October 10, 2024
How Far Back Should a Resume Go: Guide and Examples
When you’re putting together a resume, one big question often comes up: How far back should you go with your work history?
Your resume is a tool to help you get a job, so it’s important to make sure it shows the best of your experience without overwhelming the reader.
Here’s a simple guide to help you decide how far back a resume should go.
How Far Back Should a Resume Go?
For most jobs, list work from the past 10 to 15 years on your resume. This shows your latest skills and achievements. Including older jobs may not highlight your current abilities, but you can add them if they show your career growth and boost your credibility.
How Do You Determine How Far Back Should a Resume Go?
How far back a resume should go depends on several factors such as relevance, job requirements, and resume length.
- Determine the relevance of each job.
- Consider the level of the role.
- Check the job description.
- Include prominent experience.
- Decide on a resume length.
1. Determine the Relevance of Each Job
Think about how each job you’ve had is related to the job you’re applying for. Include jobs that are most relevant and show your best skills.
2. Consider the Level of the Role
Look at the importance of each job you’ve done. Include roles where you had more responsibility or made a big impact.
3.Check the Job Description
Read the job ad carefully to understand what the employer is looking for. Include experiences that match what they need.
4. Include Prominent Experience
Highlight the most important and impressive jobs or achievements that will catch the employer’s eye.
5. Decide on a Resume Length
Keep your resume to a reasonable length, usually one to two pages, focusing on the most relevant information.
Examples of How Far Back Should a Resume Go?
Here are examples of how to include earlier experience on your resume:
- Experience exceeding 15 years
- Different employers with similar experience
- Different positions with the same employer
1. Experience Exceeding 15 years
Use this example to add experience older than 15 years:
Project director
Pear, Inc.
1998–2000
- Oversaw 50+ technological projects with some budgets over $1 million.
2. Different Employers with Similar Experience
Use this example as a guide for detailing similar experiences for different companies:
Executive Assistant
Dewey and Rothstein, Capicola Meats, Georgia Brands
2002–2007
- Managed schedules, booked travel accommodations, fielded phone calls and emails, prepared correspondence
3. Different Positions With the Same Employer
Here's how you can show career progression with one business on your resume:
Fleet Makers
Customer service representative: 2003–2004, Customer service lead: 2004–2006, Customer service director: 2006–2010
- Received promotions to manage 30+ employees,
- Created and led onboarding training programs; increased customer satisfaction by 12% in the first six months as director
- Make your resume clear, brief, and effective. Choose relevant work experience and don’t go back more than 15 years if you have lots of experience.
- As you list your work history on your resume, focus more on recent jobs. If older jobs are important, mention them in a separate section without including dates if necessary.
- Make sure to add any career achievements on your resume because hiring managers will find them interesting.
- Avoid listing graduation dates if they are from more than 15 years ago.
Conclusion
In summary, include work from the past 10 to 15 years on your resume. Add older jobs only if they are relevant and show important skills.
Customize your resume for each job to highlight the best experience and make a strong impression.