EXPERT ANSWER
Nov 30, 2020 - 05:53 PM
You should go back 10 to 15 years when listing work experience on your resume. Be sure to list your work experience in reverse chronological order if you are using the chronological resume format, which is the most common resume format. With this format, you start with your most recent or current job and then work backward from there by profiling previous jobs.
If you have had many, many jobs, you may not need to go back 10 to 15 years. One thing you will need to keep in mind when writing your resume is the overall length of your resume. If you have been in the workforce for only around five years, keep your resume to a single page in length. If you have been in the workforce for over 10 years, it is okay if your resume extends to two pages (but it should not go past two pages). If you have been in the workforce for 20 or more years, a three-page resume can work, but try to eliminate any past jobs that have no bearing on the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a Design Director job at a company, you can leave off the video store clerk job you had from 1992 to 1994.
When profiling your experience, always be sure to list your job title, the company name, and the number of years you worked at the company. For the bullet points that describe what you did at the job, emphasize measurable achievements over day-to-day tasks.
If you have had many, many jobs, you may not need to go back 10 to 15 years. One thing you will need to keep in mind when writing your resume is the overall length of your resume. If you have been in the workforce for only around five years, keep your resume to a single page in length. If you have been in the workforce for over 10 years, it is okay if your resume extends to two pages (but it should not go past two pages). If you have been in the workforce for 20 or more years, a three-page resume can work, but try to eliminate any past jobs that have no bearing on the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a Design Director job at a company, you can leave off the video store clerk job you had from 1992 to 1994.
When profiling your experience, always be sure to list your job title, the company name, and the number of years you worked at the company. For the bullet points that describe what you did at the job, emphasize measurable achievements over day-to-day tasks.
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