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Highlights

1. Including promotions highlights career development, showing skills and adaptability that recruiters value.
2. Promotions set you apart by proving dedication, recognized achievements, and added responsibilities.
3. Choose between stacking roles under one company or listing each promotion separately.
4. With recruiters spending only 7 seconds on a resume, clear formatting makes a strong impression.

Listing promotions on your resume is a great way to show your career growth and achievements. Promotions highlight your ability to take on more responsibility and succeed in advanced roles. When done right, they can impress potential employers by showing your dedication and capability.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to show promotion on resume, with examples and tips on formatting. 

What is a Promotion?

A promotion happens when an employee steps into a higher-level role within the company. It usually means more responsibilities, a higher salary, and added benefits. Sometimes, it also includes managing a team or leading projects.

Some promotions, called lateral promotions, give you a bigger role without changing your level, recognizing your growth in expertise and responsibility.

Why You Should Include Promotions on a Resume?

Before knowing how to list promotions on resume, let’s first understand their importance.

Adding promotions to your resume shows clear career growth and your readiness for new challenges, which employers value. Promotions highlight your achievements and prove that your skills and hard work have been recognized. They also help set you apart from other candidates by showing your development and dedication.

For instance, if you advanced from an entry-level analyst to a manager, this growth demonstrates your leadership skills and adaptability. Moreover, it also shows that you’ve gained valuable experience and skills for the next role you aim for.

Note: Use our best resume builder to create ATS-friendly resumes for your next job!

How To Add Promotion To Resume?

Research shows recruiters spend just 7 seconds on a resume, so formatting is key!

You have two options for listing promotions at the same company:

1. Stack all roles under one company in order of when you held them.
2. List each position separately as its entry, even if all were at the same company.

Be consistent with your format and include clear dates to make it easy for hiring managers to see your progress. Using a resume builder can also help keep your resume professional and organized.

Option 1: Stacked Entries

One effective way to show your promotions is to stack each role under the same company name on your resume. Start with your most recent position at the top, then list previous roles underneath in reverse order.

In each role, note that it was a promotion and include a brief description of your duties and achievements. Mention specific accomplishments that contributed to your promotion to show how you’ve grown.

This approach makes it easy for recruiters to see your career progression and increased responsibilities over time. It also highlights your commitment to your company, which recruiters often appreciate.

Example

Protection Services, New York, NY

Managing Director, R&D

(November 2015 - November 2019)

1. Led integration of Software Inc.’s development, QA, and support into Protection’s corporate structure following an acquisition while overseeing development and support.
2. Managed a $10M budget, optimizing costs by evaluating product lifecycle and project staffing needs.
3. Created strategic development roadmaps for 1, 3, 5, and 10 years.
4. Oversaw Software Inc.'s merger with expert insight into product and business strategy.
5. Established processes for a seamless integration of all Software products.
6. Streamlined operations by consolidating three software versions into a single standard version.

Director, Connectivity Development & IT Services

(August 2010 - October 2015)

1. Led software development and IT teams at Software Inc., including client/server middleware development, business analysis tools, SQL parser/engine, and web interfaces.
2. Cut expenses from $5M to $300K by renegotiating mainframe software costs with vendors.
3. Increased revenue by over $2M within three years through strategic software innovations.
4. Developed successful design plans for new ancillary products to support business growth.

Option 2: Separate Entries

Another option is to list each promotion separately in your work experience section.

Begin with your current job, including the job title, company name, dates, and a short description of your duties and achievements. Then, repeat this format for each previous role within the same company.

For each promotion, list the new job title, dates, and any new responsibilities or achievements. Make sure to start with your most recent position.

Using separate entries lets you clearly show how you advanced and took on different responsibilities over time. This format highlights your taking on more challenging roles within the same company.

Example

Johnson & Miller, LLP, Athens, OH

Associate Attorney

1. Promoted to manage case development for medical malpractice defense, general litigation, and health law cases. Acted as Second Chair at trials, representing medical professionals in state board matters, HIPAA compliance, and contract reviews.
2. Grew practice areas by developing employment contract services and expanding offerings to include practice buyouts and HIPAA compliance work.
3. Served as Second Chair in a key medical malpractice trial, resulting in a favorable outcome for the client.
4. Drafted reports on new HIPAA requirements, conducted breach analyses, and prepared various contract addendums for clients.

Post-Bar Clerkship

(August 2012 - December 2013)

1. Managed civil litigation cases, including medical malpractice defense and health law matters. Prepared legal motions, pleadings, and memorandums and conducted thorough legal research.

Legal Clerkship

(August 2012 - December 2013)

1. Supported family law, personal injury, and medical malpractice cases. Drafted motions, contracts, orders, and correspondences, performed legal research, and managed court filings.

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How to Show Promotion On CV?

Here’s a standard format to help you effectively display a promotion on your CV:

1. Start with the Company Name

List the company you worked for first. You may also include the company’s location (city, and if abroad, the country). Starting with the employer makes it easier for hiring managers to verify your work experience.

2. Add Job Titles

After the company name, list your job titles in reverse chronological order, with your most recent role at the top. This format first shows your latest, most advanced position, highlighting your career growth and the skills you’ve developed.

3. Include Employment Duration for Each Role

Specify the dates you held each position. This gives hiring managers insight into your experience depth. For example, someone with 10 years of experience demonstrates a deeper level of expertise than a candidate with just three years in a similar role. Showing your tenure can also reveal how quickly you advanced within the company.

4. List Promotions, Responsibilities, and Achievements

Use bullet points to detail your responsibilities and accomplishments under each job title. For each promotion, the first bullet point can explain the reason, followed by your key achievements and responsibilities in that role.

How to Pick the Right Format for Your Promotions?

Now you know how to put promotion on resume, let’s talk about how to pick the right format.

Should you use stacked entries or separate entries? Choosing the right way to show your promotions is important, especially when each corporate job opening gets around 250 applications on average, according to Zippia.com. You’ll want your resume to stand out!

Here’s how to decide:

1. Number of Promotions: If you’ve had several promotions at one company, listing each separately can highlight your career growth.
2. Time in Each Role: If you stayed in each position for a long time, stacking them under the same company can keep your resume clean and avoid repetition.
3. Relevance to the Job You Want: If each promotion gave you skills directly related to the role you’re applying for, listing each separately shows your ability to adapt and grow.

Pick the approach that best showcases your experience and makes it easy for employers to see your progress.

Summary

Including promotions on your resume is a smart way to show growth, dedication, and valuable skills. Knowing how to show promotion on a resume helps you stand out by highlighting your achievements and commitment to advancing your career. Moreover, using the right format, whether stacking roles or listing them separately, makes your resume look professional and easy to read.