Question

when writing a resume, do you need to include every job you have ever had or can you make the resume job specific? And when you do this will they be mad that you didnt include all the jobs you have ever had?

Answer 1

Well, first of all, you generally go back only about ten years. (Less, if your work history does not extend back that far, or if you decide that your very early jobs are no longer relevant.) You can certainly tailor a resume to a specific job market, but you probably would not want to go so far as leaving out jobs you've held that leave large gaps of time in the resume. That will invite questions, assuming that you get to the interview stage. Before that point, it will look as though you were unemployed. In those cases, it's better to retain jobs than to delete them. But you'd deemphasize them -- use shorter descriptions, for example, though if you have any great accomplishments, you ought still to highlight them. Does that make sense? There's a bit of an art to it.

On the other hand, if you were working various part-time jobs at once, or working while going to school, you could leave out jobs if you felt they didn't contribute to where you want to go next, because in these cases, leaving them out would not also leave large unexplained chunks of time in the resume.

Answer 2

Yes makes sense so i will have to include my current position but it just doesnt have any revelance to what i am looking for. but i believe i will just leave out my high school job since it has no revelance. i cant even let future employers contact the management team because it isnt even the same people i worked with when i was their.

Answer 3

I believe that when a prospective future employer contacts anyone you previously worked for, all they can ask is whether you actually worked there when you said you did and whether what you have said was your pay (when you get to that point, if it comes up) falls within the range of what they pay for someone of your experience in that position. I don't think they can legally ask very much. I don't think they can even ask about your performance. I'm not positive on these points though. As for anyone you list as a reference, I'm not sure -- perhaps they can ask more in-depth questions of these folks?

Answer 4

I'm not really sure either. I just hate listing the job because it was a high school job that lasted a year and i'm still young so i have had 3 way better jobs since. and the last one was the top of line resume eye catcher but i'm worried that if i dont list the high school job the employer is going to think i was lieing.

Answer 5

Why would the employer think that? Is the high school job something you have referred to elsewhere? Or does it factor into the total years you have already told them you worked?

Answer 6

no i only referred to it for the job i got now because it was my only retail experience to get the retail job i have now. but i'm trying to go back to the job i used to have which is like a secretarial type of position. i just wanted to make sure i didnt need to bring up Wal-Mart which is the high school job.

Answer 7

Just because you listed it on your resume when you were looking for your current job does not mean you need to list it on your resume while looking now for a new and even better job. The next employer is not going to be comparing notes with your current employer, or any previous employers, to see that everything you once listed is still listed. Am I understanding your concern correctly? And especially if it was a high school job, earlier than any of the other jobs that you will list. You can safely let it go.

Answer 8

ok whew thank you. i feel a little better. i will list the job i have now so they can see i am currently working even though it's of no revelance. but i will leave wal-mart out. yes you understood what i was asking and i thank you for your help.

Answer 9

Sure thing! Hope to see you around with other questions as well . . . take care.

Answer 10

(Would have responded sooner, but the site dropped for me and I couldn't get it back!)

Answer 11

same here took forever to reply! but thanks again for the help.

Answer 12

:)