Your resume needs to tell a story. However, it can be “based on actual events”. It doesn’t have to be a record of all events and there’s a real important distinction between the two. It cannot contain any false information, but it does not have to provide every piece of information. So, you have to be discerning as to what you’re putting in your resume.
Many of you have had long careers; we don’t have time to read a thesis paper. There’s an argument as to whether or not you put something in your resume that has limited value. Maybe it’s a job that you only had for three months or maybe it was a job that you’re actually not that proud of.
My opinion is that a resume tells a story based on actual events. It is not a day-by-day review and therefore, it is appropriate for you to not include all things, but it must be based on full, true and plain information. Ok. Full is a qualitative descriptor. It’s a review of jobs, but you’re not putting in the fact that you cut grass in high school, are you? You’ve eliminated that. It’s not appropriate. Well, if you had a job as a janitor, and you want to be a teacher, would you put that in? You would put that in if you want to show your audience that you have familiarity with a school system and the school politics, right? But you wouldn’t put it in if what you were trying to put across was that you knew something about science or mathematics.
So, omitting parts of your career is fine, but be prepared to answer any questions about holes within your resume.
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