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Sign Up, It's Free Thanks for subscribing! Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.Knowing your full work history is important for job seekers. Your work history showcases your skills, experience, and achievements over time. More concretely, it demonstrates the progression of your career and responsibilities.
In this guide. you'll learn tips and strategies to uncover your complete work history, best practices for incorporating your work history into your resume in an impactful way, and what employers look for in background checks.
Looking for one place to store and manage your entire work history? Get started with Teal’s AI Resume Builder for free.
Your work history includes all of the jobs, positions, and roles you’ve held over the course of your career. It's the timeline of your professional experiences and accomplishments.
Your work history typically includes:
Some also include details like salary, reason for leaving, supervisor names, and more.
Your work history gives employers insight into your background, capabilities, work style, and career trajectory. It helps them understand:
With a strong employment history, you can showcase achievement-based bullets, back up your resume claims, provide references, and demonstrate progression. During interviews, employers will likely inquire about your work history to screen for qualifications and fit.
Your work history also influences your own career advancement.
Reflecting on past jobs can help you:
In many ways, your work history can be a personal stepping stone to your dream job.
Searching online can be one of the easiest ways to uncover details about your past jobs. Here are some tips on how to find your employment history online:
Thoroughly searching through your online presence and records can reveal a wealth of work history details you may have forgotten or lost track of over the years.
Requesting your tax return transcript from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is free but can take up with ten days to process. You can request transcripts showing your past employers and income information directly from the IRS website. This can help you verify your work history if needed.
To find your employment history transcripts with the IRS:
Having IRS transcripts can provide reliable documentation of your income and employers, which is useful for reconstructing your work history. Just keep in mind it may not have complete details—like specific dates—so supplement with other records if possible.
You can request a copy of your earnings records from the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help uncover your employment history.
The social security administration maintains records of the wages and self-employment income you've earned over your lifetime. This information determines your eligibility and benefit amount for Social Security benefits.
To get a copy of your earnings records, you'll need to fill out and submit Form SSA-7050-F4. This form is available on the SSA website.
Your earnings records include:
This can help you identify previous employers and specific dates of employment. It's especially useful if you're missing W-2s or tax documentation from past jobs.
Remember that earnings records may not include informal, cash-based, or short-term jobs. But they provide a great starting point for piecing together your work history timeline.
Reviewing your Social Security earnings records is free and doesn't affect your Social Security benefits. However, the SSA charges a fee to get a copy of your itemized statement of earnings.
For further assistance or to locate the nearest Social Security office, contact the Social Security Administration office. This step can prove helpful, particularly if you're looking to clarify aspects of your credit report or need additional support with your earnings records.
While not the most efficient option, another way to obtain your full work history is to contact your previous employers directly. Many companies keep records of past employees for a certain number of years.
You can call or email your old manager, human resources department, or payroll office to request your dates of employment and job titles. Explain that you are looking to verify your work history. Most will be happy to provide this basic information.
Some companies may be able to give you more detailed records, such as:
If the company has gone out of business, try contacting former coworkers who may recall your tenure. You can also search state archives for dissolved business records.
The key is being polite but persistent when requesting your work history. Most human resource (HR) departments will work with you, as they understand the importance of accuracy and are frequently collecting this information themselves when running background checks on candidates.
When it comes to writing your employment history on your resume, there are a few key things to keep in mind:
First, you'll want to write clear, concise descriptions of each role you've held. Focus on highlighting your responsibilities, achievements, and skills gained. Quantifying your experience can help demonstrate the scope and impact of your work.
Employment history bullet examples:
It's also important to tailor your employment history for each job you apply to. Identify the skills and experience most relevant to the role, and emphasize those details. You don't need to include every job or task—be selective.
For example, if you're applying for a marketing role, highlight marketing campaigns you led or executed. If you're applying for a management role, focus on team leadership experience.
Carefully tailoring your resume ensures you put your best foot forward and stand out from other applicants.
Incorporating your work history into your resume is crucial for showcasing your experience to potential employers.
With Teal's AI Resume Builder, the process is easy.
Teal's Resume Builder offers AI tools that analyze your work history and provide helpful suggestions for optimizing your resume content. These recommendations enable you to highlight key bullet points, skills, and experiences that align with the job description.
Plus, Teal's Matching Mode allows you to customize your resume according to the requirements of various job descriptions.
For more tips on how to incorporate your work history into your resume, check out this guide on resume work experience.
First, you can upload or import your work history from your LinkedIn profile.
That becomes your base resume. Think of this as a resume template you can iterate on, creating multiple versions tailored to various roles.
After analyzing the keywords and requirements mentioned in the job posting, Teal's AI helps users optimize their resume content accordingly. This customization allows individuals to highlight relevant skills, experiences, and bullets that align with each job they apply for.
For more tips on how to showcase your work history, check out our guide on the LinkedIn experience section.
When applying for a new job, it's common for employers to conduct an employment history check to verify your previous work experience and qualifications.
Here's what you need to know:
Staying prepared for potential employment history checks helps you put you feel confident and avoid surprises in the hiring process.
Knowing your full work history is crucial for showcasing your skills, experience, and achievements to potential employers. You'll be prepared to highlight relevant accomplishments and provide proof of your background by keeping thorough records of your employment history and former employers.
While it can be difficult to find your employment history, especially if you have long career gaps, doing so will pay dividends in your job search and career advancement.
A tool like Teal's AI-powered Resume Builder can be invaluable for compiling and organizing your work history in one place. It provides an easy way to input your employment details, toggle different jobs on and off, and tailor your resume to each application. The Resume Builder helps take the guesswork out of presenting your background effectively.
With the right strategies, you can uncover your complete work history.
