How to Format Dates on a Resume

  • When mentioning your degrees, such as those from Brown University, use your anticipated graduation date without specifying a start date. This differs from other experiences, where you typically provide a date range spanning from the beginning to the end.
  • For denoting date ranges, adopt the “space-dash-space” format, such as “June – August 2017,” as opposed to “June-August 2017.”
  • Ensure consistent use of the same style of dash, either the shorter hyphen or slightly longer en-dash, throughout your document.
  • To save space and maintain a clean and uniform appearance, consider abbreviating months by using only the first three letters without a period. For instance, use “Sep – Dec 2019” rather than “Sept. – Dec. 2019.”
  • Right-aligning your dates is recommended to prevent them from overcrowding the information about organizations and positions, which are often more significant.

Brown University

  • Expected Jan 2021
  • Expected January 2021
  • Expected 01/21
  • Jan 2021
  • January 2021
  • 01/21

Study Abroad

  • Sep – Dec 2019
  • Fall 2019
  • September – December 2018
  • 09/18 – 12/18

Transfer School (no degree earned)

  • 2018 – 2020
  • Sep 2018 – Jun 2020
  • September 2018 – June 2020
  • 09/18 – 06/20

Summer

  • Jun – Aug 2018
  • June – August 2018
  • 06/18 – 08/18

Academic Year

  • Sep 2017 – Jun 2018
  • September 2017 – June 2018
  • 09/17 – 06/18
  • 2017 – 2018

Month or Year

  • Mar 2018
  • March 2018
  • 03/18

By Shobhit Patel
Shobhit Patel