Employment History

This is the 5th in our 8 part series. Follow us at https://twitter.com/fulltimeGiGS for other recommendations that get your resume seen by the hiring manager.

Resumes – Employment History

When reviewing your Employment History, the employer/recruiter is searching for several things. It is important to format and write your work history in a concise manner and easily readable by the reviewer. You do not want the reviewer missing important information or leaving your resume because certain information was difficult to find. So what is the reviewer looking for?

• What titles or positions has the candidate held?
• For what companies has the candidate worked?
• Does this candidate have the attributes that match the requirements of the open position?
• Are there any unexplainable gaps in the work history?
• Does the work history demonstrate a progression of responsibilities, knowledge and skills?
• Does the work history exhibit stability and maturity. Is this candidate a job hopper?
• What kind of value has this candidate provided? Are there consistent positive results for each job assignment?
• Are there significant accomplishments that make this candidate standout?

The “Employment History” section can be listed under the heading “Employment,” “Employment History,” “Work History,” “Professional Experience,” “Degreed Experience” or just “Experience.”

In the Employment History section of your resume, list each of your jobs separately in chronological order beginning with you most recent employer. The listing should include company name, date of employment (the year only is usually appropriate. Although, month and year is sometimes used for candidates with short work histories), your Title and a brief description of your duties and accomplishments.

Do not write this section so that it sounds like a job description. Instead summarize your responsibilities and successes. Pick three or four responsibilities and accomplishments to highlight and summarize those for each position. It is best to start each job with a brief (less than three sentences) paragraph describing the scope of the position and follow with a list of bullets describing responsibilities, accomplishments, successes and personal growth. Use this approach for each past employer. Use power words to describe your responsibilities and attempt to quantify the impact of your accomplishments.

These days, particularly for job seekers over 50 years of age, discrimination is an issue to consider. If you have a long work history, it is not necessary to list everything. Most employers are only interested in the first fifteen to twenty years. It is ok to leave off your experience beyond twenty years.

This is the 5th in our 8 part series. Follow us at https://twitter.com/fulltimeGiGS for other recommendations that get your resume seen by the hiring manager.
Previous articles in this series include:

Resumes That Get Noticed – Part 1 of 8: Introduction
Resumes That Get Noticed – Part 2 of 8: Resume Styles
Resumes That Get Noticed – Part 3 of 8: Identification & Contact Information
Resumes That Get Noticed – Part 4 of 8: Objective, Skills & Summary
Resumes That Get Noticed – Part 5 of 8: Employment History

#GreatJobsTalentedPeople

Sources & Related Articles:

1. “Tips and Advice on How to Write a Resume” (multiple articles)
By Alison Doyle, About.com Guide
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumewriting/qt/writeresume.htm

2. “Customized Resume Objective Gets Better Results”
From Laura Schneider
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/gettingthejob/qt/resobj.htm

3. “Should You Use a Chronological or Functional …?”
By Roberta Chinsky Matuson, Monster Contributing Writer
http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/resume-writing-tips/chronological-resume-or-functional-resume/article.aspx

4. “How to Target a Resume for a Specific Job”
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-target-a-resume-for-a-specific-job0.html

5. “10 Steps: How to Write a …”
by Susan Ireland
http://susanireland.com/resume/how-to-write/

6. Put Your Education to Work on Your …”
By Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert
http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/resume-writing-tips/put-your-education-to-work/article.aspx