Are You a ‘Job Hopper’? 4 Ways to Prove Your Staying Power

RISMEDIA, Jan. 22, 2008-Beyond.com, Inc., a network of online niche career communities, polled business professionals throughout its network of more than 15,000 geographic and industry-specific sites to gain an understanding of how often professionals tend to switch employers over the course of their career. More than 5,500 Beyond.com Network visitors responded to the recent poll:

“How many different companies have you worked for over the past five years?”

37% – worked for just one company
42% – worked for two or three companies
12% – worked for four or five companies
9% – worked for more than five companies

“The success and popularity of online job boards has changed the world of job searching, with thousands of job opportunities available online, both active and passive job seekers are quickly made aware of new job openings,” said Rich Milgram, CEO of Beyond.com.

“The endless job possibilities can be alluring to job seekers, and many are choosing to change jobs throughout their career. Although switching jobs can accelerate career advancement, professionals who repeatedly job-hop should be aware that history of such behavior can affect their marketability to potential employers.”

Although many employers are beginning to embrace the idea of hiring employees who have held a number of jobs throughout the course of their career, professionals should be sure to position themselves as an asset to future employers by proving how their work experience and industry knowledge will bring value to the company. Following are a few tips for job seekers that address how to prove they are not a typical job hopper to potential employers:

- Limit your resume employment history. Keep your resume to a concise one or two page attention-grabbing document. List relevant employment history and avoid using months of prior employment, as jobs may start to overlap.
- Use brief explanations. If you have experienced any short engagements with a company, make sure you explain why your employment lasted for a short period of time, versus leaving time unaccounted for on your resume.
- Demonstrate how well you meet and exceed company goals. Regardless of time spent at a job, it is important to make sure your resume shows you have made positive contributions wherever possible.
- Put a positive spin on working for a variety of companies. Demonstrate the positive qualities and wide range of experience you have gained from holding a variety of positions, such as management skills, flexibility, decisiveness, and your ability to acclimate and learn quickly.

For more information, visit www.Beyond.com.