How many years of experience should be included on your resume?

Many job seekers and companies have different ideas of how many years of experience should be included on an applicant’s resume. As a result, it can be unclear how many jobs to include. You don’t want your resume to show too much history so that you come across as too old, but you don’t want to leave off valuable experience employers would want to see.

Ideally, you should include 10 years of experience on your resume. Here are some instances when you should include a different amount.

You’ve Been At Your Last Job More than 10 Years

In most instances, you want 10 years of experience and at least two jobs on your resume. However, if you’ve been at your current job for 12 years, it’s probably still okay to use two jobs, even if it goes beyond that 10 year threshold.

You’re a Job Hopper

If you’ve had more than one job every three to five years, you might want to consider having less than 10 years of job history on your resume. Employers want to invest in employees that will be around for the long haul. Having a history of going from one job to the next could come across badly.

All of Your Experience is Unrelated

If you have 10 years of experience as an accountant before you transitioned to becoming a dance teacher, you should limit your accounting experience on your dance teacher application. While including one accounting job might highlight some transferrable skills, 10 years or more of accounting experience will portray you as an accountant, not a dance teacher.

You Have No Experience

If you have absolutely no job experience, you won’t have ten years of job history to include. If this is the case, it’s okay to use as much as you’ve got. Just remember to include any volunteer activities or credentials that might help.

If you need help crafting the perfect resume, email us directly at info@moderntailoredresumes.com.