Career EDGE Comprehensive Edition

17. Why have you changed jobs so frequently?

If your resume indicates that you’re a “job-hopper,” it’s important that you

tailor your resume

to exclude unrelated positions to help you appear more stable. One of the major reasons

why applicants are rejected is because interviewers fear that the person is unfocused. Share

why you are passionate about this field. The interviewer will appreciate your honesty and

candor.

Now it’s your turn to answer. Make sure to touch on the suggestions mentioned

in the last paragraph.

Answer:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

18. Why have you been out of work so long?

Take the offensive and address this concern before it becomes a negative issue. If you have

gone back to school, raised a family, or you took the time to change your career path

completely and needed a training course or apprenticeship program, these are acceptable

answers. If you have no acceptable answer or went through a tough time in your life, try this:

“Well, quite frankly, I used this time period to really sit down and reexamine my personal goals

and lifelong objectives. I have reached the conclusion

that this particular job function and

your particular company fit my goals and objectives for these reasons,” and then list those

reasons.

Now it’s your turn to answer. Make sure to touch on the suggestions mentioned in

the last paragraph.

Answer:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Section 16 – Answering Difficult Questions