Resume help!!! How many past employers should you put on on your resume?

Question

I'm helping my Dad make up a new resume. He has worked for the same place for 13 1/2 years. The job before this last one has nothing to do with the jobs he is applying for now. About 20 or more years ago he had a job in the industry that he is applying for now. Should he put some place he worked 20 years ago on there. He has plenty of experience, but he has always stayed with the same company for such a long time. Any thoughts would be very helpful. Thanks

Answer 1

There is not really a right or wrong answer to this question. The answer will vary slightly form industry to industry, and also depends on lots of other factors - it's very situational.

But instead of trying to be scientific about this... here's my "general" answer - disregarding other unnamed factors.

Just include the last job.

Think about it this way. Your dad has worked for the same company for the last 13.5 years. These days, that's a pretty long time. So he's got something going for him - in marketing, what you'd call a "Unique Selling Proposition" (USP). Something that makes him different from other candidates.

On the other hand, if you included the past three jobs, what would that be accomplishing?

You'd be throwing a shadow of doubt across that strong USP. Sure, having three jobs in the past 20 odd years does NOT make someone a job hopper, but it would take away from the power of that one 13.5 year job.

So just put the one job on the resume. But you could mention the other job in a casual way on the cover letter or at the interview.

So that's my best answer... Of course, like I said, there may be other factors involved. Use discretion!

Answer 2

Resume, no. You can put whatever you want on there (though some things are illegal to lie about) as most people have way too much stuff to fit on a one-page resume. The job application itself is a little tougher. When you sign it you'll be certifying that everything on there is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. Most applications will also ask you to account for all your jobs in the past few years, including any time when you weren't working. So if you leave off your job and say you were unemployed (or studying, or whatever) and then you sign it you will be lying, which at the very least is grounds to get you fired. Lying on a job application is always a bad idea. As for why you were fired, there's absolutely no point in lying about that because when they check your references they'll get the real story. Or at least they'll get the idea that things did not end well - some employers will only provide very limited information for references, but the new job will get the idea.

Answer 3

I'm from NZ and have just found a job after looking for a while, and this is pretty much a guess. My experience is Dad's biggest problem is not his skills, it is that he is older than the people doing the recruiting.
I've included a site which talks about resumes, but I would check a couple more. My understanding is a resume is about a page long and should just give an idea of what skills your Dad has.

Answer 4

I always put the last 3 espically since the resume is your first impression to "sell" yourself to the company. I would make the resume as brief as possible, as a person who hires if i get a long lengthy resume i toss it without even reading it, i dont have alot of time to go over someones life story. A nice cover letter stating goals, experience and objectives is very eye catching, make sure to hit hard in the cover letter that he does have experience and/or education in the position he is applying for,. a cover letter is a great first impression and is less time consuming..make sure to include string worh ethic in the cover letter, thats hard to find these days and needs to be pointed out to future employers about him.....good luck to him....

Answer 5

3 i just took a business and marketing class and the employers are looking for that the person can hold a steady job and is a good worker make sure the resume is very neat but nothing to throw the employer off task they just want to see a resume not a work of art and dont lie on it it will come back to haunt you

Answer 6

Hi,

Usually, one should put every place he has worked in in his entire life. That's why it is called a resume. A short "history of one's working activity". Do not underestimate the utility of a job. You say the job before his current had nothing to do with the field he wants to apply in. You'd be surprised how transferable skills can work :D
Now here's how he should make use of his work experience:

http://www.cvtips.com/work_experience_presentation.html

Answer 7

I'd put all relevent experience on the resume, explained in detail, along with shorter entries for the unrelated stuff. It'll show a history of steady employment and also highlight his relevent experience. Keep it in temporal order going backwards.

Answer 8

you usually put three,starting fron the last job you had,then the next,and so on,your dad should have no problem since he worked at one job for 13 years....good luck.

Answer 9

All the better reason to list them. It will show he is stable, and not a job hopper.
Good luck to you and your dad.

Answer 10

the past 3 jobs.