Adding job promotions on your resume can really show how successful you’ve been at work. But how should you include your promotion? Before you ask, yes, it does matter! This article will give you smart tips and ways to add promotions to your resume in the best way possible.

After reading this, you’ll know exactly how to list promotions on your resume. This will help you get noticed and compete better for the job you want.

Table of contents

How to format promotions on your resume

Research shows that recruiters typically spend a mere 7 seconds viewing your resume. So formatting matters!

You have two options for formatting your promotions. If you’ve had multiple promotions within the same company, you can stack them all under the same company in chronological order. The other option is to cite each position as a separate entry, even if they were all at the same company.

Make sure your resume format is consistent and includes clear dates. This way, people looking to hire can easily see how you’ve grown in your job. Using a resume builder can also help you create a professional and organized resume.

Option 1: Stacked entries

One good way to show how you’ve moved up at your job is to list each promotion under the same company on your resume. Start with your most recent role at the top, then list the roles you had before that.

example of a stacked format for work experience on a resume
example of a stacked format for work experience on a resume

Make sure to say that these were promotions. Write a short note about what you did in each job and what you achieved. Talk about things that helped you get promoted, to show how you’ve grown and worked hard.

This way of writing makes it easy for recruiters to see how you’ve advanced and taken on more tasks over time, starting with the first bullet point. It also shows that you’re loyal to your company, which they’ll like.

Option 2: Separate entries

Another way to show your promotions is to write about each job separately in the work experience section of your resume.

Start with your latest job. Include the job title, the company’s name, when you worked there, and a short note about what you did and what you achieved. Then do the same for each promotion or step up you had at the company.

For every promotion, write the new job title, when you worked in that job, and what new tasks or achievements you had. Be sure to include your most recent position.

Example of promotions on a resume listed as separate entries
Example of promotions on a resume listed as separate entries

By writing about each promotion separately, you can show how you’ve grown and taken on different responsibilities over time.

This way, you can easily show how you’ve moved up in your job and taken on tougher roles within the same company.

How to choose the best method for your situation

Which format should you use – stacked entries or separate entries? This is a crucial point.

According the research from zippia.com, the average corporate job opening receives roughly 250 applications!

You really need yours to stand out.

The best way to show your promotions and internal position changes on your resume depends on a few things, like how many promotions you’ve had, how long you stayed in each job, and how related each job is to the one you want now.

Think about these things:

  1. Number of promotions: If you’ve moved up a lot at one company, it might be better to write about each promotion separately. This can really show how you’ve grown in your career.
  2. Time spent in each job: If you stayed in each job for many years, it might be better to list them all under the same company. This can stop you from repeating yourself.
  3. How related each job is to the one you want: If each promotion gave you skills and experiences that will help in the job you want, you should write about each promotion separately. This can show how you can adapt and grow.

In the end, pick the way that best shows how you’ve moved up and what you can bring to a new job.

ATS-Friendly formatting tips

Regardless of which method works best for you when listing promotions on your resume, your work history section always needs to be as “up to code” as possible for ATS. Follow these rules below to make sure you can beat those resume robots.

Date formatting

Our tests show that not all ATS parse the same date formats. This is especially important when showing promotions on your resume because you want to show how long it took to earn the promotion and how long you had the new role.

Some ATS, like SmartRecruiters, will even automatically calculate the duration of tenure in years and months based on your resume dates.

Most ATS recognize dates formatted as MM/YYYY. Here’s how your dates should look:

[Job Title], [Company]

01/2020-02/20022

  • Developed critical one-, three-, five-, and ten-year development roadmaps.
  • Managed the merger and acquisition of Software through expert product knowledge and business acumen.
  • Established processes and procedures for a successful integration of all Software products.
  • Streamlined workflow by merging three software versions into one standard version.

File type

Between a .pdf, .docx, or .txt file, which one should you use? In our testing, we found that most ATS can read and parse .pdf files correctly. Some of them struggled with .docx. .txt files were also parsed correctly, but these are simple text files with no formatting, so we don’t usually recommend using that file type. A PDF file should be fine.

Headers and footers

Some resume templates put the person’s name and current job title in the header of the document. When we tested popular ATS, we found that some don’t parse information in the header and footer correctly. It’s safer to not use that section altogether. If you want to highlight your current role after a promotion, use the normal page section.


Use Jobscan’s free ATS-friendly resume templates and start building your resume that gets noticed by recruiters!


List the right skills

When describing your promotion, you should list the skills you display or gained that earned you the promotion. But make sure you focus on skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. A recruiter might search the database for people with specific skills and you want to show up there. In fact, our ATS revealed that even keyword frequency matters.

Don’t stuff your resume with keywords, but definitely highlight the relevant ones.

To find out which skills the recruiter will be searching for, scan your resume in Jobscan and paste in the body of the job listing. You’ll see a list of hard and soft skills that you should put on your resume based on that job description.

  1. Upload your resume.

  2. Paste the job description text from the job listing.

    a screenshot of jobscan's resume scanner

  3. Add the skills from the Match Report to your resume.

    screenshot of jobscan resume scanner showing the skills section of the report

Information to include about promotions on your resume

Here are some important keys to listing promotions on your resume:

  • In the work experience part of your resume, make sure each promotion stands out. Use bullet points to list what you did and achieved in each role.
  • Don’t forget to include dates to demonstrate the timeline of your career advancement.
  • Quantify your achievements to add impact and impresses potential employers.
  • If you’ve had multiple promotions within the same company, consider creating a separate section for promotions.
  • Use action verbs and specific language to show your contributions in each role.
  • Consider mentioning your promotion in your resume summary.

Basic information

When you add promotions to your resume, make sure to include key details that show how you’ve moved up in your job. Start with the job title, the company’s name, and when you worked there for each job. Write a short note about what you did and what you achieved in each role to show how you’ve grown in your career.

Detail your job experience and accolades

You should give details about what you did in your jobs and any awards you got. This helps the person hiring understand what you were in charge of and how well you did. Having experience in a role is good. But showing that you did well in that role is even better.

Highlight any significant achievements or responsibilities that you took on with each promotion. Provide details on what new responsibilities came with each new role. This shows the skills you developed.

Use action verbs and quantifiable metrics to demonstrate the impact you made in each role.

When you show a promotion on your resume, talk about the skills and wins that helped you move up. Give real examples of successful work you did or goals you reached. Include numbers to show your success, like “boosted sales by 20%” or “led a team of 10 people to beat our goals for three months.”

Talk about any new tasks or leadership roles you got after getting promoted. If you took any classes or learned new things to help you do better at your job and get promoted, mention that too!

Quantify your achievements

Use numbers to show how well you did in your jobs. Instead of saying you improved sales, you could say you boosted sales by 20 percent in the first year after getting promoted.

Using numbers not only helps the recruiter see what you can do for their company, but it also makes you stand out from other applicants.

Remember to be honest and accurate when quantifying your achievements. Employers may ask for further details or proof during the interview process.

Use action verbs and powerful language

Use strong words and action verbs that show what you did and achieved in each job.

Start each bullet point with an action verb to show how active and successful you were in your job.

Use real examples and numbers to show how much of a difference you made at work and to highlight your wins.

Talk about the new tasks, challenges, and wins you had with each promotion to show how you’ve grown in your career.

Avoid simply listing job titles without providing context or explaining the promotions. Briefly describe the scope of each role and how it contributed to your overall professional development.

Examples of how to show promotions on your resume

Examples for separate entries

If you write about each promotion separately, give each job its own title. Show the dates of when you worked there and use bullet points about what you did and achieved there. This can be good if you want to show how you’ve moved up in your job and the different skills and experiences you got with each promotion.

example resume with separate entries for promotions

Why this example works:

This resume uses quantified achievements, measurable results, and specific descriptions of the role the person played in various projects.

Example of promotions on a resume listed as separate entries

Why this example works:

This resume clearly details the new responsibilities and highlights impressive achievements. The separate entries help to clarify which regions the person worked in.

Examples for stacked entries

Stacked entries can be a great way to show several promotions at the same company on your resume. Instead of writing each promotion as a different job, you can stack them under one job title. Start with your most recent promotion and put it first. Then list the earlier promotions next, with the most recent ones first. This helps hiring managers see how you’ve moved up in your job and shows that you can grow and take on new tasks.

example of a stacked format for work experience on a resume

Why this example works:

The resume focuses more on the senior role, which might be more relevant to the job the person is applying for. It focuses on projects and gives specific results.

example of a stacked format for work experience on a resume

Why this example works:

This resume uses specific action verbs and uses common skills that a recruiter might search for. The person switches tenses when describing their previous role (past tense) and their current role (previous tense), but maintain consistency in each section.

How to list job title changes without a promotion

Listing a job title change without a promotion might seem tricky, but it’s best to keep it simple.

In these cases, separate entries is the best format to use. Cite each job title, starting with the most recent.

If you got a promotion while in that role, stack the new title above it. If you moved to an entirely new role, create a new job title entry.

Focus on showcasing the increased responsibilities, achievements, and skills acquired during each position.

Remember to format your resume in a way that effectively highlights your professional journey without diminishing its impact.

When the promotion was the result of company restructuring

Sometimes, a company might change around positions and tasks. Because of this, you might get a promotion or a different position. If you got promoted when your company was restructuring, make sure to explain how these changes effected your role. Be clear about what happened and show how you were able to adjust.

Here’s how to do it right:

1. Separate entries: Treat each job title as a separate entry on your resume. Start with the most recent title and stack the new title above it.

2. Talk about the changes: Explain that the change in your job title happened because the company was changing things around. Explain why this happened, like if jobs or tasks were changing.

3. Show off skills and wins: Talk about any new skills or wins you got because of the promotion. Give examples of what you achieved, like if you sold a lot or if you led a team through the changes well.

4. Show you ability to adjust: Talk about how you were able to handle the changes that came with the company changing things around. Explain how you quickly learned new ways of doing things or if you took on more tasks.

5. Talk about any challenges: Mention any problems you had when the company was changing things and how you solved them in your new position. This shows that you can handle problems and bounce back.

6. Make your resume look good: Set up your resume in a way that shows off your work journey well. Use bullet points to list what you did and achieved for each job title. This helps bosses see how you moved up in your jobs and what you did in those roles.

Industry-specific advice

It’s important to tailor your approach based on your industry. Here are some tips for popular industries:

1. Sales industry: Highlight the increase in sales targets achieved after the promotion. Mention specific strategies used and any new accounts acquired.

2. IT industry: Emphasize new technical skills gained and projects successfully delivered post-promotion. Discuss any improvements made to systems or processes.

3. Marketing industry: Describe campaigns managed and results achieved after the promotion. Highlight any new marketing channels explored or successful brand launches.

4. Finance industry: Focus on increased responsibilities in financial analysis or risk management roles. Highlight any cost-saving measures implemented or successful financial projects completed.

5. Healthcare industry: Talk about any new certificates or special training you got after your promotion. Share any ways you made patient care better or how you used new medical procedures well.

6. Engineering industry: Emphasize any complex projects successfully completed after the promotion. Highlight any innovative solutions or cost-effective engineering designs implemented.

7. Hospitality industry: List any new roles or departments managed after the promotion. Discuss improvements made to customer satisfaction or successful implementation of new service protocols.

8. Education industry: Talk about any leadership roles you took on after getting promoted, like being in charge of a department or planning the curriculum. Share any ways you helped students do better after your promotion or how you used new teaching methods well.

In general, make sure to clearly state the promotion and its date in your resume. Then, tailor the content to highlight relevant achievements and skills gained in your specific industry after the promotion.

Key takeaways

When you list your promotions on your resume, it’s important to clearly explain that you got promoted in your work experience section. Also, talk about what you did and achieved in your old position that helped you get promoted. Using numbers to show your wins can really show how you made a difference in your last job. Use strong verbs and words to clearly describe what you did and show off your skills. Finally, remember to tailor your resume for each job you apply to, focusing on the right promotions and experiences. By doing all of these things, you can show how you’ve grown in your career to future bosses.


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Frequently asked questions

How do you put a promotion on a resume?

To include a promotion on your resume, make sure to list the job title, company name, and dates of employment for each position. Clearly indicate the promotion by listing the previous position and the new position separately. Highlight the increased responsibilities, achievements, and accomplishments in the new role using bullet points.

How do you show promotions on a resume in the same role?

To show promotions on a resume in the same role, list each promotion as a separate job title under the same employment entry. Include the dates of each promotion to showcase your progression within the company. Highlight specific accomplishments and responsibilities associated with each promotion using bullet points.

How do you put stacked entries on a promotion resume?

To showcase stacked entries on a promotion resume, list each position separately, starting with the most recent promotion. Include specific details like job title, company name, and dates of employment for each role. Highlight key achievements and responsibilities to demonstrate growth and progression. Use bullet points or subheadings to differentiate positions within the same company.

How do you list the same job twice on a resume?

To list the same job twice on a resume, create separate headings for each position held. For example, use “Marketing Coordinator” and “Marketing Manager.” Under each position, highlight specific achievements and responsibilities. Clearly indicate start and end dates to show progression.


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Sydney Myers

Content Marketing Manager at Jobscan.

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