How to Un-Brand Yourself as a Job Hopper

How to Un-Brand Yourself as a Job Hopper

 

Have you had a variety of jobs over the last few years? Maybe you were laid off, worked a lot of temporary assignments, or just had bad luck with companies closing their doors during the recession – in any case, your resume looks like you could be a job hopper. A classic job hopper frequently changes jobs, and this can be seen as a negative mark on a career history. Companies want candidates who can stay on board for at least a year or more so they can earn a good return on investment in training and hiring new employees.

How can you successfully un-brand yourself as a job hopper in the minds of recruiters? Follow these tips:

  • Know how to explain the frequent or short-term jobs
    Depending on the circumstances, most of the time the reason employees leave their jobs is because of something involuntary – through layoffs, company closures, end of temporary assignments, and offshoring. Do you have a way of explaining this to recruiters? Now is the time to come up with a positive way of explaining what happened and how you did not let it affect your career goals. In fact, turn the experience around so that it was a positive step that helped you to build your career.
  • Be careful of how you are listing jobs
    A big mistake that many job seekers make with their resumes is separating temporary jobs into individual jobs, which makes job hopping look worse. Instead, list the jobs under the name of the agency you worked for, with a brief explanation and the dates for each assignment. In this way, the jobs are in a logical progression under a singular agency or employer.
  • Consider a skills-based resume vs. a chronological one
    If you have a lot of jobs (more than five in a three year period), it may be best to put your information into a skills-based resume template, instead of a chronological timeline of jobs. In this case, list your top skills and achievements in the very top half of your resume. Following this, put your software and educational knowledge, and then your jobs can be listed by year in the bottom portion of the resume.
  • Share your references
    Let others speak for you by including some great professional and personal references. Let them know you are trying to establish yourself in a stable work opportunity and so they can speak to this ability. Prepare your references in advance and give them some talking points, such as your ability to complete tasks on time, your interpersonal skills, and your reliability.

If you’re looking for a new career in Ohio or Michigan, partner with the team of staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions! We have an inside track on the hottest, newest and often unlisted exciting job opportunities, and we work with many high-profile companies that would love to hire a candidate like you. Click to contact us today.

 

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