Job Jumping and Unemployment Payments Can Ruin Your Resume

by Doctor Know

Finding a job has become increasingly complicated because the Resume Police at many companies are often looking for more reasons not to hire, than they are looking for good candidates to fill positions. It's a shift brought on by the realization that many companies have a serious employee productivity problem. This problem is more a social disease than an issue for corporate concern.

Employees in starter positions do not often grasp the fact that everything they do reflects on both their job history and their ability to move up the corporate ladder. Although they do not qualify for anything better, they may feel underpaid and under appreciated. So they hide in the restroom and text, check email and even play games on their phone. They are part of the "gimme money and leave me alone" crowd.

People look at the huge volume of online job listings and believe that they can always find another job. In many cases the job history section of their resume proves that point. To make matters worse, many have spent just a few weeks or months at the jobs they have listed without realizing what a huge red flag that is to future employers. However, not everyone that Job Jumps does so because they are lazy or bored.

Bills have to be paid while you wait for that dream job you were educated to fill. A lot of people will jump jobs for a position that might pay another buck or two an hour. My suggestion to those folks is that they try Temping. Find a Temp Service that offers a variety of jobs that pay well. Manpower is a surprisingly good place to start. They are often considered the largest employer in the USA.

The Manpower hiring process can be a bit laborious, but I know people who have landed good jobs with them, then moved onto even better permanent positions. The key to successful Temping with any employee provider is to make sure you read all the fine print and ask lots of questions. Some employers that work with Temp Agencies do not pay Temps for holidays if they don't work. Example: If a Temp is off on Thanksgiving or Christmas they will not be paid anything for those days. Others will not pay extra for Temps to work on those holidays.

The immediate benefit to Temping is that it is one company in your job history where you may have worked for ten different companies, instead of ten companies where you did one job. It shows employee loyalty and your ability to stick with one company for a decent period of time. Fortunately, Manpower and most other Temp Agencies have an almost zero tolerance policy for shiftless workers there to collect a check without doing their job. Companies know this, so listing a Temp Agency in your job history is actually a huge positive.

Another big mistake made by job seekers is working just long enough to qualify for unemployment payments. That's another red flag for employers. And don't expect them to buy the old excuse, "If I had a serious job, I would take it seriously." The job you do at any level displays your work ethic. Regarding unemployment payments; The longer you receive them, the worse it looks to prospective employers. No one is going to list the fact that they received unemployment on their resume. However, the time between jobs will easily allow prospective employers to figure it out for themselves.

Bill Knell is a popular Speaker, Author and Consultant with eclectic interests. He offers practical advice about life decisions, business and career issues. Visit his website for more free articles, free content, free eBooks and valuable information.