Because hiring managers are bombarded with resumes on a daily basis, the key to writing an effective resume is to make the data as easily accessible and readable as possible. In presenting dates you must:
- Express years of employment in reverse-chronological order. The most recent job should be first, followed by the next, etc.
- Indicate exact dates for each position if you have had more than one at the same company.
- Format your resume so that dates are easily located.
- Avoid using months, except on resumes for federal jobs or graduate applications.
If you worked for ABC Company from 1999 through the present, and at XYZ Company from 1989 to 1999, your data would be written in this manner:
ABC COMPANY, City, State 1999 – Present
XYZ COMPANY, City, State 1989 – 1999
Let’s say you worked at ABC Company from 1989 to the present and held three positions of increasing responsibility. The best way to present that would be:
ABC COMPANY, City, State
Controller (1999-Present)
Chief Accountant (1994-1999)
Accountant (1989-1994) 1989 – Present
The above provides specific information about your dates of employment for each position, with total employment for that company provided in the first line.
Because a hiring manager will most often scan, rather than read, a resume, it’s best to provide dates of employment immediately after the company’s name and location, preferably with those dates flush right. This separation avoids the dates getting lost in the other data, yet still showcases them for potential employers.
Use years of employment, rather than months and years. By excluding months, you can improve readability, while also downplaying brief periods of unemployment. For example, indicating that you worked during the year 2000 is certainly more positive than indicating that you only worked January - February 2000.
Based on the position you are seeking, you should know if the locations in which you have worked are relevant. If you’re going for an International Business Development position, and spent the past three years working in a high-profile position abroad, make sure the hiring manager knows about it!
One way to do that is to mention it in the Qualifications Summary or Profile paragraph that begins your resume. For example, a business developer in retail fashion might use an opening summary like this:
Accomplished, multilingual Professional with the experience and skill to excel as a CEO in a global organization. International fashion experience for leading retailers in London, Paris, and Milan. Recent success includes enhancing profits at Tres Chic by $7 million in 2003 through effective reorganization and a proactive marketing campaign. Fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, and English. Willing to relocate to Europe, Asia, or Australia.
Classic Resume Design 
