What resume format should I use for multiple short-term jobs?

by Jim
(Wilmington, North Carolina)

HELP! 7 Jobs in 11 Years, How do I handle this? I've had 7 jobs in 11 years, with 2-3 of them being very short spans. One was 3 months and another 5 months, then 8 to 9 months.

I'm confused as to what resume type to use and how to handle the dates and length being so short.

Answer: Jim, you don't say why you had so many short-term jobs over the years, so it's hard to answer with any precision. However, I think a functional, or skills, resume format might work best for you. In it, you can emphasize your skills, accomplishments and talents over your work history.

You still have to list your work history, but only after a detailed list of what you can do.

Do be prepared, however, to answer why you had so many jobs over the years. You may even want to be proactive and address the issue in your cover letter.

Best of luck to you!