Should You Include Irrelevant Work Experience on a Resume?

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Table of contents

What is Relevant Work Experience and Why Does it Matter on a Resume?
Should You Include Irrelevant Work Experience on a Resume?
How to Build a Resume With Irrelevant Work Experience (With Examples)
Key Takeaways
Resources to Help With Your Job Search

Whether you've undergone a career change or taken on some part-time jobs in between roles, it's not uncommon to have an eclectic blend of work experience from different industries and roles. But when it comes to building your resume, what do you do with those eight months in between teaching jobs where you worked a retail job? Should you include irrelevant work experience on a resume? Our guide will answer your questions.

Our guide will cover:

Why resumes focus on relevant jobs and what that means for you.
The do's and don'ts of listing irrelevant experience on a resume.
Example resume experience sections for career changers.
Key takeaways to keep in mind as you work.

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What is Relevant Work Experience and Why Does it Matter on a Resume?

Before we discuss whether you should include irrelevant work history in your resume's experience section, let's talk about why relevance matters in the first place.

Why does your resume need to focus on relevant experience? Because resume space is limited, recruiters and hiring managers don't spend as much time reading each one as you do building it. Your resume needs to grab their attention quickly and explain why you fit the role.

To land an interview, you need to make the most of your limited chance to communicate by submitting a resume that stays laser-focused on the skills associated with the job and efficiently communicates how well you align with the role's responsibilities.

But what is relevant work experience? Is a job only relevant if it's in the same field as the one you're seeking? Of course not! Relevance can come in many different forms. A role might be relevant for your resume if:

It belongs to the same industry or field as the role you're seeking.
If it demonstrates transferable skills that apply to your new role.
If it showcases your career progression.

Pro tip

Deciding whether a role is relevant enough for your resume is up to you, but you should consider the job listing as you make that decision. Will your previous role's responsibilities feature any keywords found in the job listing? If so, then including it might help your resume pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that the employer may use to filter for qualified candidates.

Should You Include Irrelevant Work Experience on a Resume?

Now that we've covered why relevance matters, let's dig into the big question: Should I include all of my work experience, even if it isn't relevant? The short answer is usually no. If you have older experience before you entered your field that isn't relevant at all, such as a part-time server job from your high school days, then you can definitely leave it off of your resume unless you can think of a good reason why it would help you land the role you're targeting.

But what about when you've changed careers? Or experienced layoffs and taken odd jobs in the interim? Complex situations require more detailed answers. For that, Resume Now's resident Career Professional, Keith Spencer, has the following advice:

When deciding whether to show an employment gap on your resume or, instead, list unrelated experience, there are a few important things to consider. First, was the work you did during your gap truly irrelevant, or did it involve transferable skills or tasks that align with your current target role? Also, how long did your gap (and unrelated work) last? If you were in that role for 6+ months, it might be worth including that experience as its own entry, keeping the description brief and focusing solely on relevant things you did or learned during that time. Finally, consider the strength of your other experience — if your resume already highlights strong, relevant experience, adding unrelated work could dilute your focus and weaken your overall positioning.

If you choose not to include unrelated work experience, be sure that your resume doesn't have an unexplained gap in employment history. At the very least, you want to include a career break entry where you tactfully explain the reason for your break and anything you did to remain professionally active during that span. This can include things like volunteering, upskilling, or working a job in a different industry as you search for roles in your target field. For instance, you could write something along the lines of, "Laid off due to company restructuring; engaged in part-time retail work while pursuing opportunities in [target field]." This approach allows you to address the gap proactively and prevents employers from making incorrect assumptions about your work history.

Check out Keith's LinkedIn page for more about his qualifications and career advice. Let's take a look at how Keith's advice looks on a real resume.

How to Build a Resume With Irrelevant Work Experience (With Examples)

Omitting irrelevant experience from your resume can make it look like you've had gaps in your career. For that reason, either briefly including irrelevant work history and focusing on its most relevant points or highlighting other career-focused activities from that chapter of your life can help keep your resume focused and on-topic. Let's take a look at some examples.

Sample resume featuring a brief entry for irrelevant experience:

Project Manager
Big Tech Inc. | January 2022 – Present

Lead cross-functional teams of 10+ to successfully deliver software development projects, meeting 95% of deadlines and budget constraints.
Implemented Agile methodologies, reducing project turnaround time by 20%.
Manage stakeholder communications, ensuring project alignment with business goals and client expectations.
Develop risk management strategies, mitigating potential project delays and increasing efficiency.

Sales Associate
Micro Mart | March 2021 – December 2021

Provided excellent customer service, increasing customer satisfaction scores by 15%.
Managed inventory and processed transactions, contributing to a 10% reduction in checkout time.

Assistant Project Manager
Construction Co. | August 2019 – March 2021

Supported project planning and execution for commercial construction projects valued at $5M+.
Coordinated with vendors and subcontractors, ensuring timely delivery of materials and services.
Maintained project documentation and progress reports, enhancing transparency and accountability.
Assisted in budget tracking and cost control, reducing project overruns by 12%.

Pro tip

In the above example, a sales associate role might not feel relevant to a project manager's career, but a long career gap is also a negative. This candidate makes the most of their unique circumstances by keeping the retail portion brief and using it to highlight leadership skills and efficiency — both key elements for a successful project management career.

Sample resume experience section focusing on career progression instead of irrelevant experience:

Pharmacy Technician
Getwell Clinic Pharmacy | March 2022 – January 2025

Assisted in hospital inpatient pharmacy operations, preparing IV medications and unit-dose packaging for patients.
Maintained accurate records and ensured compliance with regulations for sterile and hazardous drug handling.
Collaborated with nurses and physicians to optimize medication therapy management and patient outcomes.
Managed automated dispensing systems, improving medication retrieval efficiency by 25%.

Professional Development
Career Break | June 2021 – February 2022

Laid off due to store closure; spent six months obtaining pharmaceutical certifications while working food service and volunteering for a local community health clinic, assisting in medication distribution and patient counseling.
Successfully completed Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) renewal and advanced training in sterile compounding.
Attended continuing education courses on pharmaceutical calculations and patient safety to enhance technical skills.

Pharmacy Technician
Grocery Mart Retail Pharmacy | September 2018 – May 2021

Accurately processed and dispensed an average of 300+ prescriptions per day in a fast-paced retail pharmacy.
Provided excellent customer service, answering patient inquiries and resolving insurance issues to ensure seamless transactions.
Assisted pharmacists in medication preparation, inventory management, and compliance with state and federal regulations.
Trained new pharmacy technicians, improving overall team efficiency and accuracy.

Pro tip

Even though this candidate did work a retail role in between pharmacy technician jobs, they've made the strategic decision to keep the focus on relevant skills. Instead of allowing their resume to feature a career gap, they mention their retail experience and then pivot to discussing volunteer work and certifications. This is a great way to handle irrelevant work experience that doesn't add enough transferable skills to be worth discussing on your resume.

Key Takeaways

Relevant experience helps you make the most of limited resume space:
Try to keep your resume focused on relevant experience where possible. This gives you the best chance of communicating to recruiters that you are the candidate they're looking for.
Omit irrelevant experience from your early career:
Most people's first job isn't the perfect entry point into their future career. Whether it's a part-time babysitting gig or a tutoring job from your college days, you can leave off irrelevant roles from before your career got started in earnest.
Even if your experience doesn't seem relevant, it can still communicate important skills:
Rather than skipping over your less relevant experience and showing a career gap on your resume, try including it briefly and highlighting the most relevant and transferable professional skills that you used and honed in the role.
If your experience isn't relevant, talk about something that is:
If your irrelevant experience is really a mismatch for your career, but you're concerned about showing a career gap on your resume, try focusing on the other things you were doing during that time. Showcase certifications you earned, relevant volunteer work, or efforts you made to improve your skills.