Slaying Job Search Basics: Resume Quick Tip - Date Ranges

Your resume is your ticket to unlocking future career opportunities. Embrace the power of sharing your experience with dates and give your application the chance it deserves! I've reviewed a lot of resumes this month without dates at all on them. This is not helping you get selected for a role when more than 80 % of applicants include dates. Don't let yourself get eliminated for a silly reason like leaving out dates.

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞?

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲: Hiring managers and recruiters are always seeking a clear understanding of your professional journey. Including dates allows them to gauge the length of your experience, identifying your growth and trajectory.

𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Listing positions chronologically with corresponding dates showcases your career advancement and the strides you've made along the way. It adds weight to your application and highlights your ability to solve for new challenges.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: The job market is ever-evolving, and employers want to ensure they hire candidates who possess up-to-date skills. By providing dates for your experience, you illustrate the recency and longevity of your achievements, making you standout as a candidate.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: Including specific dates on your resume builds credibility. It shows that you value honesty and attention to detail. This transparency builds trust with potential employers, establishing a solid foundation for further conversations. I will admit, when I see a resume without dates I wonder what they are trying to hide.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭: In a competitive job market like today, it's crucial to stand out from the crowd. Employers get thousands of applications a week. Recruiters typically review more than 50 to 100 resumes per day - if not more. By showcasing your experience (and not forgetting to show how you're specifically qualified for the role(s) you're applying for) with dates, you distinguish yourself as a potentially meticulous professional. This attention to detail can help you land your first interview with an employer.

𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞?

• Provide start and end dates for each position, clearly indicating the month and year.
  

• Be consistent with your formatting, ensuring dates are easy to read and understand.
  

• Use reverse-chronological order for your experience, starting with your most recent role.
  

All of this will help recruiters and employers understand your journey holistically and increase your chances of getting selected for an interview.