Chronological Resume: Template, Format & Examples

What is a chronological resume?

A chronological resume is a standard resume format that lists your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job listed at the top and each previous position in descending order.

The chronological resume continues to be the most popular format in 2023 because it accommodates people with any experience level and presents your qualifications in a logical, time-ordered fashion that is easy for a hiring manager to read, as our expert CPRW, Eva Chan, explains at the 21-second mark in her video:

Chronological resume format

Here’s what a chronological resume format looks like:

Chronological resume template & example

Ordering your sections properly is important when writing a chronological resume.

To ensure you order your chronological resume correctly, here’s a resume template you can copy and paste into either Google Docs or Microsoft Word and fill in with your information:

Chronological resume template

Chronological resume example

Want to see this format in action? Here’s an example of a chronological resume you can download and use for a reference:

Download This Free Example

How to order a chronological resume

Here’s how to write a resume according to the chronological format:

1. List your contact information

To ensure the hiring manager can contact you, include the following four pieces of information in your chronological resume header:

• First and last name
• Email address
• Phone number
• LinkedIn profile

2. Open with a strong resume introduction

One of the best ways to get employers’ attention is by starting your resume with a convincing introduction.

You can choose to either write a resume objective or summary.

Resume objectives are typically for candidates just starting their career. You’ll need to list any relevant qualifications you currently have and end with a statement that shows the hiring manager you’re dedicated and will quickly adapt to your new position.

Here’s an example of a nursing resume objective on a chronological resume:

Hardworking recent-graduate RN with over a year of clinical internship experience helping treat patients with chronic illnesses and monitoring vitals. Possess a BSN and BLS certification. Seeking to leverage my skills and qualifications to fill the RN position at Brandywine Hospital.

On the other hand, a resume summary is typically meant for candidates with several years of experience, and acts as a highlight reel for your career achievements. In a few sentences, it provides a quick overview of your relevant qualifications, goals, and most valuable skills.

Here’s an example of a resume summary for an administrative assistant on a chronological resume:

Administrative Assistant with 2+ years of experience preparing flawless presentations, assembling facility reports, and maintaining the utmost confidentiality. Possesses a B.A. in History and expertise in Microsoft Excel. Looking to leverage my knowledge and experience into a role as a Project Manager.

3. Write your work experience in reverse chronological order

Your resume’s work experience section is the core of a chronological resume.

List each relevant job you’ve held in reverse chronological order, with your most recent position at the top. Under each position, provide three to five bullet points outlining your primary duties and responsibilities. Use the present resume tense for your current position and the past tense for previous job titles.

Remember to add hard numbers to your bullet points to make your accomplishments measurable for a hiring manager to see and better understand how you contributed to previous employers.

Additionally, start each bullet point with an action verb to make your work experience more engaging to read. Using action verbs will give the impression you’re proactive at work and make it easier for the HR manager to understand exactly what you can achieve on the job.

Here’s an example of a work experience section on a chronological resume that utilizes hard numbers and action verbs:

4. Include a brief education section

For most people, your resume’s education section will be short and simple, including only the following three pieces of information:

• university name and location
• degree or certification name
• graduation date

Here’s what an education section looks like in practice:

However, suppose you’re a college student or will be graduating soon. In that case, you may want to add additional sections to your education section to increase your value as a candidate, such as your GPA (if it’s higher than 3.5), Dean’s list, relevant coursework, extracurricular activities, and other academic awards.

Here’s an example of a recent graduate‘s education section on a chronological resume:

5. List your skills

No chronological resume is complete without a skills section. Here, you’ll need to list any hard or soft skills you didn’t have an opportunity to give examples of in your work experience section.

However, remember to keep it clear and concise, only including skills on your resume directly relevant to the job you’re applying to.

If you’re not sure which skills to include, look at the position’s job description. Usually, employers spell out the exact qualifications they’re looking for in the “Responsibilities” section of their listing.

Here’s an example real estate agent‘s skills section on a chronological resume: