Resume question

laurenclaire1386

I'm putting final touches on my resume to send out today. I'll be applying for several administrative positions, and a few paralegal positions. My work experience is pretty varied and includes a few service industry (server, bartender) positions I worked at in college. I managed one of the bars I worked at, and I put that on the resume because it was the only service industry job that included skills relevant to positions I'm applying for. I didn't put any of the server/bartender positions on my resume, because I don't really feel that they're relevant to any of the positions for which I'm applying. I did gain valuable experience at those positions and I do feel the time I spent in the service industry prepared me in some ways for a non service industry job later on, but that's kind of hard to convey on a resume without getting wordy. The salient point is that there are gaps in my employment history on my resume because I didn't include every single job I've ever had. Should I include those jobs? Or am I right to only include jobs that entailed skills that will be needed in an office setting?

J&K10910

I would include them, and you can put a line in your cover letter about how even your non-office setting jobs helped you gain valuable skills in customer service, etc.

strlzfan11

I'd include every position since college, and then add any positions during college that are relevant to the positions for which you are applying.

Beachy730

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_resume-question-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:3a615464-89ac-4a5d-95c7-f33f6d153b2cPost:a9aa4d65-93df-4df3-8918-b4159a29148e">Re: Resume question</a>:
[QUOTE]I would include them, and you can put a line in your cover letter about how even your non-office setting jobs helped you gain valuable skills in customer service, etc.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

Ditto this.  Or if you don't want to include all of them, just add a few that cover different positions (server, hostess, bartender) to fill in some of the holes.  But definitely add that to your cover letter too.

laurenclaire1386

Ok cool. Thanks ladies!

Snippylynn

LC IN DA HOUSE!!!! HIIIIIIIIIIII!! Where are my pictures?!

laurenclaire1386

Oh, and one more question. I didn't finishe college, but I'm only 26 hours short, so I have a lot of completed hours. I don't know what looks worse, no college experience or an unfinished degree

squirrly

I would put your jobs on your resume that eliminate any gaps in employment that weren't really GAPS.  If you had two jobs at once, I don't think you have to put both, esp. if one was small.  I don't have my final job as a server on my resume - I was actually working full time for a major player in the IT world at the time, and waited tables at night out of boredom. 

I'd also put the number of hours completed toward X degree on your resume, assuming that they're still valid if you went back to school today. 

annakb8

     While I was finishing up school and looking for a job in my field I only included work experience that related to that field. I had a lot of retail experience but it just didn't seem relevant at all to the jobs I was applying for. I didn't think that future employers cared that I was a seasonal employee at Gap during the 2008 holidays. This left significant gaps in my resume. I did, however, reference these unlisted jobs while in my interviews if any of the questions were relevant. I would just stick with listing relevant jobs that gave you admin experience but feel free to talk about the bar/restaurant jobs if they will help you answer a question about customer service skills or working as part of a team. I found a lot of my interviews focused on questions like "Tell me about a specific time you did blah blah blah" and I pulled from my retail experience to answer some of these.
     Good luck on the job search! Maybe I sound bitter here, but coming from someone who just completed a Master's degree, I think it might actually be easier to get  a job without a degree, especially if you have so many credits which show that you are capeable of doing work at a college level. During my whole job search I felt totally overeducated for everything available/what they were willing to pay me.

Calypso1977

HR person here - yes, dont have gaps.  its bad.

also, put together a well written, detailed and tailored letter for every job.  there is no "one letter fits all".  in the letter is where you can explain how the jobs you had relate to what you want.  its essentially your first shot at telling them what you want them to know so that hopefully you get an interview where you can tell them more.  a poorly written form letter is easily spotted.  avoid them.

ehathewa

Put your college experience on your resume.  Some college looks better than no college.  You can list your credit hours.  I wouldn't list a major, but a concentration. 

GPA is OK to list if it is worth bragging about (at least a 3.0). 

Kristin789

>>I would include them, and you can put a line in your cover letter about how even your non-office setting jobs helped you gain valuable skills in customer service, etc.

Yes, this.  And yes, you show that you went to college, etc.