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How to Write Years of Experience on a Resume

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How many years of experience should be on a resume?

How to write years of experience on a resume, should you include all work experience on a resume, is it ok to leave jobs off your resume.

When considering how many years of experience to write on a resume, take a look at the job posting you’re applying to. The number of years you show for work experience can be a crucial indicator to the hiring manager. This article explains how you can include years of experience on your resume to accurately highlight your work history.

As a general rule, try to keep your work timeline as solid as possible and without any major gaps or holes. While companies may be interested in your work five years ago, they may not be as interested in unrelated work 25 years ago. You can make your resume more appealing by cutting less relevant experience from your work history and saving it to discuss during the in-person interview.  

Follow these steps to properly include years of work experience on your resume:

1. First, include only the essentials

When in doubt, try to keep your resume as straightforward as possible. One of the biggest problems with having 20 to 30 years of experience on a resume is that it can create a cluttered look and feel. Try to keep your resume free of this type of clutter so that a hiring manager can make their decision as easy as possible. An interesting resume that captures the attention of the reader is a resume that employers are more likely to fully read. This, in turn, makes it more likely that you get called in for an interview.

2. Second, keep the length to no longer than two pages

The ideal length for a resume is one to two pages long, which may mean you have to do some trimming to optimize your space. If you feel like you are running out of room on your application, you can try using a smaller font or removing less relevant jobs from your resume.

To minimize the space that you’re using for your resume, you can also try writing the title and dates for the positions you have worked in the past, without including multiple bullet point details about the job. You can also condense your resume by abbreviating the months for the dates of employment for each position or even listing the dates of employment on the same line as the job title separated by commas. 

3. Third, check the job posting for the required years of work experience

Consider a job posting that requires 20 years of job-related experience. In a scenario like that, you can still apply with 15 years of work-related experience. Ultimately, the reason that companies might list a requirement for someone with that many years of experience is to indicate that they’re looking to hire someone for a senior position. It’s not actually about a specific number of years.  

4. Next, keep some information for the in-person interview

If you are a more seasoned applicant who might have experience stretching beyond 10 to 15 years, you don’t necessarily need to add that older work experience to your resume. Some industries view it as irrelevant for you to share information about job experience that dates back farther than 15 years. 

You should be careful how much information you share directly on your resume so that it doesn’t seem like your skills might be outdated or that you’d be a risk to hire. This information can be kept until an in-person interview when you can mention it as a bonus to your interviewer.

5. Finally, create an impact with relevance

One of the most important keys to having an impactful resume is to include the most relevant information to the position. While it might be tempting to add everything to your resume, quality carries more impact than quantity, and taking the time to edit your previous work experience can be what ultimately helps you get hired for the position. Try to take the extra time to cut and refine the information you do put on your resume to make sure it’s presented as efficiently as possible. The effort is well worth the time, as your resume is often the first impression you give to a hiring manager.

The goal of your resume is to provide insight into why you’re the best fit for the role that you are applying for. This means that if you’ve held positions that are not relevant to the role, you might not want to highlight them in the same way as others. Whether you omit jobs entirely or condense them into title and dates (without the details), be sure to organize the information on your resume so each section is clearly defined.

When you’re considering information about relevant jobs, a good rule to follow is to list your experience without gaps in employment. For example, if you want to include a position that you held 10 years ago, then you should include job information leading up to the present. The purpose of keeping this consistency is so that a hiring manager can see that you’ve been employed consistently for the time leading up to your application. 

If you are trying to consolidate information, you can trim the jobs that are the farthest back in your work history. Showing a solid list of jobs can help indicate that you are a reliable team member. Your work history can be a hidden trait when hiring managers are looking for a candidate who remains loyal to a company over time.

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• How Do I List 20 Years of...

How Do I List 20 Years of Experience on My Resume?

7 min read · Updated on October 15, 2021

When it comes to the length of your resume, more isn't always better — even if you have a long and accomplished career history.

Each week, TopResume's career advice expert, Amanda Augustine, tackles your questions live on Facebook . We'll be republishing those answers here. As a certified professional career coach (CPCC) and resume writer (CPRW), Amanda has been helping professionals improve their careers for over 10 years. 

In this Q&A, Amanda helps make sense of how long is too long for a resume, and what you should keep — and omit — from your resume if you're an older professional. 

She answers: 

Can I use a one-page resume for networking, even though my regular resume is three pages long? 

How do I put 20 years of experience on a resume? 

How do I showcase additional duties on your resume?

Q: Can I use a 1-page resume for networking? I was thinking of having a 1-page resume to circulate to unsolicited contacts to spark the conversation.

There was a great study done by ResumeGo where they looked at thousands of resumes and found that a two-page resume is the ideal length , regardless of years of experience. 

If you are newer to the workforce, I would always recommend a one-page resume. If you have enough information that warrants a second page, you should go for it — but you shouldn't force it, either. The same thing applies to a three-page resume. In general, I recommend a two-page resume over three pages, unless there are extenuating circumstances. 

Even at a quick glance (recruiters spend less than 10 seconds looking at your resume before making a decision) the top third of your resume needs to set the stage for everything else. That's what needs to catch the reader's eye. 

You need to have your name, your contact information, your professional title, and a short professional summary, which really is the elevator pitch for the rest of your resume. Make sure to incorporate your strengths and skills so that the recruiter has a high-level understanding of what you're about from the get-go, with your most recent experience on that front page as well. 

Overall, I think professionals are trending toward two pages instead of one because a two-page resume presents recruiters with everything they want to see. 

TopResume completed a study where we looked at self-written, DIY resumes and compared them to professionally written resumes . As part of the study, we asked recruiters different questions to understand which they were more impressed by and, more importantly, why. What's the difference? 

The professional resumes looked and read as more polished, leaving recruiters feeling more confident in the prospect of presenting these candidates to their hiring managers. We also asked the recruiters to estimate the candidates' value in the job market, and those with professionally written resumes were valued at seven percent higher than those whose were self-written. 

Anyone can make sure their resume is typo-free or grammatically correct, but we found the big differences between a professionally written resume and a DIY resume were that:

A professionally written resume presents a compelling career narrative.   Your resume tells a story . How well do you weave a story that shows your background and why you're now qualified and would make a good candidate for a certain role?

Quantifying your achievements allows you to showcase the value you could bring to a company or role. It's more than just saying that you did X, Y, and Z. What was some of the output? How did you improve efficiency? How did you make the company more money? What did you do that benefited the organization? If you missed a day of work, what wouldn't get done because you weren't there?

Q: How do I articulate 20 years of experience on my resume? 

You only want to focus on the most recent 15 years of work experience, and the amount of detail you include for each role should decrease as you go back in your career. The reality is employers are going to say, “That's great what you did 10 years ago, but what have you done recently that's relevant to what I'm hiring for?”

That's great what you did 10 years ago, but what have you done recently that's relevant to what I'm hiring for?

For someone who has a lot of experience, what I typically recommend is: In addition to having your Professional Summary and Areas of Expertise, include a Career Highlights section on the first page. A highlights section is three or five bullets that show off the headliners from your 20-year career.

Not sure how to do this? You can see how a Career Highlights section is formatted in my article about ways to improve your senior-level resume . 

Include anything that is highly brag-worthy, as well as particularly relevant to what you're pursuing today. That way, if the role does fall toward the bottom of page two, it's still getting a nod on the first page. Remember to look at each role and curate the information you're providing based on what your current goal is.

Q: How do I articulate additional duties on a resume? 

A resume is not your transcript from school where every single detail of every job you've ever held is included. Instead, a resume is a marketing document . You get to curate the content you provide, which means determining what details you want to share and what details you want to downplay or omit because they aren't relevant to your goals. 

While you may have had many responsibilities in your role, you want to focus on the responsibilities that are relevant to the role you are pursuing. When it comes to resume writing, we have soft guidelines about what this means. We can only work with the information we are given, so things get tweaked depending on what we have to work with. 

In an ideal world, assuming you're not fresh out of school or entry-level, for each job role we like to provide:

The job title

The company name, and perhaps a little bit of information about the company to give the reader context, especially if many of the employers on your resume are not self-explanatory or well-known

How long have you worked there, start date to end date

A short paragraph, maybe three to five lines, to describe your relevant roles and responsibilities 

We then save your bullet points for your bragging points. How did you help the company? How did you contribute? How can you show you're an achiever versus a doer?  

Some people say, “Well I had a 'doer' job.” Well then, ignore those words — those are just labels. Instead, it's about how you show that you were good at what you did.

It could be that you were given the best shifts, had to train the new hires, or were asked to let the new hires shadow you. It could also be that you were promoted, had a title change, or were given a bigger budget. These are all things that show you were excellent at your job, which is what a recruiter wants to know. These are the bragging points they are looking for. 

If you need to include jobs that aren't necessarily relevant but would leave a hole if not included, you still want to mention them . Just don't give them a lot of space on your resume.

Looking to update your resume but don't know where to start? Use our free resume review as a guide. 

Recommended Reading:

Between Jobs When You're Older: Is It Time for a Career Change or Early Retirement?

4 Ways to Invest in Your Career

What Is an ATS? How to Write a Resume to Beat the Bots

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See how your resume stacks up.

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I've been interviewing for 20 years—and these are the 3 best resume examples, based on experience level

There is no one-size-fits-all template for a resume that will guarantee a job interview or offer. But there is one major message that every resume should illustrate : "This is how I made things better for my employers."

The secret to making that point as clear and compelling as possible depends on how many years you've been working. Here are solid resumes examples from candidates across three common experience levels: Mid-level, junior and recently graduated:

* Note : These are hypothetical examples; the people, experiences and companies are not real. Numbers and percentages represented by "X" are meant to show style and format.

1. The 'mid-level professional' resume

(Click here to enlarge.)

Mid-level professionals typically have a strong background in managing teams or directing departments. Since they have anywhere from seven to 15 years of experience, their resumes can be longer than one page.

Essential tips:

• Make the first section your professional summary. For a highly experienced candidate like Jonathan, adding a professional summary at the very top is a quick way to concisely convey his core competencies.
• Highlight relevant skills. Notice how Jonathan uses strong keywords and phrases like " strategic planning," "cost management" and "financial planning & analysis" — as noted in the job description. Whether it's being scanned by a human or by a machine, this is what gets a resume noticed.
• Make your recent position the most comprehensive. The professional experience is the bulk every resume, and details from your most recent (or current) position should account for about 75% of this section. Also, you do not need to include your first job.
• Include company descriptions . I consider this a universal rule: If you worked at a company that isn't a household name, adding notable details about the organization (i.e., what it does, number of employees, annual revenue) will save the hiring manager time from having to look it up.
• Numbers, numbers, numbers . If your marketing plan contributed to a 35% increase in sales, make it loud and clear! No need to explain  how you did it; the hiring manager will ask for more details during the interview .
• Emphasize select achievements. Limit your job responsibility descriptions to just two or four of the most important points. By keeping things brief, you can dedicate more space to your proudest and most relevant achievements . This is a more powerful way to showcase what you can contribute to the next employer.

2. The 'junior-level professional' resume

(Click here to enlarge.)

Junior-level candidates usually have two or less years of work experience and tend to require close supervision, especially for complex tasks. These resumes should be one page, tops.

• Showcase strong teamwork skills. One of the most important skills hiring managers look for in junior-level candidates is the ability to work well in teams, large or small. Contrary to popular belief, using words like "we" or "our team" doesn't dilute your achievements; rather, it strengthens your impact. And it's far more effective than saying, "I'm a team player."
• Only include relevant work and internship experience.  Listing each and every internship or job you've held only weakens the resume, mostly because it distracts the hiring manager from focusing on how qualified you are for a specific job.
• Leave out the professional summary.  Unlike those with seven or more years of experience, junior-level professionals don't have enough relevant work to warrant a summary. Instead, their resumes should immediately focus on initial jobs, key accomplishments, education and extracurricular activities.
• Leave out the objective.  What you don't see in Grace's resume (or any other resume here) is an objective. What so many candidates fail to realize is that  objectives are pointless . Even if you truly are "seeking a challenging team leadership position," saying so still reveals nothing about what you can do for a prospective employer.

3. The 'recent college graduate' resume

• Put your education in the first section. Resumes of recent college graduates or workforce entrants should start with the college or university attended, degrees obtained, GPA and any academic honors.
• Keep details about your internships short.  Let's be honest: You were an intern — and there's no way you held as many relevant responsibilities as a non-graduate with years of experience. Going on and on about all the tiny things you did will just make the hiring manager think you're exaggerating or being dishonest. Focus only on the tasks that are important to your field.
• Use extracurricular activities to tell a story.  Be thoughtful about what extracurricular activities you include. It can be something as big as being president of a club or something as small as a weekend of volunteer work — as long as it's interesting enough to tell a story about your hobbies, accomplishments and who you are as a person.
• Keep it to just one page.  Fight the urge to oversell. Prospective employers know that you just graduated, so don't try to make yourself look like something you're not. Otherwise, you'll lose credibility.
• Make your resume pleasing to the eye with lots of white space. Hiring managers don't expect college graduate resumes to be jam-packed with a ton of details. Keep it clean, clear and presentable; use bullet points and strong actions verbs. It's assumed that you have references, so no need to list any or say they're "available upon request."

Gary Burnison has been in the business of hiring and interviewing for more than 20 years. Currently, he is the CEO of Korn Ferry , the world's largest executive recruiting firm. Gary is also the author of "Advance: The Ultimate How-To Guide f or Your Career" and the New York Times best-seller "Lose the Resume, Land the Job." Follow him on LinkedIn here .

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Work Experience on a Resume - How to List It Right

Imagine you’re a hiring manager who goes through countless resumes on the daily.

What’s the first thing you look at?

If your guess was work experience, then you’re right.

And if you spot a few relevant keywords in their work experience section, then you’re more likely to continue reading about their background, contact information, and so on.

The most important thing hiring managers want to know is whether you can do the job you’re applying for, and that’s where the work experience section of your resume comes in.

So how do you make your work experience do the heavy lifting?

Don’t worry! Our article is here to help.

We’re going to cover:

• What Information Your Work Experience Section Needs

How to Format Work Experience on Your Resume

• 11 Real-Life Examples of Work Experience on a Resume

Let’s get started.

What to Include in Your Work Experience Section

The work experience section is the most important part of your resume.

This is the section that gives hiring managers a look at your professional journey so far, including your skills and achievements, and it’s the section they base their hiring decisions on the most.

Your work history can show how likely you are to excel at the job, how committed you are to career growth , and what industry know-how you ought to have.

This section is going to look different depending on your career level, how recent your work experience is, and what the job you're applying for is.

Let’s look at what information employers expect from your work experience section:

• Job Title/Position . Add this at the top of each work experience entry. You want the hiring manager to know at a glance that you have relevant work experience for the job, so use the actual job title instead of any buzzwords.
• Company Name. Include the name of the employer. Sometimes, if the employer isn’t well-known, you might want to describe the company in a sentence or two to give the hiring manager context.
• Location. The general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked, is more than enough information.
• Employment Dates. Write down the approximate timeframe of your employment. There’s no need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Responsibilities and Achievements. The core of each work experience entry is what you achieved while you were there. List your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points instead of paragraphs to make them easier to read. Use 5-6 bullet points for newer job entries and 2-3 for older ones.

Here’s an example of a work experience section that includes all of the above:

Want to know more about other resume sections? Learn how to write a resume with our detailed guide!

You know what to include in your work experience section, so let’s talk about how to include it.

First things first - your work experience section should always follow a reverse chronological order . Add your latest work experience at the very top, and work your way backward.

Hiring managers aren’t interested in what you did ten years ago. Instead, they’d rather know what you’ve been up to right before applying for this specific job.

That being said, if you have a lot of experience, you shouldn’t include every single job you’ve ever had.

Your resume is supposed to be one page long , so feel free to omit any summer gigs or part-time jobs to free up space. It’s also extremely important that your work experience is easy to find and that the information is well-structured and readable.

Here’s an example of how to format your work experience section:

Making Your Work Experience Stand Out

Now that you know how to list your work experience, you need to describe it in a way that makes you stand out from other candidates.

We’ve divided this process into several steps, starting with:

#1. List Achievements Instead of Responsibilities

Too many resumes focus on the day-to-day tasks in the work experience section.

The thing is, hiring managers already know what those responsibilities are. They’re the ones who write the job ads, so you won’t impress them by telling them you did just what they would expect you to do.

For example, if you’re a QA engineer, your responsibilities could include:

• Identifying software bugs.
• Ensuring test coverage for all features.
• Making detailed reports on product quality.

These same responsibilities show up in 99% of QA engineer resumes out there.

So, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you want to focus on your most impressive achievements instead. Show the hiring manager how you helped your previous employer and the difference you made while you were there.

Let’s compare how the same work experience entry looks like when we use achievements and when we use responsibilities:

• Increased test coverage by 25% by implementing new automated test suites.
• Reported and triaged over 100 high-priority defects ahead of major releases.
• Executed manual test cases across web and mobile applications.
• Logged defects into bug-tracking systems as they were encountered.

But there are some fields where there aren’t that many achievements you can mention in your resume. For example, if you’re a server , serving 120+ patrons a night, or earning a lot of tips aren’t achievements that look good on your resume.

Your daily tasks probably include:

• Taking orders, serving food and beverages, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Preparing tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
• Assisting in opening and closing the restaurant, including cleaning duties and setting up for the next service.

In this case, it’s okay to focus on responsibilities instead. You can still distinguish yourself by following the rest of our tips on how to make your work experience shine.

#2. Tailor Your Work Experience to the Job

If you want your resume to go from “okay” to "outstanding," what you need to do is tailor it to the specific job you’re applying for. 

The hiring manager doesn’t need to know details about every job you’ve had or about the skills you gained in a different field. 

So, your work experience should reflect what the job requirements are. This way, you’re more likely to really catch the hiring manager’s attention and land a job interview .

Here’s an example of a well-tailored job ad:

As you can see from the picture, it’s easy to figure out what the most important requirements for the role are. 

So, to tailor your resume to this ad, you need to show how you meet every one of these job requirements.

Let’s look at an example of how the same work experience would be tailored differently according to different job ads.

Say, you were an advertising intern.

Here’s what your work experience would look like when you’re applying for a position as a social media assistant:

INTERNSHIPS

Marketing Intern

Full Picture Company

New York, NY

09/2023 - 12/2023

• Analyzed various social media platforms for trending content.
• Managed company social media accounts.
• Posted interesting content on the company's Facebook page, increasing engagement by 25%.

Pretty easy, right? Now, let’s look at what the same work experience entry would look like for a job as a content writer .

• Assisted the Marketing Manager in writing press releases and new blog posts, which increased web traffic by 25%.
• Created engaging content for email marketing campaigns and boosted newsletter subscriptions.
• Revitalized old blog posts with updated information and SEO optimization, improving organic search rankings by 30%.

The internship is still the same but this way, the experience you’re focusing on is tailored to the job you’re applying for. The hiring manager can immediately see your most important skills for the job and the value you could bring to their team.

#3. Add the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve had a lot of jobs so far, you might be wondering if they all belong on your resume.

The answer is usually no. Your full, detailed work history belongs on your CV instead of your resume .

The hiring manager only wants the most recent and relevant information, not your full life story.

So, the amount of work information your resume should include depends entirely on your level of experience.

Let’s break it down:

• No Experience. If you’re currently looking for your very first job , you simply won’t have any jobs to fill in your work experience section. In that case, we recommend skipping this section and instead focusing on any experience gained in clubs, extracurricular activities , volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-Level. When you’re applying for an entry-level job, you can list most of your work experience so far. Likely, some of it won’t be relevant, but it still shows the hiring manager that you have some work experience, and that’s better than none.
• Mid-Level. At this level, you should only mention relevant work experience. Don’t waste precious space listing old internships or jobs you had as a teenager .
• Senior-Level. You only need to list up to 15 years of relevant work experience. You might even need a two-page resume to apply for an executive position at this stage, but only if you have too much relevant work experience to fit onto a single page.

#4. Optimize for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Before the hiring manager reads your resume, it has to make it to them.

The fact is that 70% of resumes get discarded before the hiring manager even reads them.

That’s because most companies use specialized Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to go through hundreds of resumes and automatically filter out ones that don’t have what the hiring manager is looking for.

Unfortunately, this means that if a resume is missing a specific skill or isn’t formatted in a way that the ATS can process , it gets rejected immediately.

So, how can your work experience make the cut?

Here are a few tips:

• Don’t go over one page. The ATS can have a limit on how long a resume is allowed to be, so we recommend always sticking to a single-page resume.
• Format everything carefully. Don’t give your resume sections quirky names. Your work experience section should be titled “Work Experience,” not “The Journey So Far.” If you try being too creative, the ATS might not recognize what that section is and reject you.
• Tailor carefully to the job ad. If you want to beat the ATS, you need your resume to be as tailored to the job ad as possible. Include as many relevant keywords as you can in your work experience section. Just make sure they’re all used in a logical context since the hiring manager is supposed to read them, too.
• Keep everything in an active voice. Describe your previous jobs with clear and specific language. (E.g.: Instead of “A team of ten people was managed by me,” say “Managed a team of ten people” ).
• Use power words and action verbs. Hiring managers don’t want to hear how you “were responsible” for this or “helped with” that. Make your work experience pop by using impactful language like “spearheaded,” “designed,” “conceptualized,” and more.

Choose one of our ATS-friendly resume templates to make sure your resume passes the test.

Where to Place Work Experience on Your Resume

The work experience section should always be one of the first sections on your resume, along with the skills section.

Typically, it comes just after your resume header , so that the hiring manager can read it immediately after your resume headline .

If you are using the reverse-chronological resume format, work experience should go at the top of your resume. This way, hiring managers can quickly evaluate your qualifications based on your most recent roles.

However, if you’re using a different resume format, such as functional or combination resume formats, you can make an exception. These resume formats emphasize skills over work history, so you could move your work experience further down, towards the middle of your resume.

Recent graduates are another exception to this rule

Suppose you’re a student with minimal professional experience. In that case, you can put your education section on top instead of your work experience section to emphasize your academic achievements and show that you’re ready to put your knowledge to good use.

Want to learn about the other popular resume formats ? Check out this article to see which one is right for you.

Complimentary Resume Sections

While your work experience might be the single most important section of your resume, at the end of the day, it works in sync with the rest of it.

Other resume sections , like your resume summary or certifications, can show the hiring manager how experienced you are and how much industry know-how you bring to the table.

So, here are a few other resume sections that come into play if you want to back up your work experience and increase your chances of getting an interview:

#1. Resume Summary

A resume summary is a short section at the top of your resume that highlights your most relevant skills and achievements related to the job.

In 2-3 simple sentences, a good resume summary tells the hiring manager:

• Your years of experience in that type of role.
• Your top qualifications or impressive accomplishments.
• What kind of responsibilities you’re familiar with.
• What your motivation for the position is.

By summarizing the core of your work experience upfront, your resume summary lets the hiring manager know what they can expect from the rest of your resume. So, when done well, an eye-catching resume summary can make you stand out from the crowd.

Here’s an example of a resume summary:

Another important section is devoted to your most important skills.

The skills section lets you list abilities that supplement your work experience, and it should be divided into two categories:

• Hard Skills. These include technical skills, tools, and specific knowledge that’s directly applicable to the role.
• Soft Skills. These can be personality traits or interpersonal skills that demonstrate how you work with others and how well you’d fit into the company’s team.

Along with your work history, the skills section helps employers quickly evaluate your credentials and relevant expertise for the position. While your work experience highlights skills in context, the skills section provides an easy-to-reference summary.

Make sure the skills you list on your resume align with what the employer is looking for. Use the job description as a reference to pinpoint the keywords you should add to your resume .

Here’s an example of a skills section on a resume:

#3. Certificates

Professional certificates and coursework can show your commitment to continuous learning and honing your skills.

Listing certificates on your resume allows you to showcase specialized knowledge and skills that might not be evident from your work experience.

For example, say you’re applying for a position as an SEO content marketer.

If you’re experienced in digital marketing but don’t have formal work experience with SEO, that could be a problem. However, listing a certificate from an SEO course can tell the hiring manager that you have the necessary knowledge to take on the role.

Relevant certificates can provide evidence of your advanced skills, industry expertise, or any other necessary qualifications for the role. They can back up your skills and distinguish you from other candidates with similar work experience.

Depending on the context, any certificates you have can either be listed in the education section or a dedicated resume section.

If the certificates are more recent and different from your formal education, we recommend listing them separately. Here’s an example:

#4. Personal Projects

One of the best ways to show your passion and dedication is through your projects.

Hiring managers love candidates who do cool stuff in their spare time.

If any personal passion project you’ve been working on is relevant to the role you’re applying for, make sure to add it to your resume. It can back up the skills and experience on your resume, and help you stand out from other applicants.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an animator , any published flash animation videos on YouTube are a great addition to your resume.

However, personal projects should only be listed if they’re relevant. If you’re looking for a job as an architect , your incredible cosplay sewing abilities just won’t cut it.

Here’s an example of a personal projects section:

11 Real-Life Examples

Not sure how to list work experience for your field?

Check out the practical work experience in these resume examples for different professions:

#1. Marketing Executive Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a marketing executive resume here.

#2. Teacher Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a teacher resume here.

#3. Cashier Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a cashier resume here.

#4. Software Engineer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a software engineer resume here.

#5. Career Change Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a career change resume here.

#6. Illustrator Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an illustrator resume here.

#7. Esthetician Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an esthetician resume here.

#8. Stay-at-Home Parent Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a stay-at-home parent resume here.

#9. University Graduate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a university graduate resume here.

#10. University Student Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a university student resume here.

#11. High School Graduate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a high school graduate resume here.

Work Experience Section FAQs

Are you still wondering about something related to your resume’s work experience? Check out the answers to these popular questions about listing work experience on a resume:

#1. What If I Don’t Have Any Work Experience?

If you don’t have any work experience, there are two things you should consider: first, hiring managers don’t expect candidates for entry-level roles to have a ton of experience, so you don’t have to worry too much.

And second - there are plenty of ways to make an impressive resume even without any professional experience .

For example, if you're a recent graduate, you can focus on highlighting your education, relevant coursework or extracurricular activities.

Include any internships, volunteer roles, or student organizations that show you have the skills necessary for the job.

You can also highlight universal skills like communication , teamwork, problem-solving, and computer skills . If you use a strategic approach, your lack of work experience won’t hold you back from writing a great resume.

#2. Can I List an Internship Instead of Work Experience?

Yes, you can list internship experience on your resume instead of work experience.

Internships provide valuable on-the-job training and give you exposure to a professional work environment, so they’re always a great thing to add to your resume.

Like work experience, internships allow you to gain important skills, learn about a particular industry or role, and build accomplishments you can use to show potential future employers. 

Internships can be a vital resume section for candidates with less experience, such as students, career changers, or stay-at-home parents re-entering the workforce, since they show hiring managers you have enough relevant hands-on experience to succeed at the job.

#3. How Can I Explain an Employment Gap on My Resume?

The key to managing a gap in your work experience section is to address it briefly and positively on your resume or cover letter .

In a line or two, explain what happened and move on without dwelling on it, since employment gaps are relatively common and can happen for different reasons.

For example, if you had to take a year off to recover from a medical issue, just say so in your resume without going into details. The important thing is that you’re now better, ready to resume work, and the hiring manager knows it won’t be a problem.

If you have a short employment gap, you can probably skip the explanations. Simply list the start and end dates for each role without explaining the time in between. A couple of months between jobs is perfectly normal, and hiring managers aren’t likely to ask about it.

#4. What If My Work Experience Isn’t Relevant?

If you're applying for a job and none of your work experience is relevant, it’s a bit more complicated.

As a general rule, any work experience is better than no work experience. Most soft skills are applicable across industries, so you can focus on them in your resume.

If you’re an entry-level candidate, you might want to leverage other areas to show the hiring manager that you’re a good fit for the role.

For example, if you want to be a graphic designer but only have experience in customer service , emphasize your art education, portfolio work, and personal projects instead. If you’ve taken any more recent courses related to the field, you can list them before your work experience.

However, if you’re an experienced professional looking to change careers , things are a little different.

For a career change, you need to articulate your transferable skills and show how your previous experience can help you in this new role.

Let's say you're a sales professional interested in marketing. You could highlight skills like communication, market analysis, client relationship-building, and goal-oriented achievements that show your valuable marketing skills.

Key Takeaways

You’ve made it to the end!

Now, you’re all set to write a flawless work experience section.

But before you go, let’s recap what we talked about:

• Always list your work experience reverse-chronologically so the hiring manager can see what your most recent achievements and experiences are.
• If possible, focus on work achievements over day-to-day tasks. This way, you can immediately show the hiring manager what you’ve done for your previous team and what the value of hiring you would be.
• Carefully format your work experience so it passes the ATS and so that the hiring manager can easily read it.
• Instead of paragraphs, use bullet points to describe your previous jobs. For newer experiences, 5-6 bullets are good, but for older ones, 2-3 bullet points are enough.
• If you don’t have work experience, use this section to list your internship, volunteer experience, personal projects, or extracurricular activities. Treat them the same way you would treat work experience, and list your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points.
• Make sure the other sections in your resume complement your work experience for a flawless job application.

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How to Craft a Winning Resume: Step-By-Step Guide

A standout resume showcases your fit for the role and reflects your professional narrative and brand, emphasizing your qualifications, experience and the unique value you bring to the position.

Quality Verified

Updated: April 5, 2024

On This Page:

• Why Your Resume Matters
• Step 1: Job Description
• Step 2: Format
• Step 3: Objective
• Step 4: Work Experience
• Step 5: Skills
• Step 6: Education & Credentials
• Step 7: Optional Sections
• Step 8: Proofread

Additional Resources

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

An effective resume is much more than a simple list of skills and career history. Your resume often makes the first impression on potential employers and is vital to securing an interview during a job search . When crafted correctly, it's a tool that reflects your qualifications, experiences and compatibility with the position you're applying for.

Importance of a Well-Crafted Resume

A well-crafted resume does more than state your work history — it's a strategic way to present your professional narrative in the most compelling light. Here's why a resume is vital in your job application process:

Step 1: Carefully Read the Job Description

The first step in crafting a compelling resume is a thorough understanding of the job description. It sets the direction for how you'll customize your resume to meet the specific needs and requirements of the role. Here's how to approach it:

Read Attentively

Begin by reading the job description carefully. Pay attention to the language used and the listed responsibilities and requirements. This will give you a clear idea of what the employer values most.

Highlight Key Skills and Qualifications

As you read, underline or highlight the essential skills and qualifications mentioned. These are usually listed under sections titled "Requirements," "Qualifications," or "Skills."

Match Your Skills

Compare your experiences and skills to those in the job description. Identify where your background aligns with the job requirements. This step is crucial for tailoring your resume to show you're an ideal fit.

Incorporate Keywords

Integrate keywords and phrases found in the job description throughout your resume. Use them in your summary, work experience and skills sections. This shows that your qualifications match the role and helps your resume get past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which screen resumes based on specific keywords.

Step 2: Choose the Best Resume Format

Choosing the right resume format ensures that your application captures the attention of hiring managers by presenting your background in the most effective and relevant way. Below are the three most commonly used resume formats, along with guidance on who should use each and why:

Chronological Resume

This format arranges your work experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent job at the top. It's ideal for individuals with a solid and steady work history. The chronological resume highlights career progression and is particularly effective for those looking to advance in the same field.

Best for: Seasoned professionals with consistent employment in their field.

Example: A marketing manager with 10 years of experience seeking to become a marketing director.

Functional Resume

This format emphasizes your skills and abilities rather than the chronological chronology of your professional experience. It's beneficial for those with career gaps in their employment, newcomers to the workforce or career changers, as it allows them to highlight how their skills transfer to the position they're applying for.

Best for: Career changers, individuals with employment gaps or those with diverse skill sets not tied to specific roles.

Example: A professional transitioning from a teaching career to a corporate training position, emphasizing skills in curriculum development, presentation and educational technology.

Combination Resume

A hybrid of the chronological and functional formats, this style allows you to showcase your relevant skills and work history. It's perfect for those with a solid employment record who also want to highlight specific skills that are particularly relevant to the job they're applying for.

Best for: Professionals with a robust work history and specific, transferable skills directly applicable to the job opening.

Example: A software developer with extensive experience in project management looking to focus on agile project management roles.

Step 3: Write a Compelling Resume Summary or Objective

Your summary or objective should introduce your resume and encapsulate your professional identity and value proposition, making a compelling case for why you're the ideal candidate for the position. Here's how to differentiate between the two and write them effectively:

Resume Summary

Ideal for experienced professionals, a summary provides a concise overview of your career achievements and key strengths. It highlights your experience, major accomplishments and the value you bring to a potential employer.

Example: "Customer Service Manager with over seven years of experience specializing in improving customer satisfaction and team performance. Achieved a 30% increase in customer satisfaction at XYZ Co., demonstrating proficiency in CRM software and effective team leadership."

Resume Objective

Best suited for those at the entry level, career changers or applicants with gaps in employment, an objective focuses on your career goals and how they align with the company's needs, emphasizing your enthusiasm and potential contributions.

Example: "Recent Computer Science graduate passionate about software development and problem-solving. Aiming to apply academic knowledge and innovative thinking in a Junior Developer role. Awarded university prize for excellence in project development, showcasing strong technical skills and creative solutions."

• Be Concise: Keep your summary or objective brief, targeting three to five lines.
• Showcase Your Value: Mention specific skills and experiences that align with the job description, indicating how you can solve problems or add value to the team.
• Use Active Language: Start sentences with action verbs and use the active voice to convey dynamism and proactivity.

Step 4: Detail Your Work Experience

The work experience section of your resume is where you showcase your professional journey and demonstrate your value to potential employers. Here's how you can effectively list your work experience:

Chronological Order

Begin with your most recent position and proceed backward in time. This format allows employers to quickly understand your current level of responsibility and track your career progression.

Dynamic Action Verbs

Initiate each bullet point with a strong action verb (e.g., led, developed, increased, optimized) to capture attention and actively convey your role in each achievement.

Quantify Achievements

Wherever possible, use numbers, percentages and specific outcomes to quantify your achievements. This approach provides tangible evidence of your contributions and impact on your roles.

Beyond Duties

Focus on your achievements in each position rather than simply listing job duties. Describe how you added value, solved problems or improved processes. This distinction helps employers gauge your potential impact on their organization.

Tailor to the Job

Select experiences and accomplishments most relevant to the position you're applying for. Tailoring this section to the job description ensures you highlight the skills and experiences that align closely with what the employer is seeking.

Step 5: Highlight Your Skills

The skills section can be an opportunity to respond directly to the job description's call for specific competencies. Follow these steps to make your skills section stand out:

Inventory Your Skills

Compile a comprehensive list of your skills, including technical skills and interpersonal skills. No skill is too small to consider.

Prioritize Relevant Skills

From your inventory, select the skills that most closely match the job description. These are the ones you should highlight in your resume.

Balancing Hard and Soft Skills

A well-rounded candidate possesses hard and soft skills . Hard skills demonstrate your specific qualifications for the job, while soft skills illustrate how you interact with others and approach your work.

Presenting Your Skills

When listing your skills, consider using bullet points for clarity and ease of reading. Provide brief examples of how you've applied each skill in a professional setting, either within the skills section itself or elsewhere in your resume.

Integrating Soft Skills Throughout

While it's important to list soft skills, you can also integrate them into your work experience and achievements.

Step 6: Include Your Education and Credentials

This section should highlight your academic achievements and underscore your commitment to professional development. Consider the following tips to showcase your education and credentials effectively:

List Your Highest Education First

Begin with the most advanced degree you've earned, followed by others in reverse chronological order. For each, include the degree type, your major, the name of the institution and your graduation year (or expected graduation year if you're currently enrolled).

Certifications and Licenses

List any professional certifications or licenses you hold, especially those directly relevant to the job. Include the name of the certification, the issuing organization and the date of attainment or expiration, if applicable.

Relevant Coursework, Honors and Awards

Mention any courses, honors or awards directly relevant to the job or that showcase exceptional achievement. Place these details under the appropriate educational entry, keeping the descriptions brief yet descriptive.

Formatting for Clarity

Use bullet points for each element to ensure the section is easily scannable. This helps potential employers quickly grasp your academic and professional learning achievements.

Prioritizing Information

Your educational background will be particularly important if you're starting your career or a recent graduate. In this case, consider placing your education section above your work experience. For those more advanced in their careers, education can follow the work experience section, focusing more on degrees and certifications than on coursework or honors.

• Master of Science in Data Analytics – XYZ University, 2023
• Specialization: Big Data Processing and Visualization Technique
• Honors: Received the Dean's Award for Outstanding Graduate Research

Certifications

• Certified Data Analyst – Data Science Institute, 2022

Step 7: Consider Optional Resume Sections

In addition to the essential components of your resume — such as your career summary, skills, work experience and education — consider including optional sections to further develop your brand, showcase a comprehensive skill set and stand out from other candidates. Select optional sections that add value and are relevant to the position you're applying for. Here are some possibilities:

Volunteer Work

Highlight significant volunteer roles and community service activities. These experiences can illustrate your commitment to social causes, leadership abilities and application of professional skills in a volunteer setting.

Detailing relevant certifications underscores your dedication to professional development and expertise in your field.

Share hobbies that reflect positively on your personality and offer insights into your soft skills, such as teamwork, creativity or leadership. Choose hobbies that are relevant or could contribute uniquely to the job.

Awards and Honors

Include professional or academic recognitions to emphasize your commitment to excellence and achievement in your career or field of study.

Listing language proficiencies can demonstrate your ability to communicate in diverse environments, an essential skill in many global or multicultural roles.

Professional Affiliations

Show your engagement with the professional community through memberships in associations, which can indicate a broader network and up-to-date industry knowledge

Step 8: Proofread and Format Your Resume

Errors, typos and inconsistencies in formatting can significantly detract from your professionalism and attention to detail. Here are some strategies to ensure your resume is polished and professional:

Be Consistent

Use a consistent format for headings, bullet points and fonts throughout your resume. This uniformity helps maintain a clean, professional look.

Choose a Professional Font

Use a professional, easy-to-read font such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman. Maintain a font size of 10 to 12 points for body text and slightly larger for headings.

Bullet Points

Use bullet points to list achievements and responsibilities, improving the document's readability and making it easier for employers to scan.

Margins and Spacing

Set your margins to 1" on all sides to create a balanced, uncluttered layout. Adequate spacing between sections further enhances readability.

Multiple Rounds of Proofreading

Go beyond a cursory spell check. Read your resume several times, each focusing on different elements — first for typos and grammar, then for consistency in formatting and finally for overall flow and persuasiveness.

Get a Second Opinion

Having someone else review your resume can provide valuable insights and catch errors you might have missed.

Use Digital Tools

Leverage grammar and spell-check tools like Grammarly or Microsoft Word's Review features for an additional layer of error checking.

Here's a list of valuable resources for crafting a standout resume that effectively navigates modern job application processes. Each offers unique insights and guidance tailored to different aspects of resume writing and job search strategies:

• GCFLearnFree.org : Features a wide range of guides, including formatting resumes for Applicant Tracking Systems and tailoring resumes to specific job applications​​.
• U.S. Department of Labor : Shares tips for writing a federal resume, including tailoring your resume to the job's requirements and selecting the right format​​.
• Workshops for Warriors : Provides targeted advice for veterans transitioning to civilian work, focusing on showcasing military training, certifications and soft skills​​.

About Nathan Paulus

Nathan Paulus is the Head of Content Marketing at MoneyGeek, with nearly 10 years of experience researching and creating content related to personal finance and financial literacy.

Paulus has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of St. Thomas, Houston. He enjoys helping people from all walks of life build stronger financial foundations.

Resume for 10 Years of Experience

In This Guide:

How to get the best out of your resume for 10 years of experience, takeaways: resume for 10 years of experience.

You are a professional that is already deep in the working world. But having so much work experience can lead to some obstacles in the job-seeking process.

What experience should you list? Is your education still relevant? What resume format to use? And, on top of all that – how long should your resume be?

Don't worry, we got you covered. There are a couple of steps you can take to perfect your resume for 10 years of experience In this article, we are going to find how to get the best out of your resume for 10 years of experience.

By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to fire up our resume builder and write a resume that gets callbacks.

You want to get that new job you saw, and you want to get it now. It is time to get to work then. You might have tons of experience behind your back already, but that doesn't mean you have that one in the pocket.

Here are a few details that need your attention when writing a resume.

Pick the right resume format

When hiring managers see your resume, they would mainly focus on your work experience and skills . That's great for you, as you have lots of these to show.

But you still need to think about which resume format would be the best fit for you. There are three main resume formats for you to pick from.

Reverse chronological resume format

Most resumes hiring managers to see are in the Reverse Chronological Resume Format .

That’s because it is suitable for pretty much every job position. This format is mostly career-oriented – it lists your work history in order, as the most recent position would be at the top.

It is the ideal format for people with lots of work experience, relevant to the job position they are applying for. That's why Reverse Chronological Resume might be the best pick for you. But don't rule out all the other formats just yet. It is still better to have the knowledge about them

Functional resume format

The second resume format is the opposite of the Reverse Chronological Resume Format.

The Functional Resume Format is also called Skill-Based Resume Format.

It does not focus on your work experience that much anymore. The main focus here are your skills. It is a great choice for someone with little to no experience , but when you have 10 years of experience behind you, it is not the best choice.

No matter how great your skillset is, it is not worth it to shift the focus from your work experience. No matter that this resume format is far away from your needs, it is needed to present you the last one, which might be a better fit than the reverse chronological resume format.

Hybrid resume format

The last resume format is the Hybrid Resume Format . As you can guess from the name, it is a combination of the other two. If you want to show off your work experience, but you would want to also have some significant attention to your skills, that format might be the best fit for you.

It includes both reverse-chronological work history and a highly detailed skills section.

It’s mostly used for job positions that require expertise in a variety of fields, and you want to show that you are the right person for the job.

If that is the case, you might want to consider a Hybrid Resume, rather than a Reverse Chronological one. No matter what resume format you choose, your resume should absolutely have:

• Professional summary
• Work experience section

Skills section

Education section, what sections of your resume need special attention.

Now that you have chosen your resume format, let’s focus on all resume sections you need to spend some extra time on.

Professional profile

Your professional summary is your chance to sell yourself to your potential employer. And with 10 years of experience behind you, you have a lot to offer. The professional summary is a short statement that presents your strengths, years of experience, and professional goals.

It might be hard, but try to keep it up to 3-4 sentences. It should only present a glimpse of who you are and attract the hiring manager to keep on reading.

Work Experience Section

In your resume for 10 years of experience, your work experience should be one of the most impressive sections.

Make sure you follow all the usual rules for writing this section correctly. Follow the reverse chronological order of your job positions and list all the important information about each company.

Don’t forget to add a bullet list with your responsibilities and achievements under each job entry.

That’s also a good place to mention any great accomplishments, like landing an important client.

Use hard numbers to support all your achievements to make them even more impressive. However, when listing your work history, you need to know when to stop. Usually, the work experience section should go back no more than 10 years.

You are right on the line, but that does not mean that you should list your internships from 10 years ago. Your work experience should be relevant to the job position, so make sure you only list entries after careful consideration.

Selected Achievements Section

When it comes to achievements, you can always list them under job entries in the work experience section.

But when you are writing a resume for 10 years of experience, you have a great new opportunity. As your achievements over the last decade are probably more than you can count, you can create a separate Selected Achievements Section.

That way, you can show them to the hiring manager in an easy-to-read way, and they wouldn’t have to hunt them down throughout your work experience section. Once again – don’t forget to back up your achievements with some hard numbers.

Anything can be measured in some way, and when you do, you can make it much more impressive for the reader.

In the 10 years of experience you have, you must have acquired tons of skills. It might be a little tough to pick just a few to mention on your resume.

The best thing you can do is scan the job listing for any keywords you can use. Using them to present your skills on your resume can really improve your chances.

Another thing you can do here is show the employer that you are constantly improving your skillset. That can only make you an even more valuable asset for the company.

When you have 10 years of experience, your education would no longer be that relevant. However, that doesn’t mean you should leave it out completely.

You just need to cut out some irrelevant information. For example, your resume for 10 years of experience only needs higher education. That means that you only need to list any associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees you have.

Furthermore, you no longer need to mention any graduation dates. Having that much experience behind you makes some little details like these irrelevant.

How long should your resume be?

When you have 10 years of experience, it’s best to keep your resume to a single page . Although it may be a bit hard to decide what section to remove from your resume, the way to solve that problem is to think about the best achievements in your career.

While it may seem a bit hard to fit 10 years of experience on a single page, there’s definitely a way. In fact, it’s best to leave off all unnecessary and irrelevant information and focus your resume on the impact and achievements you’ve had in your previous positions.

Expanding your resume to two pages may seem like a good idea, but usually, you’d do that unless you have 15 and more years of experience, and even then you should consider the industry you’re applying to.

When you’re trying to fit 10+ years of experience on your resume, remember to focus on:

• Choose the right resume format.
• Focus on relevant skills and impact in previous positions.
• Don’t worry about skipping the education section if it’s not relevant to the job.
• Try to go with a single-page resume.

• Resume Guides

How to Decide On Using A Reverse Chronological Resume

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10 tips to write an impressive resume

I n the highly competitive job market, a captivating resume serves as your golden ticket to leave a lasting impact on potential employers. With the evolution of more sophisticated hiring processes, it's imperative to transcend the fundamentals and compose a resume that distinguishes you from the masses. Here are 10 expert suggestions to guide you in creating an impressive resume that effectively showcases your skills and experiences:

READ ALSO: Learn the basics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with these 5 free courses offered by Google

Customize your resume for each job

Tailoring your resume is paramount. Scrutinize the job description and align your resume with the specific prerequisites of each position you pursue. Spotlight the skills and experiences most pertinent to the job, underscoring your suitability for the role.

Commence with a robust summary or objective

Initiate your resume with a succinct and impactful summary or objective statement. This segment should offer a snapshot of your professional background, accentuating your key strengths and career objectives.

READ ALSO: What is career rut and how to deal with it

Opt for a clean and professional format

Ensure your resume is visually appealing and easily digestible. Adopt a clean and professional format featuring consistent fonts and bullet points. Contemplate utilizing a contemporary template to impart a polished appearance to your resume.

Highlight achievements, not just responsibilities

Rather than merely cataloguing job duties, concentrate on quantifiable achievements. Illuminate specific accomplishments, employing metrics when feasible, to demonstrate your impact in prior roles.

Prioritize relevant experience

Position the most pertinent work experience prominently in your resume. Tailor the details of each job entry to underscore how your previous roles have equipped you for the specific position you are seeking.

Spotlight key skills

Devote a dedicated section to list both hard and soft skills relevant to the job. Integrate keywords from the job description to ensure your resume successfully navigates applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Integrate professional development and certifications

Manifest your commitment to continuous improvement by incorporating relevant professional development courses, certifications, or workshops. This signifies your dedication to staying abreast of developments in your field.

Quantify your achievements

Numbers carry weight. Whenever feasible, quantify your achievements to furnish tangible evidence of your impact. Whether it involves increasing sales, reducing costs, or enhancing efficiency, numerical figures bolster credibility.

READ ALSO: Virgo, Horoscope Today, January 18, 2024: your hardworking spirit shines

Showcase volunteer work and extracurricular activities

Infuse pertinent volunteer work and extracurricular activities to underscore your commitment to community involvement and your adeptness at managing diverse responsibilities.

Proofread and edited rigorously

A polished resume reflects your meticulous attention to detail. Scrutinize your document meticulously to catch any grammatical errors or typos. Enlist the input of peers or mentors for additional perspectives on refining your resume.

For more news like this visit TOI . Get all the Latest News , City News , India News , Business News , and Sports News . For Entertainment News , TV News , and Lifestyle Tips visit Etimes

Celebrating 150 years of Harvard Summer School. Learn about our history.

How to Land Your First Job — Even With No Experience

Trying to get a job in your early career can be a challenge. Here's how to get started.

Melissa Russell

Navigating the job market can be a daunting exercise, even for professionals with long careers and lots of experience behind them.

But whether you’re a recent or soon-to-be college graduate or a high school student contemplating the future , figuring out how and when to start your first job search is even more intimidating.

How are you supposed to get an entry-level job when you have little or no job experience? Even if you don’t have formal job experience, you do have value to offer employers. These tips can help you land an interview and gain the early professional experience that will kick off your career.

What Does It Mean to Have No Experience?

Generally speaking, having no experience in a job means you have not held any positions similar to ones that you are interested in applying for. But, even if you are new to the working world, you have likely gained skills in school, through volunteer work, or through internships that will transfer to the workplace.  

If you are applying for a job that is listed as “entry level” companies already know you have limited or no experience. What they want are candidates who are intelligent and reliable and are quick learners who can soon master the skills needed to do the job.

If you are a high school student thinking about next steps, check out Harvard Summer School’s Career Pathways courses, where you can learn how to prepare for a future career.

What Is an Entry-Level Job?

Although entry-level jobs can vary by industry, for the most part these jobs are the first step on the career path. It is an entry point that either requires no experience or minimal education and experience to apply. They are the lowest ranked jobs — compared to mid-level or senior-level roles — and are meant to help employees develop needed experience and skills. 

It may be the first position you take as you begin your career, and there will likely be training involved. To find out about entry level jobs in your area of interest, go on a job platform and search “entry level” under a company’s name. 

Even if a job posting asks for experience you don’t have yet, apply anyway! You might have a background interesting enough to qualify for an interview.

What Do Employers Look for in New Hires?

A few important traits employers look for in new hires include:

Employers value employees with ambition because they are motivated and focused on what they want to achieve. If you have big dreams, let your future employer know. You’ll be demonstrating you are striving for something beyond just paying your bills.

Communication skills

Employers want employees who show competence in verbal and written communication. Before you send in your cover letter and resume, or an emailed query, be sure your communication is clear, concise, and spell checked. If you land an interview, be sure to speak clearly and demonstrate active listening.

Dependability

A dependable employee follows through on assignments, is punctual, meets deadlines, and has a strong work ethic.

Eagerness to learn

Being willing to learn can help you expand your skill set, adapt to situations, and improve yourself. It also shows your employer that although you have a lot to learn, you’re committed to learning and growing your professional acumen.

Positive people help create healthy work environments and are valuable team members. When you are positive at work, people will likely follow your example.

Employers want people who can work effectively in a group, and are likely to ask in an interview how you work as a member of a team.

Learn more about Career Pathways

How to Make a Job Application Stand Out

There are numerous ways you can optimize your job applications to improve your chances of success.

Inexperience can be an asset

Don’t try to hide your inexperience — embrace it! Show that you are motivated to learn by highlighting your other skills, such as those listed above.  

For example, if you are interested in working in journalism or public relations, let your prospective employer know you developed strong writing skills in a challenging writing class. If you studied abroad , share how the experience enriched you and taught you about cultural differences. 

Share brief personal anecdotes in cover letters and interviews that show how life lessons taught you to be dedicated, hardworking, and motivated; the very qualities employers are looking for in new employees.

Do your research

Learn about the company you are interested in and tie their mission to your personal passions and life experiences. For example, if you want to work for a film studio, be sure to discuss how you loved movies growing up. Explain how that shared passion will enable you to learn quickly once you’re hired.

Build your skills

As you peruse job listings, pay attention to the skills employers are looking for and find commonalities. Do they all seem to use a specific database management system? If so, find out how to gain experience with that platform, through online training or courses at a local college. 

If you are still in college or recently graduated, you might be eligible for an internship in an industry that interests you. Sometimes internships are paid or come with a stipend, and many times, they lead to a job offer with the company after the internship is completed. 

A 2019 study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that more than 70 percent of internships led to a job offer.

Earn a professional certificate or certification

Professional certification can be an invaluable addition to your resume. In technical careers like cybersecurity, IT, or data analysis, holding industry-approved skills will show potential employers you are qualified to do the work — even if you have never held a job in the industry.

Networking involves building relationships with people in the industry that interests you. These people will be immensely helpful as you apply for entry level positions.

Resume and Cover Letter Tips

A resume is your opportunity to highlight the value you bring to an employer. A cover letter makes the argument that you are the best person for a particular job. Employers will have different needs, even for the same type of job, so it is necessary to customize your resume for each application to improve your chances of getting an interview.

Create a “master” resume highlighting the qualifications, experiences, and skills that make you right for this job, including relevant coursework such as computer science, math, economics, or writing. If you have a strong GPA and academic honors, list them. Additionally, if you have relevant volunteer or extracurricular experience — particularly if you held a leadership role — if you worked in internships or attended programs like Harvard Summer School , include those as well.

When you are planning to apply for a particular position, read through the job description and note the skills, experiences, and qualifications they are seeking with those that match your own. Tailor your “master” resume by highlighting the specific skills and qualifications emphasized in the job posting. Mirror the language they use, whenever possible, to help get through an automated scanning tool such as applicant tracking systems.

Tailor your cover letter by elaborating on those same skills and experiences you highlighted in your resume. If you completed projects in classes that would be relevant to a future employer, briefly describe them. Relevant skills will likely vary depending on the industry you are interested in, but could include:

• Microsoft Office, Google Suite, or Adobe products like Word, Google Sheets, and Photoshop
• Computer programing
• Social media
• Multiple languages
• Public speaking

If you are having trouble identifying relevant skills, consider volunteering at an organization that could provide that necessary experience. This will also give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the day-to-day workings in the field and build relationships that will be useful to you later on.

How to Leverage Job Boards

Many employers list entry-level positions on job boards such as Indeed , Zip Recruiter , Monster or LinkedIn.  

LinkedIn is a social media platform designed to connect people professionally and you can seek out recruiters at companies you are interested in, as well as industry professionals. The LinkedIn jobs section can give you insight into what sort of careers are available in industries that interest you, the types of skills needed, and the names of recruiters and hiring managers who may be willing to answer your questions. 

You can also use LinkedIn to research relevant professionals to gain insights, research companies, set alerts for entry-level jobs, and find alumni from your high school or college to connect with.Consider using LinkedIn to help build your personal brand to show off what you can offer potential employers.

Increase Your Value

Once you’ve determined what skills are sought out in your ideal first job, identify gaps in your experience so you can invest in becoming the ideal candidate. 

Whether you’re in high school, college, or recently graduated, Harvard Summer School may have a course that can help you build these skills such as Web Programming with Python and JavaScript or Strategic Communication and Public Relations . If it’s the interview you’re worried about, consider a Public Speaking course .  If you have yet to decide what career path to take, consider an exploratory course like these Career Pathways courses to find what’s right for you.

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Explore summer courses for college students

About the Author

Melissa Russell is an award-winning journalist and editor living in the Boston area. She has written for many news outlets as well as for websites, trade publications and other platforms.

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How Graduates Can Write a Resume with No Experience

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How Graduates Can Write a Resume with No Experience was originally published on Resume.io .

Securing the best possible role after college or university is a top priority for any recent graduate. You didn’t study hard for all those years to settle for second best. But how do you go about securing a worthy first job with little or no experience under your belt?

Well, it all depends on your definition of experience.

Employers of early-career professionals are used to looking deeper for hints that you have what it takes. They will sense potential in your internships, understand the motivations behind your volunteering and appreciate the skills that you developed during your projects.

Those are all incredibly worthwhile stories to tell.

So, how do you compose a resume when you don’t have much formal work experience?

The no-experience resume starts with a surprising summary. The hiring manager won’t be expecting much from a graduate resume, so tailor your career objective to the role, share your personal motivations, and mention only the most relevant internships, volunteering or project work. You will have more to say than you think – keep it brief and powerful.

While graduates lacking in imagination might stare at the work experience and skills sections of a resume in horror, the enterprising grad will sense an opportunity. They will share their internships, projects and volunteering roles in the work experience section and select intriguing skills that other grads will not be able to boast. The grad resume with no experience should serve as a hint of what is to come. Depth of detail is not expected.

Finally, the education section of an early-career resume will obviously be carefully dissected. Share relevant research projects, dissertation details and academic achievements. Anything that hints at you going over and above what was expected should be included. Those few years were crucial for your development – what did you learn about yourself?

Education, internships, volunteering, and projects. Plenty of scope to make your case.

Let’s explore each one in more detail:

If you have no formal employment experience (however casual), there is still much that you can say about your education. Share your GPA (if above 3.5), explore your projects and research assignments in detail if they are relevant.

While soft skills are assumed for seasoned professionals, it is worthwhile for a student with no experience to highlight study skills such as team work, communication and critical thinking. Education is the one section that is comparable across all applicants, so choose what you share wisely. Refrain from oversharing unimpressive detail that anyone can boast.

Internships

Many higher education courses include internships as part of the curriculum. Many employers would view these temporary activities as a first taste of employment, so demonstrate that you have what it takes to work in a formal setting. Unpaid internships show dedication to your career path and are often no less worthwhile than paid opportunities. Depict these formative experiences as stepping-stones to your first job.

Volunteering

Volunteering experiences do not need to be specific to the industry or role that you are applying to. Few students can predict their future career path with any confidence, so volunteering roles that showcase a wide range of skills will be valued. Share how you learned from those around you and quickly picked up the necessary skills for the role.

A graduate’s first few years at work are going to be filled with time-limited activities with a specific goal. Such a framework makes it easier to manage their development. The projects that they took on during their education will showcase their organizational skills and their ability to influence others. Projects rarely run smoothly, so talk about how you reacted to setbacks, pivoted in a new direction when required, and always kept your eyes on the goal.

What you choose to share when you have minimal, or no experience can make a huge difference in terms of elevating your application above others. While the scale of what you share will not hit the heights of a more experienced professional, the direction and potential that you hint at will be unmistakable in a well-written no-experience resume.

It is worth spending a considerable amount of time researching your approach before you sit down to write your resume with no experience. This in-depth guide from Resume.io could be the best 20 minutes that you spend today.

You will need a resume for your first job. Make sure that you back up your career vision with relevant experience. If you look deep enough, you might surprise yourself.