EX: How much job hopping is OK and how to explain it?

[Archie Ziviello <aziviello -at- NESL -dot- COM>]

This is not so much a reply, buy and EX (expansion):

You know I really hate to ask, but as a highly specialized TW (the sound of
applause and cheers in the distance), I'm wondering how marketable skills
are across work platforms?  And, if TWing actually results in getting an
office outside the TW discipline.

If you are a TW for a particular company and a lot of what you learn/
learned could pan out in another (same kind of business) would employer
actually consider the TW as sort of a Rennaisance figure?

Case:  I had occassion to write custom manuals for software product in
widespread use. A biggy big application!   Can I realistically think that I
can approach a user of this software else and  wind up in some other type of
job?  It took me months to become 78% fluent in the user end function of the
application as well as structure and write the doc.  In the course of
writing the manuals, interviews, site visits, and edits with administrator,
I met people who had a fraction of my knowledge but where probably
out-pacing me in the earnings scale.

Archie

-----Original Message-----
From: Anonymous Poster [mailto:anonfwd -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM]
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 12:46 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: FWD: How much job hopping is OK and how to explain it?

  I am curious to know what is considered "job hopping" and is it
acceptable these days because of the nature of technology?

  Also, how do you explain to potential employers, when you have
taken several jobs that turned out to be REALLY, REALLY bad
choices and have had the opportunity to leave them after just a
few months and did?  Or, what if you have a really bad year where
life occurrences cause you to make bad choices?  I know that you
are supposed to keep your professional life and personal life
separate, but sometimes that just isn't possible.  When you are
interviewing, how do you explain what happened and why?  Or do
you explain it?  What are employers looking for?

  I know this isn't totally on topic, but we have been talking
about interviews, etc.  So I just thought I'd put this out there.
Thanks in advance for your comments.

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