Resume question

I'm wading into the posting waters for the first time to ask a question I know I couldn't get answered anywhere else by so many experts ...

I've been in the business long enough that it's getting difficult to keep my entire career on one page. I have moved around a bit and have been lucky enough to win some awards I'm proud of.

My question is this: Can I eliminate the earliest stages of my career at the Tinyville Times and Jerkwater Press to create more room to include everything else?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

My experience is brief but not bare. Going off what I see my more experienced colleagues doing, the answer to your question is yes.

 

I'm no sports editor, but I would assume that your most recent and most significant experience would be sufficient. I would just throw in the cover letter that you have XXX years of experience, working full time at the A, B, C, D, E .... Just leave it at that. It'll be a long sentence, but won't take up as much room as it does on the resume.

 

I'm in the thick of sending out resumes, too, but Bobcat has a good idea that I've been using in that you should put down a little of your experience in your cover letter to help create some space on your "Experience" section of your resume. Good luck... unless we're both fighting for the same job. LOL

 

cg,

You want to keep it to one page. You want to keep education and awards.

So, sure, you can eliminate the Jerkwater Press. Just be mindful that you don't leave large gaps.

Such as you worked at a paper until 94 and then nothing until 98.

You wouldn't put down that you were assistant cashier at McDonald's in high school, so if you think your later experience trumps your first couple jobs, leave 'em off.

 

I don't hire people, but I would recommend keeping all the experience you can on there, even if it's just a condensed list (1 stop per line or even multiple gigs per line) For example:

WORK HISTORY

Big City News
Keep whatever format you have for the most recent, and presumably bigger jobs, but don't be afraid to just start listing when you get to the older spots. List your duties and responsibilities in paragraph form or just do whatever you do.

Other professional experience:
Jonestown news, Copy Editor (1971-73); Podunk Press, General Assignments (1973-75); Anytown Gazette, Sports Editor (1975-76), etc., etc.

Freelance experience:
SuperPet magazine, Kitten feature (1999); etc, etc.

***
That's what I'd do.

 

Is it absolutely necessary to keep a resume to a single page? I never have.

That said, there are some good suggestions here about briefly summarizing the early days.

 

Necessary?No. Encouraged? Yes.

 

Excellent suggestion, Point of Order. No need to go into detail about old stuff, but I think it's important to have it on there.

 

Danke!