How to list work experience on a resume
The exact structure recruiters expect for each job — and the mistakes that quietly cost interviews.
Experience is the section recruiters spend the most time on. If it's flat, the resume is flat. Here's how to make yours land.
The structure
Company · Location · Dates on one line. Role and (optional) team on the next. Then 3–5 bullets. Then the next job.
The bullet formula
[Action verb] [what you did] [measurable outcome or context].
'Rebuilt onboarding flow, reducing drop-off from 42% to 18% across 120k monthly signups.'
Every element serves a purpose: verb = agency, what = specific work, outcome = business impact.
How many bullets per job
- Current or most recent role: 4–6 bullets.
- Previous roles (2–5 years back): 3–4 bullets.
- Older roles (5–10 years back): 1–2 bullets.
- Anything older than 10 years: consider dropping or one line only.
Handling promotions in the same company
Stack the roles under one company block: company name once, then each role and its dates, each with its own bullets. Signals loyalty and growth simultaneously.
FAQ
How do I list a short-term job I quit?
Only include it if the skills are directly relevant. Otherwise cut it — a 2-month gap is less awkward than a 2-month job.
Contract vs full-time — do I need to mark it?
Yes: 'Software Engineer (Contract)'. Clarifies short tenures and protects your reputation.
Put this into practice.
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