Probably a simple Resume question

[ZeroDamage]

I have some odd jobs on my resume that do not apply to a job that I am looking to transfer to here at VT. My question is this, do I remove the old job where I worked at a Hotel for the summer as the Night Manager or do I keep it on there? If I do remove it, how do I account for the gap in employment time? That is my primary concern with removing stuff from my resume. Anyone here have any professional or whatever advice on how to work out those kinds of issues?

 

-ZD

[Preacher]

Better to have the time filled with a job or any sort rather than have the gap. A management job is also never looked on poorly. I would leave it unless you will get a bad reference from them.

[stutters]

how big of a gap are you talking about? how far back was it?

[ZeroDamage]

This was back in 2003 and the hotel has since been demolished for a freeway and casino that is being built.

[stutters]

imo, any job > 5 years old has got to be directly to the one you're applying for. i don't care how much experience you have, it should still fit on a single piece of paper:

- objective

- relevant job history

- educational highlights

- references (by request)

 

write a cover letter that demonstrates your character while answering any gaps in work history. you're not under interrogation, so talk casually. whoever is actually reading your cover letter (hr doesn't read cover letters) will want to know who they are hiring, so use the cover letter to add that personal dimension.

 

gl!

[Leveller]

If it's not directly relevant to what you're looking to do, keep it very simple, there's no reason to completely remove it (as you say it can account for lost "missing" time), but summarize it as a title and perhaps 1-3 bullet points if there's anything particular you were proud of achieving there.

 

People are often told at college that 1-2 pages as a maximum is fine, that is true, but as you get more experience don't be afraid to stretch beyond two pages. When you're fresh out of college if you're writing more than 2 pages there's little doubt that you're waffling but if you're in the running for a CEO's role it's probably safe to say you've got a lot more experience to talk about.

 

I'm recruiting manager for a large consulting company so I spend most of every day reviewing resumes and interviewing, I can say with a degree of certainty that most recruiters/hiring managers rarely go beyond the third or fourth page of a resume with any degree of depth, but there's no reason it shouldn't be 3-4 pages in length if you feel your experience merits it.

 

I have seen several people who've treated their resume almost as a covering letter, with 6-42 pages (yes, you read that right) of "additional information". If you strike the right balance a 1-2 page covering resume is great with some additional information available in an extended version. Ultimately your resume is there to get you an interview, no one will hire you on a resume alone, but they'll certainly reject you based on it.

 

If you want someone to review what you've got, PM me.

 

SJ, I'd agree with some of what you've said above, but I know for a fact we've hired people based on experience 5-15 years old, it's easy to get too engrossed in the "here and now" and you can miss out on interesting hooks/relevant past experience that'll get you an interview which just your recent work experience may not highlight. We are a technology company so obviously that experience may not be "day to day" relevant, but as a consulting company challenges someone faced on a global implementation 8 years ago, could well be just as relevant today.

You're also making an assumption with covering letters, more often than not if HR get the resume before the line, it's unlikely that the covering letter will get to the line, all they'll see is the resume regardless of HR reading it or not.

 

Often our most successful hires are through referral, as you gain more experience there's very little which is as likely to get you a good job to being well networked/well respected in your field regardless of the quality of your resume.

[stutters]

wait, did you just call me an ass_?

 

 

can't argue with a man of lev's background, but i still stand by my highlight reel resume

[Leveller]

wait, did you just call me an ass_?

 

 

can't argue with a man of lev's background, but i still stand by my highlight reel resume

 

Well, only if you're making it out of me as well

[stutters]

i challenge you to a duel!

[Leveller]

Woolen mittens at 30 paces it is.