Re: Too many jobs on a resume

[Jack Wiseman <DrWiseman9 -at- AOL -dot- COM>]

> I don't  understand this view. I am not a tech writer, but journalist.
>  But see tech writers work as projects just like mine are; even though the
>  person may be hired as an employee.  Writers' jobs end there when the
>  project does and how can they be judged for job presence like another
>  employee.  This seems very unfair.

Exactly. You are hearing about hiring managers who apparently function in a
stable environment and who pay little attention to the realities and dynamics
of today's market place. Since they have apparently been unaffected by
downsizing, layoffs, corporate acquisitions, and company failures, they
skip over such news in their newspapers and magazines: "Ho hum, better them
than me. I wonder if the Yankees won last night."

There are many factors in play in today's marketplace which force hiring
managers to shift away from their "I need to hire stable employee with lengthy
records at Fortune 100 companies who mimic my own appearance, attitudes,
and values" perspective toward hiring nimble, competent people who have a
proven track record of accomplishments. Trust me, hiring managers will
eventually realize that job duration is a poor indicator of a person's
abilities to
perform in today's brutal workplace. Job performance in the workplace is more
important, regardless of companies and employment/contract duration.

Of the many companies I've worked for in the past thirty-six years, only two
continue to exist as the same corporate entities--and both shed thousands of
formerly valuable employees who thought they had jobs for life. Not one person
on my reference list still works at my former companies! My references were
all
stable, rational, buttoned-down people (vice presidents, directors, and
managers)
who were forced into retirement or onto the streets as companies shed their
older
Baby Boomer employees in favor of younger, healthier, and cheaper employees
willing to cheerfully work seventy hours a week.

Imagine trying to explain to a hiring manager that none of my references are
still
employed by former employers. Even more startling, eighty percent of the
companies
I worked no longer exist. All this is outside my control but hiring managers
hold me
accountable. Go figure.

I was astonished by one person's comment that it takes three to six months to
check
out and hire prospective employees. Goodness, many tech writing contracts
don't
last that long! His company may be a fine company indeed but at that ultra-
cautious
rate, few people I know would wait three-six months for the firm's hiring
decision.
"Sorry, honey, we can't take the kids to Disney World in the next six months.
That
company might call any day with a job offer. If I'm not here..."


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