Although the market is improving, hiring managers are still being very picky at all stages of the interview process. If you are a Jumper you may not even get through the resume review phase.

Although there is no technical definition of a Jumper, it's kind of like pornography – you know it when you see it. To try and put some parameters around it, if you have had more than three jobs in the last six years, or over the course of your career have never had more than five consecutive years with the same company, you might be labeled a Jumper.

I’ve seen some resumes that look like Jumpers, but when I speak with the individual it’s quite clearly not the case; acquisition, company went out of business, company name change, followed a boss to another company, recruited out for a better opportunity – all acceptable reasons. Unless you get the interview you can’t explain the short stints.

Don’t let your resume label you as a Jumper. It’s fine to explain on your resume the reasons for moves or things that look like a move that aren’t. For example, I met an individual recently who had five companies on his resume over a twelve year period. The fact was each of the companies he worked for had been acquired. In the eyes of a resume reader (he didn’t explain on his resume they were all acquisitions) he is automatically labeled a Jumper. If his resume had explained the acquisitions, it goes from a thumbs down resume to a gold star. Anyone who has gone through that many acquisitions and was never a casualty speaks volumes. If you are having trouble figuring out how to present your career moves on your resume, I’d be happy to help. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=1042568&trk=tab_pro just use subject “Jumper”.

Matt