• By Check-a-Salary
  • Updated Monday 26 th June 2023

How much job history should I include on my CV

Your job history is one of the most impactful sections on your CV. It is where you can demonstrate to recruiters your proficiency, experience, and potential. To secure a job interview or offer, you must include an effective quantity of roles and find just the right balance.

Here we share how much job history you should include on your CV with formatting tips and helpful career advice.

Why job history and appropriate quantity is crucial

A well-organised and relevant job history shows employers that you have the skills for the job. However, too many jobs or too much information makes for a CV that is hard to read and scan. If you can organise and format the information well, a job interview is more likely to be forthcoming.

If your career history is extensive, focus on the jobs relevant to the role you desire. Creating a concise and informative CV provides valuable insights and shows off your professionalism and organisational skills.

How many jobs should I include on my CV?

There are no right or wrong answers to this question, but the number of jobs should:

  • Have relevance to the job advert
  • Form a meaningful timeline
  • Be correctly formatted
  • Cover no more than 15 years

Relevancy: Check to see if the job advertisement asks for particular experience or skills. If the employer is looking for candidates with ten years of experience, include roles covering this period. If you have too little history, include volunteer work or internships. If you have too much history, emit less relevant positions. If your past jobs do not apply to the job advertised, highlight the transferable skills.

Timeline: Your job history should convey your professional history showing where you began and your career progression. If you have too many jobs, remove those furthest back in time.

Format: Take a look at CV templates and examples to grasp how your career history should appear. List roles in reverse chronological order and include the employment length. The best aesthetic is achievable by using consistent font style, sizes, and colour.

Job history example

There are three excellent ways to list your jobs.

Example 1:

Job title

Dates of employment

Company name

  • Relevant responsibilities
  • Professional accomplishments

If you have worked for several companies in the same position, the next example might work for you.

Example 2:

Job title

Years of employment

Company 1

Company 2

Company 3

  • Relevant responsibilities
  • Professional accomplishments

If you have worked for the same company for many years and held numerous positions, the next example is ideal.

Example 3:

Current job title

Company name

  • Job title 2, years in role
  • Job title 3, years in role
  • Job title 4, years in role

CV template examples




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