How To List Jobs on Your Resume

Introduction

Job seekers are often confused about how to list past and present jobs on a resume. People know that hiring managers expect a resume to be correct and concise. If your resume is disorganized and cluttered, the reviewer may very well toss your document in the trash or in the recycle bin in the case of digital resumes that are emailed to employers. Following a few simple steps can ensure that you list jobs in a format that hiring employers are accustomed to reading.

Step 1

Create a section on your resume where you wish to list jobs. Traditionally, this section details your prior employment history, so many people prefer to keep it simple by calling it "Work History." However, other section headings might include "Employment History" and "Professional Experience" if you want to convey a sense of professionalism to potential employers.

Step 2

Organize your jobs by the dates that you were actively employed. For this step you may want to temporarily stop working on the resume in the word processor on your computer and save your document as is.

On a sheet of paper or in a second word processor document file on the PC, take the time to accurately list jobs. You may need to research your correct starting and ending dates with each employer. Many people rely on paycheck stubs, as these are documents that most people should keep for a few years during and after employment. Another option is to look up the direct deposits in your checking account from your employers if you have online banking or maybe your financial institution mailed paper statements to your home.

The order of jobs should start from most recent to earlier positions that you have held with employers. For example, you want to draft out your jobs on a piece of paper starting from 2012,  and then go backward to 2011, 2010 and so on.

Step 3

Begin adding your jobs to the resume under Work History or a similar section. Think of each job list as its own section or paragraph on the resume, so that when you list jobs the information does not run together, confusing the employer who has to look at your resume and make hiring decisions.

The first line should include the company name and location, as well as the date, similar to the following:

XYZ Company, Any City, Any State -- January 2010 to June 2011.

The second line should list your job title:

Shift Supervisor.

The third line should go into a description of your job duties:

I supervised 15 employees in a front office setting.

Each time you list a job the paragraph or block looks similar to the following:

XYZ Company, Any City, Any State -- January 2010 to June 2011.

Shift Supervisor.

I supervised 15 employees in a front office setting. 

Step 4

Use bullets to make your job listings easier to read and understand, especially if you need to list several duties: 

• XYZ Company, Any City, Any State -- January 2010 to June 2011
  • Shift Supervisor
    • Supervised 15 employees in a front office setting
    • Verified time cards
    • Handled customer concerns

Step 5

Add a new block or section to clearly separate your previous places of employment:

• XYZ Company, Any City, Any State -- January 2010 to June 2011
  • Shift Supervisor
    • Supervised 15 employees in a front office setting
    • Verified time cards
    • Handled customer concerns

• MNO Company, Any City, Any State -- May 2008 to December  2010
  • Department Manager
    • Responsible for managing 50 employees in the back accounting department
    • Reported to vice president

Tips

• Use bold formatting on the Work History header, along with other headers, such as the Objective, Summary and Education sections. When you move the cursor down to the next line, be sure to turn off or deactivate this type of formatting.

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