Should Your Resume Be in Past Tense?

When it comes to writing a resume, even small choices — like verb tense — can shape how recruiters view your experience. One of the most common questions job seekers ask is: Should my resume be in past tense or present tense? Let’s break it down.

Why Verb Tense Matters on a Resume

Your choice of tense isn’t just grammar — it’s communication.
It shows recruiters whether your achievements are part of your history or your present.
Used well, tense makes your resume easier to scan and more professional to read.

Modern hiring has changed. Resumes are now filtered not only by recruiters, but also by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) — software that scans for keywords, clarity, and structure. Even small inconsistencies can affect how your experience is interpreted.

In a CareerBuilder survey of over 1,100 HR managers, 77% said they instantly reject resumes with typos or grammatical errors. Tense consistency isn’t just a writing style — it’s part of the overall polish that shapes first impressions with both humans and machines.

When to Use Past Tense on Your Resume

As a rule of thumb: past tense = completed experience.
Use it for positions you no longer hold or for accomplishments that are fully in the past.

Examples:

• Managed a team of five customer service agents

• Created marketing materials for product launches

• Reduced operational costs by 15%

Past tense signals that these actions are complete, measurable, and reliable.
It subtly tells recruiters: “I’ve done this successfully before — I can do it again.”
That confidence is part of what makes your experience feel strong and credible.

Now that you know how to handle past roles, let’s look at how to approach your current position.

When Present Tense Makes Sense — and When It Doesn’t

If you’re currently employed, present tense fits for responsibilities you handle day to day.

Examples:

• Lead weekly client meetings

• Oversee digital marketing strategy

• Coordinate product updates

But when you’re describing something you’ve already achieved in your current job, switch to past tense.

Example:

• Increased social media engagement by 40% in Q1

This mix tells a story of ongoing performance and proven results.
It shows what you’re doing now, and what you’ve already accomplished — giving your resume a sense of motion and progress.

Common Mistake: Mixing Tenses in One Bullet

Never switch tenses mid-sentence.
It looks careless and breaks the rhythm for the reader.

Wrong: Manage client accounts and helped streamline onboarding.
Right: Manage client accounts and help streamline onboarding.

If one part of a task happened in the past, separate it into its own bullet.
Recruiters (and ATS systems) scan in seconds — clarity always wins.

How Other Sections Should Handle Tense

Summary / Profile:
Always in present tense, since it describes who you are today.

“Results-driven sales manager with 8+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams.”

Education:
Use past tense if completed, or present if ongoing.

“Graduated with honors” vs. “Pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in…”

Certifications or Volunteer Work:
Follow the same logic — completed = past, ongoing = present.
It keeps your resume consistent and easy to follow.

Hobbies and Interests:
Use present tense, as this section reflects your current activities.

“Enjoy baking and photography” or “Passionate about hiking and community gardening.”
Stick to hobbies that still define you and, if possible, highlight transferable skills like creativity or teamwork.

Pro Tips for Tense Consistency

• Proofread carefully. Tense mistakes are among the easiest to overlook.

• Read your resume out loud. It’s the simplest way to catch grammatical slips that don’t sound natural.

• Use clear action verbs (“led,” “developed,” “implemented”) to keep your writing dynamic.

• If unsure, default to past tense. It’s universally accepted and works in almost every context.

• Check for alignment with ATS requirements. Some parsing tools prefer consistent tenses and action verbs for proper indexing.

Remember: tense isn’t just grammar — it’s a signal of how much attention you pay to detail. And recruiters value that more than almost anything else.

Final Thoughts

A resume isn’t just a list of jobs — it’s a piece of professional communication.

Use past tense for what you’ve completed, present tense for what you’re doing now, and above all — be consistent. That consistency is what makes your resume feel polished, confident, and easy to trust.

If you want to make sure your resume reads cleanly from both a human and ATS perspective, SuperCandidate’s CV builder can help you structure and optimize every line — no guesswork needed.