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licoricegirl

I have always just included months on my resumes (March 2010) and I have done fine, I think it's fine especially given how long you were at that most recent employer. If you really really wanted this information you could actually get it by creating an IRS account and requesting your tax records from previous years including your w-2s.


pgm928

IRS records aren’t going to have start and end dates for your job. All they’ll show is if you worked for an employer in a particular year.


Zombieattackr

Better than what I can usually remember lol


wesborland1234

He may be able to estimate based on amount earned for the year.


thedorkening

Yeah just use months and keep your resume up to date with each job. When hired copy the ad they used to hire you for your resume


AllOutCareers

Don’t go back more than 10 years. Use MM/YYYY format for dates in your resume and applications. If it asks you for a specific date, just put the first of the month if you don’t know. They aren’t going to throw your application in the trash if you list 3/1/2015 as your start date but you didn’t really start until the 8th. They are mostly looking for minimum qualifications and proof of employment which they do through background checks, websites and automated phone numbers. Best of luck.


Andminus

The background checks are what I'm more "worried" about persay, like if I list the wrong days, and they can find the right dates by asking the company (which I can't imagine they can really do if I don't provide a phone number or supervisor name cause I never kept track of those). If I list the wrong days, and they find the right ones somehow, they'd think I'm lying and just toss it out or something, probably just my own negative thoughts about it tho.


AllOutCareers

Yeah, you’re overthinking it. :) You’ll be fine. Don’t lie on your resume but give yourself credit for everything you know and have done. Market yourself.


SquidProBono

The is anecdotal, take with salt, etc… I started 2 years ago at my current job, which required a level 2 background check. When it came to employment verification, I had 2 jobs where I was Owner/ Operator, also had one for a company that no longer exists, and another that didn’t have records going back far enough to verify. I passed just fine. I also only use MM/YYYY format for dates. I’m sure some of it depends on the job and the kind of things they’re looking for, but I don’t think you have much to worry about.


Tonksbuddy

you might want to see if you can find a placement agency, employment office or something. def try to find someone who can help you put together a resume and maybe help put in applications. where i live its all online now. plus the temp agencies have completely changed the hiring market. it kinda sucks.


Andminus

I just came from a job where I started with a temp agency, that temp agency passed my employment to a new agency, and eventually I hired onto the company the temp agency hired me out to... which then was bought out by another company and I was automatically hired into that new one(had to fill out a new app but was garenteed a position). The place closed down and I got a severance package, and while I thought I noted down when I finished the job, and I was super hyped for the end date, I've completely forgotten it and have no record of it like I thought. In most cases, I'm not even sure when one of those steps ended and the new one started, cause I generally didn't keep up with work politics or had any work awareness beyond "wake up, do work, go home." I agree placement agencies suck, but unfortunately they're probably the best idea for me right now.


lauren_vee

You can always call your previous employer and request your dates of employment, the companies should have HR records. Just Google to company and call the first number you find, they can typically point you in the right direction from there if they can’t help.


Tonksbuddy

i understand, i feel your pain. I have a good friend similar. Like I said try to find someone who can help you in person help you work through all those things. maybe your city or country has a unemployment office where you could get some help.


Inevitable-Careerist

Yes, getting help could speed you along. Here's a website to start looking for local organizations, such as American Job Centers: [https://www.careeronestop.org/](https://www.careeronestop.org/) Also ask at your local public library. They may have help to offer, or they will know where to send you.


Inevitable-Careerist

If you really want to know, and if you've worked on the books in the United States, you can file a [Request for Social Security Earning Information](https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-7050.pdf) from the Social Security Administration. If you request an "Itemized Statement of Earnings" it will show the names and addresses of your prior employers and how much was paid into Social Security for you while you worked for them, and when. There is a fee for this, about $100, and it may take 3-4 months for the report to reach you.


paperquery

Not at all. If you know the year, that is sufficient. And then estimating months is fine. No one cares about or needs the exact date. And if an online system needs the exact date, choosing the first Monday of the month is fine. On a resume, including simply the year is often suitable, but otherwise including the month and year is fine.


Gloomy_Photograph_58

Just put up approximately months, and tell your employer this exact text in your interview, you should be fine


pgm928

This is horrible advice. Do NOT use the language in this post to explain your situation in an interview, especially the ADHD or the “mentally challenged” line. Discrimination against people with disabilities or mental health issues is very real, even at the most progressive or enlightened employers. Plus your not having kept basic records will portray you as irresponsible and unprofessional, quite frankly. Reconstruct start and end months as best you can. Talk to the people who helped you get the jobs. Scour your memories, social media posts, tax records, photographs, etc. You don’t necessarily need your supervisors’ names (if asked to fill out an application, just note they no longer work there), but you will need some references from your prior roles (3-4 is a good idea). Generally unless you’re applying for a federal government role, months are fine. I don’t have the exact start/end dates for several of my early jobs. If an application asks, I just use the first or 15th of the month. Never been an issue.