Job interviews can be tricky.
Many professionals find themselves compelled to move on from one job to the next after relatively short periods of employment. Numerous factors contribute to short-term spells of employment, and in lots of cases, the circumstances may be completely out of your control. Unfortunately, job hunting with a resume that shows a work history of short-term jobs can be difficult. Brief stints at different jobs often arouse suspicion in hiring managers that the applicant could be unreliable or lack focus and dedication. Remove any negative impressions and convince prospective employers of your sincere interest and tangible merits by effectively explaining your background in an honest yet tactful manner.
Instructions
Explaining Short-Term Employment
1. Be forthcoming about your past positions of employment. Acknowledge all relevant jobs that you have previously held, even if they were only temporary tours of duty. Make sure to put down any important details about former jobs on your resume, taking care to highlight the nature of the work and any noteworthy accomplishments. Don't cover anything up or leave gaps in employment unaccounted for, as this may raise additional doubts with the hiring manager regarding your integrity.
2. Explain not keeping certain jobs for a long time in reasonable terms. Having transitioned out of jobs after only working for a few months isn't necessarily a bad thing or a deal breaker, but it does require some legitimate explanation when interviewing for a new opportunity. Give sound justifications such as relocating on behalf of a spouse, taking time off to attend to family emergencies or changing your professional goals. Career expert Elizabeth Garone of the Wall Street Journal recommends that job seekers also include mention of uncontrollable external circumstances such as the fact that the company where you used to work went out of business, experienced downsizing measures or underwent major restructuring procedures that directly impacted you. Do not state outright that you were fired. Gloss over firings by expressing the positive aspects of your time with the former employer and relating the simple truth that you and the employer reached a point of mutual agreement that it was best for both parties to move on separately.
3. Turn the focus away from the negative elements that caused you to leave your former jobs and avoid stressing the brevity of your employment. Instead, focus on the specific skills you developed at these jobs and elaborate on how these skills can be adapted to the current job you are interviewing for. Use concrete examples of workplace achievements to increase your appeal.
4. Demonstrate your dedication and motivation to make a long-term commitment to the new company you are applying to. Emphasize your willingness to give your best to the employer. Make it clear that you want this job to be a permanent position in which you can grow and help the company maximize its potential. Discuss future goals as a means of assuring the hiring manager that you have put some real thought into your role within the organization.
Tags: former jobs, hiring manager, that have
