reader's question: how do I list more than one position at the same magazine on my resumé?

Q. I've held three different positions at the same magazine; on my resumé, should I list them all separately, including duties and achievements for each, or lump them together under one entry?

A. The majority of advice out there recommends listing your positions under one heading, focusing on your most recent accomplishments. List your overall time at the magazine, then list the dates for when you held each position, like this

2004-present Magazine A, Big Three Publishing Inc., Toronto

Associate Editor, 2007-present
Assistant Editor, 2005-2007
Editorial Assistant, 2004-2005

Then list all your achievements, highlighting those most recent and relevant to the job you're applying to. If you regularly went beyond the expectations of the more junior positions, you can draw attention to this by listing achievements separately under each job title.

The benefit of listing your positions under one heading is that it shows longevity, that your skills develop over time and a minor but important detail, it doesn't look like you're trying to pad out your resumé, as it might if you listed each position separately. And, as the website Best Resume Writing points out, it avoids making the impression that you're a job hopper, instead showing that you're a loyal employee.

The exception to this rule, though, would be if the positions you held were quite different and not necessarily a natural progression from one to the next. I'll use my own resumé as an example: At one magazine, I progressed from freelance copy editor to full-time, to copy chief over a couple of years – these positions are listed as one item, with a focus on the most recent. At my current magazine, I've held the positions of copy editor and senior editor – these are listed separately.