Relevant Experience: How Many Jobs to List on Resume
When writing your resume, one of the first steps is learning to collect and compile all data. These include points such as relevant experience and skills. Fleshing out the details will give you a better picture of your current and past jobs. You may have about twelve jobs in your life, and keeping track of them will help you get the job you want.
What Does Relevant Experience Mean?
When figuring out how many jobs to list on a resume, it all comes down to relevant experience. Relevant experience refers to duties and tasks from past jobs that make you ideal for a new one. These are skills and experiences an employer is looking for in a job applicant. If it's hard for you to identify, consider what an employer would want.
Your relevant experience will depend on the job you're applying for. For example, you're applying to be a Broadway actor. You wouldn't need to include past employment, like being a cashier or babysitter. Any acting or stage job would count as relevant experience. You can also include jobs such as a writer and public speaker.
5 Tips on How to List Relevant Experience on Resume
Having a detailed archive of your experience will involve a lot of networking on your end. Learning how to write and speak well about your work history and career would be best. Apply this on paper when writing your resume and during your interviews. Here are several tips on how you can identify and list your relevant experience on your resume:
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Check the job description
Start by studying the job description of the position you wish to apply for. Doing this will help you dig into which of your experiences are relevant. Focus on important abilities and work duties. You can also include your educational background. Capturing the essence of the job description in your resume will make a good impression.
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Take note of keywords
Job descriptions usually have keywords you can pick up and use in your resume. For example, a school is looking for a new teacher. The job description has keywords such as creative, patient, and engaging. You should include those words in your resume. The hiring officer might be more inclined to consider you when you match their description.
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Keep the old but relevant jobs
You can go as far as 10 to 15 years back for senior and mid-level positions. If it's relevant experience, you should include it in your resume. You can also include gigs in your resume. But for those starting their careers, you can focus on any voluntary and paid work. These can be internships and part-time jobs.
Keep in mind that having little to no experience doesn't mean you'll have slow progress. You need hard skills to get a job. But soft skills such as communication, organization, and problem-solving can help land you a job.
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Limit the number of jobs to include
When deciding how many jobs to list on a resume, it can range from three to seven. Writing a resume isn't about making it a long one. It's better to aim for quality. A pro tip is to list your relevant experience in reverse chronological order. Start with your most recent job, followed by older ones.
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Highlight your achievements
Besides listing your duties at your past jobs, you should also emphasize accomplishments. If you were an HR staff, don't settle for saying you oversaw onboarding new employees. Include facts like the number of people you regularly got into the team. If you were part of the marketing team, mention your conversion rates and sales.
Maintain Relevant Experience on Resume
The best way to go about your job search is preparation. Once you know which experiences to include and how many jobs to list on your resume, writing one will be easier. So, keep a detailed record of your job history, relevant experience, and networks. You can refer to them later in the future. If you need an extra boost in your job hunting, visit Career.com today.
