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Guest post by: Amit Bhagria Become an Author

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Frequent movement from one job to another was not in practice sometimes back on account of the recent global slowdown, however, time is changing fast and we might see some really good opportunities coming our way.We cannot run from the facts however, they need to be presented in such a fashion that they do not harm our future job prospects. Finding answers to questions on why would a particular employer hire you or what advantage the organization will have after your recruitment will surely help you to tackle on the above mentioned dilemmas.

Let us check few of the points that needs to be kept in mind while managing and handling such situations.

How To Answer Questions On Frequent Job Changes?

You got your first break after college and down the line in six months time you realised it wasn't your cup of tea. What would you do? You make a fresh resume and escalate it to every job portal online & consultant in town trying desperately to move out from the current role before getting type casted. You bounce on the first oppurtunity that you get without thinking on the pros and cons and ultimately realise that nothing has changed for you. You are still struggling to keep pace and interest with your new job profile and suddenly you find your self trapped in a confusing situation. I am not saying that these frequent job hopings are on account of job dissatisfaction only however, people also choose to change for salary hikes and higher designations. The situation above, be it for any reason whatsoever reflects instability in your profile. There is a lot of time, effort, energy & resources invested on a candidate once he is hired in an organization. Your value in the employer's eye is reduced as your frequent job changes tendencies & periods of unemployment might force him to re think on your candidature. If you would have been hiring for your own company, will you prefer to recruit a person whose past records reflects instability. You would definitley not like to take a person whom you train, spend time and then loose to someone else.

The question that arises here is how to handle such situation. If you already have frequent breaks in your career, then try to show how effectively you spent that time. Mention any sort of training, workshops, freelance assignments undertaken by you during that time. Keep yourself updated on the changing market trends. The point I would like to make here is that the employer wants to know that irrespective of your movement what value or knowledge you added or gained in yourself. If the movement was just a mere change then your stint goes un justified. If job jumps is your problem, then try mentioning it together with other experiences, so as to remove focus from it.

How To Handle Questions Related To Gap In Employment?

So the question pondering in your mind is how to justify a long holiday break, or break on account of some family problem or finding explanations behind your sabbatical. This would involve a serious re work on your resume format where you don't mention organization name, dates etc so that majority of focus is on your key responsibilities and deliverables. Mention your achievements, positives in the role and how you were able to solve critical problems in the organization. Use your covering letter as a tool to explain the reason behind the break and what you did when you were not working.

Here the employer wants to know that inspite of the gap in the employment of an individual what all he has learnt and retained from his previous assignments which can be beneficial for his organization. Your gap in employment will help him to negotiate and bring you ona lesser salary package than budgeted. So for him your recruitment can result in overall cost reduction for his process.

I Got Laid Off. It Wasn't My Fault!

Are you still struggling to get a decent job that can match your skills? The recent economic turmoil caused a great deal of upheaval in people's careers. It is best to be honest if you are among those who got retrenched. You need not mention it in the resume but talk about it during the interview, if asked. In the CV, talk about your projects, achievements, cost-saving initiatives, new processes defined, awards won, teams managed etc. The employers today understand that the majority of talent lost their jobs on account of the global slow down however, this has also lead to a series of initiatives taken by those organizations who were not hit by this turmoil. The people whom they can't afford yesterday are employees of today. Don't worry if you are worthy enough there is a seat vacant in an organization waiting to be occupied by you.

How do I Get A Break, I am A Fresher?

The only drawback a fresher experiences is in terms of his industry interface. A fresher normally finds herself/himself without a solid foundation on which to build a winning resume. Here are some tips to use while writing your resume/CV.

• Use a proper resume format and avoid copying from others. This happened in our college when a company came for campus, they were surprised to see that the career objective of all students was same. Even if you copy, keep certain things personlized and exclusive to your self;
• Let the employer know how you could add value in his organization;
• Do not make your objectives too flowery, keep them business like;
• Write about your internships, projects, workshops attended;
• Mention awards and marks (only if it is first class).

Do I Need Specialization or Degree?

Not necessary, however important. At some point in your career you will realize that even if you are an expert, for climbing the next step you will definitely require a professioinal degree. I have seen many people cribbing after 10-15 years of experience on the issue of stagnation and less future growth oppurtunities. It is possible to get a job without a degree, but as you progress, it is the most important requirement for a fast-paced career growth. If you are short on laurels, then stress on the practical training you have received over the years. If you are studying for a degree, then mention it under academic qualifications. Never hesitate to send your resume because of the lack of a degree. If you are competent and right for the job, you will be hired anyway. But still I would like you to join a part time course or any reputed institute which can provide you with a degree.

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