The purpose of a resume is to tell the story of your work experience in a way that “markets” you into the role you want next. It does not need to be a complete list of your entire work history. A general guideline is to include the last 10 to 12 years of your work experience (if you have more years’ experience than that), but more importantly, you want to include experiences that are relevant to the position you are seeking.

For each previous position you list on your resume, consider how the experience and accomplishments are relevant to your career goal. It is not necessary to describe all tasks and activities involved in performing a job. It is more effective on a resume to describe your accomplishments and the results that align with the role you are pursuing. Consider how your accomplishments benefited your employer. Did you make money, save money or time, or reduce risk for the organization? These are valuable contributions that could set you apart from others who only list their job tasks on a resume, especially if they are related to skills sought in the new role. 

For more information on how to write an effective resume, see the resume resources on our website.