Editing Your Resume When You Have A Lot Of Short-Term Jobs

Think of this, you're in an interview and you say, "I've worked eight jobs in four years". The interviewer's eyes move to your resume, which lists several different roles. The timelines are too short. Maybe they raise their eyebrow or stop whatever they're doing. In that moment, you realize what you've done.

Here's the thing: you don't have to mention every single job you've had, especially not the ones you didn't do for too long. A short term job might just be another addition to your employment history. But, for many recruiters, it's a red flag. Every position you talk about tells a story, and small ones aren't always appreciated.

You might ask

"How am I supposed to know what jobs to remove and when?"

You've come to the right place. In this blog, we'll be discussing why you should leave out short-term roles.

The Art of Prioritizing Job Experiences on Resumes

You must have heard people say

"All experience is valuable."

But professional CV writing services disagree. Sometimes being a bit too honest about your history backfires.

★    Recent surveys have shown that 37% of hiring managers think that frequent job changes keep them from considering candidates.

You might've grown a lot because of your jobs. But this doesn't mean you should mention all of them in your applications. Many people ask

"Why does it matter if I worked at my last company for 3 months?"

This might not seem like a big deal to you. But it means different things for different employers. Some might appreciate your willingness to take on different roles. On the other hand, some might see this job-hopping as a bad trait.

It's hard to judge whether the potential employer will like to see so many roles listed. So it's to be selective about the ones you mention.

Here are some tips for deciding what you should exclude.

You worked for less than six months

If you worked at your previous company for less than 6 months, you should leave it out. Let's say you're applying for marketing roles, and the 5-month-long job was a retail one. This isn't something you should include in your resume. This also includes internships and part-time work.

Gap-free history

Let's say you didn't spend much time working for your last company. If you don't mention the experience in your employment history, interviewers will ask why there's a glaring gap.

Here's what you can do to shift the focus from the gap

➢    Talk about any certifications you have.

➢    Highlight skills you recently developed that relate to the role you've applied for.

This way, you'll be turning an irrelevant short term job experience into a tool to impress recruiters.

It was a long time ago

Many of us start our careers before even graduating. We take on many different roles that don't align with our long-term goals. It's not necessary to add them to your resume.

If you've been working long enough, you must have significant experience with long-term jobs. Leave out the part-time gigs.

Now you might ask

"What do I include if I'm leaving out so much? My CV might look empty."

Don't fret, you don't have to exclude everything. There are still some short-term roles you can add. Here are some of them

➢    Seasonal jobs 

Talk about these if you're still a student. If you worked any full-time jobs over summer breaks, mention them too.

➢    Temporary projects

Freelance and project-based roles are a great addition, especially if the skillset required for them is related to the role you're applying for.

➢    Volunteer work and internships

These roles are intended to be short-term. Adding them to your CV won't raise any questions about why you didn't stay.

Why is job hopping a red flag?

Here's the thing: employers look for commitment. They want candidates who will invest time in their company. If your resume says you've hopped too many jobs in a short amount of time, it'll make them curious.

They might wonder if you're hard to work with. Did you leave the position because of conflicts? Will you stick around for long enough?

These questions always come up. So be wise with what you say.

"I'm still confused."

Talk to a CV maker Abu Dhabi for advice. They'll advise you to ask these questions to make the decision easier:

➢    Is the role relevant to the jobs I'm applying for?

➢    Did I reach any major milestones in the role?

➢    Does it fill any gaps in my CV?

➢    How long did I work at the company?

Commonly Asked Questions

I worked a job for 4 months. Should I add it to my resume?

No, unless it was at a well-known company, leave it out. Usually, any roles that you have had for around 6 months shouldn't be included unless the related skills are relevant to the roles you're applying for.

I still want to add my short-term roles to my CV. How do I do it?

Do this only if it adds transferable skills. If that's not the case, avoid listing the jobs.

What should I do if I have stronger long-term experiences?

You should prioritize the roles that make you a stronger candidate. Don't talk about each role. It'll make the resume longer. Focus on the strongest and most relevant positions.

Final Thought

The truth is, your resume tells a story, and not every part of it needs to be told. There will be some boring filler scenes that don't deserve attention. Your short-term jobs are one of them. So be smart with what you talk about. This is your story; tell it wisely.

Cut out the irrelevant roles. Recruiters don't need to know about every single role you've been in, especially a short term job. This can get a bit tricky. With so many roles on the list, you might struggle to decide what to keep and what to leave out. But don't worry, just follow the mentioned tips while rewriting the resume.

Focus on your key skills and long-term job experiences. Turn the short ones into chances to show your adaptability. Remember, the key is to show what you've learned, not that you've worked everywhere.