What the hell do I put on my resume?

[Tik-Tok]

So I've had the same career/job for over 16 years, first one out of technical school. The two years during school, I worked as a line-cook, and before that was 3 years as a seismic worker, and before that was a line cook and dishwasher in highschool.

Should I bother putting anything except the 16 year job, and 2 years at tech. school? Makes the resume seem kind of... empty. What's the consensus on this?

[killramos]

I would highlight your progression and roles at the 16 year job, list then off as mini jobs in whatever kind of binning makes sense?

So that and what you took on post secondary.

No need to put those other things on unless you think they are relevant to the role you are applying for.

[bjstare]

^Agreed. Only add stuff if it makes sense. I would guess that the jobs you had prior to this one won't be applicable.

Definitely break out the 16 years into all the different roles/levels of responsibility you've had.

[Doozer]

Yep. By job title is a good one as suggested above.

One other way I've done it is by clients.

IE, say someone worked at a spark plug company for a decade, but they spent 2years working with Ford on a new gapping system, then 3years with GM on more efficient sparker, etc etc. Break it out into headings by Ford, GM, etc. If it was O&G in Calgary, maybe you did 2 years with Suncor on stuff, 4yrs with Enbridge, 3yrs with CNRL, whatever.... each role may have had different requirements and you learned new things at each.

There are a lot of good ways to take all those years and break them out.