Is Job Hopping Good Or Bad?

How long should I stay in my job before I leave?

Will future employers care if I’ve left a job after only 1 or 2 years?

If you’ve ever wondered anything like these questions up here, the job hopping stigma has made its way into your gray matter!

Job hopping can be described as changing jobs frequently in a short amount of time. Think 1 or 2 years.

For decades, it’s been frowned on by employers, which has put pressure on workers to stay at their jobs for better or for worse. Hence the “How long should I stay in my job before I leave?” questions.

But job hopping has become more and more common over the years, with Millennials and Gen Zers leading the way, and the COVID-19 pandemic spurring a whole lot of job overturn.

So with job hopping becoming more prevalent, has the perception of leaving a job after a couple years changed? 

The answer is easy.

Just kidding, it’s not. It’s complicated and a little frustrating.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

The stigma around job hopping mostly comes from employers looking at it as a sign that the candidate has no loyalty or is unstable.

“If we hire them, they’re just gonna leave in 12 months and we’re gonna have to hire for the role all over again.” And hiring can get expensive. Employers generally don’t like having to replace people, especially after they just hired them.

Unfortunately, that’s led to many employees staying in their jobs longer than they probably want to, even in the face of low pay, lack of growth opportunities, burnout, etc.

The tide is turning quickly and kind of dramatically for Millennials and Gen Zers, with Millennial turnover costing the US economy an estimated measly $30.5 billion every year.

WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE JOB HOPPING?

Probably a lot of reasons. One of the big ones is lack of engagement. Boredom and a lack of emotional/mental engagement can lead to stagnation and burnout, so people are scramming for greener, more engaging pastures.

Job hopping can also come with lots of practical benefits: better pay, more opportunities to move up, develop new skills…the list goes on.

HAS THE PERCEPTION CHANGED THEN?

For some employers, yes. There are some hiring managers who actually see multiple work experiences as a plus because it signals more experience with different work cultures and an ability to network and build new relationships.

Others don’t mind it. They may just chalk it up to “the way things are now” or life experiences necessitating more movement for some people.

However, there’s still a portion of employers who cringe at the thought of hiring someone with a history of leaving jobs after only 2 years.

So if you’re going to leave your job after 1 or 2 years, job hop thoughtfully and with purpose. In other words, make sure you’re able to explain to a future employer how your varied experiences will add value to them, and go for roles that will allow you to learn and grow in your career.

SO WHEN IS IT COOL IF I DO IT?

Well…

WRAPPING UP

So it’s not necessarily good or bad. Although it’s historically been looked at negatively, there are good ways to do it, and there are employers who don’t feel negatively about it in all cases. Way more people job hop now than they did 20 years ago, so the standard has definitely changed.

You just have to be thoughtful and intentional about your pivot. And guess what! There’s support for you if you’re thinking about it! Book a free consultation with me and let’s talk about what your next steps should be.

FEELING LOST, STUCK, OR CONFUSED?

Maybe you come home at night and vent to your friends about how much you can’t stand your job. Or you wake up and lay in bed wondering, “I need to start job searching soon.” You know you want to take your career in a different direction, you’re just not sure where to begin.

Then it’s time for you to take the Career Compass Assessment and

• Address the frustration of knowing you have transferable skills, but not really knowing what they are exactly
• Understand exactly what’s causing you pain in your current job, and what’s standing in the way of having a career you really want
• Finally deal with your current career confusion that has you complaining about your job, but not doing anything about it

You’ll walk away with a personalized report detailing what your skills indicate about your career journey, and you’ll know what step you need to take next to get yourself in motion!

How it works: You’ll do a brief online assessment and then hop on a 45 minute 1 on 1 zoom session with me.

The Career Compass Assessment Program is currently being offered at $83. Hurry, because the price is going back up to $97 soon!

At the end you will know:

• What transferable skills you ALREADY HAVE to offer that are currently in-demand
• Potential job fits that would actually energize you instead of drain you
• What steps you should take in the short-term to finally move you toward a job you’ll love

Contact me today to get started!

Next Issue on July 20th: One Key Screening Factor

Next time, I’ll hone in on one key screening factor that hiring managers love. Don’t miss it!