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Question
I have been in the mortgage banking field for 35 years. My employer is about to close the company. Since there are no mortgage jobs available, I need to change fields. I have been an underwriter for 20 years, but my resume does not look great because I had to change jobs about every 1.5 years due to downsizing or trying to find a company that was doing ethical business.
Answer
As you suspect, the resume is going to be a problem. If you're over 30, a pattern of job-hopping is a real red flag in the hiring process.
However, resourceful people find a way to make a positive out of a negative, and here is how you can do that in your case. With so many different employers in your background, you must have a large number of contacts. Put your emphasis on networking among people who know and respect you. That way, your resume won't be the first impression a potential employer gets of you.
There's also a silver lining for you in the mortgage slump: increased demand for advice to distressed borrowers. Given your mortgage experience, you should have a good knowledge base for helping people understand refinancing, debt consolidations, and other strategies for managing their debt burdens.
However, resourceful people find a way to make a positive out of a negative, and here is how you can do that in your case. With so many different employers in your background, you must have a large number of contacts. Put your emphasis on networking among people who know and respect you. That way, your resume won't be the first impression a potential employer gets of you.
There's also a silver lining for you in the mortgage slump: increased demand for advice to distressed borrowers. Given your mortgage experience, you should have a good knowledge base for helping people understand refinancing, debt consolidations, and other strategies for managing their debt burdens.
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