Write a Standout Experience Section in 2023: Resume Writing Guide

by Hiration

Are you a job seeker struggling to stand out in the U.S. job market?

Your resume is often the first impression you make on a potential employer, and it's crucial to make it count.

Writing your experience in a way that showcases your skills and accomplishments can be a challenge, but it doesn't have to be.

We will provide you with insider tips and tricks for crafting an experience section that will grab the recruiters’ attention and increase your chances of standing out and landing your dream job.

Keep reading to discover how to write experience in your resume like a pro.

How to Explain Experience in Resume?


The experience section of your resume is where you showcase your relevant work history and highlight your skills and achievements.

You should list your most recent job first and then work backward. For each job, include the job title, company name, dates of employment, and a brief description of your responsibilities.

It is important to focus on relevant experiences that directly relates to the position you are applying for. Try to keep your descriptions concise and to the point, highlighting only the most important details about your past responsibilities.

Also, consider adding any additional work experience or special qualifications that may be helpful in the role, such as volunteer work or certifications.

However, it's not necessary to include all of your past jobs, simply focus on the most relevant experiences.

Hiration pro tip:
Focus on what you accomplished in the role rather than simply listing your daily tasks.

Tailor Your Work History as per the Job


Your resume should highlight your relevant experience, not just your impressive experience. Therefore, researching the company and the job posting will help you write a more effective resume.

Identify the keywords and phrases repeated in the job post and include them in your resume. Make sure to focus on the skills and achievements that are most relevant to the position you are applying for.

Practice this:
Suppose you are applying for the role of marketing manager, and the requirements stress the value of using data to make informed choices. You can emphasize your experience utilizing data analytics and the positive outcomes you achieved in the experience section of your resume.
Avoid this:
However, for the same role, if you highlight your expertise in event organizing rather than data-driven marketing, it might backfire. The recruiter is looking for a candidate with experience in data-driven decision-making. So, demonstrate your suitability for the role by highlighting relevant experiences, even if they are less impressive than your other experiences.

Also read: How to create a resume with no experience?

The Importance of Highlighting Accomplishments


Accomplishments show the impact you had in your previous roles and demonstrate your skills and capabilities to potential employers.

When writing your accomplishments, consider the following sub-points:

  • Quantify your achievements: Include statistics and numbers wherever possible to show the impact you made in your previous roles.

  • Utilize action verbs: Begin your achievement statement with an action verb, such as "developed," "led," or "administered."

  • Be precise: Instead of simply stating that you "improved sales," specify exactly how you improved sales i.e., elaborate on the steps you took or the method you used.

The Role of Relevant Keywords in a Resume


Reasons why you need to include relevant keywords in your professional experience section:

First, it makes your resume more visible to employers and applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Second, it helps to show that you're a strong fit for the job you're applying for.

When using keywords in your experience section, consider the following sub-points:

  • Include relevant keywords: Including keywords you found in the job posting shows that you are paying attention to the requirements of the job and that you are a strong fit for the position.

  • Use industry-specific keywords: Including relevant industry-specific keywords in your resume demonstrates your knowledge and experience in the field.

  • Be natural: Don't force keywords into your experience section, or for that matter, in your entire resume, if they don't fit naturally. It will look inauthentic and could hurt your chances of getting hired.

Also read: How to make the most out of resume keywords?

5 Resume Experience Examples for Different Specializations


Here are 5 professional experience examples by Hiration for you to understand how to write experience in a resume:

Administration


Business Development


Customer Service


Engineering


Health & Medicine


Also read: What are some work-from-home jobs that require no experience?

Writing Experience in a Resume for Freshers


As a fresher, writing a professional experience section for your resume can be a challenging task.

With limited work experience, it is important to focus on highlighting your skills and accomplishments to demonstrate your potential.

By following the tips and tricks outlined, you will be able to create a professional experience section that showcases your skills and makes you stand out from other job seekers.

  • Start with your most recent job: If you are a fresher, your most recent job is likely a part-time job, internship, or volunteer experience. Even if you are making a career change, make sure to start with the recent experience and then work backward.

  • Use a clear and concise format: Use bullet points instead of paragraphs and simple language to describe your responsibilities and achievements.

  • Focus on transferable skills: You may not have extensive work experience as a fresher. Therefore, you can focus on the transferable skills you already possess, such as communication, problem-solving, or leadership skills.

  • Include relevant qualification and training: If you have certification or training that is relevant to the job you are applying for, include that information in your resume.

Keep these tips in mind and you will be able to create a compelling and well-rounded professional experience section that showcases your skills and accomplishments to potential employers.

Also read: What are the components of a resume format for freshers?

Key Takeaways


Here are a few points that you can keep in mind while drafting the experience section of your resume:

  • Use simple and precise language that paints a vivid picture. Avoid generic statements, and instead, focus on describing specific details of your achievements and successes.
  • Make sure to list relevant experiences and provide appropriate details about each one. List them in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top, for employers to track your employment history with ease.
  • The hiring managers need to quickly skim your resume, so it is important to use consistent formatting and clear delineation between sections.

Check out Hiration’s Career Platform which offers 24x7 chat support. You can also write to us at support@hiration.com if you have any queries.