What is a Chronological Resume?

A resume is a document that outlines information that may be relevant to a person’s candidacy for a job. There are several formats for creating these documents, including one that is commonly referred to as chronological. This type of resume organizes important details by dates ranging from the most current to the oldest. A chronological resume is generally considered to be an ideal option for individuals with a significant work history, but it may also be used by individuals who are new to the work force or who have not previously held notable positions.

Identifying details, such as name, address, and email address, are generally the first items to appear on any resume. After this, there should be a section that outlines a person’s objective in approximately three to four lines. Following this, the next information provided in a chronological resume is usually the work history.

Chronological means to proceed in order according to time. With this style of resume, however, the term can be a bit misleading because the most recent information will appear ahead of the older details. When completing the work experience section, a person should include several pieces of information. At a minimum, the name of the employer, the position held, and the dates of employment should be listed. It may also be wise to describe the duties and the responsibilities associated with each position held.

A section should be included that outlines a person’s education. The names of the educational facilities that a person attended, the city and state that they are in, and the dates that a person was a student should be included. The most recent experiences should appear first. Majors and minors should be listed if there are any to report. The demand by employers for the inclusion of grade point averages (GPAs) has increased, so an individual may want to include those details.

A person may want to consider adding an achievements section to a chronological resume. This would be organized in the same manner as the other sections. It should be used to list information such as awards, certifications, or other noteworthy activities. If a person possesses skills or abilities that may interest potential employers but that are not communicated in other sections of the resume, she may want to conclude the document with a skills section.

The chronological resume is often very effective for people who have notable employment histories with the majority of the work experience in the same or related fields. This does not mean that individuals who are new to the job market cannot make use of this format. If they choose this option, it is often advised that they place the education section first. The idea behind this is that the information that reflects best on an individual should be presented as early as possible. Individuals who need to prepare this type of document can generally find assistance on the Internet in the form of templates and samples.