Dear Career Doctor,

I am writing to seek for your professional advice on my job hunting exercises.

I graduated in 2000 and worked for
1) an arts organization for 3.5 years,
2) an integrated marketing agency for 1.5 years,
3) a 4As advertising agency for 0.5 year; and
4) a bank for 1.5 years

Then, I went to Japan to study Japanese in 2008 and returned in 2009. 

However, this language is totally unrelated to my job. Due to the impact of  the economic tsunami, I didn't find any prospective jobs in the market by the 
end of 2009.

Starting from 2010, I tried very hard to look for a new post, but I have encountered a lot of obstacles. To be more specific, I am always regarded as the second-best choice from the view of the potential employers. Sometimes I  am listed on the waiting list, sometimes the interviewers directly tel me  that not working for 3 years is a hurdle for hiring me. Sometimes I'm simply short on luck - an advertising agency initially wanted to  open a new post but dropped it later because it could not close the deal with its new client.

But not all the comments were so adverse. I also received some good comments about my still being competitive, experienced and having an excellent education.

Due to the frustration of my job search, I have been losing confidence in myself over the past year. In 2010, I have already received a dozen of interviews but only 1-2  posts were considered as a good match for my background. I am very desperate and keen on getting a job asap.

At present, I target middle-management positions in listed companies that can provide me a good career path in the coming 3-5 years. I am still prioritizing a marcom or marketing position in the Banking & Finance industry as my 1st option. However, honestly speaking, most of the banks have already received my resume in the past year, but only one or two showed any interest in me. How can I appeal to them again?

Specificially, I would kindly ask that you help me address the following questions:

1) Should I keep focusing on the Banking & Finance industry or consider a  career change? Strictly speaking, I possess only 2 years of relevant work experience in the banking industry. Am I wasting my time focusing my search here?

2) Does my resume seem too jumpy? How can I solve this problem and present it in the right way?

3) How should I present the "3-year emptiness" from 2008 to 2010 on my resume?

4) Should I lower my salary expecctations? Is this a good way to draw attention?

5) After reviewing my case, do you think there are any other problems I have been overlooking? Any further suggestions?

I would be very grateful if you could give me some comments and advice at  your convenience. Thanks a million for your help.