Do You Switch Often? Learn to Avoid Looking Like a Job Hopper

Gone are the days when one used to stay 20 years at a single job. Today, most people move around a number of companies over the course of their careers. However, frequent changing of jobs might get you the tag of a job hopper making you look as a poor perspective for any future job.

Changing jobs is fine, and you should not feel any less of you if you have shifted a number of jobs. Here is what you need to know about being tagged as a job hopper.

What is Job Hopping?

Employers have a tendency to look a candidate’s career pattern. They seem to check if you are someone who is inclined to switch jobs or someone who spends at least few years in an organization. Mostly, multiple stays of two years or less would be termed as job hopping. Especially for mid-level to senior jobs, stability of four to five years makes a difference.

The Problem with Job Hopping

Experienced interviewers believe that the best way to predict a person’s future behaviour is by monitoring their past behaviour. So if someone has the track record of switching jobs often, expect the employer to believe that even the new job would not make them stay longer. The employers obviously expect the new hires to stay for a longer period of time and therefore the hopping pattern adds a red flag to the CV.

At times, job hopping is the only red flag that keeps a candidate from the job she/he is aspiring for.

Stay at a Job You Hate for Long?

No.

Leaving a job is only a problem when it happens in a pattern. One or two short stays in your CV would not create a problem for you. When your CV shows that it is a normal routine, it becomes a problem. This implies that you can leave a job in short term if you wish to but ensure it is not more than once or maximum twice throughout your career. The potential employers would not raise a concern over them.

Do Internships, Volunteer Work Count?

Job hopping is defined as short term stays at jobs that were not meant to be short term. Jobs that are short-term like contract jobs, internships, campaign work and likewise do not add to the label. Just ensure that your CV clearly conveys that these positions were designed to be short-term from the beginning.

Also, if you have an experience of working part-time in food or retail industry during college, employers do not mind that.

Read >> How to Explain a Gap on Your CV

What are the Chances of Getting Hired for a Job Hopper?

Yes, job hoppers continue to find jobs. It is just that your history of switching jobs regularly can make your job search process a little harder and can keep you from the job you really want.

How Can You Handle This Situation?

If you are a chronic job hopper, you need some smart ways to handle the situation. You can address frequent switching on your CV smartly. Some of the ways you can do this are:

• Highlight transferable skills:   Highlight the diverse skill set that you have gained from your multiple experiences and these make you a perfect fit for the job you are applying to. Employers are interested to see professional growth on a candidate’s CV. Hence, highlight the same that will serve a larger purpose to job changes.
• Give honest reasons for Job Change:  If you have an employment history that is full of short term changes, the interviewer would definitely be interested to know the reason behind the same. An employer would be considerate if the reasons of your switching were beyond your control.
• Throw the message of your commitment:  You should have convincing answers when the employer asks you about the reasons of working with them. Highlight at instances why you want to work for this employer and your commitment. You should express your desire to find a long term home.

Figure out a story, a good story that weaves everything together linearly and point towards your future.

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