SHOWCASING WORK HISTORY ON YOUR RESUME

Articulating work history or “experience” on a resume can be very difficult. As professional resume writers, this might be the most commonly communicated sentiment from our clients. One might tell us, “I just can’t seem to communicate my experience in a way that does it justice.” or “I have no idea how to even begin showcasing my work history.”

Many people prefer to place this task in the hands of a professional (we fully support that idea!) However, we want to share several principles that we have discovered as professional resume writers that can make this process a bit more manageable.  Every situation is unique and will require separate attention, but the following tips can help you take a step in the right direction.

What Should My Work History Consist Of?

The answer to this question is tied to your goal. What type of job are you looking to land? If your work history provided valuable experience and helps to demonstrate skills found on a job description, then that experience should be showcased.

Quick example:

Jim is interested in applying for an accounting manager position at a growing tech start-up. He worked as an accountant for three companies in the past. He realizes that his past accounting experience should certainly be on his resume. However, prior to beginning his accounting work, Jim worked as a night shift security guard at a large construction site. He took that job to help pay for school. Jim wonders if that experience should go on his resume.

Our advice: No need to include the security job. It does not add value and/or speak to the job description for accounting.

How Far Back Should I Go? 

This is a very common question. The very simple rule of thumb that we abide by here at Promoted is approximately 20 years of relevant work history. Any more than 20 years can create the impression that the individual is “old” and towards the end of their career. Unfortunately, this can be a turn off for employers.

Of course, every situation needs to be considered separately. However, 20 years (two decades to put it another way) is more than enough time to show case experience.

For professionals in consulting, legal, and even medical fields we would recommend articulating your full work history even if it spans longer than 20 years. For most folks, however, we recommend a 20 year cut off.

What If I Had A Job For Less Than One Year? Should I Put It On My Resume?

This situation requires another look at the job description or your goal. Does that experience provide value? If so, it is appropriate to showcase. However, be ready to answer questions about why this experience was so short, why you left ... etc.

Multiple employment histories that span less than one year a piece can be problematic. Can you see how employer might think, “ok, if we hire this person what are the chances that they stay with us for more than a year?” or “Boy, it looks like this person has a hard time staying employed.”?

Quick tip: Combining short work histories into one long term experience can be beneficial.

What About Gaps Of Time Between Jobs?

Employment gaps happen. They are the reality for many people. Now days (due to COVID-19) many people find themselves with an employment gap.  

Want some good news? Gaps are less detrimental than you might think! Employers understand that life gets in the way. You should always be ready to answer questions about your job gap but if your resume articulates value ... you can feel confident.

The key here is to be honest. Do not try to hide a gap or fudge the dates. Honesty is the best policy.

Some employers may look at a job gap and think, “wow, I guess no one wanted to hire this person.” This type of employer is rare. They are certainly the exception rather than the rule.

More employers would rather engage with you in an interview to truly understand the details behind your job gap.

What About Volunteer Experience?

Many people have volunteered in one way or another. We love seeing this! Volunteering is amazing. Our clients often ask if they need to create a separate volunteer section on their resume to house this experience. The mentality here is, “Hey, I’m a great person and I have volunteered my time so you should hire me.”

While that mentality is good, let’s think about what the employer really needs. They really need someone who can come in, add value, and not add to cost. So, does your volunteer experience speak to the value that the employer is seeking? If not, we often recommend saving that real-estate on your resume for something that does add value.

In our opinion, experience is experience regardless of whether or not you were paid. If you volunteered your time and gained valuable experience, it would be very appropriate to include that in your work experience.  

Since your work experience will make up the bulk of your resume, it is very important to showcase it in a way that speaks directly to the job description.

A professional resume writer can help you work through experience. Here at Promoted, we have worked through over 5,000 work histories and have learned a thing or two about what really works! Fill out our resume quiz or call us today!