’s walk through how you can make the most of each section of a chronological resume. Read on for tons of examples and actionable tips. 

(Plus, as a bonus, at the bottom you’ll get a ready-to-use fill-in-the-blanks rev-chron resume template you’ll be able to adjust in minutes.)

2. How to Write a Chronological Resume Step by Step

If there’s any downside to the chronological resume setup, it’s that your resume might end up looking too similar to those by other candidates.

The fix?

Add a bit of extra value to each section. It’s not that hard—let me show you how.

1. Create a good resume header for your chronological resume

Include:

• Your full name
• Job title
• Phone number
• Email address
• LinkedIn
• (Optionally) Personal website and additional social media handles

Pretty simple, right? 

If you need more detail, read our in-depth guide to creating a standout resume header.

2. Write a good resume profile: summary or objective

It’s that short-and-sweet paragraph at the top of your resume.

The purpose of a resume profile is to provide an overview of your qualifications and expertise plus present a few highlights of your career.

Got 2+ years’ experience in your field? Your resume profile should be a professional summary that focuses on accomplishments and shows how you’ll translate those into success in your prospective position.

Barely starting out on your career?Put a resume objective statement at the top of your reverse-chronological resume. Showcase skills that you’ve mastered so far and explain how well you’ll fit in.

Whichever one you pick, here’s a universal formula to follow:

• Start with an adjective that describes your professional self.
• Follow with years of experience.
• List 2–3 relevant skills.
• Name-drop the company you’re applying to and explain what you have to offer.
• List a few of the most job-relevant accomplishments.

These examples show you how a resume profile works in practice.

Professional profile on a chronological resume: examples

The first one comes from a senior marketing specialist resume.

See that? Specific information on the candidate’s skill set and solid examples of achievements that back those skills up.

Now, see a sample resume profile that doesn’t quite tick all the boxes.

Not awful, true. 

But it doesn’t include anything special other than generic qualifications most candidates for that position will have.

3. Describe your work experience to show you’ll do the job well

Here comes the key component of every reverse-chronological resume template.

The work history section. It’s the most prominent part of the whole resume. One that makes or breaks your chances.

Here’s how to craft a millennium-falcon-like experience section on a chronological resume:

• Start with your current or most recent position, then follow it with the one before it, then the previous one, and so on.
• Limit yourself to up to 15 years of professional experience. Leave off all positions older than that.
• In every entry, include your job title, company name, dates worked, and up to 6 bullet points detailing your duties and achievements.
• Focus only on what’s relevant to the position you’re targeting—it’s called “tailoring” a resume to match the requirements of the job on offer.
• Don’t dwell on what you did. Highlight how well you did it. If you have quantifiable accomplishments, show them off.
• As you go back in time, use fewer and fewer bullet points. Your most recent professional activity is what really matters to recruiters.

Alright, let’s see a good and a bad example of presenting your work history in a reverse-chronological resume layout.

Work experience on a chronological resume: examples

Here’s a top-notch work history section sample taken from a resume of a data scientist. 

The job to which she’s applying requires skills in machine learning, data mining, and model development optimization. 

And here’s a less-than-perfect sample from a PR specialist resume.

Night and day. The good example fits the job like Spandex. Plus, it lists specific, verifiable achievements. Recruiters would have to be crazy to not call her up for an interview.

The bad example? It lacks details, is vague, and just plain boring.

4. Make good use of your education section

For most candidates, listing education on their chronological resumes is a sheer formality.

If you have over 2 years of relevant experience in your field, make your education section brief and to-the-point.

Include only:

• Degree
• Major (and minors, if you have them)
• University name
• Graduation date

Like in this example:

Education on a chronological resume: example

Recently graduated and don’t have a solid work history to show off yet?

Do two things—

First of all, make your education section the main selling point of your chronological resume. Put it above the work experience.

Secondly, add more details about your educational background: list relevant coursework, honors and awards, extracurricular activities, and other achievements.

You can learn more by reading our guide to perfecting your education section.

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5. Present your most job-relevant skills

Make a skills section that clearly stands out from the rest of your resume. List between 5 and 10 skills relevant to the position you’re targeting.

But—

Don’t just cram your chronological resume with a random set of skills. Go about it this way:

• Start with a spreadsheet, or even just a sheet of paper if you’re a more analog type. List all your professional skills.
• Read the job description carefully. Identify skills-related keywords (usually, you’ll find those under “Requirements” or “Required qualifications” in the job ad). Note those keywords down.
• Go back to your list. How many skills match? I’m sure quite a few! That’s your reverse chronological resume’s skills list.
• Mix your “hard,” job-specific skills with a few soft skills (e.g. communication, interpersonal skills, active listening). Soft skills matter more and more to employers. Plus, numerous studies confirm soft skills have a huge impact on the results we achieve at work.

Master the art and science behind putting skills on a resume with our dedicated guide.

6. Add “extra” sections to prove your value

Like I said above, the only potential flaw of the chronological resume setup is that it’s just sooo common and almost formulaic.

Sure, you’ve already learned how to max out each standard part of your resume. Time for one extra step— 

Create an additional resume section and enter a few of your proudest professional “wins.”

Check out these ideas.

Additional sections for a chronological resume: examples

• Certifications
• Affiliations
• Industry awards
• Portfolio
• Conference participation
• Publications
• Volunteering experience
• Thought leadership/social media influencing

It’s a perfect example of show don’t tell. All of the above will make your key qualifications much more believable.

And voila. Follow the above steps to create a job-winning chronological resume.

Before you start writing your resume, though, I’ve got a bonus for you!

If you’re pressed for time, you feel free to use the handy template below.

Copy it, add your own details, and you’ll have a perfectly-structured chronological resume in minutes.

3. Reverse-Chronological Resume Template to Copy, Tweak, and Use

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Key Points

Here’s a recap of how to write a chronological resume:

• Include your contact information at the top.
• Write a good resume profile: a summary or an objective.
• List your work history in the reverse-chronological order, highlighting achievements over responsibilities.
• List your highest degree of education.
• Include a good list of your most relevant skills.
• Add extra sections such as conferences, publications, certifications, or additional training.

Questions? Concerns? Need further help? I’m here to listen and respond. Drop me a line in the comments and I’ll get back to you double-quick!