While it’s not unusual for someone to change jobs several times in their career, holding too many positions in a short period of time without a valid reason – layoff, corporate restructuring, professional advancement – is still a concern to employers. Even amidst all the speculation that the younger generation – the millenials – don’t see job hopping as a hiring red flag, many employers still look for job stability in candidates.
Because of the difficulty in replacing high-performing employees, employers feel it is vital that employees demonstrate their loyalty by remaining with an employer for at least a reasonable amount of time. What is reasonable is up for debate.
There was a time when staying with a company five years or longer seemed like the norm. Now, depending on where someone is in their career, staying with an organization for as little as one year can be okay.
Job hopping doesn’t necessarily have one simple definition. It really has to do a lot with a recruiter’s personal perception. Things that can influence this perception include
- Industry norms – Fields like consulting and technology tend to experience more movement than others.
- Current market conditions -- Issues such as the dot.com failures of the late nineties or other economic issues can influence organizational changes and therefore result in more layoffs or people jumping ship for a more stable opportunity.
- Local job market – Major cities like New York where recruiters might expect to see a lot of movement are very different from small towns where longevity would reign supreme.
- Career timing – Right after college or early on in someone’s career, a recruiter might expect to see lots of movement as the candidate looks to find themselves. However, with more experience and upward movement comes an expectation of more stability.
- Career growth – If there is an obvious pattern of career growth, the frequent changes will more likely be seen as reasonable, unless the current opportunity does not continue this same trend.
What job seekers need to keep in mind is that recruiters are more likely looking for a reason to rule them out rather than to rule them in as a candidate. So they need to be sure not to give recruiters any help.
Here are three ways for candidates to put a positive spin on frequent job changes and get more recruiters to rule them in:
Since the only way to get a foot in the door is to first get the recruiter interested, it is imperative that the resume sells. This may mean including reasons for termination and/or developing an equally award-winning cover letter that explains the movement. Or try listing only the years -- no months -- for employment history.
Once face-to-face with the recruiter, a candidate needs to be able to professionally express how their experience has helped to develop skills such as the ability to learn quickly and build new relationships as well as adaptability and flexibility. Pointing out what they gained in experience from each position as well as any major accomplishments can help sell the recruiter on their abilities.
Don't apologize. Candidates may feel as if they need to over explain why they made frequent job changes and actually make the situation worse. Job seekers should not act guilty or feel ashamed; otherwise, the recruiter will see their job hopping as something bad. Instead they should always put a positive spin on what they gained from the experience.
Before looking for that next job opportunity, be sure it is a good fit, in order to help put an end to frequent job changes. That’s the best way to put a positive spin on any career.
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