How to Include Work Experience in Resume: Tips & Examples

When tweaking your resume, you may wonder how to include work experience in resume so that you can clearly demonstrate your qualifications and stand out from the crowd of candidates.

Whether you're a fresh grad with just internships, a mid-career pro switching fields, or a senior manager aiming for a C-suite role, your work experience section is the heart of your resume. It's where you show employers what you've done and why you're their next hire.

But what counts as experience? Where does it go? How do you format it?

This 2025 guide answers those questions with clear steps, examples for different career levels, and pro tips. You'll learn how to list work experience on a resume, tailor it to jobs, handle gaps or promotions, and complement it with other sections.

Ready to make your resume stand out? Let's dive in!

What Counts as Work Experience?

Not sure what qualifies as work experience? Many job seekers, especially recent graduates with limited work experience, wonder whether part-time gigs, internships, or volunteer work should be included on their resumes.

Good news: they do! Here's what counts and how to use it.

Traditional Jobs, Part-Time, and Freelance

Full-time, part-time, and freelance work all count as work experience for a job. A 2024 SEEK study says 75% of employers value any paid work showing relevant skills.

For example, a part-time barista job can highlight customer service: "Served 100+ customers daily, achieving 95% satisfaction ratings." Freelance work, like designing logos, also counts, and you just need to list it professionally.

Internships, Volunteer Work, and School Projects

Including volunteer work in a resume is great for showing skills, especially for entry-level job seekers. Internships and school projects also count. A 2025 Columbia University guide suggests treating internships like jobs. Volunteer work, like organizing a charity event, shows leadership. School projects, like coding a website, highlight technical skills.

Every experience teaches something valuable. Even a summer job waiting tables can also show teamwork. Just frame it to match the job you're after.

Quick Takeaways

Here's a quick summary to nail how to include work experience in resume:

• Always list work experience reverse-chronologically to show your most recent achievements first.
• If you lack work experience, list internships, including volunteer work, personal projects, or extracurricular activities, with bullet points in your resume.
• Structure entries with job title, company, location, dates, and 3–5 quantified bullet points.
• Place work experience after a summary for professionals or after education/skills for entry-level.
• Focus on work achievements over daily tasks to highlight your value to employers.
• Ensure other resume sections (skills, education, and summary) complement your work experience for a strong application.
• Tailor your experience to job descriptions using relevant keywords and skills to ensure ATS compatibility.

Make Your Work Experience Stand Out

Struggling to phrase your achievements? Use JobHun’s Free AI Resume Builder & Checker to craft job-winning experience sections in minutes.

Try It Now

What to Include in the Work Experience Section

Your work experience section should showcase your impact. Here's what to include to make it compelling.

Essential Components of a Job Entry

Each job entry needs:

• Job Title: Be specific (e.g., "Customer Service Representative").
• Company Name and Location: Use full names (e.g., "BrightStar Retail, Sydney, NSW").
• Dates of Employment: Format as MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY or "Present."
• Key Responsibilities and Achievements: Use 3–5 bullet points to describe:
  • What you did (your responsibilities)
  • What you achieved (results or impact)
• Relevant Skills and Tools Used: Incorporate industry-specific tools, software, or skills (e.g., Salesforce, SQL, etc.). These keywords help with ATS optimization and show technical fit.

Example

Customer Service Representative, BrightStar Retail

Sydney, NSW, 06/2021–Present

Resolved 95% of customer complaints within 24 hours, earning top feedback.

Trained 10 new hires, improving team efficiency by 12%.

Implemented feedback system, boosting satisfaction by 15%.

Tailoring Responsibilities and Achievements

Focus on achievements, not just duties. Quantifying achievements in a resume adds impact. Instead of "Answered customer calls," say "Handled 50+ daily calls, improving satisfaction by 15%." Most recruiters prefer results-driven bullets. Tailor entries to the job by emphasizing relevant tasks, like "Developed lesson plans" for a teaching role.

How to Format Work Experience in You Resume for Clarity

Formatting your work experience section is like setting up a shop window, which needs to grab attention and be easy to browse. A clear format helps hiring managers spot your best achievements fast and ensures your resume gets through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Here's how to make your work experience section resume tips pop with simple steps.

Structuring Job Entries

Start with the basics: list your jobs in reverse-chronological order (newest first) to show your latest wins upfront. Each entry should have your job title, company name, location, and dates (MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY or "Present"). Use a clean, standard font like Arial (10–12 pt) and keep 1-inch margins to make it ATS-friendly and readable.

Here's a quick example:

Sales Associate, Horizon Retail, Brisbane, QLD, 03/2022–Present

• Increased monthly sales by 20% through upselling techniques.
• Trained 5 new hires, improving team efficiency by 10%.

Using Bullet Points vs. Paragraphs

Stick to bullet points for how to format work experience in a resume. They're easier to scan and ATS-friendly. A 2025 Harvard guide says bullets are 90% more readable than paragraphs. Use 5–6 bullets for your most recent jobs to dive into your achievements, and 2–3 for older roles to keep things brief. Paragraphs can work for short-term gigs or to summarize minor roles, but they're less effective.

Example of a paragraph (less ideal): ❌

"Worked as a cashier at QuickMart, handling transactions, assisting customers, and restocking shelves."

Compare to bullets: ✅

Cashier, QuickMart, Brisbane, QLD, 06/2018–12/2019

• Processed 200+ transactions daily with 99% accuracy.
• Assisted in restocking, improving efficiency by 10%.

Writing Strong Bullet Points (How-to Guide)

Bullet points are the heart of your work experience. They show what you did and why it matters. Follow these five steps to write bullet points that make hiring managers take notice:

1. Kick Off with a Strong Action Verb: Start each bullet with a punchy verb like “led,” “boosted,” or “streamlined.” Avoid weak phrases like “helped” or “was responsible for.”
   For example, “Led a team of 8” sounds stronger than “Helped manage a team.”
2. Focus on Achievements, Not Just Tasks: Don’t just list what you did daily, but highlight what you accomplished.
   Instead of “Made sales calls,” say “Closed 15% more deals by refining sales pitch.” Show the impact you had on your team or company.
3. Add Numbers to Prove Your Impact: Quantify whenever you can. Numbers like “25%,” “50 clients,” or “$10,000” make your achievements concrete. If exact numbers are hard, estimate conservatively, like “Trained ~10 staff.” A 2024 SEEK study says quantified bullets impress 85% of recruiters.
4. Keep It Short and Sweet: Aim for one line per bullet, around 10–15 words. Long sentences lose impact. Example: “Cut costs by 10% through vendor negotiations” is better than a rambling explanation. Use 5–6 bullets for recent jobs and 2–3 for older ones to keep it focused, per a 2025 Harvard guide.
5. Match the Job You Want: Tailor each bullet to the job description. If the job asks for “customer service,” highlight tasks like “Resolved 90% of complaints in 24 hours.” This makes your experience relevant and boosts ATS-friendly resume work experience.

Unique Insight

Think of your bullet points as mini-stories. Each one should show what you did, how you did it, and why it made a difference.

Where to Place Work Experience on Your Resume

Where you put your work experience section also matters. The right placement depends on your career stage and the resume work history format you choose. Here's how to position your work experience in different resume formats and why it matters.

Reverse-Chronological Format

The reverse-chronological format (listing your most recent job first) is the go-to for most job seekers. Place your work experience section right after your contact info and professional summary, as it’s what 80% of recruiters expect for mid-career or senior professionals, per a 2025 Indeed study.

This format shines for showing career progression, like moving from junior to senior roles. For example, if you’re a project manager, your summary might say, “Results-driven project manager with 10 years of experience,” followed by your work history to prove it. This setup highlights your latest achievements, making it ATS-friendly and easy for hiring managers to scan.

Functional and Combination Formats

If you're switching careers or have gaps, consider a functional or combination format.

Functional Resume Format

Place work experience after a skills section that highlights transferable skills like “Leadership” or “Data Analysis.”

This is ideal for career changers, as it puts your abilities front and center. For example, if you’re moving from retail to an office role, then list work experience lower to support those skills.

Combination Resume Format

Place work experience after a brief skills section but before education.

This blends skills and experience, making it great for work experience for a career change resume or those with gaps, as it emphasizes relevant achievements while still showing your work history.

Choosing Placement Based on Career Stage

Your career stage decides where work experience fits best.

1. For mid-career or senior pros, work experience should come right after the summary to showcase your track record.
2. For entry-level job seekers or recent grads, place education or skills first, then work experience, especially if you’re light on jobs. This is also recommended for those with internships or including volunteer work in their resume.
3. For career changers, start with a skills section to highlight transferable skills, then place work experience to back it up.

Example: If you’re applying for a teaching job after retail, list “Lesson Planning” as a skill, then show related experience like “Trained 10 new hires.”

Work Experience Examples for Different Career Levels

Need some inspiration? Here are resume work experience examples for different career stages to show you how to format and highlight your achievements, whether you've got years of experience or none at all.

Entry-Level Examples

Retail Assistant

Example

Retail Assistant, SunnyMart,

Perth, WA, 01/2023–Present

Assisted 100+ customers daily, maintaining 98% satisfaction ratings.

Streamlined inventory checks, reducing errors by 10%.

Promoted seasonal products, increasing sales by 15%.

Trained 3 new staff, improving onboarding speed by 20%.

Organized store displays, boosting foot traffic by 5%.

Marketing Intern

Example

Marketing Intern, Horizon Agency,

Melbourne, VIC, 01/2023–06/2023

Created social media posts, boosting engagement by 20%.

Analyzed campaign data, improving ad targeting by 15%.

Supported 3 client pitches, securing $50,000 in contracts.

Designed 10+ graphics for campaigns, viewed by 5,000+ users.

Coordinated team meetings, cutting scheduling time by 10%.

Mid-Career Examples

Project Manager

Example

Project Manager, TechCorp,

Sydney, NSW, 06/2018–Present

Led 10-person team to deliver $500,000 project on time.

Cut project costs by 15% through vendor negotiations.

Developed risk management plan, reducing delays by 20%.

Implemented Agile methodology, improving delivery speed by 25%.

Mentored 3 junior PMs, enhancing team performance.

Administrative Assistant

Example

Administrative Assistant, BlueWave Solutions

Adelaide, SA, 03/2020–Present

Managed schedules for 5 executives, improving efficiency by 30%.

Organized 20+ events, saving $5,000 annually on logistics.

Streamlined filing system, reducing retrieval time by 25%.

Trained 4 new hires on office systems, boosting team productivity.

Prepared 50+ reports monthly, ensuring 100% accuracy.

Senior-Level Example

Marketing Director

Example

Marketing Director, Vision Inc.

Melbourne, VIC, 03/2015–Present

Grew annual revenue by 25% through multi-channel campaigns.

Oversaw $2M budget, improving ROI by 20%.

Launched 3 national campaigns, reaching 1M+ customers.

No-Experience Example

Volunteer Coordinator (No Formal Work Experience)

Example

Volunteer Coordinator, Community Food Drive

Brisbane, QLD, 09/2022–12/2022

Organized events for 200+ attendees, raising $10,000 for charity.

Recruited 15 volunteers, increasing team capacity by 50%.

Managed donation tracking, ensuring 100% accuracy.

Promoted event on social media, growing attendance by 30%.

Coordinated logistics, cutting setup time by 2 hours.

Student Project (No Formal Work Experience)

Example

Web Development Project, University of Sydney

Sydney, NSW, 01/2023–05/2023

Built website prototype, viewed by 500+ users in testing.

Debugged code, reducing errors by 40%.

Presented project to 30 classmates, earning top feedback.

Collaborated with 4 team members, meeting all deadlines.

Other Essential Tips for Work Experience

You've got the basics down. Now, let's polish your work experience section with the following practical tips to make it stand out.

Tailoring to Job Descriptions

To make your work experience pop, match it to the job description.

Scan the posting for keywords like “project management” and use them in your bullets, like “Managed 5 projects, saving 10% on costs.”
Try tools like JobHun to spot keywords fast and align with your resume. Also, keep your skills and summary sections consistent with your work experience. For example, if your work experience says “Boosted sales by 20%,” your skills section should list “Sales Strategy.”

Handling Tricky Scenarios

Got gaps, no formal jobs, or multiple roles at one company? Don’t sweat it. For a resume with no experience, use internships or include volunteer work in the resume, as we discussed earlier.

Example: List a volunteer role as “Organized events for 200+ people, raising $10,000.” For gaps, briefly note skill-building, like “Career Break, 2023: Earned Excel certification.” For multiple roles, group them under one company to show growth, like “TechCorp: Senior Developer (2023–Present), Junior Developer (2021–2022).” Focus on what you’ve learned, not what’s missing.

Complementing Work Experience with Other Sections

A skills section reinforces your work experience. List hard skills (e.g., “Excel”) and soft skills (e.g., “Team Leadership”) that align with your job history.

Example: If you managed projects, list “Project Management” and reference it in your work bullets.

For entry-level job seekers, education complements work experience, especially when there is no prior experience, a professional summary ties your experience to the job: “Customer service professional with 5 years of experience resolving 95% of complaints within 24 hours.” For entry-level, an objective like “Eager to apply internship skills in marketing” works.

Optimizing for ATS

Incorporate job ad terms like “customer service.” A 2024 Michael Page article says ATS rejects resumes missing keywords.

Example: For “team leadership,” write: “Led 8-person team to meet deadlines.” Use standard fonts (Arial, 10–12 pt), avoid tables, and use bullet points. A 2025 USAJOBS guide warns that complex formatting confuses ATS. Save as .docx or .pdf (check job instructions).

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Steer clear of pitfalls that dim your shine. According to the 2025 Drexel Guide, don’t list jobs from 15 years ago unless they are relevant to you; focus on recent successes.

Skip vague phrases like “did tasks”; instead, say “Cut wait times by 5 minutes.”

Overloading with too many bullets (stick to 5–6 for recent jobs, 2–3 for older ones) can bore recruiters, says a 2025 Harvard guide.

Finally, double-check that your work experience matches your LinkedIn or cover letter for consistency. Mismatches raise red flags.

Boost Your Resume with JobHun's Free AI Checker

Your work experience section shines only if your resume is ATS-friendly. Use JobHun's free AI resume checker at JobHun.com to scan for keywords, formatting, and clarity.

Conclusion

MasterinMastering how to include work experience in a resume is your key to landing interviews. Whether you’re an entry-level job seeker with internships, a mid-career pro with promotions, or a senior leader with a long career, use reverse-chronological order, action verbs, and quantified achievements to show your impact.

Include essential details, format clearly with bullet points, and place work experience strategically. Complement it with skills and education, tailor it to each job, and address gaps or non-traditional experience confidently. Your work history tells your story, so make it compelling. Use JobHun’s free AI Resume Checker at JobHun.com to polish your resume. Ready to impress employers?