How to write a resume`

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I agree entirely. IMO you should never leave any professional position off your resume. You should be able to account for your time since you entered the workforce.


I disagree. Most employers, myself included, rarely read past the most recent 20 years. Prior to that, most experience is on an entirely different level or playing field. Nothing wrong with listing places/dates/job titles, but prior to 20 years it's almost impossible to actually check those references.
 
I didn't say 'just' list 3 jobs...I said you should have 3 listed. More than 3 could be inferred from my sentence, especially since the word 'just' wasn't there.

I was more refering to your comment about not going back 20 years. If the skills are from decades ago and are relevant to the job then it is important to have that one your resume.

Even if you do not think something is important a prospective employer might. I was recruited for the job I have now because of some things that my boss saw on my resume from way back. The job I am doing is nothing I ever would have applied to on my own because I had never done anything like this before. I had skills for it thought and didn't even know it at the time. It is a very good thing I had my entire work history listed.
 
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I disagree. Most employers, myself included, rarely read past the most recent 20 years. Prior to that, most experience is on an entirely different level or playing field. Nothing wrong with listing places/dates/job titles, but prior to 20 years it's almost impossible to actually check those references.


Many employers will question resumes that omit significant chunks of time.

The last thing you want to do, IMO, is create a resume that raises questions.

I don't elaborate on my first couple real jobs, but they are included to show a seamless employment history.
 
Vera i do not know what jobs you have hired for, but I can only guess that they have to do with the kitchen or restaurants or things of that nature. Those skill sets that you are looking at are going to be the same from job to job. The technology has not changed that much over a few decades where a cooks resume will look significantly different from one job to the next.

There are other jobs where things do change. Take an auto mechanic for example. technology has drastically changed. If there was a mechanic who is experienced in working on cars before they were all computerized that could be an important skill if the shop deals with older cars. If he did not include his work from 20 or 30 years ago then his prospective employer woiuld never know he had that valuable skill set and could very possibly look him over for a younger guy willing to work for less money.
 
Many employers will question resumes that omit significant chunks of time.

The last thing you want to do, IMO, is create a resume that raises questions.

I don't elaborate on my first couple real jobs, but they are included to show a seamless employment history.

I never said omit significant chunks of time. I didn't suggest not showing a seamless employment of history. A resume is not intended to be a laundry list of everything you've done since high school if you are in your 50s. As my original post said, depending on how long you've been working or how long you stay at positions, etc....that should determine how much you list. Or would could argue semantics and individual cases a bit longer, which really is taking away from the original spirit of the thread.
 
Vera i do not know what jobs you have hired for, but I can only guess that they have to do with the kitchen or restaurants or things of that nature. Those skill sets that you are looking at are going to be the same from job to job. The technology has not changed that much over a few decades where a cooks resume will look significantly different from one job to the next.

There are other jobs where things do change. Take an auto mechanic for example. technology has drastically changed. If there was a mechanic who is experienced in working on cars before they were all computerized that could be an important skill if the shop deals with older cars. If he did not include his work from 20 or 30 years ago then his prospective employer woiuld never know he had that valuable skill set and could very possibly look him over for a younger guy willing to work for less money.

As you once said,'you really don't know' what jobs I've hired for, nor what skills would have been required for those positions. Suggesting cooking hasn't changed over the past 20 years shows a lack of understanding of the industry. Food science, dieticians, agriculture, equipment, sustainability, raw foods....do you honestly believe these, as just a few examples, were the same 20 years ago?
GB, we can argue my post all day long, as I believe you are wont to do. Call me paranoid, but that is what I see. The original post asked for suggestions, I gave mine. You feel they were incorrect. However, I disagree with you. Further discussion on how the food industry specifically has changed over the past 20 years isn't really in response to the original query, is it?

A resume should list enough information to get you a phone call. Employers usually have more prospective applicants than ever before. It's not unusual for one job posting to net 50 resumes. A resume that is 2 pages or more long isn't necessarily a way in the door. All your pertinent information should be on one page, and extremely easy to read. A qualified employer can sift through concise resumes quicker. The interview process is the place to go into greater detail regarding specifics.

If you'd like to continue the discussion regarding auto workers, doctors, teachers, etc, rather than keep the conversation general, which is what the OP seemed to require, perhaps another thread should be started. I tried to keep my original response general.
 
Sorry Vera, but the OP asked how to write a resume. You gave advice that I saw as being absolutely wrong. I pointed it out with examples of why it was wrong. I do not see that was a want to argue with you no matter how much you try to twist it into that. I see it as correcting misinformation that could negatively affect peoples livelihoods.

I worked for the worlds largest internet recruitment company for almost 10 years. I was trained by professionals on what makes a good resume as I had to council clients on it all the time. Your information is flat out wrong for the majority of jobs out there.

While YOU may use a resume just to get enough info to give someone a phone call others do not. They use it a lot more extensively. I know I have when I have interviewed people and I know that when I have been interviewed the same has been done. As I said, I would not have my current job if I had taken your advice.

Like I said, you information may be accurate in your industry, but the OP is not going for a job in your industry and neither are many people reading this thread. If you want to say that listing your previous experience in the restaurant industry is not always warranted then I will not say boo, but to say it about the computer industry is just really bad advice.
 
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Sorry Vera, but the OP asked how to write a resume. You gave advice that I saw as being absolutely wrong. I pointed it out with examples of why it was wrong. I do not see that was a want to argue with you no matter how much you try to twist it into that. I see it as correcting misinformation that could negatively affect peoples livelihoods.

I worked for the worlds largest internet recruitment company for almost 10 years. I was trained by professionals on what makes a good resume as I had to council clients on it all the time. Your information is flat out wrong for the majority of jobs out there.

While YOU may use a resume just to get enough info to give someone a phone call others do not. They use it a lot more extensively. I know I have when I have interviewed people and I know that when I have been interviewed the same has been done. As I said, I would not have my current job if I had taken your advice.

Like I said, you information may be accurate in your industry, but the OP is not going for a job in your industry and neither are many people reading this thread. If you want to say that listing your previous experience in the restaurant industry is not always warranted then I will not say boo, but to say it about the computer industry is just really bad advice.

I couldn't possibly disagree with you more, but what good would it do? Obviously, your training and your background indicates to you that you are more qualified than I am. Your experience is valid and mine is not. So be it. I like YT, and I am not wont to drag our mutual qualifications out on this thread longer. I'm not going to continue down that futile path.
 
You just continue to miss the point. It seems as if YOU are the one who wants to argue (not sure what bringing YT into a conversation about resumes that he has not been involved in has to do with anything other than arguing).

I never said my training and background says that I am more qualified than you. What I did say is that in your industry you may very well be correct (does that sound like i am saying I am more qualified???), but that for the vast majority of other industries you are not. I am not sure how you got what you did out of what I said, but whatever.

I nefver said your experience was not valid and mine was. As a matter of fact I DID say that your experience WAS valid FOR YOU INDUSTRY. Please do not continue to put words in my mouth that were never there. Let me say it again since you obviously missed it the first few times. In your industry what you said might make sense. That does NOT mean that it is true of all industries. My current employment is proof of that.

You keep bringing arguing into a thread about resumes. If you would like to discuss arguing then please take it to PM. If you would like to discuss resumes then you can continue to do that here.
 
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