How to Include Part-Time Work on Your Resume (Examples) - ZipJob

How to Include Part-Time Work on Your Resume (Examples) - ZipJob Part-time employmentis often problematic for job-seekers, especially when it comes to figuring out how to include it in a resume. Many people are hesitant to list those types of jobs since they assume that they’re not as impressive as full-time positions. Some people may even believe that there’s a certain stigma attached to adults who have held one or more part-time jobs. Neither of those two assumptions is necessarily true, however. Still, it is important to know when to include part-time employment, and how to do it properly. In this article, we will provide the tips you need to make part-time work a value-enhancing part of your resume. Part-Time Work: When Should You Include It? The first question that you need to answer is the most basic: do you even need to include your part-time work? There are several factors that you should consider before making that decision: Is part-time work the only type of work you’ve ever done? If so, then it’s vital that you include those jobs, since they are the only work history the employer can review.Is the job you’re seeking a part-time position? If the answer to that question is yes, then chances are that your prior part-time employment will be a real asset to your chances of landing an interview.Did that part-time job involve skills relevant to the job you’re trying to land? Again, that would make your previous part-time position extremely relevant for this situation. The same holds true if that part-time position was a natural progression in your overall career path â€" or if it provided an opportunity for you to learn new skills that will benefit your prospective employer.Were you at that part-time job for a significant amount of time? If so, then you may want to include it to help demonstrate your commitment as an employee. Employers value loyalty.Would excluding that job leave your resume with a s ignificant work history gap? You don’t want unexplained employment gaps, so always consider how your work history will be impacted if you decide to not list one or more jobs. Part-Time Work: When Should You Not Include It? Of course, there will be times when you may not want to include part-time work in your resume. After all, there are no rules that say that you must list every job you have ever had. How you answer these questions may help you decide whether to include that part-time work at all: Do you have plenty of full-time work history already? If your resume includes solid, full-time employment relevant to the position you’re seeking, then your part-time jobs may not add anything to the document.Were any of that part-time work voluntary? Charitable and other unpaid work can be included, but you may want to list it separately. However, you should exclude it if those details would make your resume excessively long.Were those part-time jobs irrelevant to the position you’re seeking? If, for example, you held part-time positions just to earn extra money, they probably won’t add any real value to your resume. How to Include Part-Time Work in Your Resume There are a couple of options when including part-time work in your resume. One option is to simply list those jobs in your work history section. This is especially useful when those positions are relevant to the job you’re seeking, and thus blend well with the rest of your employment history. The second option is to separate your part-time work in its own section. There are some things you should understand about each option: Including Part-Time Work in Your Work History The first option â€" including part-time work along with your other jobs â€" is a fine choice when those jobs are all relevant to your current employment goals. If those part-time jobs involved relevant skills, or are necessary to demonstrate consistent employment, then that’s the best option to use. However, if they are older jobs, then you may want to split your work history into two experience sections. Place those older, part-time jobs into a section labeled “Prior Experience” or something comparable. Including Part-Time Work in Its Own Section You will certainly want to separate your part-time work into its own section if those jobs are not as relevant to the position you’re seeking. Keep in mind that you may not want to list them at all in that case â€" unless excluding them would create employment gaps. If you do include them, create a separate section for them. Label it “Additional Work Experience” and place those non-relevant part-time jobs in that section. Example of How to Include Part-Time Work Finally, you need to know how to describe that part-time work. Remember, employers want to see how any prior job makes you qualified for their open position. Since your part-time jobs were probably not high-skill positions, and were likely temporary, it can be a challenge to present them in a value-added way. Focus on the skills you used, and the contribution you made to the company. Include a bit of information about any achievements you had while in that job as well. That can help to demonstrate that you were a valued team member even in a part-time role. For example: Company Name: ABC Corp Office Assistant May 2016 â€" Jan 2017 Helped coordinate management tasks, scheduled appointments for clients, and collaborated with other departments to facilitate customer service responsiveness. Led training effort for new administrative hires. As you can see, your part-time job listing can be listed like any other job. Just be prepared to talk about its part-time nature if the topic comes up during your interview. The good news is that most interview questions about work experience will focus on your qualifications and achievements. So, just emphasize your skills and accomplishments in those job listings, and that part-time work will add strength to your resume. And that could be the key that helps you land the interview you need.