Movin' On Up! Adding Promotions To Your Resume

Congratulations! Great Work! Way to go! You did it!

Promotions are awesome. More money, more respect, and more time telling other people what to do.

But now you're bored, or you're moving, or you've reached the top, and it's time to find a new company to take over.

We all know resumes aren't supposed to be as long as a LOTR movie, so how do you include all those fancy promotions without drowning your resume in word goo?

Here are 3 solutions to show off your promotions:

1. Adding a bullet point to your current job description.
If you have been with the same company for a long time, and your promotions happened early on, you can add them as the final bullet point to your current job's description. This is a great option if you've held your promoted position for a long time (like, years-ish) and your entry positions aren't very relevant to your current search. Think a restaurant manager who's overseen her team for ten years, but started as a host and/or server for a year before being made manager. 
For example:
             A Really Good Restaurant
                    Restaurant Manager, 1999-present
                       -Manage team of 8 servers
                       -Report daily earnings through proper data entry
                       -Interact with guests to ensure proper guest satisfaction
                       -Previous positions included Server (Aug. '98 - Mar. '99) and Host (Jun. '98 - Aug '98)

2. Listing promotions at the top of your job description.
If your promoted job is fairly similar, or is a derivative of your entry job, list it under your current job's title. This is a great option for someone who's working his way up the food chain in an office. 
For example:
           Big Corporate Office
                   Executive Assistant, 2011-present
                        Past: Administrative Assistant (2008-2011)
                                 Receptionist (2007-2008)
                        -Coordinate executives' schedules and manage appointments
                        -Arrange travel including flights, hotel, and car services
                        -Great guests and maintain a comfortable waiting room
               
3. Including job descriptions for each new promotion
If you took on new responsibilities with each promotion, be sure to highlight those new responsibilities in your bullet points. This option works well for someone who is working her way up the food chain, but is also taking on new duties with each promotion. 
For example:
            The Sales Company
                     Account Manager, 2009-present
                        -Track all incoming orders for new and established customers
                        -Provide sales training for team of 10 sales associates
                        -Travel to visit retail customers and ensure satisfaction
                   Assistant Account Manager, 2007-2009
                       -Maintain inventory of customer database
                       -Make sales calls for pre-established customers
                       -Follow up with customers on sales
                  Sales Associate, 2004-2007
                       -Cold call local and national retailers to gain new customers
                       -Provide sales pitch during sales meetings
                       -Track potential customers using company wide database

And there you have it. Depending on your situation and the format of your resume, choose the option that works best for you. Highlight your skills in your job descriptions and make it clear that you were promoted because of your talents. Be sure to mention your promotions in your cover letter to explain thoroughly why you're such a catch. 

Now go get you that next big job. You've earned it!