What jobs are good for a resume?
What jobs are good for a resume? You might be wondering, aren’t all jobs good for your resume?
Not necessarily. Some jobs will contribute more to your getting hired than will others. And, some work experience can even look bad on your resume.
Learn about the best first jobs to look for, how to choose which experiences to include on your resume, and when to omit a job entirely.
When looking for your first job
When you’re looking for your first job, you have two things to consider – what experience to include on your student resume, and what job to apply for.
First, let’s talk about what experience to include in the work history section. Here, any job looks good on your resume! This includes “unofficial” jobs like babysitting, dog walking, raking leaves, or tutoring. Having some paid work experience shows that you are a go-getter and have a good work ethic. These are qualities your employer will value.
What if you don’t have any work experience at all? Did you know that things like volunteer work, sports, or extracurricular activities can serve as experience? Check out this blog for tips on leveraging your hobbies and interests on your student resume.
There is more to consider when selecting your first job than just making money. If you choose wisely, your first job can help you to reach further career goals. How so?
If you have an idea of the career path you wish to pursue, you may be able to select an entry-level job in that field. Experiencing the work environment and tasks can help you build skills and insights that will help you later on. It will also look good on your resume to have previous experience in the field.
Choosing which jobs to include
Some people believe that your resume should display every job you’ve ever held, but this is a misconception. In fact, including too many jobs can distract from essential skills and experiences that make you a good candidate for the job.
When deciding what jobs to include on your resume, think about the skills and experience needed for the position to which you’re applying. If you have a long history in the field, show it. If you have in-demand technical skills or abilities, use your job descriptions to make them shine.
Even if some of your experience is unrelated, think about transferable skills or soft skills that you learned or practiced while working there.
In general, you should give precedence to the following jobs:
- Recent experience (jobs held within the past ten years)
- Relevant experience (jobs in the same or a related field)
Sometimes, your relevant experience is more than 10 years old, especially if you’ve made multiple career changes. In that case, it’s okay to include the distant experience.
On the other hand, the past decade may have been filled with many different jobs. You might choose to include only the 3 most recent jobs or those with the most relevancy.
Knowing what jobs not to include can help you to narrow your selection. Consider the following tips, and mark those jobs off your list.
Jobs not to include on your resume
Whether you’re narrowing a long list of jobs to fit on a one-page resume or you’re trying to decide if you should include a specific experience, the following checklist can help you to narrow the playing field. If a certain job falls into the following categories, mark it off your list and don’t include it on your resume.
Don’t include work experience on your resume that:
- Concluded more than 10 years ago (unless it is hyper-relevant to your new position)
- Lasted a brief time (especially if it doesn’t contribute valuable experience or leave a significant career gap)
- You were fired from for poor performance
- Indicates a cause for concern (for example, if you were sentenced to community service following a crime)
- Indicates a conflict of interest with the company to which you are applying
- Involves a company with a toxic reputation, such as bankruptcy or unethical practices; you might be assumed guilty by association
When applying the above, keep in mind that significant, unexplained career gaps may raise questions in an employer’s mind. If omitting the above causes a career gap, it may not be worth it. Don’t omit long-term positions.
Also, the hiring manager may discover the omission during pre-employment screening. You should always be able to candidly explain why you omitted a certain experience. And, the best answer is always that you wanted to include the most relevant experience to the position at hand.
In some circumstances, such as when applying to a job that requires a security clearance, you may be asked to list every job you’ve ever had. If asked, do so.
