This just in:
Dear Ms. Jaggers,
I read an article you wrote last year on LinkedIn summaries, with interest.
A question: what advice do you have for those who have perhaps the resume of a job-hopper, many interests, and though they may appear to be on a particular track, are still thinking about what they want to do when they grow up–in their mid-30s? Not that this describes me or anything 🙂
For example, how much should resemble marketing copy vs. an open acknowledgment of the divergent paths you’re thinking about?
Sincerely,
J. Hopper
My response:
Dear J.:
What a great question! There’s less concern about having a varied resume as there used to be – Gen X and younger workers don’t stay in one place longer than the job fits. I think open acknowledgement is the right choice – and demonstrates that you have a variety of interests and abilities.
I think the days of worrying about short-term engagements (as long as there’s a variety of career commitments and reasonable explanations and a lack of FIRINGS) are over. The new conventional wisdom says if you’re not fulfilled, satisfied, and rewarded at work, MOVE ON. It’s better for the employer and the employee. I have yet to meet a person who regretted a job change.
What do you think? What would you tell J. Hopper?
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Interesting. I stayed too long at my first two jobs (A total of 11 years). In both cases, I was hired by one guy/lady who loved me and then transferred to another guy/lady who didn’t love me so much.After that, I learned the old Kinky Friedman maxim: “When the horse dies, it’s time to get off.” I began a cycle of topping out my position pay scale and jumping to a bigger company or a more prestigious job.  Looking back, my only regret was staying too long in those first two jobs.But now… Sheesh. There are phone books for major metropolitan cities that have fewer entries than my resume. Nowadays, I think about moving on, but I’m Elizabeth Taylor, trying to think about how I’m going to explain the last eight husbands to Number Nine.