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Get That Job With The Right CV: How far back should I go with the information I put on my CV?

by Julie Gray

It depends on how relevant any older information is to the job you are applying for. Recent information tends to carry more weight, but relevance is essential for a powerful CV.

Education:
In most industries, the longer you have worked since finishing school or university the less important or relevant your academic history becomes.

With two or three jobs (or a professional qualification) under your belt, it is okay to include only the highest level of education completed – unless you have reason to specify A Levels or GCSEs in relevant subjects. School leavers and graduates would normally include everything from secondary school (GCSE level) onwards. Leave out primary school.

Employment:
You can give a good overview of even the longest career by summarising effectively experience that isn’t directly relevant and giving details only for experience that is.

Past jobs that show off the most relevant skills you possess are your priority. If a past job is unrelated to the job you are applying for, or is simply a more basic/lower-level version of a more recent role, then summarise: list only the date, job title and employer, leaving out any details.

If your employment history is quite varied or you moved frequently, try clustering older jobs together as if one. E.g.:
1988-1995 Insurance sales roles for Sava Life, Paynow Ltd & Lightning Insurance.

Other:
When it comes to Achievements or Further Training, the same rules apply as above.
Under Interests, you should really only list activities you currently or have recently done.

The general rule applies: keep it relevant. And if everything seems to be relevant, focus on the most recent.










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