How Far Back Should Your Resume Go in 2025? Here’s What Experts Recommend

One of the most common questions job seekers ask when crafting or updating a resume is: “How far back should my resume go, and how many jobs should I list?”

The short answer? It depends. Your industry, level of experience, and the role you're targeting all influence how much work history to include. But there are widely accepted guidelines—and a few important exceptions—you should consider.

✅ The General Rule: 10–15 Years of Experience

Most career experts and hiring managers agree: your resume should generally include only the last 10 to 15 years of your work history. This window captures your most recent and relevant experience while keeping your resume focused, readable, and age-neutral.

Why Limit It to 10–15 Years?

Here’s why this guideline works for most professionals:

• Relevance: Older experience often involves outdated tools, technologies, or processes.
• Age Discrimination: Omitting very old jobs helps reduce the risk of unconscious bias.
• Clarity: Recruiters spend an average of just 6–10 seconds scanning a resume. Concise = better.
• Length: Sticking to 10–15 years makes it easier to keep your resume to 1–2 pages.

📌 Exceptions to the Rule

There are scenarios where going beyond 15 years makes sense:

• Government, academic, or federal roles may require a full career history.
• If older experience is highly relevant (e.g., a project that aligns perfectly with the role), include it in a separate section like “Additional Relevant Experience”—without dates.

💼 How Many Jobs Should You List?

There’s no universal number, but most resumes include 2 to 7 jobs within that 10–15-year window.

General Guidelines by Experience Level:

• Entry-Level (0–5 years of experience): Include your full work history, especially all relevant roles such as internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer positions.
• Mid-Career (6–15 years of experience): Focus on the past 10 to 15 years and list 2 to 4 positions that are most recent and relevant to the role you're targeting.
• Senior-Level (15+ years of experience): Cover the last 10 to 15 years in detail, typically listing 4 or more roles that demonstrate leadership and career progression. Older roles can be briefly summarized in a separate section.

🔍 Key Tips for Listing Jobs on Your Resume

• Tailor it to the job: Customize your resume to match each job posting.
• Use reverse-chronological order: List your most recent role first.
• Be concise: Focus on achievements, not job duties.
• Avoid outdated skills: Don’t list obsolete technologies or tools.
• Limit to 2 pages: Unless applying in academia or specialized industries.

🧭 Special Situations

• Career changers: Highlight transferable skills and relevant accomplishments—even from older or different industries.
• Employment gaps: Explain gaps briefly in your cover letter or during the interview, not by adding irrelevant jobs.
• Extensive experience: Summarize older roles in a section like “Earlier Career Highlights” without full details or dates.

Final Thoughts

A well-crafted resume isn’t about listing every job you’ve ever had. It’s about strategically presenting the experience that aligns best with your current goals.

For most professionals, that means covering the last 10 to 15 years, featuring 2 to 7 relevant roles, and customizing your resume for each opportunity. Keep it focused, highlight your accomplishments, and remember—your resume isn’t your biography; it’s your marketing tool.

Need help updating your resume for today’s job market? I’m happy to offer insights! Lets Connect