Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • writing a CV, how far back for Employment History?
  • Travis
    Full Member

    So, I am putting together my CV.
    The first time, in a very very long time.

    How far back would you go with Employment history?

    MSP
    Full Member

    As far as it takes to display your skill set.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Depends how much you have, I’d like to see that you don’t have any gaps but details beyond job title and dates are probably not that important in ancient history.

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    My current employer was much more impressed with what I was doing 4 years ago than what I was doing when I was hired.

    I’d guess more than 10 years ago wasn’t of much interest to anyone though, unless you were an astronaut, or invented cheese or something.

    lunge
    Full Member

    10 years max unless there’s something very impressive before then. Just add a line saying “details of employment prior to 2005 available upon request”.

    br
    Free Member

    Previously I’d have said enough to show your skills/expertise and then just companies/titles/dates before that.

    But when I was looking a couple of years ago enough people asked that I now show all my history – +30 years 🙄

    I also get folk asking whether I’ve done X (I work in IT and have been involved with most technologies that have existed over the last 30 years), and when I say yes they then ask why it’s not on my CV – these will also be the same folk who only want a 2-page CV…

    But if you are young, pad it out with everything.

    tomd
    Free Member

    I’ve seen quite a few CVs in my industry with “early career summary” section at the end. So most of the CV is the most recent stuff (i.e. most relevant to the job you’re applying for) and just a condensed paragraph summarising before that.

    It’s good when people have had a career change or worked in different industries. It gives the person reading the Cv an idea of their backrgound.

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    as far as relevant and oit depends
    if you have only worked one place in the last 10 years more than 10 years of you have worked at 12 probably only 10 years

    the critical point is

    1. include everything relevant
    2. State full history available on request
    3. Keep it relevant- dont just list jobs for the sake of it- the fact i worked in a pub 28 years ago wont get me a job and neither will a C pass in Physics at O level
    4. Dont go on and on and on and on and stick to two pages.
    5. target the CV to the job you want. its pretty hard to check up what you did at previous employers and more so as time passes so you can be “creative” with your job role.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    I’ve only had 4 employers in 25 years!

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    As posted above it depends upon the job and the relevance. You can include everything if you wish in a summary form/section which has only very basic details and need not have a new line/section for each job – that could have 4 or 5 jobs in two or three sentences for example.

    FWIW my CV these days has approx 1/3rd of the first page in a summary paragapgh outlining key skills and achievements with the “reverse chronology job list” coming later. I’ve been working 35 years and I get it all on two pages easily and I have a 1 page version also which does not list every job. It does include one of my early jobs as that is very important and formative for my career. Also as JY says have job specific CVs, I generally do a new one for each job I apply for changing the emphasis in the opening paragraphs

    Travis
    Full Member

    Thank you for guys.

    I shall start working on it.

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