Writing an Effective Resume Work Experience Section

Resume work experience is the listing of your employment history, and it usually contains information on job titles, duration of each position, skills developed through experiences, duties, and achievements. This is a critically important part of your resume as most employers read it to gain an initial impression of your expertise and track record in the industry. It’s relevant for both experienced and entry-level employees, and job seekers without full-time experience can include part-time work, internships, and volunteer work. A properly structured, well-written professional history can distinguish you from other candidates and get you an interview.

Consider using the following tips for a resume work experience section that works:

• Structure your resume to avoid gaps. Strong resumes show a consistent flow from one job to the next. Use the standard format that lists the month and year to show the start and end dates of each job, such as May 2015 – August 2020. If you have a long gap between full-time jobs, add in any part-time work, volunteering, or an explanatory note if you simply took time off work.
• Choose a chronological format. As it lists your most recent position first and shows the recruiter how you’ve progressed in your career, this format is recommended if you have at least two to three years of experience.
• List awards and achievements in the work experience. While you can create a separate section for these items, showing how your performance of job duties resulted in awards and achievements by linking these subjects can highlight how you’ve excelled in your career more persuasively.

Learn more: How to Customize Your Resume for Each Job You Apply to

You can write your resume work experience using the following steps:

Read the job description thoroughly

While it may be faster to apply to all the jobs that interest you with the same resume work experience, it’s best to tailor this section to suit precisely what an employer is looking for. As you read the listing, make a list of the keywords used by the employer to describe the experience requirements.

Tailor your work experience to the job description

Write a draft of your employment history using keywords from the job description to highlight each of the skills you have that match these requirements.

Choose a suitable format

Choose the format that suits you from the following resume formats:

• Chronological format: This format involves listing jobs chronologically beginning with your current job, and it’s suitable for experienced candidates.
• Functional format: In this format, you emphasize your skills and achievements instead of your job history. If you’re a graduate or returning to work after a long gap, consider this format.
• Combination format: Work experience is used to showcase skills in this format. You might want to use this format for applications for senior-level management positions if you have substantial experience, skills, and achievements in the industry.

Once you choose your format, apply it consistently throughout the experience section.

Double-check for quality

Edit your employment history, correcting any errors in grammar, syntax, or facts. Do the edit the day after you finish writing so that you can have a fresh perspective.

Learn more: How to Include Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

Consider using the following examples of a work experience sections to write your own:

Example: UX design resume

Work Experience

Green Travel Inc.

New York, NY

Senior UX designer

November 2019 – Present

Responsibilities and impact:

• Address digital experience needs by identifying issues in existing designs, recommending improvements to improve user experiences, and creating usage scenarios.
• Use democratic leadership to motivate junior UX designers to achieve UX targets and customer service objectives. Contributed to a 25% increase in approval ratings in the first quarter of 2020.
• Develop research-based insights on the digital experiences of users by using market research skills to understand target segments of customers.
• Worked with senior management to develop a content development strategy that synched the brand with digital products that optimized user experience. My strategic insights were responsible for the successful repositioning of the brand and a 15% increase in revenue.

Insights Inc.

Junior UX designer

May 2018 – November 2019

Responsibilities and impact:

• Built usage scenarios, analyzed user experiences, and conducted usability tests under supervision of senior designers.
• Ensured the cross-platform and cross-browser functionality of the designs developed by senior colleagues.
• Developed a design prototype for ReefWare, one of the company’s biggest accounts that improved user experience by simplifying the feature that allowed users to create designs for custom furniture on the site, which received the 2018 Best UX Contribution award from the management.

Example: Graphic design resume

Work Experience

Green Travel Inc.

Intern graphic designer

February 2020 – Present

Responsibilities and impact:

• Under supervision, use the Adobe design software to develop artwork according to client briefs.
• Develop teamwork skills and communication skills.
• Received a commendation from the management for a proposal on a new interactive format for online customer surveys. Contributed to the 40% increase in customer participation when the format was approved and launched by the company.

You can build your work experience with the following template:

[Company name of most recent job]

[Company location city, company location state]

[Job title]

[Commencement month, year – Resignation month, year]

[Responsibilities and impact:]

 

[Company name of prior job]

[Company location city, company location state]

[Job title]

[Commencement month, year – Resignation month, year]

[Responsibilities and impact:]