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So I was laid off in a city that didn't specialize in the industry that i worked in. The trouble is that I was only one of a few hundred who was laid off. Yes i received unemployment benefits.
But soon afterwards, I spent a lot of time competing for short term temporary jobs for survival work.
So I moved to a different city with better prospects. I may have the opportunity to get back into the old sector or pursue a different avenue with my past experience. I hate to sit around and do nothing.
Unfortunately, due to that situation which I could not control- it looks like i've done a bit of job hopping. People in a city that had more prospects are not aware of the saturation of job seekers in the previous city.
Is there any way I can put this down on my resume or explain this during interviews? Short term contract employment is a turn off to prospective employers to begin with.
I was advised by an HR person that they'd rather see gaps than job hopping so I adjusted my resume to do just that.
And no, I don't feel that I should need to lie to get a job (a lot of people do lie to get a job they're not qualified for)- but in this economy; hiring managers are a bit more discriminating.
I don't want to come across as someone that has a lot of excuses, but at the same time i need to prove that I am a stable person without being apologetic. I don't have anything to apologize for, I have a lot of great skills.
Is there a way I can convince them of this during my interviews or on my resume?
If anyone has any advice, please help!! It would be greatly appreciated.
Can you label that entire period as one chunk of time on your resume under a heading of independent contractor? You can briefly describe the relevant jobs you held without listing each one.
if the person is a person with character and the company is looking to hire someone likewise, they will listen to what you have to say. Otherwise they aren't worthy of you. Another door will open...
BUT ... beware ... the "point-and-click" crowd will probably label your several short-term contractual positions as job-hopping.
DH has since given up on listing his wide and varied experience and "chopped" his resume down to one page.
"They" are NOT interested in anything but what makes their job easier. Hence, keywords, point-and-click, wrong assumptions, and don't forget the all-mighty "good fit". After all, it's more important how a candidate will interact at the proverbial water fountain than in what they can produce for the outfit.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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Honestly? The fact that you were able to continue working and find jobs is a strength that indicates resourcefulness and flexibility. I'd play that angle up--probably in my cover letter.
If they were actual contract jobs with a finite end date, it's not job-hopping. If the company closed, it's not job-hopping. if you kept changing jobs every few months because "something better came along" it is job hopping.
Can you label that entire period as one chunk of time on your resume under a heading of independent contractor? You can briefly describe the relevant jobs you held without listing each one.
I have to see how that is done, that's a good idea.
if the person is a person with character and the company is looking to hire someone likewise, they will listen to what you have to say. Otherwise they aren't worthy of you. Another door will open...
BUT ... beware ... the "point-and-click" crowd will probably label your several short-term contractual positions as job-hopping.
DH has since given up on listing his wide and varied experience and "chopped" his resume down to one page.
"They" are NOT interested in anything but what makes their job easier. Hence, keywords, point-and-click, wrong assumptions, and don't forget the all-mighty "good fit". After all, it's more important how a candidate will interact at the proverbial water fountain than in what they can produce for the outfit.
Interesting. The "point and click" are prevelant in bigger bureaucracies. Got to play that up. I'm new here, whose DH?
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