Dont be the Next Corporate P.O.W.? (Professional Out of Work)

The Wall Street Journal asks John for his view on Job Hopping and how to avoid becoming a POW

I certainly do not recommend "job-hopping"; absolutely a detriment to your paper credentials. I am also not recommending or suggesting that we as W-2 employees take on the ominous task of a self-employment venture. The entrepreneurial spirit is not something one acquires; rather, it is classically or genetically inbred.

However, what I am suggesting is that we the employee populace of America simply become more aware of our volatility...Most of us drudge onward even in the face of massive RIF’s somehow believing that it won’t happen to us. Even the young professionals I meet in my executive search business somehow believe that a large employer is a corporate safe haven for their jobs.

I am suggesting that we as W2 employees have all of our proverbial eggs in one basket. It is the only business scenario in our country that has no diversification or exit strategy; today you have income and tomorrow you don’t! My blog submission strongly suggests that we become more aware of the fact that every company in this country is a house-of-cards and we could be dealt a junk hand on any given Friday afternoon!

I strongly suggest we keep our resumes at the ready and at least once a quarter we evaluate our career situation, our industry, profession and the company we work for.

Put this on your calendar and stay abreast, become paranoid about the precariousness of your job. Learn how to market yourself, maintain or develop your interviewing skills, know your marketability factor. Whether we like it or not the employment population (employees) of the good old US of A are our own entities. There is no safety in numbers, just like any successful business, we must always be aware of losing our best customer and what we will do to acquire another one quickly!

20 Things You Need to Know About Your Resume

1. Anything you say on your resume, can and will be used against you in the HR department.
2. Resumes are an efficient method for employers to say no in 60 seconds or less.
3. You take this pile; I’ll take that pile and will just toss this pile!
4. There is no such thing as a right or wrong resume
5. If you ask for ten different opinions; that’s exactly what you’ll get
6. Your cover letter will not be read!
7. Every time you chaotically surrender your resume, you are giving the employer as many reasons as he needs not to talk to you
8. Everybody’s a resume expert; just ask your accountant
9. The world needs more damn books about how to use a resume and fewer writers
10. The length of your resume does not matter!
11. Scanner ready resumes...This is Major Bull!
12. Your name, phone number & email needs to be on every page; go have a look I bet it isn’t!
13. Nobody cares about what you did in 1980
14. Next time a potential employer asks you to email your resume, ask when you can bring one in person
15. When an employer asks for your resume; what they are really saying; “I don’t have time for you right now”!
16. Never give your resume to a friend
17. Never bring your resume to a networking meeting
18. Never put your resume on the Internet unless of course you are vying for the butcher, baker, candlestick maker position
19. The Resume was invented and designed as a screening mechanism
20. Multimillion dollar business deals are consummated, execuitves are joining forces and employers are uniting with key executive talent everyday without the use of a resume!

I am sure that the above will spur your comments; you will absolutely love my answers. Hopefully, if we ban together we can do away with this ridiculous document all together!

Best,
John Seraichyk