If you are looking for a new career, you should have a resume ready to submit so potential employers can look at your qualifications, skills, and work history. The resume should go back ten to fifteen years if you have relevant experience to list and reference between 3 and 7 past jobs. If you are able to target your resume to the job you are applying for, it can even be as long as three pages.
Let’s break down how many jobs you should list on your resume.
Entry-Level Position
If you are applying for an entry-level position you should list:
- All voluntary and paid work you have done
- Accomplishments and name skills that will match the job you are applying for
- If you have completed any internships, authorial projects, freelancing, or part-time jobs, you will want to list all of these as well
Mid-Level Position
If you applying for a mid-level position you should:
- Focus only on the positions you’ve held that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Describe your role in the position as well as the responsibility you were given
- List remaining jobs after those that are relevant to the position, including any short-term positions you’ve held. Include any freelance work you’ve done, but do not go into much detail for these
Senior Position
If you are applying for a senior position, employers look for candidates who have a lot of professional experience. They still have an interest in your back-in-the-day jobs, so you can include them in your resume as well as present-day experiences. When you fill in the experience section on a resume for a senior position, you should:
- List all relevant work history that goes back as far as 15 years
- Follow the job posting information as it will list the expected years of expertise they are looking for
On a senior position resume, focus on your relevant job history first. If you list your entire career history, it may appear as though you are over-qualified.
What If You Have No Job History to List on a Resume?
If you are applying for a job but do not have any work history or experience, you should then list all your unpaid and paid work experiences including:
- The roles you played in student organizations
- Internships
- Any volunteer experience you have
- Practicums
If you have little to no professional experience, you will want to put your job descriptions under your education section.
In conclusion, when filling out your resume, do not go back more than 15 years. The number of jobs you list should be between 3 and 7 as long as they are all relevant to the position you are applying for. In the long run, you shouldn’t worry too much about an exact number, especially if you are applying to a position in the same industry where the majority of your experience has been gained.