Candidates often ask us whether they should include a description or summary of the companies for which they've worked.

We say yes, it is a good idea and we highly recommend it.

It doesn't need to be lengthy, only one to two lines should suffice - as long as it contains relevant information such as the industry the company operates in, the product or service they provide and in some cases, its stature e.g. is it listed? Is it funded by venture caps? Is it a startup?

Why?

1. There are millions of companies in Australian and around the world, depends on where you're ready from (although granted, a few hundred that may be relevant to your field), not everyone may have heard of your company. Even if you do work for a well-known business, you should still include a summary describing the company, see number 2 and 3 for the reasons why.
    
2. It’ll provide context around the work that you do as well as your achievements. It’ll also give the reader a picture of how you fit into the purpose and mission of the company and how you contribute towards its end product/service.  I often say your CV should tell a story, a story of your career journey. Without any context to every chapter of your career, there isn't a story, is there?
    
3. Employers like to draw linkages between the companies you’ve worked with and their own company. They’re looking for transferrable skills, whether it be the size of the business, the industry, the nature of the business, its environment and the product or service. Often I see hiring managers making candidate selections based on the similarities in their respective industries (or even more so, the same industry) although I do believe that hiring people from different sectors would bring a fresh perspective and approaches.