how to write resume for promotion

Press Enter to search

How to Show a Promotion on a Resume

Recruiters and hiring managers want to see growth on your resume. Emphasizing your promotions are a great way to do this - here's how to do that, with samples from real resumes.

3 years ago   •   6 min read

Fantastic news: You got a promotion! Moving up internally doesn’t just mean more money and responsibility, it also looks great on a job application. That is, if you can figure out how to format your resume to properly show off your career progression.

Why Formatting Matters

When hiring managers read your resume, they’re looking for more than just an overview of your experience. Specifically, they’re looking for evidence that you’ll be a good fit for the position they’re filling. What this means will obviously vary depending on the company and role, but one thing all hiring managers want to see is growth.

So, what exactly are recruiters looking for?

1. Career progression

Experience is one thing, but if you’ve stayed in the same role for the past 10 years without moving up, most hiring managers are going to want to know why. No career growth = a major red flag. Being promoted or taking on different roles at the same company shows that you’re capable of professional development.

2. Stability

On the other end of the scale, recruiters also don’t want to see that you’ve held half a dozen jobs in as many years. If you’ve held a series of different roles, it’s easy to come off looking like a job hopper, which you don’t want. Presenting these as a series of advancements rather than as completely separate roles is key to showing your experience in the best light.

3. Increased capabilities

Being able to list a promotion on your resume isn’t just about a linear escalation of job titles. Recruiters also want to see signs that you’ve picked up new skills along the way. Think about how you can list your responsibilities and achievements in a way that demonstrates real progression.

Now that you know what recruiters are looking for, here are some examples of what we mean.

Examples of how to demonstrate a promotion on your resume

You can opt to demonstrate growth through your job titles, bullet points, or both. Most of the time, the best way to display a promotion or multiple roles on your resume is going to depend on how similar the positions were.

If the roles were different

If you’ve been promoted or moved into a significantly different role, it’s okay to list these as separate entries on your resume . You’re essentially treating these as different jobs but using a shared company heading to make it clear that this was an internal progression rather than a series of isolated jobs.

COMPANY NAME , location Job title #2 , dates - Bullet points should be in the format [action verb] + [what you did] + [result] Job title #1 , dates - Bullet points should be in the format [action verb] + [what you did] + [result]

If you prefer, you can list these roles completely separately, with the company name included twice (like in the image below). This is riskier since it can look to a recruiter like two different jobs if they’re only quickly scanning your resume. Why consider it?

Some applicant tracking systems may find it easier to read, so it’s a trade-off. It’s also a good way to show career progression if you held two different roles at the same company with a gap in between (for example, because of a layoff, furlough, or other employment).

COMPANY NAME , location Job title #2 , dates - Bullet points should be in the format [action verb] + [what you did] + [result] COMPANY NAME , location Job title #1 , dates - Bullet points should be in the format [action verb] + [what you did] + [result]

A third option is to selectively group different roles together. This is similar to the first option, but ideal if you’re trying to highlight specific experience or particularly noteworthy accomplishments. Here's an example:

COMPANY NAME , location Job title #3 , dates Job title #2 , dates Job title #1 , dates - Bullet points should be in the format [action verb] + [what you did] + [result] Selected project experience - Use these bullet points to highlight specific noteworthy accomplishments

If the roles were similar

This one is much easier. If you performed similar tasks in both roles, you can group the bullet points together. List the company first, followed by each role and its accompanying dates on a separate line. The bullet points underneath can include accomplishments for both roles.

COMPANY NAME , location Job title #2 , dates Job title #1 , dates - Include bullet points from both roles, focusing on career progression

Using bullet points to show your promotion

A different — but equally valid — approach is to show job progression through your bullet points instead of in your job titles. This has the downside of being less obvious to a casual observer, but it also has a few significant advantages. If you were promoted quickly, it allows you to highlight an accelerated timeline or any other exceptional accomplishments which led to the promotion. And if your job title hasn’t changed but your responsibilities have, this is a great way to point out your professional growth without having a new role to show for it.

Some bullet point examples:

• Promoted to Associate Consultant in 2 years (1 year in advance); the only member in a cohort of 45 Analysts to be fast-tracked
• Promoted within 12 months due to strong performance and organizational impact - ahead of schedule by 12 months
• Ranked top of the class and offered an early promotion to Senior Analyst after two years

These examples all demonstrate that you went above and beyond in performing the duties of your role and emphasize your promotion as being particularly impressive, rather than simply routine.

In other situations

If you’re an experienced hire, you may want to show off a previous promotion without dedicating too much valuable real estate to an older role. This is still doable — simply list each role on a separate line under a single company heading and omit the bullet points.

PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE COMPANY NAME , location Job title #3 , dates Job title #2 , dates Job title #1 , dates

Find out if your resume shows career progression

A good way to check if your resume shows career progression is to upload your resume to the tool below — it’ll scan it and let you know if your resume shows growth, relevant accomplishments and skills.

Resume formatting tips

Now that you’ve got your promotion sorted, don’t forget our general resume formatting tips:

Always format your resume in reverse chronological order

On your resume, you should always list your most recent experience first. A functional resume that highlights your skills rather than experience may seem tempting, especially if you don’t have much relevant experience, but a straightforward chronological resume is best.

Always include dates of employment

This one seems obvious, but you’d be amazing how many people leave the dates off their resumes. At a minimum, your resume needs to list the years you were employed. Many hiring managers prefer to see months listed as well, especially if you were in a particular role for less than a few years. Exact dates normally aren’t required outside of specific application forms.

You can demonstrate growth even without a promotion

If you’ve held the same role at your company for a long time, it’s important that your bullet point accomplishments still show a sense of progression, whether that’s through learning new skills, taking on additional responsibilities, or unofficially taking on aspects of a new role. If you’ve been moved around to different roles that weren’t technically promotions — for example, due to company restructuring — you can still frame it as a promotion. This doesn’t mean you need to lie; instead, consider the aspects of your new role that were different or more challenging, and highlight those features.

Spread the word

Must-have tips for making a good impression at your new job, 5 linkedin summary examples to give you inspiration to write your own, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay updated with Resume Worded by signing up for our newsletter.

🎉 Awesome! Now check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription.

Please enter a valid email address

Oops! There was an error sending the email, please try later

Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

• Resume Writing
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter
• Remote Work
• Famous Resumes
• Try Kickresume

How to Show Promotion on Resume & LinkedIn (+Examples)

• Julia Mlcuchova , 
• Updated February 1, 2024 9 min read

Fingers crossed, there may come a point in your career when you'll have to figure out how to show promotion on resume . 

Who doesn't love a promotion? Those who receive it certainly do. Do you know who else? The recruiters. 

Promotions serve as concrete evidence of your professional growth, exceptional performance, and the trust you've earned from previous employers. 

However, not all promotions are the same. And, accordingly, there isn't just one correct way of showing promotion on resume. 

Read on and find out:

• Why you should show promotion on your resume;
• Where on your resume you should mention promotion;
• How to show promotion on resume; 
• How to show promotion on LinkedIn;

Let's dive right into it!

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

Why you should show promotion on your resume

Where on your resume should you show promotion, how to show promotion on resume (3 cases), how to show promotion on resume example, how to show promotion on linkedin, key takeaways: how to show promotion on resume (and linkedin).

Are you hesitant about including promotions on your resume? 

Maybe you think that showing off your promotions would be too braggy and you don't want to seem arrogant.

Or maybe you think that it would take up too much of your precious resume space.

Whatever the case may be, you'd be very wrong to leave any promotion out. 

Here is why you should always showcase promotion on your resume :

• Promotions reflect your career growth. And demonstrating career growth puts your ability to learn and pick up new skills into the spotlight. The ability to take on bigger responsibilities and manage more complex projects are key to succeeding in any industry.
• Promotions communicate your dedication to a company . Showing your career progression within the same company is a great way to let the recruiters know that you have the consistency and stability to remain with them for an extended period of time. Which they love coz it's cost-efficient.
• Promotions show that your work has been impactful . Show your potential employers that your hard work, skills , and especially results, have been noticed and awarded. This can also set you apart from other applicants who may have a similar level of experience but lack evidence of upward mobility. 

In a nutshell, including promotions on your resume can effectively convey your potential value to your future employers .

And in the current competitive market, this detail can make or break your chances of landing the job of your dreams.

A straightforward question deserves a straightforward answer.

Show you promotion in either:

• Work experience section (best option) OR
• Resume summary

Without a doubt, the work experience section is the best of the resume sections to highlight your promotion. This makes the most sense, since promotions are inevitably linked to particular job positions. 

There are more ways you can use the work experience section to highlight your promotion, which we discuss in the following chapter.

However, it isn't the only place where you can drop this information. 

If your promotion is something you're particularly proud of, you can also highlight it in your resume summary .  

You can show your promotion in resume summary like so:

Resume summary with promotion example:

A results-driven UX Designer with a proven track record of delivering user-centered designs and innovative solutions. Demonstrated exceptional performance, leading to a promotion within just seven months of joining my previous role. Skilled in creating intuitive, engaging user experiences that optimize user interaction and satisfaction. Adept at collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate business and user needs into practical design strategies.

Additionally, you can also make a note of your promotion in your cover letter .

As we've already mentioned, there isn't just one way of presenting your promotions. 

Below, we've outlined 3 possible cases and explained in detail how to show promotion on resume in each case. 

• Junior UX Designer > UX Designer > Senior UX Designer
• Content Marketing Exec > UX Designer
• Junior UX Designer in company A > UX Designer in company B > Senior UX designer in company A

#1 Case – You'd been promoted to similar positions in the same company

Let's say you've been working in the same company for the last five years. You started out as a Junior UX Designer. Then, you'd been promoted to UX Designer. After additional two years, you've been promoted again – to a Senior UX Designer. 

Your career move took place within the same department and within the same company.

What's changed?

• Your responsibilities haven't changed fundamentally.
• However, now you bear greater responsibility for the performance of the UX division as a whole.
• Plus, you're now in charge of more complex projects and lead a team of your own.

How to show promotion in this case ?

If you've been promoted to positions with the same or similar competencies (within the same company!), you can showcase your progress by stacking all your job positions under one work experience entry . 

Here's how to do that:

• State the name of the employer once.
• Stack job titles and respective dates of employment. Start with the most recent position, under the company's name.
• Summarize responsibilities and achievements. Here, you should focus primarily on the achievements and responsibilities pertaining to your latest position .
• Highlight the promotion. Finally, make a note of your promotion by indicating it directly in your descriptions and specify the reason or achievement that led to your promotion.

Here's an example of the stacking format :

ABC Tech Solutions, London, UK – Senior UX Designer (January 2022 – Present) – UX Designer (June 2020 – December 2021) – Junior UX Designer (March 2018 – May 2020)

• Led a team of 5 designers to develop and implement user-centric web and mobile applications, enhancing user satisfaction by 30%.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams on 15+ major projects
• Streamlined the design process by introducing agile methodologies, reducing project completion time by 20%.
• Promoted to Senior UX Designer for exceptional project management

Case #2 – You'd been promoted to positions in different departments/teams in the same company

In this case, you've been working in the same company for the last five years. Throughout this time, you've held job positions in different departments . At first, you worked as a Content Marketing Executive.

• Your responsibilities and competencies have changed significantly. In fact, you've undergone a complete career switch .
• Your new job position requires different skills and qualifications than the one before. 

However, you still want to show that you're capable of learning and expanding into new job positions if needed. Plus, the job posting you're about to apply to calls for a candidate with experience in both UX design AND Content Marketing.

In case you've got experience working within the same company but in positions with different competencies, create separate job entries under the same company heading . 

• Create a separate entry for you most recent position with respective dates.
• Showcase your most impactful accomplishments and key responsibilities – but only those pertaining to this particular job title!
• Create another separate entry for the position you'd held before the promotion with respective dates. 
• Showcase your most impactful accomplishments and key responsibilities – this time only those pertaining to the job position you'd held before the promotion . 
• (Optional) If you've switched careers within the same company and the on top of that you were promoted in the new position, highlight the promotion.

Here's an example of multiple job entries under one company heading :

ABC Tech Solutions, London, UK

– UX Designer (December 2022 – Present)

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams on 15+ major projects, ensuring seamless integration of UX design with technical functionality.
• Promoted to UX Designer for exceptional project management and a 30% increase in user engagement in key projects . 

– Content Marketing Executive (August 2019 – November 2022)

• Developed and executed a content marketing strategy that increased website traffic by 40% and social media engagement by 35%.
• Collaborated closely with the UX team to ensure content alignment with user experience goals, leading to a 25% increase in user interaction.
• Conducted A/B testing on content layouts, resulting in more user-friendly navigation and a 20% increase in page dwell time.

#3 Case – You'd been promoted in different companies

Let's set the scene for the last case. You'd worked in company A as a Junior UX Designer for only 2 years. Then, you quit and landed a job in company B as a UX Designer. After two more years, you've returned into company A , but this time as a Senior UX Designer. 

• Your competencies and duties haven't changed significantly .
• You now bear greater responsibility for the performance of the UX division as a whole.

However, this career advancement happened across two different companies .

Although this may seem as the most complicated situation out of the three, it can also be resolved by a very simple solution. 

But, you'll need to list the same company twice . Here's how:

• Make a separate work experience entry for company A: Include the employer's name, location, your most recent job title and dates of employment. Then, proceed to mark your most relevant accomplishments in bullet points.
• Make a separate work experience entry for company B: Once again, state all relevant information about company B together with bullet points describing your competences. 
• Make a separate work experience entry for company A: Here, you have to repeat all the employer's information. Describe the competencies and achievements pertaining to this particular job position.

On your resume, listing the same company twice can look like this:

Promotion in two different companies example:

– Senior UX Designer (January 2022 – Present)

CreativeTech Solutions , Liverpool, UK

– UX Designer (May 2020 – January 2022)

• Led the design of intuitive and engaging user interfaces for three major mobile applications, resulting in a 35% increase in user retention.
• Conducted in-depth user research, including interviews and usability testing, to gather insights that drove the development of user-centric designs.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including developers and product managers, to ensure seamless integration of UX design in product development, reducing project turnaround time by 25%

  ABC Tech Solutions, London, UK

– Junior UX Designer (March 2018 – May 2020)

• Collaborated on the design of user-centric web and mobile applications, contributing to a 20% increase in user engagement for key projects.
• Supported senior designers in creating wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups using tools like Sketch and Adobe XD.

Let's have a look at how to show promotion on a (kind of) real resume. We know that sometimes one picture is worth more than heaps of text.

A fictional job seeker, Mary, had quite the career journey! She got promoted in two different companies .

She dedicated a separate work experience entry to each of these job titles.

Promotion on resume example:

This resume was written by our experienced resume writers specifically for this profession.

What makes this resume example so good?

• She includes the basic information about her former employers : name of the company, location, job title, and the dates. 
• Uses bullet points documenting her most impactful achievements and competencies under each entry.
• Uses action verbs and quantifiers where possible.

Is your LinkedIn profile done to perfection?

Convert your painstakingly crafted LinkedIn profile into a stunning resume in seconds.

Now that you know how to show promotion on resume, let's take a look at how to add promotion on LinkedIn profile in 7 simple steps:

To conclude, knowing how to show promotion in resume is crucial if you want to have that competitive edge over your fellow job applicants. 

Promotions demonstrate your career growth, adaptability , and the recognition you've received for your performance. Moreover, they highlight your ability to handle increased responsibilities and complex projects . All of this makes you more desirable in the eyes of the recruiters. 

The three most common ways of showing promotion in resume include:

• Stacking your job titles underneath one company heading. This approach is especially useful if you've been promoted to a position with similar/the same responsibilities and competencies within the same company. 
• Creating separate job title entries under one company heading. Use this strategy if you've been promoted to a position with very different responsibilities within the same company. Each job title entry is accompanied by their own bullet points. 
• Listing the same company twice. When you left company A for company B, but later returned to company A to take a higher position.

Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

Related Posts

3 minimalistic resume templates for maximum career success, 7 quick tips to prepare your resume for world with coronavirus (infographic), share this article, join our newsletter.

Every month, we’ll send you resume advice, job search tips, career hacks and more in pithy, bite-sized chunks. Sounds good?

How to Show Promotions on a Resume

Quick Navigation:

• Why is it important to show promotions on a resume?

How to show advancement through different companies on a resume

Example of work experience showing promotions through different companies, how to show promotion with a change in responsibilities on a resume, example of work experience showing promotion with a change in responsibilities, how to show a change in title with similar duties, example of work experience showing a change in title with similar duties, promotion resume templates.

If you’ve been promoted throughout your career, that can be valuable information to show on your resume.  However, some promotion scenarios may require additional formatting to be clearly portrayed on your resume. This article explains how to show promotions on a resume, offers tips for different scenarios and provides examples and templates.

Why is it important to show promotions on a resume?

Showing promotions on a resume can make you a more desirable candidate. Some employers may take it as a sign that you are a strong employee, while others may see you as more consistent or reliable. It could also show employers that you are driven and committed to the company mission. All of these reasons should compel candidates to highlight their promotions within their job experience. 

When people show promotions on a resume, what they are really showing is an achievement. This lets employers know they are a candidate who performs work and develops skills that lead to career advancement. Candidates may be perceived as loyal, company-focused and goal-oriented. These candidates may be seen as more likely to achieve success based on their history of past achievement. In a competitive job market, showing promotions on a resume can offer context that makes a candidate considered a better fit.

  If you’re looking to show advancement through management ranks at a single organization, you can follow these steps to detail how to emphasize it on a resume:

1. First, apply a chronological resume format

By design, chronological resumes feature your experience in a way that shows growth from one position to the next. 

2. Second, start with your current experience

Describe it in a way that shows more responsibility from your previous position.

3. Third, list subsequent experience

Being mindful to describe each job in such a way that shows growth.

Here is an example of work experience showing promotions from one company to another:

Mary’s Chicken Front of House Manager January 2019 – Present

• Managed and engaged 15 employees
• Created training materials 
• Wrote employee shift schedules
• Ensured customer satisfaction in the dining room

Bob’s Deli Shift Leader Server March 2017 – January 2019

• Managed guest satisfaction by providing exemplary service
• Scheduled side work for shifts to ensure all front of house duties are complete
• Performed basic math to deliver guests their change

Follow these tips to display advancement at a single company when the duties are vastly different from what you were doing before:

1. First, write the company name

List the company name in the experience section of your resume only once.

2. Second, include your most recent job title first

List the title and dates you worked in the position.

3. Third, describe your duties

Include duties, skills and responsibilities you used in the role. When showing responsibilities it’s impactful to include any measurable progress in your position.

4. Fourth, repeat these steps if you want to show additional work experience

Repeat steps one through three for your previous role at the same company.

Here is an example of what a work experience section on a resume looks like showing job advancement at one company when the roles include different responsibilities:

Office Supplies Warehouse

Administrative Assistant | January 2018 to Present

• Planned corporate travel
• Designed itineraries for executives
• Provided scheduling assistance
• Helped with daily office operations

Quality Assurance Coordinator | November 2017 to January 2018

• Ensured all bottles had secured caps on an assembly line
• Paid close attention to detail
• Excelled in a task-driven workplace

If you advance at a company and your duties remain close to the same even though your title has changed, you can use these steps to put it on your resume:

2. Second, list each job title

Include each job title, with dates, starting with your most recent.

3. Third, describe duties one time

After listing both job titles, describe the key duties that overlap.

To show multiple promotions, repeat steps one through three.

Here are some examples of showing promotions at a single company in a work experience section of a resume:

Handy Maids

Head Housekeeper | February 2019 to Present

Housekeeper | January 2018 to February 2019

• Provided exemplary housekeeping services
• Trained new housekeeping staff
• Made schedules for a team of five housekeepers each week

Here are some templates that emphasize promotions on your own resume:

Template for job advancement through different companies

Review this template that will help you show how to structure a resume when the goal is to show job advancement through more than one company:

[Name of Company] [Position] [Dates Employed]

Template for job advancement at the same company with different duties

This work experience template is designed to help you show advancement when you switch jobs at a single company but have different duties assigned to you, or to show multiple positions like this within the same company:

[Name of Company] [Position 1] | [Dates Employed]

[Position 2] | [Dates Employed]

Template for job advancement at the same company with similar duties

Review this template to learn how to structure the work experience part of your resume when you move into a new position with similar duties and skills required, or to show multiple positions like this within the same company:

[Name of Company] [Position 1] | [Dates Employed] [Position 2] | [Dates Employed]

How to Show Promotion on Resume: Examples & Guide

In This Guide:

Why it's important to show your promotion on a resume

How to show your promotion on a resume

Formatting is critical, examples of how to show your promotion on resume, takeaways: how to show promotion on resume.

You’ve been working hard, and you earned a promotion! That’s great!

It’s safe to say there is no downside to getting a promotion, and you absolutely should update your resume with that great news.

Your job promotions show your potential employer that you have initiative, and you are capable of growth within a company.

But now you are standing in front of a difficult question - how to include it in your resume ?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

We will go through some important topics, including:

• Why is it critical to include promotions on your resume?
• How to show your promotions on your resume and all the different ways to do so
• Formatting tips to make your promotions stand out

And, of course, we will top it all with some great examples.

If you want to Make your resume stand out , there are plenty more ways, so you might want to check them out too.

But now, let’s dive in your promotions and make the best out of them on your resume.

Why it's important to show your promotion on a resume

Upload & check your resume.

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

Resumes are all about showing off your accomplishments, and getting promoted is definitely a big one.

They can show your potential employer that you are a reliable employee who is able to grow inside a company and could be trusted with more responsibilities.

This accomplishment shows the hiring manager a dedication to your career and expertise in your field.

Your resume could be awesome as it is, but you can always improve your resume .

A great way to do that is to include your promotion on your resume, which would ultimately show that your past employer really valued you and sensed your potential.

All in all, having even a single promotion on a resume could really help you get distinguished from other candidates.

So don’t hesitate no more, include your promotion on your resume and you will already be one step ahead of other candidates.

There are three main options you need to consider as a way to present your promotions on your resume.

We will give you some tips and tricks about each one of them and in the end you will be able to decide which one matches your needs.

So let’s not waste any more time and start exploring the possibilities.

Stacked Entries

The first method we are going to take a look at is the stacked method.

If your past jobs are similar and within the same company, that’s definitely the way to go.

What you should do is stack all the positions you have held in the company under the company’s header in the Work experience section .

While stacking your entries, don’t forget to list:

• Company’s name
• Company’s location
• The different positions you have held in the company

Keep in mind that all the entries under a company should be in reverse chronological order.

Under any position you can also make a bullet list with your job duties, recognitions or promotions.

An important side note would be that this method is not very ATS friendly.

The Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) would assign all skills and responsibilities to your earlier role and would make your resume score lower.

But if you are not applying for a big company that would most certainly use ATS, this format is really easy-to-understand by the hiring manager, and it would work great.

Separate Entries

The separate entries' method may seem similar, but it is very different in its core.

You would want that method if you held not so similar positions within the same company.

In this case you can again list all entries under the same company, but you will separate them as different positions, because they actually are.

It should be easy to see for the hiring manager that these are separate positions, and so you should use a separate bullet list for all entries.

Your bullet list can contain your responsibilities, as well as your biggest accomplishments and the experience, relative to the job position you are applying for.

Make sure you clearly state it, if the new role was a step forward in your career path.

Even if it is not, don’t worry, it would still show the employer that you are adaptable and have a rich skill set.

Either way, the hiring manager would see that you are a loyal and dedicated employee, and that’s always in your favor.

And, as a bonus, unlike the stacked entries' method, this one is really well accepted by ATS, so you don’t need to worry about that.

List the company twice

This method is used mostly in special cases.

For example - if you switched companies, but then came back to the previous one with a promotion.

What you would want to do here is create a separate section for each job position you held, regardless of the company.

Under each one you should make a bullet list, just like with the previous two methods, and fill it up with your most impressive accomplishments from each position.

This method is also very ATS friendly, just like the Separate entries one, because they use a similar layout of your experience.

Keep in mind that this method takes up lots of space, so you might want to cut out some details from your junior experience.

Building a separate section

We’ve got just one last case for you.

If you have plenty of years of work experience that relates to the job position you are applying for, you might want to consider creating a completely separate section for your promotions.

In this case, you should list all of your promotions in a list with job titles and dates, but keep your accomplishments out of that list.

If you really consider some of your achievements important to include, you should write them in your accomplishments section.

Be careful what you include and how relevant it is. Resumes are very limited when it comes to space you can use.

Let’s mention ATS one last time - by using this method, you can get the ATS a little confused, as it will consider your promotion section equivalent to your work experience section.

Don’t worry, as long as your more senior and recent positions are somewhere on your resume, you should be fine.

Now that you have your promotions ready to go, we need to cover some basic points on formatting them.

No matter how awesome your experience, it will remain unnoticed, if it is not formatted correctly.

Here are some basics that you require to follow:

• Keep the formatting simple - you might be tempted to use some cool bullet points, but you shouldn’t. Use the standard bullet circles or squares. You can copy your section into a TXT file, and you will find out how an ATS would see it.
• Always format it in Reverse Chronological Order .
• Always include the name of the company and time of employment - at the bare minimum you can include the years of employment, but hiring managers prefer seeing months as well. It’s important that you would be credited for the experience you have.

If you follow these rules, you should be all set to get to your interview.

As we promised, we are going to show you the basics of using every method listed above.

Google, CA, USA | June 2014 - Present

IT Manager | July 2019 - Present

Android Programmer | June 2014 - July 2019

• Responsibility/Achievement

Google, CA, USA

Separate section

PRIOR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

IT Intern | June 2013 - June 2014

We are all done.

Now you know how to use promotions on your resume in a variety of ways.

You are now ready to get through the ATS and the hiring manager and get straight to your big interview.

Don’t forget - pick the right layout for your promotions and make sure it is formatted correctly.

Check out our examples once again and make your promotions get you your next interview in no time.

• Resume Guides

How to Find a Job in Europe as a USA Citizen - Tips & Popular Countries

How to send an introduction email to a recruiter (sample included), what is a europass cv [examples, template & usage in 2023], how to ask for feedback after an interview, how to follow up on a job application, what are the contents of a cv.

• Create Resume
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Preferences
• Resume Examples
• Resume Templates
• AI Resume Builder
• Resume Summary Generator
• Resume Formats
• Resume Checker
• Resume Skills
• How to Write a Resume
• Modern Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Cover Letter Builder
• Cover Letter Examples
• Cover Letter Templates
• Cover Letter Formats
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Cover Letter Guides
• Job Interview Guides
• Job Interview Questions
• Career Resources
• Meet our customers
• Career resources
• English (UK)
• French (FR)
• German (DE)
• Spanish (ES)
• Swedish (SE)

© 2024 . All rights reserved.

Made with love by people who care.

• Resume Tips

Career Progression: How to Show Promotions on Your Resume

Growth, career progression, development, and achievements are all things employers value in new candidates. When you apply for a new job, your resume should be written in a way that showcases what you have to offer new employers. They care about hiring someone who is interested in more than coming to work to collect a paycheck. 

Showing career progression on your resume is a great way to demonstrate that you’re proactive in pursuing professional objectives and can compete in a competitive workforce. On top of that, promotions on your resume build up your credibility in that they show you have a record of performing well. 

But how do you show promotions on your resume? Well, you’ve come to the right place because we have a few tried-and-true ways you can extoll your greatness! 

Let’s get started!

How to show promotions on your resume

For the most part, properly showing promotions on your resume is all about formatting and layout. You have to consider whether what you write on your resume will get past the applicant tracking system, or ATS , that the company is likely using, and you have to use your resume’s real estate strategically to impress a human hiring manager. 

It can be tricky to write for a computer and a human in the same document, but it’s very doable. There are three different ways to do it:

Separate employment listings

A “Career Progression” section

How to stack promotions on your resume

Stacking is exactly what it sounds like. You list the company name one time and then stack the roles you’ve had within the same listing on your resume. This is great for impressing human beings, but you have to weigh the fact that the ATS may mess up reading the dates of your career history. 

Here’s how to stack promotions on your resume:

ABC COMPANY | Location Most recent title | mm/yyyy-Present Previous title | mm/yyyy-mm/yyyy

This method works because it won’t confuse the ATS, and the human hiring manager who is skimming through your document can quickly see that you held more than one role at a particular company. 

You should use this method for listing career progression if your duties didn’t change too much. For example, if you took on a lateral role or were given a vertical promotion in which you did basically the same thing with a few additional duties. 

Beneath the company and position titles, you’d add two to three sentences that talk about what you did on a daily basis. Then, you’d write about five bullet points that call out achievements at that company.

Hint for your resume: One of the bullet points should be that you were promoted and why. 

A lot of people will write the company name on one line with the total time they were at that company and a list of titles beneath that with the dates they were at each position. This is okay, but it’s a method that could confuse the ATS. Just because it’s a computer doesn’t mean it’s smart. When you write out separate career titles the way they appear in the example, you are more likely to not freak out the ATS.

How to create separate promotion listings on your resume

As you progress through your career, there may be a time when you get a promotion from one level of employment to another – let’s say you advanced from an entry-level role to a mid-management role. When this is the case, stacking is likely to not serve you very well because of the differences in the duties you perform. 

So, instead of stacking roles under a single company listing to show these promotions on your resume, it’s best to create completely separate listings – just like you would if you were writing about two separate companies. 

Here’s what that looks like:

XYZ Corp | Location | mm/yyyy-Present Title of position

Promoted to [DO SOMETHING] based on [ACHIEVEMENT]

Achievement bullet related to your duties in this new role

XYZ Corp | Location | mm/yyyy-mm/yyyy Title of position

Achievement bullet 1

Achievement bullet 2

Achievement bullet 3

Did you notice that the first bullet in the first listing talks about the promotion? It’s critical that you do this!

The ATS will have no problem reading this layout because you’re using separate dates on separate listings. The career progression might not be immediately noticed by a hiring manager, though, because it looks like two separate company listings. If they’re skimming through your resume quickly – which is exactly what they’re doing – it may look like you’re hopping from one job to the next. 

While they will eventually get that you’re talking about the same company, it is a minor hurdle for them to overcome during the skim-through of your resume. However, this is the best way to show a promotion on your resume if the progression resulted in you having vastly different responsibilities from one role to the next. 

How to show promotion on your resume with a “Career Progression” section

Adding a “Career Progression” section isn’t a thing to do instead of writing out the promotion information in your career history section. It’s something you’d add in addition to what you write in the “Professional Experience” section. 

In the previous section, you learned that sometimes showcasing promotions on your resume can give the hiring manager pause, depending on how you choose to lay out the information. When you add a “Career Progression” section – preferably above the “Professional Experience” section – you show them immediately that you have earned promotions during your career. It’ll help get them past wondering if all those job listings equals job hopping. 

Here’s what showing promotions in a “Career Progression” section looks like:

LMNO, INC Senior Marketing Specialist | mm/yyyy-Present)

One bullet max that defines key achievements and responsibilities in the current role

Marketing Coordinator | mm/yyyy-mm/yyyy

Again, one bullet max that talks about notable accomplishments and duties as a Marketing Coordinator

Marketing Assistant | mm/yyyy-mm/yyyy

One bullet (or no bullets) that overviews the tasks and achievements in your first position with the company

Bearing in mind that you have to keep your resume to no more than two pages, you don’t want to use up a lot of space in this “Career Progression” section. It’s more of a heads-up thing you can include on your resume to let the hiring manager know why your “Professional Experience” section looks the way it does. 

Formatting rules for showing promotions on your resume 

As with all things resume writing, there are rules you have to follow to guarantee that your resume gets past the ATS and impresses the hiring manager. Here are the things you need to keep in mind:

Consistent formatting

Reverse chronological order

Achievements

Concise (i.e., quality over quantity)

Consistency equals professionalism

It doesn’t matter which option you choose for showing your promotions on your resume – stacking, separate listings, or a “Career Progression” section – it’s crucial that you make sure it’s all laid out consistently. Double-check that you are using the same type of bullets, that the bullet points are all lined up right, and that you’re using the same format for your dates.

To ensure that the ATS gives you credit for all of your career experience, you should be using the mm/yyyy format for the dates on your resume . 

Yes, the order matters

You should always write out your work history in reverse chronological order. This means that you start with your current or most recent position and work backward. A lot of people will ask, “ How far back should a resume go? ” Well, the answer to that is about 10 years. Keeping your resume to the last 10 years keeps the content fresh and relevant.

You should use reverse-chronological formatting even if you were at a company, left it for another company, and went back to the first company. It’s okay for the two listings to be separated because that’s how it was in your history. Employers will want to know that you were brought back on board even after going somewhere else. It shows you have value. 

How do you list achievements on a resume?

There are two things to remember when writing about your career achievements, even as they relate to showing promotions on your resume. 

Use active voice and power verbs

Insert numbers as often as you can

There isn’t a hiring manager alive who will care about what you were supposed to do at a past job. All they want to know is what you actually accomplished because that gives them some insight into what you’ll be able to do for them. 

Delete “responsible for,” “charged with,” and “accountable for” from your resume-writing vocabulary. These phrases have no place on any resume … ever!

All you get is two pages

Since your resume is limited to two pages, try not to create monologues about your past. Give them just enough information to know that you have what they want. This will pique their interest to call you for an interview to ask you more questions. This is, after all, the goal of your resume. 

Also, remember that the hiring manager is skimming through your resume . They aren’t reading it at all. So, long paragraphs of text will be overwhelming to them. It’s more important that the text of your resume be presented in concise bullets that create clear meaning for your reader and make the content easier to digest. 

Show promotions on your resume to win the interview

When you write your resume using the techniques here, you’ll end up with a visually appealing document that’s easy to read – well, skim. When everything is clear and easily understandable, you’ll have a better chance of getting past the ATS, impressing the hiring manager, and landing that interview. 

Do you want us to check that you’re properly showing promotions on your resume? Send us what you have, and we’ll review it for you for free .

Recommended reading: 

Showcasing Management Skills in Your Resume without Management Experience - ZipJob

How to Win the Battle for the Best Paying Jobs

How to Answer the “What’s Your Greatest Accomplishment” Interview Question

Marsha Hebert, Professional Resume Writer

Marsha is a resume writer with a strong background in marketing and writing. After completing a Business Marketing degree, she discovered that she could combine her passion for writing with a natural talent for marketing. For more than 10 years, Marsha has helped companies and individuals market themselves. Read more advice from Marsha on ZipJob's blog .

Our resume services get results.

We’ve helped change over 30,000 careers.

Get a free resume review today

Our experts will review your resume’s grammar, layout, and ability to pass ATS — all free and delivered straight to your inbox.

PROTECT YOUR DATA

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our   Privacy Policy. You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

How To Show Promotions On Your Resume (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• How To Build A Resume
• Specific Resume Words
• Action Verbs On A resume
• Words To Describe Yourself
• Resume Outline
• How To Make A Resume
• How To Make A Resume On Word
• How To Write A Resume Profile
• General Resume Examples
• Resume With No Experience
• Student Resume
• College Resume
• Entry Level Resume
• Military Resume
• Internship Resume
• First Resume
• College Application Resume
• 2 Page Resume
• Blank Resume Template
• College Freshman Resume
• Work History
• Resume Templates
• Stay-At-Home Parent Resume
• Resume Tips
• Best Resume Writing Services
• Things To Avoid On A Resume
• Resume Paper To Use
• What To Include In A Resume
• How To Write A Bio
• How To Write A Personal Statement
• Lied on Your Resume?
• Avoid Age Discrimination
• Words and Phrases You Shouldn't Include in Your Resume
• How Many Skills Should You List On A Resume
• Send A Resume As A Pdf
• Resume Critique
• Make A Resume Stand Out
• Resume Spelling
• Resume Past Or Present Tense
• How To List Projects On A resume
• Best Resume Action Words
• How To Quantify Your Resume
• Resume Bullet Points
• Are Resume Writers Worth It
• How Many Jobs To List On Resume
• Please Find Attached My Resume
• How To List Contract Work On Your Resume
• How To Put Research On Your Resume
• How To Upload Your Resume To LinkedIn
• Resume Mistakes
• How To Show Promotions On Your Resume
• What Is A CV?
• CV Vs Resume
• CV Templates
• CV Examples

Find a Job You Really Want In

Summary. There are four options to show a promotion on a resume and they are stacking your entries, listing the entries individually, creating a separate section, and listing the same company twice. Showing promotions on a resume can help make you a more attractive candidate for recruiters and hiring managers.

It’s safe to say that there’s no downside to getting a promotion — until it comes down to having to list it on your resume . Writing a resume can be difficult to tackle in and of itself, and it gets even trickier when you throw promotions into the mix.

It’s important to list promotions without wasting prime resume real estate or confusing your potential employers. There are a few routes you can take depending on your particular job history, so we’ll cover the essentials for every route you could possibly take on your resume-writing adventure.

Key Takeaways:

It is important to clearly organize your promotions on your resume so that recruiters, hiring managers, and applicant tracking systems (ATS) can easily understand your work experience.

There are four options you can use to list promotions: stacking your entries, listing your entries individually, creating a separate section, and listing the same company twice.

Don’t use fancy formatting, tables, or columns in your resume as this can interfere with the ATS software.

Clearly label your promotions with accurate dates.

Option #1: Stack Your Entries

Option #2: list your entries individually, option #3: create a separate section, option #4: list the same company twice, example resumes using each option, why you should show promotions on your resume, formatting tips for applicant tracking systems (ats), showing promotions on your resume faq, final thoughts.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

You have four options you can choose from when you wish to show your promotions on your resume. They are:

Stack Your Entries. Stacking your promotions on your resume is very straightforward. It is very useful particularly if your progressive roles were very similar.

List Your Entries Individually. Individual lists are good when promotions resulted in completely new positions at the same company. This also works for lateral moves to highlight your diverse skill set.

Create a Separate Section. A separate section is very useful when you have relevant work experience and promotions from over 15 years ago. Your accomplishments, if relevant, from this period can be listed in a separate accomplishments section.

List the Same Company Twice. In this case you create an entirely new entry for each position as if it were a new job at a new company. Though this makes each job stand out, it also takes up a lot of space on the resume.

Each of these methods have their pros and cons. For example, stacking promotions usually are not picked up by applicant tracking systems (ATS) and can result in misappropriated skills. Lets look more in depth at each option to evaluate which is best for you.

If the jobs you’ve had were pretty similar, your best approach would be to stack the job titles together under the company header. This method is a great way off your progressive responsibilities, achievements, and dedication to the company.

If, for example, you were promoted from junior web designer to senior web designer , but your job description didn’t change, it would look something like this:

The bullets you include should describe your most impressive accomplishments during the time you worked in these positions. Remember that your resume is meant to sell you as the best person for the job , so focus on describing your achievements instead of detailing all of your menial job duties.

You can also use the bullet section to describe the reasons why you were promoted. For example, you could say:

Promoted within 12 months for completing three major projects ahead of schedule and under budget.

This way, employers can see that you earned your promotion, instead of just getting the job because someone quit and you were able to learn how to do your job from a YouTube tutorial.

As an added note, this method isn’t great for applicant tracking systems (ATS). The software that parses your resume will assign all skills and responsibilities to the earlier role, thus making your resume score lower with the ATS. It may even miss the more senior roles entirely.

Still, if you’re applying to a smaller company that’s unlikely to use an ATS, this format is easy on the eyes and works well.

If the jobs you’ve had at your company were pretty different — for example, if you moved from assistant editor to web developer — list the company once, but separate the job titles and treat them like two different positions (because, well, they are).

Using this method draws attention to your achievement history and time frame in both positions. It would look like this:

Remember to use the bullet points to describe your biggest accomplishments and experience that relate to the job you’re applying for.

If the new role was a step up, be sure to explain that clearly — but even lateral moves show employers that you’re adaptable and have a wide range of strengths and skills .

Either way, the hiring manager will be able to notice that you’ve had different jobs within the same company, and ideally they’ll be tickled pink with delight to see that you’re a dedicated and loyal employee.

As a bonus, this format works really well for ATS, because each job title is clearly labeled and has its own subsection explaining your experiences.

If you have any work experience from more than 15 years ago that relates to the job you’re applying for, it’s useful to create a completely separate section that simply lists your job titles and the dates you held them, but without a list of accomplishments.

Using a separate section for older work experience will let you show off your career progression while still keeping your resume concise. It would look something like this:

If you do have impressive achievements from your time at one of these older jobs, you can consider listing them in a separate accomplishments section on your resume. Just make sure that it’s worth including because you only have so much space to work with on your resume.

ATS will read your prior experience section as equivalent to your work experience section. This shouldn’t be a problem, as long as your more senior and recent positions are fully fleshed-out elsewhere on your resume.

You can also just list the company’s name and address a second time, but create separate sections for each job title. Then, you can list your most impressive accomplishments from each.

That would look like this:

XYZ Inc. — Rochester, NY VP of Marketing — June 2017-Present Increased website traffic by 145% year-over-year Managed social media campaign that drove sales by 36% Designed new website layout that was featured on “Best SEO of March 2019” XYZ Inc. — Rochester, NY Marketing Manager — March 2015-June 2017 Hired and managed a team of 8-12 writers to develop blog Cut costs on development by 36% Organized group pitch meetings and developed 20 new articles each week

This resume format works really well for applicant tracking systems because it’s the same as listing your experience at different companies. If you’re applying to a large company that’s likely to use an ATS, we recommend this method.

Of course, it takes up a lot of space, so consider the value of that space and perhaps cut some detail from your more junior roles.

Stacked Entries Example

edX, Cambridge, MA | June 2017-Present Sales Manager | May 2019-Present Sales Representative | June 2017-May 2019 Managed a team of 12 salespeople, resulting in a 23% increase in sales month-over-month Contacted 10 potential clients a day via phone and 20 via email daily Awarded Salesperson of the Month in March 2019

Individual Entries Example

ABC Corporation, Las Vegas, NV | April 2017-Present Marketing Manager | April 2019-Present Drove website traffic my 60% in three-month period Managed a remote team of 20+ illustrators, designers, developers, writers, and editors Increased app engagement by 32%, resulting in 40% more mobile sales Data Analyst | April 2017-Present Developed strategy for marketing and product teams based on data visualizations Cut costs on freelance content production by 15% using data-backed solutions

Separate Section Example

Prior Professional Experience Starbucks | Seattle, WA Lead Web Developer | April 2008-June 2012 Junior Web Developer | June 2006-April 2008 IT Intern | January 2006-May 2006

Same Company Twice Example

XYZ Inc, Green Bay, WI Office Manager | 04/2019-Present Organized purchase of $100,000 of office supplies annually Maintained relationships with 12+ vendors Organized schedules allowing for 14% increase in workflow productivity XYZ Inc, Green Bay, WI Office Assistant | 07/2017-04/2019 Fielded 30+ customer calls and 100+ customer emails per day Increased customer satisfaction rates by 13%

Showing promotions on your resume makes you a more attractive candidate for recruiters and hiring managers. They’re a sign that you were a strong enough employee to earn extra responsibilities. Promotions also show that you’re a reliable worker who’s able to grow with the company.

Plus, resumes are all about showcasing your value through accomplishments , and getting promoted is certainly an accomplishment. Sure, you can say you added value in such-and-such a way, but being granted a promotion shows that your employer really valued that contribution. It’s an extra detail that vouches for your stated credentials.

Ultimately, showing promotions on your resume helps you stand out as a candidate with proven loyalty, growth, and successful experience .

While it’s great that applying for jobs online has never been easier, it’s a double-edged sword. Because hiring managers and recruiters have a constant stream of applications coming in, they rely on applicant tracking systems to weed out unqualified candidates.

The trouble is that these pieces of software don’t have intuition, and if your resume is formatted improperly, you may not get credit for all the awesome experiences you have under your belt.

Here are some tips for how best to please our robot overlords (in the resume department, anyway):

Don’t use fancy formatting. It can be tempting to use special bullet points to indicate a promotion or job change within a company, but avoid it. Stick to the standard circle or square bullet points, or your information might become jumbled and unreadable.

A good tip is to copy/paste your resume into a plain text document (like Notepad). However your resume looks there is how it’ll look to an ATS.

Don’t use tables and columns. They’re likely to break when an ATS tries to read them.

Clearly label the company name and time of employment. You can use the name of the month or the number (e.g., June 2012 or 06/2012). Just make sure every change in jobs clearly labels the time periods, so you’re credited with the appropriate amount of experience.

Should you list any promotions on a resume?

Yes, you should list any promotions that you have on your resume because it can make you a more attractive candidate to hiring managers. To show your promotions on your resume, you should either stack your entries, list the entries individually, create a separate section for them, or list the company twice.

What is the best way to make your resume stand out?

The best way to make your resume stand out is to highlight your relevant skills and experience, and tailor your resume to each specific job. Tailoring your resume to each job that you apply to will help you add keywords to make your resume stand out. You should also only add relevant skills and experience that you have that relate to the job that you are applying to.

How do you brag about a promotion on a resume?

To brag about a promotion on your resume you should assert your accomplishments without over-embellishing on them. It’s also important that you don’t lie about any promotions or accomplishments to make yourself sound like a better candidate.

You should also provide examples of the accomplishments. Doing this will show your success and give the hiring manager or recruiter a better understanding of what the promotion or accomplishments were for.

Moving up within a company shows that you’re a high performer , you get stuff done, and that your hard work yields results. Listing more than one job within a company helps draw attention to your accomplishments and shows that you’re willing to stick around and grow with a business.

If your resume successfully shows off all these great things about you, you’re destined to land an interview and sweep your potential employers off their feet.

Now get out there and go woo your prospective employers.

Harvard University Graduate School of Design – How to Write A Resume That Stands Out

Roxbury Community College – How to Show a Promotion on Your Resume

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Maddie Lloyd was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog focused on researching tips for interview, resume, and cover letter preparation. She's currently a graduate student at North Carolina State University's department of English concentrating in Film and Media Studies.

Recent Job Searches

• Registered Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Truck Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Call Center Representative Jobs Resume Location
• Customer Service Representative Jobs Resume
• Delivery Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Warehouse Worker Jobs Resume Location
• Account Executive Jobs Resume Location
• Sales Associate Jobs Resume Location
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Company Driver Jobs Resume

Related posts

How To Become A Business Analyst

Master’s In Political Science Jobs [13 Best-Paying + Entry-Level Jobs You Can Do With A Political Science Master’s Degree]

14 Easy Ways To Get Fired

How To Answer “What Gets You Up In The Morning?” (With Examples)

• Career Advice >
• Get The Job >

How To Promote Your Promotion(s) On Your Resume

Congratulations: you landed that promotion you’ve spent so long working for.

Now, however, you’re ready to use that promotion to move on to even bigger opportunities with your current or a new employer.

You want to l ist an internal promotion on a resume , show promotion for other potential employers, or even list multiple positions with the same employer? You land the right place.

We’ll show you how to get it done with detailed information, tips and examples of promotion for your resume.

Let’s start!

Table of Content:

How to Show Promotion on Resume: Stacking

The first option when listing promotion on a resume is known as stacking.

In the Experience or Work History section of your resume, list your last or current employer, location, and dates of employment.

Then, under that, list—or stack—each position you held within that company. List most recent relevant experience first. Like this:

The Great Big Retail Store of the U.S., New York, NY

District Manager , June 2021 – Present

Store Manager , November 2019 – May 2021

Assistant Manager , April 2018 – April 2021

Follow this with a bulleted list of your responsibilities and achievements .

In the first bullet point, be sure to mention your promotion or promotions.

Something like “promoted to the role of district manager after two years as store manager for Store #2424, where I consistently provided exceptional customer service and exceeded annual sales goals by more than 35% each year.”

The potential downside to this approach?

Since an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) usually parses a resume document and converts it into a digital profile, an ATS that scans a resume using the stacking option could reformat the entries if the parsing algorithm being used is outdated.

This means your information might come across as disorganized; some information could even be lost.

However, some would say that the risk is worth the reward; in other words, having your promotion identified on a resume is worth more than the potential for your document to become disorganized by what might be an archaic ATS.

Your promotions should be included in your Experience or Work History section; there is no need to place promotions in a separate section.

How to Add Multiple Similar Positions on Your Resume

If you held multiple positions through promotions within the same company and each of these positions had different duties, then you would make separate entries for each job title.

Start with the name of the company, location, and dates employed . Then list your most recent position and dates you filled that role. Under that, bullet list your responsibilities.

Then, add the position held prior to the most recent with dates and bulleted list, and so on for each job title you had within the same company.

Using the reverse-chronological format ensures that your promotion will appear close to the top of the resume and most easily seen by hiring managers when they scan your document.

Example of promotion on resume using the multiple position option:

District Manager, March 2021 – Present

• Oversaw operations of 16 stores within Greater New York district
• Developed and implemented business plans to maximize sales across all stores; exceeded sales goals in 14 of 16 locations
• Recruited and trained team of store managers and associates
• Directed store operations in areas of stock flow, product presentation, and maintenance
• Implemented customer service program, realizing a 67% increase in customer satisfaction across all stores

Store Manager, September 2020 – April 2021

• Operated Store #123, increasing sales revenue by 48% in a six-month period
• Hired and trained sales associates, cashiers, and stock clerks
• Introduced new inventory management system, resulting in 28% decrease in stock costs

Training Manager, September 2019 – August 2020

• Developed training manuals for new employees
• Implemented new hire testing and assessment program
• Assisted in the development of store associate performance evaluations
• Trained manager to use new training systems at individual stores

Store Associate, May 2018 – August 2019

• Maintained store inventory, arranged and displayed merchandise throughout store
• Assisted an average of 40 customers per day with item selection and product information
• Reached a customer satisfaction rating of 94% in three of four quarters, 2017
• Directed set up of merchandise in store windows, leading to 15% increase in sales

With this option, there is no specific need to show promotion on resume , as each job listing clearly indicates that you experienced professional growth and advancement within that particular company.

Hiring managers tend to scan resumes for, among other things, job titles, so be sure to bold each job title you list to ensure these catch their eye.

Unlike the stacking option, listing promotions using the separate entry format is more ATS-friendly, with information properly parsed into a digital profile. Thus, if you’re sending out an ATS-optimized resume, this could be the option for you.

If you held more than five titles within the same company, there is no need to elaborate on your duties under the earliest positions. You could even list them in one line:

Will-Call Productions , Raleigh, NC, 10/2015 – Present

• Marketing Manager , 8/2020 – Present

[List of duties]

• Marketing Coordinator , 2/2019 – 7/2020
• Marketing Associate , 5/2018 – 6/2020
• Marketing Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Intern – 10/2015 – 5/2020

In some cases, one might leave a company, then come back to it with a promotion . If this describes your situation, you would list that company twice when writing on your resume your working history.

1. Start with the most recent position

2. List the other company with job title and bulleted responsibilities

3. List the original company with the position you held prior

Will-Call Productions , Raleigh, NC, 07/2020 – Present

On-Hold Productions , Durham, NC, 05/2018 – 06/2020

• Marketing Coordinator , 8/2020 – Present

Will-Call Productions , Raleigh, NC, 10/2015 – 04/2018

• Marketing Associate , 12/2016 – 04/2018
• Marketing Assistant , 10/2015 – 11/2016

If you’re feeling unsure about how to format your resume or having difficulty with other areas of your document, check out our resume examples to give you the best idea of what your own resume should look like and how you go about showing a promotion on a resume.

Promotion vs Advancement – What’s the difference?

It’s worth noting that a promotion is not the same as an advancement in your career.

In the former, you’ve taken on a new job title and greater responsibilities not to mention a compensation increase; in the latter, you hold the same title and likely have taken on some additional duties without any merit increase.

On an advancement case or linear promotion , you might simply say in the first bullet point: “assumed additional responsibilities such as monitoring employee clock-in times and managing employee attendance records as of [date].”

Showing that you worked for the same company for several years without a promotion or taking on additional responsibilities does little to impress a recruiter or hiring manager.

Listing a promotion on a resume helps you stand out in a competitive job market . It’s proof of professional growth, you have developed valuable skills in the workplace and clearly shows you are dedicated, goal-oriented, hard-working, and responsible. 

Our free online resume builder is a helpful tool you can use to get you started on building your document and show perfectly your promotions.

You can download our professional templates for Google Docs or Word and edit all you need: format, sections, fonts and more.

Get a FREE Executive Resume Template to help you improve your resume.

Resume Writing Tips

How to write a resume for career advancement and promotion.

Ready for the next step in your career? Whether you are seeking an internal promotion or seeking career advancement opportunities outside of your current company, your resume will be an important indicator of your ability to excel at the next level. It might be the only chance you have to convey the achievements and qualifications that make you a great fit for your dream job, so be sure you are putting your best foot forward with a targeted, modern resume and crystal-clear personal brand.

Great Resumes Fast has had tremendous success in helping our clients reach their goals. Take, for instance, Carlos L., who had incredible career growth, skyrocketing from mid-level manager to operations executive in a few short years and more than tripling his annual salary. He noted that his resume was praised, not only for its conciseness and clarity but for also being reflective of his voice and personality. Between a strong, accurate, targeted resume and an active job search, he was equipped to impress potential employers and land the job he wanted.

So where do you start when it comes to writing a resume for internal promotion or external opportunities to advance your career?

Have Specific Career Goals – Know Your Next Step

Before sitting down to craft your resume and cover letter for promotion, there is prep work that needs to be completed. First and foremost, be sure to define and write down your target job. If you don’t have a specific objective or career advancement plan in mind, it is very difficult to write an effective resume or cover letter. Career planning is important at all stages of your career.

Questions to ask yourself to help determine your short-term and long-term goals:

– Where do you want to be (in your career) next year? And in five years? – What aspects of your current job do you love the most? – What are your priorities for your next position? (Salary, location, work/life balance?) – What skills / work experience / credentials are standard for the position you are pursuing?

Job Search Prep – Informational Interviews Help Bring Clarity

If you know you are looking for career advancement, but aren’t sure about your target job, or if you are waffling between a few potential career advancement paths, sitting down for an informational interview with someone currently in one of your target jobs is a wonderful way to learn more about the day-to-day responsibilities and overall fit of a role. This is also a wonderful way to expand your network.

Questions to ask in an informational interview:

– Tell me about your career path. How did you get into and excel in this line of work? – What would you say are the most key qualifications for someone in your position? – What personal qualities or skills and abilities are important to being successful in this role? – What professional associations do you participate in, if any? What journals do you read? What professional development or training experiences have you found useful? – Who are some of your career role models? Did you have a mentor who helped you advance in your career? – How do you see jobs like yours changing in the future?

Keep Track of Your Achievements – It’s Hard to Remember Details from 10 Years Ago

A standard executive resume typically goes back 10-15 years. Sitting down and trying to recall accomplishments from even a few years back is often a challenge. Going back eight or more years to remember specific projects and contributions that you have made as an employee is next to impossible unless you have an incredible memory! To avoid hitting a wall while working on your resume and professional cover letter, track your accomplishments on a weekly or monthly basis. Keeping notes in a Word document or journal is all you need to be prepared.

Key information to note down for future resume fodder can include:

– What projects/initiatives you are involved in – The goals and results of your efforts – Any quantifiable outcomes related to cost savings, revenue growth, client retention, etc. – Performance improvements/promotions of employees tied to your coaching/mentorship – Feedback on your own performance from employees, peers, supervisors – Any achievements or contributions that relate to the position you are interested in

Bring Clarity to The Direction of Your Resume – Being Concise is Important

A common mistake when it comes to resume writing is to try to include everything you have ever done. But including every responsibility, every technology, your full education history, and all skills and abilities you can claim will quickly turn your resume into an unreadable, overwhelming document.

If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, your resume needs some revamping:

1.) Is there a lot of redundant information? 2.) Is the resume more than the standard two to three pages? 3.) Could the career summary be copied and pasted into someone else’s resume without many changes? (As in, could it apply to multiple people?) 4.) Are you listing skills rather than focusing on results? 5.) Are there relevant experiences or skills that are not conveyed on page one?

The best approach to a high-impact resume to help you move up the career ladder is to keep it laser-focused on the most relevant skills, experience, and qualifications that will show your ability to succeed in a higher-level position than you currently hold.

For example, Janet Gaines was a recent client of Great Resumes Fast who wanted to move from her position as a Registered Nurse (RN) to a home health services manager. While her nursing experience and strong knowledge base of patient care and healthcare, in general, were obviously important, the management position also called for a leadership and budget management skill set that she did not have the opportunity to gain through her prior nursing jobs.

During the course of the phone consultation with her resume writer, it came out that Janet had not included the small janitorial business that she had founded while completing her nursing degree because she assumed it would not matter for a healthcare resume. But in that leadership role, not only had she hired, trained, and supervised a small team, but she had also managed the company’s budget and grown the revenue 25% YOY for several years. Highlighting these relevant accomplishments helped to align her resume with the required qualifications of the job posting far more than her nursing experience alone could have.

In her new resume as seen in the sample above, the information about her business is front and center in the career summary to ensure that hiring managers don’t overlook her leadership or budget management successes. If it were not highlighted there, the reader would not find it until the end of the second page of her resume. Never trust that your reader will do such a careful review, especially for a first impression! Often during a first pass to narrow the number of candidates being considered your resume will get no more than a cursory glance, so make sure all of the key info is included on the first page.

Ideally, all of the information in the career summary should speak directly to the job posting for the target position, whether an internal position or an external position. In this case, the home health services manager position emphasized patient care, budget management, team leadership, and a focus on continuous improvement. It is no accident that these are all of the major points of the summary section. If the reader isn’t already convinced that you are a great candidate by looking at the first page, your summary isn’t doing enough to emphasize and align your value proposition with their requirements.

Career Summary Tips – Avoid Vague Phrases and Passive Language

You’ll also notice that in Janet’s new resume, the summary includes specific, concrete milestones and results with quantifiable results in lieu of the more typical vague or generic summary content.

Does your resume read as vague or generic as this example?

“Energetic team player and multitasker with exceptional attention to detail, people skills, and solid experience in telecommunications industry across accounting, finance, turnaround management, and investment decisions. Strong ability to build and lead teams that meet and exceed established goals and standards. Demonstrated skills in developing and executing programs that enhance operations.”

This sample summary belongs to a finance manager named Richard Wilde who is looking to move into an executive-level finance role. There are a few problems with this summary that I see often:

1.) Passive phrasing: the passivity of this language will negatively impact how the applicant is perceived, particularly when targeting leadership roles. “Strong ability to…” and “Demonstrated skills in…” should both be swapped out for more active, take-charge verbiage. For example: “Champions development and execution of programs that enhance operational efficiencies” is a much stronger statement.

2.) Even more importantly, this content is focused on soft skills and what the applicant “can do.” But the problem with “can do” statements like “strong ability to lead teams” is that there is no evidence provided from Richard’s career, making it a very vague declaration.

A better approach is to focus the summary on relevant achievements, particularly those that can be quantified. Richard and his resume writer worked together to determine that the key themes of his new resume would be leadership, turnaround management, C-level advising, and cost controls. These themes were drawn from the career opportunities that Richard wants to target such as FP&A director and CFO of a startup.

In his new resume, these key themes are emphasized in the summary and then reinforced throughout the experience section:

As you can see in the resume example above, the vague content touching on Richard’s experience has been replaced with specific entries for turnaround management/leadership, C-level advising, and cost savings. The inclusion of the chart of cost savings across his last three organizations makes his resume format more eye-catching and executive in nature. It also makes his cost savings impact unmissable.

Compared to his original entry, this summary looks and reads as more modern, achievement-focused, and targeted to the executive roles he is pursuing. It is also very specific and concrete, which for the reader translates into a far more memorable candidate.

Charts/Graphs in Resumes – It’s OK to Use a Modern Design

Including a visual can really make a resume stand out! I’m a big fan of a visually distinctive resume that uses charts/graphs to draw the reader in, break up the text, and emphasize important quantifiable accomplishments. Don’t be afraid to format a resume a bit creatively to help in marketing yourself.

You can find more inspiration for fresh, modern formats using charts and graphs by reviewing resume samples from the team at Great Resumes Fast .

Other formatting/layout ideas:

– Strategic use of color – Bolded numbers – Endorsement quotes (highlighted to stand out) – Bulleted list of statements – Columns – Text boxes – Vertical text

Tip: Avoid overdoing it and/or focusing entirely on the resume format. It is important to have an attention-grabbing resume, but the content is the first priority. You don’t want to go overboard and create something chaotic and confusing to read, so be sure the design is helping to guide the reader to key achievements. Finally, if you are looking to advance in a more conservative industry or targeting companies with a traditional culture, you should think twice about a super-creative format.

Reweighting Experience – Emphasize the Important Details

When it comes to the Professional Experience section of a resume geared towards career advancement, it can often help to reweight the responsibilities and overall positioning. By this I simply mean emphasizing the most appropriate aspects of your current and past roles. For example, Richard Wilde’s leadership roles were somewhat limited, so highlighting his abilities as a change manager, coach, and trainer helped to preemptively overcome any concerns a reader might have.

Another great example is Creighton James, a healthcare operations executive targeting COO positions. He knew that his background was somewhat light on operational outcomes, since his background was largely in the area of patient safety. He spent seven out of nine years at XYZ Hospital as a patient safety officer / safety officer. While certainly relevant to his current COO objective, it made sense to omit many of his patient safety achievements to better emphasize the other work he did such as reducing labor costs and capturing profit gains. His original resume had 11 bullets for this hospital dedicated to patient safety duties. As a result, the other duties and achievements were completely lost in the lengthy entry.

As you can see, this entry excludes all but one bullet directly related to patient safety (with two focused on compliance) in order to better highlight the other accomplishments and package Creighton as well-rounded and well-prepared for the C-level.

It also groups all of the positions he held together rather than listing them separately. This is a perfectly standard approach, and in this case, it helped to de-emphasize the duration of his patient safety roles.

Resumes For Internal Promotions

If you are specifically targeting an internal promotion, you already have a major leg up on the external competition. Make sure to leverage your advantage! As an internal candidate, you can ask supervisors, clients, employees, and/or peers for a letter of recommendation; talk to people in the know about the qualifications the new job will require; and spend some time thinking about how you can help with the obstacles your company is currently facing. A format for a resume for promotion within the same company is also easier to come up with because you know your company culture.

When it comes to crafting your resume for internal professional advancement opportunities, be sure to avoid exaggerating your achievements or taking more credit than you can honestly claim for team accomplishments. In general, this is the best practice, but it is particularly key when the people reading your resume are familiar with your work in your current position. No one benefits from coming across as arrogant. It is much better to cushion your language to indicate collaboration.

Helpful phrasing for team achievements for use in internal resumes:

“Played a key role in…” “Contributed xyz to project involving…” “Collaboratively managed…” “Partnered with executive leadership team to capture…”

Job Seeking – Understand the Benefits and Realities of Certain Methods

Job seekers looking to step into a higher-level role, whether outside or within their current company, should keep in mind that job boards and human resources departments are not necessarily going to be their best bet for landing a dream position. HR is mainly interested in finding a person who has already held and succeeded in an identical role to the open position, so anyone without the exact experience they are looking for won’t usually be the top choice.

Instead, think about the people you know and the companies you would be most excited to work for. I highly recommend making a list of everyone in your network as well as a target company list that you can use to start reaching out to people and companies directly. Talk to your friends, your family, and your colleagues about your job target and ask if they know of anyone at a company you are interested in that they would be willing to introduce you to.

The success rates for landing a job through a job board like Indeed, LinkedIn, or Monster is much lower than most people think, accounting for only about 5%-15% of hiring. Networking is still the best way to land your next job, especially when navigating career advancement.

If you are hoping to be promoted internally, keep your ears open for opportunities and keep an eye on internal job listings if your company sends them out. It’s almost certain that you will have the advantage of knowing when positions are open as an internal applicant, but you still need to be vigilant to ensure you do not miss out on opportunities for internal promotion within your same company.

Targeting Growth Companies – Who You Want to Work for is a Good Question

If you have already exhausted your existing contacts, think about targeting growth companies in your geographic location. You can use Google News Alerts to do your research for you. All you need to do is plug in keywords. For example, say you are searching for a position in the pharmaceutical industry in Toledo, Ohio. Pull up Google News Alerts and start plugging in search terms like these:

1.) Ohio + pharma + growth companies 2.) Toledo + pharma + corporate expansion 3.) Ohio + pharma + mergers/acquisitions

You can set up batched alerts so that Google sends you a weekly batch of news articles containing the keywords you selected. From there, it is a simple matter of wading through the articles to look for interesting opportunities. Once you have found something you want to pursue, the person quoted in the article can serve as your contact person. This is a highly flattering way to approach someone and it really shows initiative, passion for the company in question, and knowledge of the industry trends. It also eliminates the competition if you reach out to an employer about a job before they are even thinking about hiring for it.

Most of our clients come to us because of a lack of professional advancement opportunity with their current employer. Unfortunately, because they haven’t written a resume in several years, they struggle to create a resume that interests a prospective employer. At Great Resumes Fast, we’ve invested the last ten years helping executives just like you to craft a professional resume that not only attracts the attention of hiring managers, but also gets through the dreaded applicant tracking systems so many companies use today. And if you are seeking an internal promotion, we have the expertise to assist with that as well. After going through our resume writing process, our clients have gone on to new leadership and management positions where they earn more money, contribute at a higher level, and make a real and measurable impact on their company and their career. If you are ready for a more fulfilling and financially rewarding position, find out more here .

Are you struggling to create an executive resume that will impress employers? Download this FREE executive resume template and receive a series of 10 emails with expert guidance on how to write resume content that resonates with employers so you get more interviews.

Sign up now to get your free executive resume template and improve your resume.

Share this post:

Explore more like this:.

How to Find and Convey What Sets You Apart on Your Resume

3 Executive Resume Strategies to Fast-Track A Stalled Job Search

Write Your Executive Resume Like A Pro

About the author

Jessica hernandez, president, ceo & founder of great resumes fast.

Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.

What started as a side hustle (before that was even a word!) helping friends of friends with their resumes has now grown into a company that serves hundreds of happy clients a year. But the personal touch? I’ve kept that.

You might have seen me featured as a resume expert in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune. And in 2020, I was honored to be named as a LinkedIn Top Voice of the year!

I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!

13 Comments

[…] July 10, 2018July 10, 2018 By job-search-bot This post was originally published on this […]

on what site to create a resume like a professional resume example in addition to nabc.info site

[…] performance of their duties. This includes energy, openness, ability to work in a team, initiative, proactivity, etc. And these are not just simple words, without any doubt you will hear the following question […]

[…] How to Write a Resume for Career Advancement and Promotion […]

Your Comment send me a sample of a CV with career progression in Teaching

Would like to acquire a winning resume for my promotion from a mere staff to a company’s facilitator

Everyone will have work experience, so distinguish yourself by relating your background to the position you are seeking. For example, you will grab the attention of your readers when they skim your resume by using the header. https://resumestation.com/

You can use something similar, in my opinion. I may be a bit shorter in the cover letter… It must be as much about them as it is about you. The resume, at least in the summary section, is all about you.

You can use something similar, in my opinion. The cover letter needs to be as much about them as it does about you, so I might be more succinct. The resume, at least in the summary section, is all about you.

One of the best websites I have ever found is this one, which is free and very amazing. These resumes are excellent and outstanding in terms of their structure, design, adaptability, and utility. Sometimes a seasoned expert needs more than one page, hence a second page is needed. In the future, I’d love to see something for a two-page CV. Fantastic website, and I adore these resumes. Bravo to the group that assembled this. fantastic work Well done!

I am Maria Caraballo, a former executive recruiter, who specialized for 4 years in sourcing impact players for the Commercial Industry with one of the largest professional recruitment organizations worldwide. You can contact me to get resume help and writing support in Resume Puerto Rico.

“Creating a preparation resume is important for landing a great job! Make sure to list all your skills, experiences, and qualifications clearly. Highlight your strengths and tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. Good luck!”

Mastering resume preparation is truly an art. Crafting a document that not only highlights skills and experiences but also tells a compelling professional story is key. Your blog provides invaluable insights and tips, making the daunting task of resume creation feel like a guided journey towards career success. Thank you!

Leave a Comment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Improve Your Resume: Download Your Free Executive Resume Template Today

Are you struggling to create an executive resume that will impress employers? Download this free executive resume template and receive a series of 10 emails with expert guidance on how to write resume content that resonates with employers so you get more interviews.

It's everything you need to stand out, make an impression, and accelerate your job search.

Work with Us

More From Forbes

The ultimate guide to writing a career change resume.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Changing careers doesn’t have to be difficult. It all starts with a resume crafted to highlight your ... [+] transferrable skills.

Your resume is one of the most critical tools during a career transition. Crafted thoughtfully, a career change resume can effectively highlight transferable skills and experiences from your old career to the new one, showcasing you as a prime candidate for your dream job .

Career change resumes offer a different narrative of a person’s experience versus someone looking to advance in their current industry. Transferrable skills are the most important to highlight.

What Success Looks Like In A Career Change

A successful career change doesn’t necessarily mean starting over. It can involve leveraging existing skills in a new context or applying knowledge from one industry to another. Success is about finding a role where you can make a meaningful contribution, and it often requires a blend of determination and strategic planning. The story you tell so far in your career that paints you as the right person for the job is vital to your resume being seen by the hiring manager.

Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Your Career Change Resume

It’s a fine line between highlighting what makes you unique and ensuring your document aligns with industry expectations. Here’s how to do it right.

Identify Your Transferrable Skills

Before opening a Word document or choosing a resume template, the first step is to take stock of your skills. Begin by closely examining your previous roles and jotting down the skills they entailed. Try categorizing them into hard skills—like technical skills and software proficiencies—and soft skills—such as communication and leadership abilities.

Apple iPhone 16 New Design And Performance Upgrades Revealed In Leak

Apple confirms widespread iphone changes coming to millions of ipads, sony is making a truly terrible mistake with helldivers 2, brainstorm your narrative.

What is your career change story? Who’s the audience that will be listening to it? These are the overarching questions that will guide your resume writing process. You’ll want to combine your reasons for changing careers with your past experiences and future aspirations.

When crafting your career change narrative, consider these critical questions to create a cohesive and compelling story:

• What motivated your career change? Reflect on the reasons behind your decision to shift careers. Was it a pursuit of passion, a need for a new challenge or an inevitable industry change affecting your previous role?
• How do your past experiences contribute to your new direction? Evaluate how your previous roles have equipped you with unique skills and perspectives that will benefit your target industry or role.
• What accomplishments in your career thus far can illustrate your suitability for this new path? Identify specific achievements that demonstrate your capability and readiness for the change.
• How have you prepared for the transition? Consider any additional training, courses or self-led learning you’ve undertaken to bridge any skill gaps.
• What are your long-term goals in this new career? Define what success looks like for you in this new field and how you plan to achieve it.

Choosing The Right Resume Format

The format of your resume is dependent on your career trajectory. A functional resume may be the best way to draw attention to your skills if you’re making a big career leap. A hybrid resume, which combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats, can also work well for career changers, as it allows you to detail your skills while still providing a job history.

Elements Of A Stand-Out Career Change Resume

The typical resume sections are still relevant: Skills, competencies, accolades, experience, volunteer work, education and training. For career changers, add a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of a snapshot as your elevator pitch. Instead of explaining what you are looking for, you highlight your top accolades, position and projects you’re currently working on; it shouldn’t be any longer than three sentences.

For example, “I’m Jane Doe, a marketing professional who brought the newest Target campaign to 100 million Instagram accounts. I’ve excelled in connecting influencers with top brands and have hosted over 150 brand activations.”

Make sure to include all the important elements on your resume to make you stand out. Having a short ... [+] story or narrative of who you are also helps.

Words and Phrases To Include In Resume

When it comes to the actual writing, it’s essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to the job you’re applying for, but also aim to include industry-specific terms from your previous career to highlight the breadth of your experience.

• Cross-functional expertise: Demonstrates the ability to work across various departments, enhancing team synergy and project outcomes.
• Quick Learner: Indicates your capacity to rapidly acquire new knowledge and skills, reducing the learning curve in a new role.
• Innovative Thinker: Shows your capability to think creatively and bring new ideas to the table, driving progress.
• Versatile Professional: Indicates a broad skillset and flexibility, positioning you as a candidate capable of handling various responsibilities

Do’s And Don’ts Of Resume Etiquette

• Do focus on your achievements and how they demonstrate your capabilities, not just the tasks you’ve performed.
• Do quantify your accomplishments with numbers or percentages whenever possible to add weight to your claims.
• Don’t include unrelated job experiences that don’t align with the position you’re targeting.
• Don’t gloss over any employment gaps resulting from your career change. Instead, use these gaps to explain how you spent that time productively, such as through continuing education or volunteer work.

Your career change resume aims to get your foot in the door for an interview. Invest time in perfecting your career change resume, and you’ll find that employers will be more than willing to listen to the rest of your story.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Gracefully Decline a Promotion

• Rebecca Knight

There’s no need to give an exhaustive explanation for your decision. But you should frame it strategically.

How can you decline a promotion without making things awkward? In this article, the author shares advice from two experts on how to navigate this complicated situation. First, explore the underlying reasons behind your hesitation. If you are 100% sure you don’t want the promotion, decline as swiftly as possible. Be tactful and tactical. While there’s no need to provide an exhaustive account of your decision, framing it strategically is important. You could also consider taking the promotion, but with clearly defined boundaries. You could ask about adjustments like managing fewer direct reports or increased flexibility if the promotion requires a greater in-office presence. Or you could propose something new altogether. Climbing the corporate ladder may be the conventional route, but it’s not necessarily the best choice for every situation — especially if the promotion on the table doesn’t match with where you want your career to go or isn’t right for your current circumstances.

Turning down a promotion at work can feel counterintuitive. Climbing the corporate ladder may be the conventional route, but it’s not necessarily the best choice for every situation — especially if the promotion on the table doesn’t match with where you want your career to go or isn’t right for your current circumstances. So, how do you say, “ Thanks, but no thanks ,” without making things awkward? How can you avoid sounding lazy or ungrateful? And is there a chance to mold the opportunity into something that better aligns with your financial and professional goals?

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

Partner Center