Are You A Job Hopper? Here's What You Need To Know

by Beverly Aarons 20. August 2009 09:33

If you've held a large number of jobs in a short period of time many recruiters and employers may perceive you as a job hopper, or someone who does not have a stable work history. In short, they may fear that once you land the new job, it will only be a short time before you move on to greener pastures. For the employer, job hoppers can be a huge drain on resources because it takes a tremendous amount of time and money to hire and train new people. If you've moved around a lot in your working career, here a few tips on how to minimize the negative impact this may have on your job search:

Be upfront about why you have had so many jobs in a short period of time. Avoid giving a separate reason for each job; instead give employers/recruiters a reason why you changed jobs so frequently in that particular period of time. For example: Maybe you were in school, went through a divorce, were caring for an ill relative or just had a tough time finding a full-time job due to the economy. Be specific, brief and non-dramatic.
Consider omitting jobs from your resume that lasted less than a year. If you only worked someplace for 3 months or 6 months, you may not want to include that on your resume. However, if you worked several jobs for only 3 to 6 months over the past two years, this may be more difficult to omit from your resume and you will need to explain why.
When you write your resume you may want to consider grouping your experience based on similarities. For example: You could have a title that says "Litigation Contractor." This serves as an explanation for the "job hopping (i.e. you were a contractor) plus emphasizes your experience while downplaying the timeframe.

Are You A Job Hopper? Here's What You Need To Know

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