Learn the Correct Way to List Your Work Experience on a Resume

Your resume is a big deal. It plays a major role in helping you get your next job. You want to do everything you can to craft a resume that will help you catch the eye of an employer or hiring manager.

One of the most important sections of your resume is your work experience. It tells a potential employer what you’ve accomplished. Your work experience makes it easy to see how your skills could be applied to a new job and how you can help the company.

What experiences to include

Any past jobs, internships, volunteer, freelance, or temporary work you’ve done are fair game for your work history section. The key is choosing experiences with skills that directly apply to the job you’ve applied to. One caveat—if you’re new to the working world and only have a few past jobs to list, you may want to include them even if they don’t apply to bulk up your work history section. Otherwise, it’s OK to scrap experiences that have nothing to do with the job you’re applying to.

What makes experience relevant?

To answer this question, you should review the skills and qualifications of the job you’re applying to. Any work you’ve done in that field is relevant, and any skills you’ve gained are relevant if they match with the skills they’re looking for.

How to group work experience

This depends on the types of experience you have to list and what makes the most sense. You might lump everything under the header “Work experience.” If you want to spike out different details, maybe title a section that’s directly related to your field. For example, “Medical experience” would work for you. This is especially helpful if you are including other experience related to a certain skill, but you didn’t gain it within your field.

Review the positions you’ll be including in your work experience and group them in the way that makes the most sense for you. Remember, your main goal is to make it easy for a hiring manager or potential employer to scan your resume and pull out the most important points. Logical headers help do that.

How to format your experience section

Start with your most recent work experience, and work your way back to your least recent experience. List the job title, company, location, and the dates you were employed. Then, include a bulleted list of your job duties and achievements. Remember to lead with duties and experience that directly apply to the job you’re hoping to land. Review the job description for guidance.

Need help finding a new job?

A recruiter is a valuable ally in your search for a new job. And if you’re looking for a job in the insurance field, InsuranceRecruiters.com can help. To learn more, reach out today!