CV help. Cant remember work start dates.

Evansangel

DH is writing up a cv and he cant remember the start dates to his old jobs, he cant even remember the months.

All he remembers is that he started one job 'Maybe in the summer' and finished it the next summer.

Is it ok to put 'Summer 07- Summer 08' on the CV? Or shall i try and force him to remember?

Googlewhacker

If you are only talking a few years he should really put the month down, if it is say 10 years ago then a year would be sufficiant.

Evansangel

It was only a few years ago. He has been in his most recent job for 4 years and seems to have memory loss for anything before that.

anamenottaken

I'd use the years 2007-2008.

Particularly useful if the next job started at the end of 2008 or even in 2009. Though, at an interview, he might be asked whether there were any gaps, at the CV stage it can be a good idea to remove apparent gaps in continuity of work history.

ShaneUK

Just a suggestion - have you any old bank statements you can look back at and see when the employer started paying? Or old payslips?

If not - perhaps contact your bank and see if they can look back to see when XYZ employer started/stopped paying, and when ABC started.....

BRSurvivor

Evansangel wrote: »

Is it ok to put 'Summer 07- Summer 08' on the CV? Or shall i try and force him to remember?

I would like to say that it depends on what type of jobs he his applying for, however - the reality is that any one who is recruiting is likely to ditch a CV that specifies anything other than month/year with in the 10 years.

I would suggest he takes a best guess at the months, and the worst possible scenario is he gets offered the job and then the offer is withdrawn IF they check the references, and IF they are worried about a mis-match of dates.

It's a good lesson though. The vast majority of people only look at their CV when they look for a job - it should be something you routinely look at and update every 3 months.

bristol_pilot

he should put month and year, even if he has to guess the month. The reason is that putting just years or something like 'summer' may be seen as an attempt to cover up a gap. There should be no gaps on a CV, right from leaving school (even if that was 30 years ago) up until the present day. If out of work put 'jobseeking'. Gaps may be interpreted as being in jail.

anamenottaken

I've used the years only format for a long time now. Everyone else's comments makes me wonder how I managed to get interviews (and job offers).

bristol_pilot

anamenottaken wrote: »

I've used the years only format for a long time now. Everyone else's comments makes me wonder how I managed to get interviews (and job offers).

Unless you have been offered every job you have ever applied for, how would you know if your CV had been binned for that reason?

hcb42

bristol_pilot wrote: »

he should put month and year, even if he has to guess the month. The reason is that putting just years or something like 'summer' may be seen as an attempt to cover up a gap. There should be no gaps on a CV, right from leaving school (even if that was 30 years ago) up until the present day. If out of work put 'jobseeking'. Gaps may be interpreted as being in jail.

Could be having a baby, having a career break.....:)

bristol_pilot

helencbradshaw wrote: »

Could be having a baby, having a career break.....:)

Yep. So put 'career break for family'.