You know the saying "If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you're the asshole."?

Well, it's going to be hard to convince employers that everyone else was the asshole.

You have to understand that when an employer considers you they're considering the future of the company. If they think you're going to leave, or that you're going to cause so much problems that they kick you out, you're not what they're looking for.

Some gaps in employment, temporary positions, or a short lived job aren't going to kill your chances. But the overall picture has to give the impression of a worker they can rely on.