Job Hopping Pros and Cons

Job Hopping may not be the career suicide it has been considered to be. Though hiring managers tend to veer away from resumes with several short job stints, many are beginning to develop a new out look on job hoppers and what they may have to offer. Here is what some experts have identified as the pros and cons of job hopping.

Pros

Diverse Background 

Many job hoppers have experience in any number of different industries, companies, and have faced a large variety of challenges. Anyone with a divers background is going to be an attractive potential candidate to employers because they may have new ideas and approaches to offer. Make sure to keep a record of projects and one or two people form each company to serve as a reference.

Information and Resources

It’s simple really. Working in several different environments provides access to different resources. Candidates who have “hopped” around have been exposed to more, so they have more human and informational resources that they wouldn’t have had they stayed in on position for years.

Networking

Social and professional networking has become a very active and influential tool for doing business. Networking has always been important, but is vital in today’s competitive market. Different companies use many different,  or combination of networking outlets. Ability to utilize as many outlets as possible will be useful, and even has the potential to be career saving.

Find out what you want

Job hopping gives you more opportunities to figure out what you like and don’t about different companies and positions. If you know what you want, it’s easier to find it.

Opportunity

Job hopping shows employers that you are not intimidated my change and are able to adapt to new challenges. Also that you are flexible and a quick learner. For some, this will be the selling point that makes them want you as part of their team.

Money

It’s no secret that employers want a lot of work for as little pay as possible, whereas an employee wants a lot of money for as little work as possible. Negotiations usually end with a “happy medium,”however pay raises after are rarely satisfactory to the employee. Jumping to a new position will almost always result in more money than a pay raise.

Cons

Employers will be hesitant to consider you

When you falling a cycle for job hopping it reflects on your resume. Employers will look at that, consider you un-loyal to your former employers, and decide that it is not likely will be loyal to them. It is expensive to seek out and recruit new employees. Many employers will not be willing to invest in someone who lacks loyalty.

Less Job Security

Given that you may up and leave anyway, if you employer is forced to lay off employees, you could be the first to go.

Lack of Satisfaction

It’s similar to raising children. Think of new products, companies, and jobs like a newborn. They require hard work, dedication and the motivation to not just give up and go do something else, leaving someone else to do the work. Once success is achieved, seeing it and knowing you were a part it, is the greatest satisfaction in any career. Job hoppers will never get to experience that.

Damaged Relationships

More and more, employers are turning to professional reference checkers to verify information and otherwise double-check their potential investment in a new employee. In today’s environment, relationships are more important than ever. Job hopping hinders you ability to develop solid reliable relationships with those who could be an impressive reference for you future job prospects. 

Employers may question your judgement

An employer might find one or two short stints might be acceptable, especially if you were with a company that went bankrupt or were caught up in a layoff. Many of these though, might indicate that you are someone who doesn’t have good judgment, and leave them to wonder if you’re prone to making bad decisions.

Job Hopping creates fear that you will leave at the fist sign of trouble

If your resume reflects a history of job hoping, it will be easy for an employer to assume you are someone who will look for greener pastures the first time you are unhappy. Employers want to see some history of loyalty and ability to tough it out and do your part when things get rough.

Job hopping, when done for the right reasons can be beneficial to your career, but can also be detrimental. What you need to remember is that as long as you maintain healthy relationships with past employers and don’t burn bridges, you can use job hopping to your advantage. Just make sure you are able to demonstrate how critical you were the the success of a project or company, and that you are able to contribute in bringing that same success to your next employer.

Source: Forbes