do you need to include months when listing job dates on your resume? (application, applications)

[nmssis]

What is your opinion/advice on removing months from the dates portion of your resume? I have around 2 years of professional experience and wonder if the months could come off from my earlier jobs since I didn't stay for a full year.

For instance, changing “Job Title, April 2011 to June 2012” to just “Job Title, 2011 to 2012.”
Or is this something that hiring managers generally require and would like to see?

Thanks!

[MLSFan]

depends on the job

DoD application asks for exact dates, day/month/year

other places want years only

[nmssis]

Originally Posted by MLSFan

depends on the job

DoD application asks for exact dates, day/month/year

other places want years only

I know it depends on employer applications but for general resume use, I'm wondering if you can get away with using just years.

[Suburban_Guy]

Just put it there to be safe.

[MLSFan]

Originally Posted by nmssis

I know it depends on employer applications but for general resume use, I'm wondering if you can get away with using just years.

what's a general use resume? do you not tailor it?

[mo8414]

I would leave the months off

[nmssis]

Originally Posted by MLSFan

what's a general use resume? do you not tailor it?

I tailor it for some jobs but when it's a job in my field there's really no need for me to do so.

I'm asking because I contacted a managing director at a rival company regarding openings on his team. He responded asking me to send him a resume.

[ThisIsATrueStory]

If you were at the job for most of the year, then I don't see a problem with just putting the years, but if the company checks with your past employers and learns you were only there a few months there's a possibility that they'll view it as you trying to make it look like you were there for longer than you really were. That won't reflect well on you.

[sandsthetime]

Originally Posted by Suburban_Guy

Just put it there to be safe.

Yep. Excluding months will likely lead the hiring manager to assume you're trying to hide something, i.e. a large gap.

[Shoshanarose]

Originally Posted by sandsthetime

Yep. Excluding months will likely lead the hiring manager to assume you're trying to hide something, i.e. a large gap.

Really?

I'd just write the years.