How to Show a Promotion on a Resume (or Multiple Positions)

How to Show a Promotion on a Resume (or Multiple Positions) Staying for a long time with the same company has its benefits. And shortcomings too.One of the latter becomes obvious when you decide to change jobs andYouve got no idea how to show multiple positions and promotions on your resume.In this article, youll learn how to put multiple positions and promotions on a resume in several different scenarioswhen your duties remained the same, when they changed, and when you returned to work for your previous employer after a stint elsewhere.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample resume made with our builderSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowLooking for other resume writing advice? Her e are several articles you may find interesting:How Far Back Should a Resume Go?What to Put on a ResumeBest Resume Structure1Similar Positions in the Same CompanyHeres the thingYou may get a promotion from a specialist to an expert position. The scope of your duties doesnt change at alljust the professional title and salary.How to put this kind of promotion on a resume?Simply stack your job titles in a single entry, and list your experience in a bullet point list underneath.Follow standard resume formatting rules, i.e. add the name of the company you worked for, your job titles, and dates worked, like so:Sample ResumeMultiple Positions at the Same CompanyABC Store, Los Angeles, CAStore Manager (January 2013Present)Assistant Manager (January 2012January 2013)[mention your promotion]Experience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointPro Tip: Stacking may not be the best strategy if youre submitting your resume via an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Why? ATSs will on ly parse a single job title per entry so the risk is theyll miss one of them. If youre writing an ATS-optimized resume (as opposed to the one you send directly to a human reader), it will be safer to use separate entries for each position you held.Notice that the first bullet point on the list refers to your promotion.Thats exactly what you should do on your resume. After all, getting a promotion is one of your biggest achievements, isnt it?Here are a couple of ideas on what this bullet point could look like:Promoted to the position of store manager after less than a year for exceptional organizational skills and exceeding KPIs by 70%.Repeatedly recognized for top performance through fast-track promotions and selection for high-priority initiatives.Selected for management after demonstrating an ability to learn quickly and master complex concepts flawlessly.See to it that the other bullet points mix your responsibilities with key achievements. This way your resume job description wi ll have maximum impact.Not sure how to present your experience in the most effective way? Read our dedicated guide: Resume Work Experience, History Example Job Descriptions2Different Duties or Lateral MovesIf you were promoted to a position where your duties changed, create two separate entries for each of them.To save space, you can use the companys name as an umbrella title.Start with the name of the company, location, and dates worked.Next, list your current position. Add your experience bullet points. Again, make sure the first bullet point explains your promotion.Then, add the previous internal position to your resume. If you held another one before that, add it below. As you go back in time, you can add fewer bullet points and less detail. Focus on the reasons leading up to each promotion. Then add your best achievements for each position.PlusThe same arrangement is suitable if your change of duties didnt result from being promoted but from the so-called lateral move. This ma y happen when your company goes through a merger and you change the department, for instance.Pro Tip: The best resume format is the reverse-chronological resume. In other words, you put your current/latest position first and then you go back in time. This way recruiters can see your latest and most relevant experience first.Resume for Promotions Within the Same CompanyExampleABC Store, Los Angeles, CAStore Manager (January 2013Present)[mention your promotion]Experience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointAssistant Manager (January 2012January 2013)[mention your promotion]Experience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointSales Clerk (June 2011January 2012)Experience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointRememberLet your resume tell a story.Dont simply make a list of boring and repetitive responsible for experience bullets. Focus on your achievements instea d. Let each bullet testify to your growth and show how good you are at delivering results.Dont put any random information on your resume. Learn how to tailor it to the position youre seeking: How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job DescriptionTips ExamplesWhen making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.3The Same Company TwiceThere are situations in which you leave a company and come back after some time to take on a more senior role.In such cases, you can list the same company twice.Just like in the previous scenarios, stick to the reverse-chronological order of experience, and simply list the same company in two separate entries, like so:Promotion on a ResumeExampleABC Store, Los Angeles, CAStore Manager (January 2013Present)Experience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointDEF Store, New York, NYAssistant Manager (January 2012January 2013)Experience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointABC Store, Los Angeles, CASales Clerk (June 2011January 2012)Experience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointExperience Bullet PointPro Tip:Studies show that recruiters spend only about 7 seconds initially looking at your resume. In this short time, they scan for job titles. Keep this in mind when formatting your resume and make sure your job titles are easy to find.The only difference in relation to the previous scenarios is that your career progression is pretty much self-explanatory as the dates and job titles on your resume clearly show it. Thats why theres no need for you to add the extra bullet that explains your promotions.Want to be sure your resume looks as professional as it can? Heres a guide you should read: What Should a Resume Look Lik e? (Best Examples)Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.Here's what it may look like:See more cover letter templates and start writing.Key TakeawayIf you have a lot of professional experience, organizing a resume can be a daunting task. Especially when youve spent a lot of time with a single company and the last time you wrote a resume was several years ago.Heres what you need to remember about listing promotions and multiple positions on a resume:Be consistent with your resume layouthowever you choose to list promotions and multiple positions, stick to it throughout your resume.Stack the positions that had similar duties in a single entry.Write separate entries under the umbrella of the company name if the positions you held had different duties.Add separate entries if you returned to the same company after some time elsewhere.Consider listing every single position youv e ever held in entirely separate entries if youre submitting your resume via an Applicant Tracking System.Do you have any questions about listing promotions on your resume? Maybe youd like to share your thoughts? Were always happy to hear from you. Give us a shout out in the comments below.