Resume – Work History
Documenting your work history is an exercise in providing information that is relevant. For many people, they feel that quantity of information will be impressive, but the reality is that for many recruiters, this is one of the least read sections of a resume. We have to adopt a philosophy that quality is more important than quantity.
We can’t make this about us, so on that basis we need to learn how to provide information that is actually helpful. There are a few things in this area that could be important to leverage, so let’s see if we can continue to build that emotional connection that we have spoken about. Things like, leveraging brands that you have worked for to your advantage, capitalising on market perceptions about them and their reputation and building a story about your work history that is relevant to the role. Remember, information is only helpful if it moves you closer to your goal.
What do they want?
Your work history or employment history, is a detailed report of all the relevant jobs you have held, including the company name, job title and dates of employment.
When you apply for jobs, companies typically require that applicants provide their work history, either on their resume or on a job application, or both. The job application may ask for information on your most recent jobs, typically two to five positions. Or, the employer may ask for a number of years of experience, typically 5 to 10 years of experience.
Employers generally want information on the company you worked for, your job title, and the dates you were employed there. However, sometimes the employer will ask for a more detailed employment history and more information on the jobs you have held as part of the hiring process.TargetFocus on the last 3 roles or the last 15 years. Much more than that is not going to be impactful, as times have changed and the business world is a different place.
The bottom line is, that this is one of the least read areas of the resume, unless there is something of impact. This area of the resume can be a great differentiator, if you manage to be able to keep the reader curious and engaged. The rule of thumb around how many roles need to be articulated and how much detail needs to be addressed, can differ from reader to reader. In most instances, the last 3 roles or the last 15 years of your career are the most critical to address, given the degree to which the working environment is changing and the speed of adjustment in the way that people work.
Following, is a structure that you might want to follow. Notice that we have included a copy of the logo. Logos as synonymous with an organisation and colours are a stimulant. We have also included a summary of the organisation in order to build a sense of scale and connection to the organisation. We have kept the responsibilities in bullet form and kept them brief and readable.
All of this means emotional connection.
A Structure
Employment Plus is a proud member of The Salvation Army Network of businesses. As one of Australia’s largest recruiters, they provide quality job seekers with specialised training, work experience and a range of support services, to help them find meaningful employment.
Role: General Manager Business Administration
Responsibilities
- Management of the finance function including budgeting and reporting including Business Intelligence.
- Provision of the Information Services function including end to end application management, desktop management, telecommunications, Records and GIS management for all sites across the nation.
- Oversight of the procurement function for the entire business.
- Oversight of the property portfolio and the fleet including all acquisitions and disposals.
Information Breakdown
Include the Logo: When we have worked for organisations that have a brand that is easily recognised, we can capitalise on this positive impression through the use of a visual image. Not only can we use it as a ‘nudge’ but it adds colour, a visual image and a subconscious association with something of value.
Summary of the role: Who did your work for, what did you do and for how long? I do like to have a summary of the business and the nature of the work. It’s important for people to see that you haven’t been working for a backyard operation, unless of course they were a backyard operation.
Summary of the responsibilities: This is not a detailed summary of every aspect of the role that you performed, but an overview in bullet form, of the key ingredients that made up your role. Try to keep t to 6-8 points, as any more information will not be absorbed anyway.
Summary of the smaller achievements: When sitting down and beginning the process of writing achievements, I need to look at the Situation, the Evidence (explanation of the activity) and Impact, (what was the result that I got?). The measurement of achievement is relative to the scale of the challenge involved. The smaller the challenge, the less the achievement is of any significance. In the event that you confronted significant challenges and barriers to achievement, the more impressive the result.
The important thing to remember about this area, is that it’s rarely read and if it is, there is often way too much information in here. Let the brands do some of the heavy lifting for you and you capitalise on that, with a brief overview of the role and the key responsibilities. Keep them in bullet form and as concise as you can, as they are more likely to be read.
Cool Stuff
How to fill an employment gap in your work history – https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/06/06/how-to-fill-an-employment-gap-on-your-resume/#343ce4d19f8a
What’s next?
In the next topic, we are going to jump into the referee process. The do’s and dont’s, tips and tricks as to how to get the best out of your people who will speak highly of you.