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Job-Hopping: Career Killer or Savior?
Tania Khadder | Excelle
Another important factor to bear in mind is your age, and where you are in your career.
If you’re 23 and fresh out of college, job-hopping can yield long-term benefits. On the other hand, an older, more senior executive may find the consequences to be more dire. Career Coach Joni Daniels says for older workers, “job hopping means losing ground.”
And no matter what, know that there are always going to be recruiters and hiring managers who will frown upon your frequent moves. If they do call you in for an interview, they will likely demand an explanation for your movement.
Be prepared to face objection, says Sherri Elliot, author of Ties to Tattoos: Turning Generational Differences into a Competitive Advantage.
Is your resume pages long?
“Many hiring managers are Baby Boomers. They come from a generation that believes in loyalty, longevity, and paying your dues, and they typically have not embraced the new job-hopping trend,” Elliot says. “Make sure your resume shows that you’ve substantially contributed to every company for which you’ve worked.”
Murdock says to be pro-active. Even more than non-hoppers, you’ll need to network aggressively to become more than just a resume, wherever you apply. “If you think you’ll be perceived as a job hopper, and you think your resume is being ignored because of it, get on the phone and find someone who works there so that you can overcome those objections.”
Like so much of your career history, the benefit of frequent job changes depends entirely on where you are in your career, your reasons for wanting to jump ship and your long-term goals.
There’s no doubt about it: the hard and fast career rules set by our parents and grandparents no longer apply.
The important thing now is to add value wherever you go, be smart about your moves and be prepared to explain your choices, whatever they are.
And by doing so, you might just turn yesterday’s red flag into today’s competitive advantage.
dbrct
4 months ago
12 comments
Great article. This is consistent with the trend of mobile, knowledge workers. With the rising costs of employment, companies are trending towards seasoned (even mature) workers that have a good work ethic and can deliver results.
After graduating in 2000, I worked for 2 companies in one year (2001), and both shut down and moved to Mexico. It was unbelievable, and I knew then I could not get too comfortable at a company. Ironically, I've been with my present employer for 7 years - however, I've held 3 positions ranging from engineering to finance to quality.
When I interviewed for my current position, I knew I was a great candidate because I had a large network of contacts from previous jobs along with operations and finance experience. Job-hopping with a purpose is different than just wandering from job to job.
I just wrote a blog on my website (www.careercougar.com) focused on career development. All of my moves had an express purpose for my long-term goal.
Thanks.
Daphne Robinson
www.careercougar.com
careercougar.wordpress.com
LaurieSheppard
4 months ago
12 comments
Good information and pleased to see you provide an article outline first and stick to it. Site and book references also helpful. It doesn't specifically target do's and don'ts in this tough economy and it really is a matter of savings and pain quotient as to whether one should consider this now when so many are laid off. But certainly in terms of looking bad on your resume, the main two points being that it depends what you accomplished before leaving and what your reasons are for leaving, are clearly stated and useful reminders!
Laurie Sheppard/Life and Career Coach
PhillAlexandros
4 months ago
10 comments
I'm 29 years old, and the longest I've stayed in a job is two years. Apart from the economy, I've never had trouble finding another job (given the expected 3 month wait). Questions about why I left those jobs are only natural, after all companies want to know why you're going to leave them, and they know you will. Unless you work for government, there really isn't much to stick around for anymore. Not to mention the amount of people who get fired after 20+ years service because they are approaching retirement. I don't look at job-hopping negatively, if anything, it says a person is able to cope with change.
gardentigeress
4 months ago
32 comments
Try job hopping in the trucking world and you will get hit with a big eight ball on your forehead or only get offers from companies that take anyone with a CDL and you are just a number.
julienaclim
4 months ago
14 comments
I worked for a company for eleven years until it went bankrupt. It was my first "real job" out of college and an experience that while I am grateful for I never wish to do again. In the last two years I have had a job per year (contract work) on account of the economy. It has been awesome. I have learned more than when I was permanent. It has openned new doors and I have received much higher pay. I no longer believe that it is healthy to ones carreer to stay stagnated in the same company. I was told once in an interview that there where two types of employees "the lifers" and "the shakers and movers". A lot of companies are undergoing severe internal transitions, some even trying to catch up with 21st century software programs (fare-thee-well-dusty-old-abacus). These companies are looking for guidance, fresh blood basically, someone whose been on the outside and can shed new light on their dusty cubicles. There is a lot of friction from old timers who are resentful to the shakers and the movers. Eventually I will like to stop being a shaker and a mover but having been a lifer once I think it will be a while before I decide to anchor permanently anywhere.
barbpro39
4 months ago
4 comments
I agree in the sense that job hopping can expand on your skills and experience. I am still in doubt how it comes across because I have experienced recruiters and managers on interviews questioning why had I left previous positions, and when my last "long term" position was, but especially during these times, I feel it is to be more expected than usual that employees change jobs more often. Now also I can say I am more focused than before on my specific career goal and what I want to do.
megrhoedd
4 months ago
2 comments
I agree.. I'm what I guess you would consider a Job Hopper. I have training as a NursesAide, Retail,Sales,Data Entry, Cleaning,Food Service, Supervisory,and Customer Service. I have worked for Goodyear Corporate HQ, Interval Brotherhood Home,Rose Lane Nursing Home, SummaCare Insurance, etc. I'm a hard worker and I can land the jobs, in fact I could train someone how to get the job they want. From Rhonda, Clinton, OH
Caramelqueenm
4 months ago
2 comments
Sooo tue! I too have had several jobs, great jobs with top companies. I go where the money and opportnutity lie. It's important to think of yourself as a business, because you are. Your fate should not lie in the hands of an employer, you should keep control and move where you see fit. Employers will replace you in a heartbeat, so gear up, and become invaluable to yourself, let no one determine your destiny, blaze your own path!
kbtordai
4 months ago
708 comments
I just turned 34. I have had nine jobs in the last ten years. I have been in my current position for just over one year and had a very good interview for a new prospect today! I get a lot of guff from family, friends and managers from time to time, and some even make fun of me. But little do they know how much knowledge I have gained and I can easily change jobs even in this economy - Whose laughing now?