Interview tips : labeled job jumper

After ten years in one industry, I decided to change directions and begin a sales career. At first I could only get 'no experience required' jobs. Once I gained some experience I landed better positions, but none that satisfied me. When I did finally get a job in an industry I enjoyed, I went through buy-outs, downsizing, and poor management. As a result, my resume labels me as a Job-Jumper. Often when interviewing, I am asked to explain why I have had so many jobs. I've tried to explain it several ways, but it seems that once an interviewer has labeled me, I can't change their mind. Any suggestions on how to best answer this would be greatly appreciated.

Joe in Beaver PA

Well, Joe, we need to see a sample of this part of your resume. The number of companies and dates so we can advise how best to approach it.

Tess

Thank you for your speedy reply. I've had
seven jobs in the last fourteen years. One lasted three years, another for one year, and two years at the rest. I try to equate some as my ambition for a better income, and others as situations beyond my control, but it seems to build a sense of mistrust that I will not stay long anywhere. In reality, I would like to find a place to work for the next twenty years, until retirement. I have conveyed that in interviews when asked, but I can usually tell that it does little to ease their suspicions

That's going to be a tough sell. I imagine your resume then looks something like this:

Acme 1993-1996

Bob 1996-1997

Chuck 1997-1999

Don's 1999-2001

Ernie 2001-2003

Fred 2003-2005

George 2006-2007

First off, stop going back so far on your resume and stop using a chronological format. Go over to the resume board, you'll see that there are several other ways to illustrate your skills that don't make this so obvious. 10 years should be enough so that would drop this 7 to 4 or so. You may want to only go back 5 years unless the jobs before that add some specific value. If they were lesser positions in the exact same field anyway, they probably don't add much value and you could lose them. For example, lets say the field was restaurant. Your jobs were dishwasher, bus boy, kitchen helper, fry cook, short-order specialist, senior lunch cook and senior lunch cook. On a resume, you could lose the dishwasher, bus boy, kitchen helper and fry cook probably.

Then you may want to say something like:

"I've been building my career in sales over the last several years. Unfortunately, I was downsized a couple times as well. I'm looking for a company where I can build and grow for a long time..."

Something along those lines. I really think trimming the years down is going to be the biggest help to you. Also, on the actual application, you have to list whatever they ask for, but read carefully what they ask. If it is "all jobs last 3 years" then that's only 2 jobs or so. If it is last 3 jobs, that's all it is. Few employers ask for all jobs last 10 years even, so there may be no reason to ever bring this up.

Hope this helps. Why don't you take a stab at it then post your resume on the resume board and see how it looks?

Tess

Thanks Tess.
Most of it's relevant experience.
I'll make another attempt at brevity.

Career Tips

labeled job jumper