Are you confused about whether to say experience in or experience on? Both expressions can be correct, but they are used in different contexts.
The right preposition depends on what you want to describe. In most situations, experience in is used for skills, fields, industries,
and activities, while experience on is used when referring to specific projects, tasks, platforms, or pieces of work in contexts where on is appropriate.
For example, you would normally say, “I have experience in marketing,” because marketing is a professional field.
However, you might say, “I have experience working on international projects,” because on connects your experience to particular projects.
Understanding this difference can improve your English grammar, job applications, CV, résumé, cover letter, and everyday communication.
In this guide, you will learn when to use experience in and experience on, explore practical examples, avoid common mistakes, and discover which expression sounds most natural in different situations.
Quick Answer: Experience In or Experience On?
Experience in is generally used for fields, industries, skills, and activities, as in “experience in teaching.” Experience on is possible when discussing particular projects, assignments, or platforms, especially with verbs such as working or gained. For example, “experience working on a project” is natural. The correct preposition depends on the sentence.
Why Do People Confuse Experience In and Experience On?
People often confuse these expressions because English prepositions do not always follow simple rules. Words such as in, on, and with can express different relationships depending on the noun or activity that follows them.
The word experience refers to knowledge or skill gained through doing something, observing events, or working in a particular environment. The preposition helps explain where that experience was gained or what it relates to.
Compare these sentences:
- I have experience in graphic design.
- I have experience working on graphic design projects.
The first sentence describes a field of expertise. The second describes the activity of working on projects.
Both are natural, but they emphasize different things.
First Word: When Should You Use Experience In?
Experience in is the most common choice when referring to a professional field, industry, subject area, skill, or activity.
Use in when you want to explain the area in which someone has gained knowledge or practical experience.
1. Experience in a Professional Field
Use experience in when describing a career area or profession.
Examples:
- I have five years of experience in accounting.
- She has extensive experience in education.
- He has experience in software development.
- They have experience in customer service.
In these sentences, the preposition in introduces the field in which the experience was gained.
2. Experience in a Skill or Activity
You can also use experience in with activities and areas of practical work.
Examples:
- She has experience in teaching young children.
- I have experience in managing teams.
- He has experience in preparing financial reports.
- We have experience in organizing events.
This structure is especially useful in professional writing and job applications.
3. Experience in an Industry
Use in when talking about experience gained within a particular industry or business sector.
Examples:
- She has experience in the healthcare industry.
- He has ten years of experience in construction.
- I have experience in the hospitality sector.
- They have experience in the technology industry.
4. Experience in a Subject Area
The expression also works with academic and technical subjects.
Examples:
- He has experience in scientific research.
- She has experience in data analysis.
- I have experience in language teaching.
Simple rule: Use experience in when the following words identify a field, skill, industry, or area of activity.
Second Word: When Should You Use Experience On?
Experience on is possible in certain contexts, but it is less common as a direct combination than experience in. It often sounds more natural when on belongs to a phrase describing work performed on a particular project, task, system, or platform.
1. Experience Working on a Project
When describing work on a specific project, use the phrase experience working on.
Examples:
- I have experience working on international projects.
- She has experience working on research assignments.
- He gained experience working on a website redesign.
- We have experience working on large construction projects.
In these examples, on connects the action of working to the project.
Compare:
- Less natural in many contexts: I have experience on project management.
- More natural: I have experience in project management.
- More natural: I have experience working on complex projects.
2. Experience on a Platform or System
The preposition on can also appear when describing practical work involving a platform, tool, or system.
Examples:
- She has experience working on WordPress websites.
- I have experience working on the Salesforce platform.
- He gained experience working on cloud-based systems.
Depending on the intended meaning, with may be more natural when the emphasis is on familiarity with a tool:
“I have experience with WordPress.”
3. Experience on a Specific Assignment or Task
You may encounter experience on when the sentence refers to a particular assignment, project, or piece of work.
For example:
- My experience on this assignment taught me how to manage deadlines.
- Her experience on the project helped the team identify risks.
These sentences are possible, especially when on this assignment or on the project identifies the work involved. However, experience gained while working on this project may be clearer in formal writing.
Simple rule: Use on when it naturally connects a task, project, assignment, or platform to the work being described. Do not use it automatically before every professional field.
Experience In vs Experience On: Comparison Table
| Feature | Experience in | Experience on |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | Fields, industries, skills, and activities | Particular projects, assignments, or work contexts |
| Common pattern | Experience in marketing | Experience working on a project |
| Professional fields | Usually preferred | Usually less natural |
| Skills and activities | Experience in teaching | Experience working on teaching projects |
| Example | I have experience in finance. | I have experience working on financial reports. |
| Best for CVs | Describing areas of expertise | Describing project-based work |
| General recommendation | Use for a field or skill | Use when on fits the specific task or project |
The important distinction is that in usually identifies an area of expertise, while on often identifies the work or project involved. The complete sentence matters more than the preposition alone.
When Should You Use Experience In or Experience On?
Choosing the correct expression becomes easier when you identify what comes after the word experience.
Use Experience In for Fields and Skills
Choose experience in when describing a profession, subject, or area of expertise.
Examples:
- Experience in marketing
- Experience in teaching
- Experience in human resources
- Experience in project management
- Experience in data analysis
For example, write “I have experience in project management” when describing project management as a professional skill.
Use Experience Working on for Projects
Choose experience working on when describing projects, assignments, or specific pieces of work.
Examples:
- Experience working on mobile applications
- Experience working on research projects
- Experience working on customer accounts
- Experience working on software updates
- Experience working on international campaigns
For example, write “I have experience working on mobile applications” when describing your practical involvement in developing or maintaining them.
Use Experience With for Tools and Technologies
Sometimes, neither in nor on is the most natural choice.
Use experience with when describing familiarity or practical knowledge of a tool, product, technology, or system.
Examples:
- I have experience with Microsoft Excel.
- She has experience with customer relationship management software.
- He has experience with laboratory equipment.
This distinction is useful when writing a CV or answering interview questions.
15 Examples of Experience In and Experience On
Here are examples showing how to use these expressions naturally.
- I have three years of experience in marketing.
- She has extensive experience in teaching English.
- He has experience in software development.
- We need someone with experience in customer service.
- My experience in sales helped me improve my communication skills.
- She has experience working on international projects.
- I gained experience working on a website redesign.
- He has experience working on mobile applications.
- They have experience working on large research projects.
- My experience on this project taught me valuable lessons.
- She has experience with Microsoft Excel.
- He has experience in managing a small team.
- I have experience in financial reporting.
- The company is looking for candidates with experience working on cloud-based systems.
- My experience working on the assignment improved my problem-solving skills.
Examples for a CV or Résumé
When describing professional experience, choose the preposition that matches your intended meaning.
Experience in:
- Five years of experience in digital marketing.
- Extensive experience in customer relationship management.
- Practical experience in data analysis.
Experience working on:
- Experience working on cross-functional projects.
- Experience working on website development.
- Experience working on international marketing campaigns.
Experience with:
- Experience with Microsoft Office applications.
- Experience with database management tools.
- Experience with customer service software.
These structures help employers understand both your expertise and the work you have actually performed.
Common Mistakes When Using Experience In or Experience On
Mistake 1: Using Experience On for Every Professional Field
Incorrect or unnatural in most contexts: “I have experience on marketing.”
Better: “I have experience in marketing.”
Use in because marketing is the professional field.
Mistake 2: Saying Experience on Project Management
Less natural: “She has experience on project management.”
Better: “She has experience in project management.”
Alternatively: “She has experience working on complex projects.”
Project management is a field or skill, while individual projects are the work being managed.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the Word Working
The phrase experience on may sound incomplete or unnatural when the intended meaning concerns performing a task.
Less natural: “I have experience on websites.”
Clearer: “I have experience working on websites.”
Also natural: “I have experience with website development.”
Mistake 4: Using Experience In When With Is Better
Less natural in many contexts: “I have experience in Microsoft Excel.”
More natural: “I have experience with Microsoft Excel.”
You can use experience in Excel in some contexts, especially when referring to a broader area of expertise, but with Excel is often the clearest choice when describing familiarity with the software.
Mistake 5: Confusing Experience In With Experienced In
Both expressions can be correct, but their grammar differs.
- “I have experience in teaching.”
- “I am experienced in teaching.”
The first uses the noun experience. The second uses the adjective experienced.
Memory Trick: How to Remember the Correct Preposition
Use this simple memory trick:
- IN = an area or field.
- ON = a project or task.
- WITH = a tool or technology.
Remember these examples:
- I have experience in accounting.
- I have experience working on a project.
- I have experience with Excel.
This is a helpful guideline rather than an absolute rule. Always consider the complete sentence and the relationship between the words.
American vs British English: Is There a Difference?
There is no major American-versus-British spelling difference between experience in and experience on. Both varieties use these prepositions according to the meaning and grammatical structure of the sentence.
For example, these sentences are natural in both American and British English:
- I have experience in project management.
- She has experience working on international projects.
- He has experience with computer software.
The main consideration is not regional spelling but the meaning you want to express. In professional writing, experience in is widely used to describe a field or skill, while experience working on is useful for describing practical involvement in projects.
Similar Expressions: Experience In, Experience On, Experience With, and Experience At
Several expressions can follow experience, but each has a different purpose.
Experience In
Used for a field, industry, skill, or activity.
Example: “She has experience in accounting.”
Experience On
Used when on relates naturally to a particular project, assignment, or piece of work.
Example: “My experience on this project was valuable.”
Experience With
Used for tools, technologies, systems, or things a person has used.
Example: “I have experience with project management software.”
Experience At
Used in some contexts to refer to a workplace, organization, or location where experience was gained.
Example: “His experience at the company helped him develop leadership skills.”
However, if you are describing a specific job or professional field, a different structure may be clearer:
“I gained experience in marketing while working at the company.”
Experience Of
Used in some varieties and contexts to refer to an event, situation, or thing someone has experienced.
Example: “She has experience of working in different countries.”
In American English, “experience working in different countries” or “experience with international teams” may sound more natural in many professional contexts.
Final Verdict: Experience In or Experience On?
Experience in is generally the best choice when describing a professional field, skill, industry, or activity. For example, say “I have experience in accounting” or “She has experience in teaching.”
Experience on can be correct when referring to a particular project, assignment, or piece of work, but phrases such as experience working on a project are often clearer and more natural. Use experience with when discussing familiarity with a tool or technology.
The best rule is to choose the preposition based on the meaning of the sentence, rather than memorizing one expression for every situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it experience in or experience on?
Experience in is generally used for fields, industries, and skills, such as “experience in marketing.” Experience on can be correct when referring to specific projects or assignments, as in “my experience on this project.” For describing project work, “experience working on a project” is often the clearest choice.
2. Is experience on a project grammatically correct?
Yes. “Experience on a project” can be grammatically correct when referring to involvement in a particular project. For example, “My experience on this project improved my teamwork skills.” You can also say, “I have experience working on similar projects.”
3. Should I write experience in or experience on my CV?
Use experience in to describe professional fields and skills, such as “experience in sales” or “experience in data analysis.” Use experience working on to describe projects, such as “experience working on international campaigns.”
4. Is it experience in marketing or experience on marketing?
Experience in marketing is the natural and generally preferred expression. Marketing is a professional field, so in is the appropriate preposition. If you mean specific marketing projects, write “experience working on marketing campaigns.”
5. Is it experience in project management or experience on project management?
Experience in project management is the standard choice because project management is a professional skill or field. Use “experience working on projects” when you want to describe your involvement in particular projects.
6. Can I say experience with a software program?
Yes. Experience with is natural when describing familiarity with software, equipment, or technology. For example, “I have experience with Microsoft Excel” is a clear way to describe your practical knowledge of the program.
7. Is experience in correct in both American and British English?
Yes. Experience in is widely used in both American and British English. There is no significant regional difference in the basic rule. The choice of preposition depends mainly on the meaning and structure of the sentence.
8. What is the difference between experience in and experienced in?
Experience is a noun, while experienced is an adjective.
- Noun: “I have experience in teaching.”
- Adjective: “I am experienced in teaching.”
Both sentences describe practical knowledge or skill, but their grammatical structures differ.
Remember This
- Experience in: A field, skill, industry, or activity.
- Experience on: A particular project, assignment, or piece of work when the context supports on.
- Experience working on: A clear, natural way to describe practical involvement in projects.
- Experience with: Familiarity with tools, technologies, or systems.
- Experience at: Experience gained at a workplace or organization in an appropriate context.
Conclusion
Choosing between experience in and experience on depends on what you want to describe. In most professional and academic situations, experience in is the natural choice for a field, skill, or industry. For example, “I have experience in accounting” clearly communicates your professional knowledge. When discussing practical involvement in projects, the phrase “experience working on” is often more precise and natural.
Remember that English prepositions depend on context, so there is no single expression that fits every sentence. Use in for areas of expertise, on when referring to particular projects or assignments, and with when describing familiarity with tools or technology. With practice, you will find it easier to choose the right expression in CVs, job interviews, emails, and everyday conversations.
