Why Your Resume Should Focus on Your Recent Work

Why Your Resume Should Focus on Your Recent WorkWhy Your Resume Should Focus on Your Recent WorkExplained Why We Eliminated Your Earlier Work ExperienceThere are so many nuances when it comes to writing an effective resume for todays market that its hard for anyone other than a trained professional writer to keep track. Between the evolving needs of employers and their growing reliance on recruitment technology, resume writing has become both an art and a science.In this series, our goal is to explain some of the common changes resume writers make and why they are in your best interest.Why your earlier work experience was cut outYour writer didnt forget to include your earlier positions in your resume, we promise. They were removed for a good reason.While there are some resume-writing rules that professional resume writers like to debate, the overwhelming majority agree that a resume should only include the last 1015 years of employment. There are exceptions to this rule, of course (Ill explain further below). However, generally speaking, the standard cut-off for old information on a professional resume is 1015 years.Explaining the 1015 year cut-offThere are three main reasons why professional resume writers tend to eliminate or, at the very least, truncate a job seekers earlier experience beyond the 15-year markGives employers exactly what they wantThe further along you are in your career, the less relevant your earlier work experience becomes. Employers care fruchtwein about the details of your recent work that tie back to the position theyre currently filling not the jobs you held 15 or more years ago. By focusing on the parts of your recent experience that demonstrate your qualifications for the job, youre giving employers exactly what they want the Cliff Notes version of your work history, rather than the novel.Helps achieve the optimal page lengthThe average recruiter spends less than 10 seconds reviewing a resume before deciding whether an applicant is worth further consideration. When you have so little time to make the right impression, its important that you stick to the two-page resume rule. Removing the jobs that fall outside of the 15-year window helps achieve this optimal page length that recruiters prefer.Combats age discriminationWe may not like to admit it, but the fact remains Age discrimination is a reality in todays job market. By eliminating your earlier work history or minimizing its details, were helping to shift recruiters attention away from your age and toward what really matters the value you have to offer a prospective employer.Exceptions to the 1015 year ruleThere are a few exceptions to this rule, of course. For example, if youve worked at the same company for more than 15 years, if youre pursuing a job where the listing specifically requires the candidate to possess more than 15 years of experience, or if youre working in an academic or scientific field, your writer may elaborate on some or all of your e arlier work experience.Recommended ReadingHow to Skillfully Combat Ageism During a Job Interview6 Ways You Can Overcome Ageism During the Job SearchHow to Set the Stage for a Successful Job Search