Oftentimes, how you list your work experience dates can make you appear to be a consistent employable person with a solid work history which is appealing to a Human Resource Specialist. Listing the dates incorrectly can make you appear to be a job hopper or someone who has unexplained gaps in employment.

Don Goodman, a resume writer and Career Coach has some pointers that may help.

Consistency

Regardless of the format you choose to list your dates of employment, remain consistent. If you switch between listing the month and the year and then only listing the year for another period of employment, it will stand out and bring question to whether there’s something you’re trying to hide.

Year Only

Most hiring managers prefer having the details – the month and year – but if you choose to only list the year, you can probably still get by.

Historical Dates

Keep your job history to no more than 10 – 15 years. Human Resources reviewers have neither the time nor interest to go further back than that.

Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant Tracking Systems filter resumes before a human sees them. To maintain consistence, include dates next to every job title.

For further details and Don’s advice, go to Careerealism.com.

Go to www.TADPGS.com, click on the “Looking for People” tab, then view “Veterans Solutions” to see more for information on our Veterans Solutions for Employers. Please join our LinkedIn group, Veterans Hiring Solutions for Veterans at http://linkd.in/Sg346w. If you have specific questions about hiring veterans or the incentives for doing so, contact me at Ben.Marich@Adeccona.com.