Managing multiple jobs simultaneously is increasingly common, offering a unique opportunity to highlight a diverse skill set and strong work ethic. Representing this complex experience on a resume can be challenging. The goal is to present your work history in a way that is clear and professional, effectively communicating your value without causing confusion for hiring managers.
When to Include Concurrent Jobs on Your Resume
Deciding whether to list multiple jobs is a strategic choice that hinges on relevance. The primary consideration is whether the experience from a second job aligns with the requirements of the role you are applying for. If a concurrent role demonstrates relevant technical skills or project management experience, including it can substantially strengthen your application and showcase a proactive approach to professional development.
Including concurrent jobs can also explain what might otherwise appear as an employment gap. Listing part-time or contract work provides a complete picture of your professional activities, preventing recruiters from making incorrect assumptions. Successfully managing more than one job also demonstrates soft skills like time management, organizational prowess, and self-motivation, which are attractive to almost any employer.
There are instances where omitting a concurrent job is the better strategy. If the second role is entirely unrelated to your career path and adds no relevant skills, it may be perceived as clutter. For example, a software engineer including a weekend job as a barista could distract from more pertinent experience. The objective is to build a focused narrative, so any information that detracts from it should be excluded.
Formatting Options for Concurrent Jobs
How you structure concurrent roles is fundamental to a recruiter’s understanding of your experience. Your choice of format depends on the nature of the jobs. The goal is to select a method that presents your timeline logically and highlights relevant experiences without creating clutter.
The Stacked Method
The stacked method is a straightforward approach for two or more distinct roles with overlapping timelines. This format involves creating a separate, full entry for each job in reverse-chronological order. Each entry has its own company name, job title, date range, and bullet points, with the overlapping dates showing the roles were held simultaneously.
For example, a recruiter looking at your resume would see:
Marketing Manager, ABC Corporation | Oct 2022 – Present
Freelance Graphic Designer, Self-Employed | May 2021 – Present
This format works best when both jobs are substantial and you want to detail distinct accomplishments for each without combining them under a single heading.
The Grouped Method
The grouped method is ideal for freelancers or contractors who worked with multiple clients during the same period. Instead of listing each short-term gig, you create a single entry under a title like “Independent Consultant.” This entry has one overarching date range covering your freelance activity.
Within this grouped entry, you can use bullet points to detail the different projects or clients. This approach avoids cluttering your resume with numerous short-term entries. For instance, the entry might look like this:
Freelance Content Strategist | 2020 – Present
Developed and executed content calendars for B2B tech startups, resulting in a 40% increase in organic traffic for Client A.
Wrote and optimized website copy for an e-commerce brand, contributing to a 15% improvement in conversion rates for Client B.
The Sub-bullet Method
The sub-bullet method is effective when you have one primary role and a secondary side project or part-time job. Your main job receives a standard, detailed entry. The secondary role is then mentioned briefly within the description of the primary job or as a sub-bullet under it.
This format keeps the focus on your principal position while still acknowledging your additional skills. For example, you could include a bullet point in your main job description that reads, “Managed all departmental projects while concurrently providing freelance social media consulting to local non-profits.”
How to Write Job Descriptions for Each Role
After choosing a format, craft compelling job descriptions tailored to the job you are targeting. Analyze the job posting to identify the desired skills and qualifications. Use your bullet points to demonstrate how you have successfully applied those skills in your past roles.
A challenge when describing concurrent jobs is avoiding redundancy. If both roles involved similar duties, like project management, highlight unique achievements in each. Use varied action verbs and focus on distinct, quantifiable outcomes.
For example, instead of stating “Managed social media” for two jobs, specify your results. For one role, you could write, “Grew Instagram engagement by 45% through targeted campaigns.” For the other, “Developed a comprehensive content calendar spanning four social media platforms.” This approach prevents repetition and provides a detailed picture of your capabilities. Each bullet point should serve as a concise case study of your accomplishments.
Tips for Maintaining Clarity and Professionalism
To ensure your resume is effective, maintaining clarity and a professional appearance is important. Consistency in formatting is a simple tool for achieving this. Use the same style for dates, fonts, and bullet points throughout the document for a clean, organized look that helps recruiters follow your career timeline.
Your resume’s summary offers an opportunity to frame your concurrent work experience. Use this space to create a narrative that explains your diverse background. For instance, “A project manager with seven years of tech industry experience, complemented by a freelance consulting practice in user experience design.”
Honesty and accuracy are non-negotiable, so be truthful about the scope and time commitment of each role. Be prepared to discuss how you managed your responsibilities during an interview. Before submitting, proofread the document to ensure the timeline is logical and free of contradictions.