Showing Career Progression and Promotions on Your Resume

John Krautzel
Posted by in Career Advice


A compelling resume tells a cohesive story about where you've been and where you're going. When your work history is disjointed or only involves one or two employers, a poorly formatted resume may give the impression of an unfocused or stagnant career. Hiring managers aren't going to waste time deciphering your professional goals and strengths, so use strategic formatting to ensure your significant promotions and accomplishments stand out.

Present a Convincing Narrative

A career summary is one of the first things hiring managers see on your resume, so use this prime location to highlight your selling points. This brief profile lets you showcase significant accomplishments and strengths while providing context for your career path. A summary is especially valuable if you're changing careers or have a patchy work history. You can emphasize the skills you've developed from diverse experiences and how they relate to your present career objectives.

Use a title or headline above your career summary to convey your professional identity, says interview coach Pamela Skillings. The title immediately catches attention and lets you brand yourself to fit the role you're seeking. You can also use it to provide a comprehensive description of your expertise when you have a long or evolving career, such as "Sports Marketing Executive and Brand Strategist" or "7-Yr Human Resource Associate — SPHR-Certified."

Highlight Your Promotion-Worthy Achievements

If you have a long-term career with one or two employers, differentiate the individual titles with their own dates. Stick to a chronological format, which shows employers a clear timeline of your promotions. Focus on the advanced skills you brought to each role or how you went above and beyond to bring value to your employer. Consider the following example:

Editor and Publisher, 2013 – Present

Awesome Media Group, Houston, TX

>Increased advertising revenue by 15 percent by mentoring and restructuring sales staff

>Promoted to management position after two award-winning editorial series

Associate Editor, 2010 – 2013

Awesome Media Group, Houston, TX

>Managed the launch of online newspaper, serving 45,000 unique site visitors

>Promoted to supervisor of freelance contractors within four months, curating submissions for feature content

Editorial Assistant, 2008 – 2010

Awesome Media Group, Houston, TX

>Researched trending social topics, resulting in two popular segments, "Shop Talk" and "Readers' Revenge"

Avoid listing several sections under one date, as it may confuse applicant-tracking software and prevent you from making a good impression.

Minimize the Job-Hopping Effect

If you've held many jobs with multiple employers, consider grouping the titles in one line. Hiring managers are often turned off by applicants who seem to jump from job to job, so don't let your career progression come across as restlessness. Expert resume writer Don Goodman recommends using a forward slash or vertical bar to separate the titles but include spaces between the words and symbols to ensure the applicant-tracking software can detect the keywords correctly. Consider the following example:

Awesome Media Group, 2008 – Present

Editorial Assistant / Associate Editor/ Editor and Publisher

If you choose this format, you can still demonstrate your growth by writing a brief description of the company and your overall contribution. Use one date range, and finish with a bullet list of your most significant career highlights for the entire duration of employment.

Showcase Advanced Education and Training

Continuing education shows your commitment to self-improvement and identifies you as a versatile candidate who can handle many roles and challenges. You can list your highest degrees, licenses and certifications first or start with the most relevant education. If your education and certification lists are short, group them together in one section to save space on your resume. Unless you are a new graduate, place these credentials after your work experience to emphasize your professional capabilities, especially if your educational background doesn't meet the requirements.

A resume should guide hiring managers through your career highlights like a story, demonstrating your qualifications and growth potential in future positions. Instead of simply listing job duties, describe the defining challenges and achievements that helped you step up your performance and reach the next level in your career.

Photo Courtesy of PeopleMetricspvtltd at Flickr.com

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  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid

    I think you should always include information about any professional courses you’ve taken. Although your efforts at continuing your education may not impress every hiring manager, completing a course is an achievement that should be highlighted. A list of certifications may also help a hiring manager understand why you were able to land a promotion or a better job.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Cory if the period of a few years was more than 10 years ago, you probably don't even need to include it. If it wasn't, then you might be able to just add a line entry such as Self-Employed, Creative Writer, 1/2013 - 3/2016. Then you could include one line, close to the end, to state something like Additional job information available upon request or however you wish to address it. Just let them know that you have the information for the positions but it's just not pertinent. Should you get called in for an interview, make sure that you have the information for the work that you did - including the tasks and accomplishments. If you don't wish to include it here, you can add a sentence into the cover letter explaining the gaps on your resume. Anyone else have any thoughts here?

  • Cory L.
    Cory L.

    What are the best ways to explain gaps in employment as part of a narrative? For example, I have a period of a few years where I was working, but not working in a way that would make sense on a resume. Are there some specific things I should include on other parts of my resume to make the gaps more palatable?

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water

    Jacob, I agree with you. I think in the minds of most employers, education takes a back seat to real-world skills. It makes sense maybe if you just got out of school or you just earned difficult certifications for a job, but otherwise I'd always start with a strong work history full of relevant skills.

  • CATHERINE S.
    CATHERINE S.

    @Jay, I think this is a great way to think about the job application process- treating yourself like a product that needs to be marketed to consumers. Instead of weighing your resume down with every work experience, only including the types of experiences or skill sets that the employer is looking for is more likely to get their attention and a call for an interview.

  • Jacob T.
    Jacob T.

    I am not sure that I would agree with listing education and certifications first. I have sat more than a few interviews where they ask about education but really are more focused on professional accomplishments and results. If you have a strong work history, it makes more sense to put the focus on that.

  • Duncan  Maranga
    Duncan Maranga

    @Jane that's a good question. Concerning the white space, its actually the goal of formatting a resume this way because it makes the points conspicuous to the hiring manager, so that it minimizes a scenario where someone has to gaze at your resume trying to pick important information. About the bullets, any type can do as long as they don't appear overly stylish.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Jane showing white space has always been the norm. Keeping margins around 1" on both sides is good, also. But I wouldn't be overly worried about how much white space is showing. As for bullets or >, I think that bullet points look better but that's just a personal preference. Some people don't use any formatting like bullet points or symbols. Maybe it's because I am old-school but I think that small bullet points keep the resume looking more professional.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd

    Showing that your skills and potential have been noticed by past/present employers will show potential employers that you are worthy. Most people don't get promoted without good reason. Make a point to get this noticed on your resume. If formatting makes it hard to include separately, you can always group your different title with the same employer together, then touch on this in your cover letter.

  • Jane H.
    Jane H.

    I have a question about formatting. I have always had a more compact layout to my resume but the format shown in the middle of the article suggests quite a bit of white space. Is this the new normal? Also, I see the author is using greater-than symbols; is this recommended over traditional bullet points?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the great comments. @Jay so very true as this is exactly what we are doing. We are the product and we are attempting to package ourselves so that we are the ones chosen to interview. Once our resume and cover letter have sold us, then we get to do some in-person selling. Thanks @Shannon for that tip to really showcase our education and training. @Lydia I tend to agree with you. I have worked multiple roles in one company and yes, as a contractor. @William remember to try to narrow your resume down to just the past 10 years, if you can. If you can't keep it to one page, then don't. It's better to have it a little bit longer if you need to in order to include what is important. I will typically include the necessary info and then add a line or two indicating that I have additional experience in other areas and that I am happy to forward it to them should they need it. I have been contacted by companies asking for the additional information so it works. May not work all the time but it may be an option for you if your resume is extending way beyond a page.

  • Jay Bowyer
    Jay Bowyer

    When writing your resume, you might find it useful to consider yourself as a product. Imagine how you'd sell yourself if you had to create marketing copy for your skill set. When we view our strengths from an outside perspective like this, it's much easier to create a really effective resume structure.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    Showcasing training and higher education is a smart move when compiling your resume. Employers need to see that you are invested in professional and self-improvement, especially when it is relevant to the position you are seeking. As a former hiring manager, I always sought out applicants who were willing to improve themselves.

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K.

    I disagree that multiple jobs on a resume has to be a negative. Some people are contractors or consultants and may move on to another project every year or so. Some people may also relocate because of their spouse's work. I think the job changes can easily explained in a cover letter or preliminary interview. But trying to format them away in a resume seems like it could cause more confusion for the person reviewing the resume.

  • William Browning
    William Browning

    What happens if your job experience/history takes up too much room on the resume and it goes beyond a single page? Should I keep some previous employers out of the list, write a two-page resume, or retool the format? Many experts say to keep the resume at one page or less, while others say make it as long as possible to get past the applicant trackers.

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