Resume tenses

Drez

So...my understanding was this:

Previous employment: You use past tense in your bullet points, such as "- Lazed around on the job." or "-Fucked the boss' daughter."

Current employment: You use present tense in your bullet points, such as "- Touching self repeatedly." or "- Writing my resume when I should be working."

Now, I've been at this job for awhile. Some responsibilities I no longer have, however they DO relate to the job(s) I am submitting resumes for. So what is appropriate for those responsibilities I no longer perform at the current place of employment but still relate to the experience I am trying to represent? A mixture of past and present tense?

Thanks.

Drez

Also, if I'm applying for another job within the same company, is it okay to be specific on my resume? Like by naming specific entities or projects that I worked on? Like "- Automated the Blarby Blarb Blarb process."

RUNN1NGMAN

Drez wrote: »

Also, if I'm applying for another job within the same company, is it okay to be specific on my resume? Like by naming specific entities or projects that I worked on? Like "- Automated the Blarby Blarb Blarb process."

Yeah, if they're going to know what you're talking about than definitely. Also applies if you're applying for a job in the same industry and what you worked on is well-known.

Jasconius

I'd say in general you could mix it up. People aren't looking too hard at that. But if you are in doubt, go past-tense for everything.

As far as specifics, it depends on the type of work you are applying for/coming from. For example, my mother is a retail manager and her resume is very vague because there's really not that much to embellish about being a retail manager.

I'd say only get specific if you feel that thing demonstrates a very strong/unique quality that other people applying for the position probably won't have.

Improvolone

As long as it reads fine, its okay. No one will be all "harumpf, he used an -ed instead of an -ing, to the trash with him!"
My preference though is to match the tense so its easier to read. If I'm still employed somewhere, the dates of employment will reflect that.

EggyToast

Your resume is a list of things you have accomplished, not things you are accomplishing. Unless you're in school or something, in which case there are a couple different ways to word that (like PhD Candidate, or Pending, expected 2009).

So if you fucked the boss's daughter as a daily activity, and spearheaded a massive coup over the HR department, it would be

• Had carnal relations with supervisor's daughter daily
• Managed and led military coup overtaking Human Resources department

even if it was the job you're still in.

Serpent

Sounds like you're mixing up responsibilities with accomplishments.

Look at Eggy's post. Consider splitting up responsibilities from accomplishments.

DJ-99

Serpent wrote: »

Sounds like you're mixing up responsibilities with accomplishments.

Look at Eggy's post. Consider splitting up responsibilities from accomplishments.

Agreed. My resume has a "Responsibilities" section for my current job, in which the verbs are in the present tense: Analyze...determine...present results...

Then it has a "Selected Projects and Results" section, in which the verbs are in the past tense: Designed...modeled...analyzed...

Maybe consider doing something like that, if you're that concerned about what tense to use.