Minimizing the impact of being seen as a job-hopper

Dear Sam: I graduated from college in 2001 and have been working in the IT realm since (prior if you include internships). However, I have not been with the same organization for more than two years and have had four total positions. I switch jobs because external companies tend to offer me much more money and better opportunities than internal positions have offered. I realize this job-hopping will look bad on my résumé and know that I should stop. What's the best way to display jobs on my résumé if I hop again though? One thing I should mention, is that regardless of the organization, I have always performed above-and-beyond the expectations of my management. Thanks - "Job Hopper" in Columbus

Dear Job-Hopper: Actually, two years with each employer is not that bad in today’s job market. You sort of answered your own question by noting that you have performed well in each of your engagements. A key strategy in minimizing the impact of having changed jobs frequently is to demonstrate your value to the prospective employer. Do so by pulling out your accomplishments and placing them in their own section by employer. By doing this you not only showcase where you have gone above-and-beyond, but also downplay focus on your dates of employment, which should only appear in the professional experience section. Also, you should only include years of employment and not months and years, another way to minimize the appearance of having moved around. Lastly, be sure you have a strong qualifications summary communicating your value based on your past successes. By employing these strategies you will really diminish the impact of being seen as a job-hopper and be on the way to résumé success! Best of luck.