Summary
· Don't include work experience gained over ten years ago
· Too much information is difficult for the reader to absorb
· You can briefly state that further experience is available upon request
How far back should you go when preparing your resume? How much work experience is relevant? How many years of work history can the person reading your resume take in?
The answer is: no more than ten years. Work experience gained more than ten years ago loses a lot of its relevance simply because of time alone. Employers are most interested in current and recent experience because of its relevance to today’s workplace.
The workplace, like everything else changes with time. Different work environments and pressures, changed turnaround times, outdated technology and different jobs altogether commonly make the work you have done more than a decade ago obsolete.
There is also a limit to how much information the reader can absorb.
Assuming you have worked two to three years in each role, presenting descriptions of more than four or five previous jobs can make it difficult for the reader to easily find the information they are looking for. It can also be harder for the reader to retain relevant facts and recall your details later when they are short listing applicants for interview.
What if you want to make reference to this history?
State, "employment details prior to 1991 will be provided on request" or similar. You can also add brief notes to the type of roles you worked in if these are still relevant to the position today. In the unlikely event that an employer is interested in this information they can ask you for it.
Remember, it is factual, relevant information that will secure you an interview. Make it as easy as possible for this information to stand out by not cluttering up your resume with outdated facts and figures.
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