Work Experience

by Carroe
(California)

On my resume it looks best when you mention your most recent work history. But if I was a receptionist 10 years ago, and am applying to be another one now, should I modify my resume to say I was a receptionist? Even if it makes my work history look extraordinarily long? Or should I just mention this job in my cover letter? Please advise.

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Keep it relevant.

List your skills, experience and accomplishments that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. So, yes you should modify your resume to highlight the receptionist experience that you have.

A good way to accomplish this is to include your most impressive receptionist-related experience in the resume statement . This is the first section that the recruiter or hiring manager will see, so you want to capture their information right away.

You should also mention your receptionist experience in your cover letter. Include a sentence mentioning that you are transitioning back into the receptionist position, following a career change.

You may also want to consider a functional resume, which highlights specific skills and accomplishments that relate to the target job. It draws attention to the experience you have that makes you the most qualified candidate for the position. The functional resume ignores chronological order. It focuses more on specific experience.

Then, in the work experience section of a functional resume, just include a quick summary of the unrelated jobs. Instead of listing complete job descriptions, you can narrow this information down to company, job title, and employment dates.

Since you are applying for a receptionist position, the key here is to highlight the experience you have and the skills you have acquired, that directly relate to the target position, as early as possible in your resume.

Sincerely,
Victoria E.