Are you putting too much or too little emphasis on dates in your resume?

When you list your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, the name of the company should come before the dates of employment. It is fine to give a year spread, rather than a month and year; the day is unnecessary. But you must give the dates of employment. If you have a job history that does not have gaps, it is better to list both the months and year. I will do that in most cases – but if you are not sure what to do, contact a professional.

When you list your education, you do not have to give the dates when you graduated unless the graduation date is very recent or you are a new college graduate.

If you are changing careers or returning to an old career path, it is okay to begin the resume with a section that emphasizes relevant highlights of your career without dates. But after that you must provide a list of previous employment with dates.

If your career has spanned decades, it is acceptable to end your list of jobs with a section entitled “Previous Employment” or “Additional Experience” and to list job title and company name without specific dates. No one expects a vice president to detail his first job as a waiter.

Check dates carefully to make sure they make chronological sense. It is easy to get a single digit wrong and cause concern to potential employers. Also make sure that the dates on your resume align with dates given online, in LinkedIn and other social media sites.

Please contact Robin’s Resumes® if you need help determining whether your resume gives too much or too little emphasis to dates. Next week we’ll discuss the education section of your resume.