I graduated in 2008. And I worked at three places in the past three years. Each switch, I got more job responsibility and pay. All are brand name company. However, the recruiter told me my resume is both impressive and terrible. I am marked as a job hopper. Firm laid me off once and working enviroment some time got too hard to handle. Why it is so biased towards employer – they can get rid off people any time they want but employee cannot hop for their own benefits. How could I overcome this?
by not being so god damn stupid, you stupid remember resume only gets you to the interview… so to overcome it how about you mention the ‘hops’ in your cover letter?
well you got laid off once, and say another job wasn’t what you thought it was, that’s not too bad, just be able to explain it well There’s a guy on this board that went through 3 jobs in a year, and he was the one jumping ship every time. That guy I would never hire, and the guy who is screwed
People don’t want to work for companies with high turnover either.
basically you have no loyalty. that is what employers like.
ZeroBonus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > by not being so god damn stupid, you stupid > Can’t believe I just saw this post. This is just hilarious.
I have a similar resume. Typically, at some point, they’ll ask about why I basically did three jobs in three years (now on my 4th). Each has been fortune 500, so that helps. What helps is that I have a very clear progression. Not just in terms of pay / responsibility, but each step is clearly an obvious move from financial reporting where I started to banking / asset management where I am now. Couple that with CFA and MSF and the fact that my undergrad was a no name school in the middle of nowhere, and it makes a pretty compelling narrative for interviewers. I started in central PA, did not realize until late junior year that I wanted to be in finance (switched majors from comp sci). Obviously in central PA, there is no major pipeline for bank hiring, so I started with financial reporting at a defense contractor, moved to commercial trade credit analysis at a large pharma firm. Then did my MSF, then moved to a large bank in credit, before finally moving into my current role at another large bank at VP level looking at market risk (very close to markets, where I always wanted to be). The unifying theme helps it look as if I was clearly marching towards a goal. The final trick is to tie the progression and the final goal in with the job you’re interviewing for by offering a strong logical basis for why this new company / position has always been the final goal in your journey. Now you’ve gone from unreliable to hyper dedicated to the cause. How do you like them apples.
How to overcome a spotty resume. Lie.
Well done, Black Swan. Sounds like someone I’d be looking to hire.
Black Swan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have a similar resume. Typically, at some > point, they’ll ask about why I basically did three > jobs in three years (now on my 4th). Each has > been fortune 500, so that helps. What helps is > that I have a very clear progression. Not just in > terms of pay / responsibility, but each step is > clearly an obvious move from financial reporting > where I started to banking / asset management > where I am now. Couple that with CFA and MSF and > the fact that my undergrad was a no name school in > the middle of nowhere, and it makes a pretty > compelling narrative for interviewers. I started > in central PA, did not realize until late junior > year that I wanted to be in finance (switched > majors from comp sci). Obviously in central PA, > there is no major pipeline for bank hiring, so I > started with financial reporting at a defense > contractor, moved to commercial trade credit > analysis at a large pharma firm. Then did my MSF, > then moved to a large bank in credit, before > finally moving into my current role at another > large bank at VP level looking at market risk > (very close to markets, where I always wanted to > be). The unifying theme helps it look as if I was > clearly marching towards a goal. The final trick > is to tie the progression and the final goal in > with the job you’re interviewing for by offering a > strong logical basis for why this new company / > position has always been the final goal in your > journey. Now you’ve gone from unreliable to hyper > dedicated to the cause. How do you like them > apples. I’m from PA. Not PSU? Just wondering, if you care to shar. What did you think about the MSF? Is it worth it?
How to overcome a spotty resume. Clearasil?
Black Swan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have a similar resume. Typically, at some > point, they’ll ask about why I basically did three > jobs in three years (now on my 4th). Each has > been fortune 500, so that helps. What helps is > that I have a very clear progression. Not just in > terms of pay / responsibility, but each step is > clearly an obvious move from financial reporting > where I started to banking / asset management > where I am now. Couple that with CFA and MSF and > the fact that my undergrad was a no name school in > the middle of nowhere, and it makes a pretty > compelling narrative for interviewers. I started > in central PA, did not realize until late junior > year that I wanted to be in finance (switched > majors from comp sci). Obviously in central PA, > there is no major pipeline for bank hiring, so I > started with financial reporting at a defense > contractor, moved to commercial trade credit > analysis at a large pharma firm. Then did my MSF, > then moved to a large bank in credit, before > finally moving into my current role at another > large bank at VP level looking at market risk > (very close to markets, where I always wanted to > be). The unifying theme helps it look as if I was > clearly marching towards a goal. The final trick > is to tie the progression and the final goal in > with the job you’re interviewing for by offering a > strong logical basis for why this new company / > position has always been the final goal in your > journey. Now you’ve gone from unreliable to hyper > dedicated to the cause. How do you like them > apples. Them apples sound pretty inspiring. I’ve managed to move from back office to middle office (sitting on that fence gave me sores) and now front office in a AM shop. Not wishing to blow my own truppet too much, but I’m pretty proud of what I’ve achieved, particularly since I’ve bumped into former colleagues who are still stuck in the back office rut. As Blackswan says, it’s the direction of your moves (onwards and upwards) that counts, not the fact that you aren’t ‘loyal’ to any one employer. IMO it all comes down to whether or not you are prepared to invest in yourself and make the leap (of faith) to a new employer to achieve career progression. If you can’t invest in yourself, what can you invest in? Kakane
@kakane, i too will agree that them apples sound intersing. also thanks ,as prompted by your post i have now looked carefully through my CV (after all this is what the employer looks at too) and have tried to create a narrative of my own in preparation of an interview which I have coming up soon.
Steely Dan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Black Swan Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I have a similar resume. Typically, at some > > point, they’ll ask about why I basically did > three > > jobs in three years (now on my 4th). Each has > > been fortune 500, so that helps. What helps is > > that I have a very clear progression. Not just > in > > terms of pay / responsibility, but each step is > > clearly an obvious move from financial > reporting > > where I started to banking / asset management > > where I am now. Couple that with CFA and MSF > and > > the fact that my undergrad was a no name school > in > > the middle of nowhere, and it makes a pretty > > compelling narrative for interviewers. I > started > > in central PA, did not realize until late > junior > > year that I wanted to be in finance (switched > > majors from comp sci). Obviously in central > PA, > > there is no major pipeline for bank hiring, so > I > > started with financial reporting at a defense > > contractor, moved to commercial trade credit > > analysis at a large pharma firm. Then did my > MSF, > > then moved to a large bank in credit, before > > finally moving into my current role at another > > large bank at VP level looking at market risk > > (very close to markets, where I always wanted > to > > be). The unifying theme helps it look as if I > was > > clearly marching towards a goal. The final > trick > > is to tie the progression and the final goal in > > with the job you’re interviewing for by offering > a > > strong logical basis for why this new company / > > position has always been the final goal in your > > journey. Now you’ve gone from unreliable to > hyper > > dedicated to the cause. How do you like them > > apples. > > > I’m from PA. Not PSU? Just wondering, if you > care to shar. > > What did you think about the MSF? Is it worth it? I did the Villanova MSF, I thought it was one of the best decisions / experiences I’ve done. I’m very glad I chose that over an MBA. I put two posts in this thread that give a good overview of my experience, read both the first and second, they list some drawbacks as well as benefits: http://www.analystforum.com/phorums/read.php?31,1279160,1279607#msg-1279607
Quick question. Are job hops looked down upon as much if it is within the same firm? I am currently back office, and like someone else mentioned, I don’t want to get stuck in this rut. Did one thing for about 1.5 years, then got a random phone call with a job offer on the other end, and was relocated across country for a definite better title. Now been doing this for about a 1.5 years, and have been recently throwing resumes out into the middle office at the same firm. I plan on relocating closer to home in 2 or 3 years, so that would be a shorter term job as well. Three jobs in 5 (or so) years, all at the same firm, and all with definite increases in responsibility and pay. That can’t be a bad thing, correct? Thanks.
richardbchilds Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Quick question. > > Are job hops looked down upon as much if it is > within the same firm? > > I am currently back office, and like someone else > mentioned, I don’t want to get stuck in this rut. > Did one thing for about 1.5 years, then got a > random phone call with a job offer on the other > end, and was relocated across country for a > definite better title. Now been doing this for > about a 1.5 years, and have been recently throwing > resumes out into the middle office at the same > firm. I plan on relocating closer to home in 2 or > 3 years, so that would be a shorter term job as > well. > > Three jobs in 5 (or so) years, all at the same > firm, and all with definite increases in > responsibility and pay. That can’t be a bad thing, > correct? > > Thanks. I think job hops within the firm are a positive. It shows your networking well and that you’re a desired asset as well as versatile. Also, typically performance review information is available to managers internally, so if they’re hiring you, you must have a good track record.
If the question comes up, you want to again, provide a narrative of why those moves shared a common theme that illustrates positive goals / increased responsibility, and emphasize it as a positive experience with the support of your managers (even if that’s a rosy slant). Then elaborate by saying it emphasizes the things I stated above.
Black Swan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If the question comes up, you want to again, > provide a narrative of why those moves shared a > common theme that illustrates positive goals / > increased responsibility, and emphasize it as a > positive experience with the support of your > managers (even if that’s a rosy slant). Then > elaborate by saying it emphasizes the things I > stated above. Thanks for sharing your story.
Just recently had an opportunity at a large oi/gas PE shop. My resume sounds very similar, with each job one with more responsibilities and alighning with my final goal. They said it was an incredibly tough decision to decline me, but that they did because I needed to show what accomplishments I’ve had at each position. Most of them were support jobs (AR/AP, Treasury, Credit Analysis) but none were long enough to show what I had added to the companies other than “developing processes for the department to be more efficient”. I couldn’t agree more that it creates a hyper-dedicated to the industry story, as well as shows your ambition to be a practitioner of finance, but you have to spin it in a way that shows you had moved on to better opportunities and not wasted the company’s investment in you.
> If the question comes up, you want to again, provide a narrative of why those moves shared a common theme that illustrates positive goals / increased responsibility I’d add a bit of subtlety to this. The next employer, if he likes you, will obviously be worried about one thing: that you’ll hop right after he’s trained you up. So your progression can’t appear as if you jump on every slightly better position that comes along; it needs to sound like all your life you’ve been trying to get into the position you’re now interviewing for, and once you land there your journey will be over. If you can fake sounding genuine as you say this, you’ll do well.