Job History and Relevance on a Resume

Job History and Relevance on a Resume When putting together a resume, it’s vital that you list a career summary, skill sections, and professional history. However, how do you know when to draw the line within professional or work history? How far back should you go? And, which information should be included or excluded? Tip #1 â€" Think relevanceâ€"not most recent. While the most recent job history is important, it is relevance that outweighs most recent work. If you want to work within the sales and marketing field, then that is the information that should be emphasized and brought to prominence on your resume. Even if your experience is more than a couple of years old, it is vital that this expertise and experience is emphasized on your most recent resume. Tip #2 â€" Experience doesn’t have to mean paid experience. Sometimesâ€"whether intentional or notâ€"our most relevant experience is unpaid. Whether it is through a professional organization or via a workplace group, determine the skills you utilized and the things you learnedâ€"don’t worry about if they were unpaid or paid opportunities. Tip #3 â€" Longevity may or may not be an issue. In today’s workplace, many people may have only worked at a certain employment opportunity for six months to two years. Through no fault of their own, the place of employment may have closed, a department may have been downsized, or an entire company may have folded. Don’t worry about the longevity of your positions. Instead, think of your accomplishments and responsibilities within those positions. Tip #4 â€" Don’t believe that chronology rules everything. Whileâ€"in a perfect worldâ€"it is great to have everything listed in reverse-chronological orderâ€"that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best way to go for YOUR resume. Each person is unique and sometimes things don’t work in a perfect order. Tip #5 â€" Think of transferable skills. Even if you believe that there are no ways that your intended job opportunities can be obtained based upon your past experiences â€" I KNOW that you have transferable skills. It could be communication, cross-functional teamwork, interpersonal skills, project management, or resource maximization. Whatever it is, be sure to emphasize those transferable skills when they can be easily transferred to future possible cases. Job history means experience, teamwork, and relevance to today’s workplace. No matter your position with your current or past employer, think in terms of ACHIEVEMENTS rather than job descriptions. Emphasize your skills and strengths while letting a future employer know that you are open to opportunities of learning. If you are wondering what a resume for today’s job market looks like,  contact us today! We also have a FREE download â€"  Top 5 Resume Tips to GET THE INTERVIEW. Click  HERE to access it and start leveraging your unique skills and abilities to land your next job opportunity!