Resume Tips 101: how far back should a resume go?

If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, you might be wondering: How far back should a resume go?  Why shouldn’t you just include all of your experience?  How much work record is enough to convince a recruiter or hiring manager that you’ve got the bits for the role, but not so much that they don’t know how to understand it all?  Well, the answer to this career dilemma is: It’s complicated.

  There is no right or wrong way to write a CV.  But competition for jobs is now fierce.  You need to develop a CV that will set you apart from the crowd.  It cannot be a negative piece of paper.  It should be an emotional representation of who you are and why you are the best person for the job.

  In today’s competitive job market, it is important that you help employers see the benefits of being hired at someone else’s expense.  Organizations need to know that you will help them achieve their corporate goals.  Your CV is the first step in expressing that message to them.  Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Should I put my entire work history on a resume?

 No, because the longer you are a member of the workforce, the more difficult it will be to fit all of your jobs into your resume without going beyond the basic two-page limit.  Frankly, it’s impossible to include all the last details about your work history on your resume without turning it into a narrative of your work life.  And let’s face it: No hiring manager wants to read this.  They want to read about your greatest successes and what makes you an outstanding employee right now, in this moment in time.  Even if you only have a few years of experience, you need to decide what is worth including on your resume and what is not.

How many years of work experience should be on a resume?

  Generally speaking, your CV should not go back more than 10 to 15 years.  However, every applicant is different as well as every CV, and there are some other general rules that can serve as a GPS when deciding how far your resume should go.

  Why 10 to 15 years old, you ask?  Well, this is the time frame that the employees and employees consider the most relevant.  Recruiters don’t care about your accomplishments as a junior employee if you’ve been in the field for 20 years.  And even if you are at the start of your career, they don’t necessarily need to know a paper path in the specific CV for a technical position.

Should I put my entire work history on a resume?

 No, your CV should only be a high-level summary of your relevant professional accomplishments, not a thesis for all of your jobs and responsibilities since middle school.  Recruiters and hiring managers want to quickly know why you are the right person for the job, and your experience in the past decade or so is likely to be the cause.  So think twice before letting non-essential information take over real estate on your resume.  Instead, use this space to highlight applicable accomplishments, experiences, and situations that closely align with the jobs you target.

ALSO CHECK: JOB POSTINGS

  It’s all about the topic.  When it comes to putting old work experience on your resume, Aikman says you should focus on relevance.  If you did something in high school or college that was more related to what you’re trying to do than other recent experiences.

  For those who have a big gap in their job, filling out a job application or going to an interview can be nerve-wracking if you’re concerned that the employer notices how far your resume goes.  But if you’ve accomplished things in your personal life that you’re proud of, you can find ways to view those accomplishments on your resume as a relevant experience.

  For example, if there was a gap in your job because you had to take care of a family member or loved one, you can explain what you learned or accomplished through that experience in a way that displays the work relevant to the job you are now applying to.  Maybe this experience taught you how to manage someone else’s life – so that you can explain why you are a great assistant or general manager.

  How many years should you go back on the CV?

  The number of years of work history you should include on your resume depends on several factors.  You will need to consider your field of work, your level of experience, and your qualifications.  Each of these can influence whether or not including certain years of experience is beneficial.  The most important thing to consider when making this decision is whether or not the previous position is relevant to your current job search.

  If a particular position provides you with valuable experience, relevant skills, and opportunities to improve professionally, it may be beneficial for you to include it on your CV, even if more than ten years have passed since you took the job.  If you have changed areas of your career over the course of your career history, you may decide to list jobs from only the past five years.

How far back should a resume go?

  The number of years your CV should be approved depends on the job description. Most employers highlight the number of years of work experience they’d like to see on their job description list.  It is your duty to check and read every detail of their listings to see how many years to put on your resume.

  The extent to which you refer to a resume depends on how relevant the job is to the skills you have:  When an employer browses through your resume, the first thing that catches their attention is the relevance of the job they submitted to the work experience or skill that you offer.  So before drafting your resume, make sure you take into consideration the job description details.

Should you go back more than 10 years on a resume?

Well, this is the time frame that employers and employees consider the most relevant.  Recruiters don’t care about your accomplishments as a junior employee if you’ve been in the field for 20 years.  And even if you are at the start of your career, they won’t necessarily need to know a paper path on a specific resume to fill a technical position.

  Your CV should be a high-level summary of your relevant professional accomplishments, not a thesis for all of your jobs and responsibilities since middle school.  Recruiters and hiring managers want to quickly know why you are the right person for the job, and your experience in the past decade or so is likely to be the cause.  So think twice before letting non-essential information take over real estate on your resume.  Instead, use this space to highlight applicable accomplishments, experiences, and situations that closely align with the jobs you target.

EDITOR’S RECOMMENDATION:

How long should a resume be? Best Guide

What is a Short Term Disability and how long is short term disability

3 Rules to Obey in Cover Letter Salutation

We hope you really found this article helpful. Let us know what you think at the comment box. Share to help someone get a job or make an informed decision about their career today.