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Discussion

question about resume

How long to you keep what jobs you have had in your resume? Like, do you think I need to keep that I worked at a hotel back in 1999 or that I volunteered at my church back in 99? I want My resume is almost four pages long, an I think I could cut some of the Older jobs and volunteer work out,

Featured Replies

I usually have only put my jobs that relate to the job I am applying for (ie nursing experience for a nursing job). When I have made resumes in the past I have always "tweaked" it for the job I was applying for.

I don't think it matters how long it has been if the job you are listing is pertinent info and there is a accompanying recomendation letter or a good reference.

If you don't have a lot of job experience in nursing, it's good to account for at least five years.

Always keep your resume one or two pages, and one is better. There's nothing a twenty-five year old has to share that needs to take four pages. Recruiters take about ten seconds to scan over what you've said, so they need to find the good stuff right away.

Speaking of old jobs before becoming a nurse, I once temped in the HR department of a big pedi hospital, and one of my jobs was to send out rejection letters. I could not believe the incredibly bad resumes that came across my desk. Handwritten resumes, ten page resumes with pictures of the wife and kiddies, long narratives, one paragraph resumes. Probably very good, qualified people, but they just didn't get it across in the resume.

You might benefit from having a professional review your resume. They will help you get in the relevant information without you writing a novel.

Don't forget to send followup thank you letters personalized to each person you interviewed with. I think it makes a great impression.

  • Experts

I've been a nurse for 14 years and my resume is two pages. I keep it pretty short but I also use a topic type of resume versus a time line. Because I'm 47 I've got a lot of life experience. So...what I do is group my work experience:

Charge nurse - initiated and organized binder for charge nurse orientation (and I don't put in the dates).

  • Experts

You should keep one "long version" of your resume with everything in it forever. That way, you won't lose track of the information. Then ... send a shorter version emphasizing the most pertinent information when you actually apply for a job.

Keeping the long version also has advantages in that you don't know what you will need in the future. If you drop things from your resume, you might find you regret it 10 years from now for some reason you can not foresee at the moment. For example, if you someday apply for a job in academia, they may want a summary of your full career. Applicants for leadership jobs also benefit by submitting a more complete career summary that shows their progression from a beginner to an expert as well as the different types of jobs and my accomplishments throughout my almost 30-year career.

So ... maintain a "master document" that includes everything and be sure to update it at least once each year. .... But that's not the document you need to use every time you need a resume. Sometimes, a shorter version is more appropriate.

llg

I go back 3-5 years dependant on how long my resume is getting...I too believe that over 2 pages it wayyyy to much!

Also, I put 'additional work experience available upon request', so if they are curious about my sales gal job in the 80's they can ask..LOL! "like totally!".

  • Author

Thanks for the advise. I got it down to two pages. I only kept the stuff that was medically related. (experience, school and community)

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