When you emphasize past experience on your resume, it will help hiring managers know what to expect if they choose to bring you on board full time.
Hiring decisions are always a gamble, but employers typically feel more confident with candidates who have experience relevant to the position. This doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you haven’t held this type of job before — you just have to know how to sell yourself.
Whether you’re looking for hotel jobs or any other hospitality position, knowing how to emphasize past experience on your resume is always a must. In the past, you could get away with submitting the same general resume for every position, but things have changed. Hiring managers expect a customized application, so learn how to make past jobs work for you.
Emphasize Past Experience on Your Resume in 3 Ways
Choose the right format
The manner in which you present your work experience can make a huge difference. The reverse chronological format — listing every job you’ve held in order from present to past — is the standard, but it’s not the only approach. Use this if your most recent work experience is relevant to the job.
If you had a notable employment gap or most of your applicable work experience comes from jobs held awhile back, use a functional format. This presentation places a greater emphasis on your fit for the job than your work history.
Highlight relevant experience
Carefully read the job description to gain a strong understanding of what the company is looking for in the ideal candidate. Draw on this to craft bullet points that highlight your fit for the position. Anything unrelated will simply distract the reader, so focus exclusively on experience that confirms your ability to shine in the role.
Focus on job-related skills
Various jobs, volunteer work and school projects have allowed you to acquire an assortment of skills, but the reader is only interested in those that relate to the job. If you include a skills section on your resume, omit anything that doesn’t apply to the position at-hand. Showing off your well-rounded abilities is great, but sharing too many unrelated skills will cause the reader to question your fit. This is the best way to emphasize past experience on your resume.