cv advice - too many gaps in job history

speedy2007

hey,

appreciate some advice on this. Ive just moved to a new city - been out of work for a while but im hopeful i can get a job here. The problem is my cv...i have so many gaps in between jobs, i look like a serial job hopper. Now i can explain everything - i quit one job to study for college exams, i quit another to go travelling, etc..and then of course my last job i got let go due to cutbacks/recession, but i dont know if ill even get the chance to explain all this.

While abroad last time, i had lots of temp jobs but i dont want to clutter up my cv with these. Yet not doing so just leaves a huge gap. What would do - stick the temp jobs down anyway or just hope i get to the interview stage to explain the gaps?

didntgotoplan

Not a CV expert myself but, the job you left to finish college exams- I think once you write in the dates you finished and then the dates you were in college it will explain that you were in college and needed time to study.

The traveling one- I mentioned on my CV that traveling was a interest of mine and wrote where I went and around what time to explain the employment gap (e.g. America-June 2009 etc.)

The Temp jobs, are they all in the same area of work or all different areas? Or were they all part of the same agency you got them through? There might be some help here http://www.ehow.com/how_2083027_list-temp-jobs-resume.html to help you.

Cherry Blossom

You should have the dates in your CV of your college course and they should be able to figure that out easily enough. If you don't want it in your CV you could always put in your covering letter that you went travelling and in that period did a lot of agency work while you were away, this shows adaptablility and can be an advantage. I wouldn't worry about your current situation, there are thousands of people in the same boat at the minute and employers are well aware of this.

I have a fairly mixed up CV myself, did loads of freelance stuff for 4 years to work around university hours. Have never found it a problem, they usually ask loads of questions about it in interviews, but will be happy enough when there are good reasons for it. If anyone is concerned about you commiting to a position, just say that you have your travelling done and are now looking for a permanant career, thinking to the future, wanting to buy your own house - all that jazz

tinnuvial

I am a professional CV writer - never rely on the person reading your CV to figure anything out for themselves. If they have 200 CVs to read they'll just put yours in the bin as being too much work.

Gaps are not a problem as long as you address them. You can even use them to sell yourself, think about what you learned during them.

Jan 2009 - Jan 2010 work for Joe Bloggs
Aug 2008 - Dec 2008 Travelling in Australia
Aug 2007 - Jul 2008 Work for XYC Ltd.
Sep 2006 - Jun 2007 Full-time education
Jan 2006 - Jun 2006 Work for Sombody Inc.

Temp jobs you can group in one period e.g.
2006 - 2007 Various temporary positions including (give an idea of what you were doing and mention a few of the companies you worked for)