I don't have to list all of my jobs on my resume, right?

by mgill 29. January 2010 09:55

  I know why you are asking: the experience may not be relevant, or there may be several employers in the early years (you don't want to be seen as a job hopper)--but the most common reason is that candidates don't want employers to know how old they are. 

My advice: don't make people guess your age when they read your resume.  Getting your foot in the door of a company that ultimately wants to hire a younger person wastes your time, time you could have spent networking and interviewing for the right job.  I know, isn't it networking if I get the interview?  I might get lucky and convince them otherwise? No and no.  The person you are meeting is also having time wasted and in this market companies have decided on the profile they seek well before you even applied.   

If you feel your years of experience are eliminating you from searches where your youthful attitude would have been considered, add an "Interests" section to your resume.  Include activities that you participate in like waterskiing, running, cycling, equestrian. Be careful here-- "paranormal investigator" or "cat lover" are not ideal (yes, I've seen both on a resume). As someone who reads hundreds of resumes each month, I love this information--it helps form a picture of the person and in many cases is a great icebreaker at the interview. 

If you want to omit early jobs because they are irrelevant or numerous, there's a simple remedy:  list your graduation date from college and omit the first five or so years of experience. 

Note: Pile and Company is an equal opportunity employer. We do not make nor recommend hiring decisions based on race, religion, sex or age. The preceding opinion is based solely on experience and market knowledge.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Judy Neer
President, Pile and Company

Having led the Pile and Company Consulting group for twelve years, I'm acutely aware of how a volatile market can change the face of marketing communications. This is a big part of why it seemed time for a Pile Blog. Because our Agency Selection, Performance Evaluation and Financial Optimization services all call for a holistic understanding of the marcom world, we need to stay current on the industry and its ebbs and flows. We hope that the Pile Blog will help keep you abreast of what we're hearing and seeing in the industry. Full bio.

Matt Gill
Senior Vice President
Pile and Company, Executive Search

Call it osmosis, but I think my fourteen years of working with marketing communications executives has brought me to the point where, as an Executive Recruiter, I truly appreciate the importance of blogging. For me, the benefits are two-fold. In my world of networking breakfasts, interviews and industry affiliations, I welcome any and all opportunities to make more connections with marketers. And we know now that online networking is rapidly becoming just as important as in-person networking. Secondly, if I can provide insight and information back to marketing job-seekers through a tool that is convenient and timely to them, I'm all for it. Full bio.