A chronological resume is one of the most common types of resume. A chronological resume begins by listing your work history, with the most recent positions listed first.
In this type of resume, your jobs are listed in reverse chronological order with your current or most recent job first. It often includes a resume objective or career summary before a list of previous work experience.
Education, certifications, and special skills are also included in this type of resume. These are listed after your work experience.
The chronological resume is one of the most common types of resume. Therefore, an advantage of using this type is that most patterns will be familiar with it, and will prefer it.
The chronological resume also emphasizes your work history, allowing you to show your work experience. It is easier to compile a chronological resume than some other resume formats because you are listing your employment and internship experience in order, with your current experience first.
A chronological resume works best when you have an extensive work history that is in the same line of work as the job for which you are applying. By displaying your work history front and center, you will immediately show the employer that you have related experience.
The chronological resume format does not work well when you are changing careers. While you may have a great deal of work experience, you are likely in a different industry. Many employers will put your resume in the "no" pile if they quickly see that you don't have relevant work experience.
Lastly, don't use a chronological resume if you have gaps in your work history or if you've frequently changed jobs. A chronological resume will only emphasize these topics.
Depending on your work history, you may want to choose another type of resume. A functional resume, for example, focuses on your skills and experience rather than your chronological work history. A combination summarizes the lists of your skills and your chronological work history. For more creative positions, you may want to use a non-traditional resume that includes graphics and other visual elements.
