Who did you report to?

Dear Deb:

Should I add “reported to _______” to each position listed on my résumé?    

Thanks,

Henry

Dear Henry:

It is not a clear-cut “yes” or “no” answer when it comes to showing the “reported to” info on your résumé.  For most positions, it can be assumed the level to which you reported.  For example, if you are a Vice President, one many assume you will report to the top tier of management (Pres., EVP or C-level).  If you are a Help Desk Associate, we can assume you report to a supervisory-level  manager.  If that is the case, it is not necessary, but does it hurt you to show it.  

If you are struggling to reduce the content on your résumé, you want to be as concise as possible.  In that situation, you may want to remove those “reported to” lines to make room for more substantial information. 

If your title does not hint to whom you report and you report to the top layer of management, that is an instance in which you would want to show this information.  Let’s say you are a Business Analyst reporting directly to the VP of Operations.  That is an impressive fact to include.

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If you have a question for Deb, please email debra@careersdonewrite.com. The Ask Deb column appears every Friday on our blog at the Careers Done Write website.