You put in the time, made the money moves, and got that promotion—congrats! Whether you’re updating your resume pronto or gearing up for the new job search, you now face a major question: how do you show on paper that you’ve moved up?
Here’s a quick look at what info to provide and how to show your promotion while keeping your resume sleek.
How much is too much information about your promotion?
As always, you want to keep your resume brief...but you also want to show off. Bullet points are best for organizing, and you’ll want to give the bulk of space to your achievements. A general rule of thumb: use two to three bullet points to describe your responsibilities, then three to five to list your concrete accomplishments.
If you’re still new to the position and don’t have a huge number of notable deeds, you might want to go with an alternate layout. Consider using bullet points to outline your duties, then cap it off with a small section on key achievements.
The Action-Benefit format is perfect if you’re in this position and makes the updating process simple and formulaic.
Put it all together and your basic resume job listing will look something like this:
Lightning Marketing
Copywriter: January 2018–Present
Created original content including social media posts, blog posts, and email campaigns
Styled pages using HTML
Key achievements: Created and implemented an internal social media marketing strategy which increased engagement by 117 percent
Read more:How To Write a Career Change Cover Letter That Knocks Their Socks Off
3 formatting styles for showing a promotion on your resume
Once you’ve got the content figured out, you have a few options for formatting. Of course, be sure you’re always putting your most recent position at the top, even if it’s not your promotion.
1. Stacking
This is likely the most space-efficient option, but should only be used if your work duties weren’t significantly altered by the promotion—otherwise it won’t be clear which responsibilities belonged to which position.
Lightning Marketing
Senior Copywriter: October 2019—Present
Junior Copywriter: April 2019—October 2019
Promoted within 6 months for exceeding learning curve expectations
Created and implemented content strategies for multiple clients
Oversaw custom email campaign that resulted in a $10,000 sales increase
2. Duplicating
If your positions have sufficiently different responsibilities, then separating your job titles is the way to go. It keeps things clean, organized, and understandable.
Lightning Marketing
Account Executive: October 2019—Present
Collaborated with clients to build specialized marketing campaigns
Conducted extensive market research to find new growth opportunities for current clients.
Key achievements: Negotiated deals totaling over $10 million to date
Project Manager: August 2018—October 2019
Analyzed and strategized with clients and other departments to achieve a cohesive marketing plan
Delegated work to internal department and ensured quality with thorough proofs
3. Separating
Say you received your promotion after a brief hiatus at the company, or you were working a second position in between the two. In that case, it’s perfectly acceptable to break up the company and list it twice.
Lightning Marketing
Creative Director: September 2019–Present
Oversaw multiple departments through the creation and implementation of marketing campaigns
Directed pitch meetings and facilitated creative sessions
Improved clickthrough rate of multiple clients’ PPC campaigns by over 50%
Led a highly successful campaign which directly contributed to a 200% internal sales growth
North Street Marketing
Senior Copywriter: November 2016–September 2019
Created custom content for clients, including social media posts, blog posts, and web content
Managed in-house copywriting team
Cultivated internal social media accounts to increase brand awareness
Lightning Marketing
Copywriter: January 2015–November 2016
Created content and closely collaborated with over two dozen clients
Participated in weekly pitch meetings
Read more:The Complete Guide to Getting a Job (Whether You’re On Your First or Fifth)
