Is Job Hopping Good or Bad for Your Career?

Job hopping is moving from one company or business to another either for a sideways move or promotion. It is usually considered that you are job hopping when you move from one company to the other every 1-2 years and have done it many times, and the reason for each of this move is due is not a layoff or company shutting down.

Job hopping or changing jobs frequently was considered suicidal for job seekers until recently. Hiring managers would think that such candidates are unstable are not loyal to the company and hence wouldn’t shortlist such applicants. 


But the scenario has changed in the recent times. Job longevity has become a thing of the past as both businesses and recruiters are starting to have a different perspective on job hopping.

A survey conducted by CareerBuilder in 2014 depicts that 32% of employers now expect their employees to jump jobs and about 55 % of employers have employed a job hopper in the past. This trend has been particularly identified in industries like retail, IT, transportation, manufacturing, hospitality, and seems like a positive step forward, though for other sectors it may not be. 

The perception of job hopping has changed since last few as its becoming more common.  In the past this was employers raised a red flag to this kind of behavior. But because of its frequency at present, job hopping is considered as a move to climb the corporate ladder or gain more skills.

For those especially in technology, for instance, it allows job seekers a chance to acquire and gain key technical knowledge and skills in different cultures. This kind of behavior is particularly common for those who are into development, mobile apps and Project Management.

Though job hopping has a negative implication, a technologist or a programmer specially if he is fresher and confident enough, would feel he wouldn't add any more value to a company and realizing that he needs to gain more skills and moves to another company to stay updated. The employers are also now being more accepting towards hiring job movers, the trend is expected to continue.

Advantages

Job hopping certainly has its pros & cons. Lets first hightlight the benefits and then the drawback.s 

It’s beneficial for employers because…

• You are sure to be a better performer: If you have job hopped many times, you are more likely to know how to your job better than others.
• You can be a valuable insider: You can acquire and bring in the knowledge of the competitors.
• You are adaptable: Being a fast learner, and you know how to build contacts and network quickly.
• You may be easier to recruit: As you have more skills and willing to take up new opportunities it's easier to hire.
• You are the next generation of talent: you learn first-hand how things work in the market and can inform employers about the future workplace

It’s beneficial for you because…

• It helps you grow your professional network: building up a powerful professional network is more important than getting the perfect CV
• It helps you improve your skillset: you get the chance to see how other businesses work and develop your skills in ways you can’t by staying with one employer
• It helps you gain valuable experience: a diverse background can be attractive to potential employers
• It helps you earn more money: a new job often leads to a higher paycheck as companies are willing to pay more money for the right person
• It can help you achieve individual fulfilment: going after what you want can help you discover your passion and purpose in life
• You can change locations more frequently: being open to other positions allows you to relocate easier
• It helps you search for a better cultural fit: finding the employer who offers the company culture and working environment you need can be difficult
• It gives you a sense of achievement: getting to know what employers need and managing to make a good impression gives you a sense of accomplishment.

An ambitious professional who hops into a new position can make the best out of this opportunity because they know what they want in their career. While job hopping may look like an unstable career move, some people find that it gives them greater control over their career.

Disadvantages

The reason why job hoppers aren’t considered ideal employees is that they are more likely to be a burden for an employer. In fact, they can be a huge cost for a company in the following ways:

It doesn’t work for employers because...

• You are not loyal to the business: employers may be hesitant to hire you if it seems like you can’t stick around for long
• You aren’t going after the trophies: it may show employers that you don’t care about anything else than yourself and progressing professionally
• You are a waste of money: employers don’t have any reason to invest in you if you aren’t planning to stay there for long
• You lack responsibility and commitment: as a job hopper you give the impression that you are an unreliable person who can commit easily
• You make it difficult to secure a job: given your track record, you may be the first to go if an employer is forced to lay off employees.

Job hopping doesn’t only look bad for companies and hiring, but for you as well it can be bad for your reputation and ruin it ultimately if you are a consistent mover.

It doesn’t work for you because...

• It seems like you money minded: changing jobs often might give employers the signal that you are only after money
• You are not a serious person: employers might think that you aren’t taking them seriously and you risk burning bridges with contacts that could have been useful
• You may have limited growth: you will miss out on seeing the long-term impact of your work, and you won’t have time to be promoted from within.

Job-hopping can be a good or a bad thing, depending on the reason you do it and how. While employers are starting to get used to this idea, it can still look bad for your career. If there is a real reason for the switch, employers are willing to look the other way as long as you are not doing it to earn more money. The biggest problem job-hopping causes is employment gaps, but if you know how to justify these on your CV and the job interview, you won’t have any problem with potential employers.

Moving between jobs isn’t always the ideal formula for success, as it doesn’t work for everyone. But since there is rarely a ‘job for life’ anymore, you may too find yourself in the position where you need to change a couple of jobs before you find the perfect one.

In the next article, we will learn how to job hop the right way. Are you finding our articles useful? If yes, we do have a lot more to career advice to share with you. We, Radiant Systems is a leading IT consultancy and recruitment company providing staffing services. We are spread across the US, UK, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland etc,.

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