A Focused Employment History Using The 10-to-15-Year Rule of Thumb

By Michael C. Dennis

When building a resume, one of the most important decisions is determining how much of your employment history to include. A commonly accepted rule of thumb is to detail the last 10 to 15 years of experience while summarizing earlier roles with just the company name, years of employment, and job title. This approach offers numerous advantages including balancing relevance, clarity, and professionalism.

Focusing on the last 10 to 15 years of employment history ensures your resume highlights the most recent and pertinent experience. In today’s fast-paced work environment, skills, technologies, and industry standards evolve rapidly. Employers are most interested in how your recent roles have prepared you for the position you're applying for. Detailing older roles might dilute this focus and make your resume appear outdated. By concentrating on recent experience, you present yourself as a candidate with skills and knowledge aligned with current industry needs.

Another advantage of this strategy is maintaining a clear and concise resume. Recruiters and hiring managers typically spend only a few seconds scanning each resume before deciding whether to proceed. A resume cluttered with extensive details from decades ago risks overwhelming the reader and detracting from your most relevant accomplishments. Limiting detailed history to the past 10 to 15 years ensures your resume is streamlined and easy to read, increasing the chances of capturing attention quickly.

For positions older than 15 years, consider listing the company name, years of employment, and job title strikes the right balance between demonstrating professional depth and avoiding unnecessary detail. These earlier roles often establish your career foundation, but their relevance to modern positions is typically limited.

Summarizing them shows consistency and breadth without overshadowing your more recent achievements. It also avoids potential age discrimination issues by focusing attention on the most current and impactful phases of your career.