Resume question

coasterqueen wrote: I am in the middle of updating my mother's resume. Yes, she lost her job again. Anyways, I know the rule is to try to make the resume a one pager. So how many years of jobs should I put on here. She's had 6 jobs in 33 years. Should I take off the oldest job to make the resume one page?

My2Beauties replied: Yes I would take off whatever job is extending it to 2 pages (which should be her oldest job). Unless it's of extreme importance to her skill set needed for the new job she is trying to get...does that make sense

coasterqueen replied:
Yes. I would like to put it on there only because it shows up until 2006 she was "stable" in the workforce, but I really need to make it one page so I will take the oldest off. Thanks.

ZandersMama replied: Could you leave off one of the briefer jobs, one she wasnt with a long time, so you could leave on the one that looks stable?

My2Beauties replied:
I was going to say that next.

sparkys2boys replied:
Yup, thats my thoughts too! GL to you mom on the hunt!

lisar replied:
Thats what I was gona say.

CantWait replied: Leave on the jobs she's had the longest, could get a good reference out of, and or that apply to the job she's applying for now.

My3LilMonkeys replied: Would it be possible to shorten descriptions or use a slightly smaller font to make it all fit? If she held one job for 31 years and then 5 jobs in 2 years (if my math is right) I think it's really important to put the 31 year job on.

Our Lil' Family replied: Is it really so bad for a resume to be 2 pages? I just did DH's and I could not make it one page. He had to list all 3 degrees and all of his clinical rotations. His two related jobs were both as a paramedic so the duties were the same but it looked stupid for one to not have duties. Plus he wanted skills on there and he needed to have affiliations. So how bad is it really if it's 2 pages?

redchief replied: I would find a way to keep on there the job she had the longest, especially if she's been bouncing around for the last few years.

Calimama replied:
I agree.

choochoo replied: I would try to figure out the jobs she is applying for and leave on the jobs that relate to the potential job. If she's just sending them out, just shorten the descriptions and/or extend the margins.

CantWait replied:
No it's not, but there is a way of making it two pages so that the job experience doesn't spill onto 2 pages, that's what looks messy.

Example:

Your regular stuff at the top, name (which should be bigger then the rest so that it stands out and is easily remembered), address, phone, e-mail.
Your Objective
Specific Skills you have pertaining to the job
Schooling

Second page is saved for employment history, which should fit on that page.

Our Lil' Family replied: The guideline his advisor gave us was :
Name, address etc
Objective
Education
Summary (of clinical rotations)
Job History
Skills
Affiliations

As it stands now his most recent job with duties ends the first page, his job before that begins the second page with skills and affiliations following on the second page.

Do you think that sounds okay?

coasterqueen replied: Thanks everyone for your advice. I ended up taking her oldest job off because it was right after highschool and it was only two years. I know her latest jobs, bouncing around so much , doesn't look good but I don't want them to find out she worked for someone and didn't put it on her resume, kwim?

HOPEFULLY she can get a job and keep one this time.