List all of your previous positions. As an older employee, extensive experience is your greatest asset, and it is an area in which you have an indisputable competitive advantage over younger workers.

Many job seekers drop from their resume positions held early in their career. When I ask candidates about early jobs, I often find gems that add to the candidate’s qualifications. Sometimes a position the candidate considered irrelevant may be quite relevant, but for reasons not anticipated by the candidate.

For example, a history of several short-tenure jobs will be viewed negatively by prospective employers. Including on the resume early work experience showing long tenure with one or more employers will help counteract the impression of job instability. While the candidate may view the early experience as irrelevant to the type of work they now do, an employer may view it as quite relevant to judging the prospective employee’s overall fitness.

Another example: a senior-level management position is being filled. One applicant omitted his first job in an unrelated field (banking) from his resume. The position is currently held by a highly-regarded individual who, as it turns out, began his career working for a bank—experience which he views as having bolstered his budget management skills. Had the applicant included the banking experience, his resume would likely have been viewed more favorably owing to the similarity with the work history of the current manager.

When listing early career positions, it is not necessary to include the same level of detail as more recent positions. Dates of employment, position held and employer’s name should be adequate. Including outstanding achievements or accomplishments is always a good idea.

Michael G Smith