I am applying for a job that has come open that I've wanted for a long time. I want to make sure I complete the application as accurately as possible so that my chances of getting the job will be good. I have some questions about listing your previous employers.

First of all, do I have to list ALL my previous employers?

I wouldn't say that I've got a employment history a mile long... but I've had quite a few jobs being that I am 30 yrs old and have been working since I was 16. On 2 occasions, I was laid off due to the company going out of business. Also, I must admit that I haven't kept an accurate record of all the dates and lengths of the jobs held.

What if I mistakenly put the wrong date that I started/ended? Will they assume I'm lying?

Or what about that job that you just hated and ended up quiting after a few days? Should I include that or not? Either way, I think it's going to look bad if they see that you quit after a few days, or if you just don't list it at all and they find out.

Do employment verification/records list every one of your jobs and the dates you worked?

I hope someone can answer some of my questions and give me advice on what to do. I really want and NEED this job!

Thanks in advance!

In a Curriculum Vitae you normally only state the important previous employments. Like long term employments, or important to know employments (for you or your possible future employers). Nobody is interested in a long list of all your previous jobs. As you already stated : a too long list could elicit more questions and be used against you.
So keep to the main ones, and specify in continuous longer periods like (half) years, rather than "day by day" or "week by week"! Remember : lying is always wrong, but some leeway is allowed to keep your CV on a single page format!
Note : always the last job on top and the oldest one at the bottom. The lower on your list, the more flexibility and abbreviation is allowed.
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Success!
;)

Unless you are applying for a government position or job where every job is an extreme issue, most people do not list a job they held for a day or two. Jobs that went out of business is not your fault ( unless you did cause them to go out)
As for actual dates, you do need to sit down and start a record, I have a resume book, with reference letters, certificates of training, and the exact hire date of every job.

For most jobs being off a few weeks will not hurt anything, in some jobs yes it can. But in general be as close as you can get

You need to put at least 10 years of job history. You can then add that prior employment will be supplied on request. And no, you don't have to list short term jobs.

Hello tt:

There isn't enough room on most applications to list every job somebody has had. Plus, we all have some that we'd rather they didn't know about. So, list the major jobs and be accurate about them.

Remember, your application is a BROCHURE that is intended to sell. It isn't a place where you list the reasons they SHOULDN'T hire you.

excon

Thanks to every one of you! Your answers have helped me a lot in deciding how to complete my application.

Fr_Chuck, you mentioned applying for a gov't position. This is actually a state job with the Dept. of Corrections. I've been wanting this job for several years and recently it has came open. I really hope I get it. I was just afraid that if I left out a job and they found it in some employment records that they would be a little skeptical about hiring me because I failed to inform them of it.

Wish me luck everyone! "Good" jobs are hard to come by. I pray that I get it.

Thanks you!