"Short stints" at numerous companies

[davidinindy]

I'm wondering if my resume is getting round filed due to some shorter employment periods.
I worked from 1993 to 2003 at one company. It was in the plastics industry, and when it closed, I couldn't find much else in that field.
After 6 months of odd jobs, (landscaping, handyman work, etc.which I don't put on my resume I then worked a contract at a mold shop, which had been a client of mine at my previous employer. He said as long as he had work, I'd have a job. I had the project done in a month, and he had no other work at the time. I'd gotten a call from another company I'd talked to a few months earlier. So I took that job designing ISO shipping containers, custom fit formed trays, etc. That lasted 8 moths, but I got let go after the Gerneral Manager who hired me got fired. Turns out he didn't have the OK to hire an onsite desinger, and they wanted all of the design work done at their headquarters in Switzerland.
So, a few months later I got hired on a customer service team and a large design house. We were hired to serve one defense contractor. Got the first project done in 3 months, and the customer said it would be 6 months before they had anything else for us. Me and 4 others got let go after that. I've learned after this that that place seems to have revolving doors for the employee entrance.
I was only out of work for a month or so before I got hired at my last job. I was there for almost 4 years. They were doing great, and I thought it seemed pretty secure, but then we got bought back in May. I started getting nervous, and made sure I got my name out there just in case.
Well, whether they intended to close this plan or not, they are being hurt by this economy also. Sales are way down, even in the oil and gas industry side.
They had a round of lay-offs a few months ago. Six shop floor employees. this last week there were 12 of us. 2 designers, a couple office workers, and more floor employees.

Anyway, I'm worried that my resume will get round filed without me even getting a chance to explain these cirumstances. I answer honestly when asked about them, and they don't seem to be an issue with getting hired for the companies that do call. I'm just concerned that for every company that calls, there might be numerous others that don't bother to call.
What do you all think?

David

 

[MintJulep]

You might try an experience-based resume format rather than a chronological one.

 

[dgowans]

I wouldn't worry much about it. In the last 16 years, you've got a 10 year stint at one place and a 4 year stint at another. If it were me doing the hiring I would be willing to overlook a rough period in the middle - that happens.

You can't change your employment history; just make sure it's presented in the best light possible.

 

[TheTick]

I've had a few stretches of short contracts. I put them all under a single "contract work" period, with a brief description.

Don't worry too much about what an employer might do. Just frame your work history in the best way possible.

 

[swivel63]

i'm sure hiring companies will realize the economic climate and be very lenient.

 

[davidinindy]

Thanks guys. That makes me feel better.

David

 

[FXjohn]

I agree, a 10 year and a 4 year proves you are a long term person. I leave a few short term things off my resume

 

[rbulsara]

Do what MintJulep said. Make sure you highlight and describe your "expertize" in detail, upfront and separate from the listing of past employments. Keep the list of employment in the end and do not detail your experience with the chronological list of employment

 

[davidinindy]

My resume does have my skills at the top, then a chronilogical history of employemnt, with the reponsibilities at each company. Would it ebe out of line to attach it for critiquing?

David

 

[csd72]

my longest has been 2.5 years out of my 8 jobs so far. never had a problem getting work.

 

[IRstuff]

I think that Tick also has a good suggestion. You can lump all of those short contracts under a single category, rather than leaving the reader dangling over a bunch of 1-month odd jobs.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[MikeHalloran]

Attempting to blend in/ streamline/ lump short stints >>>>never<<<< works. That and functional resumes make HR weenies more suspicious than usual. If you don't have a chron section, you're just wasting your time.

Since you have an explanation for each instance, work it into the resume. Do it in as few words as possible. Be brutally honest.

e.g.:
"Agreed duration was until the boss found someone. He did."
"Laid off twice for business downturns. Declined a third offer. "
"( title was actually ‘design engineer’ or some such, has since been reported as ‘clerk’ )
Designed parts for <excised> per specific instructions, redesigned next week per specific… "
"Programmed embedded 68HC11 in “C”. Okay, tried. Failed miserably."
"Ejected in business downturn. Job effectively moved to China."
"As <the Chairman's> friend and mechanical troubleshooter, my tenure ended with his; it was a hell of a ride."
"Completed assignments; declined a direct offer for better climate."
"Discharged for passion. No, about the work and the product. "
"All contractors purged."
"Accepted a low rate. Quit for more money. Two bad ideas."
"Quit. Production manager resented ‘college kid’ who replaced his friend. "
"Missed one question in eight hour interview. Boss eventually tired of proving he was smarter."
"Laid off for successful completion of all tasks. "
"Quit to make war machines."

Those are excerpts from my own resume.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[KENAT]

I think one of the biggest problems with resumes is you often face two audiences. One is the HR crowd and the other is the functional supervisor, typically someone from an Engineering background.

What works for one group wont always work for another. Where possible best plan is probably to try and get it straight to the latter audience, skipping the first, but that isn’t always possible.

To me the 10 and 4 years would make the intervening period less of an issue, but perhaps that’s just me.

For any of the jobs that were contract positions, indicating that will probably mitigate the issue somewhat. However, it may also pull more attention to any that weren’t contract but were short term.

In principle I quite like the Ticks suggestion but also have concerns about how some will interpret that, like Mike.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484

 

[ctopher]

I hate how we now have to create an online profile and cut/paste the resume to apply for a position.
I am finding it to be stupid and worthless.
I have so far received 3-4 calls, they were all third party to the hiring employer and didn't have my resume in front of them. They are just given my phone number to call.
One guy asked me if I had certain qualifications, I had none of them and none of them were listed on my resume.
I'm tired of rewriting my resume to match each position online, then not have it looked at, or not have any response at all.

I like the days when I could walk into a company, hand them my resume, and ask for an appointment.

Chris
SolidWorks 08, CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

 

[KENAT]

Chris, where possible you might still want to try the latter approach, easier for those with the gift of the gab than for the likes of me but worth trying I suspect.

The internet does work, I got my current job from a resume posted on monster or career builder or something like that, however that took about a year.

I feel your frustration though, I was there in 04-05 when supposedly the economy was a bit better but for various reasons, especially location, it didn't seem it.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484

 

[davidinindy]

I got my last job by walking in the front door. Asked if they did any design there, or were they just a factory. The desk clerk looked over her shoulder, and one of the owners was there. She asked him if we were interested in speaking to me.
He glanced at my resume, and asked me a couple questions. Then he asked me to come back the next week for a formal interview with him and the engineering manager. I got the job.
My other jobs were thru the school placement office, thru networking, thru careerbuilder or monster, and thru cold calling. Also got a couple job offers thru recruiters that I turned down after getting other offers at the same time. So... many approaches have worked for me over the years.
Guess you just have to cover all the bases.
I still talk to recruiters (have one that has submitted my resume to a company and is waiting for a response) and check the job sites, but am concentrating on my networking and cold calling right now.

David