How to Write a Reverse Chronological Resume

It’s estimated that the average jobseeker sends 50 resumes out before landing a job. Additionally, as of February 2024, there were roughly 6.5 million unemployed Americans. While we can’t assume that everyone who is currently unemployed is regularly applying for jobs, a lot of them are. Which means at any given time, there are hundreds of thousands of resumes floating around—sitting in inboxes, being reviewed by applicant tracking systems, or collecting dust on someone’s desk.

It's no wonder, then, that there’s so much conflicting advice out there when it comes to resume building. Some experts will tell you to do something unique on your resume, while others will say to keep it strictly professional. Maybe you’ve heard that adding a photograph will help, but then come to find that it can be detrimental.

Is there anything experts agree on?

Actually—yes.

Many, if not most, of employers and recruiters do share one opinion when it comes to resumes, and that is the formatting should be done in reverse chronological order.

What is Reverse-Chronological Order?

Really, the name says it all. Reverse chronological order is a way of formatting your work experience starting with your most-recent/current job, and ending with your oldest one. Employees tend to grow and learn throughout their time working in various positions, meaning that the responsibilities and skills associated with their most recent job are going to be the most impressive and relevant.

For some, going in this order might seem counterintuitive, but that’s only if you’re thinking of your resume as a story. Which it’s not. We understand the urge to tell future employers every little detail of your professional life leading up to the present day, but at least a quarter of all hiring managers will spend less than 30 seconds reviewing a resume. There’s simply no time to dilly dally.

Remember, you can always go into more detail about your past positions during an interview. When it comes to the resume, you only have a few seconds to sell yourself, so you want the important information to be front and center.

Example of Reverse Chronological Order

La Mesa Restaurant and Bar, Anchorage, AK — March 2020 to Present

Restaurant Manager

• Managed a staff of over 30 people
• Maintained employee schedules, kept track of inventory, and prepared for any inspections
• Helped the restaurant owner transition to take-out only during the early months of the pandemic, then ushered in a new wave of restaurant protocols and safety measures when lockdown was over

Sandy’s Good Eats, Anchorage, AK — May 2018 to January 2020

Waitress, Bartender

• Waited between five and ten tables at any given time, responding promptly to customer requests and ensuring that their orders were put in correctly every time
• Handled large amounts of cash on a daily basis
• Equally divided up tips amongst bussing staff each night
• Addressed any food-related issues in a patient and kindly manner

Other Formatting Tips

In addition to the gold standard that is reverse chronological order, there are a few other formatting statistics job-seekers should know about. When organizing the other sections of your resume, keep in mind that 63% of recruiters prefer to receive resumes that are personalized to the job position. Also, more than 40% of recruiters reported that applicants often lack the necessary soft skills for the job, so make sure you’re showing those off whenever you can.

As you might’ve noticed, our work-experience examples above each include one or more indirect references to the applicant’s soft skills. In the first example, we emphasized how the applicant helped during the transition to take-out only. This shows adaptability and creative problem solving skills, without the applicant having to come right out and list them. In the second example, we noted that while working as a waitress, the applicant took time to ensure that the tips were divided out evenly at the end of her shift. This demonstrates teamwork skills, compassion, and leadership potential.

If you found these tips helpful, there’s plenty more where they came from! To learn more about formatting the perfect resume, or just getting your job search off the ground in general, check out our website! Our recruiters can and will find you the perfect match in a fraction of the time!