How to Show Off Your Promotions On Your Resume

4 minute read

This post is in partnership with The Muse. The article below was originally published on The Muse.

I think we’d all agree that there’s nothing bad about getting promoted or landing a better position at your company.

Except, well, figuring out how to list it on your resume.

When you’ve moved from a position at Company A to a new position at Company B, fleshing out your “Experience” section is pretty straightforward. But if you’ve moved up in your department or switched roles within your organization, there are a couple options.

The good news? If you can show your advancement right, you’ll get a gold star in the eyes of a hiring manager. Read on for a super-quick guide for how to showcase your experience in the best possible light—and land that next big thing.

If the Jobs Were Similar in Nature

If two or more of your jobs were very similar in nature (e.g., you were promoted from associate editor to editor, but your overall job duties pretty much stayed the same), stack the job titles together under the company header, like this:

The Walt Disney Company, Los Angeles, CA

Editor (January 2012-Present)

Associate Editor (January 2011-January 2012)

  • Bullet 1
  • Bullet 2
  • Bullet 3
  • The bullets you include should describe your most high-level and impressive accomplishments during your tenure at both of these roles combined—not each individually. Remember our #1 resume tip: “Think of your resume not as a comprehensive list of your career history, but as a marketing document selling you as the perfect person for the job.” In other words, even if your duties slightly shifted when you changed positions, it’s more important to highlight your best work than to spell out all of your job duties in those early days.

    You can also include a bullet that expands upon the accomplishments that led to your promotion (for example, “Promoted within 12 months for exceptional client relations and leadership skills”). This makes it clear to the hiring manager that your move wasn’t just a matter of happenstance (or someone else leaving)—you earned it.

    If the Jobs Were Pretty Different

    On the other hand, if the jobs you’ve held at your company were in different roles (e.g., you moved from marketing coordinator to associate editor), list the company once but break out the job titles, treating them like two different positions:

    The Walt Disney Company, Los Angeles, CA

    Associate Editor (January 2012-Present)

  • Bullet 1
  • Bullet 2
  • Bullet 3
  • Marketing Coordinator (May 2011-January 2012)

  • Bullet 1
  • Bullet 2
  • Bullet 3
  • Again, for each position, you’ll want to describe your biggest accomplishments and experience that most relates to the positions you’re applying for. And if the new role was a step up, rather than a lateral move, be sure to make that clear, saying something like: “Promoted within company because of demonstrated project leadership skills.”

    You’ll also want to use this format if you’re applying in an online system, where you’re asked to include a description of your experience for each role. In this case, you may have to input the company’s information each time—but that’s OK. Even if it’s repetitive, the hiring manager will see that you’ve moved up within the same company (and be impressed).

    Moving up at a company shows that you’re a high performer, you achieve results, and you’re a loyal and dedicated employee. Make sure your resume tells that story—and you’re bound to land an interview.

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