Q: In April of this year the company I was working for as a program manager was experiencing an extreme downturn, so they had a major reduction in force. Each manager had to cut one employee, and unfortunately, I was last in, first out. It took me five months to find a job as a director of product marketing. Within six weeks of my joining the company, they ran out of money and laid us all off. My resume shows two jobs in 2008, which could lead companies to think I'm a flake who jumps around a lot, but it's not true. What is the best way to show this?

While multiple jobs in a short period of time is often deemed a red flag when it comes to hiring, companies have been forced to become more understanding of this trend during the current economic downturn.

'Short-term employment has become more of the norm rather than the exception these days, especially during the past 18 months,' says Sherri Thomas, president of Career Coaching 360. 'Hiring managers understand that many companies are laying off good employees purely for financial reasons.'

One of your resume goals should be to show that this is was the case where you worked, suggests Fred Coon, chairman and CEO of Stewart, Cooper & Coon, an executive-search firm. An easy way to do this is to note after the company name that it is no longer in business. 'Doing so will place the blame on the company, not you,' says Mr. Coon. 'Any accomplishments can be stated as you would in any resume.'

Another approach is to move away from a chronological format into a functional, skills-based format. By doing this, your resume will focus on the results you delivered rather than the dates you worked a particular job. 'This style allows you to showcase your top three strengths and the results you achieved in each area,' says Ms. Thomas. 'The focus is on your career skill set and accomplishments as a whole, without breaking it down into specific performance for each company where you worked.'

For those who are wedded to the idea of a chronological format, there are still tricks to employ. Add a section called 'Consulting, Freelancing, and Short Term Assignments,' suggests Ms. Thomas. 'This is a great way to list any short-term employment without calling attention to an abrupt ending with an employer.'

While there is quite a bit of flexibility in what you do and don't include on a resume, filling out an employment application is another story. 'Include any employment, even if it's only for six weeks,' says Ms. Thomas. 'If you omit employment on an application, it's considered lying.'

After two layoffs in quick succession, it can be hard to stay positive. But, it's important to keep your head up, says Mr. Coon. Rather than worry that people think you are a 'flake,' realize that some things are simply beyond your control and not your fault. 'One of the worst killers of a good job search is attitude. People can sense 'attitude' and nobody who interviews you will tell you what they sense from you,' says Mr. Coon. 'It is up to you to be positive and leave that impression.'

问：2008年4月，我担任项目经理的这家公司业务严重滑坡，公司裁掉了很多人。每位主管都必须裁掉一名下属。不幸的是，我成了那个最后进去、最先出来的人。我花了5个月时间，终于找到了一个产品营销总监的职位。在我加入新公司6周后，这家公司资金枯竭，我们全都被炒了。现在我的履历上显示我2008年在两家公司呆过，这可能会让招聘员工的公司认为我这个人喜欢频繁跳槽，但实际情况并非如此。我该怎么解决这个问题呢？

答：对用人单位而言，求职者短时间内有过多个就职单位的确常被认为是个不好的信号，但在目前的经济低迷时期，用工企业一直在被迫对这种趋势给予更多的理解。

Career Coaching 360总裁托马斯(Sherri Thomas)说，短期就职如今并非例外，它已成为一种比较常见的现象，特别是在过去18个月来。招聘机构认识到，有许多公司纯粹是因为财务上的原因而解雇表现出色的员工。

猎头公司Stewart, Cooper & Coon的董事长兼首席执行长库恩(Fred Coon)认为，求职履历的目标之一应该是显示你之前就职的机构存在这种情况。做到这一点的一个简单办法是在这家公司的名称后面注上它已停止经营。库恩说，这样可以将责任推到公司头上，而不是留给自己。此外，任何工作成就都可以像在任何一份简历上那样写明。

另一个办法是不采用按时间顺序罗列工作经历的格式，而是用实用的、突出技能的形式。用这种形式，你的履历将着重于你过去实现的成绩，而不是你担任某项工作的起止日期。托马斯说，你可以用这种方式展示你最突出的三个领域以及你在每个领域的成就。重点是你的总体职业技能和成就，不要把它拆得太细、按在每家公司的具体表现分开来写。

如果有人坚持要用按时间顺序展开的履历格式，也还是可以玩点“小花招”。托马斯说，你可以增加一块标为“咨询、自由职业和短期工作”的内容。他说，这是一个不错的方法，可以在这个标题下列出任何短期工作经历，而不会让人注意到在一家雇主那里突然中止工作的事实。

托马斯说，尽管在履历上写什么、不写什么有相当的灵活性，但填写工作申请时则是另外一回事。她说，要把每段就业经历都写进去，即使只有6周。如果在申请中省略某段工作经历会被认为是在撒谎。

在不长时间内连续两次被裁员之后，你可能很难保持进取的状态。不过库恩说，抬起头来，这很重要。不必担心人们会认为你“有怪癖”，要知道，有些事的确非你我所能控制，那并不是你的错。库恩说，可能让好工作溜掉的一个最有破坏力的因素是态度。人们可以感觉到你的态度，而给你做求职面谈的人不会告诉你他们从你这里感受到的东西。要靠你自己表现出积极的风貌，并给招聘方留下这样的印象。

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