The Dateless Chronological Format
This format is also a great answer if you’re returning to your prior career after a hiatus as “my kid’s mom” (or dad!).
A Dateless Chronological Format Helped Anne
Anne, a career mom, had a solid work history before leaving the workforce (that is, the paid and tangibly rewarded workforce). Once her wee ones were in school, she wanted to return to work. A chronological format (see Résumé below) without dates was just the thing to downplay a seven-year hiatus. It worked especially well for her because of her positions with prestigious name-brand employers like Procter & Gamble and Hershey Foods.
Points
- Perfect for individuals who have been out of the job market for a time but whose prior career path has been otherwise flawless.
- Eliminates confusion about overlapping or concurrent work assignments.
- Allows the reader to focus on the substance of your experience rather than the length of your employment.
Pitfall
May give rise to suspicions that you don’t have much experience. Counter this by including a statement in the Objective or in your cover letter that gives an idea of how long you’ve been working (for instance, “Sales position in telecommunications where my 12 years of industry experience will be of benefit”).
