How to write your work experience in a CV
Your work experience, or career history is one of the most important parts of your CV.
It gives you the chance to showcase your skills and knowledge, whilst proving how you apply them in the workplace – a great way to win over recruiters
This guide will show you exactly how to write your work experience section in your CV, including which roles to add, how to list them, and how to structure each job.
Which jobs should be listed?
- Where to include your work experience
How far back should a CV go?
Which order should your jobs be listed, how to structure recent jobs.
- How to structure old jobs
You’re not obliged to list your entire professional history when writing a CV – How many of your jobs you include will depend on how much experience you have.
If you have many years of experience – you will benefit from listing only your most relevant work, and you can leave out jobs from your early career
If you have very little experience – you should include all of your jobs to showcase as much as your experience as possible.
Paid work is going to be the most important and typically largest section of your CV, as employers will be looking for candidates who already have experience and expertise in similar work environments. Paid work should always be prioritized over academic work or voluntary work on your CV.
Voluntary work
Voluntary work is great to add to your CV, especially if you have little to no work experience or have gaps in your CV . Voluntary work demonstrates initiative and an eagerness to work, both of which are highly desirable skills in any candidate. Voluntary work can even enhance your CV when applying for certain roles: for example, if you’re applying to work in a veterinary office, having volunteer experience working in an animal shelter will demonstrate your passion for animals and boost your suitability.
School or university placements
Placements undertaken during university or school are also great additions to your CV, especially if you’re at the debut of your career or have minimal work experience. Again, the key here is to highlight the transferable skills gained during these experiences. Don’t simply list that you were chosen for the placement – explain and demonstrate why these experiences were valuable, and how they enhanced your skillset.
Where to include work experience in your CV?
If you are an experienced candidate , list your work experience at the top of your CV, just underneath the profile or core skills – because recruiters will be most interested in your experience at this level.
If you have little experience , but lots of recent education (like a graduate or school leaver ) add your experience underneath your education section – because at junior level, employers will want to see your recent and relevant qualifications before your work experience which may be less relevant to the jobs you are targeting (e.g. part-time bar jobs or paper rounds)
How far back you go on your CV is a question of experience. If you have lots of senior-level experience, you should highlight only your most recent roles, emphasising your skills and responsibilities in these areas – omitting some of your older, less relevant work.
But, if you’re less experienced, like a school leaver or graduate, you might want to list all of your previous jobs to show an eagerness for work and a diverse spectrum of skills and knowledge.
Ideally you should try to get as much detail as possible into 2 page of A4 .
However, don’t forget that the purpose of your CV is to demonstrate your skills and credibility to a potential employer. If you’re applying for a role as a junior financial analyst , you don’t need to include the 6 months you spent working in an ice-cream shop when you were a student – because it is irrelevant to your target employers.
Put simply, if an old job isn’t going to add value to your candidacy or demonstrate a relevant skill, you can leave it out.
Experienced candidates
For experienced candidates, hiring managers are going to be more interested in your last 1-3 years of employment than anything else. While you can certainly list your full employment history if you wish to, experienced candidates should use the limited space on their CV (around 2 pages) wisely to elaborate on their relevant and recent roles, especially roles that are relevant to the jobs you are applying for.
Don’t forget to always tailor your CV for the job you want: this means demonstrating that you have the specific skills the employer asks for in their job description. As always, prior research is essential.
Don’t forget that recruiters often receive an excess of 100+ applications for a single role: if you want to make your CV stand out, it should be precise, easy to read, and highlight the work experience that counts. In general, a CV for an experienced candidate should be no more than two pages long, so you can always use length as an effective metric: if your CV is over 3 pages long, you’re probably listing too many old jobs.
Juniors and students
If you’re a student or a junior employee at the beginning your career, your CV should include all (or most) of your former roles, including part-time work, student work, and maybe even your first ever job. Employers like to see evidence of a strong work ethic when hiring new graduates or young people, so it’s a good idea to demonstrate an early eagerness for the world of work.
When adding retail jobs or student jobs to your CV, the key is to highlight the transferable skills you gained while working in these roles. For example , if you worked in a high-paced call centre as a student, this shows a recruiter that you’re equipped to handle the demands of working in a corporate customer service environment. Or, if your first job was working in a local supermarket and taking stock, this demonstrates that you have experience in inventory management.
When it comes to writing a CV with minimal work experience, the formula is simple: show, don’t tell. Make it clear why you’re telling the recruiter about a former job – explain what the role added to your skillset, and why it would be beneficial in the role you’re applying for.
When adding your work experience to your CV, you should list your most recent jobs first, and the rest of your jobs in reverse chronological order – meaning from newest to oldest.
This means that the oldest job you wish to include will be last at the bottom of your CV
Don’t forget that recruiters and hiring managers are going to be most interested in your last 1-3 years of work, so make use of the space on your CV to highlight these jobs and how you excelled in these roles.
Structuring your work experience effectively is key to grabbing the attention of recruiters, and I will explain how to do this below.
When it comes to structuring your recent jobs, you want to make it as simple as possible for the recruiter to understand your current skills, your previous responsibilities, and the value that you brought to your former company or organisation. The formula below can help you highlight your previous employment effectively.
Here, you want to briefly summarize your former role: what company or individual you worked for, what your role consisted of, and to whom you were accountable. Don’t go into too much detail here – you’re going to explain more in the ‘Responsibilities’ section.
Responsibilities
In this section, you have the opportunity to demonstrate your day-to-day responsibilities while highlighting your skills and competences at the same time. You should write this section in bullet points, so that it’s easy for the recruiter to read and digest.
Within your responsibilities, hiring managers will be on the lookout for the following:
- Who you deal with – Do you work with clients? Is your role B2B or B2C ? Who do you report to on a daily basis? Are you in charge of other employees – if so, how many?
- Skills using various technologies and office tools – Do you use Microsoft office? Are you familiar with excel and spreadsheets? Do you use coding software? You can discuss various office tools and programs that you use frequently or on a daily basis.
- Expertise – Recruiters will be on the lookout for someone who already has in-depth knowledge of their field – you can demonstrate your knowledge and expertise by using known acronyms, phrases, and discussing trusted work methods.
- Portfolio / Projects – The nature of your portfolio will differ depending on your job. However, if your responsibilities entail producing physical work, you should discuss these in the responsibilities section. Your portfolio can include anything from annual reports to physical products that you helped build.
- Your work environment(s) – Employers always want to know how well a new employee will be able to integrate into a new work environment, especially if it’s stressful and high-paced. You should discuss your previous work environments – were they busy, fast-paced, non-stop, or more slow-paced and analytical.
Achievements
In this section, you want to explain the positive impact you had on your former company or organisation, and how you brought value to the table. Again, this section should be written in bullet points to give the recruiter easily digestible, memorable information.
If you can list your achievements with accompanying quantifiable figures, it’s going to make an even better impression.
Here are some ideal types of achievements to include:
Financial Achievements : For example, successfully cutting costs and overheads, winning new clients, how your input resulted in increased profits (Figures and numbers should be inserted here where possible). Increasing productivity / creating effective new work methods could also be highlighted here.
Customer success : For example, did you create a successful marketing strategy for a customer, resulting in increased sales? Did you help your customer land new clients, resulting in increased turnover? Have you received or maintained high-quality, 5-star reviews from customers online? Your customer success stories = your success stories.
Media recognition : Did you contribute to any projects recognized in the media? Did your company (with your help) win any awards in the media?
Internal recognition : Promotions, being given extra responsibilities within your organisation, winning company awards etc.
How to structure old roles
When adding old jobs onto your CV, you don’t want to go into extensive detail and take up valuable space on your CV. Most hiring managers are going to focus on the upper quarter of your CV, where you detail your core skills and your last 1-3 years of employment.
When adding an old job, simply add the length of time spent in the role (mm/yyyy-mm/yyyy) the name of your employer, your job title, and a brief outline of the role. If your old job title is self-explanatory, you don’t need to give an outline of the role – i.e., “dog walker” “checkout assistant.” As always, highlight relevant skills where possible.
Canadian Resume [Format, Tips & Examples for 2023]
Canada is a unique country that combines some traits you’ll find in the USA with some you’ll find in Europe.
This goes for resumes, too.
That’s why, when applying for a job in Canada, you have to make sure your resume conforms to Canadian application standards.
Naturally, you might be wondering - what does a Canadian resume even look like?
If you’re a foreigner, you’re likely drawing a blank trying to figure out what makes a Canadian resume different from the one in your own country. Even if you’re Canadian, you might still need to brush up on your resume writing skills.
Luckily for you, we’re here to show you how to write a compelling Canadian resume.
Here’s what we’re going to go over:
- Differences Between Canadian, US, and European Resumes
- Canadian Resume Formatting
- A Step-By-Step Breakdown on How To Write A Canadian Resume
And more! Let’s get started!
Canadian Resume Example
Let’s take a look at a Canadian resume example:
Here’s what this resume does right:
- Reverse-chronological format. This format highlights your most recent work experience first and is a recruiter favorite all around the world.
- Relevant contact details. This resume example highlights the candidate’s first and last name, phone number, email address, location, and LinkedIn URL.
- Captivating resume summary. The paragraph nested in the header summarizes the candidate’s most essential skills and accomplishments.
- Action words. The candidate uses action verbs and power words to describe work responsibilities.
- Bullet points. The resume leverages bullet points to appear easy to read, organized, and reader-friendly.
- Additional sections. Language proficiency, certifications, awards, and interests all give a holistic view of the candidate and add value to their application.
Free Canadian Resume Templates
Creating a resume from scratch is time-consuming work.
You need to twitch the margins, keep the fonts uniform, carefully align every element you add, and make sure it never spills over to page two.
But you can skip all that hassle if you use a resume template .
Novoresume’s templates are created in collaboration with recruiters and meet all job market requirements.
Any template you use can save you time and let you write your resume in minutes.
Canadian Resume Specifics
There are a few basic things to keep in mind when crafting your Canadian resume. First things first:
The terms resume and CV can be used interchangeably in parts of Canada. In Quebec, for example, both terms refer to a one or two-page-long summary of a candidate’s career that’s tailored to the job they’re applying for.
Outside of Quebec, however, a CV is different from a resume in that it’s far more detailed and appropriate for academic positions or specific senior-level applications.
Most job postings will ask for a resume unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Some other things to keep in mind about Canadian resumes include:
- Keep your resume one to two pages . A one-page resume is more than enough if you’re a recent graduate or new to the job market. Two-page resumes are recommended for seasoned professionals, and in certain cases, a three-page resume can be acceptable.
- Write your resume in the same language as the job offer. If you’re going for a position in Quebec and the advertisement is in French, then use French. Don’t assume they’ll accept a resume in English unless it’s explicitly written so on the job posting.
- Skip personal information and photos. Your resume should never give away your appearance, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, marital status, number of children, or any personal identification numbers.
- Don’t list references with your application unless the employer has requested them. Assumably, you can provide references if requested, so dedicating space on your resume when you’re not asked to is a waste.
Canadian Resume vs. US Resume
Both the USA and Canada prefer using resumes over CVs. In fact, Canadian and US resumes are almost identical.
The biggest difference? The language the document is written in.
You might be thinking - wait, I thought Canada used English?
Only partly.
Canada has two official languages - English and French. Both of these languages have standardized Canadian spellings, so that means they are not 100% the same as American English or European French.
Most of the terminology on your Canadian resume will be just about the same as it would be on its US equivalent. The biggest difference will probably be the added “u” to words like colour, and favourite , and the spelling of words like catalogue, centre, and cheque, as opposed to catalog, center, and check.
Before submitting your application, consider using a grammar checker like Grammarly or QuillBot to make sure your resume is up to par with Canadian spelling conventions .
Canadian Resume vs. European Resume
Typically, a resume in most of Europe, Asia, and the Pacific is referred to as a CV. The term resume in Canada refers to the same document that a CV refers to in Europe.
Both documents are meant to be one to two pages long, and list skills and experience relevant to the position you’re applying for. So in this sense, a European CV is actually different from a Canadian CV.
In Canada, a CV is an extensive document and is usually required in academic settings rather than for corporate job applications. The CV can be anywhere from two to ten pages long since it’s meant to list everything - from work experience to projects to publications.
European resumes also tend to be more detailed. For example, they can include details on high school education and grades, even if the candidate has a college degree. In Canada, that’s not the case. Your high school education is irrelevant if you have a higher degree of education.
The biggest difference between Canadian resumes and European ones is the amount of personal information you’re allowed to give away. For example, in Germany including a picture of yourself on your resume is common, but that’s absolutely not the case in Canada. There, your date of birth and nationality are a no-go.
These bits of information can be used to discriminate against you, so you’re supposed to keep them out of your resume as a precaution to give everyone a fair chance. Recruiters often consider resumes that overshare details of the candidate’s life (e.g.: race, age, date of birth, religion, political affiliation, etc.) unprofessional.
Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Your Canadian Resume
You’ve seen what a Canadian resume looks like. Now it’s time to write your own.
If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry - we’ve here to help you get it right.
Just follow these steps:
#1. Use the Correct Format
The most popular resume format in Canada is the reverse-chronological format (which is also called the chronological format).
It’s so widely used that it’s expected by most recruiters. The chronological format puts your most recent work experiences first and then goes back in time.
Here’s an example of what it looks like:
One of the other formats is the functional resume format , also known as the skills-based resume format, which focuses on your key strengths and abilities. It’s recommended for career changers or recent graduates with little-to-no experience in the field they’re applying for.
Then, we have the combination resume format . As the name suggests, it mixes elements of both the chronological and functional format. This format gives equal attention to a candidate’s experience and skills. It provides a detailed skill summary and is a good choice for applicants who have a noticeable employment gap but plenty of work experience nonetheless.
#2. Follow These Layout Tips
If your resume looks cluttered and unorganized, the hiring manager is less likely to want to read it.
But paying attention to your resume’s layout can get you a better chance.
Stick to these formatting tips when building your Canadian resume:
- Have separate sections for all the information you want to add.
- Use a professional and easily legible resume font .
- Let your resume breathe - leave in enough white space so the contents are easier to read, by setting your resume margins to 1” on all sides.
- Save your resume in the correct document size. Canadian resumes use a standard North American letter size (8.5 x 11 inches), instead of the A4 size common elsewhere. You can do this easily in the Novoresume editor by choosing “Layout” in the top menu and choosing “US Letter Format”.
#3. List the Right Contact Information
Once you’ve sorted out your resume layout, it’s time to start filling in its content.
The contact information section is the first thing you should list. Here’s what to include:
- Name and surname
- Canadian phone number
- Address (City and Province)
- Professional email address
Optionally, you can include a link to your LinkedIn profile, a personal website, or an online portfolio. Just make sure they’re updated and relevant to the application.
#4. Write Your Resume Summary
Each resume only has a few seconds to catch a recruiter’s attention, so you have to make yours eye-catching and easy to read.
Here’s where a resume summary comes in.
Going at the top of your resume, a resume summary is a two or three-sentence-long summary of your career. It includes:
- Your professional title and years of experience.
- Two-three of your biggest achievements.
- One-two of your top relevant skills for the position.
If you’re less experienced, you can opt for a resume objective instead. A resume objective focuses on your skills and motivation to grow in your chosen field, rather than on prior experience and professional achievements.
When applying for a remote job for a company based in Canada, mention this in your resume summary. If you’re looking for a company that’s going to relocate you to Canada , make sure to mention that in your resume instead, so you don’t waste time for yourself or the hiring manager.
#5. Include Your Work Experience
Work experience is the most important section on a Canadian resume .
It lets you expand on your past achievements and responsibilities, proving to the hiring manager you’re the best candidate for the job.
Here’s how you should structure this section:
- Start with your most recent job and go back in time. That said, don’t go back more than ten or 15 years ago, even if you’re a senior professional. The hiring manager doesn’t care about your job as a server from back in college.
- Start with your job title. The recruiter will immediately know if you have the necessary experience for the job from reading your job title.
- Add your company name and location. Sometimes you can even add a brief description of your former employer, particularly if it’s a smaller business that isn’t well-known.
- Include your dates of employment. There’s no need to be super detailed, so just stick to the mm/yyyy format.
- List your job responsibilities and achievements. Provide 4-6 bullet points for your most recent position and 2-3 bullets for older jobs.
Structuring your work experience the right way is only half the work. To stand out from the competition, you want this section to be as impressive as possible.
Here are a few tips and tricks to help with that:
- Reference the job ad, and focus on the top skills and qualifications required from candidates. Tailor your work experience around the skills that you do have to draw attention away from the ones you don’t.
- Focus more on achievements over day-to-day responsibilities. The hiring manager already has an idea of what your responsibilities for a certain job were. What they’re interested to know is what you achieved while doing it.
- Quantify your accomplishments as often as possible. Use the Laszlo Bock formula ( “accomplished X as measured by Y by doing Z” ) to provide a timeframe, scale, and results for what you’ve achieved. e,g: “ Increased annual revenue growth from 5% to 10% through the implementation of a financial roadmap. ”
- Use powerful words and action verbs . Recruiters hate hearing generic phrases like “responsible for” or “team player,” so using the right vocabulary can help you stick out.
Are you a recent graduate with no work experience on your resume ? Don’t sweat it - we’ve got a guide to help you find your first job .
#6. Add Your Education
In Canadian resumes, the education section typically goes right under your work experience.
Here’s how you should format this section:
- Program Name. E.g: “B.A. in Computer Science”
- University Name. E.g: “Ohio State University”
- Years Attended. E.g: “08/2018 - 06/2022”
- Achievements (optional). E.g. “Minor in Linguistics”
It should look something like this:
B.A. in Computer Science
Concordia University
08/2019 - 06/2023
- Summa Cum Laude
- Minor in Business Analytics
Follow these tips to make this section pop:
- Don’t describe your high school education if you have a university degree.
- Mention courses you’ve taken that are relevant to the industry you’re applying to. (E.g: Statistics and Probability for a Data Analyst)
- Stick to a reverse chronological format when listing your degrees. E.g: A Ph.D. is listed above a Master’s Degree, which is listed above a Bachelor’s degree, etc.
- If you don’t have work experience, you can emphasize your academic background. Just list your education at the top of your resume instead of the work experience.
#7. Highlight Your Greatest Skills & Strengths
The skill section shows which candidates have the necessary expertise for the job, and no Canadian resume is complete without it.
Skills are typically divided into two categories:
- Soft skills consist of personality traits and characteristics developed in your personal and professional life. They involve communication skills , people skills, interpersonal skills , etc.
- Hard skills, or technical abilities, are skills you can gain from experience, training, or education. These can include computer skills or proficiency in the use of specific tools.
The trick here is, don’t list every skill you’ve ever learned, just the ones relevant to the job you’re applying for.
If you’re going to be a graphic designer, your Photoshop skills are more important than your forklift certification. Recruiters want to know which skills make you the right candidate for them, not which skills make you the most well-rounded individual.
Scan the job description and jot down which of your skills the company is looking for. Then add them to your Canadian resume.
Just make sure you don’t focus solely on one type of skill over the other. A good application covers both soft skills and hard skills, depending on the job requirements.
Here’s an example:
#8. Leverage Additional Sections
If you’ve covered all the essential resume sections and have some space left, consider adding some optional resume sections.
These sections aren’t as vital as the ones we’ve covered so far, and they won’t do as much heavy lifting on your resume as your work experience, skills, or education.
However, they can help set you apart from candidates with similar work experience and skills as yours.
For example, if choosing between two equally qualified professionals, and the position includes collaboration with French-speaking employees or business partners, the hiring manager is likely to choose a candidate who can speak French.
Here are the additional sections you can include on your resume:
- Languages . Being able to communicate in more than one language gives you an advantage over other candidates.
- Internships. Adding any relevant internships to your resume shows you have some experience that’s prepared you for the job you’re applying to.
- Volunteer experience . Any experience volunteering is a great addition to any resume since it shows you’re a caring person who wants to give back to your community.
- Hobbies and interests . Certain hobbies or interests might give the hiring manager a look into who you are as a person, and work in your favor.
- Certifications and awards. Any relevant qualifications or awards, such as online classes, can go here.
- Publications. If you’ve published anything, ranging from magazines to research articles, you can add it to your resume.
- Projects. Interesting projects you’ve worked on can show the hiring manager your passion and dedication to your field.
#9. Include a cover letter
Cover letters are still an essential companion piece to any resume.
Adding a cover letter to your application shows the hiring manager you’re ready to take all the necessary steps to land the job.
Cover letters also complement resumes by allowing you to elaborate on things you don’t have the space for in your resume, such as certain achievements or employment gaps.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what your cover letter should include:
- Header. As with your resume, include your updated contact information with your name, surname, Canadian phone number, and professional email address. Be sure to include the employer’s contact information as well.
- Greeting line. Make sure you address the cover letter correctly with a greeting line like “ Dear John Doe, ” or “ Dear Mr. Doe, ”. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, just use something like “ Dear [Department] Team. ”
- Introduction. Start off with a brief summary of why you’re writing the letter and which position you’re interested in. To grab the hiring manager’s attention, use your opening paragraph to also describe two or three of your top achievements.
- Qualifications and motivation. The body of your cover letter should emphasize your skills, experience, and enthusiasm for the position. Use it to explain exactly what makes you the right candidate and how you’re the right fit for the company.
- Closing paragraph . Wrap up your letter with a call to action and an official signature line.
Struggling to write your cover letter? Check out these cover letter examples to get inspired.
FAQs About Canadian Resumes
Do you still have any questions? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Canadian resumes.
1. How can I create a Canadian resume as an international student?
Whether you’re looking to apply to a university in Canada, secure an internship , or land your first job after your graduation, your main focus should be on your academic achievements.
Education is highly valued in Canada and your credentials and relevant coursework will boost your resume, so long as you keep it relevant to the position you’re applying for.
When describing your education, you can also add the location next to your school or university’s name. E.g.: “Marmara University, Turkey” instead of just “Marmara University”.
2. Should the Canadian resume be in a PDF or Word file format?
Generally speaking, a PDF is the preferred format for resumes since it remains the same regardless of what operating system or device you use to open it. Moreover, it keeps your formatting and illustrations in place, and can’t be edited by accident when a recruiter mislicks.
Most career websites in Canada accept resumes as both PDF and Word files. Nonetheless, we recommend you have your Canadian resume exported to PDF unless the job ad specifically requests Word.
3. Do Canadians say CV or resume?
Depending on what part of Canada you’re in, people might say CV and resume interchangeably. However, outside of Quebec, these are two different documents.
Resumes are typically not longer than two pages and are meant to be tailored to the job you’re applying for. CVs, on the other hand, are far more detailed and appropriate for academic settings or specific senior-level applications.
4. What should you NOT include on a Canadian resume?
As an anti-discrimination measure, pictures of yourself and personal information, are legally prohibited from job applications. This means your nationality, age, gender, religion, immigration status, political affiliation, marital status, and social insurance number, have no place on your resume.
Another thing to keep in mind is that it’s taboo for applicants to include their salary expectations on a Canadian resume. Salary expectations should only be provided if requested by the employer, and even then, they are best included in a cover letter, never on your resume.
Key Takeaways
And that’s a- boot it for Canadian resumes!
Let’s recap the main things you need to know on the subject:
- Canadian resumes are essentially the same as US resumes. You won’t have any difficulties applying with a US resume for a position in Canada, but Canadian English is preferred over standardized American English.
- A Canadian resume is the equivalent of a CV in Europe and most other parts of the world. However, a CV in Canada is a much longer document that’s used mostly to apply for jobs in academia.
- Keep your formatting clear, and use separate sections and legable fonts when building your resume.
- When applying to jobs in Canada, you should never include anything that could be used to discriminate against you, such as information about your age, nationality, and immigration status, or pictures of yourself.
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Writing the Work Experience Section of your CV
The ‘Work Experience’ or ‘Employment History’ section is one of the most important parts of your CV. It’s where you list current and previous jobs, and highlight relevant skills and accomplishments.
The most common way to list your work experience is in reverse chronological order. However, there are other ways to organise your CV . For instance, if you don’t have much work experience yet, you can emphasise your education or training courses . What should you pay attention to when writing the ‘Work Experience’ section?
Given that this section of your CV will include a lot of information, you’ll want to make sure that recruiters can skim through it and pick out the most important points quickly.
You’ll also need to consider where you add the ‘Work Experience’ in your CV which will depend on your situation.
For South Africans, it’s worth noting that different conventions apply: In the first step of the application process, you’ll usually send only a brief profile which is a short, one page-version of your CV. The brief profile contains only essential information such as your personal information, education and previous employers.
Only upon request, you’ll send a comprehensive CV which is the same as the CV we’re discussing here.
You have a long employment history
In most cases, the ‘Work Experience’ section of the CV will come after your contact details and your personal statement .
Start with your most recent position and add details including the name of the employer and dates worked.
- Include only relevant and recent jobs
If you’ve had several jobs over the course of your career, only list the positions that are relevant to the job you’re applying for and omit any jobs more than 15 years old to avoid age discrimination.
You could explain any gaps in a cover letter or an interview.
- Multiple jobs in the same company
If you’ve had multiple jobs in one company, you could choose to list them as separate positions or if they were similar in nature, you could stack all the positions together and then add an overall summary to describe your work experience in the company, e.g.
- Facebook, London, UK
Content Specialist Jan 2015 - present
Editor Oct 2012 - Dec 2014
Writer Nov 2010 - Nov 2014
- Wrote and published website articles for 20 different markets.
- Developed a style guide for the company’s brand voice in collaborating with the marketing and product teams.
You have little work experience
If you have little work experience or you’ve just left education, then you’ll want to draw attention to courses you’ve taken at school, university or at other training providers.
In this case, the ‘Education’ section will be placed higher than the ‘Work Experience’ section in your CV.
Any courses you list should add value to your job application and help employers understand why you’re a suitable candidate. Therefore, there’s no need to refer to every course you’ve taken at university or school, unless it relates directly to the job you’re applying for.
In the ‘Work Experience’ section of your CV, you could mention part-time jobs, internships and even volunteering activities if they helped you to develop transferable skills. For example, if you volunteered at your local community centre, you’ll have picked up teamwork, communication and leadership skills.
Just make sure that you mention that it was a volunteering role to avoid misleading employers.
Focus on accomplishments
Many candidates simply list all their previous jobs along with their responsibilities and duties in the ‘Work Experience’ section. But these don’t show prospective employers what you can do for them.
You’ll stand a much better chance of impressing employers if you highlight the results you achieved in each position.
While many people confuse responsibilities with achievements, there is a difference: Responsibilities are routine tasks which you carry out in a job whereas achievements or accomplishments are actions that bring in benefits for your team or company.
The best way to think of an achievement is in three parts:
- The task or activity
- The skill you used
- The quantifiable result or benefit of the task or activity
Here are some examples of achievements which you could use as a basis to describe your own
- Solving a problem or a challenge
- Developing an idea for the employer
- Saving your team or employer money
- Launching new products or initiatives
- Increasing revenue or sales for the company
To quantify some of these:
- Launched websites in 7 different languages and in 20 territories.
- Achieved a 30% saving on expenses by revising the company’s budget template.
- Increased sales by 10% over a 3-month period.
Speak the company’s language
Pay attention to the job titles that you mention in your CV. Positions that are comparable in terms of content can have different job titles. For example, one company is looking for a salesperson, while another company is looking for a sales employee.
Make sure you’re speaking the company’s language but adjusting any job titles so that they match those listed in the job description or on the company website.
Gaps in your CV
Nowadays, it’s not unusual to have gaps in your CV. There are any number of reasons why you might have taken time away from the workplace: studying, sabbaticals, parental leave, redundancy or plain old unemployment.
If you’ve been in employment for a long time, there’s no harm in omitting a few jobs to include only relevant positions. This will take care of any gaps in your CV.
Similarly, when stating the dates of your employment at each company, you need only mention the month and year of your tenure.
If there are still significant gaps in the ‘Work Experience’ section of your CV, you could include volunteering experience or any part-time jobs. Even if these are not directly relevant to the position you’re applying for, they show employers that you used the time productively to pick up transferable skills.
You could also mention any personal reasons, for example, that you took time out to care for your children /parents or that you took a sabbatical to travel around the world.
You’ll of course have the opportunity to elaborate further in your cover letter and interview(s) should the opportunity arise.
Consider using a CV builder
The ‘Work Experience’ section of your CV is the most important and largest section of your CV. As it contains so much information and can therefore be difficult to format, you could consider using an online CV builder which will take care of the format and the structure . It’ll also be easier to make changes without upsetting the formatting of your CV .
Jobseeker allows you to create a CV in just a few steps. Simply choose from eight designs and you’re good to go!
Get ahead of the competition
Make your job applications stand-out from other candidates.
Using a CV maker
Tailoring your CV to the job description
How to Write an Effective CV Objective
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The more recent the work experience, the higher it should be placed on your resume. Follow this format when you write your resume's work experience section: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE. Title 1. Company, City, State. Start Date-End Date. (Most recent work experience) Title 2. Company, City, State.
2. List the most recent position you've worked in. Once you've decided which positions to include, list the most recent position you've worked in at the top of the section. Provide the name of the company, followed by the job title, start date and end date of your employment. Here is an example of how you can format each position throughout the ...
Why it's important to describe your work experience on a resume. Using the right language to describe your most relevant work experience can make you stand out from other candidates for the roles you apply to. The way you display your experience on your resume can put you on the shortlist of desired candidates from the outset.
Resume work experience writing tips. Resumes typically conform to a standard structure and format. However, you can make your work experience section stand out with these tips: Choose an organized template. Good organization makes your resume easier to read. Choose a format for listing your previous employers, job positions and employment dates ...
6 tips for describing work experience on your CV. Here are 6 tips on how to write your CV work experience properly so employers can quickly understand your value: 1. Apply proper formatting. Each position in your CV work experience section should have its own header to clearly differentiate it from the others.
For most job seekers using a chronological or combination resume format, you should list your past jobs within your experience section (or sections) in reverse chronological order. For each item you list—full-time jobs or other types of experience—include the following: Position details: List your job title, company name, location, and ...
Knowing how to write work experience on a CV is a useful skill that can help you increase your chances of getting a job interview invitation. Here are some basic steps that can help you organise and format your employment history on a CV: 1. Make a list of your employment history. Making a list of your former companies and roles is a great ...
Consider using the following tips for a resume work experience section that works: Structure your resume to avoid gaps. Strong resumes show a consistent flow from one job to the next. Use the standard format that lists the month and year to show the start and end dates of each job, such as May 2015 - August 2020.
1 Customize your work experience. Many employers today use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to weed out unqualified applicants. An ATS scans resumes for keywords typically pulled straight from the job ad. You must tailor your work experience section to each job by identifying these keywords from the job ad.
Writing the work experience section. Writing the resume work experience section is one of the most influential and often trickiest resume sections to get right. Some employers will even cut right past the summary at the top of a resume and scan the employers, job titles and work dates to see if the resume is worth reading in detail.
When adding your work experience to your CV, you should list your most recent jobs first, and the rest of your jobs in reverse chronological order - meaning from newest to oldest. This means that the oldest job you wish to include will be last at the bottom of your CV. Don't forget that recruiters and hiring managers are going to be most ...
If any of your past work experience was work from home, you can either mention your current location or simply write "remote work" in the job location part. 3. Specify the dates of employment. Next, you should mention the start and end dates of each employment. The start date is when you started working, and the end date is your last date ...
Promotions are proof of your work ethic, so bring attention to them whenever possible. 2. Companies you worked for. Provide the full, official names of your former employers. To keep your work experience section more relevant, consider excluding details of any employment older than 10 years.
How to write work experience in a CV. Here are the steps you need to take when writing the work experience section of your CV: 1. Include relevant and detailed information. Include specific information about your employment history: Your previous employers. Provide the full name of your previous employers. Begin with your most recent place of ...
Review the following steps on how to write work experience on a CV: 1. Include your previous job titles. Recruitment managers typically want to review your work history to determine if you have adequate experience. You can include any job relevant to the one you're seeking.
Related: How to write work experience on a CV (tips and example) 7. List your skills. Use the last section of your student CV to highlight your skills. Focus on both soft and hard abilities that align with the placement's requirements. For example, mention specific software you know how to use, demonstrate your ability to provide good customer ...
A resume summary is a short statement that uses active language to describe your relevant work experience and skills. Read more: How To Write a Resume Summary Plus 5 Strong Examples. 4. List your soft and hard skills. Take a moment to consider which skills make you a great fit for the job. Review the job description and highlight keywords that ...
1. Use the Right Layout and Format. For each job, list your job title, the company name, the location you worked and your dates of employment. Start with your most recent job and work back in time from there, that's why this CV format is also referred to as reverse chronological.
Entry-Level Nurse Resume Sample. Marica R. Garza. Nurse. 313-228-0383. [email protected]. Resume Objective. Driven and friendly entry-level nurse with 8 months of experience caring for patients. Attended the World Nursing Congress in 2019 and 2021. Achieved 3.9 GPA in University of Utica's Nursing School.
Below, you can review several steps for writing a business manager resume: 1. Identify the employment requirements. Identifying the employment requirements before writing your resume can help you tailor your content to meet the specific needs of the potential employer. By understanding the requirements, which may include qualifications, skills ...
Top ↑ Canadian Resume Example Free Canadian Resume Templates Canadian Resume Specifics Canadian Resume vs. US Resume Canadian Resume vs. European Resume Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Your Canadian Resume #1. Use the Correct Format #2. Follow These Layout Tips #3. List the Right Contact Information #4. Write Your Resume Summary #5.
1. Write the key details of your current or last job. List your specific position title and your company's full, official name. Then on a new line, list the month and year you started the role. If you still have this job, write '-Present'. If you are not currently employed, list the month and year you left that job.
In most cases, the 'Work Experience' section of the CV will come after your contact details and your personal statement. Start with your most recent position and add details including the name of the employer and dates worked. Include only relevant and recent jobs. If you've had several jobs over the course of your career, only list the ...
1. Structure your CV work experience section correctly . Recruiters expect to see the essential information they require, neatly set out according to the standard rules of CV layout. Write your work experience CV section in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent post and working back from there. For each entry, include the ...