Resume help

I have 15 years of sports journalism experience, but I've made quite a few stops at shops along the way. I was laid off from my last job and, again, I'm applying for new employment. Looking for any good advice to explain that I am a stable employee.

 

How many is "quite a few stops" in 15 years?

If you've been at, let's say, five or more stops during that time, there's pretty much no way of attesting that you offer some long-term stability. Unless, of course, you've been laid off multiple times in those 15 years ... that's a different story.

Your cover letter will have to do some of the heavy lifting. You'll certainly want to explain being laid off in your most recent job(s). You'll also want to explain/spin why you've changed jobs so often (especially if you've moved to positions of higher responsibility or authority) if you think you've moved a lot.

That said, journalism is a volatile industry and people don't expect you to be a lifer anymore. (It's the same in the real world, too.) As recently as 10 years ago, there was a belief that people would have seven jobs in their lifetime. However, technology and the economy have changed that game considerably, so it's not unreasonable to have more jobs than that these days. It is, however, entirely incumbent upon you to showcase yourself as a dependable employee -- someone with the desire to stay put for a while -- during your phone or in-person job interview, and reassure your prospective employer of that fact.

Good luck.

 

I think it also depends on the time frame in which you're hopping around occurred. If you jumped around from small gig to small gig when you were 23, 25, 27, that's one thing. But if you were hopping around to and from more established places when the changes weren't necessary or weren't necessarily what could be construed as a career advancement, that would probably require more delicate explanation.

I know lots of folks who are hired after having 3 or 4 gigs in a few years time, because they're young and it is viewed as them moving up.

 

One interviewer commented about the number of different jobs on my resume over 20+ years. Yes, I am a job hopper (never stayed any place for more than three years).

So what I did was cut off the older stuff, unless it was something I really wanted to trumpet. Nothing says a resume has to tell your entire life story. You can tailor it anyway you like.

 

I held my job for nearly eight years. I should have job hopped a bit more. My (paranoid) thought is that I will be perceived as someone who wasn't good enough to move up or move on.

Reality is that family was nearby, so we put some roots down.

 

Can't see how anyone would blame you for that.

Look, I've always been big on loyalty. But it needs to be a two-way street. After watching how my dad was forced out of his job and seeing how many long-time journalists have been shafted at various places, I wonder how much anyone "owes" anything. Do what is best for you and your family. Do it professionally, of course. But understand big corporation won't shed any tears for you when they dump you on the street.