What unrelated experience to include on first job search resume?

Question

I'm embarking on my first job search since joining a large software company in San Francisco. I've worked for this company for nearly 5 years (plus a summer internship prior to being hired).

Prior to the internship I worked for a local grocery store for 5 years, and as a laborer during summers.

Should I include those unrelated jobs on my resume? It seems like the general advice is yes, but they are so unrelated/insignificant that I worry they could make me seem more inexperienced then I currently am. However, without them I only have this 5 year span of job history.

Answer 1

I suggest spending most of the space for experience on what you did during the last 5 years. However, I would give a line each to your grocery store job and the internship.

When reading a resume I was generally looking for two types of skill. One was whatever technical skills I needed. The other was a more general good employee skill set. The grocery store job says nothing about your technical skills. Keeping it for 5 years says a lot about what sort of employee you are.

Answer 2

Most people don't start their working life in the profession that they end it with. Most of us have worked at gas stations, fast food restaurants, etc. Those jobs may not be related to your chosen profession but they are part of your work history. As such I don't see any issue with including it.

Most employers will naturally understand that you weren't born into your current profession and that you've had some number of unrelated jobs. You have 5 solid years working in your chosen profession. The unrelated jobs aren't likely to be a factor.

I've been in the IT field for 20 years. For 10 years prior to that I repaired copy machines for a living. I include that in my work history because it's a part of my work history. Does it have any bearing on my getting hired as an IT professional? Not one iota.