Grammar Queens -- Check In and Please Help Me!

[bertha katzenengel]

Resume question:

Ten years experience in blah blah blah

OR

Ten years' experience in blah blah blah

Don't both work?

Which would be better on my resume?

[flvegan]

1. blah blah blah is an interesting field.

Do you know all the blah blah blah software?

I think the first entry is correct.

[bertha katzenengel]

5. blah blah blah software is outdated. we're talking firmware.

rather, flabby ware.

:hi:

thanks, Vegan :hug:

[Midlodemocrat]

2. The first one is correct.

[bertha katzenengel]

3. okay, see, I think it's the latter

and my sister said both would do

I don't want some interviewer saying "what an idiot."

God it's hell being laid off.

How're you, Midlo? :hug:

[Midlodemocrat]

9. I'm good. I'm sorry you got laid off. That truly sucks.

Rabrrrrrr has a point - First of all you should write it out, ten years of experience, or maybe say 'over a decade of experience in blah, blah, blah.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Or really hype it up with "part of a century!"

[Midlodemocrat]

12. Or section of a millenium!

:bounce:

[Oeditpus Rex]

4. Use the apostrophe

It denotes "of" or "worth of."

[Midlodemocrat]

10. Don't you think the interviewer might mistake it for the possessive?

That's what I think. It's not a contraction and it's not a possessive, hence go with the first one.

JMHO YMMV.

[Gormy Cuss]

13. I was just about to suggest that bertha use "ten years of"

for just that reason -- never underestimate the chance that you'll be screened out for something this trivial. I was once told by a screener that I seemed to be the perfect candidate for the job but it required a bachelor's degree --- the only problem was I had a bachelor of arts degree, an A.B.
I learned to either call it a BA or skip the abbreviation altogether. The screener thought that AB was an associates in business.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. I could be wrong, but I think "ten years OF experience" or "ten years' experience"

But, I'm not really sure on this one. We need the real experts now.


Maybe you can just say "one decade of experience" :P That sounds really weird, though.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

14. Uh-oh, I agree with Rabrrrrrr

I like "ten years of experience".

:hi:

[IntravenousDemilo]

7. The apostrophe is required. n/m

[Inchworm]

8. No apostrophy would be my choice

The second one would probably work but looks pretentious.

:hi:

[nytemare]

15. I googled, looks like the second example is correct.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/General-Writing-Grammar-680/Use-apostrophe-specific-example.htm

[Zuiderelle]

16. To make it easy, I'd say "Ten years of experience"

"Ten years' experience" is correct, I would think. But, if you write "Ten years of experience" you cover all your bases.

[Perry Logan]

17. Use the apostrophe. Trust me, you will get the job.